TASS students take part in remote psychology workshop

Student-athletes at Sunderland College recently took part in a virtual psychology workshop designed to help them overcome barriers and support their emotional health and wellbeing whilst face-to-face learning is suspended.

Delivered by Dual-career Coordinator Carl Jones and Kelly Perry, Higher Education Programme Leader for Sport, the interactive session gave students on the college’s Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) the opportunity to ask questions and complete tasks around developing their confidence and a successful mindset.

The group have also shared lockdown nutrition ideas as well as the best spaces to train while they are studying at home.

Sport and Exercise Sciences student, Charlotte Richardson, said: “The session Carl and Kelly presented to us was focussed on confidence within sport and how a talented athlete performing at a high-level pick themselves up after downfalls.

“There were many areas discussed but one of the key messages was that just changing the little things can alter your whole outlook and perspective on how to present yourself moving forward, whether that be alone in training/in the gym or competing in the world championships.

“This session will impact me greatly moving forward as personally I don’t have a lot of confidence and have had many push backs which have definitely got into my head.

“Thanks to Kelly’s key points, I believe I can act upon the advice afrom the online workshop and will have a better outcome in sport no matter what it takes.”

Carl Jones, added: “I have been working on creating a remote platform for engagement with TASS athletes at Sunderland College to support their dual-careers, liaising with them in both group and individual settings to ensure they can engage with their programme and support their academic goals.

“Kelly and I had a great turn out from the TASS athletes who engaged in our first remote psychology workshop, utilising the group chat options as we discussed coping mechanisms central to the theme of ‘confidence’.

“Finding innovative ways to support and engage our student-athletes during this challenging time is a positive step and Microsoft Teams will be a very important platform going forward.”

TASS is a Sport England funded partnership between talented athletes, education institutions and national governing bodies of sport who work together to bring the best out of the country’s most exciting young talents.

The scheme helps athletes in education – aged 16-plus – to get the very best from their sporting and academic careers without having to choose between the two.

For more information about Sunderland Colleges Sports Development Centres or Scholarship, email sport@sunderlandcollege.ac.uk.