Obtain a bachelor's degree in psychology. This will give you the opportunity to gain a foundation in psychology by taking a wide range of courses. Take as many courses as you can in sports psychology if your undergraduate program offers them.
Narrow your interests within the field. With whom would you like to work? Sports psychologists work with a variety of elite and professional athletes, coaches, managers, administrators, trainers, umpires and referees. Some sports psychologists work with performance artists such as musicians, dancers and actors or in the workplace, helping employers to obtain optimum performance from employees.
Choose an area of concentration. Sports psychologists study a variety of topics, including anxiety and stress management, overtraining and burnout, health and wellness coaching, weight management, recovery, psychological assessments, sports and grief, and performance enhancement.
Make an appointment with your school's guidance, career or admissions counselor to discuss graduate school options. Few programs offer master's or doctorate-level programs in sports psychology specifically, but these professionals have resources to help you find the program right for you. Talk to psychology professors, particularly those who teach or have an interest in sports psychology. They are likely to understand the process of becoming a sports psychologist and may be able to recommend specific programs. Many sports psychology students enroll in a graduate-level psychology program, combining it with internships that focus on sports psychology specifically.
Seek out internships that are concentrated on the area in which you would like to specialize. Internships are a great way to learn more about sports psychology by gaining hands-on, practical experience in the field. If you decide to get an advanced degree in counseling or kinesiology, you can use your internship as a way to specialize in sports psychology.