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Yankees hire "Motivational Coach"

Thursday, April 14, 2005

The Yankees hired Chad Bohling on Wednesday as their newly created director of optimal performance according to the NEW YORK TIMES.

General Manager Brian Cashman said Bohling would handle motivational and mental-skills issues at the major and minor league levels for players and coaches.

"I don't want to get into too much about what Chad is going to provide for us," Cashman said. "Ultimately, like anything else, our players are our assets. We just want to make sure that we support them in all aspects of what they do, on and off the field."

An estimated 10 to 12 major league teams are believed to employ mental-skills coaches.

Since 1997, Bohling has been the director of mental conditioning at IMG Academies, a multisport training facility in Bradenton, Fla.

Cashman said that Bohling worked with baseball, basketball, tennis and soccer players at IMG. The organization's Web site describes its mental-conditioning coaches as being dedicated to helping athletes become mentally tougher to achieve their goals.

Because Bohling will be based in Tampa, Fla., and had agreed only Wednesday to join the Yankees, it was unclear how much time he would spend with the major league club.

Cashman would not say which major league players Bohling may eventually work with, but the Yankees would probably try to keep the conversations private anyway.