Raising Elite Competitors

Latest Episodes:

6 Brain Facts Every Sports Parent Needs to Know Apr 07, 2026

Show notes

Six brain facts unpacked. Learn how to help her use her brain to her advantage. Free training for sports moms 👉 https://trainhergame.com/mom
When she freezes, spirals after one mistake, or mentally checks out under pressure, most people call it a confidence problem. It's not. It's six specific, documented brain functions that nobody ever taught her how to work with.
🙋‍♀️ Hi, I'm Coach Bre, a certified Mental Performance Coach and former collegiate athlete with 14 years of coaching experience, including 4 state championships. I'm also the co-founder of The Elite Competitor and host of the Raising Elite Competitors podcast, where I help sports moms strengthen their daughter's mental game so they can perform their best when it matters most.
In this episode, I'm breaking down the real neuroscience behind what's happening in her mind during competition and exactly what you can say and do to help.

Including:
✅ Why visualization before competition is actual training time
✅ The one-word swap that Harvard research says improves performance
✅ How her mistake response in practice is wiring her response in games
✅ Why she replays the one bad play and ignores five great ones
✅ The daily habit that rewires her brain to scan for progress
You are not helpless watching her struggle. You have more influence over her mental game than most parents realize - and this video shows you exactly how to use it.
💬 Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction
01:13 Brain Fact #1: Visualization
02:42 Brain Fact #2: Anxiety vs. Excitement
04:24 Brain Fact #3: Your Brain Believes What You Repeat
05:53 Brain Fact #4: Practice Wires Your Response
07:53 Brain Fact #5: Negativity Bias
09:45 Brain Fact #6: The Brain Is Trainable
11:24 Recap & Next Steps
💬 Moms - comment below: which of these 6 brain facts surprised you most?
📌 Resources & Tools
🙌 What's Your Competitor Style Quiz (to send your athlete!): https://www.videoask.com/fnbmhduxy
💜 Conversation Guide w/ Scripts to Bring Up Mental Training: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/144031/downloads/66e16c-6886-4a62-b8db-c43a1ae18fbd_The_Elite_Mental_Game_Conversation_Starter.pdf%20
🎯 FREE Training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom
📺 YouTube Playlist for Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteMentalEdge
🎓 The Elite Mental Game (our self-paced mental training program): https://elitecompetitor.com/emg
🔔Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes
P.S. A few stats worth knowing:
⚡️ Athletes who told themselves "I'm excited" instead of "I'm nervous" performed measurably better under pressure - not calmer, actually better. (Harvard Business School, Alison Wood Brooks)
⚡️ Mental rehearsal activates the same neural pathways as physical practice. Two minutes of visualization before competition is not downtime. It's training. (Cleveland Clinic)
⚡️ 70% of youth athletes quit organized sports by age 13, with pressure and lack of enjoyment cited as top reasons. The mental game is not optional. (Aspen Institute Project Play, 2019)
The Raising Elite Competitors is hosted by The Elite Competitor and is dedicated to helping sports moms strengthen their daughter's mental game and confidence in order to help her perform her best when it matters most.
#girlssports #mentalperformance #sportsparenting #girlathlete #youthsports

Join our FREE live training for sports parents: The Do's and Don'ts of Strengthening Your Athlete's Mental Game! -> REGISTER HERE

Stop Telling Your Daughter to Be More Confident (Try This Instead) Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

