Mental Performance Training

Craig Hillier (he/him)

Performance training creates the foundation that makes everything else possible. When athletes develop structured approaches to confidence, focus, and resilience, their physical abilities finally have room to flourish. This is what happens when athletes stop leaving their mental game to chance and start training it systematically. The transformation extends beyond the pool into every area of life that requires mental toughness.

My Story

Craig (he/him) holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Master of Science from the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry. After a period away from academia, he returned to complete a Master of Arts in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba. He is currently a PhD Candidate in Applied Health Sciences within the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba.

His research interests were influenced by his experiences as a competitive tennis player. While progressing through the sport, he observed that many young athletes struggled to regulate their emotions and maintain a positive mindset in competitive environments. This curiosity led him to explore psychological strategies that support athlete well-being, including the concept of savouring—an adaptive form of emotion regulation involving the intentional appreciation and amplification of positive experiences. His master’s research examined the feasibility of a savouring-focused approach with elite adolescent tennis athletes.

Building on this foundation, Craig’s current doctoral research explores the optimization of collegiate sport culture. His work examines how athlete welfare, psychological safety, and performance environments can be better aligned to support both well-being and excellence in sport. Through this research, he aims to contribute to the development of healthier and more sustainable sport systems for student-athletes, coaches, and sport organizations.

Her interest in sport psychology and mental performance was shaped by her experiences as a former athlete. Through these experiences, she came to understand that the mental aspect plays a fundamental role in performance both on and off the court. This realization inspired her to pursue a career in the field, beginning her applied work in Mexico with athletes from a variety of sports.

Building on her applied experience, she is now conducting research on how self-talk changes before, during, and after competition, with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of its impact on performance and self-regulation. Her objective is to integrate research and practice to contribute to the development of evidence-based strategies that help athletes and coaches reach their full potential.

Craig will be assisted by Estefania Garcia

Estefania (she/her) holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Psychology from the Monterrey Technological Institute in Mexico and is currently a master’s student in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba.