News Release: November 5, 2023 - Silicon Valley, California
The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Abigail Eiler, MSW, LMSW-Clinical, QMHP Is A New Level II Certified Mental Game Coach.
 Abigail Eiler, based in Canton, Michigan, has earned the Level II Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Abigail was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Coach, (CMGC).
Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,
“It was a true pleasure having Abigail Eiler join our IMGCA Level II Certification Training Program. Abigail is one of the most distinguished people in the world of social work of sport. She is a leader in the field of social work on many levels. She engages in research and writing, teaches, consults and works clinically with a wide array of people in and out of sport. She has vast experience, and I knew I would be learning quite a bit from her, and I did. She has a fantastic perspective with regard to working in tribal and non-tribal communities. She is also an Athletic Administrator Administrator (serving as Assistant Athletic Director, Chief Diversity Officer, and Director of Athletic Counseling for Michigan Athletics until January 2023), and she has managed and supervised multiple mental health clinics over the past 17 years.
I know it will be very hard to find anyone more experience in the world of social work and sport social work. I learned that she’s doing great things for people at the University of Michigan. She’s highly regarded there. In fact, she received the highest clinical distinction within the Social Work Department, as a Scholar Level Clinical Social Worker.
Abigail always had very incisive questions to ask in class. She also offered her own perspectives and experience very readily, and that helped everyone in the class learn.
Abigail is the real deal. She has virtually done it all in the sport social work world, first as a high-level athlete at the national level, as an award-winning student, as a top educator and clinician and as a leader, across multiple venues.
Abigail was already a potent leader when she came to us, and I know she will be taking the IMGCA materials and helping many more people, both personally and organizationally.
It’s really inspiring when I meet someone of Abigail’s abilities and vision. I know that the future of sport social work will be in good hands through Abigail’s continuing leadership.”
Abigail's Motivations For IMGCA Certification
As a former D-1 athlete who later became a mental health therapist and Director of Michigan Athletics Counseling Team Abigail’s commitment and interest in the mental game has grown to help best support current student and professional athletes. Abigail really wanted to expand her skill set in performance enhancement so she could be even more effective in her work with athletes. Abigail was excited to learn more about advanced mental skill development practices to expand her current practice. She wanted to use this information in performance sessions to enhance the array of current services being provided.
Abigail’s Professional Background In Psychology And Social Work
Abigail Eiler, MSW, LMSW-Clinical, QMHP served as an Assistant Athletic Director, the Director of Athletic Counseling, and a Clinical Assistant Professor in The School Of Social Work at the University of Michigan. She developed a rookie transition program through her consulting and practice firm, Eiler Therapeutic & Consultation Services, LLC. which has yielded great outcomes for professional athletes.
Abigail is very distinguished in her field. In 2015, she was named "Executive Professional Woman of the Year," by the National Association of Professional Women.
Abigail is a licensed clinical social worker and educator with nearly 20 years of experience working in tribal and non-tribal communities across the United States and Canada. She has been a LEO Lecturer in the University of Michigan School of Social Work since 2014, where she teaches various interpersonal practice courses to MSW and PhD students enrolled in the school’s program. Abigail has been a field instructor for MSW and PhD interns from University of Michigan School of Social Work since 2010 and continues to promote the use of evidence-based practices across the life course.
Abigail worked as the Behavioral Health Educator and Clinical Social Worker for Michigan Medicine, as the health system developed their integrated healthcare program across Ambulatory Care Clinics. Also at Michigan Medicine, she received the highest clinical distinction within the Social Work Department, as a Scholar Level Clinical Social Worker.
Abigail is the Director and founding faculty member for the Online Sport Social Work Certificate Program at the University of Michigan:
https://ssw.umich.edu/offices/continuing-education/certificate-courses/sport-social-work-certificate
She was the President for the National Association of Social Workers – Michigan Chapter Board of Directors. She has supported over $8 million in research efforts over the past seven years with emphasis on improving mental health screening and services for youth ages 10-24.
Abigail privately trained swimmers and water polo players extensively for many years. Currently, she is a Clinical Professor at the University of Michigan and she has been teaching since 2014. She consults with various professional athletes and current student-athletes on their performance. As previously shared, she was an Athletic Administrator (Assistant Athletic Director, Chief Diversity Officer, and Director of Athletic Counseling) from 2017 – 2023 when she returned to her fulltime role as the member of the governing faculty. She has managed and supervised multiple mental health clinics over the past 17 years.
Abigail has also worked as a therapist in the juvenile justice system, family support services, and with children and families with attachment and trauma histories in clinical outpatient and medical settings. Abigail believes in teaching social justice and implementing its principles into practice.
She completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan. Abigail was a varsity student-athlete and was awarded a Child Welfare Fellowship under the supervision of Kathleen Coulborn Faller Ph.D., A.C.S.W., L.M.S.W., while achieving her M.S.W. in Interpersonal Practice: Children & Youth in Families and Society.
