“ I was a late starter and played my first tournament when I was 11 years old and lost all my games,” she recalls.“ It didn’ t seem to deter me because just more than a year later I sneaked into the primary school provincial B team!”
That early resilience would become a defining trait. From playing on the bottom board at primary school to earning South African colours at just 19 – two years ahead of her own ambitious target – Bouah built an impressive career. Today, with more than 200 caps for South Africa, eight World Chess Olympiad appearances and multiple continental medals, her résumé speaks for itself.
At the board in my chess academy
But it’ s not just what she has achieved, it’ s how she has translated those experiences into her work as a sports psychologist that sets her apart.
“ In a major way, it has given me insight into the dynamics of the sports world, and I have gained first-hand experience,” she explains.“ I don’ t just sit with book knowledge. I know what it feels to be anxious before an event … to have bad results and needing to bounce back … the pitfall of comparing yourself with others … making the decision to be disciplined over and over …
“ So, when I sit down to talk with an athlete, I get it. I can relate. I understand how the sports world works because I’ ve lived it and am still living it.”
That doesn’ t mean she’ s not still learning though.
“ When I work with an athlete, I listen with a lot of empathy. I don’ t see myself as an expert. My experiences give me a solid background and base to work from. The athlete remains the expert of his or her own life and I am always keen to learn.
“ There isn’ t a one-size-fits-all approach to working with athletes. As a psychologist, you constantly need to be willing to adapt your approach, study and improve your way of working. It’ s a lifelong learning curve.”
For Bouah, the parallels between a chessboard and other sporting arenas are undeniable.
“ One decision can cost you the game. All sports have decision moments. The key is to make quality decisions in a limited amount of time.”
In chess, however, the margin for error is even more unforgiving.
“ In chess, you cannot take back your bad move … once the bad move is made, it is on the board, and you have to live with it for the rest of the game. It stares you in the face …”
That reality has informed the way she helps athletes process setbacks.
“ Getting stuck on the result of a previous game will very likely hamper your preparation for the next game … it is important to learn to move on very quickly. That in itself is a decision.”
It’ s a mindset that extends beyond competition. Bouah emphasises that mental performance is not just about handling pressure in the moment, but about developing the skills to manage thoughts, emotions and expectations over time.
“ I like to think of mental toughness as remaining calm, composed, and focused when things get tough … To be mentally tough, you need mental skills. These skills can include and are not limited to being resilient, playing with confidence, being focused and disciplined. Mental skills can be learned and practised, and that is why it is important that young athletes are exposed to the development of these skills, so they are better equipped to deal with the demands of a performance-oriented sports climate.”
Being awarded the Vice-Chancellor and Principal’ s Award for Student with the best combined Academic and Sport performance at the University of Pretoria. Awarded in 2005.
To book a consultation with Dr Denise Bouah, contact: denisebouah @ gmail. com or 0824590586
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That belief of starting young led Bouah to author a children’ s book, Sport Psychology for Children, aimed at equipping young athletes with the tools she believes they shouldn’ t have to wait years to access.
“ It is also my attempt to put mental skills in the hands of each and every young athlete so they can read and learn and not have to wait for someone, one day, to sit down and talk to them about the mental aspects of sport.”
On the way to winning my 2 nd South African Women’ s Title in 2013
Looking on from behind me is the then Western Cape Minister of Sport Dr Ivan Meyer( right), my future husband Adv Dr Lyndon Bouah( middle) and Adv Estienne Pretorius( on the left).
The book tackles one of the biggest challenges facing young athletes today – balance.
“ I often see how busy children are. They go from one activity to the next while it is also important for children to have off time where they can just be children and busy with their own creative activities.”
For Bouah, whether she’ s coaching a national team, consulting with an athlete or writing for the next generation, the message remains consistent. Mastering one ' s thoughts is key.
“ When an athlete develops the skill of clearing thoughts of distractions, worry and fear, he / she is more likely to enjoy the sport experience and the quest for his / her own attainment of success, making it easier to focus on the process rather than the outcome,” she explains.
That philosophy has also shaped her own longevity in the sport. Having founded Dr Queenie ' s Chess Academy for Women and Girls and now still competing and preparing for upcoming tournaments, while also coaching internationally – including a stint as coach of Grenada’ s national women’ s team at the Olympiad – she continues to evolve.
“ Chess was and still is my vehicle to see so much of the world,” she says.“ I’ ve met so many wonderful people …”
Yet perhaps her most important lesson is one that transcends both sport and psychology.
“ What I have learned is that chess does not define me. It is not who I am. It is purely something that I do. Who I am is so much more.”
It’ s a perspective many athletes struggle to find, but one Bouah has learned to master through years of experience, both on and off the board.
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