Hockey was my life from as far back as I can remember, but it was a challenging and wild ride. It was like a rollercoaster ride with many achievements and highs, but also full of fears and self-doubt.
I genuinely loved hockey and thought I was doing everything possible to develop as a player. My focus was on everything to do with my physical development, but I failed to take control of my mindset.
I played with the boys until I was 18 – mainly because it was my only option.
When I first started, everyone was always complimenting me on how good I was for a girl, but it was not long before I was told I sucked and should not play with boys.
I endured those negative comments for a long time and am so glad I did…
I Made It On Strength and Work Ethic
That experience taught me that my work ethic and strength were my superpowers, and fortunately, they served me well my entire career.
The environment I played in and the coaches I played for demanded that I push myself in order to keep up with the pace and physicality of the game. They pushed, and I responded… I knew I could not let myself fall behind.
I would describe myself as the “little engine that could” on all my teams. I worked and always went hard, whether we were up by 5 or down by 5 in games. I showed up consistently at practice, ready to pay attention and go hard until the whistle, and even when my teammates told me to cool it, I never did.
I dedicated myself to hitting the gym, got jobs to pay for gym memberships and personal trainers, and grew really strong.
Because of the intensity and drive, I turned into a highly effective power forward.
My strength and hard work are why I won a Canadian Championship with Team Quebec, gota an NCAA D1 hockey scholarship, was invited to the Canadian U22 tryout camp, and was invited to play professionally in Switzerland.
The problem was I didn’t own my successes along the way. Instead, my mindset was full of negativity, self-doubt, and fear.
Holding Myself Back
I had a knack for attributing any success I experienced to external factors rather than acknowledging my own role in it. It was never because of just me; I never owned it…
I attributed my team’s success and personal success to other factors:
“I got lucky today”
“It’s my team that is good, not me”
“Wow the other team played really bad”
I believed, as an elite athlete, you should never be satisfied…
I felt like I did not deserve to be where I was ALL THE TIME, which took an emotional toll on me, and the fear paralyzed me when I was on the ice.
As they say, I was my own worst enemy, and I never took charge of my mindset.
Overrun By Fear
The biggest downfall was that I played with fear. My mind was overrun by it, to the point that I would blackout when I had the puck.
There was so much tension in my body, that I panicked, and I held my stick so tight I could not make a play to save my life. In college, it was the worst. I managed to get about 0.5 points per game because I went hard to the net, but whenever I had a lot of time and space, I had the all-out “YIPS.” It was not pretty…
All this fear was because I spent so much time trying to prove myself and worried about what other people thought of me.
“Who is watching me today? What if they think I suck?”
“What if I make a mistake to upset my team?”
“Will my coach stop playing me?”
These thoughts were endless, and the overthinking was constant.
Every mistake I made weighed me down. I could not let go of them or accept them… I never owned my capabilities.
I put everyone’s opinion of me – ahead of my own…
Causing my career to fly by in a state of constant worry and disappointment.
The Next Chapter
Even though there was so much displeasure and discomfort during my career, I still loved hockey, and the day it came to an end was devastating for me. Luckily, I knew what my next steps were.
From the first hockey camp I worked in college, it was clear that coaching would be what I pursued when my career was done.
After playing in Switzerland, I got my first coaching job at a hockey academy, which ultimately led me to coaching in college for 18 years. Coaching became the avenue that allowed me to stay connected to the sport and it fulfilled me just as much as playing. I loved it.
As a coach, I could see that my athletes were struggling with the same things I did in my playing career. It hit close to home, and I felt like I had to help them. I used what I had learned in my psychology and leadership degrees, and read over 100 books in order to help with their mindsets.
This became my new passion, learning and understanding the importance of mindset.
After 18 years of coaching college, it was time to move on to my next thing, and I recognized that my calling was to be a Mental Performance Coach.
My Dream Job
The transition from coaching to being a Mental Performance Coach was a little bumpy at first, but once I connected with CEP Mindset my dream finally came true.
As I got to work with more athletes 1-on-1, I found myself drawing from the reservoir of my personal struggles and the raw frustrations I felt throughout my career.
My role as a Mental Performance Coach is not just a profession; it’s a passion that comes from my own challenging experiences as an athlete.
As part of the CEP team, I get to help athletes navigate their own journeys and, most importantly, not let fear hold them back, as it did for me. Instead, I help them embrace their love of the game and the process, which paves the way for them to achieve Consistent Elite Performance.
Nicholas Santino is a Senior High-Performance Coach, PhD Candidate, and the official Mental Performance Consultant for Elite Prospects. From his specialized psychology research program, to his PhD studies, Nicholas has gained a tremendous foundation of knowledge and appreciation for the human experience. His passion for psychology has accumulated to a commitment to studying and applying positive psychology and stoicism. This commitment has led Nicholas to conduct many research studies focusing on understanding why and how some people thrive and prosper while others do not. His admiration for evidence-based solutions has propelled Nicholas to produce studies revolving around mindfulness, grit (perseverance and passion), performance, quality participation, social relationships, and well-being.
