Metaphorical Use of Song Lyrics within Sport Psychology Practice: Targeting the Transition within a Premier League Football Youth Academy

Abstract

This article explains how a sport psychologist practitioner used metaphors within song lyrics to broach the transition phase of retention or release with elite young football players. The metaphorical use of song lyrics within sport psychology practice is illustrated via a “step-by-step” case example. The role of the sport psychology practitioner and the pre-requisites of this method within a group environment are highlighted. The intended and achieved outcomes in the case example analyzed were to encourage and facilitate the players’ ability to communicate and share with each other their thoughts and feelings on a delicate issue, and to improve their intrapersonal and interpersonal understanding of the transition phase encountered.

KEYWORDS:

• song lyrics
• metaphors
• transition