I recently had the honor of speaking with Switchbacks FC inaugural midfielder, Rony Argueta, who quickly established himself as the reliable backbone for the club. The full Q&A of this excerpt about his thoughts on the relationship of psychology in sports will be posted next week.
Q: What are Your Thoughts on sports psychology?
A: I believe that there is not enough of it in sports settings and sports psychologists come at a hefty price. I believe it is important because as a professional player I have realized that what differentiates players being average from good and good from great is mostly being in a proper mindset. I have seen great players decline and average players excel due to changes in mindset and have personally experienced this as well.
Q: How would you describe the mentality that is needed to play at a high level competitively and its necessity?
A: The mentality needed to play at a high level competitively must be open and that of growth. We must have an open mind and accept ideas from people (teammates, coaches, agents, scouts, general managers, etc) from around the world. We will also experience different cultures, customs, and ideas about both sports and life. A growth mindset allows us to learn, face challenges, and not fear failure but fail forward when we do. Realizing that challenges in sports, just like in life, are inevitable, will simplify our decision to grab the bull by the horns or punk out.
Q: How important do you believe that your psyche is in confidence, motivation, and overall performance? Do you see a difference between a good mental day and one where you are struggling?
A: To me, psyche is extremely important for those areas and I can 100% tell the difference between my performance on a good mental day or a bad one.
Q: For many athletes, their sport is, or can become, their identity. How do you believe that this affects them psychologically regarding injuries, retirement, and life after sports?
A: I believe that when athletes make their sport their identity it negatively affects them. They can force themselves through an injury to the point it ends their career, which could lead to depression, and ultimately suicide. Sport as an identity does not lead to anything good, whether the athlete fails or succeeds within the sport. Life is so much more than sport alone.
MindFullSports 