Abigail is a restorative yoga instructor. She has taken multiple meditation courses to help make her scripts more trauma-informed. She also has taken Jack Lesyk's 2-day Sport Psych Training and has attended conference sessions on mental performance coaching skills and research.
Abigail is also the founder and owner of Eiler Therapeutic & Consultation Services, LLC which delivers expert professional transition services such as mental game coaching, stress management, and psychotherapy. She provides expert testimony for ethics and mental health-related malpractice cases.
You can see Abigail on the web here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-eiler-lmsw-msw-qmhp-4611367/
https://twitter.com/abigaileiler7?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://ssw.umich.edu/faculty/profiles/clinical-and-research/rowea
https://www.instagram.com/a2sportscholar/
Abigail’s Background As An Athlete
Abigail was a multisport athlete from the ages of 5-18. She played D-1 Water Polo, and was a member of the United States Jr. National and Us National Water Polo Team.
Topics Of Study In The IMGCA Certification Programs
With IMGCA you can learn over 700 topics, issues, techniques and methods of the mental game:
https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com/IMGCACertification.html#TopicsOfStudy
Just a few of the areas of study:
- Attention and Concentration Control
- Assessments, both written and oral
- Coaching communication
- Enlisting parents and coaches as allies
- Motivation and goal setting
- Individual differences and customization of coaching plans
- How to read people and understand them better
- How to create rapport
- Using metaphors and analogies in coaching
- Creating a coaching dialogue
- Coaching vs. consulting vs. training vs. teaching
- Conducting the first coaching session
- How to get clients and have a busy practice
- How life stress events intrude on sport performance
- Common mental obstacles to peak performance
- Coaching parents of athletes
- The inner game and zen sports
- Top ten mistakes coaches make in building their business
- Running your business day to day
- Business policies and procedures
- Understanding why and how mental game coaching works
- Personal qualities of a great mental game coach
- Your personal values and how they impact your coaching philosophy
Overview of IMGCA Certification Programs
Level II IMGCA certification requires five hours of live private telephonic or web-based video 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Level II students are required to view six hours of videos, with an additional three hours of video electives, listen to over six hours of audios, with an additional three hours of audio electives, understand how to use a major IMGCA assessment and read 20 articles. Level III and IV IMGCA certification students have access to over 120 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes, over 500 mental training videotapes, over 140 content articles and 12 assessments. Across all certifications, IMGCA has over 140 specialized sport psychology content articles. New content is being added continuously.
Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable, and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level II certification written examination, or submits a final project.
This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Fremont, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.
News Release: September 12, 2023 - Silicon Valley, California
The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Ondrej Kurinec is a New Level I Certified Coach.
 Ondrej Kurinec, based in Dubnica nad Váhom, Slovakia, has earned the Level I Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Ondrej was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Instructor, (CMGI).
Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,
“Ondrej Kurinec is a highly dedicated combat arts coach, trainer and mentor. He greatly values the importance of psychology, both in training and in performing. It was a pleasure to have him in the program. He was extremely diligent and displayed curiosity every step of the way.
Ondrej is one of the top boxing coaches in Slovakia and central Europe. His coaching is very valuable because he has vast experience as a competitor himself, he has read deeply and widely about the psychology of combat sports, and he has now been trained in the IMGCA certification program.
I know that Ondrej will be doing very big things in the combat arts, and specifically in boxing. I will be following his career with great interest.”
Ondrej's Motivations For Undertaking IMGCA Certification
When Ondrej was training as a boxer, he realized that he needed a better mental game. He also appreciated the fact that to be a top-notch boxing coach and combat sports trainer, he needed to be able to teach the mental game to his athletes. When he saw how well-trained Radek Sefcik was from his days with the IMGCA mental game certification training program, Ondrej decided that the program would be extremely valuable for him as well.
https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com/AdvisoryBoard/RadekSefcik.html
Ondrej has been using the strategies, tools and techniques from his IMGCA training program with his clients, and he is also seeing big results.
Ondrej wrote his bachelor’s thesis on motivation and his second degree thesis on mentoring and coaching.
How To Contact Ondrej
https://www.fitfabrik.sk/treneri/ing-ondrej-kurinec
https://www.instagram.com/ok_boxing_coach/
Overview of IMGCA Certification Programs
Level I IMGCA certification requires two hours of live private telephonic or web-based video 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Level I students are required to view 13 videos, listen to over six hours of audios, understand two assessments and read 20 articles. Level III and IV IMGCA certification students have access to over 120 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes, over 500 mental training videotapes, over 50 content articles and 12 assessments. Across all certifications, IMGCA has over 140 specialized sport psychology content articles. New content is being added continuously.
Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable, and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level I certification written examination.
This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Fremont, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.
