There are moments in the lives of many high school students when a mentor offers something that ends up changing the course of their young life. Such was the case for Lindsay Shaw ’01 when Head of School Dr. Jerry Larson gave her a book on sport psychology. Lindsay isn’t sure, but she thinks it was the classic text, Pursuit of Excellence. Not long after that, Lindsay began the first of two independent studies with Dr. Larson as her advisor. Several years later, after attending UPenn and performing as a high-level gymnast, she earned her doctorate in Sport Psychology at Boston University. Remarkably, Lindsay would have the same advisor Jerry once had at BU — Dr. Len Zaichkowsky — in pursuit of the exact same degree. Of course, there is a lot more to say about Lindsay’s CA story.
Before enrolling at Cheshire Academy, Lindsay was a competitive gymnast intent on pursuing her dream of attending a Division I school. “When I applied to Cheshire, we sought an arrangement that would let me pursue this dream. From day one, I went every day after school to renowned C.A.T.S. Gymnastics from 3 to 8 p.m., and someone would save dinner for me so I could eat during study hall.” Watching Lindsay’s hard work and dedication lead her to her doctoral program at BU, Jerry Larson observed, “With all the physical and mental demands of gymnastics, it seemed natural that Lindsay followed her passion for the mind-body connection, high performance, and helping others achieve their potential.”
While it was originally the high-level reputation of C.A.T.S. Gymnastics that drew Lindsay to Cheshire, it was ultimately the quality of her overall experience at CA that had the greatest impact on her life.
Lindsay recalls the effect that Cheshire Academy had on her academic career. “I would say that the small class sizes really gave me confidence in my abilities as a student. Prior to going to Cheshire Academy, my identity was wrapped around being an athlete and that’s how I saw my future. The Academy taught me that I have academic ability, too, and I think it really came out during the small class settings. I was challenged, and I really had a fun time in the classrooms. Cheshire Academy made me realize that I was smart, and that I could go to an Ivy League school.”
Lindsay found the ambition of her classmates inspiring. “People had big dreams in athletics, the arts, and the classrooms. It made me want to work harder. Even graduation had an intellectually inspiring moment,” she said. “My friend, Veneta Nikolova, our valedictorian from Bulgaria, used the word ‘microcosm,’ and I didn’t know what it meant. This made me want to read more and learn a second language more completely. This is what Cheshire was like for me; I was constantly being challenged and inspired.”
Lindsay’s education at the graduate level was focused on a central question: What does it take to help an elite athlete achieve optimal performance? Her excellence in both athletics and academics soon led to an appointment as senior sport psychophysiologist for the United States Olympic Committee. “My job was to help elite athletes learn how to use their mind as a tool to become the very best in the world,” says Lindsay.
Combining her deep understanding of neuroscience, psychology, and physiology, she used advanced tools to assess and train the mind-body connection with athletes who had qualified or hoped to qualify to represent the United States of America in the Olympic Games. “It’s an exciting and stressful time for these athletes. I appreciated being able to be a service provider for them as they went through this process. Lindsay would assess an athlete’s breathing, blood flow, heart rate, muscle tension, and brain wave patterns during rest and task periods to understand how each individual’s system might respond to the stress of competition. “Every athlete responds to stress differently,” says Lindsay, and, “sometimes the response can hinder performance; it’s like giving a speech in front of people. While a little bit of anxiety can help focus your attention and prepare you, too much activation doesn’t allow you to get your words out and your mind feels clouded.” She analyzed stress responses to find the best way for each athlete to manage and use fight or flight reactions to their advantage during competitions. Another aspect of helping athletes achieve optimal performance is sleep monitoring, “to help them get efficient and high-quality sleep at night.”
After her Olympic experience, Lindsay’s career led her to Major League Baseball. She is now director of sport psychology for the Cleveland Guardians. She says this is her “dream job.”
Reflecting on Lindsay’s amazing career, Jerry Larson once said, “Lindsay is another great example of the student-centered nature of the Academy, which encourages the development of abilities and skills that will make a difference not only in students’ lives, but the greater community.” As Lindsay considers the path she took toward her current career, she reflects on the time she spent overseas, both during college and after. “I’ve lived in Spain, Germany, England, and worked abroad. I don’t think I would have even considered these options unless I had exposure to internationalism at Cheshire Academy.”
Lindsay is on our growing list of alumni who are eager to come back to school and share their knowledge and experience with current students. Because she often travels with the Guardians, we are trying to find a time when she will travel to Boston or New York from her home in Denver, where she lives with her family. It will take some patience, but it will happen eventually.
Want to contribute?
Do you have a CA story that illuminates the nature of our great school? If so, please email something in the range of 200-300 words to chip.boyd@cheshireacademy.org.
