Mental Performance Coach

Primary Purpose

The Arizona-based Mental Performance Coach will be tasked with helping to ensure and enhance the overall well-being of the Cleveland Guardians Players in all areas related to Mental Performance and Wellness including, but not limited to personality, motivation, self-awareness, dealing with failure, transitions (professional, developmental, and cultural), recovery from injury, energy management and mental discipline. In addition, the Mental Performance Coach will provide training to the staff and coaches in the aforementioned areas and will act as a mental health ambassador for referrals and continuity of care in the mental health space.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Collaborate daily with the Mental Performance team, Director, and Coordinator.
• Triage/assess/treatment plan for athletes who need mental performance support in Arizona and remotely.
• Act as mental health ambassadors to support players and staff who need mental health referrals.
• Provide support to players in Goodyear, AZ during physical rehab programming.
• Refine injury rehab mental skills and mental health curriculum/programming.
• Provide in-person support to players in Goodyear, AZ, and support referral process for players outside of Goodyear, AZ.
• Provide consultation to field coaches and support staff regarding the Mental Performance of players.
• Collaborate with coaches, S&C, Sports Medicine, and Sports Science to clarify goals and support athletes.
• Be able to both work independently in the service provisions of the job and in close collaboration with inter and intra-team dynamics.
• Communicate daily with other Organization Coordinators to develop interdisciplinary plans for players.
• Adhere to the AASP code of ethics.
• Adhere to Cleveland Guardians Policies and Procedures.
• Act as a role model within and outside the Cleveland Guardians Organization
• Demonstrate flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
• Meet Sport Psychology and Mental Performance productivity standards.

Education & Experience Requirements and Preference

The Cleveland Guardians are committed to developing and maintaining an environment that embraces all forms of diversity to enrich our core values, enhance our competitive position, strengthen our impact within our community, and foster a greater sense of belonging for our employees.

In this spirit, we know studies have shown that people from historically underserved groups - including women and people of color - are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job and understand that candidate may bring certain skills and experiences to the role that are not listed above, but that would add tremendous value to our organization. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our qualifications described.

• A Graduate-level degree in Sport/Performance Psychology or similar discipline.
• A Minimum of 4 (four) years of relevant (postgraduate) mental performance experience working with elite & and multicultural performers/players.
• Extensive interest and experience in providing mental performance and psycho-educational programming.
• Familiarity and interest in triaging, and understanding the mental health/wellness continuum (mental health first aid training, graduate-level coursework, etc.).
• Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC®) via the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
• Ability to adapt interventions to athletes and coaches of various backgrounds.
• Capacity to travel up to 30 days a year.
• Willingness and capacity to develop strong relationships with players and coaches.
• Demonstrated success with applied experience, intervention skills, superior awareness of maintaining appropriate boundaries, and capacity to work with high levels of confidentiality in both a flexible way as required by a team environment and one that respects individual privacy.
• Excellent written, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Experience

We are looking for a variety of skill sets. If you have demonstrated experience with any of the following, you may be who we are looking for to join our team.  

• Bilingual English and Spanish.
• Previous experience working in an interdisciplinary high-performance environment.
• Working knowledge of the mental side of baseball.

Organizational Requirements

• Reads, speaks, comprehends, and communicates English effectively in all communications.
• Represents the Cleveland Guardians in a positive fashion to all business partners and the general public.
• Ability to develop and maintain successful working relationships with members of the Front Office.
• Ability to act according to organizational values and service excellence at all times.
• Ability to work with diverse populations and have a demonstrated commitment to social justice.
• Ability to walk, sit, or stand for an entire shift.
• Ability to work extended days and hours, including holidays and weekends.
• Ability to move throughout all areas and levels of the Ballpark.
• Ability to work in a diverse and changing environment.
• Occasional physical activity such as lifting and carrying boxes up to 25 lbs.