Dr. Samantha Nanayakkara, Senior Lecturer for sports studies at the University of Colombo won the ‘Sport’s Golden Scientific Literary Award’ for the ‘Best Sports Psychology Book of the Year 2020’ at the SLT-Mobitel Sabuhdhi Sports Literacy Awards Ceremony at the Ministry of Sports under the patronage of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Namal Rajapaksa. Dr. Samantha Nanayakkara’s book on Applied Sports Psychology is the first-ever sports scientific literary composition published in Sri Lanka. This is one of the milestones of her service as a dedicated sports educationist who was honoured with several Presidential awards for her immense service.
She is the first-ever Sri Lankan woman to obtain a doctoral degree in Sports Science. Dr. Samantha served as a leading sports psychologist for the Sri Lankan Junior Netball Team (including winners of the Asian Netball Championship in 2016). She also has conducted psychological programs for the participants of the SAG, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Olympic Games from 1999 up to now.
At present, Dr. Nanayakkara is serving as the Vice President of the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation and the Chairperson of the Women’s Basketball Development Committee. She renders her service to the Sri Lanka Rugby Union as their female Council member.
What is Sports Psychology?
According to Dr. Nanayakkara, Sports psychology is co-related with sports science as an interdisciplinary practice that links with psychological and physical factors based on sports and athletic competence. In particular, it is a combination of physiology, kinesiology, and biomechanics sciences that lead to resolving various mental health athletes and sports industry professionals often experience.
Sports psychology incorporates competencies such as critical thinking, interpersonal skills, confidentiality, and fuels areas such as exercise science, common sports-related injury, stress management, coach-player communication, and team dynamics.
“I perceive sports psychology as an essential subject area in sports science that every sports educationist and student must go through and adopt practically. It is a major factor that influences a sportsman or an athlete to establish sound mental health which is necessary for a successful career. My book on sports psychology is a triumphant result of years of research on behalf of the future of sports education.
How could sports psychology nurture a sportsman?
Time management, communication skills, sports ethics, and social education are key areas of sports discipline which every student should learn before getting into the competitions. Since competition is the focal point of attention for an athlete, it is very essential to empower sports ethics through their personality. And I believe that this book would be a guiding light for them” said, Dr. Samantha Nanayakkara.
According to her, apart from the strategies of the sport, one needs to enhance mental strategies to craft an appropriate mindset to engage in healthy sports. Sports psychology is very essential to the coach and for the athlete as it is the only pathway to absorb practical knowledge essential for the field.
It acts as a plus point to navigate one’s sports career for a better future as it anchors vision, mission, and objectives, which enables the long term goals.
“A sportsman’s mindset defaults to competition and vibrates in between victory and defeat. This fact can’t be easily thrown away as it sharpens and influences the brain activity accordingly. Since it affects the behavioural pattern of a person despite the social environment, sports psychology helps to maintain situations and relationships while healthily balancing the emotions and compulsions.
For a sportsman who lives in the world of competitiveness, mental readiness, motivation, focus, and performance are his ruling factors.
Therefore, the circulation of positive energy is very important to move towards the ultimate goal with passion and determination. Sports psychology educates the athlete to face and go through all kinds of hardships to stay immune against distractions, pressure, flaws, and failure” she said .
This publication by Dr. Nanayakkara on sports psychology provides advanced guidance for athletes, coaches, sports educationists, professionals and students. Also, it could be defined as a scientific approach to sports science via an effective, practical way.
The chapters will discuss how coaches should train the sportsman and how he should adopt qualities such as the ability to bounce back from setbacks, making quick decisions, being resilient and handle stress and pressure.
Most importantly, it will discuss the solutions for the struggles that they find in retrieving energy, strength, and focus to regain the power over the competition back to their hands.
“I believe that the book will address the ultimate solutions for the issues of the sportsman and the sports educationists beyond the Sri Lankan recreation context. As a sports psychologist, I look forward to composing more sports literary resources on behalf of the future generation who anticipate pursuing sports science education” she said.