LOGISTICAL AND FINANCIAL PLANNING

Contractual Framework and Role Delimitation

To ensure ethical and efficient professional performance, it is essential to establish a clear framework from day one.

Unlike the technical staff, which has a constant presence, the psychologist may operate under a regime of punctual visits or specific days.

If these conditions are not set out in a formal agreement, unjustified claims may arise for not attending every trip or training session.

This prior agreement also serves to shield the role from tasks outside the profession.

In the hustle and bustle of a club, it is common to try to use the psychologist for administrative tasks, such as managing travel logistics, distributing sports equipment or coordinating tickets for family members.

Specifying duties and schedules in writing protects the integrity of the role and prevents the psychologist from becoming a general assistant, which would dilute his or her therapeutic and performance impact.

Budgeting and Valuing the Service

Financial negotiation requires a realistic analysis of the entity's economic context.

When submitting a fee proposal, eva luate whether the club is a grassroots organization with limited resources or a professional entity, and benchmark the salaries of other health care specialists, such as physical therapists.

It is unrealistic to expect a salary higher than that of the head coaches in the first instance.

A useful tactic to facilitate recruitment is to offer a tiered menu of services: a "premium" option with almost exclusive dedication, an intermediate option with regular visits and a basic option focused on one-off workshops.

This allows the organization to choose according to its budget without the psychologist deva luing his or her hourly rate.

In addition, it must be weighed whether the priority is immediate financial retribution or the accumulation of curricular experience in a competitive environment.

Summary

It is essential to establish a clear contractual framework from day one to delineate roles. This protects the integrity of the role and prevents the psychologist from performing administrative tasks unrelated to his or her profession.

Financial negotiation requires a realistic analysis of the economic context of the sports entity. Offering a staggered menu of services allows the organization to choose according to its budget without deva luing the fee.

The prior agreement serves to shield the role from unjustified demands on schedules. Consideration should be given to whether the priority is immediate financial reward or the accumulation of experience in a competitive environment.