The Sports Psychologists Association of Nigeria (SPAN) has tasked the National Sports Commission (NSC) to provide dedicated funding for multidisciplinary research on resilience, stress management, and mental health in sports.
SPAN in a statement issued at the end of its 38th annual conference held at the University of Ibadan, between 25th – 27th August, 2025, declared that coaches, sports psychologists, and administrators must be trained to identify, nurture, and strengthen resilience among athletes at all levels of participation.
In the communique signed by its President, Professor Olufemi Adegbesan and Secretary, Dr. Adesola Afuye, the association maintained that grassroots and school sports programmes should embed resilience education to prepare young athletes for long-term success and holistic development.
The conference which had “Psychological Resilience for Sustainable Sports Development in the 21st Century and Beyond” as theme was attended by scholars, coaches, athletes, policymakers, and stakeholders in sports and education.
A professor of Social Work at the Lead City University, Ibadan, Professor Jane Adebusuyi in her keynote address, emphasised the importance of resilience as a foundation for sustainable sports performance and national development.
The lead papers were presented by Dr. Mary Pindar of University of Maiduguri and Professor Prof J. B. Vipene of Rivers State University, Port Harcourt who provided empirical and theoretical perspectives on resilience-building, athlete welfare, and mental health in sports.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to advancing knowledge, practice, and policy on psychological resilience as an indispensable pillar of sports development in Nigeria and globally.
Participants unanimously stated that “psychological resilience is a critical determinant of sustained athletic performance, mental health, and career longevity in sports.”
They also resolved that “National and institutional sports policies should mainstream psychological resilience as a core component of athlete development frameworks.”
Other resolutions demanded that coaches, sports psychologists, and administrators must be trained to identify, nurture, and strengthen resilience among athletes at all levels of participation.
The association also advocated integration of grassroots and school sports programmes resilience education to prepare young athletes for long-term success and holistic development among others.