Topics Of Study In The IMGCA Certification Programs
With IMGCA you can learn over 700 topics, issues, techniques and methods of the mental game:
https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com/IMGCACertification.html#TopicsOfStudy
Just a few of the areas of study:
- Attention and Concentration Control
- Assessments, both written and oral
- Coaching communication
- Enlisting parents and coaches as allies
- Motivation and goal setting
- Individual differences and customization of coaching plans
- How to read people and understand them better
- How to create rapport
- Using metaphors and analogies in coaching
- Creating a coaching dialogue
- Coaching vs. consulting vs. training vs. teaching
- Conducting the first coaching session
- How to get clients and have a busy practice
- How life stress events intrude on sport performance
- Common mental obstacles to peak performance
- Coaching parents of athletes
- The inner game and zen sports
- Top ten mistakes coaches make in building their business
- Running your business day to day
- Business policies and procedures
- Understanding why and how mental game coaching works
- Personal qualities of a great mental game coach
- Your personal values and how they impact your coaching philosophy
News Release: August 28, 2023 - Silicon Valley, California
The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces the publication of Scott Lindow’s new book, The Mind Gym Academy Journal. Scott Lindow, based in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, is enrolled in the IMGCA Level III certification program.
 Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated: IMGCA was founded in 2006, and through those years we have had many certification students write numerous articles and other publications. Some have even written books. Very few have written books in the middle of their certification program. But this is exactly what Scott Lindow was able to do. Scott’s co-author is Thomas Richter. Thomas was one of the basketball and baseball team members who Scott was coaching in the mental arena. Thomas was so impressed with what he learned, that he and Scott decided to write this book. Thomas now plans to work towards becoming a mental game coach.
Scott’s book, The Mind Gym Academy Journal, is a welcome addition to the Mental game literature. Scott’s purpose in life is helping other people grow, and he is doing exactly that in this practical book.
The Mind Gym Academy Journal is now available on Amazon.com:
https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Gym-Academy-Journal/dp/B0C9SNKFXN
The Mind Gym Academy Journal was published July 11, 2023 and is 105 pages. It’s set up in a workbook format where readers can record their thoughts, think about the tools the book presents, reflect on their sport participation, and capture all of that to have a written record.
Here are just some of the vital topics you will find in The Mind Gym Academy Journal:
Goal Setting Strategies: I love how Scott uses the metaphor of microscope and telescope goals. Very clever and very engaging.
Find Your Mission: Understand your values and align those with the vision you have for your sport and your life, and you will become powerful.
Leadership: This involves self-leadership and leadership of others.
The Inner World of the Athlete: Scott shows you how to use imagery and visualization and to use the workshop of your mind for mental practice.
Know What You Can Control, And Let The Rest Go: This is an enduring basic of mental game coaching, but far too many people tend to forget to apply this.
Habits And Rituals: All top athletes respect their rituals and routines. These guide their disciplined will power to getting things done on an automatic basis.
Reflect For Growth: Just as when you work hard at the gym and give resistance to your muscles, they grow afterwards when you rest them. In the same way, as we reflect on and analyze our sport practices and games, we grow in our understanding, insights and perspective.
Review Your Season: The Danish theologian Soren Kierkegaard said “Life can only be understood by looking backward; but it must be lived looking forward.” There is a season for everything, and post-season time is perfect for reflection.
Scott Lindow’s Sport Background
For many years, Scott coached his son and daughters in their sports, and that led him to wonder how he could improve his coaching, particularly in the mental arena. In 2017 Scott was asked to help the newly hired baseball coach at the local high school. Scott had been doing some learning online and reading some books on the mental game of sports.
The first year with the team Scott talked about the how the players could improve the mental part of their game. In the off season next year, he attended a baseball conference where a college coach described how they were using mental training at the college level. On the ride home the day after the conference the head coach asked Scott if he would be interested in learning more about this and teaching the athletes.
After that season with the baseball program, the high school basketball coach saw how much this was helping the baseball team and he asked Scott to start working with the basketball program. They joined the Lead'em up program and used this program, and Scott was able to see how much this helped the kids grow as players, teammates, leaders, and in building a strong culture.
Scott entered the IMGCA certification program to increase his knowledge about the mental game, help him continue to grow his mental game coaching business, help him write his book, and to help him know how to thoroughly help young athletes improving their sport and improve as people. Scott is a lifelong learner and he definitely walks his talk. During his youth career Scott played baseball, football, and basketball. He was a 4-year starter in baseball, and 3-year varsity starter in football.
Over the years Scott has been a volunteer coach of sports, a Head Varsity Coach, an Assistant Coach, and the Mental Performance High School Coach for Basketball, Baseball, Softball. And the Head Coach of The Girls Golf Program at Rice Lake High School in Rice Lake Wisconsin. He has been speaking to youth programs about how to help players and coaches with the mental side of sports. For more than 20 years he has officiated baseball, softball, football, and basketball. He has been on various youth sports boards for baseball and basketball. Scott has a strong background in helping athletes with their breathing, visualization and imagery.
