An 18 year-old elite soccer player steps on to the pitch for what seems like a routine summer training.
There were the same coaches & teammates, the same field, and the same drills.
However, for him – this day felt incredibly different.
He feels a little nervous, but almost in a good way.
He’s not consumed by the fear of failure.
He’s present, focused, and grateful for the opportunity to train.
Unsurprisingly, he goes out and crushes it.
But how did he get here?
A year ago, things looked much different.
He was training harder than ever, chasing personal bests, and pushing his body to the limit.
His entire identity was wrapped up in his sport.
Every opportunity to perform felt like a measure of his worth.
And then, in a split second, it all came to a halt – a torn hamstring took him out of competition for months.
At first the injury felt devastating. The fear of falling behind, of losing his edge, of not knowing who he was without soccer – all weighed heavily on him.
But in that time away, something unexpected happened.
As he and I (coach Adam) started working together, he gained perspective about his identity.
For the first time in years, he was forced to slow down. He spent time with family and friends. He pursued interests outside of training.
He realized that, while soccer was a huge part of his life, it wasn’t the only thing that defined him.
And instead of chasing perfection, he started appreciating the process.
By the time he returned to the pitch, he was a different athlete – not physically, but mentally.
He wasn’t playing to constantly prove himself anymore. He was playing because he loved it.
The pressure had lifted and was replaced by a deep sense of purpose and gratitude.
And on this particular training day, that shift made all the difference. Instead of being weighed down by expectations, he felt light, free, and ready to get to work.
He performed loose, playing his game the way he wanted to play it, without any hesitation.
This is the silver lining of injury.
For many athletes, physical setbacks feel like the end of the world. But sometimes, those setbacks provide exactly what’s needed – a chance to step back, reassess, and transform your mindset.
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.
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.
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.
Danielle Hanus, MA
Monica Russell, MA
