The only one who can tell you 'you can't ' is you. And you don't have to listen. ~Nike

Keith Ballard
Photo by Norm Hall

Cal Dietz

James Newson

Within the short time with The Mental Edge I learned things that I could apply to my game immediately. I would recommend The Mental Edge to any athlete.

 - Keith Ballard, Phoenix Coyotes NHL

We have been meaning to drop you a note about the impact that you have had on Ryan. It is hard to put your finger on it, but we have witnessed the development of definitive skills that he will have throughout this life. First, the ability to plan ahead for a specific goal. Ryan is competitive in academics as well as sports. We have watched him go to the top of his geometry class, plan ahead on his research paper, and even ask his science teacher if he could do his science project over the Christmas break - just in case his team did well in the playoffs. He is setting goals and figuring out what he needs to do to achieve them. Secondly, Ryan's confidence in himself in growing. He has always wanted to be on student council. Last year he finally became a class rep. This year, he delivered a great speech and was elected president of the student council. Not bad for someone who had to go to years of speech class. And of course there is his passion - hockey. He has developed a confidence in his game that enables him to be prepared, focused , and keep himself on an even keel. He doesn't complain, nor blame. He reflects on what he needs to do and works hard to improve. Ryan came out of a loss where his team was starting to pick on each other. He told us: " You know I think my team needs Justin Johnson.

So thank you Justin helping our son develop focus, resilience and tenacity.

 - Parents Mark and Ann

I have searched for many years for mental assessment tools and mental performance coaches, such as The Mental Edge provides to better understand the athletes I prepare for competition. This program impacts everyone from female youth athletes trying to build confidence to Olympic/World Champions that wants to excel to higher levels. The Mental Edge can help anyone at any stage become the best they can be. The ability of the Mental Edge to provide practical information to the individual is amazing. I would highly recommend using The Mental Edge to anyone.

 - Cal Dietz, Head Strength Coach University of Minnesota

Being a professional athlete in any sport is 99% mental. Sometimes I found myself having a difficult time focusing on the task at hand which prevented me from accomplishing everything I wanted to. The Mental Edge allowed me to become more focused by introducing me to techniques that allow me to focus on what I need to do to become successful both on and off the ice. I would recommend it to all athletes looking to gain a competitive edge and be the best they can be.

 - Matt Koalska, Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL

“I watched my son the last two tourneys and he has really had great focus! It's like he was like his old self prior to going to the U when I used to watch him as a junior. It's like my real son is back! His progress has been fun to watch. I hope you realize I think you really helped and he does too! Thanks so much for your time and effort. You'll always have a place in our family’s heart.”

~ Parent

“What a difference a year can make. Last September, as our son entered his junior year, he was working hard but felt like he was spinning his wheels. His confidence was low and he was second guessing himself in social situations, academics and in hockey (on and off the ice). He was negative, confused and didn’t think he could do anything about it. He was waiting for things to happen and hoping for the best versus taking initiative and making things happen. He felt unneeded pressure and was a classic victim. As parents, we were frustrated, supportive but lacked the perspective and training to effectively handle this situation. We knew we needed help - someone that could uniquely connect with our son and his issues. We wanted someone that would positively tell him “truths” and could help him understand who he is, how he thinks and works and give him tools for living his life.

We have to admit, when we picked up the phone to call you we were apprehensive but figured it was worth a try. We had no idea how profound the experience would be for him. Today, our son is more confident and demonstrating a winning attitude. He is upbeat, an initiator and fun to be around (usually – he is still a teenager). He has been more positive and busy this summer – a night and day difference from last summer. He is able to see beyond the moment, set personal goals and be more proactive. He is often the initiator when planning to hang out with friends or thinking about his future. The biggest life tool however has been the ability to recognize and reverse his self talk when he is in a slump. For example, when he has a bad shift in hockey, he recognizes it and rather than spiraling out of control he pulls himself out of it and can get back on track. He can now make mistakes without becoming dysfunctional. Another big change is - he plays for himself, not for his coaches, us or others. He knows what he needs to do. He can listen and be open to information and decide on the action.

It was fun to watch the process and the relationship develop between you and our son. We don’t claim to understand it, nor do we need to understand it because we see the results. He developed a confidence and friendship that you clearly earned over the course of several months. This confidence enabled him to trust and try the techniques you were advocating. Your sessions were private. Sometimes he would share information, mostly he didn’t.

