“The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.”

— Marcus Aurelius

About Victory Lap

A woman with dark brown hair, green eyes, and pearl earrings, smiling, wearing a navy blazer and a patterned blouse in front of a brick and stone wall.

Jess Lapachinski is a mental performance consultant who works with high-achieving youth and collegiate athletes to build confidence, sharpen focus, and think clearly under pressure - so they can reset quickly and perform when it matters most.

A young woman in a white long-sleeve shirt and white cap, holding a baseball bat, prepares to hit a softball outdoors with trees and a paved path in the background.

Jess brings two decades of experience in private and higher education as an athletic administrator, varsity coach, and educator. She currently serves as Associate Director of Athletics at Amherst College and understands the demands of elite academic and athletic environments.

As a certified strength and conditioning coach, she pairs physical training principles with mental performance work to help athletes build confidence, focus, and resilience under pressure.

A woman walking on the beach with two children, one wearing rain boots and sunglasses, during daytime with cloudy sky.

A lifelong athlete, Jess has long been drawn to the science of sport and how athletes think under pressure. Her interest in performance psychology deepened while teaching ninth-grade health education and working with youth athletes at Deerfield Academy - where she saw firsthand how mental skills shape confidence, focus, and performance.

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Education

  • B.S., Kinesiology – University of Massachusetts

  • M.S., Sport Leadership – Northeastern University

  • M.Ed., Sport & Exercise Psychology – Springfield College

  • Currently pursuing the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.