Join the global movement of applied sport psychologists, connect with each other, interact with each other and improve your skills in sport psychology by learning from experiences, stories, strategies, techniques, and knowledge other sport psychologists have!
“I was a little skeptical about attending VASPS2019 because I had never attended a virtual seminar before. The incredible speaker line-up put together was a deciding factor for me to give it a go, and I was not disappointed! It was a great experience from the first session itself. The speakers were engaging and the discussions (from the comfort of my home) were a brilliant learning experience. I did not have to worry about missing a session because of work! The topics covered were relevant and allowed me to broaden both my perspective and knowledge. The seminar also gave me an opportunity to network with qualified sport psychologists from all around the world. It has proved to be a continuous learning experience for me, being able to stay in touch with most of them. I look forward to VASPS2020!”
“VASPS2019 was an enriching experience. The new topics and also the anecdotes presented related to sports psychology left much learning. I think virtual congresses like this allow us to connect regardless of where we are and share our experiences from all around the world. I can't wait for VASPS2020.”
Learn from SOME OF the World’s Best SPORT PSYCHOLOGISTSInvaluable knowledge – and experiences
All of the speakers are renowned in their profession for delivering high quality work to some of the best athletes from around the world. Speakers and guests are joining in from the USA, the UK, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Australia, and more.
You will learn about problems and challenges sport psychologists face, how they improve their practice, methodological approaches they apply and how they take care of their own (mental) health. Fill up your personal sport psychology tool box
Learn and attend on your scheduleSave time – and money
No traveling fees, no accommodation costs, no expensive restaurants, no waiting time at the airport. Looking for a cheap flight or, decent accommodation, traveling alone, waiting in lounges, standing in overbooked trains, or buying new clothes in a foreign city because the airline lost your luggage… We’ve all been there!
Just sit back on the couch in your pajamas, cook your lunch and enjoy all the presentations, talks, or interviews and interact with likeminded sport psychologists from home or wherever you are in the world.
Less travel – less carbon dioxide
We love our planet and because our environmentally friendly communication method does not need any travel or printing batches, certificates, outlines etc. we don’t increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the environment. Moreover, VASPS is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, meaning that we donate at least 1% of all earnings to non-profit organizations that work for our wonderful planet.
“VASPS offers the opportunity and space for practitioners to come together and update their knowledge in a way that traditional conferences do not. I love that it allows for relevant and much needed conversations in the field while also providing resources that you can play with in your own time. Looking forward to VASPS2020!”
Amy Baltzell, Ed.D., is an Author, Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC-AASP), Speaker, Principal of Amy Baltzell Consulting, LLC and Reiki Master. She is the co-creator of Mindful Meditation Training in Sport (MMTS, Baltzell & Summers, 2018). Amy is a high performance and well-being coach for athletes, executives, musicians and sport coaches. She has been invited to offer keynote talks in the US, Hong Kong, Canada, England, The Netherlands and Sweden. Amy is a CMPC-AASP Certified Mental Performance Consultant and a Reiki Master Teacher, Men Chhö Rei Kei certified practitioner. Amy served as president of AASP, Association of Applied Sport Psychology, 2016-2019. She was a member of the 1992 Olympic Rowing Team and a racing team member of 1995 America’s Cup women’s sailing team. She is the author of The Power of Mindfulness(2018, Springer International); Mindfulness and Performance (2016, Cambridge University Press), and Living in the Sweet Spot: Preparing for Performance in Sport and Life (2011, FIT).
Daniel Birrer is the Head of Sport Psychology of Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen (SFISM)/Switzerland. He earned his M.Sc. in Sport and Exercise Sciences and his M.Sc. in Psychology at the University of Bern (Switzerland). He works together with a wide variety of athletes and coaches in sports like Cycling, Beachvolleyball, Gymnastics, Track and Field, Swimming, Rowing and Triathlon. Daniels’ research focuses on the complex relationship between mood and performance, overtraining, validating mental skills, and mindfulness based interventions in sports. Daniel educates coaches in the Swiss Olympic Coaches Education program and leads the Swiss Olympic expert group “Mental strength”.
Zach Brandon serves as the Mental Skills Coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks where he oversees mental performance services for players and staff across all levels of the organization. His focus is on helping players and coaches achieve peak performance consistently, while also increasing their enjoyment and satisfaction in sport and life.
