Sanford Sports Mental Performance Coach

Sanford Health•Sioux Falls, SD

2d•$43 - $71

About The Position

The Sanford Sports Mental Performance Coach works directly with Sanford Sports athletes to develop the mental skills needed for athletic performance, personal growth, and long-term success. This role focuses on youth and athletes within all Sanford Sports programs and local partner school programs, delivering age-appropriate mental performance training that supports confidence, focus, resilience, emotional regulation, and healthy performance habits. The Sanford Sports Mental Performance Coach collaborates closely with coaches, strength and conditioning staff, athletic trainers, physical therapists and Sanford Sports leadership to integrate mental skills training into the overall athlete development model. This role is performance-focused and preventative in nature, not clinical. This individual will have three key responsibilities: Athlete Development, Program Integration and Education and communication. This individual will be expected to lead athlete-centered and developmentally appropriate coaching approaches, have strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, and use professional judgment and clear boundary management. Coaching and support must be adaptability across sports, ages, and performance levels and commit to athlete well-being, growth, and long-term development. All other duties as assigned by leadership.

Requirements

Minimum of completed master’s degree in athletic counseling, sport psychology or related field.
Minimum five years’ relevant experience in mental performance and/or mental performance coaching required.
Relevant experience includes 1:1 individual coaching and small group coaching of athletes age 12 and up.
Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) certification required at time of hire. If not obtained at time of hire, it must be obtained within the first year of employment.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate degree in psychology or closely related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Deliver individual and group-based mental performance coaching sessions for Sanford Sports programming including all Sanford Sports Performance, all the Sanford Sports Academies and high school partner schools and athletes.
Teach foundational mental skills including focus, confidence, goal setting, emotional regulation, stress management, and performance routines.
Support athletes in navigating competition pressure, setbacks, transitions, and performance challenges in a healthy and age-appropriate way.
Work collaboratively with appropriate staff, including athletic trainers and physical therapists, for athletes returning to their sport post-injury, providing support and guidance to navigate challenges, rehab process and returning safely.
Adapt mental performance strategies to align with developmental stage, sport demands, and individual athlete needs.
Collaborate with coaches to align mental performance strategies with practice plans and competition environments.
Partner with strength and conditioning staff to support a holistic athlete development approach.
Observe practices and competitions as appropriate to provide contextualized mental performance support.
Contribute to the ongoing development of Sanford Sports mental performance programming and curriculum.
Educate athletes on the role of mental skills in performance, preparation, and recovery.
Provide guidance and resources to coaches and parents, when appropriate, to reinforce mental performance concepts.
Maintain clear, professional communication with athletes, families, and internal stakeholders.
Document sessions and athlete progress in alignment with Sanford Sports standards.
Operate within scope of practice for mental performance coaching and refer athletes to licensed clinical providers when concerns fall outside performance support.
Proactively support and communicate with Sanford Health clinical staff to create a seamless referral system maintaining compliance and guidelines between services that are in the best interest of the athlete and family.
Uphold all ethical standards, confidentiality expectations, and youth protection guidelines and stay current on best practices, research, and trends in mental performance and youth sport development.