Meet Performance Psychology Consultant Alex Tapak

Alex Tapak is the Founder and Head Consultant at Progressive Performance Consulting.

Athletics, arts, education and business are all forms of performance. Alex dedicated herself to the development of performance ability on a personal and professional level for many years.

Performance Experience

Alex’s performance journey started at a young age. Alex was given the opportunity to sample a wide range of activities including tap, jazz and ballet dancing, baseball, swim team, traveling soccer and tennis. Developing a competitive spirit and continuing to improve her skills have been Alex's focus upon entering the worlds of athletics and the arts.

At the end of middle school, Alex chose to specialize in tennis. Although she was late to specialize, Alex learned to pull from her mental and physical strengths to achieve district, sectional and national rankings in singles and doubles. Upon entering the competitive field of high school athletics at Hinsdale Central High School, Alex was a key contributor to three Illinois State High School Association State Championships. Alex finished 9th, 4th and 5th respectively her sophomore, junior and senior years in doubles.

Alex pursued her passion for tennis and academics upon being recruited to play at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. As a Tartan, Alex assisted four Women’s Varsity Tennis Teams in qualifying for NCAA Championships. Additionally the team earned two second place finishes at the ITA Women’s Indoor Nationals, and two second place University Athletic Association Conference finishes. As an elected team captain, Alex spent her senior year mentoring younger team members in the methods of becoming a successful student-athlete.

Professional experience

Alex received her Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. As an undergraduate student, she was able to use her education to blend her curiosity for a holistic sense of the mind, the body and how they work together. Alex worked closely with fellow student-athletes to develop a study used to investigate the various traits student-athletes possess which lead to higher grade-point averages when compared to the general student body.

Alex continued her education with the Adler School of Professional Psychology where she earned her Masters in Counseling with a Specialization in Sport and Health Psychology. Alex used her time as a graduate student to delve into the many facets of performance psychology, pulling from her studies and various internships throughout the Chicagoland area. She honed her skills by exploring holistic health and wellness psychology through an internship at a Chicago nonprofit that sought to empower individuals through sport, health and leadership. Alex gained additional experience in performance psychology through her work with elite youth athletes, collegiate students, collegiate performers, collegiate athletes and business professionals. Alex worked with a fellow sports psychology colleague to investigate the “dumb jock” stereotype and presented on student-athlete learning styles at the Association for Applied Sports Psychology Conference in October 2014. Alex is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.

In addition to Alex's accomplishments as a student, she maintained her position as a tennis professional at the Hinsdale Racquet Club for eight years. As a tennis professional, Alex works extensively with elite junior players, serving as travel and hitting pro. Alex also takes the time to work with the younger population of junior players who are developing their skills and love for the game. She also works with juniors who are just beginning to play and love the game.

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Photo Credit: Jeff Giraldo