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Sports Psychologist Job Description

What does a Sports Psychologist do?

A Sports Psychologist is a trained mental health professional who specialises in working with athletes and sports teams. Their main role is to help athletes improve their mental and emotional health, which in turn can have a positive impact on their performance. Sports Psychologists work with athletes to help them develop coping strategies for dealing with stress, anxiety and other mental health issues that can affect their performance. They also work with sports teams to develop team cohesion and communication skills, as well as to help individuals overcome personal barriers that may be preventing them from performing at their best. Overall, a Sports Psychologist plays a crucial role in helping athletes achieve their goals and be at their best, both on and off the field.

Our Sports Psychologist job description includes the Sports Psychologist responsibilities, duties, skills, education, qualifications, and experience.

Sports Psychologist Example


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If you need an example job description for a Sports Psychologist download the one below, alternatively we have many other Healthcare job description samples and a job description library with over 3000 job descriptions templates that you can download for free.

What does a Sports Psychologist do?

Sports Psychologist Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Sports Psychologist to join our team and help our athletes reach their full potential. The successful candidate will provide psychological support to athletes, coaches and sports teams in order to improve their performance and wellbeing.

The Sports Psychologist will assess, diagnose and treat mental and emotional issues related to sports performance. They will work closely with athletes to identify potential psychological barriers to achieving their goals and devise strategies to overcome them. They will also provide education and guidance on mental health and performance-related topics.

The ideal candidate should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as a strong knowledge and understanding of sports psychology. They should be able to work independently and collaboratively with other professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for the athlete.

If you have a passion for sports and a commitment to helping athletes reach their maximum potential, then this is the job for you!

Sports Psychologist Role Purpose

The purpose of a sports psychologist is to help athletes and sportspeople to develop the mental skills and attitudes necessary for optimal performance and well-being. They work with athletes, coaches and sporting organisations to improve psychological skills such as motivation, focus, concentration, confidence, relaxation, communication and goal-setting. Sports psychologists also help athletes to understand and manage the pressures associated with elite sport and to develop strategies for dealing with stress, anxiety, injury and other forms of adversity.

Sports Psychologist Role

A Sports Psychologist is a mental health professional who helps athletes perform at their best by teaching them strategies to manage stress, increase motivation and improve concentration. They may also offer advice about nutrition, physical activity, goal setting and lifestyle management.

Sports Psychologist Duties

  • Provide psychological support to athletes and teams to help improve performance and well-being
  • Assess and evaluate individual athletes and teams and create psychological plans to meet their needs
  • Develop and implement personalised mental skills training programs
  • Assess and develop athletes’ social and emotional needs
  • Conduct regular reviews to monitor progress and adapt plans
  • Provide guidance and consultation to coaches, trainers and other staff
  • Advise on team dynamics, sports nutrition and the psychological aspects of injury prevention and recovery

Sports Psychologist Requirements

  • A degree in a relevant field such as sport psychology, psychology, or counseling
  • Knowledge of sport psychology theories and approaches
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Excellent organisational and time management skills

Sports Psychologist Skills

  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Understanding of sports psychology
  • Ability to motivate and inspire athletes
  • Ability to develop, implement and evaluate sports psychology programmes
  • Strong understanding of psychology and mental health
  • Ability to work in a team environment

Sports Psychologist Personal Traits

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  • Strong understanding of sports psychology
  • Professionalism and ability to maintain confidentiality
  • Passion for sports and athletics

How to write a Sports Psychologist Job Advert

Use our job advert template to write a job advert for posting on job sites and job boards. Our job advertising templates are carefully created to help you reach your audience and beat the competition to the best talent.

A job description informs the reader about a job, whereas a job advert’s main objective is to sell the job opportunity to attract as many suitable applicants possible. A job advert maybe the first touch-point a candidate has with your company so it is important to create a great impression.

Job Advertisements should enticing, so considering using short, exciting language which get the reader’s attention.

How to write a Sports Psychologist Job Description

To write a job description, we recommend starting with a job description template from our job description library, which contains examples for 800+ positions and professions. Our job description examples include a job summary with duties and responsibilities and skills and requirements, which can be personalised for your job vacancy.

Job Description Advice - Guidance on How to Personalise a Sports Psychologist Job Specification

The hiring process and recruiting new employees to fill your key roles requires a degree of personalisation if you are to attract the best employees in a competitive employment market. The right person for a crucial role or more senior roles will likely have other employers targeting them. As your job description will be the first point of contact, you need to nail your pitch and provide the best possible service.

Job Description Tips - Help on formatting a Sports Psychologist Job Specification

When creating your bespoke description and advert, you should cover and promote these points:

Job title: This should accurately reflect the role and include keywords that top talent might be using to search for jobs.

Job duties: The day to day duties, such as administrative tasks, which vary depending on the company and inform the candidate if they can complete the role.

Technical skills: These are the hard skills required through training, such as proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Soft skills: These include the interpersonal skills and general abilities the right candidates will possess. For example, the competency to prioritise multiple tasks, handle customer queries and customer complaints, work alone, or build a good relationship with coworkers.

The company's culture: Highlighting your company culture and values ensures employees thrive and find outstanding job satisfaction. Candidates that are not the right fit won’t waste their time completing the application process, meaning you can focus on qualified individuals and hire in a more timely manner.

Career progression: Including the career path will entice candidates looking for career growth. 

Training and development programs: Smaller companies may need employees with previous experience or provide educational assistance over internal training offered by larger organisations with more significant resources. 

Employee benefits: Compensation and benefits often fail to appear in job ads and while you may want to hold your cards close to your chest, failing to include them is a mistake. Consider answering common questions, such as working hours and paid leave. Researching the average salary for the role in these early stages will ensure you don’t waste your interviewer’s and the candidate’s time.

Skill gaps: Your company may need to bring in new skills beyond those required to complete the key role and duties. Thinking on an organisational level can be beneficial when contemplating skills diversity.

Legal requirements: Ensure your job advert and description does not ask for inappropriate or discriminatory personal details, such as age, marital status, or religion.

How to Hire a Sports Psychologist

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