Growing up around rugby because of my dad, there were few things that captured my attention like the haka. I remember being small and absolutely transfixed by it — the rhythm, the expression, the raw energy of a team declaring who they are and where they come from. The All Blacks, at the time, felt mythical to me. And the haka… well, it was unlike anything else in sport. What I didn’t understand then — and only appreciate now as a sport psychologist — is just how layered and

When things go wrong in sport — a dropped ball, a tough loss, or a coach’s criticism — it’s easy to feel that our emotions are completely determined by what happened. But in Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) , psychologist Albert Ellis  suggested that it’s not the event itself that causes our feelings, but the beliefs we hold about it . Ellis explained this using what’s often called the ABC model : A  – the Activating event  (for example, losing a match) B  – the Beli

When it comes to excelling in any sport or performance field, physical skill is just one piece of the puzzle. Have you ever wondered why...

When it comes to performing at your best, physical training is only part of the equation. Have you ever wondered what separates good...

Understanding Cognitive Appraisals in Sport In sport psychology, cognitive appraisal refers to how athletes evaluate high-pressure...

In sport, the pursuit of excellence is rarely a solo journey. Athletes build teams around them—coaches, trainers, physios,...