AASP West Regional Conference 2023
- Kayla Bryson
- Mar 23, 2023
- 5 min read
Aspiring Sport Psychology Professional
Attendance to my first AASP conference as an aspiring professional in the field.
On March 10th and 11th, I attended the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) West Regional Conference hosted by California Baptist University (CBU) in Riverside, CA. This was my first attendance to an AASP conference since obtaining my master's degree and marketing myself as an early professional. I was eager to be amongst established professionals in the field and have the opportunity to network with other individuals early in their careers.
On the first day, I arrived on campus at 8:30AM for the meet and greet portion, with presentations beginning at 9AM. Once given a quick introduction of the emcee, it was determined that the attendees consisted of current sport and performance psychology master's students at CBU, early professionals training to be certified, current professors with their graduate students conducting research to present, and current established professionals. Despite all of us being in various stages of development, we all were there to learn from one another and present new ideas to grow the field.
Prior to the lunch break, there was a round table discussion with all attendees included and were broken up into small groups of 6-8 people. The group I was in consisted of future students of CBU, current students of nearby universities, and early professionals like myself. The topics of discussion ranged from our predictions for the field of Sport Psychology, the influence of social media on the mental well-being of athletes, and the intersectionality of other departments coexisting with Mental Performance Coaches within a sports organization. These discussions allowed for open dialogue and connections of different perspectives of how this new field is evolving.
The first keynote speaker of the conference was Dr. Carrie Hastings, current Team Psychologist for the Los Angeles Rams National Football League (NFL) team and CEO of Sport Psychology. Dr. Hastings began her presentation with her personal journey through sports as a child and as a Track & Field athlete at the University of Notre Dame. She then gave some insights into her daily schedule with professional football players and the topics of discussions she has with them pertaining to mental performance. The individualized programs she runs with the rookies and players placed on the injured reserves list, brings special attention to the players who are transitioning into the lifestyle and those who have to spend a small time of the season watching from the sidelines. Dr. Hastings emphasized the importance for a focus of mental health in athletics and what exactly separates the longevity of a career from one that does not remain at an elite level.
"When two athletes have the exact same level of ability, the one with the better mindset will win every time." --Dr. Carrie Hastings
Former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher, Chris Stewart, kicked off the second day of the conference as a keynote speaker at 9AM. Chris highlighted his baseball career beginning at Riverside Community College (RCC) out of high school and the wavering confidence it took to reach the professional level. Despite not receiving much playing time his first year at RCC, he was still noticed by professional scouts and was drafted in 2001 by the Chicago White Soxs. Not immediately receiving a major league appearance and proving his skills with minor league AA/AAA affiliates, Chris shifted his mindset to know that there will be a multitude of teams that he could contribute towards. Once the chance came with the San Francisco Giants, Chris understood his opportunities were out of his control, but could control how prepared he was when the time came. Reaching retirement in 2019, Chris knew there was more to accomplish outside of baseball and the length of time out of the sport would outlast the time as an active player. He maintained being at the top his game for nearly 20 years, received advice from each and every coach, and emphasized how the work never stops to compete at an elite level. The platform of professional baseball for Chris, was the system in which he was fulfilling his purpose and advocated for all the attendees to find and live for their purpose.
"It is easier to reach the pinnacle, than it is to stay there."--Chris Stewart
To follow Chris' presentation was a special group of women encompassing the Elite Athlete Panel, including Lindsay Davis (Figure Skater), Jasmine Johnson (Overseas Pro Basketball), and Katie McLaughlin (Olympic Swimmer). Each of these women competed at the professional level in their respective sports and discussed the psychological hurdles and ethical challenges they faced being pro female athletes. Despite there being differences in motivating factors between team and individualized sports, being supported by a larger group or organization (i.e. Team USA) was the common denominator. Once at the elite level, they all experienced challenges of having male coaches and a sense of focus shift from culture building (process goals) at the youth/high school levels, while the professional level was more business and winning focused (outcome goals). Understanding the specific goal needed to be achieved, creates the purpose for which the season serves.
Former Chief Sport Performance Officer for USA Women's Water Polo and current Associate AD for Health, Wellness, and Sports Performance at UC Irvine, John Abdou, was the final keynote speaker of the conference. John provided images and an anecdotal experience of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Due to the unfortunate spread of COVID-19, the Games were postponed to 2021 and caused the athletes in training, to mentally shift their focus in competing another 14 months after the announcement of postponement. The role of mental health practitioners was crucial at this point in time for Olympic athletes. Building a system around athletes that will sustain and thrive into the following year was an important role for John, specifically gathering individuals from different fields that will integrate rather than collaborate with one another. Understanding the role of a Mental Performance Coach/Team Psychologist as a crisis responder must be impactful with actions rather than words. Relationships with coaches is paramount in being influential in decision making and the language used with athletes, ("We" vs "I") promoting inclusion as a piece of an entire performance model that provides a multitude of resources.
"Can you model the level of adaptability you encourage out of athletes [and performers]?"--John Abdou
In addition to the keynote speakers mentioned, various research projects were presented from graduate students and professors across Southern California. Topics consisted of coping strategies from a cultural perspective, leadership development, coaching styles, student-athlete mental health preferences, emotional control/mental toughness, self-compassion, and weight biases. An additional presentation spoke on a different population benefitting from traditional mental performance training, was presented by an early professional based in Los Angeles and works with individuals in the entertainment industry (i.e. musicians, dancers, actors, comedians, directors, etc.). The breadth of knowledge and experiences shared over one weekend was a privilege to be a part of as an attendee of the conference.
As an early professional in this growing field, I took an approach of absorbing as much information as possible attending my first AASP conference. The position of a Team Psychologist at the professional level, is a role I strive to achieve and felt privileged to be in the presence of such a knowledgeable and experienced individual with Dr. Carrie Hastings. I look forward to attending my second AASP conference this coming April in Long Beach discussing Diversity in Sport.
For more information on AASP and the keynote speakers of the conference, visit their links below:
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