How Did Former NWHL Player Danielle McDonough Master the Mental Game

In this episode of "Spirit of an Athlete," host Amanda Smith interviews Danielle McDonough, a former Division One and NWHL hockey player turned mindset coach. Danielle shares her journey from playing on boys' teams in Southern California to her collegiate and professional hockey career. They discuss the challenges of the recruitment process, the importance of mental resilience in sports, and Danielle's transition to mindset coaching. Danielle emphasizes the significance of mental skills training and introduces her book, which aims to help athletes strengthen their mental game. The conversation highlights the evolving landscape of sports and the critical role of mental health.

Connect with Danielle:
Free eBook link:
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/a9udvj6bzh

Amazon book link: 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMT2NXCM

IG: @Danielle__McDonough (two underscores in between)

FB Group: 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredathlete/

Email: danielle@ocppt.com

Website: 
https://www.ocppt.com

Free Confidence Booster Checklist: 
https://www.ocppt.com/confidenceboosterchecklist"


Time Stamps: 
Danielle's Early Hockey Journey (00:01:39): Danielle shares her beginnings in hockey, which were influenced by her Canadian parents and her experiences on boys' teams.

Transition to Girls' Hockey (00:02:14) She talks about the challenges of playing with boys and the formation of a girls' hockey team in California.

Recruitment Process (00:03:35) Danielle describes being recruited for college hockey, her choice of Providence College, and her experiences as a captain.

Playing Professionally (00:04:36) She discusses her transition to the NWHL and her time playing in Switzerland before retiring from professional play.

Pursuing Education (00:05:35) After retiring, Danielle pursued a master's degree in sport and exercise psychology, focusing on athletes' mental performance. 

Mindset Coaching (00:06:38) Danielle explains her work as a mindset coach, helping athletes overcome mental barriers to excel in sports.
 
Psychosocial Challenges (00:07:49) Danielle shares a humorous yet uncomfortable locker room experience highlighting her psychosocial challenges.
  
Transitioning from Hockey (00:21:58) Discuss the challenges faced when transitioning from competitive hockey to life after sports at age 26.
 
Emotional Decisions in Sports (00:23:05) Danielle reflects on the emotional impact of leaving professional hockey after a successful season.

Finding a New Path (00:26:33): Danielle talks about searching for a new career in sports psychology and the support she has received from her family.

Working with Young Athletes (00:37:44) Danielle shares her experiences coaching mental skills to younger athletes and preparing them for challenges.

Teaching Breathing Techniques (00:40:49) She emphasizes the

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Website: Body Whisper Healing
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Take the Gutsy Chick Quiz to find out how your athletic mindset might be holding you back from healing your chronic health issue: https://gutsychickquiz.com

Transcript

0:19

Welcome back to another episode of spirit of an athlete. I'm your host, Amanda Smith, and on this episode I have Danielle McDonough, who is a former Division one hockey player, NWHL hockey player, and also played internationally as a hockey player turned mindset coach for athletes of all sports along with all ages. On this episode, we dive into her history from when she started playing hockey all the way through to the end of her career, and now what she does to help athletes with their mindset. She wrote a phenomenal book that I can't wait to get my hands on, because it really is a guide to how to help your athlete with their mindset. How step by step to get stronger in the mind, not just the body. At some point in an athlete's career, they are going to be the same skill as everybody else if they continue on to elite levels like her and I did. Mindset is the key. I hope you enjoy this episode. Danielle McDonough. Thank you so unbelievably much for joining me on spirit of an athlete. I am so excited for this conversation because you were a Division one hockey player as well as an NWHL hockey player. Ah, it's so exciting to have a pro athlete on high. Hi. Thank you so much for having me on. I'm very excited to talk with you today. Okay, so we were both Division one athletes. I want to hear your experience as a Division one hockey player. How did you get into Division one hockey? Where did it all begin? How old were you? All that good stuff? Yes. Okay. So, uh, it feels nice knowing that I can actually that I'm invited to start at the beginning of time because normally I'm like, I'm going to start at the beginning of time. Sorry. So yes, I'm starting at the beginning of time. I'm my parents are Canadian, so I'm I'm from Southern California but born to Canadian parents. So they moved to Southern California after they got married. My mom was recruited to be a nurse here. So they came down here. Both my brother and I were born here. I eventually became a dual citizen. Um, I'll circle back to that later. But, you know, being Canadian, they got us involved in hockey really young, skating really young. And then that turned into hockey. Um, my brother, I think was 4 or 5 when he started playing, and I was about 5 or 6. Uh, quick funny story with that, my brother, he would cry. He would scream, cry. He would not want to get on the ice without my dad. My dad had to go on the ice, which left me sort of running around the rink by myself and with my mom nursing, she, you know, my mom was working nights, so it wasn't it just wasn't a safe situation for me being as young as I was. So my dad came to me and said, hey, you want to maybe try playing hockey? And I was like, yeah, so I tried. He thought I'd last like a season or two. And here we are, however, many years later and, you know, still playing. So I started playing, played with boys until I was 18 because in Southern California we didn't have any options for girls until I be until I turned maybe 12 or 13 around that time frame. Um, the two coaches, Rod Gun and Scott Plummer, went out and found all the girls that were like me. There weren't that many, but you know, that were playing boys hockey and they had in the entire state of California, they found enough to make one team, a 19 year team. So I was 12 and I was playing on this 19 youth team. But the sole purpose of this team, we would literally because we had to pull we pulled players from Alaska and Arizona and like surrounding states to make this team. But our sole purpose was just to go to tournaments on the East Coast where the scouts were coming to watch, and so we could be put in front of these scouts and hopefully be recruited to go play collegiately. So a lot of the girls that I played with actually, were we, you know, we were recruited, I was recruited by multiple schools. I ended up choosing Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island, which is a D1 school. Um, I got a full ride to play there. I was captain my senior year. Uh, it was an incredible experience. Um, after I graduated, that's when I moved up to Oakville, Ontario, Canada, and played in the NWHL, the National Women's Hockey League, for two years, which is now become the pool that I was there for two years. That's when I became a Canadian citizen. Um, well, got my citizenship that, you know, because my parents are Canadian. Um, and then from there, I moved over to Lugano, Switzerland, and I played professionally in Europe for two years as well before finally retiring. You know, thinking I actually committed to play a third year in Switzerland. But that summer when I was home, I, I was thinking to myself, you know, I really should I really should move on with my life, start the next phase, the next chapter. Right. And so I told them I needed to I needed to move on. And, you know, I officially retired from professional play, went into beer league, met my husband and, uh, I also went back to school. I got my master's degree in sport and exercise psychology. Um, and I've essentially been working with athletes now on the mental side of performance since about 2010, um, which is, you know I come full circle moment for me because all of the things you know, as I'm sure you've experienced, all the things you experience as an elite athlete, you know, youth athlete, high school athlete, collegiate professional, all of those invisible barriers that can't be solved by going outside and doing more sprints or whatever it is. Um, you know, the stuff that's going on upstairs that took me forever to even realize what was happening, let alone how to fix it. I now get to be able to help athletes identify those things really quickly, and provide tangible tools for them to use to move past that and excel in no matter what the situation is. So it's really special for me. I absolutely love what I do, um, and it's just kind of amazing that, you know, hockey led me here. Like, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing without hockey. So yeah. Yeah, we have a lot a lot of parallels. Okay. So let's let's go back to, let's go back to 12 year old. You playing with a bunch of of women Essentially. Yes. Yes. Were you were you the baby on the team? Uh, yes. I believe I was the youngest at the time. Yeah, at 12. So at 12, you 12. You softball? I was playing with 18 you softball players. And I like from a psychosocial perspective, I was in the wrong place. They were talking about boyfriends and sex and things like that. And it was unbelievably inappropriate for me at 12 years old where, yes, I'd had boyfriends to this point, but we'd kissed like, yeah, you know, that little kiss, that peck kind of kiss. So it was, it was it