Calling all Sports Psychologists

[Anima]

I'm a 19 year old student going into my second year of university doing Psychology, then planning on doing a masters in Sports Psychology to become a registered Sports Psychologists. However, I've become inundated with all sorts of myths about the actual live and living quality of a sports psychologist and what their jobs actually entail. My idea of direction in being a Sports Psychologist would be earning 60-70K a year, helping semi-professional to professional athletes and sports teams, through mentally challenging situations and keeping those in high pressure competitions focused and on top form. If anyone is a Sports Psychologist, or knows anyone that is or even knows anything about the topic, it would be incredibly helpful for my career path if you could inform me of any information you know surrounding the topic.

[Anima]

JPJPJP said:

I am not one, but I heard an interesting interview with one recently

http://trendfollowingradio.com/ep-321-michael-lard...

Much appreciated

[Anima]

Simon Brooks said:

Contact the BPS they should be able to point you in the right direction especially if your degree is BPS approved and recognised

How about contacting Bath Rugby Club, its more than likely they will either have someone already on board or will have access to Sports Psychologists working out of the Uni

How would I go about contacting Bath Rugby Club?

[Anima]

Jetblackonetenth said:

http://www.bathrugby.com/contact

don't need a degree to find this info

Cheers for finding that for me, couldn't be bothered. What a degree does teach you... don't work hard, work smart much obliged mate

[Anima]

KFC said:

Yeah thats real smart... what 20-30 minutes for someone else to do it for you, and make yourself look either lazy and/or an idiot in the process

Well it wasn't a bad way to spend the hour I was driving home, but thanks for the contribution anyways

[Anima]

rhinochopig said:

I work in a field of psychology (of sorts) and my other half is a proper clin-psych. Sports psych is a VERY VERY niche market, and even smaller within the salary range you're suggesting. Most seem to come from a sporting background and re-train.

TBH I would look at an alternative use of psych if you want to earn a big salary. If you're doing a BSc in Pysch a lot of my wifes course mates went into the city as their stats skills were excellent as you do a LOT of stats on a BSc Psych. This was years ago though so things may have changed in the city.

One thing to consider is that you're likely to be working privately at between 30-100 per hour. Typically you can see two to three clients per day so that would be between 90 and 300 per day x 220 working days per year = £19,800 - £66,000. And that assumes that there enough people with the yips to keep you going for 220 days per year + you have pension to fund entirely out of that. Contrast that with NHS psychs that can earn 6 figures at the top of their career + a bit of private work or occupational pyschs that can earn a grand a day doing leadership and management coaching.

Edited by rhinochopig on Thursday 30th April 21:57

Unfortunately stats aren't really my strong point, but going inner city is something I've been considering. I think going privately was the direction I was going to aim for, but maybe even running an agency, putting psychology students into almost an apprenticeship, and once they're fully qualified assigning them to sports teams which suit their specific talents and interests. This I feel could have quite a lot of potential because the room for networking is massive, and it would seem improbable to not stumble on some form of high salary sports team taking on a psychologist part of the agency.
Hopefully that made sense, im terribly sleep deprived so was quite was to word that

[Anima]

Sheepshanks said:

A while ago, but: http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-Rugby-end-coac...

My daughter has a Masters in Sports Psychology. She reckons that at a lot of clubs, apart from the highest levels, it's pretty well an honorary job.

What the next step for her after doing the masters? did she go through the route of doing the accreditation scheme deeming her a qualified therapist? or did she go straight into work, trying to gauge how long I'll be studying before I can actually get into the world of work

[Anima]

desolate said:

Professional sport is INCREDIBLY competitive.
It's highly, highly unlikely you will "stumble" upon anything that pays remotely decent money that won't be massively over subscribed with high quality candidates. There is also relatively little money in pro sport below a few top football clubs and a select few in individual sports.

Yeah, unfortunately I do understand how competitive the industry is but I feel like this is why there is so much money in it. If it was a profession you could easily fall into there obviously wouldn't be any money in it. However, I am annoyingly ambitious so I am still going to be trying to go down this route. Luckily, I have been blessed with friends that have growing businesses I'm involved in, so I have this safety net to support me while I try to make this goal a reality. If you were to aim for these top sports clubs what sort of approach would you take towards it?

[Anima]

Sheepshanks said:

She's always worked in the NHS (although several different employers) and is now a CBT therapist. She only got to that level (band 7, £30K) a year ago, after 10 years of various kinds of study. I don't think she has any specific Sports Psychology career plans - she's quite a gym based, sporty person, so she has an interest in that area. "Monetizing" it is a different matter, however.

Oh wow, love hearing about someone whos made it when they've put in such work towards a career fair play to her. Has she ever considering doing part time personal training advertising her specialities of being a sports psychologist, I know a very well off "gentleman" next door to me who pays 80 pound for an hour coaching in golf from a sports psychologist he knows. It seems people round here who take part in competitive sports with more money than sense will pay all sorts of money to have some form of edge over their competitors.