Student Athlete Development Jobs in Ohio (NOW HIRING)

Manager of Mindset Development / Sports
Psychologist
SPIRE Academy | Geneva, Ohio
Location Geneva, Ohio
Status Full-Time, 12-Month Position
Department SPIRE Academy / Performance
Compensation $60,000-$70,000 annually, based on experience.
About SPIRE
SPIRE is a comprehensive academic, athletic, personal development, research, event, and
wellness organization located in Geneva, Ohio. Situated on nearly 500 acres with more than
750,000 square feet of indoor facilities, SPIRE provides a unique environment designed to help
individuals and organizations reach their highest potential.
SPIRE encompasses four primary divisions:
• SPIRE Academy - An accredited college-preparatory international boarding school and
multi-sport training and development academy serving grades 9-12 and postgraduate
student-athletes.
• SPIRE Institute - The research and development division focused on studying and
advancing human performance across multiple disciplines.
• SPIRE Events - A nationally recognized event operation that hosts local, regional,
national, and international competitions and events, including NCAA championships and
conference events, Olympic Trials, and World Championship qualifying events.
• SPIRE Fit - A community-based fitness, wellness, swim, and health center serving
members and the public.
Sports and programs currently featured at SPIRE include basketball, swimming, track and field,
wrestling, esports, lacrosse, and other specialty athletic and performance programs.
Position Overview
SPIRE Academy is seeking a dynamic, experienced, and passionate Manager of Mindset
Development / Sports Psychologist to lead and expand the organization's mental performance
and mindset development initiatives for the 2026-2027 academic year.
This full-time, 12-month position will be responsible for developing, implementing, and
managing a comprehensive mindset and mental skills program that supports SPIRE Academy
student-athletes, coaches, campers, and other performance-based clients.
The successful candidate will have a strong background in sport psychology, mental
performance, counseling, mindset development, or a related field. This individual must be able
to work effectively in a highly collaborative environment while developing innovative
programming designed to help individuals maximize performance, build confidence, improve
resilience, manage pressure, and achieve their full potential.
The Manager of Mindset Development will also play an important role in the growth of SPIRE's
camps, performance programming, community engagement, recruiting, retention, and long-term
business development initiatives.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Student-Athlete Mindset Development
• Develop, implement, and oversee a comprehensive mental skills and mindset
development program for SPIRE Academy student-athletes.
• Provide individual and group-based mental performance training designed to support
student-athletes in achieving their athletic, academic, and personal goals.
• Utilize hands-on experiences, workshops, assessments, and other development
strategies to enhance the growth and performance of student-athletes.
• Support student-athletes in areas including confidence, focus, motivation, goal setting,
resilience, pressure management, leadership, communication, and performance
preparation.
• Work closely with Academy leadership, coaches, teachers, residential life staff, athletic
trainers, and performance staff to provide a coordinated and comprehensive student
development experience.
• Help student-athletes develop skills that will benefit them both within and beyond their
athletic careers.
Coaching and Staff Development
• Serve as a resource and consultant for coaches, performance staff, athletic trainers,
teachers, and other SPIRE employees.
• Provide guidance and support to coaching staffs as they navigate challenging situations
involving athlete mindset, performance, communication, motivation, and team culture.
• Develop educational programming and workshops for coaches and staff related to
mental performance, leadership, communication, team culture, and student-athlete
development.
• Collaborate with coaches to integrate mindset development principles into daily training
and competition environments.
Camps and Performance Programming
• Expand mindset development services and programming for SPIRE's growing camp
business.
• Develop and deliver mental skills programming for athletes participating in SPIRE
camps, clinics, combines, and specialty training programs.
• Collaborate with the Performance Department to create and grow performance training
camps that incorporate mental skills and mindset development as a significant component.
• Identify opportunities to attract outside schools, teams, organizations, and individual
athletes for onsite mental skills training and performance development.
• Develop new programming and service offerings that can generate additional revenue
and expand the reach of SPIRE's mindset development services.
Recruiting and Retention
• Support SPIRE Academy student recruitment and retention efforts by serving as a
resource for prospective and current families.
• Participate in prospective student and family visits when appropriate and communicate
the value of SPIRE's mental performance and mindset development services.
