Conquering Pre-Competition Anxiety

Rachel Hoeft-Oddo has rebuilt herself four times. Three ACL tears and a meniscus injury ended her soccer career early, not from physical inability but from a fear she could not outrun. That experience, quitting out of fear rather than choice, became the engine of everything she does as a mental performance coach. Rachel is one of only three coaches remaining from the original IMG Academy cohort, a testament to her longevity, effectiveness, and the lasting trust she builds with athletes. She currently serves as the mental performance coach for the Portland Thorns of the NWSL and has worked with four IMG athletes for more than three years. Her impact ranges from helping an 8-year-old athlete go from self-doubt to competing two levels above her age group in five months, to supporting a high school basketball player who was ready to quit, ultimately earn a full scholarship to her dream school. Rachel connects with athletes who see themselves as more than their sport, who know that their identity and their jersey number are two different things. She heals something personal every time she helps an athlete work through an injury or a crisis of confidence. Her coaching is honest, human, and deeply invested. If you want a coach who has faced the worst of what sport can take from you and come back stronger, Rachel Hoeft-Oddo is the coach who will help you do the same.