Commitment to Personal Development
Boilermaker Sport and Performance Psychology Services
Introduction
Purdue University offers all student-athletes
the resources of a consulting sport psychologist and mental training
consultants. These resources will assist Boilermaker student-athletes
in pursuit of optimal performance in their athletic careers. Also,
the consulting sport psychologist can help student-athletes with
personal counseling and consultation regarding “life”
issues (e.g. transition to college, athletic injury). Sport psychology
consultation is also provided for all coaches, athletic trainers,
physicians, and support staff.
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What is Sport Psychology?
Sport psychology focuses on enhancing
athletic performance via the use of psychological skills to improve
concentration, confidence, and composure in sport. The use of sport
psychology (mental training) skills can enhance the athlete’s
performance not only in the athletic arena, but in personal development
as well (e.g. academics). Sport psychology skills are not “magical”
or something that is done to the athlete; rather, through assistance
of a sport psychologist/mental training consultant, the athlete
practices these skills and improves his or her performance accordingly.
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Performance Enhancement
Purdue University student-athletes spend
hours on their physical preparation, technical training, and strength/conditioning
performance. Yet, there is often little time spent on the “mental”
side of the game. Sport psychology skills can enhance the “mental
game” for the interested athlete and give them a mental “edge”
in their competition. Boilermaker student-athletes and coaches can
experience improvement in the following performance areas by using
sport psychology/mental training skills:
- Effective goal setting techniques
- Enhanced composure (“controlling butterflies”)
- Focus and concentration skills
- Effective mental training routines (e.g. “pre-game”
mental techniques)
- Dealing with adversity and developing resilience (“mental
toughness” skills)
- Maintaining “flow” in performance
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Personal Enhancement
Boilermaker student-athletes are confronted
with unique stressors and adjustments during their athletic career
at Purdue. Some of these stressors may be related to: adjustment
issues to a new level of competition (first-year athletes); time
demands with traveling, study tables, class times, practice, and
competition; dealing with injuries; demands of being “visible”
as a student-athlete; and, dealing with family/social relationships.
Some student-athletes may find it helpful to meet with the consulting
sport psychologist to help them with feeling support, learning adaptive
skills, and having a CONFIDENTIAL resource to talk with about difficult
issues. The consulting sport psychologist is a licensed psychologist
who can provide confidential and supportive counseling for any Purdue
student-athlete who believes this would be helpful.
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Who Provides Sport Psychology/Mental Training
Services at Purdue?
A qualified consulting sport psychologist
typically receives a doctorate in psychology with academic preparation
in sport psychology/sport science, and experience in applying sport
psychology interventions with athletes. A qualified Mental Training
Consultant will typically have graduate training in applied sport
psychology skills and will have some counseling coursework as well.
Boilermaker Sport and Performance Psychology
Services provides a consulting sport psychologist, an academic sport
psychology associate professor, and graduate students serving as
mental training consultants. All of these staff members are available
to Boilermaker student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and
support staff for consultation regarding sport psychology/mental
training skills.
- The consulting sport psychologist and applied services director
for Boilermaker Sport and Performance Psychology Services is Chris
Carr, Ph.D. Dr. Carr is a licensed psychologist in Indiana and
has been working with the Purdue University Athletic Department since 2002.
Dr. Carr was the athletic department sport psychologist at The
Ohio State University (1995-2000), Arizona State University (1994-95),
and Washington State University (1992-94) prior to joining the
Methodist Sports Medicine Center in Indianapolis in August of
2000 as the sport psychologist for the practice. He has worked
as a sport and performance psychologist with NCAA Division I student-athletes
for over 12 years and also consults with professional and elite
amateur athletes.
Boilermaker Sport and Performance Psychology
Services staff are also available to provide coaching consultation,
support staff consultation, and brief presentations as requested.
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What Services are Provided?
Mental Skills Training
— Any of the above staff can provide consultation (individually
or team) on the following mental skills training areas: goal setting;
composure skills and energy management; concentration skills and
imagery use; motivational issues; enhancing confidence; dealing
with adversity; obtaining “flow” in performance; team-building
and team cohesion; and, other specific mental “skills”
issues as requested.
Personal Counseling —
Dr. Carr is available to provide confidential individual counseling
for any Purdue student-athlete. He can address issues related to:
relationships, anxiety, depression, injury rehabilitation management,
disordered eating, grief/loss issues, identity, adjustment (e.g.
homesickness), and substance abuse. These issues may greatly impact
athletic performance, and therefore counseling will help address
both personal and performance-based issues.
Consultation —
Our staff can also provide consultation with coaches, athletic trainers,
team physicians, strength coaches, academic counselors, and administrative
staff on issues related to student-athlete/team performance. Some
issues addressed may include: dealing with team cohesion issues;
developing coaching staff cohesion; helping an athlete after a difficult
injury; helping a team to prepare for Big 10/NCAA competition; and
so on.
Coaching Education —
Dr. Carr is developing resources for coaches to enhance coaching
performance and optimize coaching excellence. This focus is on developing enhanced mental skills training for Boilermaker coaches.
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How do I make an appointment?
Purdue University student-athletes can
contact Dr. Carr (consulting sport psychologist) by phone at (317)
338-3103 or e-mail at cmcarr@stvincent.org
to schedule an appointment. Messages for Dr. Carr can also be left
in the Athletic Training Room in Mackey Arena (494-3245), or by contacting
your team athletic trainer to help schedule an appointment. Individual
sessions are confidential, and typically last from 30 to 50 minutes.
Paperwork will be completed for the first session; it includes information
on your privacy rights during the counseling/consultation process.
Follow-up appointments are scheduled based on the athletes’
needs and Dr. Carr’s recommendations. Dr. Carr’s office
is B30 in Mackey Arena.
The Mental Training Consultants are doctoral
students in the Department of Health and Kinesiology and may be
contacted for individual mental training skills consultation at:
The mental training consultants have an office in Lambert 315; there
are also open hours every Wednesday, from 8 a.m.until noon.
The Department of Health and Kinesiology
also has a sport psychology Web site that details the departmental
program in sport psychology. It can be accessed at: www.sla.purdue.edu/sportpsych.
This resource is available for any Purdue student-athlete or staff
member who has an interest in the field of sport psychology; it
also highlights the academic backgrounds of the mental training
consultants.
It is appropriate to contact any of the
sport psychology/mental skills training staff with any questions
you have regarding services (prior to scheduling any appointment).
Feel free to contact us via e-mail if you have any questions.
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