National Sports Performance Institute

The mission of the internship program at the National Sports Performance Institute is to provide a comprehensive onsite training program using the most up to date neuro-cognitive and vision training in a performance setting with club, high school, collegiate, and professional athletes. Our athletes train in our “performance lab” to develop cognitive endurance, focus and attention, and management of stress and pressure.  Our internship program is designed to give sport psychology and sport business students hands on experience with supervision by a Certified Consultant with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (CC-AASP).  All your work will meet the mentorship requirement for AASP Certification.

As an intern with our program, we will have weekly meetings and assignments to enhance your experience. Your internship will be onsite and will expose you to individual athletes and teams that we are working with. You may also be present at team practices, meetings, and competitions. The following outline is designed to give an overview of the main areas we will focus on during your internship. However, we will adjust your learning experience as needed to give you a comprehensive program.

Internship program policies and procedures:

• Handouts and program materials
• Explanation of procedures
• Tracking of performance goals and training progress
• Confidentiality agreement (you will be expected to sign a confidentiality agreement)
• Scheduling and hours. The NSPI internship coordinator will be your primary contact for scheduling.
• Weekly assignments

Here are some of the Sport Psychology topics that may be covered during your internship experience with NSPI:

• Philosophy & Ethics
• History, Legends, & Leaders
• Mental Skills Assessments & Training
• Information Processing
• Acquisition & Performance of Sports Skills
• Applied Sport Psychology
• Management & Psychophysiology of Stress
• Motivation & Personality
• Substance Use & Abuse in Sport
• Injury Rehab & Recovery
• Your Future Goals with Sport Psychology
• Future Directions of Sport Psychology

2016

Travis Scheadler - Exercise Science and Psychology major

This past summer, I interned with Vince Lodato at the National Sports Performance Institute in Tampa, FL to complete my requirements for my undergraduate degree. Vince taught me how to apply theory to practice on a hands-on approach with a variety of athletes. In the short time that I was at NSPI, I became comfortable with using multiple instruments to improve athletes’ performance. What stands out about NSPI over other internship opportunities is the application and understanding of sport psychology theories. Vince assures that all of his interns don’t just know how to complete the tasks, but that we truly understand what we are doing and why we are doing it, allowing us to form our own philosophies and develop a deeper understanding of the material. At NSPI, I didn’t just get an internship—I gained an experience that I can take with me through the rest of my education and through my future career.