PUMA appoints psychologist for Jamaican athletes
Published:Sunday | January 2, 2022 | 12:12 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
WHEN THE 2022 track and field season gets under way in January, there will be an added motivation for PUMA-sponsored athletes both locally and overseas after the shoe company appointed former Jamaica College and St Andrew Technical past student, Nicholas Powell, to be their sports psychologist ambassador.
Powell is expected to work with both junior and senior athletes.
Former national senior athlete, Juliet Campbell, manager of Sports Marketing for PUMA, made the revelation to The Gleaner from her overseas office on Friday.
"We at PUMA are giving our athletes additional tools to perform at their optimal best at both the junior and senior levels and so the company has appointed Powell to be a sports psychology mentor for PUMA,” said Campbell.
“Based on what is happening worldwide, including what is happening with the COVID pandemic, our athletes need to be mentally strong to give of their best and we have decided to partner with Mr Powell to help in this area leading up to the next Olympic Games,” said Campbell, a former World Indoor 200-metre champion.
Powell, who competed for Jamaica College in field hockey before competing for St Andrew Technical in track and field from 1988-92, also attended GC Foster College before going on a track scholarship to McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and physical education. He went on to earn a master’s degree in kinesiology in 2011 at Southern Illinois University (SIU).
Powell is elated with his new position at PUMA.
"I am elated with this new role at PUMA, as I know that the mental aspect is an import part for success among athletes,” he said.
According to Powell, part of his motivation was watching former 100-metre world record holder, Asafa Powell, failing to win the event at two Olympc Games where he was the favourite.
“Asafa did not fail to win gold because of his talent. He was the best in the field, but his problem was a mental one and that is why I took it up on myself to study sports psychology because I wanted to help,” said Powell.
Powell says he has had sessions in the area with former Pan Am and Commonwealth Games 100-metre champion Lerone Clarke while he was at Lincoln University in Missouri as well as Aileen Bailey. Now he is looking forward to what is next.
“I am super excited with this new position and I am looking forward to working with the athletes. The work begins early January in Jamaica with workshops for high school athletes of schools sponsored by PUMA," he said.