Scott is currently taking classes from Northwoods Technical College in Rice Lake Wisconsin. He is studying in the Human Services Associate degree program.
Scott’s website:
https://www.themindgymacademy.com
News Release: June 22, 2023 - Silicon Valley, California
The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces the publication of Dr. Karla Steingraber’s new book, What’s Your Everest?: How to Win in Sports, Career, and Life (While Enjoying the Ascent).
 Karla Steingraber, Psy.D., based in Northbook, IL, is an IMGCA Level IV Certified Mental Game Coach, IMGCA Certified Golf Psychology Coach and IMGCA Certified Tennis Psychology Coach. She is a graduate of numerous International Mental Game Coaching Association training programs.
Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,
“It’s always exciting when I see IMGCA students growing and developing and adding additional capabilities to their career. It’s even more exciting to see them contribute to the body of knowledge in mental game coaching as Dr. Karla Steingraber has done here.
Karla’s new book, What’s Your Everest?: How to Win in Sports, Career, and Life (While Enjoying the Ascent) is now available on amazon.com:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6P6D6P3?ref_=cm_sw_r_em_ud_dp_635QGYRQB3XD8T9ZMAFJ_1
What’s Your Everest? was published May 10, 2023 and is 277 pages.
What’s Your Everest? Is all about finding, planning for and realizing your dreams, in any area of your life. This book gives you a virtual blueprint for imagining your success in setting forth the pathways that will take you there. This book covers goalsetting, managing slumps, motivation, perseverance and determination, developing grit and mental toughness and an indomitable will to succeed.
A very important message in this book is that we need to enjoy the journey along the way.
As C.S. Lewis said, “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending”.
Dr. Karla Steingraber
I can safely say that Karla is one of most dynamic certification graduates we’ve ever had in the history of IMGCA. She created and executed a beautiful website virtually overnight:
https://evereststrongcoaching.com/
She has a fantastic YouTube page:
https://www.youtube.com/@evereststrongcoaching5526
She’s been a guest on many podcasts and she’s a prolific article writer.
Karla Steingraber, Psy.D., is a highly distinguished licensed clinical psychologist and mental game coach. She has been a leader in professional psychology for over a decade. Dr. Steingraber holds an BA degree from Duke University, majoring in philosophy and German. She earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at The George Washington University in Washington, DC.
She completed her internship at McGill University teaching hospital, in Montreal, Quebec, the Montreal General Hospital (MGH), with rotations in the Psychiatry Department.
Dr. Steingraber has been the President of Aprioris Psychological Health Services in Northbrook, IL for over 10 years. She is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist directing her own private practice, and also contracts with other group practices.
She conducts individual and group therapy with a wide variety of populations, including adults and adolescents. Her firm provides psychological, emotional, and cognitive testing, as well as neuro-psychological screenings to assess for brain damage.
Her specializations include working with children, the developmentally disabled, and those with dual diagnosis. She is certified in QPR and trains lay people in recognizing signs of suicidal thinking and early intervention to prevent suicide.
Over many years she has provided play therapy with children and parent guidance, in both residential and outpatient settings. She formerly provided specialized treatment to residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Dr. Steingraber has been the President-Elect / President / Immediate Past President for the Illinois Psychological Association for the past seven years. She has been a Clinical Psychologists Licensing and Disciplinary Board Member for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for three years. She has been the Vice Chairman Of The Board for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Board of Psychology for the last two years.
Dr. Steingraber has been Associate Chair of the Early Career Psychologist (ECP) Section of the Illinois Psychological Association (IPA).
Karla's mental game coaching firm, Everest Strong Coaching, LLC, coaches professional, semi-professional and amateur athletes, parents and coaches across the full spectrum of services needed for competitive sport, fitness and recreation.
Karla has a long career as a competitive athlete. As a youngster she rode horses competitively and won a number of red and blue medals. She has been a good skier since age five and is now at the advanced level. She is also an avid runner. Karla has run two marathons and is training for her third. She has also competed in numerous shorter races.
Karla also has extensive experience supervising doctoral-level psychology interns at an APA-approved training site.
Karla has provided psychological services across the full spectrum of treatment venues, including residential facilities, outpatient centers, hospitals, nursing homes, weight-management programs, psychology clinics, transitional day programs, and hospital emergency rooms.
She also completed a post-doctoral residency in neuropsychology in Sheridan, Wyoming while working for a residential treatment program for adults with brain injury and brain trauma.
Dr. Steingraber is an Associate Professional Member (APM) in the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP)."
Dr. Karla Steingraber
IMGCA Level IV Certified Mental Game Professional Coach, (CMGPC)
IMGCA Level III Certified Mental Game Master Coach, (CMGMC)
IMGCA Certified Golf Psychology Coach, (CGPC)
IMGCA Certified Tennis Psychology Coach, (CTPC)
Karla's Websites
https://evereststrongcoaching.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachkarlasteingraberpsyd/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/karla-steingraber-northbrook-il/81536
News Release: May 30, 2023 - Silicon Valley, California
The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Rachel Amity, LMSW Is A New Level II Certified Mental Game Coach.
 Rachel Amity, LMSW, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan has earned the Level II Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Rachel was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Coach, (CMGC).
Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,
"Rachel was a complete delight to have in the program. I really enjoyed speaking with Rachel each time. I learned a great deal from her own sport experiences and from her focus as a sport social worker. Rachel has a deep caring for people and a real sense of mission in making her clients lives better. She’s been a lifelong athlete herself so she really understands her clients and is able to connect with them on a very deep level. She speaks their language and is able to create fast rapport and a meaningful relationship with them that helps them understand themselves better and for them to be able to make better choices for their lives.
Not only is Rachel a talented clinician, but she also is an excellent teacher and writer. In 2022 she wrote a superb article about the transitions that athletes go through from high school to college:
https://athletesconnected.umich.edu/making-smooth-transitions/
In 2021 she wrote another excellent article about handling grief and loss in athletics:
https://athletesconnected.umich.edu/handling-grief-loss/
Rachel has the perfect background to continue making a big impact in the sports sociology world. She was a multi-sport athlete (soccer, volleyball, and lacrosse) for many years. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology. She was a resident advisor (RA) in college. Her master’s degree in social work has prepared her beautifully for the clinical side of working with athletes. And now that she has completed the certification program from IMGCA as a Certified Mental Game Coach, she has improved her abilities as a specialist in learning psychology and applied performance psychology. This combination of clinical and educational sports psychology is an incredibly potent profile to have.
Rachel is on a lifelong mission to continue improving her performance enhancement capabilities, and we are extremely glad that she is part of the IMGCA family."
Rachel's Motivations For IMGCA Certification
Rachel is currently a sport social worker and she wanted to enhance her formal training in applied sport psychology and mental game strategies and interventions. She wanted the certification to expand her knowledge and to allow her to provide additional services in her current job working with collegiate student-athletes.
Rachel’s Professional Background In Psychology
Rachel is a licensed Master Social Worker, Clinical Social Worker. Currently, she is an Athletic Counselor, and the Athletes Connected Assistant Director at the University of Michigan in the Athletic Department:
https://mgoblue.com/sports/2017/6/16/athletics-counseling
https://ssw.umich.edu/faculty/profiles/ce/ramity
She is also on the advisory board at the University of Michigan in a program that offers a Certificate in Sport Social Work:
https://ssw.umich.edu/offices/continuing-education/certificate-courses/sport-social-work-certificate
Rachel worked as a student athletic trainer for the football team at her undergraduate institution, Lewis & Clark College. She has worked as a mental health provider for athletes for almost five years where her role also includes program management and administrative duties. She previously worked with college athletes providing academic support. She also teaches multiple courses through the University of Michigan sport and social work certification program. The University of Michigan social work program is ranked number one in the nation.
She is a certified restorative yoga instructor and provides a variety of mindfulness/grounding/breathing exercise interventions in therapy.
Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Masters of Social Work degrees.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-amity/
Rachel is originally from Corvallis, Oregon, where she grew up playing soccer, volleyball, and lacrosse. She participated in competitive sports through high school and participated extensively in music from high school through early college.
Topics Of Study In The IMGCA Certification Programs
With IMGCA you can learn over 700 topics, issues, techniques and methods of the mental game:
https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com/IMGCACertification.html#TopicsOfStudy
Just a few of the areas of study:
- Attention and Concentration Control
- Assessments, both written and oral
- Coaching communication
- Enlisting parents and coaches as allies
- Motivation and goal setting
- Individual differences and customization of coaching plans
- How to read people and understand them better
- How to create rapport
- Using metaphors and analogies in coaching
- Creating a coaching dialogue
- Coaching vs. consulting vs. training vs. teaching
- Conducting the first coaching session
- How to get clients and have a busy practice
- How life stress events intrude on sport performance
- Common mental obstacles to peak performance
- Coaching parents of athletes
- The inner game and zen sports
- Top ten mistakes coaches make in building their business
- Running your business day to day
- Business policies and procedures
- Understanding why and how mental game coaching works
- Personal qualities of a great mental game coach
- Your personal values and how they impact your coaching philosophy
Overview of IMGCA Certification Programs
Level I IMGCA certification requires two hours of live private telephonic or web-based video 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Level I students are required to view 13 videos, listen to over six hours of audios, understand two assessments and read 20 articles. Level III and IV IMGCA certification students have access to over 120 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes, over 500 mental training videotapes, over 50 content articles and 12 assessments. Across all certifications, IMGCA has over 140 specialized sport psychology content articles. New content is being added continuously.
Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable, and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level I certification written examination.
This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Fremont, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.
News Release: May 16, 2023 - Silicon Valley, California
The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Ladislav Melega Is A New Level I Certified Coach.
Ladislav Melega based in Slovakia, has earned the Level I Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Ladislav was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Instructor, (CMGI).
Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,
"Ladislav was a pleasure to have in the IMGCA certification program. He has a wealth of experience in the military, in a number of roles. He is now leveraging that military experience in his law-enforcement career. Ladislav reached out to IMGCA to enhance his knowledge and capabilities as a trainer of people under him. He realized that in law enforcement there was very little hands-on mental training, and very little written material on the mental approach to law-enforcement. I learned a great deal from him from his world as he went through the certification program.
IMGCA has had military and law-enforcement personnel come through the certification program before, and it’s always interesting hearing how our students use our information and adapt to their particular situation.
Ladislav is excited to move to the next level of IMGCA certification, level two."
Motivations For IMGCA Certification
Ladislav undertook IMGCA certification training because he wants to help his team in law-enforcement with their performance enhancement. He also coaches people in sport.
Professional Background
Ladislav served in the military for over 12 years, and now he is a commander and trainer in law-enforcement.
Overview of IMGCA Certification Programs
Level I IMGCA certification requires two hours of live private telephonic or web-based video 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Level I students are required to view 13 videos, listen to over six hours of audios, understand two assessments and read 20 articles. Level III and IV IMGCA certification students have access to over 120 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes, over 500 mental training videotapes, over 50 content articles and 12 assessments. Across all certifications, IMGCA has over 140 specialized sport psychology content articles. New content is being added continuously.
Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable, and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level I certification written examination.
This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Fremont, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.
Topics Of Study In The IMGCA Certification Programs
With IMGCA you can learn over 700 topics, issues, techniques and methods of the mental game:
https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com/IMGCACertification.html#TopicsOfStudy
Just a few of the areas of study:
- Attention and Concentration Control
- Assessments, both written and oral
- Coaching communication
- Enlisting parents and coaches as allies
- Motivation and goal setting
- Individual differences and customization of coaching plans
- How to read people and understand them better
- How to create rapport
- Using metaphors and analogies in coaching
- Creating a coaching dialogue
- Coaching vs. consulting vs. training vs. teaching
- Conducting the first coaching session
- How to get clients and have a busy practice
- How life stress events intrude on sport performance
- Common mental obstacles to peak performance
- Coaching parents of athletes
- The inner game and zen sports
- Top ten mistakes coaches make in building their business
- Running your business day to day
- Business policies and procedures
- Understanding why and how mental game coaching works
- Personal qualities of a great mental game coach
- Your personal values and how they impact your coaching philosophy
News Release: March 23, 2023 - Silicon Valley, California
The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces That IMGCA Certification Graduate Suzanne Marble Has Retired After A Remarkable 30-Year Volleyball Coaching Career.
Suzanne Marble, based in La Conner, Washington, has retired after a remarkable 30-year volleyball coaching career. Suzanne earned the IMGCA Level I Certification in 2013.
Suzanne Marble has one of the most phenomenal volleyball coaching resumes in the USA, over a 30-year coaching career. She won seven state championships and three academic championships, 24 league championships and 18 district championships. She took her teams to 18 consecutive top eight state tournament finishes, with seven state championship titles. She took her teams to an amazing 27 consecutive state tournament appearances compiling a winning record of 574-96. She’s been named Northwest A/B league coach of the year record 15 times, State coach of the year seven times, and All State Team Coach three times. In 2015 Suzanne was inducted into the Washington State Coaches Volleyball Hall of Fame. In 2022 Suzanne was honored with the Victory Club 500 plus wins honor, THE American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) REGIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR AND THE AVCA NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR. In 2023 Suzanne will be inducted into the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Hall of Fame.
Overview of IMGCA Certification Programs
Level I IMGCA certification requires two hours of live private telephonic or web-based video 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Level I students are required to view 13 videos, listen to over six hours of audios, understand two assessments and read 20 articles. Level III and IV IMGCA certification students have access to over 120 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes, over 500 mental training videotapes, over 50 content articles and 12 assessments. Across all certifications, IMGCA has over 140 specialized sport psychology content articles. New content is being added continuously.
Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable, and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level I certification written examination.
This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Fremont, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.
