The success of a professional athlete or sportsperson is not simply dependent on superior physical performance, but it is also involves preparing their mind. Sports psychology is a field that primarily focuses on the mental and psychological strength of these athletes.
It is basically a study of the effects of exercise on psychological factors as well as a study of social, psychological, cognitive and physiological factors that influence exercise behaviors. It attempts to use the principles of science and psychology to draw a correlation between an athlete’s performance on the field and their state of mine.
If you are interested in this field and live in or near New York, below are some of the popular schools offering sports psychology programs in NY:
- City University of New York
- Grand Canyon University
- Northcentral University
- Capella University
- National University
- Canisius College
Generally, sports psychology is offered by the Department of Kinesiology or Department of Psychology. There are several colleges and schools that offer graduate, doctorate as well as certificate programs in this field.
These programs integrate research, theory and practice and cover a range of topics including development, well-being, cognitive psychology, performance enhancement, coaching, counseling techniques and rehabilitation.
Career opportunities in sports psychology include sports administration, consultancy or coaching. Graduates of sports psychology may get the opportunity to coach elite professional athletes and work with them by helping them improve their performance, motivation and development as well as helping them deal psychologically with the demands of sports.
There is also the option of educating and teaching at universities and providing ideas on developing and improving the well-being of participants in sports.
As of January 2024, according to ZipRecruiter the average annual salary for sports psychologists in the states of New York is $92,016. This figure is likely to improve once you accumulate more experience and enter high-end sports industries such as Tennis, Golf, Football etc.
More experienced professionals in the field of sports psychology earn on average $159,053 annually in New York, while highly specialized sports psychologists earn as high as $196,766 per year.