About Coach Danielle & Mental Skills Training

Meet Your Coach!

Danielle McDonough, M.A. Sport & Exercise Psychology

CEO, Peak Performance Training
Mindset Optimization Coach for Athletes & Parents
Author of The Empowered Athlete: Self-Confidence, Self-Acceptance, and Self-Worth
Official Mental Skills Coach – USA Hockey National Development Program
Official Mindset Coach – Jr. Ducks & Lady Ducks Organizations

I help athletes build the confidence, clarity, and mental resilience they need so they can consistently perform to their full potential—in and out of the game.

I’ve spent my entire life immersed in competitive sport. As a former Division I and professional hockey player, I understand exactly what athletes are navigating in today’s high-pressure environment. I earned my B.A. in Sociology from Providence College on a full athletic scholarship, helped lead the Friars to four straight league championships, captained the team my senior year, and competed in the program’s first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.

My professional career took me across North America and Europe—including two seasons in the NWHL in Ontario, and two more in Lugano, Switzerland competing in the European Hockey League. Those years shaped the foundation of how I now teach leadership, confidence, and mental resilience.

After returning home to Southern California, I earned my Master’s Degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology and founded Peak Performance Training in 2010. Since then, I’ve coached thousands of athletes, parents, and teams—helping athletes earn scholarships, navigate performance pressure, rebuild confidence, strengthen team dynamics, and develop the mental tools needed to thrive at the highest levels.

Today, I serve as the official Mental Skills Coach for USA Hockey’s National Development Program, where I work with the nation’s top youth athletes, as well as the entire Jr. Ducks and Lady Ducks organizations, supporting athletes, parents, and coaches throughout the season.

I’m also the author of The Empowered Athlete, a best-selling guide for athletes and parents navigating confidence, identity, and the mental side of high-level sport. My coaching philosophy is simple: the mental game is harder than the physical game—and when athletes learn how to master it, everything in their performance and personal life begins to shift.

Alongside mindset coaching, I bring 20+ years of hockey coaching experience in individual, team, and camp settings. Hockey remains one of my greatest joys, and I’m passionate about helping the next generation of athletes grow into strong, grounded, confident young people.

On a personal note, hockey is still a big part of our family’s life. I met my husband through the sport, and now we live in Yorba Linda, CA with our two kids, who are discovering their own paths in sport—trying new things, having fun, and learning the value of movement and play along the way.

About Sport Psychology/Mental Skills Training

Today’s athletes are facing more pressure than ever before. The youth sports industry is projected to grow from $30 billion to $70 billion within the next few years—and with that growth has come intense competition, earlier specialization, constant comparison, and a level of stress athletes simply weren’t experiencing a decade ago.

That pressure is taking a toll:

70% of youth athletes quit sports by age 13, most due to pressure, burnout, and stress—not lack of ability.
Anxiety and depression diagnoses in children have risen nearly 30% in recent years.
More than 50% of NCAA athletes report overwhelming anxiety, and
Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among collegiate athletes.

And yet… most athletes receive little to no training in the mental skills required to handle that pressure.

Why Mental Skills Training Matters

Sport psychology is a specialization dedicated to helping athletes and teams build the mental tools that allow them to perform at their full potential—consistently, confidently, and sustainably.

These tools support:

Confidence
Focus
Stress and pressure management
Emotional regulation
Resilience after mistakes
Identity development
Self-trust
Healthy motivation and mindset habits

Mental preparation accounts for 80–90% of athletic success at the highest levels. When athletes learn and implement these skills, they’re not just able to elevate their performance—they’re able to maintain it, even as challenges, setbacks, and competitive demands increase.

The Competitive Advantage No One Is Talking About

As Division I athletic talent continues to spread across more teams, the deciding factor is no longer physical skill—it's mental readiness.

This is why there has been a dramatic rise in elite colleges, national governing bodies, and professional organizations hiring sport psychology professionals. Research consistently shows that a systematic mental skills training program significantly increases:

consistency
confidence
coachability
leadership
overall performance outcomes

In other words:
Athletes who train their mind perform better, last longer, and enjoy the game more.

Beyond Performance: Protecting the Well-Being of the Athlete

Sport psychology is not just about winning games—it's about strengthening the whole athlete.

A trained sport psychology professional provides tools that support the athlete’s psychological health, well-being, and identity development, ensuring they’re equipped to handle:

pressure
mistakes
comparison
team dynamics
setbacks
transitions
and the emotional rollercoaster of competitive sport

With mental preparation becoming the new competitive edge, athletes who develop these skills will not only rise to the top—they’ll stay there with confidence, clarity, and resilience.

What Mental Skills Training Is Not

There are a lot of misconceptions about sport psychology and mindset work. Here’s what it is not:

It’s not “fixing” a broken athlete.
Your athlete is not broken. Mental skills training is about giving them tools, language, and strategies to handle what they’re already facing—not labeling them as a problem.
It’s not only for athletes who are struggling.
High performers, leaders, and already-successful athletes benefit just as much. Mental training is about optimization, not just crisis management.
It’s not just motivational quotes and hype.
This isn’t about clichés or quick pep talks. It’s structured, evidence-based work that teaches athletes how to think, prepare, reset, and respond under pressure.
It’s not therapy.
While sport psychology supports mental and emotional well-being, it does not replace clinical therapy. If an athlete is experiencing a significant mental health crisis, they need a licensed mental health professional. Mental skills training can complement that care but not substitute for it.
It’s not something they “should already know how to do.”
Athletes are rarely taught how to manage nerves, handle mistakes, or deal with team drama—yet they’re expected to perform flawlessly. Mental skills are skills—they have to be taught, practiced, and reinforced.
It’s not just about winning more games.
Yes, performance improves—but the goal is bigger than that. It’s about raising confident, resilient, emotionally aware young people who can handle challenges in sport and in life.

Why Parents Trust Danielle

Because the mental game is harder than the physical one—and Danielle has been teaching it for nearly two decades.

✔ A Proven Track Record With Elite Athletes

She supports national-level athletes through USA Hockey’s National Development Program and works with thousands of competitive youth and teen athletes across multiple sports every year.

✔ A Parent-Centered Approach

Danielle doesn’t just coach athletes—she equips families with tools, communication strategies, and support that make the entire youth sports journey healthier and more enjoyable.

✔ Academic Expertise + Lived Experience

With her master’s degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology and her own years as a Division I and professional athlete, parents trust Danielle because she understands both the science and the pressure.

✔ Tools That Create Immediate Change

Everything she teaches is practical and actionable, giving athletes strategies they can use in practices, games, tryouts, and daily life.

✔ A Philosophy Grounded in Raising Strong Humans

Parents trust Danielle because her coaching strengthens confidence, resilience, emotional intelligence, and identity—not just performance. This leaves them with children who are emotionally resilient human beings who can confidently navigate anything the world throws at them. And there is no greater peace of mind than that.