Sport, Psychology and Christianity Welfare, Performance and Consultancy Routledge Research in Sport, Culture and Society Series

The majority of sport psychology research to date has been underpinned and driven by a secular perspective. There is an urgent need for sport psychologists to better understand the relevance of Christian faith in athletes? sporting experiences and day-to-day lives in order to improve their performance and well-being. Sport, Psychology and Christianity is the first book to consider the relationship between sport psychology provision and Christianity from a welfare and performance perspective.

Bringing together contributions from leading scholars in the field, the book includes chapters on:

• The role of faith in sport injury rehabilitation
• Christian belief and resilience during injury
• The pitfalls of perfectionism in sport
• Collaboration between sport psychologist and club chaplain
• Ethical considerations when working with spiritual athletes
• Reflective practice in sport psychology consultancy

Offering a holistic approach to improving athlete welfare and performance where faith and spirituality are core tenets of well-being, this volume is a critical and timely resource for students, researchers and practitioners working in sport psychology; sport and spirituality; or religion, sports chaplaincy and allied roles and professions.

Introduction

1. Identity in Sport: Reflections on Welfare, Performance and Consultancy Practice within a Christian Worldview

PART 1: WELFARE

2. The Pursuit of Excellence and the Perils of Perfectionism:

Psychological and Theological Reflections

3. The Sport Psychologist and Club Chaplain Supporting Welfare:

Reflections on Five Years of Collaboration in English Professional Cricket

4. Christian Beliefs and Behaviours as Health Protective, Resilience and Intervention Factors in the Context of Sport Injuries

5. Role of Religion and Spirituality in Sport Injury Rehabilitation

PART 2: PERFORMANCE

6. Beyond Pastoral Care: Biblical Applications for Consulting and Performance

7. Mind, Body and Soul: A Foundational Model of Performance

8. Sin, Shame and Adverse Performance in Christian Sportspersons

9. Catholic Perspectives on Sport Psychology for Performance and Welfare

PART 3: CONSULTANCY

10. Integrating Christian Faith into Sport Psychology Consulting: A Faith Developmental Theory Perspective

11. Working with Religious and Spiritual Athletes: Ethical Considerations for Sport Psychologists

12. Sport, Psychology and Christianity: The Importance of Reflective Practice

Brian Hemmings works in private practice and has 25 years of experience in sport psychology consultancy across many sports. He is also a bereavement counsellor and trained Lay Minister in the Anglican Church.

Nick J. Watson is Chief Operating Officer at the Archbishop of York Youth Trust, UK. Formerly, he was Associate Professor Sport and Social Justice in the School of Sport, York St. John University, UK.

Andrew Parker is Professor of Sport and Christian Outreach in the School of Sport and Exercise at the University of Gloucestershire, UK.