My Sport Story

I didn’t always want to be a Mental Performance Coach. In fact I didn’t even know that was a thing until college, after I’d spent years as an athlete mentally struggling and eventually quitting the sport I had loved so much.

As a young girl I had a dream to play soccer in college. Seriously, from the moment I scored my first goal, I was hooked. And I spent my youth, high school, and even college years making this dream a reality. 

In high school I really felt the college recruitment stress. My club team went to showcase tournaments and I was attending ID camps. But rather than showing my greatness I would crumble in front of coaches. I was so nervous, worried what people thought of me, and busy comparing myself that I didn’t perform in those settings. 

I was playing with so much stress and pressure to achieve a goal I had since I was a little girl. And every day I felt it slipping away. It just wasn’t fun. I wasn’t playing for the love I had for the game anymore.

My senior year I had a couple colleges that were interested in me but I didn’t pursue them because they weren’t places I saw myself going. So without the options I wanted, plus the doubt in my abilities to perform, I stopped playing. 

I took my freshman year of college to just focus on school and at that time I was playing indoor soccer. It was just for fun with friends. There wasn't any pressure. It ultimately lit a fire within and I set my sights on playing at Santa Barbara City College the next year. 

As my second year at Santa Barbara City College came around I felt confident in how I was playing. But I started to feel pressure because this felt like my last chance to get recruited to a 4 year college. I had failed in high school to reach this goal and I didn’t want to fail again. 

But, the same thing that plagued me in high school came up again in my second season. Every time I knew a college coach was at the game to watch me, my anxiety skyrocketed. Even when there were friends or family in the crowd watching me I didn’t play well. It was so frustrating because I performed so well in practice. 

So, it’s no surprise that the school that recruited me, I didn’t know they were at the game watching me. I actually played well because my mind had no idea someone was watching and I wasn’t stressing about it. 

The next year I went to play soccer at a D2 college. When I got to the 4 year university it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.

I went from being a big fish in a small pond to a little fish in the ocean. Everyone was good. And it was intimidating.

But I also felt invisible on my team. I felt like the coach who recruited me could have cared less about me. I didn’t feel like I was given opportunities to prove myself. And I just felt like a cone on the field rather than a player. 

I was miserable. I didn’t know who I was and I was so sad that I wasn’t enjoying playing. My childhood dream came true and I hated it. And as time passed throughout the season I felt worthless, like nothing I did would allow me to be recognized or valued on the team. 

By the end of the season I didn’t want to be there anymore. I began to see this impact me off the field. I barely passed my classes which was so unlike me. I pushed my family and friends away. 

The worst part of this entire situation was that I never told anyone how I felt. I never asked for help. 

Which led to me quitting after that season. I left the school and stopped playing soccer. It wasn’t worth it to me to feel miserable. I just wanted to finish my degree and move on. Because instead of associating soccer with joy, I now associated it with sadness and frustration.

Today, I still wonder if I had mental health resources available or offered to me, would I have continued playing?

I'll never know. But...

Enter Sport Psychology:

The one good thing that came from these experiences was that it strengthened my desire to get into the field of Sport Psychology. I wanted to help athletes. I wanted to give them the tools to overcome mental struggles. Most of all I wanted to provide them with support and allow them to know they don’t have to go through things alone.

After completing my Master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology I wanted to get as much experience as possible so I started interning within different sport organizations.

I interned with LA Galaxy’s youth program in Orange County. I helped the club create programs, events, and an environment that would foster growth for their athletes.

After working there for 6 months, I moved to Austin, Texas where I interned at Texas State University within their Athletic Academic Center. I was a learning specialist and taught their athletes life skills that allowed them to be successful as student-athletes.

I also worked with Austin FC ahead of their inaugural season in the MLS. I helped them develop their first ever youth academy team. I also received a behind the scenes look at the business of professional sports.

These internships provided me with experience in youth, college and professional sport settings. I learned what is needed to support athletes and what will allow them to be successful at all levels.

After these internships I joined a Sport Psychology group practice where I really perfected my craft. I worked one-on-one with athletes to develop their mindset and reach their goals.

After 2 years at this group practice I was ready to take the leap on my own and Pina Performance Coaching was born.

My coaching approach is a blend of my professional expertise, the knowledge and experience gained working with athletes, plus my understanding of the athlete experience. This is why my clients get results.

My clients have:

• Earned D1 and D2 scholarships

• Returned from injury with confidence

• Earned Gold medals at Worlds

• Made Varsity as Freshman

• Qualified for State in High School

• Earned starting spots

• Earned higher rankings

• Earned Player of the Week honors

• Receive National Team invitations

They also:

• Felt more confident in themselves and their game.

• Were able to ease anxiety and have a plan to manage anxiety.

• Released pressure and had more enjoyment when playing.

• Learned how to focus on what is in their control and block out the noise.

• Created a mindset plan so they knew how to mentally prepare, and which skills to use in competitions.

• Developed resilience so that obstacles didn’t take away their belief in themselves.

• Enjoyed playing!

Work With Me:

My professional and personal experiences have given me a drive to take athletes from doubt, frustration, pressure and anxiety to confidence, joy, resilience, and achievement.

My goal is to help elite athletes:

• Feel confident

• Develop resilience

• Perform at their best

• Achieve their goals

• Enjoy their sport

I do this by:

1. Coaching athletes through mental obstacles.

2. Using sport psychology tools and theories to develop their mental game.

3. Celebrating my clients and all of their greatness (and helping them see this within themselves)

4. Providing resources and support to help athletes achieve their goals.

Athletes don’t need to suffer mentally to play at their best physically. In fact, their mindset will dictate how powerfully they are able to access their best game.

I learned this the hard way so that none of my clients will ever need to.

If you’re ready to become the athlete you’ve dreamed of becoming, schedule a consultation to get started!