Danielle McDonough M.A.

I’m a former Division I and professional hockey player, best-selling author of The Empowered Athlete, and Mindset Optimization Coach with a Master’s Degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology. I have nearly two decades of experience working with athletes, parents, coaches, and sport organizations, and currently serve as the Mental Performance Coach for the USA Hockey National Development Program as well as the Anaheim Jr. Ducks and Lady Ducks organizations. My approach goes far beyond helping athletes “think positive” or simply play better in big moments. I help athletes understand what is happening inside of them when pressure rises, confidence drops, mistakes happen, emotions take over, or their sense of self starts to feel tied to their performance. Then, I teach them how to work through those moments with practical tools they can use in games, at practice, in the car ride home, in the locker room, at school, and in life. Sport may be the vehicle that brings athletes and families to me, but the work we do together is about so much more than sport. Through mental performance training, emotional regulation, confidence-building, and parent support, athletes learn how to trust themselves, handle adversity, recover from setbacks, and respond to pressure in healthier, more productive ways. Yes, these tools can improve performance, often faster than families expect, but the bigger goal is helping athletes build skills they will carry long after their playing days are over. What makes my work unique is that I support the full athlete experience, not just the scoreboard or stat sheet. My goal is to help athletes feel confident, capable, and empowered — not just because they perform well, but because they know who they are, how to support themselves, and how to rise through adversity both in and out of the game.