Anastasia Bucsis was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta and started speed skating at the age of 4. Within her 24 year speed skating career she represented Canada at 2 Olympic Games, 6 World Championships and 46 World Cup starts. She was the only athlete from North America to come out publicly in opposition to Russia’s anti LGBTQ+ laws before the Sochi 2014 Olympics. She now lives in Toronto and works for CBC Sports where she hosts Player’s Own Voice- The Podcast which debuted at #3 on iTunes. She is a passionate advocate for mental health issues, eradicating homophobia in sport, and telling the stories of Canada’s High Performance athletes.
Brendan is a Professor of Sport Coaching in the School of Health, Sport, and Professional Practice. He is also the Head of the Centre for Football Research in Wales. Brendan joined USW in 2017, having previously worked at Swansea University and Cardiff Metropolitan University. He has made a significant contribution to the Sport & Exercise Sciences, particularly in the area of sport psychology and sport coach education. He has provided a range of consultancy services to athletes, coaches, and NGBs as well as having an emerging research profile that has helped to shape training and development programmes in the sport sciences and sport coaching. This contribution was recognised by the British Association of Sport & Exercise Science (BASES) who awarded Brendan Fellowship status in 2014. Brendan has been a BASES Accredited Sport & Exercise Scientist (Psychology) since 2007 and a Chartered Scientist since 2014. Brendan has worked closely with a number of NGB’s to develop their coach education strategies and helped to write the A Youth License Coaching Qualification for the FAW Trust, as well as acting as a coach educator and a mentor up to and including Level 4.
Dr. Chaska L. Gomez is an active duty Army Health Psychologist. She has served in several clinical and performance enhancement positions throughout her 13 year Army career, to include being assigned as an infantry Brigade Psychologist where she worked with scouts and snipers on how to remain focused while performing sharp shooting and reconnaissance duties; and as the Deputy Command Psychologist for the United States Army Recruiting Command where she developed a training curriculum founded in mental toughness and tactical awareness skills. Dr. Gomez currently works at a regional military treatment facility where she incorporates physical conditioning, cognitive behavioral techniques, imagery, goal setting and activity pacing with service members diagnosed with chronic pain conditions.
Professor Damian Hughes combines his practical and academic background within sport, organisation and change psychology to work as a trusted adviser to the business, education and sporting elite, specialising in the creation of high performing cultures. He is the author of Liquid Thinking, Liquid Leadership, How to Change Absolutely Anything, How to Think Like Sir Alex Ferguson and The Five STEPS to a Winning Mindset in addition to the three acclaimed sports biographies of Sugar Ray Robinson, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler.
Andrew Jensen is a professional golfer from Ottawa. In his teens, Andrew began to suffer with depression, culminating in a suicide attempt at 16 years old. In those difficult teenage years, golf was his refuge and the one place he felt meaning and purpose. It wasn’t until having to deal with the immense stress and pressure of professional golf that the game became his undoing. Andrew now finds himself at the forefront of the dialogue on mental health and the effort to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health as public speaker traveling the country and sharing his story with charities, high schools, universities, and corporate Canada.
The sport and exercise psychologist, registered in the UK (HCPC) and Australia (AHPRA) is also the associate professor in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Canberra, Australia. Richard has worked with athletes across a wide range of levels (beginners to world champions), and in a range of sports (athletics and snow-sports to para-sport motorsport and officiating) – as well as supervising and assessing trainee practitioners. His approach to education focuses on co-production and learning-by-doing, helping students to develop the key employability skills of critical, independent thinking, and reflective practice. His teaching spans face-to-face delivery, as well as online and flexible platforms, such as YouTube, Twitter, and cloud hosting.
Karin Moesch is employed as a sport psychologist at the Swedish Sports Confederation. In this position, she provides individual counselling to elite athletes and coaches, as well as educations for athletes, coaches and teams in sport psychology. She completed education in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), and her work is based on both traditional and more recent methods from CBT. She received her first PhD in sport science at the University of Berne (Switzerland) in 2012, and her second PhD in psychology at the University of Lund (Sweden) in 2015. Her research interests focus on team sports (mainly psychological momentum, emotional contagion and the impact of nonverbal behaviours in sport teams), talent development and sport and violent behaviour in adolescents.
