More About Annie

Howdy! My name is Annie and I am a Certified Social Worker (CSW) in Kentucky, a Certified Mental Performance Consultant in training, a NCAA DII Women's Soccer Assistant Coach, and a Ph.D. student in the University of Kentucky's College of Social Work where I am a Graduate Research Assistant in UK's Sport Social Work Research Lab. I was also awarded the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award Regional Honoree issued by ESPN for my work in positive youth development in sports in rural communities. 

In addition to my professional experience, my personal experiences inform my approach to this work: I played soccer competitively since age 4 and played on several teams that won state, regional, and national titles. In high school, I played on one of the top Elite Clubs National League teams in the country and played on the U14, U16, and U18 U.S. Youth Futsal National Teams. Throughout my career, I struggled with self-comparison, performance anxiety, and an undiagnosed eating disorder. When COVID-19 hit, it allowed me the time and space outside of my sport to meet virtually with a therapist and a mental performance coach. Those experiences changed the trajectory of my personal and professional life. 

Our lived experiences shape who we are. I share my own to underscore my commitment to ensuring the services I offer are authentic, tailored to individuals' own lived experiences, and incorporate a whole-person approach. I bring both professional training and lived experience into my work with athletes, teams, and high-performers across domains. My approach emphasizes mental skills training, emotional regulation, identity development, and sustainable performance—so clients can thrive not just in competition, but in life beyond their sport.

Outside of my professional life, I love collecting vinyl records, searching for the best iced oat milk latte, and spending time with my cat, Butters. Previously, I ran marathons, and have recently begun pursuing trauma-informed weightlifting. I currently coach soccer at the collegiate level while finishing my Ph.D. in social work, with an emphasis in sport social work.

I'm so excited to work with you and share these services to help individuals, teams, programs, and coaches meet their full potential in and out of sport! For any questions or to connect about services, please fill out the forms under the services offered or contact me at: arenamentalperformance@gmail.com