OUR APPROACH
At Hoops Minded, we believe the mental side of the game shapes performance as much as the physical. Our work is evidence-based: research-grounded frameworks, applied by getting to know each athlete and honing in on the specific challenges they face. Every engagement is led by a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC®).
PHILOSOPHY OF PRACTICE
I grew up in sport and later coached, where I saw how much the mental side shapes performance. That led me to master’s-level training in sport psychology and the CMPC® credential from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. My philosophy of practice is shaped by both. It rests on genuine regard for each individual and the belief that athletes hold their own best solutions; my role is to help them identify those solutions by asking thoughtful questions.
My work is also grounded in the Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) approach developed by Gardner and Moore. In this approach, thoughts and emotions are understood as passing events in the mind rather than facts that must be acted on; they can be noticed, accepted, and let go. The aim is to return, again and again, to the present moment and the task at hand.
WHY MINDFULNESS FITS BASKETBALL
Basketball, like many sports, is ripe for the Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment approach. The game moves constantly, and mistakes are baked into the very fabric of play. There has never been a perfect game: even when a player shoots perfectly, there is bound to be a turnover or a missed box-out. Mistakes often leave a residue, and a player may perseverate on one for three, four, or five possessions.
A mindful approach keeps the player present in the only possession they can truly impact: this one. They are unencumbered by past misses and unconcerned with future outcomes. Whether the team is down by eight or up by eight, what matters is the question: can I effectively use my skills in this present moment?
MINDFULNESS IN PRACTICE
The primary tool for developing mindful awareness is meditation. In most sessions, I guide athletes through a meditation, either as a standalone practice or as a precursor to imagery work. Meditation is part and parcel of developing the awareness we call mindfulness. Beyond meditation, we use a range of breathing and grounding techniques to keep the athlete anchored in the present moment.
Three common misconceptions about mindfulness are worth addressing:
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“Mindfulness means clearing your mind.” We cannot stop thoughts from occurring; trying to is futile. What we can do is notice when the mind has wandered and return, again and again, to the present moment and the task at hand.
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“Mindfulness is soft.” Far from being soft, mindfulness is a trainable attentional skill, supported by research in sport psychology and used by elite athletes, coaches, and championship teams to perform under pressure.
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“I’m bad at meditation.” There is no such thing as being bad at meditation. A wandering mind is not failure; noticing it and returning is the practice itself. For athletes who find sitting still difficult, walking meditation, simply single-tasking on each step, is often a natural place to start.
HOW WE WORK
We start with a foundation. Sessions are weekly, or at least every other week, to establish the foundation of the mental game, and we don’t skip steps. Work begins with a needs assessment: open-ended questions, plus questionnaires and assessments, to really get to know each individual’s needs. Just as important is building rapport and trust, so athletes feel comfortable sharing and being introspective with someone they’ve just met.
Two validated assessments anchor this process: the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI-28) and performance profiling. Performance profiling is particularly valuable for structured reflection: athletes identify the mental performance skills most relevant to their own performance and rate their current proficiency in each. This generates meaningful discussion of their present strengths and areas for development, how they can improve, and which athletes they see as role models in each area.
Assessment is ongoing throughout our work, but it is especially critical at the start. It typically takes shape in the first session and continues over the next few, as we review what has been generated together. The process is primarily a collaboration between the athlete and their consultant. When helpful, a coach or parent may be invited to share their own evaluation, but the athlete’s perspective remains central.
BETWEEN SESSIONS
Between sessions, athletes generally engage in:
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Performance reflection: identifying what went well, what could have been better, and what they learned.
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Meditation, to build the habit of getting present.
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Mental preparation before an upcoming contest, using a structured preparation framework we work through together.
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Targeted handouts, such as an assessment or an exercise addressing a specific mental skill or concept.
WORKING WITH PARENTS
When working with minors, we collaborate with parents within clearly defined boundaries. Sessions are confidential. With the athlete’s explicit agreement, established at the outset and revisited as needed, we may share general themes with parents, including terminology the athlete has developed, so that parents, who attend games and are often an athlete’s strongest supporters, can reinforce it. Only information necessary to support the athlete is shared.
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
Mental performance consulting focuses on performance and well-being in sport; it is not psychotherapy. When concerns arise that fall outside that scope, we discuss them openly and may suggest a licensed mental health professional. Referrals are made collaboratively and are always the athlete’s choice, except where safety requires otherwise.
READY TO START?
Book a free 20-minute phone consultation to talk through your goals.