Rick Neff

Human & Team Performance Specialist. Clinical & Sports Psychologist @ Villanova University. Founder of Inner-Edge Sports Psychology, LLC.

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

This week wraps up 7 months of working with this great group of leaders at Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Berks County. It was an absolute pleasure getting to learn about each of you and watch you build a stronger connection with one another week after week. The kids they serve and the staff they lead are in good hands. I look forward to watching you flourish. #vulnerability #leadership #teamwork #mentalhealth #culture #leadershipdevelopment

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

@DeymeinDoctor @PAHoopsAcademy @DukesLo_2 @PGSDAthletics Looking forward to seeing you back on the court 🤝.

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

Wonderful evening participating on an expert wellness panel with lead NFL psychiatrist Dr. Sidney Hankerson, UBS Chair of Advisory Counsel Duane Hughes, Villanova & NBA Great, and President of Friends of Nova Randy Foye, and former Syracuse MBB player, CEPA & Director of UBS Arts & Entertainment Nolan Hart. #NeckUpTraining #TheMovement

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

Oh, was I wrong. I’m not afraid to admit it. I thought going to sleep early would help me feel rested and recovered from yesterday’s first huddle with the student-athletes at Pottsgrove High School….

The energy and enthusiasm in that auditorium was contagious. We brought out each other’s best for 90 minutes, and I loved it. The excitement to learn about the brain, emotions, mind-body connection, human performance, and leadership is inspiring to me. I look forward to giving more. Guess I need to increase my cardio work to keep up with this group!

I’m counting down the days to our next team huddle in that auditorium. The ideas are flowing. 1, 2, 3…Grove. #StrongerTogether #Grove

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

@CoachGH3 @RyanSabol0 @DanielFreitag_ @UBuffaloMBB I believe in you Coach 🤘🏼🏃🏻

[George Halcovage III @CoachGH3]

It’s been great having Dr. Rick Neff with us in Buffalo the last few days! He’s already added incredible value to our Mental Performance & will continue to do so throughout the year !!! We love having you in the boat with us Doc !!!
#ALLinGRIT🤘🏼

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

@coachGH3 Much appreciation for the opportunity to make a positive impact on the program. I look forward to our continued work together this season. Mind right, game tight. #ALLinGRIT 🤘🏼

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

@samwade04 @PerkBasketball @coach_kerrie Congratulations!!

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

Mental strength is: (#1) awareness of, and (#2) exerting control over the space between stimulus and response. In this space we have a choice. The choice we make, and attitude we carry paves the path forward. Train your mind, and the body will follow. #sports #performance #psychology

[Villanova WLAX @NovaWLax]

What a 𝘿𝙔𝙉𝘼𝙈𝙄𝘾 𝘿𝙐𝙊 !!! 👏

Thank you to Father Rob & Dr. Neff for coming to practice and sharing inspirational words to our team #Today #GoCats

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

@jaaron_hayek Hard work pays off!!

[Alex Auerbach @AlexAuerbachPhD]

Sport psychology isn’t just therapy for athletes.

But that’s what it’s been reduced to.

A great performance psychologist will help everyone in the organization appreciate the influence and impact of human behavior on performance - and help everyone perform better.

They’ll also help you identify better talent and develop that talent more effectively.

They’ll help you manage change, transition, turnover, and teamwork.

They’ll help bolster your confidence in decision-making.

They’ll provide a psychological lens through which everyone can view the game.

They’ll influence things like travel, rest and recovery.

A great sport psychologist will help you in the draft (recruiting), trade deadline (transfer portal), and with the players on your roster.

Above all, they’ll quickly help everyone develop confidence in them - because they help the other performers (read: everyone) in the organization build competence (and confidence of their own along the way).

If you’re only using sport psychology for therapy, you’re missing the point. You’re missing the benefits. You’re missing the opportunity to help everyone think, feel, and perform better.

And if you aren’t of conviction that your current sport psych can do that… we need to talk about that, too.

This isn’t to say therapy and mental health treatment aren’t important. Of course they are. But reducing the role to therapy is like reducing a strength coach’s role to just strengthening after an injury. Or reducing a coach’s role to just X’s & O’s with no mentorship.

All of sport is behavior. An organization is just a collection of people behaving.

Make the most of the experts in human behavior.

[Tristan Pharis @TristanUda]

Reed Sheppard talks about helping Justin Edwards through his mental struggles, connecting him with a mental health coach.

"Everyone struggles mentally. It's a hard thing not to struggle with. I just wanted to help him and get him to think positively, instead of negatively. I think he's done that. He's happy, smiling. Seeing him on the court having fun and enjoying playing is really exciting."

[Tristan Pharis @TristanUda]

Justin Edwards talks about his mental health battles during his time at Kentucky and says Reed Sheppard connected him with his mental health coach.

His message to those going through tough times:

"It's not going to rain forever. Stay the course and believe in God."

[Darren Rovell @darrenrovell]

When you watch tonight’s game, focus on Michigan QB @jjmccarthy09’s pregame routine & how much it involves mental health practices such as grounding, meditation, & breath work.

@SameHere_Global calls these collectively “STARR” stress & trauma active release & rewiring.

JJ has spoken about his mental health challenges, but we also have to acknowledge how these STARR Exercises proactively get him in the right mindset to perform his best.

He’s on the cusp of a national championship, normalizing these practices for fans all over - health & performance.

He’s helping to change the narrative.

[George T. Mumford @gtmumford]

An impressive clip from Michigan QB @jjmccarthy09 an impressive young man. Here he talks about mental health, meditation, reacting vs. responding, allowing things to happen, depression, being yourself, positive energy & more. Full piece via @UMichAthletics https://t.co/rkiu8KhVEX

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

Hurdle after hurdle, obstacle after obstacle, being told no not once but hundreds if not thousands of times, experiencing frustration and anger on a regular basis, being called judgmental names, but NOT giving up and remaining rooted, resilient, and relentless with the help of my wife has brought me to this moment to say just as Deion said, I’m coming….. #hardworkpaysoff #sports #psychology #givetoothers #givetoreceive #dontstop

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

You want to experience growth and success, you must believe in believe. Believe is our bedrock, what we build our foundation as a person from. When that foundation and bedrock is shaken, cracked, or damaged it is difficult to stand strong against the daily winds of adversity. What is interfering with you believing in you? #believe #foundation #mindset #sports #psychology #MentalHealth

[Rick Neff @drrickneff]

Tomorrow, next week, next year, twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. The ability to continue moving forward in pursuit of your goals when you are feeling scared, fearful or lazy is the sign of true mental strength. Are you building mental muscle to not live with disappointment and regret?? #mindset #sports #psychology #confidence #mentalhealth