As a parent, watching your child chase their dreams is both exciting and emotional. Our daughter has always been passionate about basketball, but she’s also always been her own toughest critic. No matter how well she played, she’d zero in on every mistake, replaying moments in her head and putting enormous pressure on herself. As the competition intensified in high school, that self-pressure started to affect her confidence. That’s when we were fortunate enough to find Coach Val. Working with Coach Val has been truly transformational. She helped our daughter shift her mindset—teaching her how to manage that inner voice, stay grounded under pressure, and move on from mistakes in a healthy, productive way. She’s not only performing better on the court, but she’s happier and more confident off the court too. What impressed us most is how Coach Val really saw her—not just as an athlete, but as a whole person. She created a safe space for our daughter to open up, and the impact of that connection has been profound. This wasn’t just about sports—it was about growth, resilience, and self-belief. We are so grateful to Coach Val for helping our daughter trust herself again. If you’re a parent of a young athlete who tends to be hard on themselves, we can’t recommend this experience enough. It’s been a true game changer for our family.

Our daughter is a senior this year in high school and just wrapped up her final season of AAU. We were referred to Coach Val in the spring time when our daughter was struggling with her performance in her first few AAU tournaments for the season. She is a high-level basketball player and regarded as one of the best players in the state however, going into spring AAU she had zero offers. The pressures of playing on a new team and trying to earn college looks while also battling her way off the bench on a stacked team was getting to her. She found herself second-guessing her decisions during games and playing like a completely different person. After only a couple sessions with Coach Val, we saw a huge improvement! Her mental preparation for games was focused and her evaluation of her play after games was much more productive. She no longer was beating herself up for minor mistakes, instead she was focusing on the things that she could control and figuring out ways to fix those mistakes in her next games. While our daughter was on the road away from us, we worried that she would struggle with bouncing back after difficult games, but with the help of Coach Val she didn’t have that problem and her difficult games became less and less frequent. The affirmations, goal setting and visualization work that she learned with Coach Val are invaluable tools she can use in every aspect of life. Our daughter ended the season with multiple offers and is now committed to play at D1 school after she graduates! We are so thankful for the work that they did and the impact that Coach Val has made on her.

Working with Coach Val and the mental app has greatly improved my mental game, confidence, and ability. I never really paid attention to my mental game before like many athletes , but I did know it was important. I’ve always been told that being mentally strong in sports is one of the most important aspects of it as well but I never really knew how to manage it and actually work on it. Coach Val helped me out a lot in recognizing what the mental game is and how greatly it can affect your physical output. Your mental health is a great portion to how you perform and learning how to manage and handle it can greatly increase your focus, goals, and in game performance. Coach Val pushed and helped me to realize how important my mental game is and how I could implement it in my daily life, and in my game to better understand myself, and my aspirations.

Coach Val has helped me unlock unknown potential for my mental game. I am a much calmer and wiser player because of her. Most importantly, with her emphasis on a positive mindset, I had the most fun competing this season because I am overthinking less and actually enjoying the ups and downs of the game

Our family was fortunate to find Val to help our daughter navigate through competitive USAV North Texas Volleyball. Our daughter spent hours and hours on the court physically preparing for competition. She did not have the skills to always prepare mentally. Val has personal experience as an athlete at the highest levels and as a parent of athletes. She displays empathy and knowledge of what it takes to compete and the necessary mental mindset. Val had multiple tools in her toolbox and used a variety of methodologies to connect and make progress with our daughter. She also had great follow-up, not only preparing in advance of competition but follow-up after or during to find out how our daughter was processing and using what she was learning. Our daughter gained confidence, had fewer errors, and displayed the “next ball” mindset.

This has been one of the best decisions we have made for our team. Val was able to bring an amazing level of excitement for the future of our program. Every single player loved her sessions. It is almost a miracle how she was able to engage everyone in the conversation. We had two sessions so far but every single player on our team is asking for more. The positive impact of the sessions with Val Whiting is already evident. We just can’t wait for the next season. The championship mindset is now a part of who we are, it’s part of our identity because of our work with Val and because of her amazing program. For any program or any individual who is shooting for the moon, who wants to be elite in their respective sport, this program is a must. It is a difference-maker.

Even when I wasn’t getting playing time, I didn’t lose confidence—and that’s because of the work I did with Coach Val. We met every week, and she was always there through text and voice messages to keep me locked in. I learned how to let go of mistakes, use reset words, and stay mentally sharp through visualization and the workbooks she gave me. My mindset shifted. I stopped worrying about things I couldn’t control and focused on getting better every day.

Working with Coach Val changed the way I approach the game. I used to get in my head after mistakes or let pressure mess with my confidence. Now, I feel way more calm and focused on the pitch. The self-talk routines, visualization, and tools she gave me to reset when things go wrong have made a huge difference in how I perform—and how I carry myself off the field too. My confidence has grown, and I actually enjoy the game more now.

The things I have learned have been extremely helpful from the very beginning. At first I wasn’t sure if it would make a big change or not because it felt so small but it definitely made a huge change in my mentality. Before working with you I was throwing up at meets because of how nervous I was and I didn’t really know why. My form would also be bad, and generally everything was horrible. But then I just bought into the process; I started to believe in it even if I had to force myself to. Once I did that everything started to flow, I wasn’t getting nervous at meets and throwing up, I was getting hype and ready to race. My form was better than ever, and my racing has been the best it ever has been even after a 6-month break. All I had to do was listen and do what I had to do, to get my mental game straight. Something unexpected was that my mental game in swim got better but so did my mental game outside of swim, I became a much more mature person as a result. And I think that was the thing I loved most, not only did I improve in something I love but my whole life as well.

