DUC Applied Sport and Performance Psychology

10/03/2026

Introducing our 2026–27 student worker team! 👋💙💛

There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes in Dominican’s Applied Sport & Performance Psychology program, and our student workers are part of making it all happen! From creating social media content and supporting marketing efforts to serving as teaching assistants, helping with research, and contributing to fundraising efforts, they support our program in a variety of ways.

While working toward their master’s degrees, these students collaborate with faculty, support their peers, and help share the work and accomplishments of our ASPP community. It’s also an opportunity to explore their interests and gain experience beyond their coursework.

We’re excited to recognize this year’s team and all they contribute. Thank you for your hard work and commitment to our program! ✨

09/24/2026

What does it look like to manage pressure in nursing? 🩺

This week, Applied Sport and Performance Psychology students, Morgan Ford and Bella Dominguez, led a workshop with 51 students from Dominican’s AMP Nursing Program on performing under pressure. Nursing students face demanding moments in the classroom and in clinical settings, where stress can affect how they think, communicate, and respond.

During the workshop, participants explored how to recognize their own signs of stress and practiced tools they can use in the moment, including breathing techniques to manage their stress response and self-talk strategies to stay focused on their next step. They then applied those skills to nursing scenarios and reflected on what helps them stay focused when things feel overwhelming.

Thank you to the AMP Nursing students for your openness, participation, and thoughtful conversations! 💙

We also want to thank ASPP students Kecia Denk, Cami Montes-Tom, and Jason Borromeo for shadowing the workshop. Observing applied work before beginning a placement is an important part of our program’s training, and we were glad to have you there!

05/07/2026

🐧📌Program Highlight: Celebrating Our Future Professionals! 🌟

Our Spring 2026 graduating Applied Sport & Performance Psychology Master’s students recently presented their Philosophy of Practice at Dominican’s Annual Scholarly & Creative Works Conference.

This capstone experience challenges students to define who they are as practitioners and how their work is grounded in core values, theoretical frameworks and relevant research, and evidence-based, culturally competent approaches.

Each presentation reflected their unique perspectives on:

🌟 What guides their work
🌟 How they define performance excellence
🌟 How they navigate performance breakdowns
🌟 How they approach the consulting process in real world settings

From mental skills training and cognitive-behavioral practices to humanistic principles like empathy, authenticity, and respect, these presentations highlight the depth, intention, and individuality each student brings to the field.

👏 Congratulations to our presenters:

🎓 Logan Meyers
🎓 Frankie Clarke
🎓 Maggie Kersting
🎓 Stacy Poe
🎓 Berdi Merdanov
🎓 Zoë Richards

This milestone represents more than the completion of a program, it reflects hard work, personal and professional growth, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact in sport, performance, and beyond. The future of the field is in great hands. 🧠💪✨

05/04/2026

🌟2026 Soccer Mindset Training Camp🌟

Attention all high school-age (9–12th grade) soccer players ⚽️‼️🐧

The Applied Sport and Performance Psychology Program at Dominican University of California invites you 🫵 to join us for our 2026 Soccer Mindset Training Camp.

This four day camp at Kennelly Field will run from Monday, July 20th, to Thursday, July 23rd, with each day starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 4:30 p.m.

This training camp will consist of:

🌟 Soccer Training & Games

🌟 Sport-Specific Instruction

🌟 Mental Performance Presentations & Sessions by the Applied Sport & Performance Psychology (ASPP) Graduate Students

Mental Performance presentations and sessions include:

🌟 Focus and concentration

🌟 Performing under pressure

🌟 Regulating emotions

🌟 Building confidence and more!

The camp is $135 for the full week (lunch not provided). Scholarships are available, and all genders are welcome!

To register, find the link in our bio, scan the QR code or visit Dominican.edu/soccer-mindset

For more information, please contact Dan Ourian, ASPP Assistant Director .[email protected]

04/16/2026

Learning in action 👏

This past Saturday, our Group Dynamics class came together on campus for a group session with Professor Mike Howard. Students explored what it takes to build strong, high-performing teams focusing on leadership, positive influence, and creating real team synergy.

