![Newton Country Day Athletics Hosts “Mindset is a Muscle” Program]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1757511547/newtoncountrydayorg/uyqw1zx5vsc8ggmqlhpj/IMG_7070-Copy.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1757511547/newtoncountrydayorg/uyqw1zx5vsc8ggmqlhpj/IMG_7070-Copy.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1757511547/newtoncountrydayorg/uyqw1zx5vsc8ggmqlhpj/IMG_7070-Copy.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1757511547/newtoncountrydayorg/uyqw1zx5vsc8ggmqlhpj/IMG_7070-Copy.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1757511547/newtoncountrydayorg/uyqw1zx5vsc8ggmqlhpj/IMG_7070-Copy.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1757511547/newtoncountrydayorg/uyqw1zx5vsc8ggmqlhpj/IMG_7070-Copy.jpg","width":2200}])
Upper School student-athletes at Newton Country Day participated in the “Mindset is a Muscle” program on campus last week. The session was led by Sherry Levin, an elite coach, keynote motivational speaker, media producer, and entrepreneur who is transforming how leaders approach peak performance.
Levin’s honors and accolades include inductions into four Halls of Fame and the naming of the women's basketball lounge at her alma mater, College of the Holy Cross, in her honor. As a basketball coach, she led her teams to a 420-97 record, capturing five NEPSAC championships and five international gold medals. As a professional, she has been an ESPN analyst, founded two companies, and is a keynote speaker at programs such as the Female Athlete Conference.
The "Mindset is a Muscle" program is designed to equip athletes with essential mental training tools that complement their physical preparation. Just as athletes strengthen their bodies through consistent training, this session emphasized how to develop and strengthen their mental resilience, focus, and positive thinking habits. Warren Perry, Director of Athletics, reflected on the program saying: “The mental aspect of sport is something we will strive for excellence in, just as we do athletically and academically at Newton Country Day. This Mindset is a Muscle event was a great opportunity for our student-athletes and coaches to learn practical skills and strategies to gain that competitive advantage in confidence and resilience.”
The program established core principles through mindset basics, the use of personal mantras, confidence-building through dedicated preparation and purposeful action, and techniques for transforming negative thought patterns into performance-enhancing habits. Levin encouraged student-athletes to embrace the practice of mindset shifting, reminding them: “Talk to yourself, don’t listen to yourself.” Student-athletes walked away with tools to help them to perform under pressure, overcome setbacks, and unlock their full potential, both in competition and in life.