I shared this with coaches recently, and the response was so strong I had to bring it to you moms too. Start here 👉 https://trainhergame.com/mom
She's got the skills. The drive. But the moment pressure hits, it all falls apart. And "just be more confident" hasn't helped once.
👋🏼 Hi, I'm Coach Bre, a mental performance coach for girl athletes, Co-Founder of The Elite Competitor, and a head volleyball coach and 4-time state champion.
Confidence isn't a pep talk. It's a skill. And in this episode, I'm sharing the three tools I've used with my own athletes for 7 years to actually build it.
You'll learn:
→ Why "shake it off" makes mistakes worse, not better
→ How body language directly affects how confident your daughter feels
→ The 5-minute daily routine that rewires her brain before practice
These are the same tools behind four consecutive state championships. They work. And you can start supporting her with them today.
⏱️ Key Moments
00:00 Introduction
00:15 Why "Be Confident" Doesn't Work
01:52 Tool #1: The Snapback Routine
03:49 Tool #2: Body Language
05:08 Tool #3: Daily Mindset Routine
05:22 The 3-2-1 Brave Method
07:17 Visualization & Neuroscience
07:30 Wrap Up & Next Steps
📩 Want to connect? Email us at hello@elitecompetitor.com
📌 Resources & Tools
🙌 What's Your Competitor Style Quiz (to send your athlete!): https://www.videoask.com/fnbmhduxy
💜 Conversation Guide w/ Scripts to Bring Up Mental Training: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/144031/downloads/66e16c-6886-4a62-b8db-c43a1ae18fbd_The_Elite_Mental_Game_Conversation_Starter.pdf%20
🎯 FREE Training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom
📺 YouTube Playlist for Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteMentalEdge
🎓 The Elite Mental Game (our self-paced mental training program): https://elitecompetitor.com/emg
🔔 Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes
P.S. A few stats worth knowing:
⚡️ Fewer than 10% of high school athletes receive any formal mental skills training, yet research shows it significantly improves confidence and resilience. (Association for Applied Sport Psychology)
⚡️ Mental imagery activates the same neural pathways as physical practice - meaning visualization is literally practice for the brain. (Driskell, Copper & Moran, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology)
⚡️ Athletes who regulate emotions quickly after errors consistently outperform those who ruminate, regardless of raw skill level. (Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, University of Chicago)
The Raising Elite Competitors YouTube channel is hosted by The Elite Competitor and is dedicated to helping sports moms strengthen their daughter's mental game and confidence in order to help her perform her best when it matters most.
#mentalperformance #girlathlete #sportsparenting

Join our FREE live training for sports parents: The Do's and Don'ts of Strengthening Your Athlete's Mental Game! -> REGISTER HERE

She Quit D1 Soccer With a Full Ride. Here's What She Wants Moms to Know Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

She had a full ride. And still walked away. If your daughter is questioning whether to keep going, this conversation is worth every minute.
Lyrik Fryer is the co-founder of Work Play Branding, a multimillion dollar media company whose clients have appeared in Target, Times Square, and Oprah's Favorite Things. Before all of that, she was a Division I soccer player at Florida International University, navigating perfectionism, recruitment pressure, and two ACL tears before making one of the hardest decisions of her athletic career.
👋🏼 I'm Coach Bre, a mental performance coach for girl athletes, Co-Founder of The Elite Competitor, and a head volleyball coach and 4-time state champion. In this episode, Lyrik gets honest about what it felt like to play under pressure, what her mom did that gave her the security to trust herself, and what she wishes someone had said to her at 14.
Here's what you'll hear:
✅ Why athletes feel the weight of parent expectations even when nothing is said
✅ What her mom did that gave her the confidence to walk away on her own terms
✅ How two ACL tears shifted her identity before she ever made the call to leave
✅ What great coaches get right that most coaches completely miss
✅ The one thing she'd tell every athlete stuck inside the pressure bubble
Key takeaways for sports moms:
→ Your unconditional support is one of the biggest competitive advantages your daughter has
→Athletes often just need permission, not more pressure, to make the right decision
→ Perspective is the mental tool most athletes never get in high school
→ Great coaches make every player feel seen, not just the starters
⏱️ Key Moments
00:00 Introducing Lyrik
02:02 Growing Up in Soccer
03:38 The Pressure to Perform
07:06 Battling Perfectionism
12:03 Two ACL Tears
14:59 Deciding to Walk Away
23:44 What Moms and Coaches Should Know
30:02 What Sports Really Taught Her
33:06 Advice to Her 14-Year-Old Self
37:25 Final Thoughts & Where to Find Lyrik
📩 Want to connect? Email us at hello@elitecompetitor.com
📌 Resources & Tools
🙌 What's Your Competitor Style Quiz (to send your athlete!): https://www.videoask.com/fnbmhduxy
💜 Conversation Guide w/ Scripts to Bring Up Mental Training: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/144031/downloads/66e16c-6886-4a62-b8db-c43a1ae18fbd_The_Elite_Mental_Game_Conversation_Starter.pdf%20
🎯 FREE Training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom
📺 YouTube Playlist for Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteMentalEdge
🎓 The Elite Mental Game (our self-paced mental training program): https://elitecompetitor.com/emg
🔔Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes

Join our FREE live training for sports parents: The Do's and Don'ts of Strengthening Your Athlete's Mental Game! -> REGISTER HERE

Athlete of the Month: Baylor Shares How She Went From Blacking Out to Winning 6 Events Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

