Integrating Spirituality into Athlete Care: Enhancing Holistic Well-being through Theological Approaches

Hansson Labisig

doi:10.63931/gbq9f377

Authors

Hansson Labisig The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines Author https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4735-3660

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63931/gbq9f377

Keywords:

sports, spirituality, athletes’ holistic well-being, mental resilience

Abstract

While athlete care has historically paid great attention to physical health, performance enhancement, and psychological resilience, little attention is given to the spiritual dimension, considering that this is also a critical component of overall human well-being. In this study, I make a case for incorporating spirituality into the care of athletes from a theological perspective that seeks to cultivate mental, emotional, and physical resilience. I aim to investigate whether faith-based practices help sustain athletes and mitigate moral dilemmas. Furthermore, by citing historical and recent examples, I will also illustrate how faith-based mindfulness practices, spiritual mentorship, and community can help enhance a player's mental health, ultimately leading to improved performance. Tools such as centering prayer, lectio divina, and spiritual journal practices are examined through a theological framework to explore their impact on optimal attentional focus, emotional regulation, and coping in the student-athlete. Moreover, this study also suggests a structured spiritual module range for student-athletes, encompassing regularity and disciplinary areas related to typical exercise, along with peer support and exercises that promote ethical decision-making, thereby creating an environment conducive to personal/professional growth. This interdisciplinary paper proposes an integrative model for athlete care that merges theological reflections and sports science to provide coaches, psychologists, and pastoral caregivers with salient guidelines.

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Integrating Spirituality into Athlete Care: Enhancing Holistic Well-being through Theological Approaches

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