Proposals for integrating sport and exercise sciences in national teams and schools.

Target: undergraduate and graduate students in sport and exercise sciences, plus national team coaches and performance staff.

Goal: design and implement a rigorous, scalable sport psychology curriculum that equips students with applied competencies and provides national teams with standardized, evidence-informed mental skills training ready for integration into high-performance programs.

Overview of the offering

• -End-to-end curriculum design tailored to university programs and national federation needs
• -Integration of foundational theory with hands-on, field-based practice
• -Alignment with accreditation standards, coaching qualifications, and national team performance calendars
• -Delivery in a blended format (online theory, in-person labs/workshops, practicum placements, and mentored field projects)

Stakeholders and beneficiaries

• -Students in sport and exercise sciences seeking accreditation-ready knowledge and practical skills
• -National team coaches, performance staff, and sports psychologists seeking standardized frameworks and scalable tools
• -University departments and federations aiming to standardize mental skills training across programs
• -Athletes indirectly benefiting from improved coaching practices and evidence-informed MST integration

Curriculum architecture (high level)

Year 1: foundations

• -Intro to Sport Psychology: ethics, boundaries, athlete well-being
• -Focus, Attention, and Arousal Regulation
• -Self-Talk, Confidence, and Mastery Experiences
• -Sleep, Recovery, and Wellness for Athletes
• -Basic Assessment & Data-Informed Practice

Year 2: Applied practice and coaching integration

• -Psychological Skills Training (PST) Design and Implementation
• -Sport-Specific MST Applications (e.g., basketball, soccer, track, swimming)
• -Injury, Rehab, and Return-to-Play Psychology
• -Team Dynamics, Leadership, and Coaching Models
• -Research Methods for Practice and Evaluation

Year 3: specialization, practicum, and capstone

• -Electives (e.g., Mental Health Literacy for Sport, Burnout Prevention, Performance Analytics)
• -Practicum/Placement with universities or national teams
• -Capstone Project: design and implement an MST program within a university or national-team context
• -Capstone Seminar: dissemination of findings to stakeholders (coaches, clinicians, administrators)

Micro-credentials and Certificates

• -Short courses on: PST for Youth, Elite Performance, Para-Sport, Injury Fear Management, Recovery & Sleep for Athletes

Core modules and sample learning objectives

Module: Psychological Skills Training (PST) Design

• Objectives: create and implement a 6–8-week PST plan; select appropriate drills; measure transfer to performance

Module: focus and attention in High-Pressure Environments

Objectives: build attention control routines; manage distraction; apply cue-based focus during practice and competition

Module: Confidence, Mindset, and Self-Efficacy

Objectives: develop self-talk banks; design mastery experiences; assess confidence across contexts

Module: Sleep, Recovery, and Energy Management

Objectives: optimize sleep for student-athletes and high-performance teams; plan micro-breaks and energy windows

Module: Team Dynamics & Leadership for Coaches

Objectives: foster psychological safety, align team mental models, and coach effectively in high-stress situations

Module: Ethics, Welfare, and Cultural Competence

Objectives: apply safeguarding principles, protect athlete welfare, and address diverse needs

Practical components and assessments

Field-Based Assignments (FBAs)

• -Design and deliver a 4–6 week MST plan for a team or cohort

Practicum Projects

• -Placements within university teams or national programs; mentor-supervised performance improvement initiatives

Case Studies and Simulations

• -Realistic scenarios (injury, slump, travel fatigue, competition blocks) with written analyses and actions

Assessments

• -Quizzes on theory and ethics
• -Practical demonstrations: run a PST session, provide feedback, and adjust plans
• -Capstone presentation and portfolio defense
• -reflective practice
• -Journals and reflective essays documenting growth as both student and practitioner

Delivery formats and logistics

Online Theory Modules

• -Interactive lectures, case studies, and quizzes

In-Person Labs and Workshops

• -PST drills, performance profiling practice, and role-plays with feedback

Practicum Placements

• -Supervised field experiences with university teams or national squads

Hybrid Options

• -Blended learning combining online theory with short, intensive on-site workshops

Faculty and supervision model

• -Core teaching team: sport psychology academics, licensed practitioners, and a national-team liaison
• -Supervision: monthly mentor meetings for practicum students; written and oral feedback on fieldwork
• -Advisory board: representation from universities and national federations to ensure alignment with standards and needs

Assessment of outcomes and quality assurance

• -Learning outcomes mapped to national accreditation standards and program competencies
• -Continuous quality improvement via student feedback, coach/athlete feedback from practicum sites, and program metrics
• -Data collection plan for program impact (e.g., student employability, integration of MST into coaching practice, coach satisfaction)

Implementation roadmap (typical 9–12 months for a pilot program)

1) Discovery and alignment

• -Gather requirements from university leadership and federation partners
• -Define target cohorts, accreditation references, and facility needs

2) Curriculum Design and Resource Development

• -Develop competency framework, year-by-year plan, module templates
• -Create instructor guides, student materials, and practicum protocols

3) Pilot and Feedback

• -Run a pilot with a sample cohort (e.g., 20–40 students) and a partner national team for practicum exposure
• -Collect feedback and refine modules, assessments, and delivery methods

4) Full rollout

• -Scale to full program cohorts; onboard faculty and mentors
• -Establish practicum partnerships with additional clubs, universities, and national teams

5) Evaluation and sustainability

• -Measure outcomes: student competencies, coaching practice improvements, and athlete performance indicators
• -Update curriculum based on the latest evidence and stakeholder feedback
• -Stakeholder collaboration and governance
• -Formal partnerships with universities and national federations
• -Advisory committees including senior academics, coaches, sport scientists, and athlete representatives
• -Safeguarding, ethics, and data privacy policies tailored to student and athlete populations

Success metrics

• -Graduates meeting competency standards for applied sport psychology practice
• -Adoption rate of MST concepts by partner universities and national teams
• -Demonstrated improvements in coaching quality, athlete readiness, and well-being indicators
• -Student and partner satisfaction, and ongoing enrollment/participation

Pricing and logistics (typical ranges)

• -Project scope-based pricing for curriculum design and implementation
• -Ongoing support options: faculty development, program audits, and periodic updates
• -Travel and on-site workshops, if required, with corresponding budgeting

Next steps and customization

• -Confirm target federation or national body(s) and participating universities
• -Define audience size, language needs, accreditation requirements, and delivery constraints
• -Identify practicum sites and potential mentors
• -Establish a phased rollout plan (pilot cohort, scale-up, full implementation)