This course will introduce students interested in various fields such as psychology, exercise science, physical education, sports medicine, coaching, athletic training or fitness instruction, to a relatively new body of knowledge that is the interface between psychology and sport.  It will cover topics that range from performance enhancement for teams and athletes, motivation and personality of athletes, and youth participation in sports, to social-psychological dimensions of competition such as violence and drug use in sport. Strategies designed to maximize performance in any psychomotor activity will be emphasized and it is hoped that experiential application of principles learned in this course will enhance both personal and sport/exercise performances in daily life.  To this end, students will be charged with developing exercise or sport performance goals and reporting on progress at the end of the semester.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• define and describe the field of sports psychology
• describe what sport psychologists and consultants typically do, and the training they receive
• identify productive patterns of thought and behavior that enhance sport and exercise performance
• identify maladaptive patterns of thought and behavior that interfere with sport and exercise performance
• identify developmental influences on exercise and sport choice, and the impact sport has on youth
• describe and understand psychological, interpersonal, and social influences/theories of sport and exercise behavior
• describe and understand the impact exercise has on physical and psychological health and well-being
• design and execute personal and specific exercise or sport-related goals and track progress in reaching these goals during the semester (project)
• apply at least one performance enhancement technique to improve some aspect of physical or emotional well-being (part of exercise project)

Course Policies and Grading Weekly Course Outline

Texts and Readings Exercise Project & Extra Credit Guidelines Sports Links