Sport psychology in Botswana: A prime breeding ground

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to give an in-depth account of sport psychology in Botswana. The authors reviewed literature and also used their observations and experiences to describe the emergence of sport psychology in Botswana. A brief historical background of Botswana is presented first, followed by a description of the accessibility to knowledge and international alliances in physical education and sport psychology scholarship within Botswana. One of the crucial areas addressed in this section is the influence of cultural values and practices on the development of sport in Botswana. Young athletes in Botswana may perceive less parental support compared to their counterparts in industrialised nations due to the trivialisation of participation in sport by some parents in Botswana. The next section addresses the role of physical education and sport psychology in Botswana. Even though physical education and sport psychology are new disciplines at the University of Botswana, they play a fundamental role in Botswana's success in international sports. The two Ph.D. trained sport psychologists in the country work with national teams and also engage in collaborative research with acclaimed international scholars. The authors conclude by providing evidence that in Botswana there is clear demand and understanding of what sport psychology is, and its role transcends beyond sport, making major differences in individuals’ personal lives. There is no doubt that Botswana is on the right path and is placed to contribute knowledge to the entire sport psychology world.

Keywords:

• cultural values
• developing country
• non-communicable diseases