About

“Doc” Wally Bzdell has close to 25 years of experience providing a full range of sport psychology services, high performance mindset training, and mental toughness training for athletes, high level performers, and coaches.

He earned his doctoral degree from Boston University, master’s degree from Springfield College, and undergraduate degree from Union College. He also has an associate’s degree in physical education that he earned while playing junior hockey in western Canada. He is a licensed psychologist in New York State.

Doc Wally is an applied psychologist/sport psychologist. Doc has 24+ years of applied work helping individuals build upon their strengths; overcome and remove professional and personal barriers to success; and improve their performances in their chosen endeavors (sports, music, academics). He takes from the best research available and helps others use that research to reach their goals. Doc Wally trusts the feedback and experiences of the athletes he works with and collaborates with them to shape their experience and mental toughness process together.

Doc Wally is a frequent speaker at colleges, high schools, and sport organizations. He co-authored the book, Character and Coaching: Building Virtue in Athletic Programs (2001). He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Siena College and Skidmore College, as well as taught classes at RPI.

Doc Wally grew up on Vancouver Island, Canada and was a multi-sport athlete. He played junior hockey in the British Columbia Hockey League (Canada) and played NCAA hockey at Union College. He and his family live in the Capital Region of New York State. He has been married for 22 years and has two sons ages 15 and 17 years. He has coached youth lacrosse and youth hockey, served on a local youth hockey board, volunteers with USA Hockey, and is a USA Hockey Level 5 coach. He coached the 2018 12U tier 2 New York State hockey championship team; coached 13U and 14U tier 1 hockey for the 18-19 and 19-20 seasons respectively, and serves as an assistant coach with a local high school hockey program. He was an Olympic Torch Bearer in 1988.

Doc Wally is particularly proud of his role in working with coaches and team leaders to develop winning team cultures with a collective belief that they can and will win through deliberate practice and commitment to a plan and process.

Doc Wally has been cited and referenced in local and national media.

Doc Wally works with athletes in individual and team sports. Athletes and teams he has worked with, that have made the NCAA Division I tournament, include the sports of basketball (NIT also), lacrosse, volleyball, swimming, baseball, golf and hockey. He has worked with NCAA Division I conference champions in basketball, lacrosse, baseball, golf, and hockey. Doc Wally has worked with multiple NCAA Hockey All-Americans (defense, forwards, and goalies). Many of the athletes that Doc has worked with have gone onto professional careers in their sports and played representing their countries at the international level.

Bzdell Sport Psychology specializes in working in “invasion or attack style sports” such as hockey, lacrosse, and soccer.

For more detailed information use the drop down option from this page to see Doc’s resume and his philosophy about sport psychology.