Meet John

John Cullen “the Scientist”

John received his B.Sc. in Kinesiology in 1996 from the University of Waterloo and earned both his M.Sc. in Human Biodynamics in 1999 and his PhD ABD status in Human Biodynamics in 2006 from McMaster University. In 2006 through 2009 John worked at McMaster University as a Research Coordinator.

John is co-author of several scholarly papers and book chapters, and has presented his research at international conferences across North America. Click here to view an online version of John’s academic CV.

John Cullen “the Athlete”

John grew up playing elite level hockey in Southern Ontario Canada. As a player, John developed in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (then, the Metro Toronto Hockey League) before graduating to the Junior ranks where he played in the Metro Jr. A and Mid-western Jr. B leagues. John retired from playing in 1994 to focus on his education. But when the opportunity arose, he came out of retirement in 2001 until 2004, to play Senior Hockey for three seasons with the Dundas Real McCoys and the Brantford Blast. As a player, John won two OHA Provincial Championships. The first with the Waterloo Siskins Jr. B Hockey Club (1994 Sutherland Cup) and the second with the Dundas Real McCoys Senior AAA Hockey Club (2002 J. Ross Robertson Cup).

John has also dabbled in canine sports, thanks largely to his wife’s obsession. He has run their two labrador retrievers, Bailey and Maddie, in agility and now handles their border collies, Recess and Gossip, in flyball on the McCann Professional Dog Trainers flyball team.

John Cullen “the Coach”

Over the last two decades, John has worked with hundreds of elite athletes on perfecting their game. John teaches and coaches the key mental preparation skills that are necessary for consistent high quality performance. His insights and practical strategies are relevant and effective for anyone committed to improving their performance.

As a hockey coach, John began in 1994 with the Waterloo Minor Hockey Association where he spent four years at the Bantam and Midget AAA levels. The 1998-1999 season saw John move to the US where he was head coach of the University of Florida Gators ACHA Div III Hockey Club. Returning home to Canada in 2000, John began coaching in the OMHA. For the past six seasons he has been a head coach in the OMHA-South Central Triple A (SCTA) with the Halton Hurricanes and the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs. John has also taken part in the OMHA Under 17 hockey development program as an evaluator at the regional camps and a coach at both OMHA regional and final camps. As a coach, John has represented the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario three times in the Midget AAA Regional Championships (Waterloo Lions 1996, 1997, and 1998), taking home the bronze medal in 1998. His current team (2010-11 Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs Atom AAA) is having a phenomenal season and is currently ranked 3rd in Ontario.

John has been working as a Sport Psychology consultant for agility handlers since 2006. His athletes have found their way to many personal best performances with his help, including wins at regional, national and international championships.