The Hindu : Sport : The need for a psychologist

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 07, 2007
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Sport

The need for a psychologist

K. Keerthivasan

CHENNAI: Chris Lee doesn’t know how to raise his voice. The 53-year-old sports psychologist is a calm and reassuring presence in the Singapore team in its Asia Cup hockey campaign.

For a team, which is quite young and weak in mind, Lee’s services have been acknowledged by the team management. Singapore is the only team that has brought a sports psychologist along.

“My brief is to work with the team and enhance its mental toughness. My challenge is to apply the mental skills, tools and techniques,” explained Lee, who is employed with the Singapore Sports Council.

Lee says there is a perceptible difference in the team now. Earlier, the players used to get bogged down after a loss. Now they don’t fear loses and play with confidence even if they have conceded quite a number of goals, said Lee. +

Strong advocate

Chinese coach Kim Sang Ryul, who is a strong advocate of sports science, says, “it is the need of the hour.” Kim added that during the 2002 World Cup, when Korea reached the semifinals, the team had 24 sports scientists.

Meanwhile, Islauddin Siddiqi, the Pakistan coach, brushed off the issue saying, “we do have one at home.” The Malaysian assistant coach Vasudevan Murali said the team would be using its psychologist Freddie Tan for its forthcoming important assignments.

But will a psychologist really help the Indian team? K. Jothikumaran, Secretary, IHF, feels that it could help but added we should have the right people and it was up to the coach’s needs and requirements.

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