Chad McGehee - Sports Meditation Expert at the Center of Healthy Minds, UW-Madison

Sports Meditation and Mindfulness Coach and Trainer

Chad McGehee works at the Center for Healthy Minds, a brain science research center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Chad’s research and expertise lies in meditation and mindfulness for athletes and sports teams. Basically, he helps people of all professions do what they do better by using meditation to help strip away the distractions that interfere with their focus.

First Meditation Training Director in Major College Sports

Chad has been working with the UW Badger sports teams as a meditation trainer and coach for their athletes. Recently, he was formally hired as the Badgers’ Director of Meditation Training, the first-ever such position for a NCAA Division I program.

Athletes like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Steph Curry and UW’s own Russell Wilson have touted the benefits of meditation as a tool to gain a competitive edge. These athletes have been coached and trained by people like Chad, who understand not only the fundamentals of mediation, but also the science behind how mediation can change neural pathways and remove distractions from performance.

Mediation as a Competitive Edge

Though “meditation” often carries a very “new age” vibe, there’s nothing hippie about Chad. His soft tone feels warm and safe, but he speaks about the power of mediation in matter-of-fact, no-nonsense language. For his, mediation is a clear and straighforward way anyone can gain a critical competitive edge. An edge that, quite frankly, most people don’t take advantage of. Those who do harness meditation have much to gain.

Headshot Photos for Illinois Wesleyan’s Alumni Magazine

Chad’s undergrad alma mater, Illinois Wesleyan University, hired me to photograph him for their alumni magazine. Here’s how it turned out.