Rick Wolfe is a multifaceted professional whose diverse career choices are all linked by his fascination with sports and sports psychology. From playing professional baseball to coaching a college baseball team, to becoming an author and editor of books on sports and psychology, Rick’s passion for the subject has always been evident. He has even worked as a psychology coach for the Cleveland baseball team, now known as the Guardians, and has helped the team rise to the top of the league.
For over 25 years, Rick also hosted a popular sports show called Sports Edge on New York’s sports station WFAN. Through this show, he tackled serious issues related to youth sports, including the well-being of young athletes, the influence of social media, and concussion risks. In his last episode, which aired just two weeks before his death, he discussed whether children were losing interest in sports.
Rick’s interest in sports psychology was not just academic as he used his expertise to counsel young baseball players through visualization techniques, muscle memory, and encouraging them to confront their failures. He even had an unconventional view on setting ambitious goals, which he believed could be paralyzing rather than motivating.
Rick’s father was also a sportscaster for a record 80 years, leading him to become a broadcast journalist. He edited books for several leading publishers, including Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad and General Electric CEO Jack Welch’s Jack: Straight from the Gut. Rick also wrote several books, including The Secrets of Sports Psychology Revealed and The Harvard Boys: The Adventures of a Father and Son Playing Minor League Baseball.
After playing in the minor leagues, Rick became the head baseball coach at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York, where he led the team to a record of 114-81-3. He also held a master’s degree in psychology from Long Island University. Rick was survived by his wife, Patricia Barbaro, his son John, daughters Alyssa Wolfe and Samantha O’Connor, brother Dr. Robert Wolfe, sister Margie Clarke, and three grandchildren.
Overall, Rick Wolfe was a respected figure in sports psychology and sports journalism, and his life and work have left an indelible mark on the field he was so passionate about.