Majid, a sportsperson and sports psychologist, believes that peaking mentally is just as important as peaking physically.
David ‘Boomer’ Wells, one of baseball’s ultimate left-handed pitchers, once said, “I like the ball in a big game. I’m not afraid to take it.” Wells’ sentiment reflects a sporting spirit and the psychology associated with sports and sports greatness.
Sarah Majid (photo, LinkedIn)
To learn more about what that means, The Sports Column spoke recently to Sarah Majid, an Exercise Psychologist at UK’s Bristol Academy of Sports.
Ravi: Let’s begin by having you tell us about your background and what brought you into this field.
Sarah: My background in sports comes from my parents’ interest and passion for sports. My father is a fitness consultant and my mother is a former aerobics and swimming instructor. Both of them are passionate about sports. They decided to introduce me to Judo at the age of 8. I was hyperactive and athletic as a kid. They enrolled me at Bombay Judo Club where I trained under Mr. Yatish Bangera, who had the highest grade in Judo. I soon started winning medals at regional and state level championships. After some national level exposure, I realized that winning a medal at that level was not going to be easy.
It was after a shoulder injury at the age of 12 that I started weight training with my father. He initially wanted me to recover from my injury but also taught me full body workouts that included a good routine for my recovery. As soon as I recovered and got back to Judo, I was keen on winning a national medal. I used to practice Judo two times a week and weight train the other two days. When I won my first national medal, I realized I had what it takes to won and then decided to pursue competitive Judo.
After attending many national camps and training with some of the best athletes in India, I realized that the mind played the most important role in athletic performance.
My thoughts and beliefs were confirmed when I started defeating Judokas who were training twice a day, while I was practicing Judo twice a week. I started believing in quality training and being mentally and emotionally present in training. I always believed in learning new things in my training sessions and didn’t judge myself on training, but prepared myself to give 100% in competitions.
Around the age of 14, I started thinking about my career and knew that I wanted to work with athletes in the future. I was always interested in psychology and the human mind. My connection with Judo and interest in psychology led me to choose this career path.
Ravi: How exactly does the psychology of sport apply in training?
Sarah: Psychology is part of everyday life. Everything we do is derived from our thoughts and emotions. When it comes to sports performance, there are no second chances in a competition. From identifying a situation, analyzing it, making a decision, and executing an action or response in a sporting situation, it’s a process that can be improved by the support of a sports psychologist.
Athletes can practice mental skills in training that they can transfer to competition. Every athlete has certain mental patterns–just like they have a certain style of play in their sport. Sometimes the mental patterns need to be changed in different situations. Practicing new mental skills in training support the change of that pattern–either in thought, emotion, or behavior and, then, produces the desired outcome.
Two athletes who might be equally excellent in physical, technical, and tactical skills might compete against each other and it’s often difficult to predict who will win and how. The athlete who is psychologically at their best on that day will win. In other words, you can be strong, talented, and experienced, but if you aren’t at your peak on a mental level, you could lose.
Ravi: Happen to read your tickle on “Emotional Independence in Young Athletes.” Could you elaborate, please?
Sarah: I think being emotionally resilient is very important for sustaining long-term success. Emotional attachments can sometimes affect the development of athletes. Parents should allow their children to find solutions in difficult situations rather than finding the solution and resolving their problems without much effort from the child. This facilitates the process of problem-solving under pressure and it also fosters emotional resilience.
Ravi: What inspired you to make the move from Mumbai to Bristol? What challenges have you faced here?
Sarah: I moved to Bristol to study my MSc in Sports and Exercise Psychology at the University of West of England in Bristol. Unfortunately, India did not have an MSc course specializing in the field so I moved here to embark on my career as a sport and exercise psychologist. I am currently enrolled for Stage 2 Qualification in Sports and Exercise Psychology (QSEP) with British Psychological Society (BPS).
I think the biggest challenge for me was networking. Trust is a very important factor for any psychology consultant, and people take their time to trust you in a new place when they’ve never heard of you. I had to prove myself at every stage because I wasn’t known in the sporting community and knew very few people. I think it’s natural for people who’ve been a part of the sporting community to have better networks and hence more opportunities. I am a former Judo player from Mumbai and have stronger links in the sporting community in India. I am fortunate to have the opportunities to work with so many different athletes at all levels in Bristol.