A Native of Quebec, Sara was part of the St. Lawrence University Women’s Ice Hockey team that competed in the NCAA Division 1 hockey league ECAC. During this time, Sara helped her team appear in four ECAC Hockey Tournaments and two NCAA Frozen Fours, and was a four-time member of the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Squad. Following her career at St. Lawrence University, Sara played one year of professional hockey with Lugano, where she truly honed her skills in understanding the intricate connection between mindset and performance.
Blair has over 13 years of experience as a Professional Dancer, Assistant Dance Captain & Cast Manager, as well as an additional 17 years of training. Over the last 3 decades, she has lived and experienced first hand the highest of highs & lowest of lows that come with pursuing a career in the Performing Arts.
Natasha Habert draws from her training in sport and performance psychology, personal experiences as a competitive athlete, and deep passion for consistent high performance. She is a lifelong athlete and high performer, excelling in volleyball as both a player and coach.
Luciano’s hockey career is highlighted by his time playing college at the University of Victoria and two professional seasons in Europe. Throughout his career, he struggled with performance anxiety, a lack of consistency, fluctuations in confidence, and being caught in the results trap. This eventually led him to deviate from the main reason why anyone should play sports – for the enjoyment of the game. As a former athlete, Luciano has a unique understanding of the psychological pressures and struggles that athletes experience.
Alexis Woloschuk is a name synonymous with mental fortitude in the world of professional hockey. Throughout her career originating playing boys hockey, going to an academy away from home, playing her four years at Boston University and 7+ years in pro hockey she’s learned the importance of resilience, confidence, and dismissing both fear and other’s opinions. With a blend of relatability, confidence, and an acute understanding of playing to one’s potential, Alexis helps athletes reshape the way they perceive and harness the power of their minds.
Sean Mahoney is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), and a Master’s candidate in the Sport and Performance Psychology program at the University of Denver. For as long as he can remember, Sean has been fascinated by human performance and how to gain an edge over the competition. For most of his athletic career, he focused on the physical aspect of performance but neglected the mental. Because of this, he struggled with performance anxiety, focus issues, and limiting beliefs pertaining to confidence and self-doubt. His lack of focus on optimizing his mental game prevented him from reaching his full potential.
Savannah Fitzgerald is earning her M.A. in Kinesiology, Sport Psychology Option at California State University, Fresno. Possessing an internal motor that fires her rage for success, Savannah forged this attribute over five years while competing as an NCAA D-I water polo player and swimmer. Combined with her opportunity to represent and compete for the United States, she feels that sport has significantly impacted her professional development. Due to her personal experience playing at all levels, Savannah’s passion for mental performance began when she struggled to overcome pre-competition nerves and post-competition processing. When she discovered a world out there that people were referring to as ‘sport psychology,’ she felt like a piece of her brain was unlocked. Reality shifted as she stumbled into a space consisting of the most beautiful blend of elite performance, mental well-being, and athletics.
Gabe is currently completing his Master’s in Counselling Psychology at the University of Victoria. Although Gabe played several years of high-level baseball, including a stint in the British Columbia Premier Baseball League (BCPBL), he chose hockey as his sport to pursue at the highest level possible. Gabe went on to play four years of junior hockey with the Richmond Sockeyes in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) while also coaching minor hockey. Prior to junior hockey, Gabe played 3 years in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) where he experienced the pressures and expectations of moving on to the next level. During those three years, Gabe constantly compared himself to others and struggled with coping when things did not go his way. Over time, he learned how to focus on his own process and path to the next level, while also developing strategies to improve well-being.
Louie is a mental performance coach from Toronto, Canada with a professional hockey career spanning over 14 years. Being a standout player at the University of Michigan, Louie was a Hobey Baker finalist and a 1st team All-American, which led him to getting drafted by the Ottawa Senators and playing in renowned leagues across the globe, including the DEL, SHL, and AHL.
Mia Landry is a former varsity hockey player at Brock University, where she competed at the USPORT level and was part of the 2021-22 OUA gold medal team. Mia currently represents Canada on the Women’s National Ball Hockey team and is pursuing a Master of Kinesiology Sport Psychology at her alma mater. Her research focuses on areas such as team cohesion, group dynamics, leadership styles, and sports culture.
As a former member of McMaster University’s women’s soccer team, Emilie intimately understands the demands and challenges athletes face on and off the field. Although she encountered many challenges as a high-level athlete, particularly struggling with self-doubt and overthinking, Emilie was able to make a remarkable transformation when she began to embrace the principles of sports psychology.
Max is currently attending William James College, where he is earning a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology and a Masters Degree in Professional Psychology. During his time as an undergraduate student, Max was inducted into the International Honor Society in Psychology (Psi Chi), and played on the Quinnipiac University men’s club ice hockey team.
