Putting the Team in Sport Psychology Consulting: Five Sport Psychology Consultants Collaborating Service for Athletes at the USOC

Abstract

Most conference presentations and professional articles on the application of sport psychology focus on an individual consultants’ work with athletes and teams. Rarely do we hear how a group of consultants under the same roof collaborates in working with athletes and teams. The U.S. Olympic Committee offers a unique opportunity for collaboration between five sport psychologists, three in Colorado Springs and two in Chula Vista. Although each sport psychologist is the designated contact for the Olympic sports under his or her “sportfolio,” we often work together with a particular team or collaborate on projects for the USOC. In addition, when a crisis situation arises, we generate options as a group and provide peer consultation as needed. This article will present the general collaborative model used for USOC Sport Psychology and then provide several examples of how the USOC Sport Psychologists have worked as a consulting team.

KEYWORDS:

• sport psychology consulting
• collaborating with other consultants
• Olympic performance