was very strange for me as an athlete playing with women. And I was I mean, I was physically, I was this tall physically. I was capable of playing at that level. Was that the same for you? Yes. Uh, very much so. I was, yeah probably. I don't know if I was quite my full height, but I was pretty close. And so physically speaking, like I looked like I belonged and I was very capable. I mean, I, you know, I don't want to toot my own horn, but I was very good hockey player. Um, and like Division one pro. I okay, well, and I think, you know, if I wasn't good enough, I wouldn't have been playing on the team, you know? So yeah, I mean, so from that perspective. Yes. And then same thing in the locker room, I remember not wanting to go in the locker room because they talked about weird stuff in there. And it made me feel really uncomfortable. Yeah. You know, I remember I'll never forget like, and this is, this might be kind of raunchy. So if you have kids listening, maybe don't listen to this part. Um, but I remember I left the locker room, I was fully dressed and all my equipment, and I left the locker room, I don't know, to go fill up my water bottle or something. And I came back inside and they were all howling about something. And then I walked in and it just sort of like, stopped and somebody yelled across the room. Uh, I don't know what they refer to me as. Maybe my name. I'm not. I can't remember, but they're like, hey, have you gotten your rag yet? And I was like, my what? Like I had no idea what they were talking about. I had no idea. And I and it was so embarrassing because I was like, my my what? Like I, I literally like I stopped and I'm standing. Everybody else is sitting down getting dressed, and I'm standing in the middle of the room trying to figure out what they're talking about. And then that was hilarious to them that they didn't know, that I didn't know what they were talking about. And, you know, and at that time, no, I hadn't. So I was like, I don't know what you mean, but I'll never forget that was like really humiliating. And uh, I don't it's funny, I hadn't I, I have not talked. I don't think I've ever told that story before, but yes, when you started to bring that up, I was like, oh my gosh, that story just came so clear into my mind. Yeah, that was tough. It was. It was really hard. I could imagine, I could really imagine. So here's what's going through my head. Did they actually know what that term means, actually like from a historical perspective, or were they just strictly referring to it as getting your period? Because I think I you know what, I don't know, I don't know, I, I when I asked a friend later, we, we she talked about it from the period since so but as far as when they're asking me, I mean, I don't know, I have no idea. I really don't. That that makes me wonder because I mean, that's a, that's an old, old term. That's from when that was all they had to use for women, which is sad in and of itself when you think about how we had to care for ourselves. I think about that from an international perspective, like going overseas and hearing like girls are not supported in that sense at all. And I'm just like, ah, it broke my heart when I found that out when I was in Kenya. So it's just it makes me cringe on many levels. Yeah, but that was that was also something that I experienced. So yeah. Okay. Were you recruited at 12 years old? Were colleges actively like, oh, we need to be looking at this one or did that wait, did that happen a little bit later? So back then it was it was later. Um, it wasn't like it is now. Where I mean, now things are so different now with, with the internet and social media and, you know, just access to videos all the time. So back then it was really like you got recruited at tournaments because that's the only place that they saw you, unless you sent them VHS tapes in the mail, which I did. Yeah. But you know, but I didn't start doing that. I mean, I to be honest with you. Being recruited to play college hockey didn't even. Didn't even enter my sphere of, you know, anything until I was probably 12 or 13 to begin with. So that, you know, I had no idea it was. I think that the timing ads, it was it was when they had the Nagano Olympics and USA won the gold medal. That's really when I was like, whoa, yeah, this is cool. And that's when scholarship opportunity started to kind of, you know, become present and that sort of thing. So I no, I was not I did not talk to schools until I was allowed to talk to schools, which was the summer going into my junior year of high school. And it was like, there's that specific day. And back then they called the coach. Yep. They didn't even call. They called the coach and they asked, I don't know if it's permission or whatever, but they called and talked to my coach first. And he I remember I walk into his office and he was like and I didn't even know the day was the day. I had no idea. Like, it's so different now. There's so much stress and pressure on these kids now. But I remember he's like, hey, why don't you and your dad come in before practice and, you know, share some stuff with you? I was like, all right, cool. I walk in and he's he pulls out this piece of paper. He's like, well, here's all the colleges that have called about you so far. And it was like this full list. And I was like, what? Like it was. So I still have that list somewhere. I should find it. But it was so special and so powerful. Um, and just just because I wasn't expecting it, like, the whole thing was just so innocent and organic and, I don't know, it's very. I feel like it's very different now. It's not it's not that it's not any less special. It still is. But it's just it's just different. You know, they talk to you earlier and in and out and you know, that sort of thing. Whereas this was like truly like, this is the day let's see what happens. Yeah. And I know in softball there's a day where they can start talking to players. And they do. They reach directly out to players now and the pressure is completely different. I knew at a young age I wanted to play at the highest level I could play at. It didn't matter what degree I was going to get, I knew I was going. I knew for a very long time I wanted to be an astronaut, like from four years old on. I was going to be an astronaut and I was going to do it whatever way it took to get there. And I picked a school that had flight so that I would be guaranteed I'm going to be a test pilot as well as an engineer. And and lo and behold, I didn't end up going to that school because I blew my knee out my senior year right before early signing. But so knowing. Oh, and at that time it was, you know, you