Dr. Lee Dorpfeld has been working with USF athletes since 2014.

As the director of Sports Psychology at USF Athletics he said helping an athlete overcome mental hurdles can revitalize their performance on the field.

Yet, dealing with the psychological well-being of college-aged athletes comes with its own unique set of challenges. 

“It’s so much easier to help athletes with physical injuries because you can see them,” Dorpfeld said. “You can’t see their mental game.”

Dorpfeld obtained his doctorate in psychology in 2002 at California Southern University, after studying at Nova Southeastern for his master’s degree. 

Struggling mentally has affected athletes for a long time too. The yips, commonly experienced by baseball players and golfers, can render an entire part of a player’s game useless. 

 The yips are often described as an unexplained loss of motor functions that can hinder an athlete’s ability to do the most basic movements within their respective sports. 

Something as simple as throwing a ball or sinking a putt can prove impossible, often due to “overthinking to the point of distraction,” according to Mayo Clinic. 

As college athletes improve, Dorpfeld said there’s less room for those types of mistakes.

“The room for error is really tight once you get to the college level,” Dorpfeld said. “We’re dealing with a situation where competition is getting more fierce.” 

For graduate defensive end Josh Celiscar, mental challenges are a part of the sport.

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Tied in with the grueling schedule of football is constant physical contact, which can leave athletes bodies and minds worn down. 

 Celiscar, who has a degree in psychology, said that he had a further interest in helping athletes through sports psychology. 

“I know as a sports psychologist I could be a good advisor,” he said. 

For Celiscar, focusing on athletes recovering from injuries – and the mental hurdles that come with them – is most important

Physical injuries can hurt athletes in ways that manifest mentally, opening a door for possible mental health struggles

“I know it can lead to depression and going through that in your mind wondering ‘If I didn’t get hurt, what could have been,’” Celiscar said.

Dorpfeld said that mental health issues can be hard for athletes to be open about.

“Sports psychology and mental health in general continue to be stigmatized,” Dorpfeld said. “Often athletes can be seen as having an illness or a weakness.” 

Despite this stigma, Dorpfeld said athletes who don’t get help can suffer too.

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When athletes lack in their mental preparation, their play suffers as a whole, he said.

“If you have worked on your physical game but never the mental game, you’re leaving part of my ability to perform on the cutting room floor,” Dorpfeld said. 

Athletes spend hours a day practicing their form, lifting weights and studying their game. Yet, despite knowing of resources, many athletes choose not to use them. 

Mental health issues manifest themselves in every part of the population, not just athletes. 

“We have to continue to start addressing these issues earlier for all people,” Dorpfeld said. “We’re giving them the skills that allow them to continue even enjoying themselves.”