Ann Zaprazny
Ann Zaprazny is not a sports psychologist or even a sports psychiatrist. She’s a certified mental performance coach.
The subtle difference is that she possesses a master’s degree in sports science with a concentration in sports psychology, not a doctorate. The principles, disciplines and techniques are very similar, and what Zaprazny lacks in a Ph.D., she more than makes up for in real-life experiences from the playing fields.
Zaprazny is the founder/owner/operator of Great Sports Minds of Hershey. Through personal interaction and training, she helps athletes of all sizes, shapes, ages and ability levels get the most of their talents, as well as their competitive experiences.
Yes, the mind controls the body. But when the heart, emotions, soul, body and mind are all working in unison, it provides the greatest opportunity for athletes to reach their full potential.
“I help my clients compete with greater confidence so they can achieve their goals,” Zaprazny said. “I’m helping to teach mental skills so they can perform how they’re capable of. Many athletes invest in physical skills, but many don’t invest into mental performance coaches. It’s kind of the missing piece.”
Zaprazny begins with a survey or an initial consultation that can be virtual. She incorporates mental exercises, on-line resources, meditation, journaling, goal setting and breathing strategies—even personal one-on-one support at the site of an athlete’s competition.
She views herself more as an educator than a clinician, or as she put it, “if my client has more than I can clinically handle, my job is to refer.”
She starts the conversation with “awareness guidelines.”
“That can help me peel back the onion,” said Zaprazny. “When we have really high expectations, it just creates this level of stress. The question becomes: ‘How do you get rid of those unrealistic expectations?’ It’s really about identifying what we want.”
Every athlete, every sport is different, but they are all linked to a very specific dynamic that requires athletes to compete against themselves within a team setting.
Zaprazny has worked with golfers, runners, tennis players, wrestlers—you name it—from elite levels like professional and Division One athletics all the way down to youth sports, from all around the world. But 70% of her clients are from central Pennsylvania.
“I was a Division One athlete, and if I knew then what I know now, I would’ve been a badass,” said Zaprazny, who starred at Delaware University in basketball and track and field. “I have more experience because I was an athlete, a high school coach, and I’ve been an AAU coach. I’ve been on the bench. I’ve been the star. I’ve had injuries. I’ve seen it all, and it’s put me in a position to help my clients.”
Need Is Great
Lateesha Mohl, a 26-year-old Harrisburg resident, is an aspiring boxer, mixed martial arts fighter and kick boxer who’s been working with Zaprazny on and off for the better part of four years. Mohl said that Zaprazny has helped her with her confidence, her preparation and her approach.
“I was having trouble with adrenaline dumps, and I didn’t know how to control that,” Mohl said. “At the beginning of fights, my adrenaline was shooting all the way up, and then it would dump out of my body. I have learned self-confidence. I have learned trust. But we had to get to the root of the problem.”
Once a successful senior executive with the Erie Insurance Co., Zaprazny founded Great Sports Minds in 2016. It was both the following of a calling and a leap of faith.
“I have had a ton of success throughout my career,” she said. “I went back to school at the age of 50 to help. I’m not chasing the money. I’m chasing the opportunities to help kids and athletes. I sometimes get goose bumps from what I do.”
Zaprazny said that she knows of only three other practitioners in central Pennsylvania who do what she does. While this focus on sports mindfulness is a relatively recent phenomenon in relation to athletics, the demand greatly exceeds the supply, especially when one considers the fact that all athletes—and coaches—can benefit from the mental services she offers.
Think. Believe. Achieve.
“I think the need is great,” Zaprazny said. “Elite athletes have the resources, but youth sports don’t. The athletes who work with me know it’s not weird. They know it can be game-changing. If you look at statistics, one of the reasons why kids quit sports is because of how hard they are on themselves.”
In addition to helping enhance communication, empathy and relationships with teammates, the principles of mindfulness can transcend sports and spill over into life. It would follow that a healthy mental approach to athletics also could be applied to an athlete’s existence outside of them.
Now, completely out of nowhere, perspective rears its attractive head.
“There’s an art to it and a science to it,” Zaprazny said. “The best in any game are athletes who have coaches helping them do their best. What I have found is that the better we feel, the better we perform. Everyone can benefit, but you have to do the work that works for you.”
Put another way, Zaprazny described it as “mentally getting out of our own way.”
“At first, it’s hard to reach out and get help,” Mohl said. “I’m so glad I did. Since I’ve worked with (Zaprazny), everything she’s told me has worked. It’s worked for me. That’s why I go to her.”
For more information on Great Sports Minds, visit www.greatsportsmindsllc.com or call 717-419-5789.
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