Before working with Coach Val, I thought sports were mostly physical. I didn’t really think mental training could make a difference. But through this experience, I realized that your mindset is just as important if not more. One of the biggest shifts happened during my swim meet in December. I mentally locked in like never before, and it became one of my best races ever not just physically, but mentally too. That’s when I knew this stuff really works. At first, I was skeptical. I wasn’t sure if any of it would apply to me or even work. But as I started learning and actually using the tools, I saw that not only do they help in sports, they help in everyday life. I’ve grown a lot through this process. I’ve learned to try new things, stay calm, focus on what I need to do, and just go get it done. The conversations and strategies we worked through each helped me in a different way. Coach Val showed me what I can be when I really commit to it. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone, especially someone who’s unsure like I was. Just try it, it actually helps. Thank you for everything, Coach Val!

Working with Val has been one of the truest blessings. Having worked with 6 kids. I can say that I have seen a change in how they approach practice as well as when it is time to perform. The best part for me is to hear a kid tell me that they are meeting with you and be very excited because they know the nuggets they are going to get will serve them well. I have also seen each one of the kids you have worked with become more mature about their performance. Lastly. They have all become students of their sports which for me is amazing to see. Thank you

At first, I honestly thought this mindset coaching stuff was a little crazy like, how could it really help me? But over time, everything started to click. The biggest shift for me was learning to focus only on my race plan, not on anyone else’s times or strategies. That completely changed how I show up at meets. I remember one moment in February, standing behind the blocks, when I told myself, ‘I can do this. I will do this.’ I felt a little nervous, but I also felt confident and that was huge for me. Through this process, I’ve learned to treat every swim the same, whether it’s at practice or a meet. That mindset took so much pressure off and helped me actually enjoy racing. I used to stress about big meets, but now I take it one event at a time, stick to my plan, and even have fun. The biggest growth? I’m more comfortable in myself. I’ve stopped wasting energy on things I can’t control and started focusing on what I can. That’s been a game-changer.”

Working with Val has had a wonderful impact on our daughter. We have seen real growth in her confidence and her sense of herself as an athlete. Val gave her tools to get her mindset right--not just for tournaments, but for each and every practice. I saw my daughter take ownership over her athleticism and develop strong habits. Our daughter had her best tournament to date while working with Val...and this season was given the Coach's Choice award!

Before I met mental performance coach Val Whiting, I was drowning in anxiety and struggling with confidence—both in practice and in games. My freshman year in college was rough. I had all the skill in the world, but I couldn't access it because of the mental weight I was carrying. I started the season confident and ready to dominate, but after just a few weeks in an environment that made me feel small and unworthy, everything began to unravel. My confidence faded, and the anxiety took over. No matter what I did on the court, it was never enough. I was constantly singled out for criticism and spoken down to by my coaches and compared to other players. Over time, I lost the love I had for the game. It reached the point where I didn’t even want to play anymore. I preferred sitting on the bench to avoid making mistakes. When I did get in, I was terrified—afraid to play defense, which used to be my favorite part of the game. And if the ball ended up in my hands, panic set in. A single mistake would send me into full-on hyperventilation. After every game, I’d break down, longing to be the version of myself that once played freely and fearlessly. I kept thinking about all the work I put in over the summer and how it suddenly felt like a waste. Just two months into the season, I was already feeling depressed, anxious, and completely lost—until I met Val. She became the outlet I needed, someone I could open up to without fear or judgment. She gave me tools, guidance, and perspective. She showed me how to rebuild my confidence and strengthen my mindset. Thanks to her, I’ve learned how to play with resilience and mental toughness. I’m no longer paralyzed by fear or self-doubt. Now, as I step into my sophomore year, I’m more prepared—mentally and emotionally—than I’ve ever been.

When our kids decided to be athletes, we noticed that both of them had similar problems. When things didn't go well for just a second, they would not be able to recover. That concerned us because they both had expressed that they wanted to take their respective sports to the next level. We sent them to Val because we knew that not only was she qualified to lead them in the right direction, but she had been where they wanted to go. As it turns out, we made the correct decision. Our eldest is a division 1 college swimmer, and our youngest is planning on turning pro in tennis in a year. But more than their athletics, they both use the tools that she has given them in their lives. Thank you, Coach Val, for what you have meant to our family.

We are incredibly thankful for the impact Coach Val Whiting has had on our son through her mental performance coaching. Her work with him has been transformative—not just for his sport, but for his overall confidence and mindset. Coach Val has a unique ability to connect with young athletes and teach them how to manage pressure, build resilience, and develop true mental toughness. She helped our son understand how to stay focused, reset after mistakes, and approach competition with confidence. He developed strategies to overcome setbacks mid-game and developed higher levels of resiliency. To this day, our son practices visualizations before his games, mindfulness in his practice, and a calmer, yet more precise focus in his game. What stands out most is how much she genuinely cares. She holds athletes accountable while creating a safe space for growth. Our son now approaches both sports and life with a stronger sense of process-focused goals (rather than outcome focused). These skills have translated for him beyond basketball and into everyday life, as well as school. We highly recommend Coach Val to any family looking for a mental performance coach who understands athlete psychology, resiliency, the science behind what true confidence is, and improved life skills.