Gardner named editor in chief

By Teri Olsen
Collegian Staff
February 21, 2007

Although La Salle has many professors who juggle different roles in their day-to-day lives, not all have been acknowledged for their hard work and accomplishments. One particular professor at La Salle was given a title that shows his professional status in psychology.

Dr. Frank Gardner, who teaches psychology at La Salle, was appointed founding editor in chief of the Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology (JCSP), a new professional journal. The basis of the journal sprung from a book Gardner and co-author Zella E. Moore, a La Salle graduate, wrote about sports psychology.

“I’m hoping that it will be the leading professional source for both scientific advances and advances in clinical practice,” Gardner said.

The journal’s content will range from psychological health of athletes and coaches to concerns and issues related to physical and psychological functioning.

The journal hopes to promote the advancement of clinical and sports psychology by featuring case studies, and research and articles connecting research and theory to counseling, clinical and sports psychology.

The journal will also feature a “case conference” section where relevant cases will be presented, along with background, assessment and two other professionals’ commentary and alternative considerations.

JCSP is published by Human Kinetics Publishing, the same company that published Gardner’s book. He said the company asked him to be the editor of the journal about a year after his book was published. Gardner accepted and was excited about the publicity it would bring to both himself and La Salle.

“It will be nice for me,” Gardner said, “but also nice for La Salle, since everyone who looks at the journal will not always remember my name, but they’ll look under it and see La Salle’s name and remember that. They’ll know that La Salle is at the forefront of this research.”

Gardner is a psychology professor as well as Director of the Psy.D program in Clinical Psychology at La Salle.

He is also a licensed psychologist in New York and has worked as the team psychologist for numerous professional sports teams, including the NHL, NBA, MLB and even with some Olympians.

Gardner said he began his career as a sports teams’ psychologist in 1987 when he was approached by a member of the New York Rangers who thought he could be of value to the team.

“Ever since, I’ve been working for one team or another,” Gardner said. “I’ve enjoyed all different leagues and sports. It’s been good, like a fantasy come true.”

Currently, Gardner is the team psychologist for the New York Islanders in the National Hockey League.

Gardner first got involved in sports psychology in graduate school. His research in the field focuses on two areas of sports psychology: using psychological methods to improve athletes’ performances and psychological factors that impact athletes after injury.

“I think I’m particularly interested right now in developing innovative ways of advancing athletes’ performances and taking advantage of the knowledge base in one area and transferring it over to other areas,” Gardner said.

JCSP’s inaugural March edition has already been completed and is due out very soon.

The journal will be the go-to for professionals, researchers and practitioners in the sports field and will be published on a quarterly basis.

The inaugural edition features a welcoming introduction by Gardner, as well as an article he co-wrote with a recent La Salle graduate of the doctoral program in psychology, Brian Gallagher

olsent1@lasalle.edu