ATHLETE COUNSELING

In contrast to sports psychology, sports counseling's focus is on the athlete's development as an individual, including personal and clinical issues associated with sport performance. For example, sports counseling assists student-athletes with reducing stress and anxiety, overcoming fear of failure and success, and burn-out. It also addresses interpersonal issues such as family and marital difficulty. In addition, counseling can assist with problem prevention, coping skills, relaxation training, decision-making, life management and career planning, therapeutic strategies, and crisis intervention. Ineffective attempts to deal with stress can result in the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Timely assessments and treatment by sports counselors can provide student-athletes with educational programs aninformation about drugs and substance abuse treatment.

 

Transitional periods are particularly stressful for student-athletes. For example, many high school stars make limited progress on a college team while others have trouble adjusting when their college sports careers are over. Unfortunately, some examples of such phase of life problems are more extreme. Athletes experiencing difficulties with transitions have been known to become clinically depressed and even suicidal. Thus, sports counseling services sensitive to the magnitude of the effects of sports on student athletes are crucial.

 

Relatedly, student-athletes not involved in revenue sports at the collegiate level may suffer from a lack of recognition and the disparity of the college sports system. Crew members, swimmers, runners, gymnasts, wrestlers, triathletes, and others have their share of stress and difficulties that can be alleviated by counseling. As a result, sports counselors apply methods for becoming involved with and providing services for these "least known" athletes. Many of the difficulties experienced by student-athletes will not require unique counseling techniques or therapeutic competencies. However, they do require the development of theoretical models that will increase the knowledge base of sports counseling and related proactive interventions

 

In addition, athletes typically are not counseled in a vacuum. Coaches, parents, and significant others can learn effective communication skills from sports counselors and how to best serve as influential role models. Coaches can also learn relationship building skills from sports counselors. Similarly, the cultural aspects of student-athletes are important components of the sports counseling process.