athlete mental resilience Legendary Track Coach Dan Pfaff Discusses Self-Talk, Mental Resilience, Risk-Taking, and Comfort Zones "There are a lot of people in Olympic finals who are happy to be there and like the rewards and the accolades that come out of making a final. Whereas the people who get on the podium can escape that comfort zone and take some calculated risks to get a medal." - Dan Pfaff, track and field coach
mental preparation How Mental Skills Training with Champion’s Mind Prepared Me to Go Pro "Mental training is THE game changer in sports performance and life." - Samuel Upshaw J, pro rugby player
game day pressure How to Help Your Athletes Handle Game Day/Race Day Pressure Handling pressure starts with what you do and say as the coach. If you learn to become a paragon of poise by staying calm and collected, your athletes will do likewise.
leadership mindset How To Deal With a Disruptive Player Before They Ruin Your Team’s Culture The first question to ask yourself is, “Does the player feel dismissed or undervalued by this new culture?” There has to be a reason why they’re acting out, and it could be because they’re feeling sidelined, excluded, or minimized.
injury recovery mindset How to Help Your Injured Athletes Get Their Motivation and Drive Back You need to learn to love your comeback more than you hate the setback. Your recovery is your new sport until you’ve healed, so embrace the challenge with the same level of dedication and commitment you usually bring to training and competition.
student-athlete mental health Coaches: Here’s How to Help Your Athletes’ Mental Health "If you lead the way as their coach, it shows that you care about your players as people and removes the stigma that some athletes attach to discussing their mental health." - Dr. Jim Afremow, Champion's Mind
college sports mental skills National Champion Brienne Minor’s Team-First Mentality "I tried to help my teammates become better on the court and take care of them when we were off it. It wasn’t just all tennis. We had a lot going on with school as well. I did my best to keep everyone together and close knit."
positive self talk How Positive Self-Talk Powered this Tennis Player to a College Title "I’ll say something to remind myself that I’m here for a reason and am capable of beating this person." - NCAA champion Brienne Minor
athlete confidence How an NCAA Tennis Champion Stays Confident and Committed "It’s in those times when you’re tired that you have to really push yourself, and if you have people to do it with you, you’re all in it together." - Brienne Minor, NCAA tennis champion
mental toughness Mental Toughness Tactics of an Olympic Champion "How was I going to make it in a sport like bobsled? I made a decision to not get hurt anymore. Injury was no longer an option." - Steve Mesler, Olympic champion
student-athlete mindset The Mindset of a Star Transfer Student-Athlete "The more prepared you can be mentally, the greater the edge you'll have on your opponent." - Jordan Dail, Oregon Ducks pitcher
playing in the zone How a Star Pitcher Plays in the Zone Softball is one of the most highly competitive intercollegiate sports out there. While in basketball, football, and others, it’s the same few teams vying for dominance each season, in softball there’s
vulnerability The Power of Athlete Vulnerability "Self-pressure and expectations from fans can crush a player. We need to improve their ability to perform in an emotionally healthy way."
pre-race mindset Nail Your Pre-Game Routine Like These Track + Field Stars "I try to be a lot more relaxed during the day leading up to the meet. I listen to calm, peaceful music earlier and then put on a faster playlist 30 minutes before I vault. This way, I’m getting amped up at just the right time."
student-athlete mindset Student-Athlete Mindset Tips for Balancing Sports, School + Social Life "The biggest thing was picking my priorities and writing them down. And, that way, I had that filter to look at my decisions through. For instance, when I was in the middle of my season, pole vault was the number one priority. Then academics and after that, my social life."
athlete goal setting Goal Setting with 2 Olympic Hopefuls You can create goals for different conditions, situations, and scenarios. If you keep track of things this way, you’re always PRing and moving forward."
athlete visualization How Visualization Helps Athletes Go For Gold "I started using visualization to help me become more motivated. I’m picturing the ultimate goals I want to accomplish."
soccer mentality A Brazilian Soccer Star's Pre-Game Mindset Routine Brazilian Soccer Star Shares Her Pre-Game Routine Real Madrid’s men’s soccer team is known for transcendent players like Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos, and, before he moved to Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo. But
mental toughness Build Mental Toughness On and Off the Field Using the Champion’s Mind app is one of the first things I do in the morning. I think it benefits me by improving my mental training skills and it helps me to be consistently confident. And most importantly, it helps me to build mental strength just as much as I build physical strength every day.
goal setting Set Goals Like a Pro Soccer Player Mental skills were essential for me in college, dealing with two games per week, classes, training sessions, treatment, two-hour team meetings, and more. Goal setting, visualization, and deep breathing are the ones I used the most.
ultramarathon tapering In 2 Minds About Training? Go Out and Grind When you look at a distance runner like Mo Farah, Deena Kastor, or the first man to break the 2-hour marathon barrier, Eliud Kipchoge, it’s easy to think they’re superhuman. But
positive attitude Putting in the Mental Training Miles "I trust my training, I trust my plan, and, most importantly, I trust myself. I’m the one controlling the challenge and I’m unstoppable."
running tribe Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is Optional "The further the distance, the more the mental training really comes into play. You need a lot of tools in your mental toolbox to get yourself through those longer runs."
positive coaching Trick Yourself into a Positive Mindset "The Champion's Mind app gave me a positive outlook and attitude."
flow state Finding Your Flow State on Race Day Finding Your Flow State on Race Day In the first part of this revealing Q+A with sports psychologist Jim Afremow, NCAA college champ turned pro runner Síofra Cléirigh Büttner shared how she
