Teaching age-appropriate mindfulness through sports
From our headquarters in Brooklyn, NY, Mindful Sports offers after-school programs and summer camps for children; and provides online courses for young athletes on how to learn mindfulness that is directly applicable to their sport.
Whether your child is playing a sport for the first time or is competing at a travel or showcase level, Mindful Sports is a great way for them to learn valuable emotional regulation skills and have a ton of fun!
Meet the Team
Dr. Sam Faeder
Founder/Managing Director
Sam is the Managing Director of Mindful Sports. Sam grew up in Manhattan, playing baseball for Stuyvesant High School. He played college baseball for Swarthmore and professionally in Europe and Australia from 2007-2010. Sam holds a PhD (2022) in Psychology. His research explores how mindfulness training affects stress perception in preadolescent children playing sports. He has run youth sports programs and summer camps professionally for fifteen years.
Enjoys:
- Korean Food
- Jon Stewart
- Yankees & Knicks
Chris Hamilton
Program Manager
Chris is the Program Manager at Mindful Sports. He is also a Site Leader and Lead Coach. Chris has a long history of working with children of all ages in the tri-state area. Chris has devoted much of his professional life to New York City youth. His favorite sports are basketball, soccer, and flag-football. Chris is passionate about child development, especially helping children express their individuality. His favorite mindfulness activities are our mindful emotion themes. Chris firmly believes we all can be heroes without the capes!
Enjoys:
- Stand-Up Comedy
- Quesadillas
- Superhero Movies
Daniel Miller
Program Coordinator
Daniel is a Program Coordinator at Mindful Sports. He is also a Site Leader and Lead Coach. Daniel grew up in Manhattan and won a NY state baseball championship playing for Trinity High School. He went on to play rugby at the University of South Carolina where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports and Entertainment Management. Daniel has worked with youth sports programs on and off since high school and enjoys playing, watching, and teaching a wide array of sports.
Enjoys:
- Baseball, football, golf
- Cooking
- Soul music
Shikynah Vaz
Associate Program Coordinator
Shikynah is an Associate Program Coordinator at Mindful Sports. She is also a Site Leader and Lead Coach. Shikynah grew up and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She loves playing all sports, especially football, hockey and basketball. Shikynah played rugby for nine years in both high school and college. She enjoys working with kids to help them learn life lessons through sports. Shikynah also enjoys hanging out with her friends in the city!
- Rugby
- Flag Football
- Hanging Out With Friends
Full-Time Seasonal Team
Debankur Chatterjee
Coach Debankur is a Site Leader and Lead Coach at Mindful Sports. He grew up in Queens, NY, playing basketball, soccer and baseball. He is currently certified as a yoga teacher and is studying holistic medicine at Yoga-Veda institute. He likes to spend much of his free time on Stand up Comedy and going on peaceful hikes near running water.
Jasmine Christopher
Coach Jasmine is a Lead Coach at Mindful Sports. Jasmine, preferably known as Jas, is born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She loves doing calisthenics and playing sports, especially football and soccer. After playing soccer for 4 years in high school and being awarded the New Era Pinstripe Bowl 2019 MVP Scholar Athlete, Jas continued playing in college. After graduating with her B.A. in Psychology, her main goal was to inspire and teach kids how to be emotionally intelligent through the art of creativity. As Jas believes herself to be a kid at heart, she thrives to be the best role model possible by putting herself in the shoes of each and every child. Even though Jas enjoys working with children, in her free time, she can usually be found making music, writing poetry, drawing, or eating.
Mindful Sports believes in the importance of teaching mindfulness and self-regulation while helping kids have fun and learn how to play sports. Mindfulness practice is a research-proven method of helping children learn to manage stress and anxiety, improve focus, and increase their overall resilience. Teaching mindfulness through sports helps children:
Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment, without judgment, and the continuous return to that moment. Breathing and awareness exercises help children learn to be okay with how they feel. Mindfulness can help with stress, fear, and anxiety. Mindful skills can also improve focus and strengthen overall resilience. Research on children’s mindfulness on and off the field of play shows positive and promising results.
