Unisa psychologist supports Team SA in Paris
According to Tsebe, athletes typically struggle with fatigue, immense pressure, heightened stress and anxiety.
Unisa’s Dr Koketjo Tsebe has been appointed Team South Africa’s psychologist at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
With the Olympics well underway until August 11, Tsebe will be tasked with maintaining the psychological discipline of the South African athletes throughout the mentally trying major international multi-sport event.
Tsebe was also recently appointed as board member for Boxing South Africa by former sports minister, Zizi Kodwa, and currently serves on the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) Anti-Doping Appeals Board.
“The Olympics are a leading and prestigious international sporting event, which accommodates many sporting codes worldwide,” Tsebe said.
“I am involved in teaching sports psychology and supervising master’s and doctoral students in the field. Being a supervisor means I am constantly engaging in the learning material around sports psychology, exploring current trends and topics. Most importantly, as an academic, I advocate for empirical evidence, which helps me to establish appropriate interventions.”
In a statement, Unisa says Tsebe has continually demonstrated a profound understanding of the mental challenges faced by elite athletes.
Tsebe said athletes typically struggle with fatigue, immense pressure, heightened stress and anxiety.
Her role involves providing personalised mental health support measures to meet the specific needs of each athlete.
“I may not be able to determine the outcome as our interventions are process-driven, however, I do know that we remain committed to serving and supporting our athletes,” she said.
Unisa says Tsebe’s work not only enhances its health/pharmaceutical studies sector but has had tangible results based on the university’s academic knowledge.
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