There are over 70 million youth sports athletes in the United State and more that 8 million high school athletes.  The majority of them train, practice, and put in countless hours working on their physical skills.  What makes an athlete different?  How does an athlete gain an advantage over all of these athletes doing the same thing? How does an athlete become the best version of themselves? The answer is MENTAL PERFORMANCE TRAINING!

Mental performance training helps athletes develop the mental skills needed to consistently perform at their peak when it matters most. Mental performance coaching focuses specifically on building mental skills like focus, confidence, and resilience to optimize competitive performance. The mind can and should be trained just like the body, but most athletes spend 90% of their training time on physical skills and only 10% on mental preparation. Mental skills can be taught, learned, and improved through training. The most successful performers understand that mental performance is developed through deliberate practice using specific techniques.

My jouney with mental performance began when I attended the American Baseball Coaches Assocation conference more than 20 years ago. I then became fascinated by the subject when I met Dr. Ken Ravizza, also at an ABCA conference, and had a simple but life-changing conversation with him about mental performance. I have continued to learn and teach mental performance skills to my teams for the past 15 years. I am now a Certified Mental Performance Coach hoping to help as many athletes and coaches as possible, and to impress upon everyone the importance of mental performance training.

I am now in my 23rd year of coaching baseball at the high school level. I was an assistant at Paul Laurence Dunbar and Lexington Catholic in Lexington, KY before becoming the head coach at Western Hills High School in Frankfort, KY in 2010. I then went on to be the head coach at Dunbar from 2014 to 2019. I returned to Western Hills in 2020. In August 2021, I was named the new head coach at Lexington Christian Academy.

In my career, I have enjoyed three State titles, coached two Mr. Baseballs, and helped more than 70 players reach the college level and beyond. I have also coached in the youth sports world for the last 15 years. I have coached for numerous summer organizations and am a veteran clinician, instructed at UK summer camps, led high school and youth camps, and hosted private clinics and lessons for players from all over Lexington.

I have been married to my beautiful wife Amy for 14 years and we are blessed with two sons, Maddux (12) and Mason (10). I am an active member of Crestwood Christian Church and I enjoy spending time with my family and friends when I am not coaching.

Coaching for Businesses

Coaching is essential for business because it contributes to developing skilled and motivated employees. It fosters a positive workplace culture, helps businesses achieve goals, and keeps them competitive in dynamic markets.

It's an investment that can yield significant returns in terms of improved performance, innovation, and satisfaction. Check some of the companies that have been helped by CoachAva: