The concept of t2i was created by someone with 30+ years of young player development from grass roots to elite level including working with international players and coaches (some World Cup winners).
t2i's research and design team all have a Master's in Sports Psychology, some completing PhDs in the field, plus experience of working with players up to elite level.
This unique blend of experience and expertise can only be found at t2i.
Psychology is the scientific study of people, mind, and behaviour. According to Holt et al., (2019) psychology has 5 main goals. 1) To describe how people behave. 2) To understand the causes of the behaviours. 3) To predict how people will behave in specific situations. 4) To influence behaviour through controlling its causes. 5) To apply psychological knowledge in ways that increase human well-being. Therefore, sport psychology is the scientific study of behaviour in a sporting context, examining relationships between sport participants’ thoughts, feelings, behaviour, personality, and environment to identify influencing factors on performance (Todd, 2022), all be it positive or negative. Sport psychology explores how psychological factors affect sports participation, athletic performance, exercise, and physical activity (Cherry, 2023) and conversely, how sports participation and performance affect psychological development, health, and well-being of an individual. The mind and body are not 2 separate entities, they are inseparable, and they impact one another. The goal of sport psychology is to understand those relationships (Rose, 2018).
According to Todd (2022) sport psychology can be used to try and describe, explain, predict, and change individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviours so that they can perform better, and gain general benefits from sports, for example, increased overall well-being and reduced stress. There are various purposes to sport psychology, including but not limited to, increasing athletic performance, and supporting athletes in overcoming challenges (Athletic Insight, 2024). Sport psychology is used in both individual and team sports and can be used to assist athletes and coaches in achieving goals by increasing their confidence and focus, enhancing performance, and dealing with other problems and issues, such as anxiety, low mood, or communication issues (Todd, 2022). Knowledge of sports psychology concepts can aid the uncovering of issues that may be restricting an athlete’s performance. The information gathered can then be used to establish which psychological techniques could be used to solve the problem and increase performance rates (Cherry, 2023).
There are many sport psychology tools and techniques that can be used, each with their own purpose and method of use. Examples include cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive visualization, cognitive reframing, progressive relaxation, mindfulness, goal setting and attentional control, to name a few (Athletic Insight, 2024). Although different sports psychology techniques work in different ways, they all have the same one goal in common, to help individuals enhance their performance (Cherry, 2023).
The advantages of using sport psychology are endless. Here are some of the key benefits.
Sport psychology can help athletes overcome the mental barriers that are stopping them from performing at their peak potential, such as pre-competition anxiety and low self-confidence (Cohn, 2016).
Sport psychology can help individuals prepare for performance and cope with challenging situations (Todd, 2022).
Sport psychology can help shift individual’s mindset from a fixed mindset to a positive, growth mindset, which will allow them embrace challenges, cope under pressure, persist in the face of obstacles and increase their confidence, motivation, and concentration (Dweck, 2014).
Sport psychology can be used to help develop coping skills to deal with setbacks, errors, emotions, unrealistic expectations and pressure (Cohn, 2016).
Sport psychology can increase skill acquisition (Perkos et al., 2002).
Sport psychology can increase attention control and concentration (Moran, 2012), improving focus and ability to deal with distractions (Cohn, 2016).
Sport psychology can increase self-efficacy, self-confidence, and self-esteem (Feltz et al., 2008).
Sport psychology can increase effort towards tasks and performance, which can increase motivation towards achieving goals (Kingston & Wilson, 2008).
Sport psychology techniques can help to aid the self-regulation of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours (Ntoumanis & Cumming, 2016).
Sport psychology can enhance an individual’s ability to control emotion and succeed in stress management enabling individuals to control anxiety (Thatcher et al., 2011).
Sport psychology can be used within team settings to develop communication skills and team cohesion (Cohn, 2016).
Sport psychology facilitates increased learning and performance, therefore having positive effects on behaviour (Gee, 2010).
Mind and behaviour play and important role in our day to day lives as they influence how we see the world and interact with others. The study of mind and behaviour can allow us to understand our own thoughts, feelings and actions allowing us to better understand why we react to certain situations and make certain decisions, alongside encouraging positive behaviour changes and enhancing communication and relationship skills. The mind refers to internal mental processes including thoughts, emotions, memories, and perceptions. The mind comprises of conscious (aware and intentional) and unconscious (automatic and hidden) activity. The mind processes information, makes decisions and influences behaviour. Behaviour refers to observable actions or responses and can be influenced by both external factors such as the environment, culture and social context and internal factors such as thoughts and emotions. There is an undeniable link between the mind and behaviour, both interacting with one another subconsciously.
Mental skills are internal capabilities that enable individuals to control their minds efficiently and consistently as they execute goals. Mental skills training is a practice of acquiring and implementing mental skills to enhance performance in various domains. Mental skills, such as self-talk, relaxation and goal setting, whilst initially can be learnt in sport, are transferable to many other aspects of life, including school and work life. There are many mental skills that contribute towards success. These can be learned and can be improved with instruction and practice and are utilised to maximize potential and develop individual strengths and weaknesses. By learning, practicing and implementing mental skills and techniques, persons can improve their capacity to self-regulate and develop positive characteristics that heighten their performance and well-being.
There are many factors that influence performance; some are known to be psychological. Psychological attributes play a crucial role in shaping behaviour and individual differences. Psychological attributes include, but are not limited to, motivation, self-efficacy, attention, mental toughness, resilience and coping with stress. Psychological attributes are important for success as they allow us to gain valued outcomes like increased performance, enhanced wellbeing, personal growth and a developed sense of purpose. Additionally, psychological attributes can provide goals, enhance problem solving skills, encourage the use and development of positive behaviours, and allow individuals to develop competencies and cope with challenges and opportunities presented to them.
The environment plays a crucial role in success. The environment you are in can dictate expectations, behaviours (positive and negative) and ultimately, outcomes. The correct, supportive environment can significantly increase our chances of success, so it is important to understand how to create an environment that optimizes individual development, focus, productivity and success. The importance of relationships are the largest influences on development. Being exposed to positive, supportive and collaborative environments is known to increase overall wellbeing alongside decreasing stress, increasing positive emotions, enabling cognitive restoration and increasing positive effects on self-regulation. Results of previous research also suggest that environmental influences could impact the psychological development of players. All stakeholders should work together to create a harmonious, collaborative, positive and supportive environment enabling players to develop key psychological attributes.
Disclaimer
In terms of managing expectations, it is important to understand that as a company we will not be conducting 1-1 behaviour change interventions as we are not HCPC registered Sport Psychologists. Using knowledge from a Master of Science in Sport Psychology degree (BPS accredited with Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership) the company will take an educational approach to educate individuals on appropriate techniques that can potentially cause behaviour changes (e.g., appropriate goal setting, building confidence, preparing for competitions etc). There are different ways in which we can educate, for example through workshops. We can also talk with individuals 1 on 1 educating them on a specific topic that is believed to be helpful to their performance.