Sports Psychology/Sharon Petro Ph.D.
About the Head Coach
Sharon Drake Petro, Ph.D., has a rich and diverse background as an athlete, teacher, counselor and coach. Dr. Petro created Head Coaching in 1998 to share her passion for sport psychology with others. Head Coaching is based in Central Virginia in Charlottesville.
Dr. Petro understands first hand the pressures of competitive sport; she has competed in several individual and team sports as an athlete and coach. In her 17-year coaching career she was successful at the state level with her high school teams and at the national level with her collegiate teams. Dr. Petro coached women’s basketball and women’s tennis at the University of Notre Dame and the year her team placed 2nd at Nationals was awarded the NCAA Division II Wilson Intercollegiate Tennis Coach of the Year. She served as an Assistant Athletic Director at Notre Dame under Gene Corrigan before pursuing her doctorate in sport psychology. She was recently inducted into the Notre Dame Monogram Club as an Honorary Member.
Dr. Petro earned her Ph.D. in applied sport psychology with Dr. Bob Rotella at the University of Virginia. In addition, she received her training as a Professional Counselor at the Curry School. She was on the faculty at both the Curry School and the University Counseling Center. Additionally, she holds an M.S. and B.S. in Health and Physical Education and an M.S. in Administration. She is the creator of “The WIN Method: A Model for Optimal Performance” and is the author of The Tennis Drill Book.