If you REALLY want to do something, you will find a way to get there. You need to read, research, and carve a path for yourself. Then you need to follow it relentlessly.
Ravi: Could you talk about the culture and character in sports you’ve found between the sub-continent and the United Kingdom?
Sarah: Sport is a very integral part of Western culture. I’ve found that the majority of parents give sport and academics equal importance. In India, we are more focused on academics, as there are fewer opportunities for a high-paying successful career in sport. In the UK, there are many different opportunities in sports right from the grassroots school level to professional sports.
Ravi: Would you elaborate on your role in the Bristol Academy of Sports?
Sarah: I work as a Trainee Sports and Exercise Psychologist at Bristol Academy of Sport. I conduct mental skills training sessions for different sports teams, such as rugby, cricket, football, and table tennis. Workshops generally depend on the needs of the team.
I always conduct an in-depth needs analysis for the group using different techniques and having conversations with the coaches and athletes. Workshops could be around topics such as Confidence, Coping with Pressure, Pregame Mindset, Visualisation, and The Importance of Sleep, and so on. In addition to group workshops, I also conduct individual sessions for athletes who want to work on a certain aspect of their performance.
Bristol Academy of Sports functions as part of SGS College. I occasionally am invited as a guest lecturer on sports-related courses. I plan to conduct workshops for parents of athletes to allow them to support their children to develop psychologically and to understand how to facilitate the management of competitive pressure and academics.
Ravi: What strategies and aspects of your training do you think are unique from the rest, and in what way do they contribute to the overall development of an athlete, keep alone his/her excellence in sport?
Sarah: My approach focuses on the overall person, not just the athlete as a performer. When a person is happy and content, they will do their best in training and competitions. Sometimes I extract the athlete’s characteristics and personality off-the-field in order to get insights into how their habits/ behaviors outside of sports influence on-the-field performance.
My work is based on scientific research, but there is always an element of instinct in this work. Doing what is best for my client is my motto.
A major part of my work is about making the client more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Once you build awareness of your feelings, you can manage them better. I use mindfulness strategies for this part of my work. For clients who have deeper awareness, thought restructuring and self-talk might work better.
I always explain the purpose of an intervention to my clients. Their expectations of the effectiveness of the technique can often cloud their judgment of the outcome. I work with academy athletes (16-to-21 years) who may often think that their problem will disappear if they use a certain intervention. I focus on ‘things you can control’ for my clients. What happens within us can be managed, but what happens outside cannot be controlled. I suggest that they change something ‘within’ (that is, in their minds) to experience change ‘without’ (that is, in their environment).
Ravi: What sports do you specialize in, and wish to specialize come future?
Sarah: I am currently working with different sports, such as rugby, football, golf, table tennis, and cricket. I wish to specialize in ‘What makes a champion?’ I read books, research papers, and articles on that topic.
Courtesy: Twitter
Ravi: What advice would you give to sports writers, like me, who wish to make a career in sports psychology come future?
Sarah: Anyone can achieve whatever they want. Every human being has the ability to empathize, listen, and problem solve. Psychologists consciously use and develop those skills to facilitate change in clients. Basic knowledge in those skills can be gained through reading and formal education.
Ravi: Finally, what is–and will be–your contribution to sports as a sportswoman?
Sarah: I think there were many things I’ve achieved in Mumbai as a Judoka. One of those things was making people believe that you don’t have to lose weight and compete in lower categories to win. Luckily, my parents were against controlling my weight and, so, I focused on my strength, techniques, and tactics.
I that that showed the community that weight reduction shouldn’t be a priority. If your techniques, tactics, and fitness levels are good, you can win in any category. I was the first Judoka to win a national medal from Mumbai after 7 years.
Currently, I am supporting athletes to get selected in the GB squad in their respective sports. I feel like my contribution is subtle and abstract, but as long as my clients are progressing, I feel as though I am making a difference. In the future, I’d like to work with Olympic squads in different sports.
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For more about Sarah and her work, go to her webpage.
Wow this is an amazing and in-depth interview..very insightful Ravi!