The role of psychology and psychologists in sports

Abstract

Sports psychology is a young scientific discipline that represents the application of psychology in sports and physical activity. Although the science of sports psychology has proven to significantly enhance sports performance and contribute to sports results, its role in practice is not always clearly defined. The aim of this paper is to look at how coaches and managers, being the people who work with athletes most closely and whose advice is respected most, perceive the role of psychologists and psychological science in sports. Obviously, the key issue is not the acceptance of psychic factors as significant for sports success, or their detection and defining. The main problem lies in practical application of this knowledge, and more precisely, in acceptance of psychological experts by sports managers and coaches. The role of psychological experts in sports is still influenced by the individual attitudes and perceptions of coaches and sports management. It has been shown hence, that football coaches do accept participation of psychologists in working with athletes, but they reserve the right to determine their area of work. Younger and higher educated coaches are more ready to engage psychologists in work with athletes. A survey amongst students of the Faculty of Sport showed that future coaches and sports managers, by studying the subject ?Psychology of Sports?, gained full understanding of the importance of psychological factors and the role of psychological science and psychologists in sports. The expectation is that education of experts in sports will influence change in existing attitudes, thereby improving, refining and humanizing work with athletes.