Kristina: First, let’s make sure you’re in the right place! We have a feeling you’re here because of one or more of the following reasons:
- You’re a parent that wants to help your athlete daughter develop deep confidence in herself so that she can be her best on and off the field/court. You’re tired of her not believing in herself, getting stuck in a spiral of mistakes, and not playing to potential.
- You’re a coach who knows the value of mental training in the success of your athletes and teams, but you don’t know where to start!
Do any of these sound familiar? If so, the Elite Competitor Podcast is for YOU, so stick around and let us fill you in a little bit about why we’re so passionate about creating this resource for you.
Breanne: The first thing you need to know is that Kristina and I are sisters-in-law! We started the Elite Competitor together back in 2018 when we discovered our mutual passion for enabling and inspiring female athletes to show up as the best versions of themselves not only in their sport but across their lives. What started as a pedicure date one day turned into a brainstorming session, the later a business! The truth is that we both have stories of struggling as female athletes growing up trying to find our voice, play with confidence, and break past limiting beliefs holding us back.
Personally, for me it wasn’t until I was a senior in college that I started playing with confidence and actually enjoying my sport (volleyball). I struggled a lot in high school with confidence, but you might not have known that just by looking at me. I played many sports, but volleyball was the one I dedicated most of my time to. I was talented and a good player from the outside, but on the inside I was struggling with self-doubt, pressure that I put on myself, perfectionism, and never wanting to let anyone down. It made me become bitter and burnt-out on the sport to the point that by the time my senior year came around and I was deciding which college to play at, I decided to quit. It was too much pressure. I finished out my senior season and decided I was done. Fast forward to my freshman year of college and I actually did end up missing volleyball and getting an opportunity to tryout and walk-on at the college I chose to attend – Western Washington University, a top DII program in the nation. It was there that I learned for the first time the power of the mind and mental training to develop confidence and what a game-changer it is for performance. The program prioritized mental training and I was able to use actual skills and strategies to handle what was holding me back. I realized that what I was struggling with was normal. By the time I was a senior, I had gone from a walk-on to a full-ride scholarship athlete playing my best volleyball and loving the sport again.
Since then, I’ve dedicated my career to helping athletes learn these skills well before I did. I became a head high school volleyball coach 10 years ago, received a certification as a positive performance mindset coach, and founded the Elite Competitor with Kristina in order to make this possible for as many female athletes as we can.
Kristina: I’ll just add in that at first I was surprised when Breanne shared her story of quitting the sport she loved with. I was surprised because I did THE SAME thing in high school. Volleyball was my #1 sport, but basketball wasn’t too far behind. I grew up playing basketball with my dad and brothers in the empty parking lot across from our house and I went on to make varsity my sophomore year. I had a great coach and a great shot… but I really couldn’t handle the pressure, perfectionism, and fear of what others were thinking of me… especially my friends. Right before my senior year, I decided to quit. I couldn’t take it anymore. I decided to just focus on volleyball, but really I was sad to not be playing basketball any more. To this day, I feel this sadness when I think back, what 20 years ago! And that’s one reason I love what we do. I love that we are helping female athletes learn how to deal with the pressure, to overcome their limiting beliefs, to care about what’s in their control and just let the rest be. I too am a certified mindset and leadership coach and am really passionate about enabling young women with these skills in their sport but more importantly across all aspects of their lives.
Breanne: What we’ve both learned through our own experiences, and later training and coaching certifications is something we don’t want athletes to have to wait to discover on their own. Or worse, struggle with confidence to the point where they quit and never reach their full potential. The strategies and skills to develop confidence and elite performance are available NOW, which is why we’re so passionate about getting high quality mental training into the hands of as many female athletes as possible, and why we’ve created a podcast as a resource for parents, athletes, and coaches!
Kristina: We are SO excited to launch The Elite Competitor Podcast! You can expect weekly episodes dedicated to helping athletes unlock their true potential. We bring you proven systems, strategies, and tips designed to address the underlying causes that are holding female athletes back from playing with confidence and elite performance. Each episode provides actionable ways to utilize high-quality mental training so that athletes can start playing to potential and level-up on and off the court or field.
Breanne: Our goal is that you leave each episode feeling inspired, motivated, and armed with simple and effective ways to make this happen. Whether you’re a parent wanting to know how you can help your daughter play with confidence or a coach who wants to bring this power to your team – there’s something for everyone here in our collective mission to lift our female athletes and allow them to become the best versions of themselves.
Kristina: We’ll end this episode with something you’re going to hear us say a lot. Our mission is to give female athletes what they need to access that greatness that is already inside them.
Check out the bonus Q&A that Kristina surprised Breanne with at the end of the episode! 😉
Helpful Links:
- Visit our podcast website for more on this episode
- Download the free resources we’ve created for you
- Join us inside our FREE Facebook Group – The Elite Competitor Society – for weekly Q&A, periodic trainings and challenges, and the support of an amazing community of moms, coaches, and the men who partner with us!
