Unisan to lead SASCOC psychology working group

Renowned sports psychologist Dr Koketjo Tsebe was recently appointed as Chairperson of the High-Performance Psychology Working Group of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). She is a Senior Lecturer in the College of Human Sciences’ Department of Psychology.

Previously, Tsebe’s expertise saw her appointed as psychologist for Team South Africa at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and she has now also been assigned to support the Proteas Women at the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, set to be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka in September. 

Tsebe will form part of a team that strongly represents SASCOC’s key stakeholders. Team members have the required expertise and experience to enable the organisation to align its vision and mission and meet its strategic objectives.

Her distinguished team, comprising experts in various sporting codes, are tasked to advise the SASCOC Board in the following key areas:

• National policy on psychology support systems

• National psychology strategy for high-performance sport in line with the National Sport and Recreation Plan

• Psychological assessment and intervention protocols and tools

• Psychology support to identified national federations

• Latest developments in the field of sports psychology

• Monitoring, evaluation and coordination of psychology programmes delivered by

service providers

• Criteria for accreditation of service providers

• International co-operation with identified countries and

institutions

Tsebe’s passion for sports psychology has led her far and wide, both locally and internationally, earning her numerous recognitions and awards, including being named among Inside Education’s top 100 South African Shining Stars in 2024, and receiving the Limpopo MEC Award for Sports Psychology.

A fulfilling and humbling experience

Expressing her elation at this appointment, Tsebe says she is ready to take on the challenge. She adds: “My experiential learning through being actively involved in the sports psychology field has turned into a trailblazing experience, which is fulfilling and humbling. Psychological support for various South African sporting codes is essential to ensure optimal performance. Essentially, performance rests on four pillars: physical, mental, tactical and technical. The mental aspect is crucial because it entails mindset, attitude, confidence and motivation. By working with different codes, we can support and empower teams with the necessary skills important in sports performance.”  

Unisa platform is key

Tsebe says that she is sincerely grateful to Unisa for providing the platform to upskill herself as an academic and train the next generation of practitioners and researchers in sports psychology. She adds: ”Unisa is a university that produces groundbreaking, innovative, practical and applicable knowledge that continuously shapes me as a lecturer and mentor. It's a place where pioneering leaders and innovators are nurtured and developed. In addition, I am grateful to my family and friends for their continuous support, and to SASCOC for recognising my skillset and capabilities through this appointment.”

* By Godfrey Madibane, Acting Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement