For the third consecutive year, Otterbein Athletics is proud to welcome back the Cardinal Mental Fitness Community. Led by Leif Smith's in-person sessions, five meetings in both the fall and spring semesters will take place to help Cardinal athletes thrive in multiple capacities.
SCHEDULE & RESOURCES
FALL 2026
Session 1 (9/13): Goal Setting + Ideal Athlete Mindset
Session 2 (10/4): Real Swagger: Building Real Confidence
Session 3 (10/26): Self-Talk: Changing Your Inner Dialogue & Silencing "The Heckler"
Session 4 (11/9): Mastering the Art of Focus
Session 5 (12/1): The Gladiator Mind: Forging Toughness
SPRING 2027
UPCOMING SESSIONS:
Session 1: Playing with Fire: Pressure Management & Anti-Choke Protocol
Session 2: Resilience Reboot: Pain vs. Suffering
Session 3: Energy Mastery: Arousal, Recovery & Burnout Prevention
Session 4: Leadership Under Fire: Communication, Conflict & Chemistry
Session 5: Mental Health as a Competitive Edge + Final Progress Review
FEATURING LEIF SMITH. Dr. Leif H. Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years of professional experience, specializing in stress management, trauma recovery, and sports performance psychology. Dr. Smith graduated from the Chicago School of Psychology in 2003. He is a team psychologist and draft consultant for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, a consultant to professional sports organizations, universities, and corporate clients. Dr. Smith is the author of Sports Psychology for Dummies and the editor of the monthly newsletter Personal Bests: Techniques for Living an Effective Life. Dr. Smith is also highly praised by clients such as Jim Tressel (President, Youngstown State University) and Joe Breschi (Head Coach, UNC Men's Lacrosse) for his targeted, persuasive, and rapid coaching style. His approach blends evidence-based psychological strategies with practical, real-world applications, making him a sought-after expert in both clinical and performance psychology.
Cardinal Mental Fitness Community 2025-26
THOUGHTS FROM THE CARDINALS
"As a staff, we are very excited about our Mental Fitness Community program. Student-athletes today are more aware of mental health and more willing to share their own needs. This program gives us the tools we need to guide young people to a healthier mindset for participation in sport and competition." - Brandon Koons, Head Women's Soccer Coach
"Cardinal Mental Fitness is a good tool offered for free for Otterbein student athletes. It’s helped me a lot to inform myself on the ways I can improve my own mindset and offers a safe space to discuss the mental aspect of athletics." - Kellie Kennedy '28, Women's Wrestling
"Developing as people through our sport experience is fundamental to who we are in Otterbein Athletics. This program is really about giving our student athletes a strong foundation in psychological skills training and helping our students maximize the educative potential of their competitive endeavors. The Cardinal Mental Fitness Community will serve as a basis for additional department-wide initiatives, team focused work, and individual student athlete exploration." - Dr. Greg Lott, Athletic Director