Nerves used to shut her down. Now she's taking first place. Grab the same training Baylor's mom did to help her → https://trainhergame.com/mom
Meet Baylor, our February Athlete of the Month inside the Elite Mental Game. She's 11 years old, figure skates and does rodeo, and she sat down with Coach Saylor to share exactly what shifted for her mentally and what her mom changed that made the biggest difference.
In this episode, you'll hear:
➡️ How Baylor went from blacking out with nerves to competing with confidence
➡️ The simple two-second reset she now uses before and during competitions
➡️ What her mom stopped doing after losses that changed everything
➡️ Why asking for help mid-competition is a sign of strength, not weakness
➡️ How she's applying the same mental tools to two completely different sports
This one is for the athlete AND the mom watching from the bleachers. 💛
The tools Baylor uses aren't complicated. They're the same ones we teach inside the Elite Mental Game, and watching an 11-year-old use them this effectively is a good reminder that it's never too early to build these skills.
💬 Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction
00:21 Meet Baylor
01:03 Baylor's Background & Sports
02:02 Passion for Figure Skating & Rodeo
03:02 Joining the Elite Mental Game
04:06 Mindset Tools: Affirmations & Snapback Routine
08:04 Competition Wins & Bouncing Back
13:40 Family Support & Future Goals
Athlete of the month episodes are hosted by REC Coach Saylor, a mental performance coach for girl athletes. I empower girl athletes with tools to build confidence and manage pressure so they can compete freely and passionately. New AOTM episodes every month!
📌 Free Tools & Next Steps
🙌 What's Your Competitor Style Quiz (to send your athlete!): https://www.videoask.com/fnbmhduxy
💜 Conversation Guide w/ Scripts to Bring Up Mental Training: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/144031/downloads/66e16c-6886-4a62-b8db-c43a1ae18fbd_The_Elite_Mental_Game_Conversation_Starter.pdf%20
🎯 FREE Training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom
📺 YouTube Playlist for Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteMentalEdge
🎓 The Elite Mental Game (our self-paced mental training program): https://elitecompetitor.com/emg
🔔 Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes

P.S. - Stats worth knowing:
💛 Athletes who use structured pre-performance routines - including breathwork, cue words, and physical anchors - show significantly higher performance consistency under pressure compared to those without routines (Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, Cotterill, 2010)
💛 Research from the University of Washington shows athletes whose parents focus on effort and controllable behaviors, rather than outcomes, report higher self-esteem, lower anxiety, and greater sport enjoyment (Smith & Smoll, University of Washington)
💛 Athletes who begin mental performance training before age 14 are significantly more likely to continue sport participation and report higher confidence levels in high school competition (Gould & Maynard, Journal of Sports Sciences, 2009)

3 Sports Moms Share How EMG Changed Everything Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

Three sports moms share what actually changed when their daughters got mental training tools. Learn more about the program they used here → https://trainhergame.com/mom

These aren't polished testimonials. These are raw, honest conversations from moms who were exactly where you might be right now - watching their daughter struggle and having no idea what to say without making it worse.

In this video you'll hear from:
🧗 Kim, whose 15-year-old competitive climber shut her out completely for an entire season
🥎 Anne, who is both mom AND head coach of her daughter's softball team
⛸️ Emily, whose 13-year-old figure skater had a full mental crash mid-season

👋 I'm Coach Bre, a Certified Mental Performance Coach and head coach for over 14 years with 4 state championships. I created The Elite Mental Game for girl athletes ages 11-18 and the sports moms who love them - because both of you deserve tools that actually work.

Here's what these moms said happened inside EMG:
✅ Their daughters started using the Snapback Routine and bouncing back from mistakes faster
✅ The car rides home shifted from silence and tension to actual conversation
✅ Coaches started noticing the difference within two weeks - without being told anything
✅ The skills transferred beyond sport, into school, friendships, and self-belief

One of these moms said it best: "I learned to shut up, and she learned how to start talking."

That kind of shift doesn't happen by accident. It happens when mom and daughter are learning together.💛 If you've been feeling like everything you say lands wrong, you're going to want to watch this one all the way through.

🕓 Key Moments:
00:00 Welcome & Introductions
01:03 Meet Kim – Competitive Climber Mom
01:58 Meet Anne – Softball Mom & Coach
02:36 Meet Emily – Figure Skating Mom
03:18 Life Before EMG – The Breaking Points
10:14 How They Introduced EMG to Their Athletes
17:21 Early Wins – The Snapback Routine
23:39 Coaches Noticing the Difference
26:48 Favorite Parts of the Program
36:29 How EMG Transformed Their Relationships
41:48 About the EMG Program – Live Support & Structure
50:35 Final Thoughts & Encouragement to Join

💬 Moms - comment below: What's the one moment that made you realize your daughter needed more than just physical training? I want to hear your story.

