MY
STORY
Hi I'm Dalma
Growing up in Hungary, I tried a lot of different sports. I did ballet and danced during kindergarten, then I swam and played tennis during primary school. At the age of 11, I wanted to play football but at the time it was still considered a boys’ sport and there weren’t any clubs that I could join. So I ended up playing basketball, which was a huge part of my life for 8 years. I had four or five training sessions a week and then one or two games at the weekends. I did not have much time for other hobbies but I did not mind at all. My team became my second family. We supported each other through the good and the bad times, we laughed and cried together. But as we started to grow up, the failures, the lost games, the injuries, the constant physical and mental pressure impacted us all in different ways. I struggled to cope with expectations and my fear of failure. I did not want to let anyone down. Towards the end of my basketball career, it all became overwhelming and the enjoyment I used to feel when playing slowly disappeared, and eventually I stopped playing.
Upon retiring I wanted to understand my experiences. I had so many questions, such as “Why did I feel so nervous before games?” and “Why couldn’t I do the things in games that I could confidently complete at training?”. After graduating from secondary school, to help me find some answers to these questions, I completed my BA in Psychology in Hungary, then I moved to England to complete my MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at the University of Winchester. By the end of my studies, I had found the answers to a lot of the questions about nerves and hindered performances, and even though I could not go back to tell my younger self how to cope, I knew I could help others who have similar experiences. So I decided to become a sport and exercise psychologist. In 2022, I embarked on a journey with the British Psychological Society, to become an HCPC registered, chartered sport and exercise psychologist.
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Even though, I did not go back to playing basketball, I have been active since retiring. I enjoy HIIT workouts, pilates and strength training, going for runs and playing tennis or squash.​
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If you decide to work with me, I will act as a facilitator to help you develop your mental skills, cope with challenges on and off the training court, empower your mind and, as a result, help you feel and perform better.
Dalma