Tsutomu Fuse: From the Field of Sport Psychology

2020/04/13

My current work involves applying and practicing academic theories revealed by sport psychology to bring out the best performance in teams and individuals. The true value of my work is tested by how I can translate verified theories into training for specific organizations and teams in the field of competitive sports to produce results.

During my university years, I belonged to the Athletic Association Baseball Club, and after working for a general trading company, I moved to the United States. My experiences in the baseball club and the trading company accumulated as a foundation for people-based organizational development. Wanting to learn the theoretical side as well, I obtained my PhD under the President of the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity.

The United States, where I studied for my master's and doctoral degrees, is a country where sport psychology is flourishing, and many professional, amateur, and Olympic athletes utilize it.

Sport psychology is a discipline that analyzes and researches how athletes, coaches, and teams think, act, and feel. While exercise physiology and similar fields study physical aspects, sport psychology clarifies psychological factors.

In sporting situations, various emotions and thoughts come to mind. The ability to recognize and control these is considered a "psychological skill" that, like physical skills, can be acquired and strengthened through practice. I work with athletes through regular training to control their awareness, emotions, and tension, increase their motivation, and enhance these abilities. Additionally, since team building—such as organizational structure and coaching—plays an important role in improving sports performance, I also spend time training in these areas.

Currently, I support professional and amateur athletes, Olympic (candidate) athletes, and teams both domestically and internationally. within Keio, the baseball club I support became the national champion last year. I also support the Karate Club, Gymnastics Club, Jyunko Baseball Club, and others.

I also conduct training in the business world. Based on sport psychology, I provide advice and training on organizational structure, leader development, and performance improvement.

The moment of winning a tough match and sharing the joy of victory with the athletes is the best part of this job, but the happiest time for me in this work is when the athletes and teams grow and I see them happy about it.