My Philosophy

"Promise me you will not spend so much time treading water and trying to keep your head above the waves that you forget, truly forget, how much you have always loved to swim." - Tyler Knott Gregson

My Why. Throughout my sport experience, I had many different types of coaches: the yeller, the I’m-your-best-friend coach, the it’s-not-about-winning-let’s-have-fun coach, the silent never-says-anything coach, and the impossible-to-please coach.  Some coaches were a combination of the stereotypes above, some were all of them.  Memories of certain coaches have stayed with me my entire life, and I’ve always wondered why.  Something that I keep coming back to are the coaches who made a lasting positive impact, not because they taught me how to master my sport, but because they taught me how to master my inner self.

The Athlete’s Journey. Playing a sport is about this journey of self-mastery, not the destination.  Where you are along this path does not define you; what matters are the steps you are taking, the choices you’re making along the way, and how this journey is molding you as an athlete.  Has sport built you into the person you want to become? How do you feel when you play? Why do you play?  I want to find out what motivates you and why you do what you do, and then help you use that to fuel your success.  

Character.  Sport is not about ability, but the choices an athlete makes. I want to help you develop the confidence, composure, and concentration to make tough choices under tough circumstances.  Athletes with confidence, composure, and concentration are able to cope with the opposition the game throws at them, because they perceive every situation as a challenge, and not a threat.

Overcoming Fear.  Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.”  What is more important than your fear? How can you use your what you value to overcome that fear?  Value-based sport participation, for both coaches and athletes, is one of my highest priorities.  Your brain believes everything you tell it, and when negative thoughts arise, you can learn how to stop them in their tracks.

Strength-based Approach.  Rather than focusing on your weaknesses, I’ll help you focus on how to improve your strengths.  Don’t try to be someone you aren’t, be authentic to who you are as an athlete.  If you develop your strengths and authentically participate in the process, you will be more prepared psychologically for participation than the athletes who focus on their weaknesses.  There is no such thing as a lucky athlete, because luck is when opportunity meets preparation.