📌 Free Tools & Next Steps
🙌 What's Your Competitor Style Quiz (to send your athlete!): https://www.videoask.com/fnbmhduxy
💜 Conversation Guide w/ Scripts to Bring Up Mental Training: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/144031/downloads/66e16c-6886-4a62-b8db-c43a1ae18fbd_The_Elite_Mental_Game_Conversation_Starter.pdf%20
🎯 FREE Training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom
📺 YouTube Playlist for Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteMentalEdge
🎓 The Elite Mental Game (our self-paced mental training program): https://elitecompetitor.com/emg

🔔 Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes ⬇️ Raising Elite Competitors YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RaisingEliteCompetitors

P.S. A few stats worth knowing as you watch this:
💡75% of youth athletes quit sports by age 13, often citing pressure from adults and loss of enjoyment (Aspen Institute, State of Play, 2019)
💡Athletes who use mental visualization ac

Join our FREE live training for sports parents: The Do's and Don'ts of Strengthening Your Athlete's Mental Game! -> REGISTER HERE

How to Help Your Daughter Stop Comparing Herself to Other Athletes Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

If your daughter is constantly comparing herself to other athletes more than focusing on her own game, or losing confidence this is your episode! Have her take this quiz to find out your competitor style: elitecompetitor.com/athlete

Comparison is one of the most common confidence killers in girl athletes. It feels normal. It even feels productive sometimes. But when her focus is on everyone else, she loses the one thing that actually moves the needle - her own game.

👋🏼 Hi, I'm Coach Saylor, a mental performance coach for girl athletes. I empower girl athletes with tools to build confidence and manage pressure so they can compete freely and passionately.

In this episode I'm breaking down exactly why comparison keeps athletes stuck and how to shift it into something that actually fuels performance.

Here's what you'll learn:
✅ Why comparison is a normal part of athletics (and why that doesn't make it okay to stay there)
✅ The signs your daughter is stuck in the comparison trap right nowHow to help her flip comparison into inspiration instead of a confidence spiral
✅ Why her teammate's success is not a threat to hers - and how to help her believe that
✅ A simple mental shift that gets her focus back on what she can actually control

The biggest takeaway from this one → there is room for both of them to succeed. Her daughter's success does not take away from anyone else's, and I explain exactly how to help her see that.💛

🕓 Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction
01:38 Signs You're in the Comparison Trap
02:41 Shift Focus to Your Own Game03:26 Turn Comparison Into Inspiration
04:34 There's Room for Everyone to Succeed
06:32 Take Action & Next Steps

Want to learn more about how to support your daughter's mental game? Grab the free training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom

💬 Moms - comment below: Which sign of the comparison trap have you seen in your daughter?

🔔 Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes ⬇️ Raising Elite Competitors YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RaisingEliteCompetitors

P.S. A few stats worth knowing:
💡 70% of young athletes quit sports by age 13 (National Alliance for Youth Sports)
💡 Social comparison is one of the top 3 sources of competitive anxiety in adolescent female athletes. (Hanton, Mellalieu & Hall, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 2004)
💡 Athletes who focus on personal improvement goals (vs. comparing to others) show significantly higher motivation and lower dropout rates. (Duda & Nicholls, Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1992)

The Raising Elite Competitors YouTube channel is hosted by The Elite Competitor and is dedicated to helpin

Join our FREE live training for sports parents: The Do's and Don'ts of Strengthening Your Athlete's Mental Game! -> REGISTER HERE

Samantha Went From Spiraling to Shooting a 76 (Here's What Changed) Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