Grounded in theory and research, students are beginning to connect what they’ve learned in the classroom to real team environments. Through hands-on activities such as the human knot challenge and group work, it wasn’t just about talking through concepts, it was about actually experiencing them in action.

Leadership CMPC

02/11/2026

01/31/2026

✨Placement Spotlight: Frankie Clarke and the Golden State Storm | Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) 🏈🔥

This week, we are excited to highlight Frankie Clarke, a second-year full-time master’s student in the Applied Sport and Performance Psychology program at Dominican University of California! 🐧⭐️

Frankie is set to finish the program this upcoming spring and has officially begun her third and final placement experience working with the Golden State Storm, a professional women’s full tackle football team competing in the Women’s National Football Conference and entering their inaugural season in the Bay Area.

This placement marks an exciting first for both Frankie and the team. It is her first time working in football and the team’s first year competing in the Bay Area. As she wraps up her graduate training, Frankie is eager to learn alongside the athletes as they navigate new challenges, build team culture, and grow together throughout the season.

💬 From Frankie:

“My name is Frankie Clarke and I’m currently completing my P3 working with a women’s full tackle football team! It’s their first year in the Bay and my first time working in the field of football. My hope is that I learn right along with them as they navigate their inaugural year. I’m also hoping that I can finally understand what being a tight end means! Whilst I’m slightly joking and slightly serious, I couldn’t be more excited to explore the world of women’s football and everything that comes with it.”

We’re excited to follow along as Frankie continues gaining hands-on experience in professional women’s full tackle football 💪🏈🌟


WomenInFootball FutureCMP

01/17/2026

🌟Dominican University of California: Applied Sport & Performance Psychology FREE Online Info Session🌟

Join us for the first online info session of the Spring semester to learn more about our MA (with a new Coaching Track), SPP Certificate, and SPP+ Certificate programs in Applied Sport & Performance Psychology at Dominican University of California! 🐧💡

🗓️Tuesday, February 10th, 2026
 ⏰4:00pm-5:15pm PST
 💻Via Zoom - link in bio! 

Whether you’re a current or former athlete, performer, coach, interested in the psychology behind peak performance, or a sports enthusiast, these programs are designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to excel in the field. 👊

Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of athletes, coaches, and performers through our comprehensive curriculum and expert faculty. Classes are offered online, in-person, or hybrid.

Kick off the 2026 Spring semester with our first info session of the new year and take the next step toward a rewarding career in sport psychology!

🔗Link to register in our bio; if you are unable to attend live, a recording will be available when you register! 

10/06/2025

📣 Save the Date!

We’re thrilled to announce that the Dominican University of California’s Applied Sport and Performance Psychology (ASPP) Program will be hosting a Performance Masterclass with the legendary George Mumford 🧠✨

🗓 Date: December 6, 2025

🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

💻 Location: Zoom (open to all!)

🎟 Early Bird ticket sales launching soon, stay tuned for more info!

If you can’t attend live, no problem! All registrants will receive access to the event recording.

🌟George Mumford is a globally recognized speaker, teacher, and mindfulness coach who has spent decades helping individuals unlock their potential, from Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant to executives, Olympians, and artists.

Author of The Mindful Athlete and Unlocked, George’s work bridges performance and mindfulness, guiding people to find flow, presence, and greatness on and off the court.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most impactful voices in sport and performance psychology.

✨ More details to come soon, keep an eye out for registration links and early bird specials!

08/29/2025

🚨 Big News for Future Dominican University of California Students! 🚨

The Applied Sport & Performance Psychology program is expanding 🎉

✅ Earn your Certificate
✅ Earn your Master’s Degree
✅ NEW: Earn your Master’s Degree with a Coaching Track 🏆

The new Coaching Track is designed for students who want to apply sport and performance psychology directly in coaching, leadership, and applied performance settings without needing to complete Placement 2 and 3.

📚 Students in this track complete the same number of units as the regular master’s program. Instead of the advanced placement sequence, those units are replaced with elective courses tailored to coaching and applied practice.

⚠️ Please note: Because this track does not include the full placement sequence, it is not focused on CMPC certification requirements.

This option provides flexibility for those who want to integrate mental performance training into their coaching careers, organizations, or personal practice without pursuing CMPC.

🐧 Ready to take the next step? Learn more about our programs today!