GOOD NEWS:Sports Are A Test Of Both The Body And Mind

GOOD NEWS:Sports Are A Test Of Both The Body And Mind

There are few aspects in sports as mental as being a kicker on the football field.  lives this.

Barr-Mira was a psychology major at UCLA. Now in his second year at Mississippi State, he is participating in the BELI (Bulldog Experiential Learning Internship) internship, working with the CSP (Counseling and Sport Psychology) department.

Despite initial uncertainty with what he wanted his major to be, he quickly found psychology to be a worthwhile endeavor.

“Psychology came to my attention,” Barr-Mira said. “The more I got into it, the more I realized that it’s applicable to life. Understanding how people work and how our brains work is key to human interaction, which is something you’re going to be doing in most of your jobs.”

In addition to being valuable for a professional career, he found his studies in psychology to be beneficial to his football career.

“Football was another thing that played into my decision to choose psychology,” Barr-Mira said. “Understanding that what I was learning in the classroom could actually help me on the field. Learning how your body responds to stress situations and how you can train your brain to respond in those situations helped me become a better kicker and a better punter, a better specialist.”

Having completed his bachelor’s degree at UCLA and a master’s at Mississippi State in workforce education leadership, Barr-Mira discovered the BELI internship. Having familiarity with Assistant Athletic Director/Counseling & Sports Psychology Dr. Joseph Case, he felt it was a good fit for him.

“I thought this would be a good segue into my profession and career,” Barr-Mira said. “I would get the behind-the-scenes of what they do, how they interact with the teams, what their day-to-day looks like and see if it is what I want to do. I have a great relationship with Dr. Case too so having that relationship with him allowed me to be more comfortable going into it and knowing it’s something I could pursue with ease.”

Barr-Mira had a glowing first impression on Dr. Case because of his accessibility and approach to the mental well-being of Mississippi State’s student-athletes. As he put it, Dr. Case is “always around.”

“Dr. Case is present,” Barr-Mira said. “When he comes and talks to our team, we all know him. He makes it very personal. He’s there, he’s consistent, he’s always around with us. You feel comfortable going to him when you need 

The internship has given Barr-Mira a new glimpse into the realm of sports psychology. Firsthand, he is seeing the synergy that is present within the athletic department among the administration, coaches and sport psychology department.

“Dr. Case and the whole department have the same goal as our coaches and everyone in the athletic department,” Barr-Mira said. “It’s all about helping the athletes become the best version of themselves, on and off the field.”

Dr. Case, meanwhile, has high praise for Barr-Mira and the work he is doing in the department.

“I think he’s phenomenal,” Case said. “He naturally has the right personality and temperament of somebody working in sports psychology. He does a great job connecting with others and sharing his passion and vision, connecting with our student-athletes.”

Barr-Mira’s training has prepared him for the field of sports psychology, but he found another route that piqued his interest.

In March, the MSU’s Student-Athlete Experience department brought in a recruiter from the U.S. Secret Service to talk. Barr-Mira heard what he had to say and was immediately drawn to it.

“I was intrigued with what he had to say—the lifestyle, the values of the Secret Service and the work that they do,” Barr-Mira said.

He began a multi-step application process—creating a federal resume, taking the Secret Service entrance exam, a physical test, an interview and a polygraph test. He is near the end of his process, one that would culminate in becoming a Uniform Division Officer for the Secret Service.

In addition to its more well-known role providing security details for figures in the United States government such as the President and Vice President, Secret Service officers also fight cyber financial crimes.

After receiving a job offer, he can expect to go through seven months of training before being sent to a field office in a major U.S. city. Officers stay in the field office for two to seven years, after which they are assigned to their protective detail. Once their protective assignment is complete, they have the option to return to a field office or stay in Washington, D.C.

“I’ve made it almost towards the end of the process now, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the Student-Athlete Experience office here,” Barr-Mira said. “I think it’ll be really cool.”

Whether it be as a kicker or a Secret Service agent, Barr-Mira is prepared for life after Mississippi State. His work on the football field, in the classroom, and as part of State’s CSP department all have been vital contributors to what he does next.

“The better you’re able to understand and interact with people of different character traits and backgrounds and how they respond to stressful situations, the more you’re able to diffuse or encourage or influence the people in those situations,” Barr-Mira said. “That definitely helps me take what I’ve learned with Dr. Case to the football field, and I’ll be able to translate it to the Secret Service as well.”