In my work as a mental performance coach, I work with athletes of all ages, sizes, abilities and levels. I have worked with clients as young as 5 and with a wonderful gentleman in his sixties. Some of my athletes want to improve their recreational sports, while others are elite or professional level athletes in pursuit of the highest levels in their sport. I love and am proud of all the young kids and adults I have the privilege to work with.
At this moment, that pride extends to a talented, hard working, tenacious athlete who just attempted to make her third Olympic Team. And she did it under some very challenging circumstances.
Kara Lynn Joyce went to her first Olympic Trials as a young teenager. She continued to have a stellar high school career, setting a number of National records, one of which still stands today. She enjoyed an illustrious college career at University of Georgia, again establishing numerous National records and winning 18 NCAA Championship titles.
As a member of the Olympic swim team to Athens in 2004 Kara Lynn brought home silver medals from 2 relays and finished 5th in the 50 yd. freestyle. In Beijing, she also earned 2 silver medals in team relays and finished 6th in the 50 free.
But Kara Lynn wasn’t finished yet. She loved to swim and felt she could still make a contribution to the sport. Unfortunately sometimes “sport” has other ideas. She was unable to qualify for the 2009 World Championship team and was struggling to swim as well as she knew she could. In hopes of finding a better fitting training situation Kara Lynn moved to California. At first the move seemed to be a good one, but she soon found it wasn’t the right answer. With just a little more than a year until the Olympic Trials, she moved again, this time to Colorado.
While changing coaches and training facilities is not unheard of in individual sports like swimming, tennis and gymnastics, doing so this close to the Trials would be considered risky. Getting used to a new coaching style, possible technique changes, new teammates, etc. could prove to be a challenge. And so it was for Kara Lynn.
Then she met personal trainer Loren Landow of Steadman-Hawkins. A hard taskmaster but devoted supporter, Loren quickly became an important member of Kara Lynn’s inner circle. The combination of his knowledge, enthusiasm and caring were just what she needed to jumpstart her “comeback.” Knowing it would be beneficial for her to gather a team of professionals around her, Loren suggested she meet with me to work through some of the challenges she was facing.
As a two time Olympian, Kara Lynn knew all about being mentally tough. But somewhere along the way, she’d just misplaced her mojo. Her life and training had become a little unsettled. So for a few months we worked on clarifying and establishing a strong plan. In her determination to succeed she worked diligently at becoming physically and mentally stronger. Yet her swim times were still not where they needed to be.
Kara Lynn made the extremely difficult decision to move yet again. Only a couple months before the Olympic Trials in Omaha she left for Charlotte, N.C. Many around her doubted her decision, but Kara Lynn was committed to doing whatever she felt necessary to be her best for the Trials. She left behind her new Denver home, a supportive boyfriend, and a new circle of friends. She took with her a few swim suits, a swim cap or two, a pair of goggles… and a whole lot of question marks.
Dealing yet again with a new training situation and the scrutiny of the swimming community, Kara Lynn settled in to do work. Her times improved, her mojo returned, her smile and enthusiasm grew. And to Omaha for Trials she went.
She swam strong in the 100 freestyle, but didn’t make it to the finals. Her last chance was in the 50 freestyle on the very last two days of the Trials. After the semi’s I received a text from Kara Lynn. “Got a lane, got a chance.” And in the finals, for one 24.7 second swim, Kara Lynn Joyce put aside all the obstacles, challenges, doubters and question marks from the last several months and swam her heart out.
Touching the wall, she immediately turned to look at the scoreboard. The expression on her face when she saw she’d qualified for her third Olympic team said it all. As the commercial says, “Priceless.” Kara Lynn overcame it all and is on her way to London!
** Kara Lynn and Missy Franklin are the subjects of a documentary in progress, “Touch the Wall.” It will be released some time in the Fall. Watch for it!
Gail Royce-Mental Performance Coach
MentalEdgeCoaching.net
mental_coach1@msn.com