The PDPA are pleased to announce our new partner for our ProTour Members: Mr Sion Thomas, official PDPA Sports Psychologist. Sion has been working as a sport psychologist for over 20 years, in numerous sports.In that time he has worked with elite athletes from across 40 different sports, ranging from dressage riders to cage fighters. As well as working as a full-time University lecturer, Sion is also attached to Kent County Cricket Club, Harlequins RFC and Crystal Palace FC.Last year, despite the peculiarities surrounding return to play during the COVID pandemic, he was part of a back room staff that won the Vitality t20 Blast (Cricket), Premiership Title (Rugby Union) and promotion to the Premier League 2 (U23’s, Football).He fully believes that the role of the sport psychologist is around performance enhancement; the elite athlete often has to contend with challenges both on and off the pitch, court and stage. A deeper understanding and awareness of these challenges leads to a positive and/or growth mindset.Sion’s work will enable players to learn to embrace situations as opposed to avoid; he firmly believes in the mantra that athletes have to “Be comfortable being uncomfortable”. There are so many variables that athletes spend far too much time focusing on (we sometimes refer to these as task-irrelevant cues).Much of Sion’s work revolves around developing interventions and strategies that therefore enable players to “Control the Controllable”. The PDPA will be sending all this information and contacts to our members.'We are delighted to have Sion on board for our members use. We take all of our members health very seriously. We already have sporting chance, thrive wellbeing APP, PDPA Health, Wealth and Wellbeing on board and our signatory for the Mental Health Charter for Recreation and Sport, this addition reflects our continued commitment to our members wellbeing.AWLCEOThe PDPA ... See MoreSee Less