One thing we could feel - was your passion for what you do. As caring and involved (maybe too involved) parents, it was difficult for us to back off, trust your process and be patient. We are glad we did. We learned new parenting skills in the process (a bonus) – backing off and giving up control, patience and how to be better communicators with our teen. There is no silver bullet but your approach is working for our kid at this time in his life. We are grateful for your help and available to give you the highest recommendation. Please thank Dawn as well – for her outstanding communication and organizational skills. You make a great team!!”

~ Brad and Deb

“When we first met Justin Johnson at a State Bantam tournament a few years ago, he talked a little bit about The Mental Edge. I remember thinking to myself, “This is exactly what my son needs!” My son, Nolan, was one of our team’s two goaltenders. He had good skills, but was struggling with confidence issues and was having difficulty dealing with adversity. Having majored in Psychology myself, I was keenly aware of the importance of mental preparation. On the way home from the tournament, I talked with Nolan about The Mental Edge. Always interested in improving his game, he was very interested in trying it out.

All of Nolan’s goaltending training has been valuable, but The Mental Edge training has clearly been the most effective. I sat back and watched, with amazement, as his game consistently improved and his own satisfaction with his performance visibly increased over the next season. He was having fun again! Consequently, I became much more relaxed at his games. I began to enjoy break-a-ways, because I knew he was going to make the save!

At the end of the season, Nolan received a hand-written note from his coach congratulating him on his performance during the season. The coach went on to say, “Your consistency and confidence improved constantly, as did your skills.” His team members and other parents also noticed the difference.

Many of the mental strategies that he learned from Justin to improve his athletic skills are also excellent life skills that have helped him to become more assertive, responsible, and emotionally mature in his personal life. The training he received from The Mental Edge was not only the best investment I have ever made in my son’s athletic career, but also his emotional development. I would strongly recommend this program to any athlete, especially the youth. My son and I are both very grateful that we found The Mental Edge.”

~ Ellen Paulseth, Parent

“We wanted to send you a thank you for the wonderful work you have done with our son, Tyrone. Somewhere along the line, the pleasure and enjoyment Ty got out of sports began to feel more like pressure. He had a harder time focusing and felt frustrated with his performance. Through the profile assessment and the individual sessions with you, he learned tools to help him with positive thinking, managing disappointment and diversity, focusing, and increasing his confidence in all situations. He could apply these tools immediately and see the results in all areas of his life… his grades, his relationships with family, friends and teammates, and his sports performance. Most of all, he’s having FUN again. You made an instant connection with him and understood exactly what he was feeling. Your honest and direct approach quickly built a high level of trust and he valued you as a trainer and coach. We’ve spent a lot of money over the years for sports training but the Mental Edge program was definitely the best dollars for the results we ever invested in our son.

Thanks to Justin Johnson for his coaching and guidance (especially during the pre-tryout time) and to Dawn for keeping it all organized. You have a fabulous program and we would be happy to be a reference at any time.”

Colleen and Dan Simcoe

Thank you for being such caring and giving people! It is awesome for Jack to have such a positive mentoring relationship!

Cheryl

“I wanted to take a minute and reflect on the time that you spent with Allison. I can’t tell you how much a change we’ve seen in her since she started the program with you. She became acutely aware of what issues that she needed to address if she wanted to achieve the goals that she has for herself in hockey. She has worked so hard on improving her physical skills – which she has, but she really needed some focus on the mental part of the game; both on and off the ice. You helped her so much in that area! She feels that she is so much better prepared to handle the issues that affected her in hockey, and I have really seen the difference in her game since starting the program with you. As we both have told Allison, this is just a beginning in developing a stronger mental approach to the game, and that she has to consistently use the tools that you gave her to continue improving her game.

What’s even better is the “blueprint” that you left her with in which the both of you collaborated on, that will help her deal with future situations as they arise. She now has the tools that will help her better deal in the future with all the issues that affected her play in the past.

From a parent’s point of view, it was great to have someone outside the family with credibility to discuss these issues with her. She readily accepted your ideas, guidance and counseling and again, the results were outstanding. We know that we will be in touch again with you soon to develop a “maintenance” program for her as she continues down the path of achieving the high goals that she has for herself.

Thanks so much for your time with Allison; she really enjoyed the time she spent with you, and she feels, as my wife and I do, that she really got a lot out of the Mental Edge program. Thanks again!”

Respectfully,
Don Micheletti

Our daughter’s sessions with Shaun have definitely helped her deal with the many things she internalizes. We have seen a 180 turn around in how she plays and maintains control, I have not seen her ‘out of control’ attitude since summer before she started seeing Shaun. Thank You a Million!

Parent