About Valeria

I've Spent Most of My Life With a Golf Club in My Hands.

And Somehow, I'm Still Learning.

Hi, I'm Valeria Brannen: golfer, coach, author, and someone who keeps discovering that golf has a funny way of teaching you things you didn't know you needed to learn.

My story started at six years old in Medellín, Colombia, and took me through junior championships, including two South American Championships. At 18, I moved to the United States carrying my golf clubs, plenty of ambition, and absolutely no idea how many adventures were waiting for me.

From there, golf took me to the Futures Tour, Golf Channel's The Big Break, hosting golf television for Golf Channel Latin America, and years on the business side of the game. After all these years, I still love the sound of a perfectly struck golf ball. Although, let's be fair, I've heard plenty of the other kind, too.

01 — FROM PLAYER TO COACH

Somewhere Along the Way, I Fell in Love With Teaching.

I've taught first-time golfers, coached competitive juniors, and built a junior academy that grew from just two students into players who went on to compete in college golf. Today, I coach the boys' and girls' golf teams at Trinity Catholic High School.

Here's what all those lessons taught me: there's no single perfect swing for everybody. My job is to help each golfer find their own best game.

02 — BEYOND THE SWING

The More I Coached, the More Curious I Became About the Person.

I knew what pressure felt like long before I knew the terminology for it. Then I saw it in my students: two golfers with similar skills, handling the same moment completely differently.

That curiosity took me into mental performance, life coaching, and hypnotherapy. The more I learned, the more I realized these principles didn't belong only on a golf course. They belong in everyday life, too.

03 — STILL SWINGING

One Game. A Whole Lot of Life Lessons.

I'm a mother of four, and family life has taught me as much about patience and understanding people as any round of golf. When I'm not on the course, I'm usually training for my next triathlon or Ironman. The fastest way to find out what you're made of is to sign up for something that dares you to quit.

I'm also the author of Still Swinging, a memoir about the life I've lived and the lessons this game taught me along the way.

Buy the Paperback — Amazon E-book — Barnes & Noble

Writing that book is where What's in Your Bag with Coach Val was born. We all carry a bag. We don't always choose what life puts in it, but we can choose what we do with it. Growth isn't about becoming somebody else. It's about recognizing what you already bring to the table, and discovering what else you're capable of.

Open the Bag