Mirjam Wallin has been helping professional hockey players with their mental game since 2016
Mental Performance Coach Mirjam Wallin has been specializing in one-on-one coaching with professional athletes for the past seven years. She founded Game Grit in 2016 to begin systematically using her expertize for the benefit of hockey players looking to improve their performance and mental well-being. Over the years, she has coached hundreds of players in Finland’s top league as well as U20 juniors and elite level professionals remotely all over the world. Here are some of her clients’ experience with mental performance coaching.
Photo: Elmeri Elo/ ElonKuvaus
Julius Mattila
“Mental coaching has been a positive learning experience. After each session I felt better. The things we’ve worked on have been important for the future.
Mirjam has challenged me to go outside my comfort zone. As a coach she is open, warm and easy to approach. She’s good at reading body language and was able to sense my true feelings. I was surprised at how quickly I was able to open up, and saw the benefits of doing so. When I’m honest, I also get a professional perspective from Mirjam.
You get results with the right mental state.
Thank you for your help.”
Photo: Elmeri Elo/ ElonKuvaus
Arttu Ilomäki
“It’s important to have someone with an outside perspective to talk to about what’s weighing you down. The best part is being able to say difficult things out loud, ‘secrets’ that would feel embarrassing to tell anyone else. Discussing it together makes it easier to chop it into smaller pieces and understand your behaviour better, and apply the new lessons to your everyday life.
I’ve realised things through coaching that have made it easier to play hockey. The busy game schedule has felt mentally lighter. Coaching has improved my wellbeing and life outside the rink too.
Coaching requires a commitment from the player himself, the desire to grow and willingness to focus. It’s important to go all in. I encourage others to go to sessions prepared and with a good attitude, just as you’d go on the ice, too: ready to work on yourself.”
Photo: Elmeri Elo/ ElonKuvaus
Ville Petman
“As a result of coaching I’ve grown as a person and learnt to face and deal with the things inside my head. Coaching gives you an outside perspective that’s on your side, and has helped me improve.
The coaching relationship has been a positive experience in every way. Working together has felt natural and Mirjam is reliable.
Over time I have learned to talk with ease and find the right words. The most important thing is trust and the courage to talk, and that both communicate openly and directly.
I’ve felt relieved after sessions, having been able to unload everything, leave it behind and then focus on new things. Mental coaching provides support for overcoming difficulties and reinforcement for the good.”
Photo: Samppa Toivonen
Aaro Vidgren
“Mental coaching has been really important to me on and off the ice. I have grown to break through mental barriers, find consistency, live in the moment, think positively and deal with things. The gap between a good and a bad game has gotten smaller. Coaching helps players do their job on the team with more motivation.
I trust Mirjam greatly. She truly listens and is interested, and challenges you to do the work yourself. The coaching relationship has deepened over time. t’s good to get things off your chest.
I recommend mental coaching to other players as well, because it helps with everything – both with the game as well as outside the rink.”
Photo: Aarno Vuorinen
Eetu Koivistoinen
“After getting lots of good tools from my first year in coaching, the decision to continue was easy. I’ve gained a stronger belief in myself, found tools to deal with emotional states and learnt to process negative feedback constructively - which enables better execution.
The coaching relationship has worked well all this time. Mirjam knows how to guide my thinking, and getting to that deeper level of conversation is important for effective coaching. I can tell her anything, and she challenges me well.
Coaching is about open conversation and finding new solutions. After sessions I’ve felt peaceful and calm.
I recommend trying coaching, it allows you to explore and reflect on your emotions.”
Photo: Riku Laukkanen / R1ku Exposures
Teemu Tallberg
“Mental performance coaching has helped me execute better, on the ice as well as in the locker room. I’ve learnt to deal with my emotions and understand where they come from. It’s easier to be present in the moment.
Coaching sessions have helped me find solutions to problems and have left me feeling motivated. I recommend coaching to others too!”
Photo: Liiga
Toni Koivisto
“Coaching has helped me strengthen mentally and perform more consistently. Sessions evoke new thoughts and tools for a better mental state. Mirjam is a good coach, and easy to talk to.”
Photo: Liiga
Simo-Pekka Riikola
“Mental performance coaching has provided me with support during the season and taught me how to reset after mistakes in the game. Mirjam has been easy to work with.”
Photo: Mikkelin Jukurit
Ville Hyvärinen
Watch Ville’s story on YouTube.
“One-on-one coaching has enabled me to play with more confidence. It’s taught me how to deal with setbacks during a game and keep executing well.
Before coaching, playing felt difficult and I was afraid of making mistakes. I didn’t have the proper tools to deal with and learn from them.
We started from the basics - processed my fears and started to look for solutions that would work for me specifically. As coaching went on, we aimed for mental consistency.
It surprised me how easy it was talking to a complete stranger about difficult things. Mirjam is honest and knows how to challenge players with the right questions.
I highly recommend you try this coaching. Make the decision to try and start. Based on my experience I really believe it’s going to work for a lot of athletes.”
Photo: Mikko Pylkkö/ Pelicans.fi
Keni Karalahti
Watch Keni’s story on YouTube.
“I started coaching to support me mentally with pressures and expectations, to help me deal with the fear of making mistakes on the ice.
Getting started was really easy, I immediately got help and started to gain more confidence. Playing became a lot more fun again. Coaching is about increasing mental well-being and getting to know yourself, which enables growth.
For me, having sessions every other week has worked really well, to deal with everything that happens in games mentally. Having regular meetings also helps to break possible bad cycles early on.
We’ve had a great connection.
I’ve always received help with everything I’ve needed. Coaching has been a big support and I’ve really liked our process.
I highly recommend you try it - there’s absolutely nothing to lose and it really could help you more than you can think.”
Photo: Mikkelin Jukurit
Julius Vähätalo
“Through one-on-one coaching I’ve found tools to regulate my confidence. One game doesn’t affect my mood as much anymore. It’s easier to be at my best more often. I’ve left sessions feeling motivated and having learnt something new. I recommend it to others, too!”
Photo: Liiga
Valtteri Hietanen
“Coaching has had a positive impact on my game performance. It’s about increasing your mental resources, and I wanted to try it to raise my level of performance. I can now control my thinking and focus on what I’m doing. I recommend trying it!”
Photo: Jukurit / Mikko Kankainen
Turo Asplund
Watch Turo’s story on YouTube.
“I started coaching to see if it would add to my game performance. I had had challenges finding the optimal performance state and level of confidence for games.
Through coaching I’ve been able to execute better. We’ve worked on regulating thinking and game preparation. My confidence is higher, little things don’t affect as much anymore.
I recommend coaching to everyone. I can honestly say it’s helped me a lot. I believe coaching has a lot to offer and can help you progress in your career.”