Knowledge Nuggets

In sports, there are various measures for athlete psychology, with heart rate variability (HRV) becoming an increasingly popular method of measurement. Different factors such as stress, overtraining, and performance have been found to impact HRV, thus influencing athlete psychology.

Coaches’ leadership styles can play an important role in fostering strong and effective connections with athletes. For example, a transformational leadership style, characterized by its proactive nature and emphasis on empowering, inspiring, and challenging athletes or teams, has been positively associated with the quality of the coach-athlete relationship.

The prevalence of athletes specializing in sports has increased in recent years. Substantial literature on youth sports has linked early sport specialization to negative consequences, such as burnout and injury. A recent study conducted on NCAA athletes found that athletes were more likely to experience elevated levels of burnout if they identified as female, were...

In soccer, preventing injuries is crucial for player performance and long-term health. Current evidence supports strength training, including methods like eccentric and flywheel training, to reduce injury risks effectively.

How a coach interacts with athletes can be significant predictor of athletes’ enjoyment and intentions to stay in sport. A study of 202 elite-level artistic swimmers from 22 countries showed that athletes under the guidance of democratic-style coaches reported elevated levels of athletic enjoyment and expressed greater intent to pursue their athletic careers. This finding...

Many high-performance athletes scrutinize their own performances and often aim for perfection. A recent study delved into how perfectionistic athletes view success and failure in sports. Through interviews and season-long diaries, researchers found that an athlete’s ability to deal with failure depended on the type of perfectionism they exhibited.

The coaching environment influences athlete development. Research shows that for coaches to create effective learning environments for athletes they need to deliberately plan each practice session. To do so, coaches need to know their athlete’s capabilities and needs and should differentiate or individualize practice instead of adopting a “one size fits all” approach.

Coaching efficacy is influenced by factors such as formal education. In a study involving high school coaches, sport psychology education and contact with sport psychology practitioners significantly increased coaching efficacy. While we traditionally think of athletes as benefiting the most from mental health and performance supports, coaches can also benefit from opportunities to engage in...

Ketogenic diets are gaining attention in elite endurance sports for their ability to boost fat burning, potentially transforming performance. However, concerns linger about their impact on glycogen use and high-intensity exercise, with mixed results among athletes.

Stress can significantly impact an athlete’s well-being and sport performance, but social support from teammates, coaches, and support staff can positively influence how athletes perceive and adapt to stress. Recent research shows that for social support to produce positive effects, having a shared social identity and the knowledge and expertise to provide sufficient support is...