Commentary

"There is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9 New International Version). When it comes to the study of sport psychology, the above adage is arguable for a variety of reasons. Although humans have been competing in sport and participating in physical activity for as long as history has been recorded, the world has changed significantly. Much has changed from the days when baseball players were paid meager wages to travel for days on buses to compete in front of small crowds, to now, when practically any sporting event around the world can be viewed via satellite television or the internet. The structure of organized sport, the importance of sport in society, and motivations for participation have shifted dramatically. By working as reviewers and associate editors for Athletic Insight over the past several years, we (this chapter's authors) have had the pleasure of being at the forefront of exciting research and progress in the study of the psychology of sport around the world. Scholars from New Zealand, India, Scotland, Mexico, and the United States, to name just a few countries, are not only presenting work in the field from their own specific areas of interest, they are collaborating in fantastic ways with colleagues from around the globe like never before. This exciting development is just one of the aspects of this book that we found so intriguing. Robert Schinke conceived the idea for this book a few years ago and with the support of leading sport psychologists from around the world, created an extraordinary compilation of work with a focus on three contemporary issues in sport psychology: (1) sport psychology in practice, (2) cultural sport psychology, and (3) sport psychology and ethics.