Now batting: Flyers add sports psychologist to lineup

The Schaumburg Flyers baseball team this week announced a new partnership with Argosy University for a team of academic sports psychologists to help the players with the mental aspects of game readiness and success.

The partnership looks to the inimitable wisdom of Yogi Berra for its inspiration, who once said, "90 percent of the game is half mental."

Leading the group of sports psychologists is Argosy University's Vice President of Academic Affairs Tracy Robinson.

"Sports psychology is used throughout major league baseball," Robinson said. "We will help the ball players work through batting slumps, overcome throwing problems and improve overall performance."

The innovative partnership gets a thumbs up from Flyers Manager Mike Busch.

"In any organization that I've ever been with at a major league level, we have employed somebody in the field of sports psychology, but I've never seen it yet at a minor league level," Busch said.

"The mental approach to a job where you are a success if you fail seven times out of 10 is difficult, but and being able to work with somebody like Dr. Robinson and his staff would definitely be a benefit to our players."

The Schaumburg campus is one of 19 Argosy University campus locations in 13 states.

The Schaumburg Flyers are part of the independent Northern League, and play their home opener May 22 at Alexian Field, 1999 S. Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg.