Presenter
Rebecca Smith, MA
Friday, August 7
3:45 – 4:45 pm
Building an Athlete Wellness Program in Your Gym: A Practical Blueprint for Happy, Healthy, High-Performing Athletes
Learn how to build a sustainable wellness program in your gym that supports happy, healthy, high-performing athletes. Mental Performance Coach Rebecca Smith, M.A. and Head Coach and Nationally Ranked Judge, Maureen Koehler will walk you through the essential components: mental training, nutrition, and sport-specific rehab. Learn how to choose the right professionals, fund the program, and get coaches and parents on board. You’ll leave with a clear framework you can use to construct a wellness program that can help athletes communicate better, stay healthier, and perform with confidence in the gym and beyond.
Saturday, August 8
9:30 – 10:30 am
Unlocking Athlete Drive: A Modern Approach to Coaching Motivation
Athletes aren’t born motivated. They’re inspired into it. In this session, coaches will explore what truly drives effort, resilience, and joy in young athletes. You’ll begin by reflecting on your own coaching journey and the beliefs that shaped who you are today. Then, we’ll dive into the sport science behind motivation, including Self-Determination Theory, which shows that when athletes’ basic psychological needs are met, their motivation, wellbeing, and performance naturally rise. Coaches will walk away with practical strategies to spark intrinsic motivation, build trust, increase effort, and create a training environment where athletes feel empowered to push themselves. This session blends research with real-world tools you can implement the very next practice.