What is Performance Psychology?

The role of the psychology team at SNISI is to assist athletes to develop the necessary skills and be mentally prepared to deliver their maximal performance at the right time in their competition environment.

Delivered in an appropriate manner mental strategies can support athletes to:

  • Regulate arousal levels to a desirable and optimal level to ensure peak performance
  • Maintain appropriate attention on their individual training and competition goals with regular review and monitoring
  • Relax and focus under pressure
  • Develop a sound pre performance routine and effective behaviour regulation
  • Sustain concentration and focus on the right things at the right time
  • Develop and utilise coping strategies to deal appropriately with both success and setbacks
  • Develop intrinsic motivation for both training and competition
  • Create appropriate imagery and simulation training strategies
  • Cope with injury, de-selection, loss of role, etc.
  • Enhance mental aspects of recovery
  • Facilitate confidence in an individual’s own ability

Areas of Work

Our psychologists work across two main support areas;

1. Proactive Performance Psychology delivery to athletes to enable them to thrive in training and competition environments

Skills typically taught include:

  • Anxiety Management
  • Relaxation
  • Imagery
  • Competition preparation
  • Training and performance review
  • Goal setting
  • Concentration
  • Managing self-talk
  • Team Cohesion

2. Culture and Organisational support

Our role is to assist sports in the creation of psychologically safe and underpinned performance environments that develop the person alongside the athlete.

Working Holistically 

The Performance Psychology team works together with coaches and all support staff as part of integrated multi-disciplinary teams to minimise potential concerns, conflicts and distractions, all of which can be detrimental to both performance and personal life. Performance Psychology staff assist in creating and nurturing a culture that helps deliver performance and responsibly cares for its people.

Our Track Record

Our Performance Psychology staff are fully trained and qualified Sport Psychologists and BASES members. All Sport Northern Ireland Sports Institute practitioners hold up to date UKAD advisor certificates.

They are highly regarded in the sporting community and have been selected for roles at major events including Commonwealth and Olympic Games, plus World and European Championships across several individual and team sports. A key element of these roles is to support, both in person and remotely, at training camps throughout the world.