By Kim J. Harmon

W

hen the Orlando Solar Bears of the International Hockey League hoisted the Turner Cup (or attempted to hoist the Turner Cup . . . the thing is really heavy) and celebrated the last championship in the history of the IHL, Dr Frank Lodato of Newtown celebrated along with everyone else.

Dr Lodato, a sports psychologist for more than 40 years, has been working with the Solar Bears for the past three years – the first two when the team was independent and the last when it was a farm team for the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League – and while it might have been the first for many of the players and front office personnel, it was Dr Lodato’s ninth.

Yes – his ninth since he started working with the Manhattan College men’s basketball team back in 1957. Four of those championships have come in professional hockey, three in professional football, and one each in college football and college basketball.

This one with the Orlando Solar Bears, however, may be the last Dr Lodato could be a part of in hockey (or in any sport, since the subject of retirement has come up at home). The IHL turned off all the lights and locked all the doors last month after 56 years in business – citing severe financial programs. Some of the teams and many of the players will find their way to the American Hockey League, the last of the so-called “major-minor” hockey leagues.

“This is one of the greatest years I’ve had,” said Dr Lodato, now 75, who has his resume circulating and still has a couple of projects (like a book) on the back burner. “If have to go out now, it’s not a bad way to go out.”

Like helping basketball players with their free throws and kickers with their field goals, Dr Lodato was there on the bench and in the locker room helping the Solar Bears – individually – realize their potential.

“It can be difficult for these young players to get a huge signing bonus and then get sent down to the minors,” said Dr Lodato. “Lots of talented guys don’t make it right away and I am trying to help them focus. For athletes, thinking during competition is very difficult, but practice – plus visualization – makes it instinctual.”

Dr Lodato got into hockey 18 years ago by marching into the office of the New Haven Nighthawks (then in the American Hockey_League) and asking for a shot. The coach informed him there was no money for a sports psychologist, but Dr Lodato said he didn’t care.

And for the next 13 years (only a few of those unpaid), he did what he could to help the Nighthawks realize their goals. The ‘Hawks were a farm club of the Los Angeles Kings, and so Dr Lodato soon found himself in an NHL locker room.

Dr Lodato also worked with the Detroit Vipers of the IHL in 1997 (they were Turner Cup champions that year) and worked with the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League (AHL) for seven years. Since the River Rats were the farm club of the New Jersey Devils, he often found himself in the Meadowlands, as well.

Dr Lodato began his relationship with the Orlando Solar Bears after the general manager of the River Rats club moved on to become the general manager of the Solar Bears. He asked Dr Lodato to come down and help his team – and he has.

But this stage of his career seems to be at an end . . . at least for now, with ice hockey in hibernation for the summer.

“I’d like to keep involved in hockey,” said Dr Lodato, “even offering my services to a high school team.”

Ever since he started working with the Manhattan College men’s basketball team back in 1957 (“I knew there was something in it,” he said, “I just didn’t know what”), Dr Lodato’s career – even if it took some time to really get established – has brought him to a lot of different games, with a lot of different teams.

In professional football, he has worked with some of the players on the Miami Dolphins (when the ‘Fins went 17-0 in 1972 – he even wrote a book about it), the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football_League, the Montreal Concordes and Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadien Football League, the Montreal Machine of the World League of American Football, the New Jersey_Red Dogs of the Arena Football_League, and the Roanoke Express of Arena 2 (“that was fun,” he said or the increasingly popular Arena League, “I really enjoyed it”).

In college football, he has worked with Temple University and Rouge et Or. Laval University (CIAU_champions in 1999).

Then there were his stints in college basketball, college track and field, and golf with the LPGA.

Currently, Dr Lodato is working with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadien Football League (where has been part of two Grey Cup championships) and this weekend will be in Montreal for the Stampeders’ game against the Montreal Alouettes.

“This is a thrill,” said Dr Lodato, “because you work with players and the game is a test of what they have learned.”

It is also a test of how he can help. From team sports to individual sports, there is always a challenge.

“There are a lot of differences between individual athletes and team athletes,” said Dr Lodato. “In an individual sport, players have no place to hide – and the strain on them can be unbelievable.”

But that’s what he is there for – to help relieve that enormous strain and to help sharpen the focus. It’s just what Knute Rockne envisioned when he became interested in the psychology of sports some 80 years ago.

Dr Lodato is the author of more than 50 articles in the area of psychology and is the author, or co-author, of five books. He earned his Ph.D. from_St. John’s University in 1955.