Dr. Hector Morales-Negron
Director of Peak Performance

Dr. Hector R. Morales-Negron graduated with a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) where he was a Judo and wrestling athlete and completed the Army ROTC program, graduating with a commission as an Air Defense Artillery Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. In the Army, he served for 26 years in leadership positions as a platoon leader, battery commander, and the head of multiple staff sections at the battalion, brigade, and division levels. In 2004, he became the first Hispanic officer selected as a Professor of Physical Education at the United States Military Academy at West Point and attended Florida State University earning a Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Psychology. At West Point, he became the Judo team Head Coach that brought the first National Championship to the Academy. He was also the Director of the Personal Fitness Development, the Director of Program Support, and was responsible for the combatives (hand-to-hand combat) instructor certification program. In addition, Dr. Morales was the director of 27 West Point competitive clubs leading the character through sports development program.  Dr. Morales, now a retired Lieutenant Colonel, is an Army Master Fitness Trainer and an Army Master Combatives Instructor. He also represented the U.S. as an athlete in the Military World Games in 1995 and coached the U.S. Armed Forces Judo Team from 2003 until 2013 to six World Military Judo Championships. In 2013 he received the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Developmental Coach of the Year for Judo, the Brigadier General (BG) James Anderson Teaching Excellence Award at West Point, and in 2014 Coach Mike Krzyzewski's Teaching Character through Sports Award. Dr. Morales is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sports Psychology and a member of the USOC Sports Psychology Registry. He is the Director of International Development and a Peak Performance Coach with the Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Club and directs the mental skills program for STEER for Students Athletes. He has also worked with Olympic, professional, and collegiate level athletes in multiple sports as well as travel teams to assist coaches and players in the development of their motivation, composure, concentration, confidence, and resilience impacting their overall performance.   
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