Entering the world of sports is mostly seen as a physical activity where footballs are kicked around, bars are balanced on and swimming pools are jumped into with finesse, excellence and power. Well, yes, sports is all about the skill and technique required to make a performance great, whether it’s a friendly match or a qualifying championship – the art of competition is very much alive. But there are a few other factors that most people on the viewing end don’t really understand and appreciate – the psychological part.
In order to kill it in the cut throat industry that is professional sportsmanship, a serious amount of self-discovery is required to break into the league of champions. The Level 4 Award in Sports and Exercise Psychology on offer at Learning Works is the gateway to a level of professionalism that is needed to exercise the ultimate principles of sports as a professional career.
Reigning in the field of sports and exercise requires a whole lot of psychological gain where mind over matter becomes an underlying principle in the athlete’s success. The general population is becoming more aware of the healthy lifestyle benefits and is also paying more attention to mental strain and illness that might come about in high stress situations. Engaging in exercise regimes contributes greatly to the wellbeing of an individual but trained and experienced staff, coaches or trainers are expected to motivate, guide and provide support to these aspiring professional sports people.
The Level 4 Award in Sports and Exercise Psychology focuses on the existing knowledge and experience ingrained in every amateur athlete and boosts it to an advanced level of knowledge, skills and competences as well as drive and passion for their sport. The programme is aimed to draw upon actual experiences that the students have been through during their sports and exercise settings so far and helps them to recognise a number of factors that they can either relate to, improve or find solutions for. These factors relate to specific frameworks as well as the study of human behaviour in a sports or exercise setting.
Understanding the key areas in sports and exercise psychology will form part of the programme, including; a general introduction to the subject both on a theoretical and practical basis as well as a deeper focus on the issues of concern related to the art of performance during sports. More delicate topics concerning anxiety regulation, concentration styles and mental warm-up techniques are set to guide students onto the right path for their professional sports careers.
Some of the skills adopted will include goal-setting techniques, visualization techniques, relaxation skills, psyching-up strategies, concentration skills and pre-performance routines – all of which will help aspiring pro-sportspeople to develop not only their performance on the field but also in their everyday lives. The psycho-social aspects addressed in the The Level 4 Award in Sports and Exercise Psychology will be focused towards listening and communication skills, team dynamics and cohesion as well as psychological testing in sports, emotional intelligence, motivation and other serious topics such as drug-abuse and match-fixing in sports.
Through the The Level 4 Award in Sports and Exercise Psychology, aspiring sportsmen and women are given the chance to develop their inherent talent and elevate it to a powerful force of professionalism powered by knowledge, confidence and total understanding of the dynamics involved in the world of professional sports.