Brandi's Blog
Dr. Colleen M. Hacker Joins Our Medical Advisory Board!
Hi Friends,
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Colleen Hacker has agreed to join our medical advisory board on Brandisworld!
Brandi and Dr. Hacker first met when she worked with the U.S. Women’s National Team as a Mental Skill Coach. Brandi credits Dr. Hacker with much of her own mental strength on the field and in life.
Dr. Colleen Hacker has served as a member of the United States coaching staff for four Olympic Games as a Mental Skill Coach and Performance Enhancement Specialist. Dr. Hacker began her National Team service in 1995 working with the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. During her tenure, the National Team won the first Gold Medal awarded in women’s soccer at the 1996 Olympic Games. As part of the most watched women’s sporting event in world history, the Team was again crowned World Champions with their dramatic overtime victory over China in the 1999 World Cup. Named as an Assistant Coach in 2000, the National Team won a Silver Medal at the Sydney Olympic Games and a third place finish in the 2003 and 2007 World Championships. Dr. Hacker was a member of the coaching staff for 2004 Olympic Team where they won their second Gold Medal in Athens, Greece. Most recently, in the most watched Games in Olympic history, the National Team won their third Gold Medal in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing China. The United States is the only country in the world to finish in the top three of every major world championship in soccer history. Hacker also served as the Mental Skills Coach for the Olympic Field Hockey Team qualifying and competing in their first appearance in 20 years at the 2008 Olympic Games in China.
Her book, Catch Them Being Good (Penguin Books and Viking Press) a collaboration with champion soccer coach Tony DiCicco, was released in 2002. Dr. Hacker’s insights into topics such as the psychology of excellence, leadership, the power of choice, team building, performance psychology, mental toughness, and “The secret of the slight edge” strike a chord with organizations and corporate audiences both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Hacker will contribute to our “Ask The Doc” portal. Feel free to post questions for Dr. Hacker there.
Cheers,
Doc Joan
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Hey I have a question for Brandi. I am a goalie on the U14 soccer team. Will you please give some tips for a goalie from the forward’s point of view?
Thanks,
-Hannah
Posted: 08/01/2011 @ 6:28
Best things for a goalie to do to intimidate a forward are
1. Use your voice to have a presence and a command of your box. Use it to either instruct teammates where to be, or when coming to get a ball.
2. Fast footwork drills are important because getting to a positive position to cut down and angle then setting your feet is key.
3. Work on #@%*! in the air, catching cleanly vs punching. Both are equally importantly and necessary.
4. Be apart of the attack. Before you get it, always have it in your mind that you ae the start of the attack, so always look to your forwards first. If they aren’t on, can you play it high and wide to a wing back and lastly, can you play with your feet and keep possession.
5 lastly, and very important, have courage and a short memory. Being a goalie takes guts and you will never be perfect. Know when you have to go to the ground and when it is smart to plat simply. And forget any mistakes and move on.
All the best
Brandi
Posted: 08/13/2011 @ 11:43
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