are you're creating a VHS to send off as your skills tape to all of these coaches. They're reaching back out to you. It's not like it is now where they've got, you know, 72 different camps and and showcase tournaments and all of that to go to it. It's completely changed. Yeah. Did you know what degree you wanted to get in undergrad going into D1? No. So I went in and declared no idea what. And I feel like it's so unrealistic to expect an 18 year old to know what they want to do. I mean, some people are like you and they know, oh, I knew from the time they're they're little. But I feel like for the majority of people, like, I don't know, like I have no idea, like I. Give me something that I can maintain the GPA so I can play chess. That was my thought process. So I went in undeclared, I think I went to social science, which is like as I think social science and management were the two like sports majors. I ended up switching to sociology because I really liked as I started taking classes, I really liked sociology. I was drawn to it, um, and I liked the professors and, you know, the classes and that sort of thing. So I switched to sociology with the business studies minor. Um, knowing full well that I was going to have to go back to school for a master's degree, like, I just knew that I didn't know for what, I didn't know what I was going to do with my life besides play hockey. But I knew I'd probably have to go back to school. So I was like, well, I'm gonna have to go back to school, so why don't I pick something? Number one that I like? And number two, that's really sort of opens doors to everything. You know, it's not so strict like a science thing. So then if I want engineering, that's one. Right? Exactly. That's exactly what it is. So. Yeah. Yeah, yeah yeah. I like that. Okay. So you already had this mindset. I'm going back for a master's degree and then you got recruited to play pro. Yeah. Well you know it's funny because I think that I kind of I was gonna say I recruited them, but I had how it should. Be. A teammate. I had a teammate who graduated the year before me. Um, she went up and was playing for this team, and I kept in touch with her. And for me, it was like, I am not ready to stop playing. I need to keep. I need to keep playing. That was sort of my mentality. I remember my senior year, I sort of put some feelers out because, again, like, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. So I, one of my other teammates who graduated that same year before she took an assistant coaching job at a school RPI, I think, and I was like, oh, that might be kind of interesting. So I applied to I think Bu was getting a Division one team for their first year, getting a Division one hockey team. So I applied thinking I would get it, and I know I did not um, and be used like this powerhouse now. So it's just kind of funny to think that I applied anyways. Uh, so that was sort of like, yeah, I don't want to do this. Like, I don't want a job. I don't you know, I want to keep playing hockey. So I reached out to my teammate who is in Canada, and I was like, hey, this is kind of, you know, I'm thinking, I kind of want to play. What do you think? And she's like, oh my God, yes, we need we, we, we need a defenseman. We have someone leaving. So I'll talk to the coach. Talk to the coach. I mean, I didn't have to try out or anything. They were like, yep, see you in the fall. Like, okay, great. So that's kind of how. And it was it was a similar situation for Switzerland to actually, um, I ended up going with a teammate. Yeah. We asked there was a girl already playing there who we actually played against. Uh, she went to Unh, and she was like, yeah, we need a forward. We need a defenseman. Come on, let's go. I'm like, sweet. So just kind of all worked out right? I love I love how it organically happened that way. Because some like for me, when it came to NPF, they were recruiting me and they were specifically recruiting me to back to my hometown. And I'd already moved to Colorado at this point, so I was back to Illinois and I was like, do I want to go to Rockford again? Like, I don't I don't know that I want to move back. And it would be only for the summer. It's just a very short season. It's three months long and, you know, you're you're in and out and then what am I going to do the rest of my time? Yeah. Is is NWHL the same where it's only a couple of months at a time. No. So the hockey seasons hockey and basketball they're two of the most they're the longest seasons. Yeah. So they typically start September ish August youth youth hockey. They start practicing in August. But in college or preseason with September, I think our first game's official games were the beginning of October. And then if you're making playoffs, you're going to the end of March. So and it was it was very similar for the NWHL, too. They kind of followed that same same guidelines, same season length. So I was there for a while and then I'd come home for the summertime, so I get five month break. Yeah, I feel like it wasn't even. Maybe it was five months. It seemed like it was so short. But yeah. So I come home. It's a blink, right? Yeah. Okay. Did you work in between? Did you work when you came home or did you just do more hockey? Uh. Good question. When? So growing up, my dad would not let us play hockey in the summertime. We were not allowed. We had to hang up the skates. We had to play other sports. We had to do other things, other hobbies, play with our friends, like that sort of thing, which is unheard of now. I, I work so hard to try to get the athletes that I work with to give me four consecutive weeks off. Four weeks? Yes, I can get two, you know. Two. It's like, what in the world? Why yes. Yes, exactly. So I, I was used to taking the summers off from hockey. So and then in college they take the ice out like there's no ice. So even if you wanted to stay in train. You could train in the weight room and do that stuff, but you weren't skating because there was no ice to skate on. So I was used to taking the summers off, so I did. As far as hockey was concerned, I would still train and, you know, cross train, that sort of thing. Jim, all of that stuff, um, I would work when I came home between my freshman and sophomore year, I worked at a hotel right across the street from Disneyland, which was awesome. I loved it, I loved that job. Um, and then I think between sophomore and junior year, I stayed around campus and to train, I stayed to train, uh, in the gym with our strength and conditioning coach, um, and worked there, like in the mailroom or something when I was playing in the NHL and in, in, uh, Switzerland those summers, I