About

BACKGROUND
– Colin Lyons, Owner, Mental Performance Coach

I began playing organized sports with T-ball and quickly picked up football, and basketball. In middle school, I decided to try cross-country, and by the time high school came around, running was my focus. There was promise early on, and I liked the combination of individuality and team camaraderie that exists in cross-country and track and field. After a solid high school career, I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship to run in college. Unfortunately, this is also the time where I began overthinking everything and completely stopped running like I had in high school: free and confident that I was one of the better runners at a meet. Unsurprisingly, my performances were well below my expectations and that of my coaches and teammates. I simply could not get out of my own way.

After college, my journey took me through several jobs until I finally committed to the lifelong dream of coaching. So, I decided to move back home (I had been on the East coast for college and beyond for several years) to Colorado and dive into coaching. I also decided to give teaching a try. The three years I taught high school social studies taught me more about myself, and others, than any other career I could ever imagine. It did not take me long to recognize that many of my athletes and students struggled to “perform” when it counted, just like I did. Around this time, I discovered the field of Applied Sport Psychology. I was incredibly fit, strong, and fast as a runner, but my mental fitness was nearly nonexistent, as was the case for many of my students and athletes. With incredible support from my family, I left teaching and pursued a master’s in Applied Sport Psychology from Adams State University.

In December 2020 I created Optimum Mental Performance Training to help athletes of all ages, abilities, and competitive levels to create their own sense of personal excellence and to consistently perform at high levels. My mission is to not only help you perform better in sport competitions, but also academically, professionally, and personally. I do not believe one can perform at high levels in one aspect of their life if they are not doing well in others; therefore, I utilize a holistic approach which builds upon your strengths. If this build-it model appeals to you, please contact me and we can work together in helping you achieve personal excellence. Specific details on services can be found under Services.