Mgr. Katerina Mahlerova

"Never give up"

Katka spent nearly 15 years in top sports. She went through all basketball national teams since she was 15. She experienced fame, ups and downs and misfortune. She was even overwhelmed by elation and luck. She played European cups. She was one of the best scoring players of the Czech extra-league. She participated in the World Championship in Brasil in 2006. She managed to come back to top shape after long knees injuries, which had eliminated her from the professional sport for two years. She never gave up. She came back ready to battle for her dreams and goals. She turned her hitting rock bottom into her strength. She began to study coaching license first and finished her Master’s degree. Her hard work paid off as she became the MVP of the women’s extra-league. She also participated in 2012 World Championship in 3x3 basketball in Athens. After the knee problems she rejected career abroad. Her dream was to finish University studies and be successful also after the end of her professional basketball career.

Katka says this about her career: „Nearly all my dreams came true at basketball. Since I was 15 I knew I wanted to play extra-league, to be in national team and make it to the World Championship. But it was not always smooth. It wasn´t easy in various times in my life and I felt real bad, but I always felt I had the strength to change things around me and to achieve my goals. I feel grateful for hard times these days. I learned a valuable lesson about human personality. Hard times gave me motivation to work with athletes and inspiration to meet challenges.”

She likes to pass her top sport experiences. Currently she focuses on mental coaching for young athletes, but works with adults as well. She intends to help talented athletes with mental, holistic training and to make their whole life better. She adds: „ I know what kind of mental set up is needed for the performance to be optimal and for the personal life to be joyful. I understand the athletes´ feelings and thoughts.” She feels full human potential development is her mission.

Education

• Online study University of Pennsylvania: Foundations of Positive Psychology – 2020
• Online study Barca Universitas: Certificate in Sport Psychology for Athletes Development – 2021
• Master´s degree in coaching and sport management at the Faculty of Physical Education: Palacky University in Olomouc
• Master’s thesis: Mental training of young female players in the Czech national team.
• Collaboration with the president of the Association of Sport Psychologists in Czech republic, the Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education at the Palacky University in Olomouc, Mgr. Michal Safar Ph.D. – sport psychologist of many top athletes such as Petra Kvitova
• Collaboration with Sue Philips, the coach of USA representation U16/17 – sport psychologist, teacher
• Professional FIBA license, A license

Work experience

• Mental coach in Sport Lead company
• Assisting coach in Basket Slovanka Praha 2019-2020
• Lecturer of sports at Charles University in Hradec Kralove 2018-2021
• Manager of Veolia Energy Streetball 2021 tournaments for elementary and high schools in Olomouc, Ostrava and Prague
• Professional basketball player 1998-2019
• Manager and coach at summer camps for children
• Team coordinator for USA U17 at WC in Plzen 2014
• Team coordinator for USA representation U17 at the World Championship in Pilsen 2014

Hobbies

Family, tennis, power yoga, reading, personal development