A lot more to sport psychology than just 'waltzing in'

With 20 years in psychology practice and a passionate interest in sports, family psychologist Charles H. Brown Jr., PhD, thought it would be simple to add sport psychology services to his practice. But when he attended a convention sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP), he realized just how much he needed to learn.

"I thought I could just waltz in and take my place at the table," says Brown, "but I discovered there were massive amounts of information that I didn't know."

He was unaware that working with athletes and coaches was different than working with traditional clients and that he would need to understand the psychological factors associated with sports participation and performance.

So he began taking classes at the sport psychology program at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, to receive specialized training in sport science and kinesiology.

Forty-three physical education and sport science programs across the country offer doctoral programs in sport psychology, says Jim Whelan, PhD, associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Memphis. Another 19 psychology departments offer a concentration in sport psychology as part of their clinical program. Most doctoral programs, whether they're offered through physical education or psychology, take four to five years to complete, he says.

Although neither APA or Div. 47 (Exercise and Sport) offers a certification in sport psychology, Div. 47 suggests that practitioners who describe themselves as "sport psychologists":

* Have experience applying psychological principles in sports settings.

* Demonstrate expert knowledge in the research base of the psychology of sport and be familiar with the field of exercise science. This includes the psychology of coaching, skilled sports performance and sports participation motivation. APA offers continuing education courses in sport psychology.

AAASP has established its own guidelines for becoming a certified consultant in sport psychology. Requirements include:

* A doctoral degree, preferably in psychology or exercise/sport sciences.

* Knowledge of psychology including psychopathology, assessment and counseling skills.

* Knowledge of exercise/sport science, including motor behavior, biomechanical or physiological bases for sport and sport organization/coaching.

* Coursework in professional ethics, research design, statistics and sport psychology.

* Completion of 400 hours of supervised experience in sport psychology.

* Evidence of continued professional training related to sport psychology.

For more information, visit Div. 47's web site at http://www.psyc.unt.edu/apadiv47/become.htm or AAASP's web site at http://www.aaasponline.org.

--L. Rabasca



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