Reginald Younger Jr.

Professional bodies

Reginald is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, the largest sport and exercise psychology professional organisation in North America. AASP is an international, multidisciplinary organisation with over 3,000 members in 50 countries, with backgrounds across sport science, social work, counselling and clinical psychology. AASP promotes the development of science and ethical practice in the field and offers the Certified Mental Performance Consultant® credential to qualified professionals who have completed the education, practicum and supervision requirements and passed a certification exam.

Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP)
American Psychological Association (APA)
APA Division 47 — Society for Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)

Education

Reggie earned his Master's in Sport & Exercise Psychology from the Arizona School of Professional Psychology (Argosy University) in January 2013, including practicum, internship and supervision. His practicum sites were Pinnacle Lacrosse and Glendale Community College Women's Tennis. He completed his Post-Master's Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy at Northcentral University in December 2017, and his Master's degree (MAMFT) at National University in March 2026, for licensure eligibility in Marriage and Family Therapy in the state of Arizona.

He is a graduate and former student-athlete of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, majoring in Broadcast Communications Journalism with a minor in Child Development. He competed in varsity basketball and track (high jump) at Mira Mesa High School in San Diego, California, where he still holds the high jump record, and was a three-year varsity athlete on the Weber State track and field team under coach Chick Hislop.

Coaching

Reggie is the former Head Junior Varsity coach for Pinnacle Lacrosse, leading teams to records of 6–10, 12–0, 6–6–1 and 8–3. In 2021 the Junior Varsity record was 13–1 and Reggie was named Arizona Girls Lacrosse Association (AGLA) Coach of the Year; the team then went 11–2, earning back-to-back first-place honours at Junior Varsity.

For the 2023/24 season he was named Head Coach of the Pinnacle Varsity team, leading them to a 12–2 record and a playoff semifinal appearance, and was again named AGLA Coach of the Year as well as USA Lacrosse Coach of the Year for the Arizona Region. In September 2024 he was named Assistant Head Coach, Varsity Lacrosse at Xavier High School under Head Coach Diana Oduho, having previously been her Assistant Head Coach for the Arizona Women's National Tournament in North Carolina in 2023.

Practice and research

Reggie has strengths in the study of the psychological and mental factors that affect performance in sport, exercise and physical activity. He uses applied sport psychology techniques in everyday settings and across a diverse range of sports, and assists coaches and staff working with elite professional, collegiate and high school athletes to improve drive, focus and team cohesion through team talks and seminars. He has demonstrated the ability to assess and evaluate case material and to develop and implement interventions for athletes and teams in sport settings.

His areas of research interest include:

Psychological aspects of athletic injury
Concussion
Eating disorders
Gender diversity
Depression
Anger management
Mental performance
The role of exercise in mental health and wellness

He was an Abstract Reviewer for the 28th through 31st annual AASP conferences, held in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Orlando, Toronto, Portland and virtually. He spent twelve years with the San Francisco Giants organisation and USA Baseball, working with athletes and the business of sport from a range of perspectives, and now approaches it from a sport-psychological and performance perspective, one-on-one with athletes and teams.

He founded and leads VRC Sports Psychology Performance Consulting Group, a sports consulting firm in Phoenix, Arizona focused on mental skills and athletic performance, working with elite, collegiate and high school athletes across lacrosse, tennis, basketball, football, softball and others. He was under the mentorship of Mary Oakley, Psy.D., CMPC®, of Stride Psychological Services, and has aspirations of building a centre for mental health, wellness, and sport & exercise psychology.

Community

A believer in serving the community, Reggie is President of the Desert Ridge Community Association, which he has served since 2008, and former Chairman of its Design Review Committee. He has been a member of the Desert View Village Planning Committee for the City of Phoenix since 2009. He served as second Vice President and then President of the Arizona Girls Lacrosse Association from 2016 to 2018, representing and growing the sport of lacrosse in Arizona.

Get in touch

Reach me on LinkedIn or Facebook, by phone on (480) 282-2497, or through the contact form.