Welcome to Sport Psychology! These pages will help explain what Sport Psychology is, tell how to get started in the field, and offer some practical skills to help athletes, professionals, parents and coaches. Performance-enhancement skills are not just applicable to athletics. I have taken these skills into the corporate world with great success, teaching things such as team building, leadership, communication, and motivation skills.
This Sport Psychology web site consists of excerpts from my book, Winning the Mental Way. They include:
If there are additional topics you would like to see on these pages, please contact me at the address below. I would be happy to consider them.
Having been a competitive athlete (figure skater) for 10 years. I know the importance of the mental side of sports. Too bad I did not know about sport psychology then! I experienced the frustration of being near-perfect one day and terrible the next. At that time, there wasn't much emphasis placed on mental practice. Fortunately that seems to be changing.
One idea that seems to be fading is the notion that sport psychology is for "problem athletes" only. Mental skills training is for anyone who wants to improve their performance, in any arena.
Giving athletes tools they can apply day in and day out, on and off the field, is what brings me the most satisfaction. It is my passion. I am lucky to have found my passion! I want others to be able to do the same and feel the same satisfaction.
I approached writing my book the same way I ask athletes to approach their sport. Have a dream: something that you want to make a reality. Uncover your mission or creed that will keep you going. Set long-term, short-term and daily goals to get you there. Then implement performance-enhancement techniques to help with the journey, such as relaxation, imagery, concentration and positive self-talk.
I feel the process of writing my book improved my abilities as a Sport Psychology Consultant tremendously. It has been a while since I was competing, but this book venture conjured up all the same feelings (and distractions) that come with wanting to achieve peak performance in any endeavor...and the same fulfillment on the day the book was completed. I am happy to say the book has been well received, so far! Here are some comments by reviewers:
"I highly recommend this book to those who wish a sound foundation in the mental side of sports. It should appear in the library of every coach and athlete who is invested in enhancing the mental skills that contribute to effective performance." (Bruce C. Ogilvie, Ph.D., Pioneer in the area of Sport Psychology, Professor Emeritus, Psychology, San Jose State University)
"Karlene's book provides 'good medicine' for players and coaches who are troubled in increasing complexities of the 'game within the game' of modern sports. This book is also a helpful tool for the everyday person who may be plagued with problems of stress and motivation as he seeks to win at the game of life. And that game can only be won one way: The mental way." (Dr. Jamie Williams, 12-year veteran of the NFL)
"A great tool for all athletes." (Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr., Owner, San Francisco 49ers.)
"A MUST read for athletes, coaches and instructors dedicated and motivated to achieving their ultimate goal: SUCCESS!!!" (Bob Quinn, Ex-General Manager, NY Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, SF Giants)
"Karlene's book will teach you how to bust out of emotional slumps, build team cohesion and manage pressure situations successfully. This will enable everyone to enjoy the process of training and competition more!" (Sue Enquist, Head Softball Coach, UCLA)
"This book is a MUST READ for anyone interested in obtaining peak performance. The methods and techniques taught by Karlene Sugarman are major league!!" (Rich Hill, Head Baseball Coach, University of San Diego)
If you like what you see on this site, I hope you will order my book. Here is a link to its page at the Barnes and Noble web site.
Remember patience is a virtue! Good Luck!!
Biography:
Karlene Sugarman, M.A., received her B.A. from St. Mary's College and her M.A. in Sport Psychology from John F. Kennedy University. Karlene has been the Sport Psychology Consultant for the University of San Diego baseball program for the last 8 years. She has also worked with athletes from colleges such as University of San Francisco, St. Mary's College, UCLA, Cal State Northridge, San Jose State University, as well as many other teams, organizations, clubs and businesses. Karlene is an Assistant Professor in the sport psychology program at JFKU. She is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP) and was a member of the Sports Science Committee for the U.S. Tennis Association, Northern California until the committee was dissolved in 1999. She has written articles for magazines such as Collegiate Baseball, New Living, U.S. Handball, FastPitch World, and U.S. Roller Skating. She was the guest speaker for the First Lady's Luncheon at the 1999 Northern Marianas Sports Challenge in Saipan. Karlene is the author of Winning the Mental Way. Karlene resides in California.
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