Page 15 - Summer 2015 Newsletter

Professional Practice Corner

Charlie Brown, PhD, CC-AASP, Get Your Head in the Game Consultants

Jack Lesyk, PhD, CC-AASP, Ohio Center for Sport Psychology

Steve Mellalieu, PhD, Cardiff Metropolitan University

Alison Rhodius, PhD, CC-AASP, John F. Kennedy University

Four sport psychology professionals (three CC-AASPs, and one professional on the

UK practitioner register) from across three generations of our profession share their

insights on the watershed moments in their professional lives.

Could you share one experience [glimmer] that started your interest in sport

psychology?

CHARLIE BROWN

I was a clinical psychologist in full-time private practice specializing in brief, solution-

focused, systemic interventions. I also enjoyed doing triathlons. I overheard a spouse Charlie
Jack

at one race commenting, “I’ll be happy when my husband is inished training for these LESYK
BROWN

things; it’s like I haven’t seen him in weeks.” Her comment prompted my embarking

on a research project to study the impact of triathlon training on relationships. I was

motivated both by a genuine interest in the topic and the prospect of deducting my

travel to triathlons as a business expense. I gathered data from 165 triathletes and 127

of their spouses on the impact of training on relationships. At that time, there was very

little research in this area, and most of it focused only on the athlete. I presented the

indings at an APA Convention and had a number of people come up after the presenta-

tion and encourage me to consider specializing in sport psychology.

JACK LESYK

I was a rather traditional clinical psychologist in private practice when I took up run-
Steve Alison
ning and then marathon running. My own interest and experiences in training and
MELLALIEU RHODIUS
competing sparked my interest in the psychology of sport. I devoured the few books

that were available at that time. This experience was before the founding of AASP

and APA Division 47 so I began an intense program of self-study. I was determined to

become a sport psychologist.

AASP Newsletter // Summer 2015 // Professional Practice Corner

15
IN THIS ISSUE
VISIT US ONLINE:
WWW.APPLIEDSPORTPSYCH.ORG