THE OFFICIAL HOME OF
GAME CHANGING ATHLETES
Unleashing Growth, Resilience Inpiration and Teamwork
Real Grit is a training ground for athletes to rise on the field and far beyond it. Designed for athletes, teams and coaches, the program focuses on growth mindset strategies to turn hustle into habit, talent into leadership and potential into purpose.
Through practical tools and guided experiences, athletes grow as individuals and build skills they’ll carry into sport, school and life. In the process, they not only grow themselves - they strengthen their teams and become the kind of leaders who change the game
Upcoming Events
Real Grit: Game Changing Athletes (ages 14-17)Thu, Aug 14Dominican University Hennesy Center
Foundations of Real Grit (rising 10-13)Wed, Aug 13Dominican University Hennesy Center
Why Real Grit?
If you haven't guessed already, Real Grit stands for Real Growth, Resilience, Inspiration, and Teamwork. We wanted to go back to the reason we all started playing sports. To have fun, to learn, for the exercise, for the friendships. Sports can shape character, and intentionally building that character has big impacts beyond the scoreboard.
What We Do
Real Grit delivers guided sessions that help athletes grow on and off the field. We use growth mindset strategies and social-emotional learning principles to help athletes develop confidence, resilience and leadership — all while building stronger teams.
In each session, athletes:
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Discover their athletic identity using the Real Grit archetypes
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Practice reset tools to manage challenges and pressure
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Learn to reframe mistakes as learning opportunities
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Set effort-based goals they can take ownership of
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Develop habits around reflection, feedback and persistence
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Strengthen their ability to communicate, collaborate and lead
They leave with practical tools they can use in sport, school and life — and the mindset to grow through every challenge
We can craft a session specifically aimed at challenges your teams or athletes have faced this season.
How It Started
Real Grit was founded by Gina Charalambides, a strategist, educator, and lifelong athlete who has spent over 15 years building innovation and mindset programs for Fortune 500 teams, Girls Who Code, and teens in STEM. She has gone on on to coach both youth volleyball and basketball - bringing heart, structure, and leadership to every sideline.
While watching her own kids throw themselves into what they love; sports, theater, and everything in between, Gina saw what many of us do. Young people have passion. They have unlimited potential. But they’re often unprepared for the pressure they face in today’s competitive environments.
Backed by her Master’s in Educational Design and Positive Coaching Alliance training, Gina developed this program because she believes that every athlete has Real Grit, they just need the help to unleash it.
Stay updated with the latest news, events, and program updates from Real Grit.