Reply Post

Your reply post should read approximately 250 to 350 words in length and should reference at least one citation from the article the other student read for their initial post. To receive the maximum points, your post should include a reference from the textbook, an article other students read, and one of this week’s ancillary readings. 

Prompt

Analyze another student’s initial post. Examine their application of an article to the text chapter and compare it to your own application.

Parameters

• Analyze one student’s post. What are one or two major questions you have after reading their post?
• Reread the section of the textbook they reference, as well as the article they cited; then use these sources to address your question(s)
• Follow APA guidelines

When it comes down to an athletes ability to receive adequate and focused help pertaining to a certain issue, his/her sport psychologist may deem it necessary to refer them to a reputable counseling professional. Building a trusting alliance with a athlete as a sport psychologist creates a foundation for the possible integration of another health professional if necessary. (Williams & Krane, 2021) Athletes may become guarded when it comes to the idea of outside help, however according to Williams and Krane (2021) if a sport psychologist feels as though their athlete’s issues are outside their realm of expertise, the additional support of a health professional may be the best option for the athletes well-being and safety. The value in having a multidisciplinary team of health professionals at an athletes disposal, allows for concise and focused help to be implemented, rather than inexperienced solicited advice.. Having multiple facets of professional help available can provide beneficial, specialized instruction for an athlete specific issue.

A new learning point for me connects the ideas of an athlete dealing with identity issues, such as becoming foreclosed, and the concepts behind sport entrapment. When an athletes sense of self centers around their role as an athlete, they can experience foreclosure through forms of anxiety whereas sport entrapment comes into play when an athlete feels they have to stay in their sport instead of wanting to. (Williams & Krane, 2021) Both of these psychological factors contribute to the idea that an athlete, at some point, may not know who they are outside of their sport and why they are continuing. Griffith and Johnson (2002) study analyzed how division affiliations impacted collegiate athletes and their athletic identities. This type of fixation on the division level can attribute to how an athlete views their abilities and their role in their sport. Division I athletes put more emphasis on their athletic identity than those in Division III. (Griffith and Johnson, 2002) Therefore, emphasis on their division identity as an athlete attributes to loss of individual self and could potentially lead to feelings of being stuck in their sport, rather than enjoyment.

References:

Griffith, K. A., & Johnson, K. A., (2002) Athletic Identity and Life Roles of Division I and Division II Collegiate Athletes. University of Wisconsin. https://www.uwlax.edu/globalassets/offices-services/urc/jur-online/pdf/2002/griffith_and_johnson.pdf

Williams, J. M., & Krane, V. (2021). Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth To Peak Performance. McGraw-Hill Education.