Sports psychology a natural fit for former UND athlete
Now a graduate student, Sydney Raboin is exploring how psychological interventions can help athletes perform
By: Michaela Richards
A UND advisor, kinesiology instructor, former student athlete, graduate research assistant, graduate teaching assistant and PhD candidate, Sydney Raboin has multiple achievements under her belt from her time at UND.
“There are so many ways that UND has supported my research journey and prepared me for my future career,” Raboin said. “It has provided me with the resources and equipped me with the knowledge, skills and confidence to conduct research.”
For example, Raboin has personally or collaboratively presented at nine educational conferences, in both talk and poster formats, she said.
Moreover, as a former student athlete, Raboin in her research has explored how psychological and psychotherapeutic interventions can help athletes with their performance and overall wellbeing.
Sports psychology research
At UND, Raboin is a doctoral candidate in Education, Health, and Behavior Studies with a Kinesiology specialization. She has an undergraduate degree in Teacher Education and minors in Psychology and Middle Level Education. She has also has a master of science in Kinesiology and received graduate certificates in Sports Leadership, Health and Wellness Coaching, and Qualitative Inquiry Methods. She is working on obtaining national certification for Health and Wellness Coaching as well.
She has done research on sports psychology, which covers general mental wellness in athletes, performance enhancement and the presence and management of mental health disorders.
“Research on OCD in athletes is lacking, so that inspired me to explore this topic in greater detail for my dissertation,” Raboin said. “I have spent a lot of time on the topic of anxiety in athletes, especially OCD. These and other sports psychology topics can highlight the mind-body connection and the vital role that the mind plays in performing one’s best.”
Raboin explains that therapeutic practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy can support overall wellbeing and performance by encouraging greater psychological control through emotion regulation, attention control, mental toughness, self-efficacy, self-confidence, and more.
Along with her dissertation that she hopes to publish, Raboin is collaborating on another study within the sports psychology realm and plans to assist with publishing those findings.
“Sydney is persistent and thoughtful, and she asks questions until she has a clear and meaningful understanding,” said Sandra Moritz, professor of Kinesiology and Public Health Education and associate chair of Education, Health, and Behavior Studies.
“She is an exceptional student who brings a high level of attention to detail and care to everything she does. She takes ownership of her path and advocates for herself in ways that reflect her commitment and drive.
“It has truly been a pleasure working with her at UND.”
Sports background
As an undergraduate, Raboin competed in Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field for UND. She represented UND in competitions including the Big Sky Conference Cross Country Championship, UND’s inaugural Summit League Cross Country Championship and the NCAA Midwest Regional Cross Country Championships. She was also named to the All-Academic team and Athletics honor rolls.
She also held an internship as assistant coach, which offered her a new lens in athletics.
These days, Sydney is in her third year as a graduate research assistant for Project CuRRENT (Culturally Relevant River Education for Nature-based Teaching). The project represents a partnership with Turtle Mountain College in Belcourt, N.D., and the International Water Institute.
Raboin has been the first author on several academic pieces about Project CuRRENT, including one that was published in an academic journal and another that’ll become a chapter in a book. “We’re looking at helping teachers bring Indigenous values, understandings and ways of learning into the STEM curriculum in their classrooms,” said Raboin’s supervisor and dissertation-committee member, Julie Robinson. Robinson is also an assistant professor of Teaching & Leadership and director of UND’s Center for Engineering Education Research.
What’s next?
Each year at UND, the College of Education and Human Development honors a student by awarding him or her the Inspire award for Graduate Student Excellence in Research: Last month, this year’s award went to Raboin.
“UND has always been my top choice, and I am grateful for the various roles that I have had at the university over the years,” she said. “I am eager to continue contributing to the field of research, with the genuine desire to support the wellbeing of others and growth of society, however big or small my contributions may be.”
About the author:
Michaela Richards is a journalism and visual-arts major at UND.
