How is Rachael Jankowsky-French helping Chicago Fire FC put the person first in the player-development process?
In my practice, I strive to put the person ahead of the performer. My primary responsibility is to help young athletes improve their mental skills for the purpose of performing better. However, if I don’t show that I care about them as a human being first, then it will be hard to get the buy-in necessary to help the athlete achieve his or her goals.
My guest in this episode, Rachael Jankowsky-French, is the Manager of Player Advisory & Support Services for Chicago Fire FC. Rachael is responsible for helping to develop mental, emotional, and life skills of the young men at the academy and professional levels. Ultimately, Rachael’s role is to help the club ask the question, what does this player need to progress in their development?
In Episode 39, Rachael discusses how the club’s player development philosophy is anchored by four pillars: technical, tactical, physical and mental. Rachael highlights how the Fire values the mental pillar equally and what she does in her day-to-day work to execute on that value.
So, what was your biggest takeaway from my conversation with Rachael Jankowsky-French?
For me, it’s that sports clubs are becoming more mindful of developing the whole athlete rather than just the on-field performer. Integrating mental and life skills training into player development will become more common as the results are revealed in time.
My suggestion to young athletes and their families is to seek out clubs that value the mental, emotional, and social elements of player development as much as the technical, tactical and physical. Young athletes will have the greatest chance to optimize their potential if they are the best version of themselves as human beings.
I want to thank Rachael for her kind generosity and the wisdom she shared with The Freshman Foundation Community.
You can connect with Rachael on LinkedIn. You can follow Chicago Fire FC and its player development academy on Instagram @chicagofire and @chicagofirenext.
To learn more about how mental performance coaching can help your mind work FOR you rather than AGAINST you, visit https://michaelvhuber.com.
Thank you for listening. We’ll see you back in two weeks ready to get better!