Mental training isn't optional.
It's essential.

Mental training turns hard work into reliable race-day performance. It’s the skill set that keeps you calm, confident, and ready when it counts.
start training now
take the quiz
Work With me
Work With me

Meet David

More than mental coaching.

Using neuroscience and sport psychology, I help rowers train their brains with the same precision and discipline required for every stroke. Professor. Counselor. Former Rower and Coach. Contributor to Row 360

I bring years of experience on the water and in the classroom to help rowers perform under pressure, build resilience, and improve focus in competition and beyond.
Learn More

Programs & Coaching

Whether you’re a rower, coach, or team, these programs turn mental performance into a competitive advantage. Each option combines sport science, rowing expertise, and practical tools you can use from the first session.

Team Programs

Designed to build collective focus, resilience, and communication. Perfect for teams aiming to elevate performance, long-term.
learn more

Workshops

Interactive sessions that teach mental skills and strategies. Great for groups wanting hands-on learning and practical tools.
learn more

Individual Coaching

Personalized coaching tailored to your unique mental performance goals. Ideal for rowers seeking one-on-one guidance.
learn more

Speaking & Media

Engaging talks and interviews that motivate and educate on science-based mental performance. For teams, clubs, podcasts, and events.
learn more

Canadian Henley Summer Development Camp

Hosted by Washtenaw Rowing Center, I worked with elite high school and college rowers, coaches, and parents to put mental performance strategies into practice.

They built sharper focus, stronger resilience, and the confidence to carry their training into competition.
Read the full case study

Testimonials

"Our athletes and coaches loved working with David on mental performance."
-Kit Bennet, High School Coach
“Dr. Schary really helped me do well on my 2k.”
Layla, High School Rower
“He uses easy to understand concepts and is very relatable.”
-Liliana, Division I Collegiate Rower

Find Your Rowing Style

Are you Fire, Ice, or Flow? This quick quiz reveals your natural intensity and gives you strategies to train smarter, race stronger, and handle pressure with confidence.
Get Your Results

Contributor to

David has a keen understanding of sports psychology and the athlete mindset, not only as an academic but as a mental health and well-being practitioner. Drawing on his experiences both as an expert in sports psychology and as a former rowing coach David has contributed numerous Row360 articles, and his sharp and insightful writing is always well-received by our readership.
-Tom Ransley MBE
Editor Row360 and Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Champion
my articles
visit the blog
Why Self-Talk Works: The Science Rowers Need to Know

Why Self-Talk Works: The Science Rowers Need to Know

May 22, 2026
What one rigorous study reveals about self-talk, effort, and the rowing brain Can self-talk improve performance in endurance sports like rowing? To answer this question, a group of researchers, led by Dr. Anthony Blanchfield of the Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance at Bangor University, designed a rigorous experimental…
Read more

© 2025 Schary Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved