DR. CASEY PRESENTS
With this issue at the forefront of soccer coach Mark Donaldson’s agenda, he had his GU14 girls of the Pacific Soccer Club “Surf” team add a new element to their workout this past week: a visit with local sports psychologist, Dr. Casey Cooper.
Dr. Casey directed the girls in several team-building exercises to strengthen the psychological connection between each of the players. First, the team of 14 girls was split into two sub-teams, each with a designated leader, cheerleader, organizer and problem-solver. One team was challenged to solve a theoretical problem of connecting lights to switches, while the second team had to fill a plastic tower, drilled with small holes, with water using several small cups. It was up to each team to figure out how to solve their challenges. Both teams were observed and timed on their ability to solve each challenge, then asked to switch to the alternate challenge.
During the debrief Dr. Casey asked the girls several questions and helped them to realize that the team that talked more, asked for help more, and discussed different ideas with each other ended up solving each situation faster and with greater efficiency. She helped them to translate these ideas onto the field. Player Tori Immel noted “This was a really fun exercise, but we also had to think really hard at how to solve our problem under a lot of pressure.”
With escalating expectations on athletes at all levels and significant monetary investments at stake, sporting personnel are increasingly turning their attention to the mental aspect of competition. Dr. Casey Cooper said “The emphasis and acceptance of sports psychology has increased markedly in the past decade as more and more athletes, coaches, and parents are seeking out professional mental health experts.”
Dr. Casey Cooper holds a California license as a Psychologist with a Sports Psychology specialization. She often works with both local and national teams covering a wide array of topics including maintaining focus during competition, overcoming mental blocks/fear, building team cohesion, and transitioning out of sports.
Coach Mark Donaldson was very pleased with the exercise and noted that “several of the players were able to take away a new-found appreciation for field communication and trusting that their team mates would be there to help them.”
"Surf" Team Building Event
Soccer Team Adds Sports Psychology to Their Workout
With this issue at the forefront of soccer coach Mark Donaldson’s agenda, he had his GU14 girls of the Pacific Soccer Club “Surf” team add a new element to their workout this past week: a visit with local sports psychologist, Dr. Casey Cooper.
Dr. Casey directed the girls in several team-building exercises to strengthen the psychological connection between each of the players. First, the team of 14 girls was split into two sub-teams, each with a designated leader, cheerleader, organizer and problem-solver. One team was challenged to solve a theoretical problem of connecting lights to switches, while the second team had to fill a plastic tower, drilled with small holes, with water using several small cups. It was up to each team to figure out how to solve their challenges. Both teams were observed and timed on their ability to solve each challenge, then asked to switch to the alternate challenge.
During the debrief Dr. Casey asked the girls several questions and helped them to realize that the team that talked more, asked for help more, and discussed different ideas with each other ended up solving each situation faster and with greater efficiency. She helped them to translate these ideas onto the field. Player Tori Immel noted “This was a really fun exercise, but we also had to think really hard at how to solve our problem under a lot of pressure.”
With escalating expectations on athletes at all levels and significant monetary investments at stake, sporting personnel are increasingly turning their attention to the mental aspect of competition. Dr. Casey Cooper said “The emphasis and acceptance of sports psychology has increased markedly in the past decade as more and more athletes, coaches, and parents are seeking out professional mental health experts.”
Dr. Casey Cooper holds a California license as a Psychologist with a Sports Psychology specialization. She often works with both local and national teams covering a wide array of topics including maintaining focus during competition, overcoming mental blocks/fear, building team cohesion, and transitioning out of sports.
Coach Mark Donaldson was very pleased with the exercise and noted that “several of the players were able to take away a new-found appreciation for field communication and trusting that their team mates would be there to help them.”
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