Sport Psychology Blog for Athletes, Coaches & Parents
3 Signs of Performance Anxiety in Athletes (& What Helps)
When training looks great but race day unravels, the problem usually isn't fitness. Here are the three signs your athlete is struggling with performance anxiety, and what actually helps.
Pre-Race Nerves? How to Regulate Your Pre-Competition Energy and Perform Under Pressure
Learn how to regulate your pre-competition energy to find your optimal performance zone. Evidence-based strategies for calming down when you're too hyped and firing up when you're too flat.
Diet Culture and Body Image in Female Athletes: Why I Hated My Race Photo (and What the Science Says)
I placed 2nd at my triathlon and qualified for nationals. But when I saw my finishing photo, all I could think was how big I looked. Here's what research says about diet culture, body image in athletes, and what actually helps when you hate your race photos.
Managing Parental Pressure in Youth Sports: A Parent's Guide
Your athlete's coach sees something you might not: how your well-meaning support can inadvertently add pressure. Discover what coaches wish they could tell you about post-game conversations, parental anxiety, and supporting your competitive athlete without sacrificing their love for the sport.
How to Help Athletes With Performance Anxiety: A Coach's Evidence-Based Guide
Reassurance often bounces right off anxious athletes. Here are six evidence-based strategies coaches can use to help youth athletes reinterpret anxiety and perform at their best.
Athletic Identity and Mental Health: Why Being More Than an Athlete Protects You
Research shows athletes with exclusively athletic identity experience worse outcomes during transitions, injury, and retirement. Here's what 50 years of science reveals about building resilient, multidimensional identity.
How to Coach a Defensive Athlete: 6 Evidence-Based Strategies
If you have an athlete who argues with every piece of feedback, they're not resisting because they don't respect you—they're resisting because feedback feels like an attack. Here's what coaches need to know.
The Pain Cave: How Endurance Athletes Train Their Brains to Handle Pain
You're three miles into a threshold run when it hits. Your legs burn, your lungs tighten, your brain starts bargaining. Welcome to the pain cave. Here's the truth: it never gets easier, you just get better at dealing with it.
Teen Athlete Burnout: Signs, Causes, and How to Recover
Up to 30% of youth athletes experience burnout, but most don't know how to tell if they're actually burned out or just tired. Learn the warning signs, what causes teen athlete burnout, and the five strategies that research shows can help you recover your love for sport.
How to Build Self-Worth as an Athlete: 6 Research-Backed Steps
Your worth as an athlete isn't tied to your performance. Learn six research-backed steps to build genuine self-worth that doesn't crumble with every setback, complete with practices you can start using today.
Finding Your Why as an Athlete: Beyond Goals & Results
When training feels like checking boxes and you need external validation to feel good about workouts, your 'why' has gotten buried. Learn why athletes with clear values experience greater resilience and long-term adherence to sport.
Multi-Sport vs. Specialization: Why Being a "Mediocre" Athlete May Be the Smarter Strategy
Specialization isn't the only path to athletic success. Research shows that being "mediocre" across multiple sports builds longevity, prevents burnout, and protects against chronic overuse injuries—without sacrificing the joy of movement.
How Coaches and Parents Can Help Athletes Struggling with Self-Criticism | Evidence Based-Strategies
When athletes are harsh on themselves after mistakes, reassurance often fails. Sport psychology research reveals what actually helps, and it's not a pep talk.
Why Summer Rest Isn't Optional: A Teen Athlete's Guide to Strategic Recovery
Summer break doesn't mean your training stops—but it should mean your relationship with rest changes. Here's how teen athletes can use summer strategically to prevent burnout and come back stronger.
Women's Sport Psychology in 2026: What the Research Says Is In — and What's Out for Female Athletes
The gap between research and practice in women's sport psychology is wider than ever. After reviewing the latest IOC Consensus Statements and groundbreaking work from Kerr, Mountjoy, and Davenport, here's what needs to shift in 2026.
Athletic Identity Crisis: Why You Lose Your Competitive Drive (And How to Cope)
Your relationship with competition is changing. Maybe after loss, injury, or becoming a parent. You might be grieving the competitor you used to be—and that's not weakness. It's evidence you're a whole person responding to life.
Performance Anxiety in Athletes: How to Use Fear to Perform Better
For decades, athletes have been told to eliminate fear and anxiety. But what if fear isn't the enemy? Research shows that understanding and working with fear—not against it—leads to better decisions, smarter performance, and sustainable success.
How to Support Trans and Non-Binary Athletes: A Practical Guide for Teammates, Coaches & Allies
Awareness isn't enough. Trans and non-binary athletes need concrete support systems, proactive policies, and allies who challenge existing structures. Here's how to create real change in your sporting community.
The Weight of Never Being Enough: A Guide to Perfectionism for Athletes
The feeling of never being enough is a pervasive challenge for dedicated athletes. Discover how to move past perfectionism and build a sustainable, growth-driven approach to your sport.
Self-Compassion for Athletes: How to Silence Negative Self-Talk and Build Mental Resilience
Self-compassion isn't about lowering your standards, it's about treating yourself with the same kindness you'd show a struggling teammate. Learn why self-compassion is essential for sustainable athletic performance and how to practice it.