Welcome to the Sports Psychology blog. Here you will find insights on current sporting events, from the perspective of a sports psychologist.
The purpose of this blog, is to get inside the sporting drama…why the player or team do what they they do…their thinking…mindsets…attitudes…their fluctuating state of confidence…and all the other mental and emotional pieces that create the psychology of sports.
The most recent articles are at the top of the List Of Sports Psychology Blogs Index.
So Novak Djokovic is defaulted out of the US Open. Angry at not being able to convert first set points against Pablo Carreno Busta.
Sore from falling on his shoulder. Frustrated at losing his serve. Culminating in hitting a ball towards the back of the court, which hit a line-judge in the throat.
Read More...So Mark Selby is back in the World Championship semi-finals for the first time since 2016-17.
Interestingly, after his domination of Aussie cueman Neil Robertson in the quarters, Selby spoke about his loss of confidence in recent years.
Read More...We have just concluded the second session of the World Snooker Championships quarter-final.
And defending champion Judd Trump is in trouble. He is 10-6 down and out of form.
Read More...And so Anthony Hamilton is through to the main draw of the World Championships, for the first time since 2008.
Anthony saw off the hard to beat Perth cueman Scott Donaldson, whilst admitting that he wasn’t playing his best snooker.
Read More...There was an interesting article on BBC Sport the other day about American golfer Tony Finau.
It was highlighting the fact that since his win at the Puerto Rico Open in 2016, Finau has finished inside the top ten of PGA events, thirty times!
Read More...A couple of seasons ago, tennis player Kevin Anderson enlisted the help of a sports psychologist, to help him match game outcomes to his talent.
In other words the giant South African felt he was under-performing.
Read More...There are many fascinating moments in the Netflix documentary The Last Dance. One of which is when author Mark Vancil attempts to sum up what it is that makes basketball’s Michael Jordan great.
‘Being Present!’. That’s what makes Michael the best, says Vancil. He is always fully present. He’s a mystic. He is never anywhere else.
Read More...So Judd Trump wins the Gibraltar Open to take his seasons collection of ranking titles to six. A tour record. When a player is crowned World Champion for the first time, there are always questions asked as to whether wearing the champions crown will be a burden or a liberation. Some find the expectation too much, and never come close to greatness again. But for those who leave their mark on the game, the first world title, is a catalyst. A stepping stone. The starting off point to take their game to another level. The level of dominance. Trump’s six […]
Read More...And so Liverpool’s Champions League defence is ended at the hands of a tough Athletico Madrid side. Despite giving everything, this felt like a step too far for Jurgen Klopp’s team. Which is hardly a surprise. Having set a potent trail in the Premier League all season, they look certain to secure their first title in thirty years. But in doing so they have had to break club patterns. Patterns related to near title misses; title under-performances; psychologies of being in the title shadow of Manchester United. All things that create a feeling of, ‘when is a Premier League win […]
Read More...It’s arrival time for the Juventus team, ahead of their behind closed doors top of the table clash with Inter Milan. As Christiano Ronaldo steps off the team bus, he high fives the invisible fans who would normally be waiting to greet the Juventus team as they enter the Allianz Stadium. Then at the final whistle Ronaldo turns to applaud the invisible fans. This garners lots of easy laughs on social media. Except – what if this is all part of Ronaldo’s preparation and visualisation routine? In other words he has mentally prepared for this game, as if there are […]
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