Sports psychology is the study of how psychological factors and attributes of an athlete affect their output or performance in sporting activities. It uses scientific principles and theories to learn and understand how an athlete’s psychological composition or makeup can affect their performance in exercise, team performance, sports and so on.
The goal of a sports psychologist is to understand the athlete’s mind and mental processes in order to ascertain their performance on and off the field. The end result is to nurture an athlete’s attitude and emotions so their performance on the field improves drastically.
You may come across a number of sports psychology schools in Maine. It is important to select one that fits your requirements and expectations. In a sport psychology school you may learn not just the basics but advanced concepts of psychology as well. Some of the courses you may come across are Human Behavior, Psychology 101, Biology, Physiotherapy, Chemistry 101, Advanced Psychology, Sports, Athletic Performance, Kinesiology and so on. These courses and theories will teach you the necessary concepts that are required to become a well rounded sports psychologist.
Once you have successfully graduated from, you will be able to look for employment in a number of fields. For instance, you may find job opportunities with any one of the national sporting teams and work as their sports psychologist. You could also work in a clinic as a consultant and offer advice to athletes that display performance anxiety and other issues.
According to simplyhired.com the average annual salary for sports psychologists in Maine is $47,000. This amount can fluctuate depending on experience, clientele and type of sport. For instance, high reward sports such as Tennis or Golf may reward the professionals very generously.
Related reading: Education and license requirements for psychologists in Maine.