would I wouldn't come home to California. I would come home for maybe like a week or so, but then I would I'd be in Rhode Island, I would stay, I'd go to Rhode Island, and I had a bartending job in Newport, Rhode Island that I also just absolutely loved. That was such a fun job. One of my most favorite jobs. Um, so I would I would be there in the summertime and, you know, the so many tourists coming through and boats and all the things. So I would do that and I would train. That's what I would do. Yeah. It was fun. So fun. No. Okay. So this took you to, what, about 25 years old. When India or Europe? Europe. When you finished hockey playing at that level at that highly competitive, not beer league level. Were you about 25 years old? Good math. 26. Yes. So close. So close. You were I mean, I'm very impressed with your math. Yes, yes. Thank you. Engineer. I know how to be there. I've been known to screw. It up from time to time. Um, I ended up playing in college until I was 25, and that was. That was at the point where I got recruited. And I had the same notion as you did, which was, okay, I can either continue to play at pro or international because I had an opportunity to go play in Australia, which I've never been to Australia. So that tells you how that went. Or. Or I go build my career. Yeah. At this point, did you jump into career? I know you've already ran us through this, but it wasn't a career next for you, it was back to college, right? Well, so yeah, it was that was a really that was a really hard time. That was a really hard transitional phase in my life. You know, they talk about these phases that you go through. The phase from high school student athlete to collegiate student athlete is really challenging. And then finishing, whether that's after college you finish or after pro you finish or whatever it is. That transition was very overwhelming and very hard for me. I was I was really depressed. I knew. So that summer that I came home, I had committed to a third year and even and I committed emotionally. And I remember it's so funny because we had just one hour. We won the whole thing in Europe. Uh, not in Europe, in Switzerland, when our league and we're all out to dinner. And my dad was there, I was lucky enough to have my dad be there for that experience. And we're out to dinner, and we're just kind of like going around the table and they're all speaking in Italian. I can't understand what they're saying, but. And then, you know, they're kind of basically they're saying, we want you guys to come back. So they're allowed. They're only allowed a certain amount of foreigners, North Americans per team. And so me and my friend or hags, we called her her name's Carli, called her hags. Her last name is Haggard. Uh, we were just on that high of, like, we just won. This is awesome. And they're like, you guys have to come back. We have to. Because when you win your league, then you go to the European Cup the following year. So they're like, you have to come back. We're going to the European Cup next year. you know, all these things. And so I made an emotional decision in that moment when prior I was like, no, I'm not coming back. This is it for me. But I made the emotion right. And my dad leans in and he goes, don't make an emotional decision here. Like think with your head, you know. Yeah. And because he and I had talked about it and then I get it gets to me and I'm like, I'm in. And everybody's like so crazy and like so excited. And then that summer reality hit me and I'm like, I can't, I can't, I don't know what I want to do, but I know that I need to be done with this. I was 26. I wanted to come home. I wanted to start a life. I wanted to, you know, eventually get married and have kids and, and, and have some sort of career. So writing that email to tell them I wasn't coming back was really difficult. And then I was like, well, now what? Now what do I do? It was really hard that that timeframe was really, really hard, so I. Yeah I, I, I there was a lot of soul searching. There was a lot of crying. There was a lot of drinking because I didn't I, my thought process was like, I've been doing this for so long. This is the only thing I'm good at. That's the kind of stuff that I was saying to myself. What good am I? You know, there's nothing else in this world that I can do like, so it was difficult. I literally googled jobs and sports and that's how I found sports psychology. But I, you know, I didn't know what I was going to do. And I knew, I mean, I was drinking a lot and I knew I needed to to make some. Luckily, I have a I still have a very, very supportive family who helps me with all of this and were there for me and, um, so that I could, you know, work through this. And they helped me with that a lot. I love that you bring this up because it happens in everyone's career unless they die doing the sport, which is a rare thing. It doesn't matter what sport you're in. You have to at some point put put the cleats down, put the the skates down, like and retire. And I know for me, like when it comes to career I have said I always want to find a career that I don't need to retire from. I can do the rest of my life. But when it came to doing a pro level, a high level sport, your body gives out at a certain time and you have to put that sport down. And I kept saying to myself, like, I just want to be able to pitch all out at the level that I do in the college, at the collegiate level, into my 40s, and I can do that still. But it takes it takes a toll on my body every single time I do it with my lessons, my body is just like, nope, nope, that was a bad idea. Why did you do that? Save yourself for the other things that you like to do. Yeah. I've been in your shoes with this. And it was between Division one and Division two. So Division one, uh, I had to quit. And it was the first time I'd ever quit a sport. And I was contemplating what the next move was. And just like you, I was saying, this is the only thing I know. This is my identity. This is who I am. This is my soul, and I can't imagine doing anything else. So I took a year off to gather my brain, to put myself back together psychologically because I was in a deep, dark, ugly depression. And then I went on to play Division two to continue that sport until 25, where they cut you off in Division two that you are not allowed to play beyond 25 years old. So we had to. Yeah, that's a rule. It's it was a rule when I was playing back in 2004 or 5, six, but I think it's still a rule That we had to strategize how to fit it in before I turned 25, and I didn't graduate college until I was 26. So I spent the you know, I was like Van Wilder the better part