Controlling the Controllables in Sport Organizations during the Time of Pandemic: Leadership Actions for Sport Psychology Practitioners

Abstract

The time of pandemic has been a challenging one for most people in sport organizations. These individuals include athletes, coaches, support staff members, and administrators, as well as sport psychology practitioners. A range of human and systemic factors have coalesced to create volatility, ambiguity, and stress for all these stakeholders, affecting how they work, relate to one another, and make decisions. Within this context, this paper centers attention on why and how practitioners of sport psychology in professional sport organizations can manifest leadership by taking actions in support of athletes and coaches, actions that are under practitioner control and influence. The leadership actions considered include promoting an interdisciplinary perspective on providing mental health support to athletes; communicating and collaborating with other professionals; emphasizing acceptance; embracing routines; manifesting humility; and engaging in the process of professional practice. This article concludes with reflections about how these leadership actions can transfer from professional sport organizations to collegiate settings and scholastic school environments.