Topics Of Study In The IMGCA Certification Programs
With IMGCA you can learn over 700 topics, issues, techniques and methods of the mental game:
https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com/IMGCACertification.html#TopicsOfStudy
Just a few of the areas of study:
- Attention and Concentration Control
- Assessments, both written and oral
- Coaching communication
- Enlisting parents and coaches as allies
- Motivation and goal setting
- Individual differences and customization of coaching plans
- How to read people and understand them better
- How to create rapport
- Using metaphors and analogies in coaching
- Creating a coaching dialogue
- Coaching vs. consulting vs. training vs. teaching
- Conducting the first coaching session
- How to get clients and have a busy practice
- How life stress events intrude on sport performance
- Common mental obstacles to peak performance
- Coaching parents of athletes
- The inner game and zen sports
- Top ten mistakes coaches make in building their business
- Running your business day to day
- Business policies and procedures
- Understanding why and how mental game coaching works
- Personal qualities of a great mental game coach
- Your personal values and how they impact your coaching philosophy
Overview of IMGCA Certification Programs
Level II IMGCA certification requires five hours of live private telephonic or web-based video 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Level II students are required to view six hours of videos, with an additional three hours of video electives, listen to over six hours of audios, with an additional three hours of audio electives, understand how to use a major IMGCA assessment and read 20 articles. Level III and IV IMGCA certification students have access to over 120 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes, over 500 mental training videotapes, over 140 content articles and 12 assessments. Across all certifications, IMGCA has over 140 specialized sport psychology content articles. New content is being added continuously.
Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable, and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level II certification written examination, or submits a final project.
This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Fremont, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.
News Release: March 20, 2023 - Silicon Valley, California
The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Partnership With The National Amateur Fall Baseball Federation (NAFBF)
NAFBF: Developing and Empowering Student-Athletes
The National Amateur Fall Baseball Federation (NAFBF) is excited to announce their partnership with The International Mental Game Coaching Association (IMGCA). This partnership embodies a commitment to empower student-athletes with the tools needed to reach their recruiting goals through the NAFBF’s Complete Athlete Program. The Complete Athlete Program strives to develop student-athletes through positive reinforcement with a focus on character development, fostering critical leadership skills and encompassing a competitive spirit, on and off the field.
IMGCA Founder and President, Bill Cole, MS, MA, had the following to say about the partnership: “IMGCA is extremely excited to partner with NAFBF in helping young student-athletes reach more of their potential, on and off the field. Since 2006, IMGCA has been committed to assisting athletes in all sports grow and develop into better athletes, and into better people. The NAFBF Complete Athlete program has been crafted to be a comprehensive curriculum for student-athletes, helping them excel in the classroom, on the field and in life. IMGCA and NAFBF are privileged to be able to help young athletes mature and grow into the leaders of tomorrow. It’s been a privilege to be on the NAFBF Advisory Board since 2021. This is the most vibrant, selfless and forward-looking organization I’ve ever had the pleasure to be part of. The people in leadership in NAFBF have the biggest caring hearts for young people I’ve ever seen.”
NAFBF President and Founder, B. Colin Smith added “The NAFBF and IMGCA have formed a partnership that shares best practices, strategies, and information. Through this collaboration we can help members of the amateur baseball community to continuously improve their athletic capabilities while utilizing the services provided by both organizations. At the core of this work is the desire to both ease the stress throughout the career of an athlete, and to develop trusting, caring relationships that let young people know they are valued. Ultimately, our work goes much deeper than just the delivery of these programs.”
The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The IMGCA is the global leader in advancing the growth of the mental game, through its membership programs and also its certification training programs in The Mental Game Of Golf, The Mental Game Of Tennis and at four levels as a Certified Mental Game Practitioner. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. For additional information about IMGCA:
https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com/index.html
 
The National Amateur Fall Baseball Federation (NAFBF) is a premier national organization that combines baseball and leadership opportunities through a methodology that cultivates excellence, belief and achievement. The organization places a strong emphasis on the quality of character and leadership being as important as the quality of game skills. The three core value concepts driving their approach are: Leadership, Character, and Excellence. While the NAFBF is a baseball organization, the Complete Athlete program is available to athletes from a variety of sports and across genders. For additional information about NAFBF online, go to www.nafbf.com
Registration for NAFBF programs officially opens March 1st, 2023.
News Release: February 7, 2023 - Silicon Valley, California
The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Michael Mancini Is A New Level II Certified Coach.
Michael Mancini, based in South Bend, Indiana has earned the Level II Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Michael was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Coach, (CMGC).
Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,
"If I could go into my mad scientist laboratory and create the ideal mental game coach, it would have to be Michael Mancini. It’s hard to find a better, more solid and warmer person than Mike Mancini. Mike is really a standout person. He’s caring and friendly and wants to help everyone become the best version of themselves. Every interaction I have with Mike, whether it’s by video or email, is uplifting, interesting and educational. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from Mike, not only about peak performance, but about life itself. Mike is a family man and loves to help his kids improve and to learn more about how to live better lives.
Mike has an infectious curiosity and passion about the mental game. When I’m around him, I can feel my own curiosity and energy being stimulated ever higher. Mike and I always have wonderfully collegial and deeply interesting conversations in our classes.
Mike went through IMGCA Level Two Certification training at a very intense and steady clip. He wanted to take all the certification content in as quickly as he could, whether it was articles, videos, audios or assessments. I’ve been mentoring coaches, training and teaching coaches at the university level since the early 80’s, and running IMGCA since 2006, and I continue to get a real thrill out of working with high-quality people such as Michael Mancini. I know that with Mike at the helm, his clients will be in superb hands.
