Inclusive Coaching Education
Dr. Christopher Stanley
Chris Stanley serves as a faculty member within the Sport and Performance Psychology department at the University of Western States. His professional journey is defined by comprehensive collaborative research and applied initiatives focused on human development and performance across athletic, clinical, psychosocial, and academic settings. Beyond his work in the classroom, Chris delivers expert lectures at global conferences, engaging diverse groups including elite athletes, families, coaches, and fellow psychologists. An accomplished scholar, he has published dozens of peer-reviewed articles and authored three influential books. His work Reach Every Athlete provides essential guidance for coaching individuals with hidden disabilities, while his latest title, Right from the Start, explores mental performance strategies tailored for young athletes. Chris has been a pivotal contributor to USA Track and Field since 2014, earning appointments to several international coaching staffs, most notably for the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games. As a consultant, he works with premier organizations like the Atlanta Track Club, where he leads mental skills development for their elite program. Locally, he remains deeply connected to the sport as a high school Track & Field coach.
Dr. Nicole Robertson
Nicole Robertson is a sport and performance psychology professional, researcher, coach, and professional footballer. She holds an Ed.D. in Sport and Performance Psychology, a Master’s degree in Sport and Performance Psychology with an emphasis in Applied Practice, and a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. Her research interests focus broadly on athlete development, coach education, sport psychology, and creating more inclusive environments for athletes with different learning and developmental needs. Her doctoral research examined coaching athletes with hidden disabilities, with a particular focus on ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and dyslexia. In practice, Nicole works with youth and developing athletes through mental performance coaching, mentorship, player development, and performance training. Alongside her academic and applied work, she has competed as a professional footballer for more than 10 years across Denmark, Scotland, and Sweden and is currently playing professionally in Sweden. Her career has included league championships, UEFA Women’s Champions League competition, and experience within multiple professional football environments. Nicole’s work combines academic research, applied sport psychology, coaching, and firsthand experience as a professional athlete to better understand how coaches can adapt their practices and support the individual needs, development, and performance of their athletes.