Testimonials

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"Taylor Staden, from Upper Mentality Sports Performance Consultants, offered an incredible insight into our selection process by adding player interviews and dynamic small team tasks for our players to shine on and off the ice.

We are stoked with the work that was done this week to begin building a strong and resilient team structure for our team. Thanks, Taylor!"

"Working with Taylor Staden and his mental performance training program over the past three seasons has been an absolute game-changer for our hockey teams in the [association]. His expertise in developing the mental fortitude and resilience of our athletes has truly transformed the way our teams approach the game. Taylor's program has not only helped our players achieve peak performance on the ice, but it has also positively impacted their overall well-being and personal growth. His ability to connect with the players and tailor his sessions to their individual needs is truly remarkable. We are incredibly grateful for his guidance and highly recommend his training to any hockey team looking to take their performance to the next level."

"I can’t say enough positive things about Taylor and how he approaches combining sports psychology with real life lessons. My son plays very high level soccer, and there is a lot of mental strength required to stay sharp and competitive. Over the last few months, Taylor has built a very strong relationship with my son, and has been helping him tremendously. I highly recommend Taylor’s services to anyone considering getting a mental performance coach for their child!"

"Taylor has helped me immensely through easy times and hard times. Taylor has given me concrete advise on how I can handle my challenges and successes without getting too high or low, and how to develop a routine that keeps making me better on and off the ice. Furthermore, he is genuine and caring. I would recommend him to anyone that is trying to gain the tools necessary to succeed in all aspects of life."

"We engaged Taylor to work with our U13 son regarding mental performance & preparedness ahead of important hockey evaluations. Taylor did an awesome job forming and communicating impactful strategies that were age appropriate, easy to follow and got results. Equally impressive was Taylor’s level of follow-up, communication and after-care with us as parents."

"Working with Taylor has been a game-changer for me as a Division 1 hockey player. He has helped me build my confidence and develop effective strategies for dealing with adversity on and off the ice. His guidance has not only improved my performance but also transformed my mindset, allowing me to approach challenges with resilience. I can’t thank him enough for the tools and insights he’s provided; they’ve truly elevated my game."

"I have been working with Taylor for over 2 years now. He is so passionate about what he does which makes working with him so easy. He has helped me so much mentally which have resulted numerous improvements in my on ice game. He is an exceptional human being and I’m very thankful for all he has done!"

"Our 10 year old player began working with Taylor last month. Taylor has given our player new tools to allow them to work through adversity on and off the ice, and has helped them better understand certain game situations. I am very pleased with the results we have seen from our player working with Taylor and we are looking forward to continuing that partnership."

"The help that Taylor has provided me over the past year has greatly improved my performance on the ice. The strategies we practice in our meetings has changed the way I think about both hockey and everyday life and I have seen outstanding improvements in both facets. I cannot recommend Taylor and Upper Mentality enough!"

"Taylor has become a very important piece to the success I’ve had this year. Every time I would fall into a slump I knew that I could turn to him for advice. He is really engaged when you’re working with him showing he truly cares. I recommend Taylor to every athlete that needs help."

"By working with Taylor, he helped me with aspects of my game that I struggled with that could not be fixed in practice alone. Before my sessions with Taylor, I struggled with self-doubt which held me back from performing to my full potential. Taylor got to know me and after only a few sessions showed me ways to free my mind which allowed me to perform at my best. It was truly a game changer for me."

"Taylor has worked with my 9 and 11 year old sons for both baseball and hockey and even briefly with me regarding my marathon training. 

Taylor is excellent at what he does. Both of my kids responded really well to his strategies to overcome their “mental slumps”.

We saw immediate benefits after minimal sessions and he was very good at connecting with them even at such young ages. We will continue to work with Taylor as my kids progress through sports."

"My son was struggling with his confidence after experiencing an injury the previous season. Taylor was able to talk him through it and provide my son with tools he needed to regain his confidence. We have seen improvements in his playing game after game. Taylor also took a personal interest with my son and made him feel comfortable sharing his thoughts and concerns. I would recommend Taylor's service to anyone of all ages."

"My son needed help with some bad habits in his hockey game. Taylor worked with him to give him the tools needed to overcome those issues. Results: With focus on the game he was able to be earn a spot on a higher level team."

"Taylor began working with my preteen goalie about 6 months ago. Taylor quickly formed a bond with him and relates very well to him. Taylor states his expectations clearly and concisely and communicates very well with both my goalie and myself. My goalie’s game has changed exponentially as has his enjoyment of the game!"

"My 10 year-old hockey goalie has been working with Taylor for a few months and it has made a world of difference. Taylor always finds ways to connect with him wherever he’s at - whether it’s dealing with anxiety, disappointment, excitement. He suggests realistic strategies for dealing with the pressure and nerves. The skills he teaches are applicable to sports and life in general. In just weeks I can already see a difference in resilience. Highly recommend!"

"Taylor was instrumental in helping our athletes understand the importance of being mentally prepared. He focused on how to overcome adversity and having a growth mindset. Thanks Taylor!"

"Working with Taylor has been a game-changer for my son both on and off the ice. His expertise and strategies have helped him elevate his performance to new heights. Through personalized strategies and mindset training, he has equipped him with the tools to overcome self-doubt, stay focused under pressure, and perform at his best when it matters most. His unwavering support and encouragement have been instrumental in his success, and I can't thank them enough for his guidance. I highly recommend Taylor to any athlete looking to unlock their full potential and achieve peak performance."

"We found Taylor through word of mouth, which says a lot about Taylor, his work ethic and the results he gets.   

Our son plays a high level of hockey and is a goalie. A lot of a goalies game is mental and we were looking for someone who would help our son with the mental side of his game. We are beyond thrilled we found Taylor. It just so happened my son slide into a “slump” he couldn’t kick on his own. We booked with Taylor, who was very willing, knowledgeable and flexible. 
 

My son, however, was not as eager to work with someone on the mental piece of his game but after his very first meeting with Taylor, my son bought in. He loves working with Taylor. He said it was fun, easy and literally after one session my son was able to get out of his “slump” and was playing with confidence and grit.

He trusts Taylor, who has gone above and beyond to make sure my son is game ready.

My son has and will continue to see Taylor, who is now a part of his regiment, the same way his workout or skating is. One could never go wrong in trusting Taylor to help move their game to the next level."

"If you are contemplating performance coaching, look no further! Taylor’s mindset coaching has been an integral part of our son’s development both in sport & life!

Here’s our story...

From a young age our son's athletic ability has allowed him to pick up the physical demands of most

sports with ease. With hockey being one of his favorite sports, we eventually found ourselves taking

him out for additional on-ice skill development & practice sessions with a fantastic hockey trainer. The

investment in extra training, paired with the trainer's philosophy; you can have results or excuses has

proven to be a worthwhile investment helping our son consistently earn his spot with AAA hockey

teams.

Over time, our son began to navigate the sometimes unfriendly and unforgiving world of competitive

hockey; without question it became clear that individual and team dynamics can impact the physical and

mental flow of one’s game. We witnessed a decline in our son's confidence, and he started to question if he actually belonged. As parents, we realized the focus needed to be our son’s well-being & mindset; it was time to dig deep, on and off the ice.

As a parent who works in the mental health sector, the boundaries were difficult to maintain; I was not his therapist or a coach; I am mom! After conversation and contemplation, our son eventually asked if he could talk to someone to help build his confidence.

He was feeling nervous, but he was willing and ready for a new kind of training!

Fast forward to a tournament where we met Taylor. During our initial interactions, we appreciated his

‘relationship first’ approach, no sales pitch, no fancy language, he was genuinely interested in our son’s

strengths and needs. We arranged our virtual meetings and have never looked back. From the outset,

Taylor quickly established a genuine rapport with our son; they co-created a plan which helped our son

feel comfortable, ready to learn and willing to practice the skills & strategies he was learning during his

sessions.

A foundation of trust and accountability keeps our son engaged and motivated, no matter if he is on a

high or low in his game, he looks forward to every single session with Taylor. The strategies shared are

age appropriate, practical, and unique to his strengths and needs on and off the ice. Without a doubt,

Taylor has executed the mission of Upper Mentality by helping our son develop mental skills that

continue to help him improve his confidence, perform under pressure and move along when he makes

mistakes.

Finding a balance on and off the ice has helped our son appreciate and navigate situations that impact

his mindset both positively and negatively. The best part as a parent has been watching our son realize

he doesn’t need to change who he is to fit in, instead, he is choosing to use the skills and strategies

learned to tune out unnecessary ‘noise’ and be his authentic self! Now that’s confidence!!! We are

incredibly grateful for Taylor’s professionalism and holistic approach to performance coaching!"

"I wanted to work with a performance coach because I wanted to be more confident on the ice and

contribute to the team more. When I met Taylor, I learned more about what performance coaching was

and how it could help me with my mental game.

I like working with Taylor because he gives me strategies to improve confidence in my game. For instance, last year I was doing everything good in practice but not performing in games. Taylor gave me a strategy called shift-by-shift. The point of the

strategy is to not think about the big picture, it’s more so taking it step by step. After learning and practicing the shift-by-shift strategy, I had one of my best games.

Overall, working with Taylor has helped me increase my performance on the ice by focusing on the mental side of my game. I look forward to working with Taylor to learn new and upcoming strategies to help young players like me."