NEWS & EXPERT VIEWS

Amidst this uncertain time as we endure a global health pandemic, everyone is under incredible stress and pressure. The world of sports has been impacted greatly, with many events, including the Olympic Games, NCAA March Madness and others being postponed. Individuals with sports-related professions have also been impacted, including Athletic Trainers (AT), but that hasn’t stopped them from being at the forefront. Since March is National Athletic Training Month (NATM), we felt there was no better time than now to honor and celebrate these health care professionals.

Sport psychologists play a vital role on the sports medicine team: they address the stigmatized issue of mental health in athletes. Whether it’s mental roadblocks that are hindering an athlete’s performance, like regaining confidence after suffering from an injury or a mental illness like anxiety, sport psychologists are there to take a comprehensive and integrative approach. Since this is such an important topic, we wanted to highlight what exactly sport psychologists do and what settings they provide care in.