Penn State kicker Kevin Kelly visualizes he is at a game pacing the sideline on second down.

When fourth down approaches, Kelly takes his spot on the field. It's a nice day with the wind blowing toward him as he kicks a 40-yard field goal. Kelly goes through this scenario in his mind while meeting with Dave Yukelson, a sports psychologist who serves all 29 athletic teams at the university.

"At this level, it is more mental," Kelly said. "Everything is on a higher stage. If you can get to this level, physically, you're gonna be there."

Kelly, like many athletes at Penn State, gains confidence from Yukelson, who meets with student-athletes to talk about the mental approach to sports. Yukelson said his job is to address the athlete's four Cs -- confidence, concentration, composure and consistency.

"I deal with the psychology of excellence," said Yukelson, who works for the Morgan Academic Support Center for Student-Athletes. "If we are not feeling good about ourselves, it can carry over to the playing field."

Yukelson uses techniques, such as having a player visualize a game experience, so when game time comes around, the athlete can shut off his or her mind and feed purely off of instinct.

Brandi Personett, a member of the women's gymnastics team, recalls how she suffered from confidence issues during her sophomore year. She decided to visit Yukelson to try to reestablish confidence in her athletic abilities.

"I talk to myself confidently," Personett said. "I say, 'Don't focus on the hundred eyes looking at you -- just stick to the routine.' "

Although Yukelson meets with many athletes now, he acknowledged those meetings were scarce when he started at Penn State in 1988, because sports psychology was a new concept. Yukelson had to develop relationships and trust between the athletes and coaches before they started coming in droves -- he now meets with about 25 to 30 athletes a week.

Despite Yukelson's large following among athletes, coaches have also begun to lend support. Ed Bartsch, the assistant coach to the men's swimming team, knows from personal experience how "someone to talk to" can help an athlete improve performance.

Bartsch was a swimmer for the University of Michigan and often went to a counselor for help during downswings. Bartsch said the counselor also helped him rid himself of doubt. The same could be said for Penn State athletes who meet with Yukelson.

"Swimmers who went to [Yukelson] on a consistent basis saw tremendous improvement," Bartsch said. "A lot of athletes have the physical ability, but the winners have the mental also."

During the season, Bartsch often encouraged his swimmers to visit Yukelson and get a better mentality for each race.

"Races are 75 to 80 percent mental," junior swimmer Dito Calderon said. "If you're having trouble, you focus on day in and day out the practice you put on."

Yukelson acknowledges athletes are different, and so he must accommodate each of their needs. He wasn't familiar with the sport of fencing, so the fencing team brought him a book and a fencing foil. Yukelson said the openness of the athletes, like those on the fencing team, helped him to understand the pressures of the sport.

Sport psychology did not catch on until the turn of the 21st century. And although the profession has come a long way since that time, there are still some doubters.

"There are a lot of myths -- getting inside of the athletes heads, making them think too much," Yukelson said. "You can't please everybody."

These doubts do not stop women's swimmer Daphne Skelos from going to Yukelson, though. Yukelson will play soothing music and tell Skelos to envision herself on a beach. That helps Skelos cope with her nervousness.

"He tells me to relax my whole body," Skelos said. "If you're not focused, then you're not gonna get things done."

Skelos remembered when the advice paid off. When she grew nervous after hearing her name called at the Big Ten championships, she quickly settled down after some breathing exercises Yukelson taught her. She became more confident, which helped Skelos become the top Penn State women's performer in the 200 backstroke at the conference championships.

Yukelson's work allows his patients not to worry when the game is on the line. No matter what issue an athlete may face or in whatever sport the person may compete in, Yukelson's help seems to transgress those lines.

Kelly experiences Yukelson's impact when taking his spot for a field goal. He acknowledges he will be able to make every kick, no matter how he hits the ball.

"He just seemed like a really cool guy," Kelly said. "The way he sees sports and sees life and all, it's a lot easier to relate to."