Sports psychologist

Sports Psychologist – Hatsun Chess Academy (Thiruthangal Campus)

Location: Thiruthangal, Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu
Reports to: Head Coach
Type: Full-time, Residential preferred
Start Date: Immediate / Rolling basis

About Hatsun Chess Academy

Hatsun Chess Academy (HCA) is India’s first residential chess academy dedicated to building future world champions through a scientific, holistic, and value-driven approach. Our training model combines technical chess excellence, psychological conditioning, physical fitness, and character development.

We are seeking a Sports Psychologist who can work closely with our students (ages 8–20), coaches, and support staff to develop the mental and emotional foundations that sustain high-performance chess — focus, resilience, confidence, and composure under pressure.

Key Responsibilities

1. Psychological Assessment & Profiling

• Conduct baseline and ongoing psychological assessments of each student.
• Create individual “mental profiles” to track concentration, emotional regulation, motivation, and competitive temperament.
• Work with the assessment and coach tools teams to integrate psychological data into player dashboards.

2. Mental Skills Training

• Design and deliver group and individual sessions on focus, visualization, goal-setting, confidence, stress management, and recovery.
• Build structured mental warm-up and cool-down routines for tournaments and training days.
• Teach practical techniques (breathing, mindfulness, self-talk) for in-game composure.

3. Competition & Performance Support

• Prepare players mentally for tournaments — including visualization routines, pre-game mindset sessions, and coping plans for losses.
• Be available for player debriefs during and after competitions to manage nerves, tilt, or burnout.
• Coordinate with the analytics team to link emotional factors to decision patterns in games.

4. Collaboration & Integration

• Work alongside coaches, physical trainers, and nutritionists to ensure a 360° player development program.
• Contribute to mentor meetings, review boards, and performance planning cycles.
• Train coaches in psychological communication, motivation, and feedback strategies.

5. Education & Community Building

• Conduct workshops for parents and staff on athlete mindset, motivation, and emotional resilience.
• Develop easy-to-understand materials or mini-modules for students on “Mindset for Champions.”
• Participate in HCA events, seminars, and internal research on cognitive health in chess.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree in Sports Psychology, Applied Psychology, or Counselling Psychology (recognized university).
• 2+ years’ experience working with athletes, preferably in individual or cognitive-demand sports (e.g., chess, shooting, tennis, archery).
• Strong grounding in mindfulness, performance routines, and child/adolescent psychology.
• Excellent communication skills in English and Tamil.
• Experience in report writing, profiling, and integrating insights with coaches.

Preferred:

• Experience in residential or academy environments.
• Knowledge of Indian competitive chess structure and tournament ecosystem.
• Certification in yoga, mindfulness, or counselling psychology is a plus.

Personal Attributes

• Deep empathy and patience while working with children and teens.
• Balanced mindset — analytical, reflective, and encouraging.
• Passion for chess, performance psychology, and long-term development.
• Commitment to confidentiality, ethical practice, and continuous learning.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience (₹4 – 7 LPA range for full-time).
• Opportunities for professional growth, workshops, and research collaboration.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: ₹30,000.00 - ₹40,000.00 per month

Expected hours: 24 per week

Work Location: In person