Meet Alison Gorrell | Mental Performance Coach, MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alison Gorrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alison, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have played basketball my whole life and professionally for 5 years. Based on my personal experience, the mental battle in sports was always significantly more difficult than the physical side. The more athletes I spoke with, the more I understood that every athlete has their own story and mental battles. We have unbelievable resources for the physical side of sports, yet the resources are severely lacking for the psychological side. After completing my schooling for sport psychology, my goal has been to help as many athletes as possible, whether it is focusing on their mental health or enhancing their performance, I aim to cater to the individual’s needs. Mental health has always had a stigma attached to it in sports, yet it is one of the most crucial components to competing, so helping break the stigma is also an important goal for my business. I’m extremely passionate about helping athletes reach peak performance and achieve their dreams, while also enjoying the process and maintaining mental health,

What should our readers know about your business?
AG Performance Sport Psychology offers mental performance coaching that is tailored to teams, athletes, trainers and coaches. What makes the experience different for clients is that it’s customized to meet the individual’s needs and works in congruence with their physical training. Everyone’s journey is different, so it is important that everything is personalized to fit the individual or team. I’m excited to be working with Olympic and professional athletes worldwide as well as youth athletes in a wide range of sports. The most rewarding part is seeing the growth and transformation athletes make, whether it’s increased confidence, decreased anxiety or improved performance. Mental health is so important, especially with the challenges people are facing today, so it’s important that athletes have a resource.

I did my master’s in the UK while I was also playing basketball professionally. While in the UK I was asked by the team’s strength and conditioning coach to work with the Scotland National Beach Volleyball Team as they went on their world tour and competed in the Commonwealth Games in Australia. This was before I had created my business and I was very fortunate to get this opportunity through connections I made during previous work. Traveling to various European cities and eventually Australia was an unforgettable experience for me and fueled my ambition to work with athletes. It took me a few years of focusing on my own athletic career and working with athletes on the side to discover what path I could take with sport psychology. The hardest part was the fear of the unknown starting a business from scratch. Luckily I have a great support system that believes in my vision, so I have been able to push through the ups and downs and stay patient.

I’ve learned that you might not feel ready or know how to do certain things when it comes to starting a business, but if you step outside of your comfort zone, take opportunities head on, and let your passion guide you, it will lead to positive outcomes. You’d like to think you know what path your journey will take, but in reality you just have to put your best foot forward because you never know where things will lead you. As I work to grow my business, I am focused on helping as many athletes as possible, and making a positive impact on their athletic career and mental health.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would first give them a tour of my hometown in Evergreen. We would visit Evergreen Lake, maybe paddle board or go on one of the local hikes. We would go to Everbean cafe for a coffee and explore the shops and local art galleries. In the evening we would have a nice dinner at The Bistro for one of the best steaks. The next day we would do a morning workout at red rocks and enjoy the view and explore the area. We would spend the afternoon at Clement Park taking a walk and throwing a football or playing basketball at local outdoor courts. The next few days we would spend exploring Denver, particularly the restaurants and breweries. We would spend one day in the Cherry Creek area beginning with an amazing brunch nearby at Fox Run Cafe. Next we would head back to Cherry Creek to do a little shopping, getting a smoothie at Clean Juice and walking through the city and surrounding neighborhoods. We would finish the day going to Machete for tacos and Dang! for some soft serve ice cream. One day we would get brunch at the Thirsty Lion in Denver, their chicken and waffles are the best. The rest of the day would be spent exploring different breweries. Lowry’s beer garden, Odell, 10 Barrel and The Great Divide are amongst some of my favorite places to go.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents Carla and Mick Gorrell have been my source of inspiration and support with creating my business. My mom as a psychologist and my dad as a philosopher have given me incredible insight and have helped fuel my passion. They offer unwavering support and have encouraged me every step of the way. They have also given me crucial advice on how to run and grow my business. I am extremely thankful for them.

Website: www.coachgorrell.com

Instagram: @coachgorrell

Linkedin: Alison Gorrell

Twitter: @coach_gorrell

Facebook: AG Performance Sport Psychology

Image Credits
Mansoor Ahmed