PLU prof works with USA Hockey team

When she’s not in the classroom, PLU Professor of Sport and Exercise
Psychology Colleen Hacker, is on the field helping national
teams and professional and Olympic athletes mentally prepare for
competition.

This week, Hacker will be in Burlington, Vermont working with USA
Hockey athletes during the 2012 USA Hockey World Championships.

“These are the best athletes in the world physically, and one of the
realities that people are starting to understand is that physical
skill is not enough,” Hacker said . “What we teach athletes is to bring
mental toughness and the psychological demands of their sport under
their control.”

Hacker, who has been a mental skills coach for USA Hockey for the last
year and a half, will be working the athletes this week on mental
toughness skills, keeping confidence high, role clarity, and a variety
of other things to help them handle the pressure of the competition.