POSITION-SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS

Differentiated work

Each position in the field has unique psychological demands. You can't work a goalkeeper's mind the same as a striker's, just as they don't train the same physically.

The psychologist must dissect the cognitive demands of each role to design tailored interventions. This increases the credibility of the work and its transfer to performance.

Take volleyball: the "libero" (defensive specialist) requires a sacrificial mentality, quick reading and resilience to constant error, while the "setter" (setter) needs leadership, calmness under pressure and complex tactical decision making.

The psychologist could work with liberos on quick activation techniques and "error erasing", and with setters on leadership and visualization of game schemes.

Differentiating mental work by subgroups optimizes time and addresses the specific needs of the role.

Unique psychological demands of specialized roles

Certain roles, such as goalie in soccer, pitcher in baseball or quarterback in soccer, carry disproportionate solitary pressure and visibility of error. These "specialist positions" require extra psychological shielding.

The psychologist must specifically work on the acceptance of responsibility, the management of loneliness on the field and the ability to maintain concentration during long periods of inactivity.

For example, a soccer goalkeeper may go 89 minutes without touching the ball and have to make a decisive save in the 90th minute.

Your mental training should focus on maintaining optimal arousal without constant external stimuli.

Flash focus" exercises can be designed where the goalkeeper practices turning on his maximum concentration in seconds after periods of calm, simulating the reality of his position.

To ignore these specificities is to waste the potential of applied psychology.

Summary

Each position has unique cognitive demands that require differentiated w