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Book Review - Becoming a Sport Psychologist

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Book Review
Becoming a Sport Psychologist
Paul McCarthy & Marc Jones (Eds.)
Routledge (2014).
ISBN: 978-0-415-52522-0

Reviewed by James Lambdon

Through the captivating accounts, anec-

dotes and views of its professional contribu-
tors, Becoming a Sport Psychologist, edited by
Paul McCarthy and Marc Jones, is written to
capture the unique backgrounds of 18
contributors from the field, the book aims to
bring the reader ‘face-to-face’ with fellow
sport psychologists by informing both those
starting and continuing their respective jour-
neys in the profession.
The pathway to becoming a sport psycho-
logist is built upon a process of gaining the
suitable qualifications, gaining supervised
experience, developing a knowledge of
theoretical underpinnings and conducting
effective professional practice. McCarthy
and Jones highlight the process of becoming
a sport psychologist is full of opportunities to
learn, develop and refine our skills and
knowledge for the betterment of the profes-
sion.
To facilitate these opportunities, contri-
butions to this book have been selected
based upon the careers of a wide range of
practitioners, all with unique backgrounds,
interests, agendas, and postcodes. The book
divides contributors by career background
(psychiatry, physical education, counselling,
psychology, clinical psychology and sport
science). In doing so, Becoming a Sport Psycho-
logist provides insight into beginnings, uncer-
tainties, struggles, successes, failures, lessons
and reflections of some journeys of working,
as what today is known as, a sport psycho-
logist.
Through discussion of background in
competitive sport combined with the experi-
ences psychoanalysis, in part one, Psychiatry,
Burt Giges description of a number of cycles
that formed his career and development
makes for an interesting opening account of
the discipline.
The second section consists of the largest
number of contributions. Roger Mace,
Robert Weinberg, David Tod, Ken Hodge,
Richard Cox and Sandy Gordon, all of whom
represent a physical education background,
provide detailed accounts of working with
teams, making contact with clients, impor-
tant lessons learned, and how the consul-
tancy approach of a sport psychologist is
continually evolving. Although different in
approach, collectively this section provides a
number of important insights into how the
career pathway of sport psychologist varies
from country to country and furthermore,
that the process is full of moments for
change and growth.
The focus of the third section, coun-
selling psychology, consists of reflective
contributions from Al Petitpas. Throughout,
Petitpas demonstrates the importance

110 Sport & Exercise Psychology Review, Vol. 10 No. 3

© The British Psychological Society 2014

forming relationships throughout the career
of the sport psychologist. Central to his
career development, Petitpas recalls that
formation of professional organisation in
applied sport psychology to be critical to his
development as a practitioner.
From building a career around frequent
skiing seasons and being a beach bum to
working in the English Institute of Sport and
developing a career as a private practitioner,
contributions from Mark Anderson, Aidan
Moran, Rebecca Symes and Sarah Cecil form
the section concerning practitioners with a
background in psychology.
Taking a clinical perspective, Ron Smith
outlines the ever developing nature of
applied research and practice and the
process of how performance enhancement
can result from mental skills training.
Further contribution from Shane Murphy
outlines a number of lessons for the practi-
tioner, throughout, reinforcing the need for
effective teamwork and communication in
the process of personal and professional
development.
The final section consists of anecdotes
from sport science provided by Chris
Harwood, Jamie Barker, Brian Hemmings
and Zoe Knowles. The early account from
Chris Harwood outlines the professional
struggle of being a practitioner-scientist or
scientist-practitioner. In addition, how the
role of the sport psychologist can often be
split across being an applied researcher,
teacher/supervisor and a practising psycho-
logist. Jamie Barker builds upon this by
outlining Luke Skywalker syndrome and
understanding a need to ‘save the universe’
through applied practice. Brian Hemmings
outlines five key lessons learned in ‘it took me
over 10 years to be an overnight success’,
notably notions of knowing oneself and main-
taining the work-life balance in private prac-
tice. Zoe Knowles concludes the section with
an insight into the importance of
surrounding yourself with positive influences.
Sport & Exercise Psychology Review, Vol. 10 No. 3
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Book Review
Regardless of the professional back-
ground of the sport psychologist, the
contributing accounts within Becoming a Sport
Psychologist outline a number of crucial
themes central to developing oneself as an
applied practitioner. A knowledge of your
personal interests, agendas and desires for
working within the discipline aids personal
awareness, thus enables growth and develop-
ment. Furthermore, building relationships
with other professionals and collaborating
with those within a professional contact
network is key to challenging approaches to
applied practice. In addition to this, when
working with clients, effective negotiation,
communication and reflective skills are
highly collated to successful practice. Finally,
to help continue the development of the
discipline, it is important that sport psycho-
logists get themselves out there by
contributing to research, practice and
debate within the domain.
The wide variety of theoretical or
practical backgrounds coupled with capti-
vating anecdotes included within this book
provide those new to the profession with
insight into HOW to develop a career,
lessons to learn and frameworks to follow.
Overall, it is an easy and enjoyable read with
a clear, concise layout that enables those
journeying through the profession to read it
in its entity or revisit a particular interesting
or influential contribution when required.
McCarthy and Jones advocate that the
book is a font of inspiration and guidance
for both the aspiring and experienced prac-
titioner. Given the inclusion of a blend of
conversational narratives with more conser-
vative descriptive processes, Becoming a Sport
Psychologist is edited in a way that will appeal
to all interested in sport and exercise
psychology.
James Lambdon
Visiting Lecturer,
Trainee Sport and Exercise Psychologist,
St. Mary’s University,
Twickenham.
111