Institute of Sports Performance Texas

Given the focus on athletes' mental toughness, mental health, and wellness, I thought it timely to share my insights into all we just witnessed in these epic Winter Olympic Games.
https://tinssp.com/mental-toughness-in-skating-skiing-and-high-pressure-sports/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQIgt9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeFZAmnQXAjWDAbqNE0ZEFTfnX1vf3o3FHyyZu5lbbtSUVDio_dzAy2ny_2L8_aem_4W5HJp54r8tIB2ym9-3yNQ

Mental Toughness in Skating and Skiing | Olympic Falls and Resilience Discover how mental toughness helps skaters and skiers overcome Olympic falls, chokes, and pressure to build true resilience.

I will be appearing on the Thriving Youth Athlete Summit tomorrow, Saturday, with Maria Ines Flores. We will be discussing my work on the mental and emotional impact of serious sports-related injuries like ACL's.
Please join us. It promises to be enlightening and informative.

I am seeing too many athletes who are suffering reinjury. Addressing the mental and emotional impact of these injuries can help.
Using protocols like Eidetic Imagery and EMDR, athletes can overcome fear, anxiety, grief, loss, and frustration. They can return to play confidently and are sure of themselves. They are free from the fear of reinjury that plagues so many.

Fear of Reinjury Can Contribute to Further Injury – The Institute of Sports Performance For many injured athletes, coming back from a severe sports-related injury can be a terrifying ordeal. Their doctor and PT have cleared them, but they experience fear of suffering another injury. This fear can be debilitating. These fears can complicate their return to play. Many suffer from confusi...

Please read and share this important article on the importance of mental toughness training for today's athlete.
https://tinssp.com/the-importance-of-mental-toughness-training-for-todays-athlete/?fbclid=IwY2xjawNwtGZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHk22SuYFdmcvZ3pF84XfjAKssGVliFfkbBeKC87j4h6HsYHOy8ABcKNYFx0g_aem_QjQcav86k_4UhVMeXSUXBw

The Importance of Mental Toughness Training for Todays Athlete Explore mental toughness training for athletes to unlock peak performance and mastery of the mind and emotions.

It is gymnastics season! My team and I are ready to help with mental blocks, injuries, tough performances in meets, transitioning to a new level, recruiting stress and pressure, and any other stressors your gymnast faces.
I have worked with gymnast from several different countries in the last five Olympic Games. This includes Olympic Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalist, World, NCAA and National Champions. I know the sport well.
Check us out here.

Mental Toughness for Athletes – The Institute of Sports Performance Discover elite mental toughness for athletes and peak performance coaching. Transform your athletic journey with us.

Unfortunately we are seeing more and more athletes struggling with mental health issues. Stress, an out of balance life, injuries, unrealistic expectations, year round training, overbearing coaches and parents, social media, add in the transfer portal and NIL money on the college level. It is obvious something is out of balance in the word of sports.

At just 21, Emelie Petz is making headlines not for her remarkable skills on the gym floor, but for her powerful and vulnerable message that has shocked the gymnastics world. On December 21st, Emelie shared a carousel of photos on Instagram, where she donned her leotard one last time. In the heartfelt post, she revealed the dark side of gymnastics that no one talks about—the mental health struggles that have weighed heavily on her over the years.

"I have fought with myself," she wrote, expressing the isolation and pressure that athletes often face. "I have realized that my injury has shown me that some people are only interested in me when I am successful." These words, raw and real, offer a glimpse into the emotional toll gymnastics has taken on her. Despite the sport's glittering surface, Emelie courageously admitted that she was emotionally scarred by its demands, struggling with an eating disorder and feelings of inadequacy. But there’s more—she isn’t just speaking out for herself. With this confession, Emelie has opened the door to a wider conversation about mental health in sports, sharing her vulnerabilities in hopes of fostering understanding and support.

It’s not easy for someone so young to walk away from a sport that shaped their entire life. But Emelie has made a choice—she’s retiring from gymnastics, and while it’s a devastating decision for her fans, it’s one that highlights the deeper, often unspoken truths behind the pursuit of greatness.

But who is Emelie Petz beyond this moment of reflection? Born in Swabia, Germany, she was the type of kid who would perform cartwheels in her parents' living room, dreaming of becoming a world champion. From those early days at the TSG Backnang gym to her first year competing internationally at the 2019 European Championships, Emelie’s ambition was unstoppable. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a five-time German youth champion and representing Germany on the national team.

Though Emelie’s career seemed poised for greatness, her path was far from easy. She faced numerous setbacks, including an operation and recovery from foot problems, but through it all, her determination never faltered. By the time she made her international debut at the European Championships, she had already overcome so much—yet her greatest triumph was still to come.

At just 16, Emelie achieved something every gymnast dreams of: having a move named after her in the FIG Code of Points. The "Petz" dismount—a challenging bar routine involving a clear straddle circle followed by a front flip with a full twist—became part of gymnastics history. It’s a rare and impressive feat, one that solidified her place in the sport forever.

So, what comes next for Emelie Petz? Her retirement may have been unexpected, but her impact on gymnastics, both through her legacy and her courage in sharing her struggles, will not be forgotten. It’s a bittersweet farewell to a gymnast who, despite her short career, managed to change the game.

I have found a new passion! I love working with high level musicians. It feeds my love of music and get to help create more flow and passion in their music. Piano, flute, cello, harp, guitar. It is so rewarding to see the transformation in musicians who are already extremely talented.

The period after the Olympics is a very significant and powerful time for Olympians and Olympic hopefuls.
This is a time to reflect on your journey, your struggles, and successes.
If you were injured and that prevented you from making it to trials or fulfilling your Olympic dream, there is work to be done to overcome the mental and emotional impact of your injury.
If you made your countries Olympic team but did not have a great experience or did not perform up to your expectations, there is work to be done and learning to be integrated.
I have worked with Olympic athletes from 11 different countries and 13 different sports over the last 5 summer Olympic Games.
Message me to set up sessions to help you process your Olympic experience.
We will work together to help you gain clarity in critically important areas, overcome injuries, better understand what sabotaged or got in the way of your success, move beyond just being happy to be an Olympian, set a plan for the next quad, help with mental and emotional recovery from this grueling last three years.
This is a remarkably rich time for you. Seize the moment.

Excited to present at the NASA Flight Human Optimization and Performance Conference April 20th. It is a privilege to share my knowledge and experience in human performance with this distinguished group.
I will be presenting on Resilience Across the Lifespan.

Space-flight Human Optimization and Performance - Train Like an Astronaut Location | Destiny Theater The post-conference event is designed to endorse a healthy lifestyle by integrating aspects of “Train like an Astronaut” for inspiration. It is accessible to the general public upon purchasing entry to Space Center Houston and is complimentary for participants of the p...

This from the parent of a gymnast I helped overcome a traumatic injury.

“Our son suffered a very serious gymnastics-related injury. He had so much fear and anxiety about the injury that he developed serious physical symptoms in training and competition. Before he met with your team, he was sick at least once a week and missed lots of school and practice. Since he worked with you, the change has been remarkable. He has not been ill or missed any school or practice. His coach said he is doing well and does not seem apprehensive in the least about training or competing on the apparatus he was injured on. We are grateful for the work you did with our son.” ~ Parents of a Gymnast

Overthinking is a sign you aren’t trusting your body.