of a decade in college. But it was how I, I filled that cup. It was how I got my sport. And then of course, I had that opportunity to go on to play pro and international and, and Artemis came around and I was like, NASA, yes, I'm going to go work for NASA. Fulfill your dream. I mean, because that really was right. I've since four years old. Yeah, that was the other dream. And I didn't know what that was going to transpire to look like. And it's the same for you. You had zero like you googled. They did jobs in sports. Yeah. The true story. Yeah, yeah. I bet the number one search result was coach. Yeah. And I knew I didn't want to do that. I mean I, I saw, you know, my coach in college, like he wasn't with his family very much and his kids were little, and he didn't see them all the time. And I knew I didn't want that for myself. Yeah. Um, so I knew I didn't want to do that. And I also know I didn't want to be a trainer, and I don't remember why, but I just knew I just didn't want to be a trainer. I pretty much have the same schedule as the coach. That's. Yeah, maybe that's what it is. Yeah. And you're dealing with stinky feet and stuff. I just didn't want to do that. Stinky bodies. Not just feet. Yeah, but lots. Of taping of feet. Right. But sports psychology, I mean, I was drawn to it instantly when? As soon as I read, like, you know, how Google gives you, like, a little definition, I was like, oh my gosh, yes, this is for me. Okay, so. Where did that take you and bring us to present day? Yeah. So I went back to school, uh, here in Orange County, California, got my master's degree. I actually started, so when I first moved home. I mean, I had to get a job. So I started working at this facility called Athletic Republic, which is a super cool place. I think they're franchises all across the country, but they had a skating treadmill, so it's like a running treadmill, but you skate on it, which is I know it's it's really cool. So you could increase the elevation, the speed, and you have your skates on and you're skating, you're harnessed in because you know, it's hard and you have to fall and you need to be caught. So I started working there. I was a skating instructor there while I was going back to school, and while I was learning what I was learning, I started to apply the things that I was learning with the athletes that I was coaching for free. Just, you know, as we're as I'm instructing them, that sort of thing. So I, I did start working with athletes on the mental side of performance in 2010, which is when I was going to school. I did officially graduate in 2012, and that's when I opened up my own business, which my master's program did not teach me how to do So that was a whole thing. How do I feel? Yeah, I feel like I'm still. I'm still learning how to be a business owner. Um, I didn't really start to take that super seriously until Covid hit. So, you know, and I'm I'm a firm believer in learning all throughout life anyways, so but yeah, so I mean, I, you know, I've been doing this since since 2010. Um, and it's, it's really special because I see myself in all the athletes that I work with. And I tell this to my athletes all the time. I'm like, listen, there is not a single thing that you're going to say to me that I have not experienced. You will not shock me, I promise. I've done it all. I have experienced it all, all the ups and downs, all the hardships, the injuries, everything. Right. I have been where you've been. I've been where you are. I've been where you want to go or where you're headed. It's, you know. So, um, when I see them have these aha moments. It's really special because some of those things I never got to experience that when I was playing like it, it held me back my entire career, and it wasn't until I went through my master's program where I was like, that would have been helpful. You know, so it's it's special. Yeah. Yeah, I, I understand that one wholeheartedly. Every time I, I address like, you know, the my business for softball was the white zone. We were I was literally trying to teach kids how to get into a flow state and to be able to use that flow state as an athlete and then translate that to the rest of your life. And in a previous episode, I was saying the exact same thing to one of my guests, that it was easy for me to just walk right into medical intuitive work because it's flow state. It's exactly what Flo State is as an athlete. Yep. Ah. Okay. You wrote a book. I did. Tell us about your book. I want to know more about your book. I can't wait to get my hands on your book. Yes. I will have to send you one. I should have already done that. My my bad. Um. But, yeah, I, uh. So I feel like when I started going through my master's program, and just like the life that I've lived, I've always. I feel like I've always wanted to write a book. It's always been in me and I. And honestly, I still feel like there's another book in me, but more of like an autobiography that I would love to write at some point. The one that I ended up writing is like like the Holy Grail for athletes is kind of what I, what I like, like if I had it in college or in high school, oh my gosh, I would have that thing would have been dog eared pages would have been folded over like I just would have. It would have been used so much. So it's I wrote it to be like a step by step guide for athletes, self-paced, step by step guide to really help them propel themselves to that next level. But here's the sneaky thing like it will also help them with life too. So that's my whole jam is using sport as the vehicle to help teach them the things that ultimately, yes, they'll level up in their sport for sure. It's going to help them with that, but ultimately, their life skills that they'll be able to use forever in whatever situation comes up. And I decided to it just hit me one day, now's the time to write your book. And my son was two and my daughter was six months old, so. Ah, yeah, I don't know. The universe is like, yeah, this is fun, let's do this. So I was waking up at 430 in the morning to write the book, and I got it done in a little over a year. Start to finish the including the publishing process. But it was it was it was a hectic time, but also an exhilarating time too, because I knew that I'm like, oh my gosh, this is going to help so many people. You like a challenge, I can tell. I do, I do, I think, you know, subconsciously, I mean, on the conscious level, I'm like, all right, let's chill. But subconsciously we're like, no, let's just be a challenge. Yes. So, Shaunie Harley, what was an Olympic basketball coach for Canada? She's been on the the show. It's I think she's like episode I want to