Alexandria Olton is the Director of Mindology Trinidad, a qualified sport and exercise psychologist and full member of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Psychologists. Alexandria was awarded an M.Sc. in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Brunel University, and a B.Sc. (Hons) in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Kent. Alexandria works with athletes, of all sports, competitive levels and ages, both in Trinidad and Tobago, and abroad. Alexandria believes in giving back to the sporting community for the benefit of all athletes and as such has also co-founded the Sport In Mind programme; a free, community-based, sport and mental health programme.
Jason is currently the Lead Psychologist for Surfing Australia and responsible for leading the performance psychology and wellbeing support to the Australian high performance surfing community. Jason was previously a Senior Psychologist at the Australian Institute of Sport where he spent 12 years working with a range of Olympic, Paralympic and Professional sports. Jason is passionate about assisting individuals unlock greater capacities to function at their best and in more sustainable ways across life domains.
Les Podlog is originally from Calgary, Canada and he received his Bachelors and Masters degree in Sociology at Simon Fraser University. While at Simon Fraser, he was a member of the Varsity wrestling team where he unfortunately experienced numerous injuries. Such experiences led to his academic interest in the psychology of sport injury, a topic he pursued as a focus for his doctoral studies at the University of Western Australia in Perth, Australia. Following completion of his Ph.D. in 2006, he accepted a tenure track position at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, Australia. From 2008-2011 he was employed as an Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University before arriving at the University of Utah. Currently, he teaches Sport and Exercise Psychology and continues to research the psychology of injury and return to sport/daily activity.
Nadejda Popov is a former Canadian rugby sevens player, and she won gold medal at the 2015 Pan American Games as a member of the Canada women’s national rugby sevens team. Nadejda experienced depression during her sporting career and she did not talk to anyone about her diagnosis because she feared that this would impact her chances at being selected to compete for Canada in the future. Today, Nadejda is a mental health advocate for #OneTeam and You can Play in Canada and is in medical school.
Originally from Italy, Ale Quartiroli completed his education in Italy, Spain, and the USA. Ale received his PhD in Sport and Exercise Psychology from West Virginia University, where he also earned a master in counseling and in athletic coaching education. Currenlty he is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. He is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society. From an applied perspective, Ale has had the privilege to primarily work with a variety of NCAA athletes and teams, although he also has been fortunate to have a variety of experiences both as a practitioner and as a metor/supervisor for other practitioners. Ale’s main areas of research interest include professional training and development, professionals’ well-being and self-care, and ethical, competent and effective practice.
Lisa is VSPN registered sportpsychologist at Tough Minds, located in The Hague, NL.
Her company Tough Minds is a team of three sport psychologists associated with the Sports Medical Centre The Hague. They work closely together with the team of sports physiotherapists, orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine specialists and sport nutritionists to help athletes during recovery from injuries.
Lisa specialized in working with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for athletes. She uses ACT in a very active kind of way which athletes appreciate a lot because they can use many of the exercises in training right away to improve their mental skills. Lisa is also educated in EMDR (type 1 trauma) to treat athletes with traumatic experiences. She provides mental training and counseling for athletes ranging from starting talents to world level players in a variety of sports.
Tough Minds recently created the online training platform Core Mentality which is based on ACT and helps athletes to start or intensify their mental training in a very flexible and self-determined way.
Grzegorz graduated from the EMSEP program at University of Jyväskylä and since 2013, he has worked full-time as one of the few applied sport psychologists in Poland. Currently, he serves clients including the Polish national wheelchair rugby team, football and handball academies as well as a range of individual athletes representing different sports. In search of finding best avenues to turn theory into practice, he also lectures at various universities, publishes and translates sport psychology related material. He has been involved with ENYSSP since 2011 and served one term as an applied department representative (2015 – 2019). Today, Grzegorz is the current president of ENYSSP.
Dr Christian Zepp studied sport sciences at the German Sport University Cologne. After working as the national team coach for Standing Volleyball in Cambodia and working with Formula 1 as well as Rallye race car drivers he came back to the German Sport University Cologne to earn his doctoral degree in the field of sport psychology. Today he is working as lecturer at the Institute of Psychology at the German Sport University and coaches and counsels national and international athletes, teams, coaches and federations as an expert in sport psychology.
