The Gustavus Football team and Volleyball team are utilizing the field of Sport Psychology to enhance their performance on the field.
The effort began in Fall 2012, after Football Head Coach Peter Haugen went to a coaching clinic at Minnesota State University Mankato. There, he met Dr. Cindra Kamphoff, Director at the Center for Sport and Performance Psychology at MSU.
“Coach Haugen and I talk weekly about the message for the week and what would work best for his team. I work with the coach, the team, and individuals on the team. We take a holistic approach,” Kamphoff said.
The Volleyball team has seen tangible results by working with Kamphoff and her graduate students. They began working with Kamphoff and her graduate students after hearing about the idea from the football program.
“It’s been really beneficial to work with them and increase our player’s mental awareness and elite mindset,” Volleyball Head Coach Rachelle Sherden said.
Kamphoff frames sports psychology this way: “We focus on a person’s mind—teaching an athlete strategies and the mindset to get out of their own way. Our job is to teach athletes, performers, and teams how to deal with self-doubt, stay in the moment, and reach their potential.”
According to an article on the Livestrong website, some sport psychology techniques include goal-setting, visualization, and positive thinking.
Many people are already familiar with visualization, which involves mentally rehearsing imagery as a technique for getting a play just right.
Kamphoff’s primary philosophy is about having a positive approach toward goals.
“I see performance as one-hundred percent mental. Meaning, every decision we make on the court or on the field goes through our mind. When our mind is focused on what we want as opposed to what we don’t want, we are more likely to get what we are working towards,” Kamphoff said.
Kamphoff even ensures to take time to meet with each athlete on a weekly basis.
“Sometimes the athletes bring a topic they want help with, or we have something prepared to discuss,” Kamphoff said.
But even if an entire team is participating, individuals may still feel nervous about seeing a professional psychologist.
“There is still some stigma,” Dr. Kamphoff noted, “but as I do more of this work, I see it disappearing. That’s really exciting because more teams will see and apply the benefits off the field.”
Even with the work Kamphoff has done with Gustavus teams over the past couple seasons, she states that there are limits to the benefits of her techniques.
“You can’t be great just by mental training. But mental training gives you that edge over others,” Kamphoff said.
-Will Metcalf