With intense focus on leadership, culture, and connection…Donna inspires athletes, coaches, and teams to another level of greatness in game & life! She believes everything rises and falls with leadership, so a main priority is coaching coaches to be the best version of themselves in every capacity. Donna also consults with teams at all levels in various sports creating blueprints and guidance systems for winning cultures and provides leadership training that focuses on athletes’ mentality and ownership of their growth and experience.
With intense focus on leadership, culture, and connection…Donna inspires athletes, coaches, and teams to another level of greatness in game & life! She believes everything rises and falls with leadership, so a main priority is coaching coaches to be the best version of themselves in every capacity. Donna also consults with teams at all levels in various sports creating blueprints and guidance systems for winning cultures and provides leadership training that focuses on athletes’ mentality and ownership of their growth and experience.
Donna’s passion is developing both the person and the player. With a heart, mind, body approach she guides athletes to become strong grounded humans as this is key to unlocking higher performance. The inner journey is powerful and transformational. Excellence is a lifestyle. A former soccer coach with over 25 years across youth, high school & college levels, Donna spent 13 years at University of Central Florida, helping elevate the women’s soccer program into an NCAA Division One Top 25 team.
Driving the leadership and culture development at UCF wasn’t Donna’s only priority. As the Goalkeeper Coach Donna mentored some of the top keepers in school history including All-American, Olympian & World Cup Player Aline Reis. During Donna’s thirteen seasons with UCF the Knights posted 106 total shutouts.
In 2013 Donna stepped out of the x’s and o’s in order to devote 100% of her time to consulting. Through intense focus on leadership, culture, and personal development she has helped coaches, teams, and athletes across the country build foundations and strategies to ACHIEVE GREATNESS. Today, Donna consults for NCAA collegiate teams in multiple sports, high school & youth teams, and professional & national team athletes.
Donna’s passion is developing both the person and the player. With a heart, mind, body approach she guides athletes to become strong grounded humans as this is key to unlocking higher performance. The inner journey is powerful and transformational. Excellence is a lifestyle. A former soccer coach with over 25 years across youth, high school & college levels, Donna spent 13 years at University of Central Florida, helping elevate the women’s soccer program into an NCAA Division One Top 25 team.
Driving the leadership and culture development at UCF wasn’t Donna’s only priority. As the Goalkeeper Coach Donna mentored some of the top keepers in school history including All-American, Olympian & World Cup Player Aline Reis. During Donna’s thirteen seasons with UCF the Knights posted 106 total shutouts.
In 2013 Donna stepped out of the x’s and o’s in order to devote 100% of her time to consulting. Through intense focus on leadership, culture, and personal development she has helped coaches, teams, and athletes across the country build foundations and strategies to ACHIEVE GREATNESS. Today, Donna consults for NCAA collegiate teams in multiple sports, high school & youth teams, and professional & national team athletes.
Donna is a 1995 graduate from Anderson University in Indiana where she competed as a dual athlete in soccer and softball. Upon finishing her eligibility, she joined the women’s soccer coaching staff at her alma mater until she moved to Florida in 1998. In 2012, Donna was inducted into the AU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Donna spent 1997-1999 playing in the United Soccer Leagues women’s division, starting her career with the Indiana Blaze in 1997, joined the Orlando Ladyhawks in 1998, and finished her playing career in 1999 with the Tampa Bay Extreme. After a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Edgewater High School in Orlando, she served as the head coach at Trinity Prep in 1999 and through the years has coached various age groups in club soccer.
Donna is a founding member and certified leadership coach with the John Maxwell Coaching Team. She has served as an adjunct instructor at the UCF College of Education (sports & fitness), instructed for U.S. Soccer education courses, United Soccer Coaches, and is a frequent keynote speaker. Known in the coaching world as “Big D”, she leads with passion, authenticity, and an unwavering belief in the human spirit. Many people inspire Donna’s life, some of whom are: the Apostle Paul, John Maxwell, Condoleezza Rice, Cal Ripken, Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy. Donna has taken classes towards a Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary and is a covenant member of Genesis Church. Donna resides in Orlando, Florida – the sunshine state!
Donna is a 1995 graduate from Anderson University in Indiana where she competed as a dual athlete in soccer and softball. Upon finishing her eligibility, she joined the women’s soccer coaching staff at her alma mater until she moved to Florida in 1998. In 2012, Donna was inducted into the AU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Donna spent 1997-1999 playing in the United Soccer Leagues women’s division, starting her career with the Indiana Blaze in 1997, joined the Orlando Ladyhawks in 1998, and finished her playing career in 1999 with the Tampa Bay Extreme. After a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Edgewater High School in Orlando, she served as the head coach at Trinity Prep in 1999 and through the years has coached various age groups in club soccer.
Donna is a founding member and certified leadership coach with the John Maxwell Coaching Team. She has served as an adjunct instructor at the UCF College of Education (sports & fitness), instructed for U.S. Soccer education courses, United Soccer Coaches, and is a frequent keynote speaker. Known in the coaching world as “Big D”, she leads with passion, authenticity, and an unwavering belief in the human spirit. Many people inspire Donna’s life, some of whom are: the Apostle Paul, John Maxwell, Condoleezza Rice, Cal Ripken, Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy. Donna has taken classes towards a Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary and is a covenant member of Genesis Church. Donna resides in Orlando, Florida – the sunshine state!
Donna is a Certified John Maxwell Leadership Coach
“John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold more than 13 million books. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and organizations as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and ambassadors at the United Nations.” (JohnMaxwell.com)
Donna is a Certified John Maxwell Leadership Coach
“John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold more than 13 million books. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and organizations as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and ambassadors at the United Nations.” (JohnMaxwell.com)
What I’ve Been Called
FIREMAN
Sometimes you have “fires” within your team that need to be put out. Tim Grover of Attack Athletics talks about his athletes “pulling the fire alarm” and that is when the call to him happens. I get those calls from clients and I don’t mind. That’s part of what I do. Help put out fires.
