The Professional Squash Association (PSA) has signed a multi-year agreement with SquashMind which will see their mindset training app become the Official Psychological Training App of the PSA. This is the latest initiative by the PSA in its ambition to grow squash through collaborations with key existing partners within the sport’s ecosystem and bring in new parties to add value to both athletes and fans.
Exercising and playing sport does not make athletes immune to mental health challenges. Research* has found that up to 35% of elite athletes suffer from mental health crises which may manifest as stress, eating disorders, burnout, or depression and anxiety. The right player attitudes and mental game skills at all levels of the game are critical for achieving superior outcomes and being the best version of yourself.
This prompted former PSA World Tour professional, Jesse Engelbrecht, to create the SquashMind app to support squash players with strong daily habit formation for increased resilience. The app helps players practice visualisation, mindfulness and mental stimulation in the form of exclusive lessons, video guides, blog posts and podcasts. Featuring lessons grounded in proven theory and tailored to the squash environment, the app also includes tips from leading sports psychology experts and some of the PSA World Tour’s most decorated stars.
“We are pleased to announce SquashMind as the Official Psychological Training App of the PSA and look forward to collaborating with Jesse in the future,” said PSA Chief Commercial Officer Tommy Berden.
“Squash is one of the world’s toughest sports and Jesse has already worked closely with a number of our athletes to get their thoughts on the importance of mental training and what they do to prepare for the incredible battles we see regularly on the PSA World Tour.”
SquashMind will also play a key role in the PSA Foundation’s health and wellness programme which brings together players to tackle the wellbeing challenges on Tour. The 11 athlete ambassadors involved publicly share their personal knowledge and experiences around mental health to create a community and climate of support within squash at every level of the sport.
Head of the PSA Foundation, Adriana Olaya, said: “Players on the PSA Tour are role models and inspire us both on and off the court. As the charitable arm of the PSA Tour, one of the aims of the PSA Foundation is to safeguard the wellbeing of competing players.
“This partnership with SquashMind will contribute valuable knowledge and support for the players and squash communities around the world.”
“With SquashMind, our aim is to make squash players the best people …….