Sports Psychologist

To give an inside perspective of sports psychology, we sat down with sports psychologist Dr. Kara Zakrzewski to get her view on the ins-and-outs of the field.

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• What's your educational background/How did you get interested in that subject?
• How/why did you choose that school/program?
• Who do you think makes the best sports psychology candidates? Do you recommend doing anything in undergrad/grad school to better set yourself up for success?
• What's your area of specialty within sports psychology?
• Where do you currently work? How did you find that position?
• Were there any unexpected hurdles in getting where you are today?
• What does your typical day involve?
• What's your favorite part of the job?
• What do you think makes a great sports psychologist?
• Is there anything you don't like about your work?
• What's the most interesting or challenging case/experience you've come across?
• Are you involved with any professional organizations? If so, why?
• What do you think is the most exciting thing happening in this field right now? Who is doing the most interesting research?
• What's the best "must-read/watch" book, video, or publication for this field?
• Any other advice for those looking to go into the field?
• What are the biggest considerations someone should think about before pursuing your field?
• Do you have a funny/light-hearted psych-related story?

• What's your educational background/How did you get interested in that subject?

  I have a BSc. in Human Kinetics and a Master’s of Arts in Human Kinetics concentrated in Sport Psychology, which I completed over 10 years after earning my BSc. In those 10 years, I competed for Canada on the World Beach Volleyball Tour. Having been a lifelong competitive athlete, I discovered first-hand the need to train the mind alongside the body. My national team coach once said to me “Kara, you make the hard stuff look easy and the easy stuff look hard,” and it was true. The easier it was, the more time I had to think about it.

• How/why did you choose that school/program?

  I chose the University of Ottawa in Canada for my Master’s in Sport Psychology for 2 main reasons. One of the most experienced, forerunners of Sport Psychology, Dr. Terry Orlick, is a professor at U of O. I had a conversation with him prior to applying, and he offered to be my thesis advisor, so at that point the program at University of Ottawa became the only choice for me.

  And, I had done my undergraduate studies at University of Ottawa and I loved it!

• Who do you think makes the best sports psychology candidates? Do you recommend doing anything in undergrad/grad school to better set yourself up for success?

  I might be biased, but I do believe that the best sport psychology candidates are those who have partaken in an elite sport or performance domain (like competitive dance or professional music). I am a firm believer in the sport psychology consultant using their as-lived, phenomenological experience from their own sporting experience to really relate to and provide hands-on tools to the athlete. Kind of like a ‘been-there-done-that’ phenomenon: the consultant has already been there themselves, so they have a better understanding of what tool will make the difference with the athlete/high performer. This is not to say that you have to have been an elite athlete/performer to be an expert sport psychologist, I just happen to think those that have competed in an elite sport or its equivalent have a leg up.

• What's your area of specialty within sports psychology?

  An obvious area is volleyball and beach volleyball athletes, given that those were my sports. I’m also an expert at working with youth up-and-coming athletes, starting as young as nine years of age. I really enjoy working with athletes on the origin of their fear and providing tools for them to breakthrough whatever it is that’s preventing them from getting to the next level in their sport.

• Where do you currently work? How did you find that position?

  I started my own Mental Toughness Coaching company even before I went back to school to earn my Master’s degree in sport psychology. So I created my own position. I work in my home office and am currently training associates to also work for Mental Toughness Inc. from their own home offices. All coaching sessions are done over skype or the phone.

• Were there any unexpected hurdles in getting where you are today?

  The biggest hurdles were those I faced as an athlete, and everyone has helped me to be a better sport psychology consultant! The main hurdles were learning how to start and run my own business and attract clients; I went to the experts and hired business coaches to teach me how to do this.

• What does your typical day involve?

  Each day is a bit different than the next, but each involves coaching calls with clients, developing new curriculum, writing blogs, reaching out to new potential athlete clients. So it’s a combination of development and coaching.

• What's your favorite part of the job?

  Seeing my athletes succeed where before they were stopped!

• What do you think makes a great sports psychologist?

  Passion, making it about the athlete and not about you, and clear communication. You have to be willing to say what the athlete doesn’t want to hear and to go in deep with what’s stopping them. They might, and probably will resist, so you have to really present the coaching in a way that’s not confronting, but rather in which they can really see the opportunity that’s available in taking the coaching.

• Is there anything you don't like about your work?

  The financial side and business planning aspects of having my own business.

• What's the most interesting or challenging case/experience you've come across?

  Every client is interesting and challenging as each one presents unique versions of performance blockages. One of the best things about this profession is that it changes daily - the tools might stay the same, but the athletes are all different so how and when you present the tools is constantly evolving.

• Are you involved with any professional organizations? If so, why?

  I am involved with Landmark Worldwide because their training and development programs have really allowed me to get out of my own way so that my coaching can be all about the athletes (vs. my own ego getting in the way of their advancement).

• What do you think is the most exciting thing happening in this field right now? Who is doing the most interesting research?

  I love that Sport Psychology has gone mainstream, and that there are awesome books like The Talent Code that are available to everyone. The most exciting thing for me is that sport psychology is moving from being so theoretical and hard for athletes to apply to taking on a much more applied perspective, so that it’s actually usable in reality.

• What's the best "must-read/watch" book, video, or publication for this field?

  The best two books in my opinion are Inner Tennis by W. Timothy Gallway and The Pursuit of Excellence by Dr. Terry Orlick.

• Any other advice for those looking to go into the field?

  Practice, practice, practice. Get in with different consultants and see what they’re doing. Work with younger athletes on their mental game using your own experiences to start developing your models. Volunteer to be the mental coach of a youth team based on your credentials as an athlete. And keep reading and applying what you read to your own competitive experience. Keep being an athlete and test your skills on yourself first.

• What are the biggest considerations someone should think about before pursuing your field?

  It is a very independent, entrepreneurial field. So if you’re looking for the steady job with the steady paycheck, this is not it. On the other hand, if you are willing to develop yourself as an entrepreneur, it is a very lucrative field AND you get to make a big difference.

• Do you have a funny/light-hearted psych-related story?

  I’m just going to pass on a sport psych joke that my own sport psychologist said to me when I was a pro athlete: ‘Stop should-ing on yourself!” If you find that funny, you’re in the right field!