Lisa’s Certifications
Lisa Cesaro is an accomplished coach, educator, and mentor with over 30 years of experience empowering athletes to reach their full potential—both mentally and physically. Holding certifications as an NSPA Speed & Agility Specialist, NSPA Sports Nutrition Certified Coach, and Mental Performance Mastery Coach, Lisa blends her expertise to provide a holistic approach to athletic development.
Lisa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary English Education and has spent three decades as a Middle School English teacher in Hamilton, NJ. In parallel with her teaching career, she has dedicated herself to coaching youth, high school, and collegiate athletes in various sports, including basketball, soccer, and track. As a standout high school athlete, Lisa made history as the first female basketball player at Steinert High School to score 1,000 points and earned All-State honors in soccer, basketball, and track.
Lisa continued her athletic success at The College of New Jersey, where she captained two National Championship soccer teams and received All-State accolades. These experiences shaped her commitment to helping athletes excel both on and off the field.
In 2000, Lisa founded her Sports Performance Training business, Fitness4Function, where she coaches athletes in speed, agility, injury prevention, sports nutrition, and mental performance. Lisa is among the few coaches in the New Jersey area who teach mental performance, providing actionable tools and strategies that have been truly game-changing for her athletes and their families. Athletes in her 8-week Mental Performance Program learn essential skills in confidence-building, self-talk, visualization, mistake recovery, navigating anxiety and nerves, goal-getting, letting go of perfectionism, and crushing limiting beliefs. Additionally, they develop pre-, during, and post-competition routines that allow them to perform consistently, come in clutch, and truly enjoy their sport.
Lisa is passionate about developing the complete athlete and believes in a holistic approach to training. She focuses on the key “4” pillars of athletic success:
Lisa’s expertise particularly shines in working with competitive female athletes aged 12-18, a critical period when many young athletes experience dips in confidence and performance. Lisa helps them break through these barriers and emerge as fierce, confident athletes.
Over the years, Lisa has coached and mentored hundreds of athletes, helping them achieve their personal and athletic goals—whether it’s leveling up their play, earning a college scholarship, making the All-American team, or recovering from injury. She creates individualized programs designed to close the gap between where athletes are and where they aspire to be.
Lisa’s mission is to educate, empower, and energize athletes to become the best versions of themselves, ensuring they not only maximize their own potential but also positively influence others. She resides in Ewing, NJ, with her daughter, Alexandria, and their two beloved dogs, Gracie and Sampson.