JOIN OTHER PRACTITIONERS AND BECOME A PART OF VASPS2020
With your All-Access-Pass you will get access to more than 27 live and on-demand presentations, talks, discussions, interviews and all the materials that are available for download for at least a year.
€248
Do I have to sit in front of my computer all day long for the summit?
No! Once the summit starts, you can go online and attend the talks and presentations whenever you are ready – not when the talks start! You will also be able to download all the expert material to have life time access. So you can revisit the material as many times as you like!
What if I can't make it to the talks and presentations?
No need to worry. VASPS was created because we are all busy and have a lot of things to do. Once the summit started, you can go online and attend the talks and presentations whenever you are ready – not when the talks start! All talks are recorded and will be available to you forever, so you can revisit the material as many times as you wish!
What type of people is VASPS2020 best for?
VASPS2020 is ideally for people who are already working or who want to work in the field of sport psychology. No matter if you are experienced or just starting out; no matter if you’re working with local athletes or Olympians; no matter if you’re working in traditional sports or in esports: VASPS2020 has content and knowledge ready for you. VASPS2020 is for people who are working with athletes and coaches, and who are interested in becoming better at what they do and how they do it.
VASPS2020 is NOT for athletes who want to learn certain techniques or strategies about for example how to perform better, cope with stress or improve their self-talk.
Do I need to have a background in sport psychology?
You absolutely do NOT need to have a strong background in sport psychology. If you are simply interested – let’s say as a coach – in how sport psychology works, how it can help clients in different settings and what you can learn from other sport psychologists: please grab a seat.
At some point it might be helpful if you have heard about sport psychology before and the struggles athletes face. But if you’re open minded you simply want to broaden your horizon although you haven’t studied sports psychology you are more than welcome to join the talks and presentations.
Will I receive confirmation of my registration?
Yes. After you register online, you will receive an automated email confirming your registration. Please send me an email at mail@christianzepp.com if you do not receive confirmation.
Does VASPS charge transaction fees?
No! We believe you shouldn’t pay for anything else than the content you want! So we stick to our pricing with zero hidden fees.
However, depending on the country you live in it can be that additional VAT taxes are added during checkout, and we are not able to influence that.
Is there a guarantee/refund policy?
Most definitely. I believe in the work I do and I put all my effort into VASPS2020. I believe in the value you will receive by attending the summit. If you are not 100% satisfied with VASPS2020 simply send me an email (mail@christianzepp.com) within 30 days after purchasing the All-Access Pass and I will give you a 100% refund. I stand behind my work.
Will I receive a certificate once VASP2020 is over?
Yes, you will receive a certificate. Moreover, I try to get proof from as many sport psychology organizations worldwide that they accept VASPS2020 certificates as part of their re-accreditation processes for their members. Thus, if you want your national organization to accept VASPS2020 certificates, just drop me a short email which national organization I should contact. As always, I’m here to serve you.
What will I need to participate in VASPS?
Great question with a simple answer. All you’ll need to participate in VASPS is an internet connection and a connected device. You can attend the summit anywhere in the world. In a hammock on the Bahamas, or on your couch in your pajamas, from wherever, no dramas 😉
Do I need a specific software to attend the summit?
No, you don’t need a certain software.
However, for accessing our new communication channel you might want to have access to Discord. Once you signed up you will learn more about that channel and I will provide you with a short introduction on how to use our Discord channel. Honestly, I have no idea whatsoever about how Discord works, why I teamed up with a fellow sport psychology student from the Netherlands, Ralph Tesselhof, who helped me set this channel up. He also recorded an introductory video about our Discord channel – and after I was able to understand and follow it, I’m 100% confident that you will be able to do so as well!
Will the videos of the summit also be available elsewhere on the internet?
Ab-so-lutely NOT! The videos and all the other expert material will be accessible for VASPS2020 participants only! We will promote the summit with small interview snippets – but the general content will only be exclusively accessible to the summit’s participants on Vimeo.
Will there be someone I can contact during the summit if I have any questions or trouble?
Yes! The summit will be held online, but without robots involved. VASPS is organized by real people and I am more than happy to answer all of your questions before, during, and after the summit. Just send an email to mail@christianzepp.com and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
I have a question about something not covered here or I need some help, who can I ask?
Again, you can send every question you might have to mail@christianzepp.com and I will take care of all of your questions!
