Endorsements
Check out what people have to say about Toni’s mental coaching.
“I really love talking to Toni, she has an awesome ability to relate to me as a child athlete. Toni uses many different approaches in her sessions. We often talk about different topics besides my sport, swimming. I can talk to her about life in general and this helps me relax and be totally open with her. Whenever I talk with Toni, I come out feeling confident and mentally prepared to perform at my highest level. She has really impacted my swimming in a positive way and I always look forward to our sessions for mental preparation before big swim meets.”
— Ashlyn Fiorilli
“I would highly recommend going to Toni for advice. Since I have been going to get mental help for golf I have never seen a greater improvement as this. She not only focuses on what past events have caused an issue but also introduces ideas for the future as to how to adapt and grow not only as an athlete but a person as well. Even if for other social problems besides sports, Toni still will prove to be kind-hearted and understanding.”
— Elijah Pittser
“I worked with Toni to develop a mental game plan that I can use to perform at 110%. Toni was instrumental in helping me get “mentally tough” to win silver and bronze medals at the 2014 World Championship”
— Nick Ida
“Toni gave me a different way to express my physical skills to a higher level. Although basketball can get very physical, she helped me break down the psychological aspect in a way for me to picture every shot I take go in. Toni transformed my mindset from being afraid to miss to being ready to watch myself succeed on the court.”
— Randy Kincel
Toni has been working with our daughter Ashlyn, who is a competitive swimmer, for over a year now. We have seen a complete change in Ashlyn’s approach to the sport she loves. We feel the positive change is directly attributed to the manner in which Toni relates with children who are competitive athletes. Toni keeps things simple so children understand that the most important aspect about competitive sports is enjoying the “process” or the “ride” and not focusing on the actual outcome or result prior to competing. Having been a top athlete herself, Toni understands the stress associated with high level athletes. In addition, Toni does a great job in tying the athletic competition into everyday life issues and challenges which are specific to our daughter’s needs.
— Dawn & Frank Fiorilli
“I’m Scott Leandro, I am 14 years old, and on the freshmen baseball team at Foothill High School. Before I came to Toni Delos Santos I was doing terrible at the plate. I was batting .142 with 10 strikeouts in 20 at bats. This was not because I had bad mechanics. In fact, my coaches said I had a great swing, and played a fantastic outfield. So it was not my swing affecting me, but my mind. Baseball is a mental sport, and a ballplayer has to have a strong mind in order to even have a chance to be a good player. As much as I loved the sport, the lack of success was really getting to my head, especially when you love baseball as much as me. A family friend suggested I go to Toni.
Toni has been one of the greatest influences in my life. This is incredible since I have only talked to her for a total of three hours. At first, I was thinking to myself why I am at someone’s house for sports therapy. But, right as I walked in the door I felt welcomed. She opened the door and took me in with a smile. My first session for half the time we just talked about mountain biking, and quickly became comfortable, and I thought to myself this lady is cool. I told her what was happening, and she instinctively came up with a routine for me (Take a deep breath, step in to your happy place relaxing place on deck, take a swing, then take another deep breath, stare at my bat, and step in to box telling myself positive things). Toni helped to talk me through my struggles in baseball and she was able to correct everything. I feel she and I connected very well, and she helped me to reach my potential.
After a few sessions with Toni I was relaxed in the box and not thinking “I need to get a hit, or what if I strikeout,” but instead thinking “I am going to rip the cover off the ball.” I was no longer trembling in the box with fear, but I was marching into the box with confidence, and swagger. By the end of the year I was no longer riding left bench, but I was starting in right field over 10 other guys eager to earn a starting position. At one point I brought my average up to .400, and was batting second in our batting order. I was contributing to our team winning, which is one of the best feelings. I started seeing Toni in the middle of the season. After my first meeting till the game I batted .685. Combined with my first half of the season, I ended at .369. This year, I won the most improved player award which is chosen by the players. Toni picked me up and got me on my feet. I am very thankful I got the courage to get the help from her because she made an impact I will never forget.”
— Scott Leandro
“90% Mental has become my secret weapon. As a professional racquetball player ranked in the top 3 in the world for 16 years straight, it is absolutely true that the fine lines of success and reaching goals come down to mental clarity and strength.
Toni has a unique ability to identify real-world athletic situations and obstacles that we all face in our minds, and provide support and exercises to teach us not only how to overcome them but how to grow stronger from them. Her own experiences as a professional athlete give her a certain insight and understanding of exactly where an athlete might be mentally and emotionally, and her knowledge of real-time, immediate practices that can turn it all around during a competition or training session are invaluable.
Knowing that Toni is in my corner and knows exactly what I’m going through has helped me develop into a more complete competitor. There are physical gifts and talent and hard work and dedication that goes into being the best, but if the 90% Mental isn’t trained just as thoroughly, the best you can be is only 10% of amazing.
8x National Singles Champion
7x Female Athlete of the Year
4x (record) US Open Champion
3x World #1 Pro Player
2x World Singles Champion
2x National Doubles Champion (w/Kim Russell-Waselenchuk)
Inducted into Serbian-American Museum 2013”
— Ronda Rajsich, Professional Racquetball Player
“Toni was on the USA National Racquetball team when I had the pleasure of meeting her. She was an intense competitor and great champion. Her work ethic was amazing. Today I still go to her to talk about my athletes and their mental approach to competition. Anyone lucky enough to work with Toni is on their way to success.”
— Jim Winterton, USA Racquetball Head Coach, Undefeated 1990–2000, Hall of Fame Inductee
“Toni achieved national prominence in racquetball and after knowing her personally for many years, I appreciate her understanding of the mental aspect of sports and her interest in helping athletes of all ages maximize their potential. Toni has the ability to understand how the physical skill and the mental attitude of an athlete have to come together to excel in a sport, which would make her my top choice for a sport Psychology Coach!”
— Vic Braden, Fouder & Director of the Vic Braden Tennis College
“Toni Delos Santos has combined the perfect blend of elite sports competition experience, specialized training and a passion to help her clients.
You are certain to enhance your sports and fitness performance through her guidance and support.”
— John Spencer Ellis, CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association)
“Toni offered me a great insight on something more than just my physical abilities. Playing two of the most mentally-frustrating sports (baseball and golf), I often found myself picturing everything that could have gone wrong, instead of visualizing everything that could go right.
Toni got me in a mindset where I was no longer afraid of failure, and that allowed me to be a mentally stronger athlete. All of a sudden I became focused more on the process of the sport, instead of being caught up in the results. After my meetings with Toni, my golf game improved dramatically and I had my best year of baseball in my life, allowing me the opportunity that I have today of playing college baseball.”
— Ryan Nickerson
“We had a great group of kids playing on the All-Star Team, and Toni was a great resource for our team. Toni was always professional, has a very warm personality and always kept the kids attention with her analogies and sense of humor. She was instrumental in showing the kids how to play as a team and there is no one person that is responsible for winning or losing the game!
She taught them how to mentally prepare when they were at the plate, how to handle the pressure that they put on themselves and how to stay in the moment and keep battling. Toni really motivated them to give 100% effort and be proud of themselves no matter what the outcome was! I saw a big improvement in some of our key players after Toni worked with them. I would highly recommend Toni to work with teams of all levels.
2015 California State Champions
District 30 Champions
Section 5 Champions”