HILLIARD SOLUTIONS

Helping professionals help athletes succeed.

Finally. A Proven Model for Athlete Success.

Our 360-degree Athlete Success Model did not simply appear. It reflects the components that Dr. Janice Hilliard has identified, successfully integrated, and implemented to achieve impactful outcomes throughout her 30-year career. Doc’s reputation as an athlete development industry expert who has created innovative and cutting-edge programming, initiatives and educational and professional development platforms for athletes, staff and graduate programs is well documented across some of the most successful and respected sports, training, and educational organizations in the country including the NBA, NCAA, MLS, Women Leaders in College Sports, National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), Professional Association of Athlete Development Specialists (PADS), Alliance of Social Workers in Sports (ASWIS), University of Florida, Michigan State University, Rice University, and Boston College.

Career Development
Education
Sociology
Psychology
Economics

Helping athletes navigate the complicated world of a career in and around sports is an essential role for anyone hoping to help athletes succeed. Whether it's a high school athlete at the beginning of this process or a professional looking to transition into a post-sports career, understanding the crucial steps in career development has a very real and direct impact on many athletes.

Athlete identity
Leadership
Sport/life transitions
Entrepreneurship
Job preparation
Networking

In order to ensure their success in sports and in life, educating and empowering today’s athletes must expose them to the knowledge, experiences, and resources that will enable them to compete long after they’ve donned their uniform for the last time.

Athletes’ rights
Financial literacy
Business of sports
Politics of sports
Self-management
Continuing education
Sport legislation, law, compliance
Collective bargaining
Globalization of sport
Stages of human development

Athletes are, first and foremost, individuals who see themselves as more than just a performer on the field or court. As a student-athlete or a pro performer, a teammate, and a member of society on multiple levels, understanding how athletes see their place in the world is critical.

Diversity & inclusion
Social justice
Gender equity
Media
Racism
Moral and ethical issues
Masculinity & femininity
Community service & civic responsibility

No two athletes think and emote the same way. Therefore, no two athletes react or engage in the same way. Understanding sports psychology, at least at its most basic level, is integral for those looking to help athletes succeed in today’s world.

Mental health & wellness
Physical health & safety
Injury
Performance
Motivation
Skills development
Stress management

Money influences sports at all levels, even though athletes are only being paid when they turn pro. Understanding how revenue is accumulated and costs accrue is imperative for those in the field of athlete development.

Athletic scholarships
Contracts
Employment & income
Revenue streams
Marketing
Philanthropy

Your needs. our Services.

Career Services

Our proprietary career-building framework and 360-degree Athlete Success model empowers you to gain success as a valued leader in the exciting world of sports.

Consulting Services

Working together, we will use our proprietary 360-degree Athlete Success model to identify and address the critical issues facing your organization.

Curriculum Services

Our proprietary 360-degree Athlete Success model equips you to confidently deliver professional development training to your staff and athletes.

Meet your guide, Dr. Janice Hilliard

A Message from Doc

Most of us do not get to make a successful career out of what has driven us since our youth. I am one of the fortunate ones who has done just that. That probably best explains why I cherish the opportunity to work with a select number of individuals, universities, and organizations truly committed to making a difference in the field of athlete development. When it comes to our collective futures, it’s game time! If you are committed to standing out in the world we both love, we should connect soon.

About Dr. Janice Hilliard

Dr. Hilliard continues to be a trailblazer with a uniquely powerful background as a collegiate student-athlete, secondary school educator, college athletics administrator, and a Vice President at the National Basketball Association. She is a published author and an adjunct professor as well as a nationally recognized workshop presenter and the founder of the annual Women in Athlete Development Symposium & Networking Event. She holds a Doctorate degree in Educational Administration and a Master’s degree in Urban Counseling from Michigan State University and a Bachelors in Education from the University of Houston.

She remains driven to help others achieve their goals and in turn, help build the depth and accomplishments of the athlete development community one person or one institution at a time. She continues to be recognized for her commitment to diversity, women’s empowerment, and the community at large by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, American Athletic Conference, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

About Hilliard Solutions

Hilliard Solutions is an education and sports consultancy firm that focuses on helping those professionals charged with helping athletes succeed. Through her company, Dr. Hilliard, and her accomplished team of associates, provide consulting, career coaching, athlete life skills programming and professional development solutions for sports leaders, athlete development professionals and educational and community organizations. Hilliard Solutions is centered around a proprietary 360-degree Athlete Development Model that uniquely integrates the key disciplines impacting athletes’ life experience while also providing direction for their comprehensive development. Working within that powerful model equips sports leaders with the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to prepare their athletes for successful experiences during and beyond their sports careers helping to ensure a more successful transition.

What Our Clients Say.

"Dr. Janice Hilliard has made a tremendous impact in the sports industry. She maximizes people's potential in a range of settings. She draws from a reservoir of experiences from collegiate athlete, higher education administrator to NBA executive, which helps her provide valuable insight and expertise. Dr. Hilliard's lived experiences are coupled with her academic background to provide practical, strategic, and solid pedagogical approaches to complex problems."

Dr. Charles Small

Sr. Associate AD, Student Services
Iowa State University Athletics Department

"Dr. Hilliard has played a pivotal role in my personal and career development. She has not only connected me with several successful women within the sports industry, but she has also helped me narrow down my career path based on my passions and skillsets. Dr. Hilliard spent countless hours preparing me for a career in the NBA using a holistic teaching approach. She has set me up to not just succeed in my career, but also to be the best person I can be. I cannot thank her enough!"

Kristin Judson

Player Development Coordinator
Philadelphia 76ers

"Hilliard Solutions provided valuable life skills programming to over 1,000 prospective student-athletes at the NCAA College Basketball Academy on extremely short notice. Parents and participants continuously provided positive feedback on her group’s sessions throughout our event. I would absolutely recommend her services to any organization or event that is looking to provide important education to young people, especially athletes."

Niko Roberts

Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Championships
NCAA

Events.

Women in Athlete Development Symposium & Networking Event

April 12-13, 2023

The 5th Annual Women in Athlete Development Symposium & Networking Event on April 12-13, 2023 was a huge success! Just over 100 attendees, including athlete development professionals, recent graduate students, and others seeking to enter and advance in the growing field of athlete development participated in a specially designed intimate networking and powerful, educational, and engaging sessions led by nationally recognized industry leaders. Thanks to the attendees, speakers, and event sponsors for your participation. We look forward to seeing you again at next year’s event!