About Samarie
ABOUT SAMARIE
Coach • Creative Director • Former Pro Athlete • Mental Skills Specialist • Transformation Mentor
Samarie Walker is a former DI and professional basketball player turned certified trainer, mental skills specialist, and founder of Top Notch Training and Wellness. Her mission is simple: help people look, feel, and perform like the absolute best version of themselves- physically, mentally, and emotionally.
MY STORY
From National Contender to Global Pro
Samarie fell in love with the game early. In high school, she became the top basketball prospect in the country, earning McDonald’s All-American recognition and competing on some of the biggest stages. That passion took Samarie to try-out for the Olympic team and to UConn where she trained under championship-level standards before transferring to the University of Kentucky, becoming a standout player in the SEC.
After college, Samarie took her career overseas, playing professionally in Europe and Australia. Learning different styles of the game, different cultures, and what elite performance really requires shaped her not only as an athlete, but as a leader, mentor, and student of human performance.
The Turning Point
When Samarie's playing career ended, she hit a wall that most athletes are never prepared for — post-athlete depression. Identity loss, and the mental crash that comes when the sport you’ve built your whole life around suddenly disappears.
Samarie credits intentional, mind-body training for saving her life.
She realized movement, mindset work, and daily discipline were not just tools for staying “in shape.” They were anchors for mental clarity, emotional stability, confidence, and empowerment! That experience became the foundation of her entire coaching philosophy.
WHAT I DO TODAY
Developing and Demanding Excellence Through Consistency:
Through Top Notch Training and Wellness, Samarie trains high performers, athletes, entrepreneurs, and everyday people who want to dominate life the way she once dominated the court. Samarie has expanded her work into:
- 1:1 and small-group coaching
- Athlete mental skills development
- A podcast sharing real conversations about growth, mindset, healing, and performance
- Custom training programs for schools, teams, and organizations
- Clothing line, KREATIVE KINGS, built to inspire confidence, expression, and excellence
Samarie's work blends her experience as a pro athlete, trainer, creative director, and coach to help people thrive on a deeper level.
Beyond the Gym
Creator, traveler, mentor, and lover of good energy.
Obsessed with:
- Family
- Sports
- Good food
- Traveling + exploring culture
- Nature
- The city of Chicago
Whether Samarie is coaching an athlete, recording a podcast, or hiking a trail, everything she does is rooted in connection, creativity, and excellence.
Why Work With Samarie
People don’t come to Samarie just to train — they come to be transformed!
Clients choose her because she brings:
- Elite-level coaching blended with deep life experience
- A mindset-first approach backed by real psychology
- A story they trust and relate to
- The intensity of a pro athlete and the compassion of a friend
- Creativity and energy that makes the journey fun, inspiring, and life-changing!
High-performing clients want someone who’s been where they’re trying to go- physically, mentally, and professionally. She's lived it, She's overcome it, and now she teaches it.
