Why US Athletes Choose John Novak
The term “mental performance coach” is the standard in the US, and it perfectly describes what John Novak does. His work is not clinical psychology; it is the applied science of producing peak athletic performance through mental skills development, mindset training, and performance psychology. Whether you are a collegiate athlete managing the pressure of scholarship performance, a professional athlete working through a slump, or a high school student seeking an edge in recruiting, the mental game is the final frontier of athletic development.
- Worked with Grace Kim – Evian Championship winner 2025, one of the five LPGA Major Championships
- Worked with James Magnussen – 2x World Champion and World Record holder, 100m Freestyle
- Worked with Melissa Wu – 5x Olympian, Olympic Silver and Bronze medallist
- Worked with Samantha Dirks – represented Belize at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics
- Max Giuliani – Olympic medallist, 7th fastest 200m freestyle in history
- Head Mindset Coach at NRL, AFL, and A-League professional clubs
- 8,000+ athletes coached across 50+ sports over 25 years
- Proven framework – the Boomerang Effect – used by 1,000+ elite athletes worldwide
- All sessions available online via Zoom – tailored to US time zones
- Creator of the Boomerang Effect – a proven mental performance framework used by champions
As a US Athlete, do you face these problems?
- Do you train hard but don’t get the results?
- Does your mind let you down?
- Do your nerves overcome you?
- Do your competitors intimidate you?
- Does your anger stop you from winning?
- Do you lose because of little mistakes?
- Do your negative thoughts hurt you?
- Is your mindset a mess?
- Do you find it hard to bounce back?
- Do you find your results are not consistent?
- Are you a talented athlete but your negative mindset hurts you every day?
- Is your mindset like quicksand that drags you down?
- Does it stop you from winning and performing at your best?
Areas you can get help with to compete and dominate at the very highest levels of Sport…
“At the elite level, its 80% mind and 20% body. At the top in any sport, the most successful athletes are not only physically talented, they have the mindset of a champion”
- Positivity
- Motivation
- Best Self
- Focus & Concentration
- Nerves & Anxiety
- Team cohesion
- Peak Performance Planning
- Bounce back
- World class attitude
- Champions Body Language
- Mastering your reactions
- Consistency
- Cutting Edge Mindset
- ‘Mind Hacking’ techniques
- Mind Game plans
- Mindset skills, strategies and procedures
- Visualisation & visual assimilation
- Mindfulness
- Emotion management
- Deal with pressure
- Creating Positive team environments
- Competition & Game day Systems
- Goals, targets & trackers
- Sports Growth Mindset
- Self belief, Trust and Faith
- Confidence
- Champions systems, processes and SOPs
- Mindset simulation in training
- Reflection & Projection
The Key Mental Challenges for US Athletes
- The pressure of Division 1 college sports -scholarships, coaches, and career implications riding on every performance
- Managing social media and the 24/7 public scrutiny that comes with high-profile US sport
- The step up from college to professional – one of the biggest mental transitions in sport
- Performance anxiety at showcase events, combines, trials, and major championships
- Building the mental toughness to compete consistently at the highest level of US sport
- The mental demands of the US professional sports calendar – long seasons, travel, and constant competition
The Elite Sport
Mindset Coach
John Novak is widely known as Australia’s No. 1 Sports Mindset Specialist, with his athletes reaching National and International success at World Championships, Olympics and Major Championships.
His athletes include Grace Kim (Evian Championship Winner 2025) and Jake Weatherald (Australian Test Cricket, 2025–26 Ashes). John has published numerous Sports Mindset books and presented across TV, radio and podcasts.
John has worked at the highest levels of professional sport as Mindset Coach for Sydney FC (A-League 2021–2023) and Melbourne FC (AFL 2023). He was previously Head Mindset Coach at Manly Sea Eagles NRL (2019–2022), Canterbury Bulldogs NRL (2012–2017) and Sydney Roosters (2009). He also has been the mindset coach of the Sydney Kings (NBL) and NSW Waratahs (Super Rugby).
He has worked with hundreds of elite athletes and teams in 50+ different sports. His extensive experience in sports mindset is unparalleled.
What John’s Mental Performance Program
Covers for US Athletes
Pre-competition mental preparation – routines that produce peak performance on demand
Confidence and self-belief frameworks built on the Boomerang Effect methodology
Pressure management – staying composed and performing when the stakes are highest
Focus and concentration strategies – remaining present in the moment under distraction
Resilience and bounce-back – the mental skills to recover quickly from setbacks
Online coaching via Zoom – weekly or fortnightly sessions across all US time zones
Services Available for USA Athletes
Individual Athlete Mental Performance Coaching
One-on-one online video sessions for US-based athletes in any sport. John’s coaching is sport agnostic – the mental performance principles apply equally to baseball, basketball, golf, swimming, track, tennis, volleyball, and every other US sport.
Golf Mental Performance Coaching
Particularly relevant for US golfers – golf is one of the most mentally demanding sports and the US golf market has a strong culture of mental game coaching. John has worked with LPGA Tour professionals and amateur golfers worldwide.
Team and College Mindset Program Consulting
Mental performance programs for college athletic departments, high school varsity programs, and club sport organisations. John provides customised group programs and workshops.
1+1=3
What happens when you add an Elite Mindset Coach to an Elite Athlete or Team?
John’s proven and tested mindset program has a multiplication effect. He helps the athlete or team achieve results far greater than usually possible.
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How it works?
Even though every athlete requires a tailored mindset program, the formula to fast track success is the same.
While Working with John, his athletes achieved:
Frequently Asked Questions
Does John Novak provide mental performance coaching for US athletes?
A: Yes. John Novak provides online mental performance coaching to athletes across the United States via Zoom or video call. All sessions are conducted remotely at times that suit US time zones. John’s credentials include working with LPGA Tour winner Grace Kim (Evian Championship 2025), Olympic and World Champion swimmer James Magnussen, 5x Olympian Melissa Wu, and 1,000+ elite athletes across 60+ sports. His program is available to US athletes at every level from high school through to professional.
Can John Novak's mental performance coaching help with Division 1 college sports?
A: Yes. Division 1 college athletics is one of the most mentally demanding environments in American sport – scholarship pressure, coach expectations, combine and draft preparation, and the constant scrutiny of performance create a mental load that many athletes are not equipped to handle. John Novak’s mental performance program addresses the specific challenges of the college-to-professional transition, including performance under evaluation, managing expectations, and building the consistent mental habits that impress coaches and scouts.
What is the difference between a sports psychologist and a mental performance coach?
A: A sports psychologist is a licensed clinical professional trained to diagnose and treat psychological conditions. A mental performance coach focuses specifically on peak performance – developing the mental skills, strategies, and habits that allow athletes to consistently perform at their best. John Novak’s approach is practical, performance-focused, and directly applicable to competition. His Boomerang Effect framework builds the specific mental skills that produce results on the field, on the course, and in the pool – without the clinical framing of sports psychology.
Does John Novak work with US golf players?
A: Yes. Golf is one of John's primary specialisations and his credentials in the sport are world-class. He worked with Grace Kim, who won the 2025 Evian Championship – one of the five LPGA Major Championships – as well as Harrison Endycott, who reached World Amateur Ranking No. 11 in 2017 and improved his world ranking by 1,600+ places in a single year. His golf mental performance program has proven results at tour level and is available to US golfers at all levels via online coaching.
How does online mental performance coaching work?
A: Online mental performance coaching with John Novak is conducted via Zoom or Google Meet at times that suit your schedule and time zone. A typical first session runs 60 to 90 minutes and covers an assessment of your current mental performance strengths and gaps, the key areas to prioritise, and an introduction to the Boomerang Effect framework. Subsequent sessions build the specific mental skills identified in the assessment
and are tailored to your sport, competition calendar, and individual goals.
What US sports does John Novak have experience coaching?
A: John Novak has mental performance coaching experience across golf, swimming, athletics and track and field, basketball, soccer, tennis, boxing, triathlon, and many other sports popular in the United States. His 25+ years and 60+ sports experience means he understands the specific mental demands of each sport and can tailor his program accordingly. He has worked with athletes at Olympic, professional, college, and club level
across multiple sports that have significant US participation.
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