The first sports psychologist to be inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame, Dr. David Cox might own the most impressive office bulletin board of any individual in BC sport.

On it appear photos and thank-you’s from Steve Nash, Grant Connell, Maelle Ricker, Rick Hansen, and Carol Huynh, among an amazing resume of elite Canadian athletes, teams, and organizations he’s worked with over the past forty years. Internationally recognized in sports psychology, David’s board is a vivid illustration of how positively he has impacted so many areas of BC and Canadian sport in so many different roles.

Growing up in Vancouver, David was a top junior tennis player, and later followed in the footsteps of his father, also a psychologist.

Since 1981, David has taught in the clinical psychology program in SFU’s department of psychology. At the same time David began working with a young Connell and later became the first travelling sports psychologist on the ATP Tour. Besides coaching Connell to three Wimbledon finals, he helped him achieve the world number one doubles ranking in 1993.

David’s work with Tennis Canada led to other opportunities with athletes in various sports at five Olympics and national teams in 12 different sports. He also assisted the 86ers/Whitecaps, Canucks, 2001 Mann Cup champion Coquitlam Adanacs, and SFU’s athletic program. Using various techniques to optimize human performance, many of David’s athletes went on to achieve career-defining performances such as Leah Pells, Jasey-Jay Anderson, the 2000 Canadian Olympic men’s basketball team, and the Kelley Law and Kelly Scott curling rinks.

David also served as SportMed BC’s chair for 22 years and as a member of the Canadian Sports Psychology Association.

Written and researched by Jason Beck, Curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame.

To read more on the career of David Cox, please see the June 2022 Curator’s Corner article here: https://bcsportshall.com/curator-corner/david-cox-serving-up-sport-psychology-2021-inductee-spotlight/