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Dr Tshube's ISSP Managing Council Membership A Boon for Sports Psychology Students

TshubeThe appointment of Dr Tshepang Tshube to the International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP) Managing Council, comes as a boon for his sports psychology students as it will keep them abreast of latest trends in sports psychology. A sports psychologist and senior lecturer in the Department of Sport Science in the Faculty of Education, Dr Tshube says his recent appointment to the ISSP Managing Council will certainly benefit the country and his students because they will have access to current sports psychology knowledge and network of opportunities.

All ISSP Council members are renowned sports scholars and leaders of sports in their own countries. This is, therefore, a great network and learning opportunity to serve in this committee with the best in the world. Iwill also get a chance to demonstrate Botswana’s knowledge and competence in the global space,” reckons Dr Tshube.

Dr Tshube will serve in the Council for a period of five years from 2021 to 2025. As ISSP Managing Council member, Dr Tshube says his role will be to further sport psychology in Africa.  “This appointment to the ISSP Managing Council puts Botswana at the global table for discussion on issues of sports and particularly sports psychology,” he adds.

The ISSP is directed by a Managing Council of 15 representatives who meet annually, to oversee the business of the Society and to plan for its continual development. It is an organisation devoted to promoting research, practice, and the development of sport psychology throughout the world. It has been in existence for over 50 years and it is the only worldwide organization of scholars explicitly concerned with sport psychology. Members of the Society include researchers, psychologists, educators, coaches, and administrators, as well as students and athletes interested in sport psychology. 

I would like to congratulate Dr Tshube for this achievement as is puts our Sport Science Department and the University [of Botswana] on the world map,” said Dr Mokguthu, Head of the Department of Sport Science in his congratulatory note.

Meanwhile, Dr Tshube, is the recipient of the Emerging Arts/Science and Technology Researcher of the Year award which he received at the 2019 University of Botswana Research Awards. The Research Awards Ceremony is a premier occasion where the University recognises its academics whose research has international impact, whilst remaining locally relevant.

Dr Tshube is an active researcher in southern Africa publishing in areas of dual-career, life skills, mental skills, coach-athlete relations, and elite athlete retirement transition. In addition to his academic work, Dr Tshube is a member of the Botswana National Olympic Committee High-Performance Commission. He provides sports psychology services to team Botswana. He accompanied team Botswana to the 2016 Olympic Games, 2018 Commonwealth Games and several Africa Championships.

He has been awarded the 2013 IOC Graduate Scholar Award, and the 2017 African Alliance Award. His latest projects include the Life Skills for Academic Outcome project funded to over P300 000 by the BTC Foundation. In 2019, Dr Tshube was awarded a 2020 World Anti-Doping Agency research grant of an amount of US$59,662 (around P640 000) to focus on Anti- Doping Education and Consideration/Intention of Using Prohibited Substances in Botswana, Zambia and Papua New Guinea.

In pursuit of academic excellence