Sports psychologists don’t only work with athletes and their coaches. They also often do trainings for business professionals interested in bringing an athletic mindset to partnerships and high-stakes negotiations.

People assume that the streets are paved with gold for a 7-foot-tall basketball player — that at that height, achieving the pinnacle of athletic success should be as easy as a slam dunk. But the truth is that participation in competitive athletics, while offering many benefits, can also cause stress, anxiety and even bouts of depression for young participants.

That’s just what Minneapolis resident Sara Kietzmann observed in her son Will last year as the 7-footer struggled under what felt like the unrelenting pressure of coaches, fans and well-meaning observers when his high school graduation approached and he pondered the next steps in his athletic career.

Even when basketball isn’t part of the picture, Kietzmann explained, “there is an extreme amount of pressure that comes with being 7-feet-tall. Basically people want to come up and talk to him all the time, want their picture taken with him.” Add basketball to the mix, she added, and the pressure is even higher.

Read full article at MinnPost here.

Golden Gopher sophomore student-athletes from across sports gathered for a day of programming at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, April 10. During the Sophomore Summit, the L.I.N.K. staff facilitated programming surrounding career exploration, networking, and leadership development with an emphasis on teamwork.

The L.I.N.K. staff was highly impressed by the student-athletes’ level of engagement and the rich conversation around the programming. Emily Reinert, Director of Student-Athlete Development shed light on the value of this in-person programming by stating, “It was so great to see student-athletes from a variety of programs gathered together in a way that hasn’t been possible during the last two years.”

Read full article here.

The past two years have been nothing short of challenging for athletes, coaches, and those in sport. As the world seemingly came to a standstill in spring of 2020, athletes and coaches grappled with the unknowns regarding their season plans. Sport psychology providers saw heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression for athletes and coaches alike. As a sport psychology consulting firm committed to understanding the intersection of performance and wellness, our team wanted to give athletes everything they needed to be at their best—both mentally and physically. In the fall of 2020 we launched a research project to answer one important question: What are the actions, thoughts, and feelings that athletes need to optimize mental health and performance?

As the sports world tries to find its rhythm once again, our team at Premier Sport Psychology is excited to share our research findings. Our findings stem from an online brainstorming, sorting, and rating process with athletes, coaches, and sport performance professionals. All participants were known for their expertise in athlete wellness and performance. The research revealed five key areas that are integral to both wellness and performance for athletes of all levels: Growth Mindset, Performance Mindset, Team Support, Physical Wellness, and Mental Wellness. We now sit on a new model for athlete wellness and performance, which we want to spread far and wide. Below we outline each key area, explain why it is important, and share ideas on how coaches can weave this into their work for their next athletic season.

Read full post at University of Minnesota’s Women Coaches Symposium website.