say 8 or 9. Anyways, she said that at that level, the mental game is where everybody is putting their focus because everybody has the same set of skills. That's not likely true with high school and under athletes. Is that who you work with now? It is. And it's funny because I do say the same thing, but I shifted a little bit. I say at some point, everybody's skill level is the same when you reach that, that point and I work. So another thing that I do, I'm the official mental skills coach for USA hockey, their national development camp for the 1617 age group, which is awesome. Yes, it's so fun. And that is a perfect example of that. You go to this camp, everyone's good every these are the best of the best in all of the United States at that age level. So what's going to separate one from the other? It's what goes on up here. Yes. So how how do they prepare? How do they recover when they make a mistake? Because mistakes are inevitable. Everybody makes them professional athletes. Make them Olympic athletes make them. It's not you can't be perfect. It doesn't exist. So how do they respond when they make that mistake? Are they able to recover? Or do they go into this downward spiral and completely take the rest of the game How do they, you know, work? How do they act afterwards? To how do they use this game as an opportunity for growth, to prepare them for the next one or the next season or whatever? So at some point, you hit that space where everyone's skill level is the same, and what's going to separate you from everybody else is your mental game. So the thing about this is I always tell parents to don't wait for there to become a problem. Like, don't wait for a problem to start. Let's get aggressive with this. Let's go on the offensive and give them the skills that they need so that they're ready when things eventually come up. Because they will they you know, they're they're seven years old and they're the best on their team. They're the fastest. They're scoring all the goals. Well, that's temporary because at some point other kids are going to catch up. And now the seven year old who was a phenom, is now nine. And they're on the they're not as good. Maybe they're on the last line and they don't know how to handle this. They do not have the coping strategies to be able to work through this form of adversity that's, you know, arriving now in their life. And so that's kind of. Yes. So to answer your question, I work with younger athletes. I would say my jam I love 12 to like 19. Nice because there's a lot happening. There's you know all the things happening. Yeah. Prepping for college, figuring out what they want to do when they grow up. All of those things are starting to happen at those ages. Puberty. Yes. Exactly. Yep. All the things. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. So it's it's fun. I like to be able to be a part of their life in that, you know, to help them with those things too. I love that you said go on the offensive for learning the mindset skills as a defensive player in hockey. Just pointing that out. That's so funny because that was a weakness in my game as I was. I wasn't offensive enough. So that was. That's a touchy subject. So now you coach it, I get it. Yeah, yeah, but it's true. You know, I always say to, like, I wish that kids started to learn these things in preschool. You know, I teach my kids. The kids are five and three. I, you know, as soon as they understood what it meant to take a big sniff of a flower and then blow out birthday candles, I was teaching them diaphragmatic breathing. Why? Because it's a coping skill. You say to a child, hey, you need to relax. Well, what does that mean? How do how do I do that? What is that? What? How? Yeah, exactly. You know, they don't know, you know, so teaching them as early as possible is just going to set them up for success in the future. I love that. I absolutely love that one of the guests, Sarah Circle, I just interviewed her. She was talking about how her warm up involves breathing and I was like, oh my gosh, more coaches need to do that. And she said, to activate your core, you're just going to blow out really quickly. And I said, do you make it? You know, can we make it audible? Haha. As soon as you do that, everything activates. And I was just like, that's that's freaking brilliant. So I love that you're teaching diaphragmatic breathing to your littlest all the way up to the oldest that you coach. Thank you, thank you. Yeah. More coaches. Teach this. You know, it's because it is kind of funny when I tell them, okay, I want you to practice your breathing. And like, I know that sounds funny, right? Because we do that automatically, coach. Right. Exactly. But it's different. It's new and it's so honestly like it's one of the first things I teach them because it has an immediate impact. And so I'll teach them this and they'll go, I just I just had worked with a diver right before this, and he's brand new to my program. Maybe two weeks in. He had a meet over the weekend and he was like, I used the breathing with the focal points and the progressive muscle relaxation while I was in the Jacuzzi waiting to go. And then I did the breathing before, and he's, uh, 1112 and he's like, I was. So I was so calm, I was focused, I was, you know, and I and I said, and how did, how did how was your dive? He was like, oh my gosh, it was so good. It's, you know, it's great, right? Yeah. That's those moments where we feel like, yes, we've you understood. You applied it and I feel accomplished now. Yeah. Well and also I'm like, I wish I had that when I was 12. Yeah. Oh my. Gosh. Yes I had coaches I was definitely. So this was a term that was used on me a lot. I was a head case is what they would say. And mentally I held myself back every coach that I had recognized it, but absolutely none of them until the very end of my career knew how to help me. And for me, what it was, was finding routine. Routine in my practice. Routine in my warmup before a game. Just finding routine to calm my damn mind down. Right. Well, that routine gives you structure. And that structure makes you feel like you're in control. And then when you feel like you're in control, you have the power. And and I hear that so many times from athletes who will say, you know, I'll ask, what did you ask your coach for feedback? Or the parents will say to me, yeah, every coach that we have same thing, it's their it's their mindset. It's their it's their confidence, it's their mental whatever. But yet they don't go beyond that. You know they pointed. Out. Yes. Yeah. They're taking on the output but they don't know what to do for the input. That's right. That's what it