Introduction

Rhythmic Gymnastics, 2008 AEON CUP Club Championships at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, October 12, 2008.

Male swimmers, 2012 Olympic Games, London.

“	The Olympics remain the most compelling search for excellence that exists in sport, and maybe in life itself.	”
—Dawn Fraser Gold medal winner for the same event at three successive Olympics

Elite sport features in the lives of huge numbers of people around the world, while the global sport market is estimated to be worth in excess of $500 billion dollars a year and growing steadily. Understanding and influencing psychological aspects of sport performance represents a complex and intriguing challenge.

This micro Open Online Course (mOOC) provides a foundational level experience of theories that explain the impact of psychological factors on sport behaviour, and exposure to performance enhancement strategies that are commonly applied in the elite sport environment. It seeks to provide a foundation for further study of the theory and practices of sport psychology.

Target audiences and aims

The target audiences for this micro-course are:

• students who wish to develop their interest in the psychology of elite sport, perhaps with a view to pursuing further formal study in the area;
• existing practitioners in the world of sport who wish to enhance their knowledge and understanding of sport psychology; and
• others who seek to extend their knowledge and understanding of sport psychology.

Aims

Upon successful completion of this 40-hour course, students will be able to: explain how psychological factors influence sport performance; outline psychological strategies that are used to enhance sport performance; and use digital tools to research, analyse, and present information related to psychological perspectives of elite sport performance.