• Build relationships with student-athletes and families that contribute to a positive overall
Academy experience and long-term retention.
• Collaborate with Academy leadership and admissions staff to demonstrate the value of
SPIRE's integrated development model.
Parent and Family Communication
• Communicate and collaborate with parents and guardians, when appropriate, to support
student-athlete development.
• Help create alignment between the student-athlete, family, coaching staff, academic
team, and performance staff.
• Provide education and resources related to mindset development and mental
performance.
Program Leadership and Team Management
• Oversee the growth and development of the Mindset Development program across the
Academy, camps, performance programs, and other SPIRE divisions.
• Recruit, train, schedule, and supervise additional staff, consultants, interns, and support
personnel as needed.
• Develop staffing plans for the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer seasons.
• Provide leadership and oversight for interns and support staff involved in mindset and
mental performance programming.
• Establish program goals, performance metrics, and long-term strategic initiatives for
continued growth.
Summer Camps
• Lead the planning and execution of mindset development programming during SPIRE's
summer camp season.
• Assist with camp staffing, programming, scheduling, supervision, and overall operations.
• Ensure that mental performance and mindset development are appropriately integrated
into relevant camp experiences.
• Collaborate with camp leadership and sport-specific directors to create a high-quality
developmental experience for campers.
Business Development and Community Engagement
• Develop relationships and partnerships that create opportunities for the Mindset
Development program to grow within the local and regional community.
• Work collaboratively with SPIRE Academy, SPIRE Institute, SPIRE Events, and SPIRE
Fit to identify opportunities for cross-divisional programming and growth.
• Participate in community engagement initiatives and represent SPIRE at relevant
events, presentations, and programs.
• Identify opportunities to develop mindset and mental performance programming for
outside organizations and specialized groups.
• Explore long-term opportunities for corporate programming, including mindset
development, leadership, performance, resilience, and executive development initiatives.
Qualifications and Requirements
Education
• Bachelor's degree in Sport Psychology, Psychology, Counseling, Mental Performance,
Education, Exercise Science, or a related field required.
• Master's degree in Sport Psychology, Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Mental
Performance, or a related field required.
• Doctoral degree (Ph.D., Psy.D., or equivalent) is preferred.
• Appropriate professional certifications, licensure, or mental performance credentials are
strongly preferred, depending on the specific scope of the role.
Experience
• Minimum of 3-4 years of relevant experience in mental performance, sport psychology,
counseling, mindset development, or a related field preferred.
• Experience working with student-athletes and athletes across multiple sports and
competitive levels.
• Experience developing and implementing individual and group-based mental skills
programming.
• Previous leadership, management, or program development experience preferred.
• Experience working in an academic, boarding school, collegiate, professional, or elite
athletic environment is a plus.
Skills and Competencies
• Strong knowledge of mental skills training and mindset development.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work effectively with student-athletes, coaches, parents, administrators,
teachers, and other professionals.
• Self-motivated, proactive, organized, and capable of working independently.
• Strong leadership and team-management abilities.
• Ability to develop innovative programming and identify new growth opportunities.
• Passionate about helping young people achieve their full potential.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative, and evolving environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Physical and Schedule Requirements
• Must be available to work primarily Monday through Friday, with selected evenings and
weekends as required.
• Work schedule and hours may vary depending on the academic calendar, competition
schedule, camps, events, and seasonal programming.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable
accommodation.
• Must successfully complete all required pre-employment background and drug
screening.
Compensation and Benefits
SPIRE Academy offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including:
• Starting annual salary of $70,000-$90,000, commensurate with education, experience,
credentials, and scope of responsibilities.
• Potential housing and meal benefits.
• Competitive benefits package.
• Paid holidays and vacation time.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Potential bonus and incentive opportunities based on performance and program growth.
Why SPIRE?
This position provides a unique opportunity to build and lead a growing mindset development
program within one of the country's most dynamic integrated academic, athletic, research, and
performance environments. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work across
multiple sports, disciplines, and divisions while directly impacting the development and
performance of student-athletes, coaches, campers, and the broader SPIRE community.
SPIRE Academy is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive
environment for all employees and student-athletes.