boils down to. Every single time they're like, oh I see it. That's great. Now what? Yeah. And now I feel like nowadays and we are blessed that more people are recognizing that the mental health state of athletes and humans across the board, across the world. We need more support. We need more tools. We need more skills. So thank you for being that person, Daniel. I'm trying. I'm I'm I'm on a mission to change sport, culture and to help as many people as I can, but I am only one person, so it's really important to continue the conversation, to talk about it, to keep, to keep talking about it. And I think with all the Olympic athletes and the professional athletes that are that are bringing this to light and saying, yeah, I use sports psychologist, I have a mindset coach. You know, they I think that's so important. And so and also like Simone Biles pulling herself out of the Olympics because her mind wasn't right. I think that I know it made a lot of people angry, which I guess, I mean, at the time I was like, really like, come on, people. But I guess I'm not surprised It's really unfortunate, but I was very proud of her. I'm like, she is just what? What a role model. You know, and that just drew so much more attention to it because it is so important. And she's doing things that she can. She could die, like if her mind isn't where it needs to be to perform the skills that she's performing. So I just think that that was a that was a turning point too. But yeah, you know, the statistics that we're facing right now are horrifying with their scary. Yeah. Very scary. It's yeah. Something needs to be done. Yes. Across the board. Across the board I feel like I have had a lot of mindset mental health coaches on this podcast. And I'm going to continue to do that because it's something that continually shows up as what athletes really need. And parents are starting to hear us finally Thankfully, they're starting to hear those of us who have been in those high elite level games and sports, they are hearing us finally, and they're getting their kids help. And I just thank you. Thank you for being one of those people. Continue that work, please. And I cannot wait to get my hands on your book, because I'm going to probably dog ear it and be like, all right, this is what I need to teach the adults. This is what I need to teach the kids. Yes, yes, absolutely. Danielle, where can people find you? So I'm on Instagram is probably my main platform that I'm on. And it's, uh, Danielle underscore underscore McDonagh two underscores super annoying. But it's what it is. Um, somebody else. Have your name? You know, there's shockingly a lot of Danielle McDonough out there. I was very surprised. Not a lot of Danielle Bourget, which is my maiden name? Yes, but Danielle McDonough is. Yeah. There's actually another author named Danielle McDonough. Very different book. Don't buy that. Well, yes. Obviously, if you want those books, buy those books. But it's a very different book. It's not it's it's not my book. Um, but yeah, they. Yes. It's not mindset. Um, so on Instagram, I honestly I love getting emails. So if you want to email me that's great danielle@oc.com my website is OC. Com um yeah that's those are the main, main places that I'm that I hang out. Excellent. I will put all of that in the show notes so you guys can link up to it. Get Ahold of Danielle. If you're looking for a mindset coach, you work with all athletes. It's not just obviously hockey players. You mentioned a diver. Yeah. You work with all of all of the kiddos. I do all the all the mindset stuff is is the same. The sport may change the rules of the game change, but all the things that you know, we as athletes experience. It's all all very similar, which is also very powerful for athletes to understand that they're not alone in this, because I think we put up a really good front of that. So to know you're not the only one experiencing this, your child, if you're a parent listening, is not the only one experiencing it. This there's pretty much 99.9% of athletes are. They just are pretty good at hiding it. So they're not alone in that. I also work with families. I just started a family membership program, which is I'm really excited about this because I again, I'm always trying to find ways to help more people, to change the sport culture and to help these people who see the in my vision and fall in line with my philosophy and that sort of thing. So I started a family membership, which is for the athletes and the parents, which is really cool. I'm excited about that. Just started it, so be sure to check that out as well. I love that you're doing that, because if the parents weren't athletes and they have athletes athletic kids. It helps them get up to speed on what their athlete is experiencing. But then if they were athletes, as adult, as parents and they're raising athletes, they probably didn't have this kind of training and getting everybody on the same page. Yeah. That's huge. I know that one deal. Well, yeah. You know, and everybody's different. So if you weren't an athlete. Yeah, this can be very overwhelming world. Right. Very overwhelming culture. So there's that part of it. But then, you know, to your point is, well, like if you even if you were an athlete, things are so different now. You know, the way that athletes, the pressures that they're experiencing and the things that they're dealing with, social media, for one, it's all very different and they're just a different person than you. So the way that, you know, you responded to something is probably going to be different than the way that they responded to something. So I, you know, it's it's it's helpful for from that perspective to to just kind of learn more about them as a, as a human and an individual. And siblings could even be different as well, usually are. So it's just, you know, we address all of that stuff. Beautiful. Love it. Danielle, thank you again for being on spirit of an athlete with me. I really appreciated this. This was great. Yeah. Thank you so much for having me. It was it was so fun. Thanks for listening to spirit of an athlete podcast. If you're struggling with your own gut issues and want more direction, you can get an initial body scan from Amanda at Body Whisperer healing.com. In 20 minutes, you can find out what's wrong and clarity at the fast forward. Get on track to get back in your game. This episode hits the spot. Please let us know by rating, reviewing. And sharing it with a friend. Subscribe now to hear more inspiring stories from other female college athletes who overcame their health issues. Want more Amanda? Get inspired by finding more at Body Whisper healing.com.