Being an Embedded 360 Degree Resource, for the Entire Organization with: Dr Scott Goldman

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that overallemployment for Sports Psychologists is projected to grow by 7% from 2023 to2033, which is faster than the average for all occupations. On average, about13,000 job openings for psychologists are expected each year over the nextdecade. Many of these openings will stem from the need to replace workers whoare transferring to different occupations or exiting the labor force, such asthrough retirement.   Sports psychologist Scott Goldman, PhD, consultingperformance psychologist for the Golden State Warriors,  highlights that while elite athletes arevaluable performers, they are also human beings like anyone else. “I see myrole as a psychologist within a sports organization as being an embedded360-degree resource,” he explains, serving athletes, coaches, and front officemanagers who are responsible for talent evaluation and staff onboarding.   Goldman was one of the first clinically trainedpsychologists to become an integral part of both college and professionalsports organizations. His early full-time positions at the NCAA level includedroles at the University of Arizona and the University of Michigan. He has alsoworked with professional teams such as the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions,and has consulted for the Washington Wizards and Chicago Cubs. One of Goldman’skey achievements is the development of the Athletic Intelligence Quotient (AIQ)assessment tool, which measures the performance-specific cognitive traits thatcontribute to athletic success. He collaborated with James Bowman, PsyD, fromthe Albert Ellis Institute in New York City, on the AIQ for 15 years before itwas published in 2012. The test, described in a 2020 article in the New YorkTimes Magazine as “a comprehensive user’s manual to an elite athlete’s brain,”is utilized by the NCAA and various professional sports teams, as well asinternational clubs and first responder departments.   Goldman’s team defines intelligence as “the ability toacquire, process, and apply information.” Drawing from the Cattell-Horn-Carrolltheory of intelligence, Goldman and Bowman sought to define the cognitiveabilities that are most relevant in navigating the complex challenges ofsports: “We viewed sport as a constantly mutating puzzle and asked ourselves,‘What cognitive abilities are most impactful in solving that?’” Goldmanrecalls.   Over the past decade, awareness of the importance ofprotecting athletes' mental health has significantly increased. Goldmancontributed to the 2013 National Athletic Trainers Association’s consensusstatement on addressing psychological concerns among college athletes and waspart of the mental health task force that established "bestpractices" for the NCAA in 2016. In 2019, both the NBA and NFL beganrequiring teams to provide regular access to behavioral health clinicians attheir facilities, leading many NFL teams to hire psychologists for thispurpose. Goldman joined me this week to share more insights on these importantdevelopments.   For more information: https://aiq.team/  Email: sgoldman@aiq.team  LinkedIn: @ScottGoldmanPh.D