WINGMAN
The traditional military concept of “wingman” is the pattern in which fighter jets fly. A second jet flies off the right wing of and behind the lead jet. This “wingman” protects the lead aircraft. I’ve had individuals tell me that I fill that role for them. I have their back and I won’t “bug out” when the fight gets tough.
ASLAN
We were playing the game “if the person to your right was an animal what would they be?” I not only had a team tell me I was a lion but they specifically personified me as Aslan who is a character in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. I love the quote about Aslan that gives the idea he is good and yet he is dangerous. My people know I love them and they know I’m going to push them into discomfort.
What I’ve Been Called
FIREMAN
Sometimes you have “fires” within your team that need to be put out. Tim Grover of Attack Athletics talks about his athletes “pulling the fire alarm” and that is when the call to him happens. I get those calls from clients and I don’t mind. That’s part of what I do. Help put out fires.
WINGMAN
The traditional military concept of “wingman” is the pattern in which fighter jets fly. A second jet flies off the right wing of and behind the lead jet. This “wingman” protects the lead aircraft. I’ve had individuals tell me that I fill that role for them. I have their back and I won’t “bug out” when the fight gets tough.
ASLAN
We were playing the game “if the person to your right was an animal what would they be?” I not only had a team tell me I was a lion but they specifically personified me as Aslan who is a character in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. I love the quote about Aslan that gives the idea he is good and yet he is dangerous. My people know I love them and they know I’m going to push them into discomfort.
Challenges of Coaching
For over 20 years I have been on the sideline coaching at various levels from youth all the way up to the college level. These experiences have shaped the current ideas and strategies that I now use in my consulting work to coach coaches, develop leaders, and help build great teams.
Maybe some of these topics have challenged you as they have my life and career. Below is my transparency in the areas of self, team, and players.
Challenges of Coaching
Top 5 Challenges Within Myself
- Staying focused on education in all areas instead of expecting athletes to think and do things the way I did as an athlete
- Staying relationship focused over task-focused; people over just the x’s and o’s
- Making sure I fill my energy and emotional tanks so that I can give to my players
- Being empathetic in all areas (even the areas that are “no-brainers” to me)
- Delegate and cast the vision for a task but understand there are different ways to arrive at the same point
Top 5 Challenges Within Teams
- Getting team leaders to actually step up and LEAD in a positive direction
- Empowering leaders to take ownership, communicate, and be intentional about influencing their teammates
- Teaching the balance of individual competitiveness and embracing the team concept
- Dealing with the subtle divide between starters and reserves & how to keep non-travelers and injured players involved and on-board
- Personality conflicts between players who don’t want to process it together
Top 5 Challenges With Players
- Reserve players understanding their role and still feeling valued as a critical part of the team’s success
- Navigating the “Entitlement Generation”
- Teaching veteran players that respect is “earned” not demanded and serving others gets you farther in life
- Creating strategies that encourage players to take responsibility and then within a busy and full schedule to daily reflect and evaluate themselves
- Educating players that life isn’t fair and it comes down to a matter of perspective… their “chance” is everyday in practice.
Top 5 Challenges Within Myself
- Staying focused on education in all areas instead of expecting athletes to think and do things the way I did as an athlete
- Staying relationship focused over task-focused; people over just the x’s and o’s
- Making sure I fill my energy and emotional tanks so that I can give to my players
- Being empathetic in all areas (even the areas that are “no-brainers” to me)
- Delegate and cast the vision for a task but understand there are different ways to arrive at the same point
Top 5 Challenges Within Teams
- Getting team leaders to actually step up and LEAD in a positive direction
- Empowering leaders to take ownership, communicate, and be intentional about influencing their teammates
- Teaching the balance of individual competitiveness and embracing the team concept
- Dealing with the subtle divide between starters and reserves & how to keep non-travelers and injured players involved and on-board
- Personality conflicts between players who don’t want to process it together
Top 5 Challenges With Players
- Reserve players understanding their role and still feeling valued as a critical part of the team’s success
- Navigating the “Entitlement Generation”
- Teaching veteran players that respect is “earned” not demanded and serving others gets you farther in life
- Creating strategies that encourage players to take responsibility and then within a busy and full schedule to daily reflect and evaluate themselves
- Educating players that life isn’t fair and it comes down to a matter of perspective… their “chance” is everyday in practice.
5 Things Not
Everyone Knows
- I am a bag and bin-a-holic! You can never have too many pockets in a bag or sections in a bin! I take staying organized to the next level!
- I love antique shopping, if you need help in being a professional antique shopper let me know!
- I love dry erase boards. It is amazing how creative one can be with a dry-erase board. Do you want a secret for erasing…. Mr. Clean Magic Erasers™! Boom.
- I collect Starbucks mugs and bears. Quite often I receive these mugs as gifts (hint, hint) from around the world.
- I am very Patriotic! I love learning the history of our forefathers and visiting the historic places in America.
5 Things Not Everyone Knows
- I am a bag and bin-a-holic! You can never have too many pockets in a bag or sections in a bin! I take staying organized to the next level!
- I love antique shopping, if you need help in being a professional antique shopper let me know!
- I love dry erase boards. It is amazing how creative one can be with a dry-erase board. Do you want a secret for erasing…. Mr. Clean Magic Erasers™! Boom.
- I collect Starbucks mugs and bears. Quite often I receive these mugs as gifts (hint, hint) from around the world.
- I am very Patriotic! I love learning the history of our forefathers and visiting the historic places in America.
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