Alban Dickson

Norway’s all-conquering Winter Olympians have a message for us all – and it’s not what you think | Cath Bishop How did a small Nordic country dominate the Games? By making sport fun and not something for kids to suffer

So often "professional" or "elite" is seen on the opposite end of a continuum that originates with "fun" or "enjoyment"; these need not serve as polar contrasts. Encouraging to hear about such a strategy as this.

www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...

Good listen on the Exploit-Explore continuum w/ @katjarewitz.bsky.social Insightful for parents, coaches, and athletes.

The basketball example reminiscent of Gen. Melchett in Blackadder: "Doing precisely what we've done 18 times before is exactly the last thing they'll expect us to do this time!"

Enjoyable episode of the Drawing the Ideal Self podcast on "hope" within Personal Construct Psychology.

🧱 Hopelessness can be a strategy
🌠 Distinction between to "hope" and to "wish".
🤞Interplay with goals, sociality, and anticipation.

www.drawingtheidealself.co.uk/podcast

Terribly sad news about @ktamminen.bsky.social

A great loss to sport and exercise psychology research and practice, grateful for valuable insights into youth sport and coping in particular.

Thoughts with family, friends, and colleagues.

kpe.utoronto.ca/faculty-news...

I can figure out a lot of things, but how have Capybaras become in "in" animal so rapidly?

We should support ex-academy footballers properly | Letter Letter: Stephen Smith says psychological support must be embedded in academies for young players right from the outset

Good to see the conversation about #PsychologicalSupport for young athletes (specifically in football) continuing. Here is Stephen Smith, chair of @bps-dsep.bsky.social:

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

I'm waiting for your list to climax with Baker Street, as performed by Lisa Simpson (S9.E3)

This could be quite the year for Scottish football (aside from League 2, let's overlook that one for now)

"We can't always offer the resources, as lots of other clubs can't, to best support players individually, each and every time."

@CambridgeUtdFC academy care manager's insights on the importance of psychological support for players who are let go from academies.

a group of people are standing next to each other in a dark room . ALT: a group of people are standing next to each other in a dark room .

"It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black" (Tufnel, 1984)

The last time I was on this stage, I was lucky enough to be performing (admittedly acoustic, and admittedly the audience were seated in front of the organ)! #ENUgrads #MustBeNapier

Quote reads: Support for [released Academy football] players who aren’t mature enough to regulate how they feel and how they communicate is key at that stage Dominic Ball Professional footballer Cambridge United. Photo of boys playing football. Psychology Matters and BPS logos.

"It's been a focus on raising awareness & trying to get the governing bodies to implement something that's actually going to improve the process."

Dom Ball featured in two of Scotland's leading newspapers on our released academy footballer support campaign.

👉 www.bps.org.uk/news/improve...

Pushy parents are ‘biggest problem in sports performance’, say psychologists Unsportsmanlike conduct in grassroots football and on the sidelines at school events is on the rise. How can parents support their child in the right way? Pushy and shouty parents are the “biggest problem in sports performance”, sports psychologists have said, amid growing concern that pressure and abuse is hampering competitive sport in the UK. This week parents were banned from attending sports events at a number of south London primary schools due to “concerning behaviours”, including abuse towards officials and children and creating “too much pressure around performance and winning at all costs”. Continue reading...

Pushy parents are ‘biggest problem in sports performance’, say psychologists

Sweden sack manager Jon Dahl Tomasson Sweden sack manager Jon Dahl Tomasson following a poor start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The departure of Thomasson as Sweden's Head Coach offers a fascinating analysis for why a team struggles to achieve (let alone surpass) the sum of its parts.

Was it after Andersson's 7 year (successful) spell, introducing an ineffective system, outsider integration?

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Uefa gives ‘reluctant’ approval for domestic games to be played abroad this season Governing body still insists go-ahead for two matches is ‘exceptional’ and says it is opposed to the idea in general

What an obscene trajectory. Complete disregard for the environment, for the communities which bore these clubs, and even for the players and staff travelling further and longer still than they are already expected to.

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Calls for every Scottish professional football club to offer psychological support for academy players | About | University of Stirling Calls for every Scottish professional football club to offer psychological support for academy players

Pleased to see the @bpsofficial.bsky.social campaign around psychological support for academy footballers in Scotland getting out there. Grateful I could contribute, and for the story to be picked up by the Daily Record alongside @stir.ac.uk.

www.stir.ac.uk/news/2025/se...

AI cannot replicate genuine human empathy | BPS Sophie Rottenberg tragically took her own life after using ChatGPT as a therapist

The @bpsofficial.bsky.social recently published this piece too. Plenty food for thought.

www.bps.org.uk/news/ai-cann...

Interesting listen on BBC Radio 4 this morning on AI therapy. From the Rogerian Eliza program of the 1960s to taking a critical interpretation of today's chatbots. There may be safety in the anonymity, but what if we only hear what we want to hear? #AllInTheMind

Whilst also questioning Tony Blair's positioning as a Messiah for foreign nations like it's 2003?

Released academy footballers need more mental health support.

Many struggle to transition to life beyond the club.

That's why we've teamed up with Dominic Ball, to call for mandated psychological support for when academy players are released.

👉 www.bps.org.uk/news/release...

ICYMI: @richsimpson95.bsky.social, Clara Swedlund, and I pop up in the latest edition of @psychmag.bsky.social. where we talk about the December Sport & Exercise Psychology conference.

(Even better, elsewhere @dr-peter-olusoga.bsky.social features in a piece about creativity and communication)

Today I discovered last minute that @octopus.energy ran their free energy hour in the afternoon. Unfortunately it coincided with my son's pre-planned birthday party.

On the plus side, the memories of simultaneous washing, drying, charging, and grass-cutting will undoubtedly last a lifetime.

Grateful to be flanked by this encouraging group who steered me into/through my PhD viva yesterday. Very appreciative to my supervisors and assessors, alongside the Sport & Exercise Psychology community, for facilitating this journey!

Now back to reviewing abstracts for the DSEP 2025 conference!

Probably better than Cambus - by default - becoming "the nipple of Scotland"?

I think you'll find these days "Upper Menstrie" is the preferred name...

Privileged to be interviewed alongside my wonderful @bps-dsep.bsky.social colleagues in @psychmag.bsky.social as we discuss the future of Sport Psychology and the DSEP Conference taking place this December!

I can't be the only person who hears Ode to Joy in Mr. Brightside?

Abstract submission remains open for #DSEP2025. Join us in Leeds on the 2nd & 3rd December, and share your research or applied experience!

www.bps.org.uk/event/divisi...

As the #TallShips in Aberdeen comes to an end, I'm reminded of the time a friend and I visited Bergen when it was hosting. In a surreal moment, while attending a Brann football game, we were even introduced to the city's mayor!

Some years later she didn't share this reminiscence...

The tragedy of a 28-year old losing their life is a stark reminder and time for perspective. Footballers are people, and this will be devastating for entire families.

It will have a huge impact upon the staff who they developed relationships with, throughout their career. Thoughts with them too.