Strike Zone Performance

Insights

We are currently working with athletes across the Ottawa and Toronto area to enhance performance through individual sessions, team workshops, and sport organizations.

Strike Zone Performance

Learn six practical mental performance strategies for responding to mistakes during competition, regaining focus, and performing with confidence under pressure with guidance from a Certified Mental Performance Consultant.

Strike Zone Performance

Learn how mental performance coaching can help athletes trust their preparation, manage pressure, reset after mistakes, and perform with confidence when the moment matters most.

Strike Zone Performance

Swimming performance depends on more than physical preparation. Learn how discipline, consistency, concentration, and mental performance coaching can help swimmers manage pressure, respond to setbacks, and perform with confidence.
A red running track with white lane lines and numbered starting positions

Strike Zone Performance

Learn how five practical mental skills can help athletes refocus after mistakes, manage pressure, and perform with greater confidence. Strike Zone Performance offers mental performance coaching with Ashley Strike, a Certified Mental Performance Consultant serving athletes in Ottawa, ON, Toronto, ON, and through online coaching sessions.

Strike Zone Performance

Five common habits that pull attention away from the next play, plus simple drills to help you reset, refocus, and compete more consistently.

Strike Zone Performance

Pressure can disrupt even a well-practised routine. Learn five ways to train resilience, recover after mistakes, and stay useful when the stakes rise.

Strike Zone Performance

Six ways to handle pre-game nerves: slow the breath, narrow your focus, rehearse the opening moments, and reset after each play.

Strike Zone Performance

Practical, evidence-based mental performance strategies from a Certified Mental Performance Consultant to help athletes and high performers in Ottawa and Toronto perform with more focus, confidence, and consistency.

Strike Zone Performance

Practical, sport-ready steps from a Certified Mental Performance Consultant to build a consistent pre-performance routine that improves focus, calm, and confidence—serving athletes and performers in Ottawa and Toronto with online coaching.

Strike Zone Performance

Learn the seven distinct types of mental athletes, how to spot which group you belong to, and practical mental performance coaching strategies from a Certified Mental Performance Consultant serving Ottawa and Toronto.

Strike Zone Performance

Proven mental skills that performers can use to build lasting confidence — practical steps from a Certified Mental Performance Consultant serving Ottawa and Toronto.

Strike Zone Performance

Short, targeted mental routines can sharpen focus, calm nerves, and raise consistency. Learn nine evidence-informed practices you can do in under 15 minutes, plus tips for fitting them into a busy Ottawa or Toronto schedule and when to seek a Certified Mental Performance Consultant.

Strike Zone Performance

Mental performance coaching is often misunderstood. Learn the truth behind five common myths, how evidence-based mental skills training helps athletes, teams, and professionals in Ottawa, Toronto, and online, and when to reach out to a Certified Mental Performance Consultant at Strike Zone Performance.
children playing soccer

Strike Zone Performance

Clear differences matter when you need measurable results. Learn seven practical ways a Certified Mental Performance Consultant differs from a life coach, and why athletes, teams, and high performers in Ottawa and Toronto choose Strike Zone Performance for evidence-based mental performance coaching and online sessions.

Strike Zone Performance

Discover how online mental performance coaching from Strike Zone Performance connects clients with a Certified Mental Performance Consultant to build focus, confidence, and consistent performance.

Strike Zone Performance

Answers to common questions about online and in-person mental performance sessions with Strike Zone Performance. Learn how sessions work, what to expect, and whether online or in-person coaching is right for you.

Strike Zone Performance

Discover five core mental skills a Certified Mental Performance Consultant teaches in one-on-one sessions. Learn practical exercises for focus, confidence, visualization, arousal regulation, and goal-focused routines, with clear steps you can start using today.

Strike Zone Performance

Learn why hiring a certified mental performance consultant for career coaching in Toronto delivers measurable gains in decision-making, resilience, and interview performance. Discover the difference between standard career coaching and certified mental performance support from strikezoneperformance.ca.

Strike Zone Performance

Preparing for your first session with a certified mental performance consultant can make the difference between vague hopes and measurable progress. This guide lists the key questions to ask about credentials, assessment, session structure, outcomes, and practical logistics so you can choose the right consultant and get results.

Certified Mental Performance Consultant

About Ashley Strike

“I’ve been immersed in sport for as long as I can remember. Like many athletes, I was introduced early—starting in figure skating before finding my way to hockey at age nine. I played boys’ hockey until I was 13, eventually transitioning into competitive girls’ hockey. As a shorter athlete, I constantly felt the need to prove myself. That mindset shaped me into a relentless worker, always striving to be the hardest-working player on the ice—but it also led to a habit of focusing only on what I lacked, rather than what I was doing well.

Looking for a new challenge, I made the transition to rugby. I was drawn to the sport’s inclusivity and the way it celebrates different body types and skill sets. It felt like an opportunity to unlock a new version of myself. However, I quickly realized that my biggest obstacle wasn’t the sport—it was my mindset. Perfectionism, self-doubt, and harsh self-criticism followed me, often showing up most intensely in competition. While I performed confidently in practice, game situations triggered doubt and negative self-talk that held me back.

Eventually, I reached a turning point. I recognized that my internal dialogue was limiting my potential, and I made the decision to address it. In my second year, I began working with a sport psychology student who helped me identify the mental barriers I had created. That experience was transformative. I learned how to reframe my thinking, let go of mistakes, and compete with freedom and confidence. For the first time, I was playing the way I knew I was capable of.

That shift didn’t just change how I felt—it changed my performance. During my university career, our team went from a fourth-place finish to winning the RESEQ championship twice and competing at Nationals. I was also selected to the Quebec Provincial Women’s Rugby Program, where I competed for ten years alongside athletes who went on to represent Canada. None of that would have been possible without investing in my mental development.

One of the most valuable lessons rugby taught me was adaptability. In one season, I played multiple positions to meet the needs of the team. That experience challenged me to put ego aside, embrace versatility, and deepen my understanding of the game. What once felt like weaknesses—my attention to detail and critical mindset—became strengths when applied constructively. I learned to stay present, trust my abilities, and respond effectively to whatever the game demanded.

Today, that journey fuels my passion for helping other athletes. I know firsthand how powerful mindset can be—not just in performance, but in personal growth. I work with athletes to develop self-awareness, build confidence, and navigate the challenges that come with high-level sport. Because ultimately, it’s not just about talent—it’s about how you respond when things don’t go your way.”