Today’s guest is Nick Davis, head women’s track and field coach at the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse. Nick Davis has been a successful track and field coach with multiple stops on the NCAA Division I and III levels, has experience in research, lecturing and course instruction, and has also published 5 original research papers.

I share an affinity with Nick, as we were both competitors in very similar event classifications (track and field jumps and javelin) and are both from the great state of Wisconsin. About a year ago, I ran across Nick’s USTFCCCA presentation on mental skills training for athletes and was blown away by the depth and content (http://www.ustfccca.org/assets/symposiums/2016/Davis-Nick-2016.pdf)

Coach Davis’s coaching resume includes work at MIT and Marquette University. He was named the 2015 USTFCCCA New England Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2016. Nick competed as an athlete at UW-Milwaukee, where he was a 10-time Horizon League individual champion in the high jump and javelin. At UW-Milwaukee, Davis was named the 2004 Horizon League Athlete of the Year. He was a four-time NCAA Division I Midwest Regional Qualifier in the high jump and javelin for the Panthers while setting the school record in the high jump (indoor and outdoor) and javelin.

The more time I spend with great coaches, the more I realize that one of the biggest separation points that they have is their ability to understand what makes athletes tick from a mental perspective, and how to motivate and prepare an athlete accordingly. The mind drives the body, and I feel that not enough podcasts have episodes that are dedicated to mental skills, when we know through research of its effectiveness.

Today’s episode is brought to you by SimpliFaster.com, supplier of high-end athletic development tools, such as the Freelap timing system, kBox, Sprint 1080, and more.

View more show notes at Just-fly-sports.com/podcast-75-nick-davis