Gio Valiante, sports psychologist, author and educator, will be the 13th speaker in the annual Class of 1953 Lectureship Series in April. His lecture will be titled “The Excellent Pursuit of Excellence.”
“This is an incredible opportunity for our students to connect with someone who has an exciting career in the sports world,” said Vicki Vincent, director of alumni relations. “So much of what you learn by playing sports is transferable beyond the realm of athletics, and we appreciate Dr. Valiante taking the time to share his insights with our young people here at Darlington.”
Valiante, who received his Ph.D. from Emory University, is a professor at Rollins College and author of best-sellers “Fearless Golf” and “Golf Flow.” In his career, he has served as mental game consultant to the game’s best, including U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, Players champion Matt Kuchar, Davis Love III, Camilo Villegas and many others.
With his players winning over 55 PGA Tour events in the past 15 years, it is easy to see why Valiante has been named Sports Psychologist of the Year by The Golf Channel; Top 40 Under 40 to Influence the Game of Golf by Golf Magazine; and No. 2 Sports Psychologist in the World by Golf Digest. He has also been featured in The Financial Times, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated; on “Good Morning America;” and on CNBC and ESPN.
In addition to coaching athletes, Valiante coaches business leaders and others in the area of ultimate human performance.
The Class of 1953 Lectureship Series was established in 2003 to commemorate the class’s 50th reunion.
