About Me

I’ve spent most of my life on the sidelines—as a player, a coach, and a dad—trying to understand what actually helps people show up well when things matter.

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Over the past 30 years, I’ve coached athletes from complete beginners to Division I players, led one of Oregon’s largest youth soccer clubs, and walked alongside thousands of families.

Along the way, I saw something that mattered more than talent or tactics: how pressure shapes confidence, identity, and the way young people see themselves.

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I grew up believing my worth came from outcomes. When I fell short (often), I carried the weight of self-doubt and anxiety that so many kids quietly live with today.

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Coaching—and later parenting—helped me unlearn those patterns and see a different path forward.

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Optima Mindset Coaching exists to help young people—and the parents supporting them—build something more durable than motivation or confidence alone.

This work is about:

• Separating who you are from how you perform

• Learning to recover quickly when things go wrong

• Developing steady habits and clear thinking under pressure

• Showing up fully on game day, test day, and in life—without losing yourself
   

I primarily work with teens and young adults, and I often partner with parents who want to support growth without letting performance take over the relationship. The goal isn’t to remove pressure—it’s to teach kids how to meet it with clarity, resilience, and self-trust.

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Alongside this coaching work, I write Reflections of a Father—a collection of short essays on parenting, coaching, and building family cultures that value effort, connection, and character over image and outcomes.

That writing explores the meaning behind this work. Optima is where we apply it.

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I live in Southern Oregon by way of Pennsylvania. My wife, Sarah, and I are raising two sons, Rocco and Giovanni, and spending as much time as possible in the mountains—skiing, exploring, and reminding ourselves that joy matters.

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At its core, Optima Mindset Coaching helps young people separate who they are from what they do—so pressure doesn’t get to decide their story.