Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Murphy.
Hi Nikki, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been an athlete and interested in sports my whole life. Growing up in Bel Air, MD, I played soccer, softball, and basketball throughout high school, and in college (Stevenson University), I played on the soccer and lacrosse teams. I LOVED playing sports. LOVED being on a team. LOVED playing for my coaches, practicing with my teammates, working on my craft a little every day, and noticing improvements along the way. Throughout my playing career, I was honored with All-County, All-State, All-Metro, and Hall of Fame recognitions, achievements that reflect not only my dedication and love for sports but also the incredible support and talent of my teammates.
After college, I worked at T Rowe Price, a financial company in the Baltimore area. Although I didn’t enjoy finance, I did enjoy the team dynamics within the department. After having my son, I decided to step away and pursue a job in something I was passionate about: sports. In 2012, I was hired as the women’s lacrosse head coach of Harford Community College and was lucky enough to stay with the program for a decade. On the outside, we did well as a program, winning 2 National Championships, coaching 21 All-Americans, but on the inside, it wasn’t always perfect. In fact, if you ask me if I was a good coach for the first half (at least) of coaching the job, I’d say no. It wasn’t until later in my coaching career that I realized there was something more that lies in the space of mindset. The more I worked in that space, the better my teams performed and the happier my teams were in general.
One of the biggest lessons I learned, from earlier on in my coaching career, was that I wasn’t giving my players permission and space to curiously get to know themselves and unlock their own potential. Once I started incorporating this into my teams, I started witnessing incredible things from my players… I had found my passion, something that I really connected with! So much so that I decided to step down as coach at Harford and step into a new role as founder of The Hive: Sports Mindset Training. With decades of experience as an athlete and coach, I have created a system that I’m excited to share! Now, I guest speak and host mindset workshops for teams, coaches, and organizations interested in learning about the power of mindset and the impact it has on our confidence and performance, individually and as a team.
The Hive approach is centered on creating a safe and supportive space for people to be seen, heard, & valued. It’s a community-oriented, supportive environment where individuals can grow together. Our services include corporate guest speaking, individual sessions, small group work, and team workshops for athletes, coaches, and organizations of all sports, genders, and age groups. Additionally, I continue to train girls in the area in lacrosse through training, camps, and clinics! I also co-host a podcast called Coaching Up, where we talk about the landscape of youth sports and highlight areas that are working as well as areas that are broken to start the conversations.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle for me was stepping out on my own into this mindset business. I didn’t have a clue as to how to build a website, or create content online. I didn’t have a degree in psychology. I only had a whisper in my soul saying I was meant to be here. Leaning on my own experiences and stories, amongst a society that has a different idea of what coaching looks like, is still a struggle for me. But in my soul I know that with every speaking opportunity, I have the ability to change a person’s life and so that’s what I lean on when I start to doubt myself. This language isn’t for everyone (although it should be) and I prefer to work with people who are curious and open to hearing about it because it’s in those spaces that I know I will change someone’s life for the better. I’ve seen it. I get it. It’s too good not to share. But I also know there are many people who are not ready to hear what I have to say. My hope for them is that someday they will. Not just for their own sake but for the sake of their people’s mental health.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a mindset coach for coaches, athletes, parents, and organizations in the sports world. Through individual sessions, small groups, team workshops, and guest speaking opportunities, I provide a safe space for people to feel seen, heard, and valued. I meet my clients where they are and explore the power of mindset and how the brain works to help build confidence and unlock their own potential. I have worked with men and women in a variety of sports. I also work with the girls’ lacrosse field, where I specialize in teaching different strategies and techniques in shooting, defense, and draw. I am incredibly proud of the way my clients spread their wings and fly after our time together. I am always cheering them on!
What were you like growing up?
I was the middle of three kids growing up in the town of Bel Air, Maryland. I spent my days outside playing all day with neighborhood friends and participated in a different sport for each season of the year. My Dad took us to a lot of Orioles and Ravens games over the years, and I still root for those birds. My family from around the area was always getting together and could be quite loud to be around. They enjoyed laughing at each other’s clever jokes and loved watching everything golf. I have the appearance of being a social butterfly on the outside. I’m always saying hi to this person or that one in the store or on a field. (One time, I saw a friend from my town while walking in the airport of Venice, Italy!) I’ll greet you with a hug or a high five and a smile every time, truly curious to see how you and yours are doing. But you won’t often find me at a brewery after a game or going to large gatherings. I prefer being at home or walking in the woods to recharge my social battery. I think this may be partly because I went to a very small christian school from kindergarten through eighth grade with very small class sizes. My graduating class was a total of 7 students including me. I was one of two girls. From there I went off to enter Bel Air High School with a freshman class of 400. Quite the difference! And a huge reason why I now know I have the ability to spread my butterfly wings and be social but I also like to do puzzles lol.
Pricing:
- Guest Speaking: $299
- Team Mindset Workshops: $15 per athlete (minimum of 10 athletes per session)
- Individual Mindset Session: Package of 3, 1 hour sessions for a total of $375
- Individual Lacrosse Training: $70
- Small Group Training: $40 per player
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hivemindsettraining.com/about
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkimurphycoaching/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078097550835