Mike has put together a fantastic sport psychology website. His company name is Top Mental Performance, LLC. The website:
https://www.topmentalperformance.com/
With all of Mike’s years in academia, coaching and teaching, he has developed into a wonderful writer. He writes on a wide array of topics in the mental game in his blog:
https://www.topmentalperformance.com/blog
Mike coaches adults and kids and individuals and teams across all sports, and he’s currently specializing in baseball, golf and hockey. I strongly suggest you check out Mike’s website and contact him. He has a huge amount to offer and I know you could benefit from his years of experience as an athlete, sport parent and as a coach.
Mike's Motivations For IMGCA Certification
Mike has always had a passion for sports and he actually started a graduate program in Sports Psychology at Michigan State University in 1984, after doing his undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. From his perspective at the time, it looked like the field was very much in its infancy and the few Sports Psychology professionals that were practicing in that arena were coming out of Ph.D. Counseling Psychology programs. He ended up leaving the program and pursuing other options, based on not wanting to pursue a clinical perspective. He has always kept that passion for sports to this day.
During the pandemic he discovered meditation and mindfulness and has started practicing that with tremendous results on a personal level. Combining that with having an 11 year-old son who is sharing a passion for sports, as well, this has Mike rediscovering the field of Sports Psychology / Mental Performance again. His son loves to play, but also has had some performance issues that have shown up during the last year. So, Mike started to share some meditative practices with him. As they got into that, Mike noticed that as he started to get into higher levels of his sports (baseball, hockey and golf), he has seen some mental performance issues pop up for him in those areas as well. He and his son are great at practice but play less well during actual games. So, Mike began his search to find techniques and methods to help them play more to their potential. Mike noticed that the meditation and mindfulness practices certainly are part of that, but he wanted to go beyond that and learn mental strategies and techniques specific to sports. He found Harvey Dorfman's books on Mental Performance as it relates to baseball, as well as Dr. Ken Ravizza’s and Dr. Tom Hanson's work in that area as well. So, he started to dive into those works. Along the way Mike also read Bob Tewksbury's and George Mumford's work on Mental Performance. All of that has led Mike to think of trying to do something not only for his son, but for other youth players. Mike would like to coach his son’s teammates and perhaps others in that age group of middle to high school players. The lessons learned in the mental performance arena can go a long way to not only improve a young person's performance on the field, court, ice, etc. but also in navigating through life. Mike specifically wants to work with youth on the mental performance side, as the sports environment has always been his passion, and lessons learned there can truly translate into other areas of their lives.
Mike’s Professional Background In Psychology
Mike started a graduate program in Sports Psychology at Michigan State University in 1984 after doing his undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. He really enjoyed reading a wide variety of sports psychology books and in particular, books on baseball psychology. Mike has put together a set of lessons to work with youth in sports based on that research.
Mike is a 1984 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a BA in Psychology.
Mike is also a 1989 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a Master of Science in Administration.
He also has done some graduate work in Sports Psychology, at Michigan State University.
Mike’s Other Business Background
All of Mike’s work has been in higher education, either working individually with students, fundraising, or, now in an administrative area running a department. Mike is the Director of the Professional Development Department at Indiana University in South Bend, Indiana.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-mancini-bb168545/
https://www.iusb.edu/professional-development/index.html
Topics Of Study In The IMGCA Certification Programs
With IMGCA you can learn over 700 topics, issues, techniques and methods of the mental game:
https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com/IMGCACertification.html#TopicsOfStudy
Just a few of the areas of study:
- Attention and Concentration Control
- Assessments, both written and oral
- Coaching communication
- Enlisting parents and coaches as allies
- Motivation and goal setting
- Individual differences and customization of coaching plans
- How to read people and understand them better
- How to create rapport
- Using metaphors and analogies in coaching
- Creating a coaching dialogue
- Coaching vs. consulting vs. training vs. teaching
- Conducting the first coaching session
- How to get clients and have a busy practice
- How life stress events intrude on sport performance
- Common mental obstacles to peak performance
- Coaching parents of athletes
- The inner game and zen sports
- Top ten mistakes coaches make in building their business
- Running your business day to day
- Business policies and procedures
- Understanding why and how mental game coaching works
- Personal qualities of a great mental game coach
- Your personal values and how they impact your coaching philosophy
Overview of IMGCA Certification Programs
Level II IMGCA certification requires five hours of live private telephonic or web-based video 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Level II students are required to view six hours of videos, with an additional three hours of video electives, listen to over six hours of audios, with an additional three hours of audio electives, understand how to use a major IMGCA assessment and read 20 articles. Level III and IV IMGCA certification students have access to over 120 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes, over 500 mental training videotapes, over 140 content articles and 12 assessments. Across all certifications, IMGCA has over 140 specialized sport psychology content articles. New content is being added continuously.
Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable, and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level II certification written examination, or submits a final project.
This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Fremont, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.
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