Top psychologist to visit

Press, 26 July 1989, Page 28

Top psychologist to visit

One of the world’s leading sports psychologists, Brian Miller, of Britain, is at present making a brief tour of New Zealand offering mental skills training packages to Commonwealth Games aspirants, and others. He will hold two clinics in Christchurch on Friday, one aimed at competitors and players and the other at coaches.

His visit has been organised by the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association’s director of coaching, Kerry Hill, who was impressed

by the presentation made by Mr Miller at the Australian Institute of Sport last year. Mr Miller was sports psychologist at the Australian institute between 1984 and 1988, and worked with many of Australia’s leading athletes.

A professional lecturer, Mr Miller has worked as a sports psychologist since 1980 and has assisted more than 2000 international athletes from Britain, Australia, Canada, Nigeria, Finland, and Hong Kong. He has

worked with Olympic medallists from seven different sports, athletics, hockey, rowing, cycling, judo, canoeing and boxing, and has been involved with four athletes who have broken world records.

An author of the book, “Sport Psychology and Running,” Mr Miller is currently working as a human resource consultant in Britain in the computer industry. He is, however, already involved in preparing mental skill programmes for young British athletes

preparing for the next Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992.

A county cricket team, professional golfers, a group of professional tennis players, and basketball players have also beaten a path to his door seeking help and inspiration.

Mr Miller held two psychology sessions in Auckland on Monday and will hold another two in Dunedin today before moving to Christchurch. His final visit will be to Wellington on Sunday. He returns to Britain on Monday.