EMG Athlete of the Month, Samantha, went from spiraling after one bad shot to shooting a 76 the very next day. Here's how she did it ➡️ https://trainhergame.com/mom
Samantha is a middle school golfer and our January Athlete of the Month inside the Elite Mental Game. She came in struggling with confidence, caring too much about what other players thought, and spiraling after mistakes with no way out.
What changed? She learned actual tools.
✅ The Snapback Routine - a quick breath, reset word, and signal to get her head right after any mistake
✅ The What If Flip - turning worst-case spirals into best-case possibilities
✅ The 10-Second Rule - her own invention for processing mistakes without getting stuck in them
💛 The moment that says it all: Samantha looked at a rough first day of a two-day tournament and decided to just have fun. No pressure. No scoreboard obsession. She shot a 76 on day two.
This is what mental training actually looks like in real life. Not perfection. Not "shake it off." A real girl athlete with real tools who learned how to bounce back.If your daughter struggles with confidence, mistakes, or getting in her own head, this episode is for her and for you.
💬 Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction & Welcome
01:52 Samantha's Golf Journey
03:42 Discovering EMG
05:06 Favorite Tools & Techniques
06:41 Tournament Comeback Story
09:31 Confidence & Growth
10:21 Goals & Future Plans
12:28 Advice & Closing
Athlete of the month episodes are hosted by REC Coach Saylor, a mental performance coach for girl athletes. I empower girl athletes with tools to build confidence and manage pressure so they can compete freely and passionately. New AOTM episodes every month!
📌 Free Tools & Next Steps
🙌 What's Your Competitor Style Quiz (to send your athlete!): https://www.videoask.com/fnbmhduxy
💜 Conversation Guide w/ Scripts to Bring Up Mental Training: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/144031/downloads/66e16c-6886-4a62-b8db-c43a1ae18fbd_The_Elite_Mental_Game_Conversation_Starter.pdf%20
🎯 FREE Training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom
📺 YouTube Playlist for Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteMentalEdge
🎓 The Elite Mental Game (our self-paced mental training program): https://elitecompetitor.com/emg
🔔 Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes ⬇️ Raising Elite Competitors YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RaisingEliteCompetitors
P.S. - Stats worth knowing:
85% of elite athletes incorporate mental training as part of their performance prep (Association for Applied Sport Psychology, 2023)
Athletes who use consistent pre-performance routines show significantly higher confidence and focus under pressure (Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 2019)
Mental resilience training in youth athletes is linked to better performance AND lower dropout rates (Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2021)
The Raising Elite Competitors podcast is hosted by The Elite Competitor and is dedicated to helping sports moms strengthen their daughter's mental game and confidence in order to help her perform her best when it matters most.
#mentalperformance #girlathlete #sportsparenting

Join our FREE live training for sports parents: The Do's and Don'ts of Strengthening Your Athlete's Mental Game! -> REGISTER HERE

She Got Pulled After One Mistake. Here's How to Actually Help. Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

Your daughter just got pulled after one mistake. Here's exactly what to do. Grab the free training here - https://trainhergame.com/mom 💛

If you've sat in those bleachers watching her slump on the bench, frustrated for her AND with the coach, this video is for you.

🙋‍♀️ Hi, I'm Coach Bre, a certified Mental Performance Coach and former collegiate athlete with 14 years of coaching experience, including 4 state championships. I'm also the co-founder of The Elite Competitor and host of the Raising Elite Competitors podcast, where I help sports moms strengthen their daughter's mental game so they can perform their best when it matters most.

In this episode, I'm giving you the inside perspective on why coaches pull athletes, and more importantly, what your daughter can actually do about it.

Here's what you'll learn:
✅ Why venting with your daughter about the coach puts her in a victim mindset (and what to do instead)
✅ How to help her separate her performance from her worth
✅ The 2-second Snapback Routine that helps athletes reset before coaches lose confidence in them
✅ 🚦 The traffic light framework coaches use to decide who stays in and who comes out
✅ What your daughter can always control - even from the bench

The athletes who earn more playing time aren't always the most talented. They're the ones who reset fast, keep their chin up, and show the coach they're ready. Here's how to help her become that athlete.

💬 Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction: The Pulling Problem
00:56 What NOT to Do as a Parent
03:30 What TO Do: Separate Worth from Performance
06:34 Give Her a Skill: The Snapback Routine
10:59 The Coach's Perspective11:48 Having Conversations with the Coach
13:05 Control What You Can Control
13:38 Wrap-Up and Next Steps

💬 Moms - comment below: Has your daughter ever gotten pulled after one mistake? What did you do in that moment?

📌 Resources & Tools
🙌 What's Your Competitor Style Quiz (to send your athlete!): https://www.videoask.com/fnbmhduxy
💜 Conversation Guide w/ Scripts to Bring Up Mental Training: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/144031/downloads/66e16c-6886-4a62-b8db-c43a1ae18fbd_The_Elite_Mental_Game_Conversation_Starter.pdf%20
🎯 FREE Training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom
📺 YouTube Playlist for Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteMentalEdge
🎓 The Elite Mental Game (our self-paced mental training program): https://elitecompetitor.com/emg

🔔Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes ⬇️ Raising Elite Competitors YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RaisingEliteCompetitors

P.S. A few stats worth knowing:
⚡️ 70% of youth athletes quit sports by age 13 - with girls leaving at significantly higher rates than boys, most citing eroded confidence as the primary reason. (Aspen Institute, Project Play)
⚡️ Athletes with high athletic identity are more vulnerable to emotional distress following reduced playing time - meaning the athletes who care most are often hit hardest when they get pulled. (Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Brewer et al.)
⚡️ Athletes who use consistent pre-performance reset routines perform 22% more consistently under pressure than those without one. (University of Chicago, Sports Psychology Research)

The Raising Elite Competitors YouTube channe

Join our FREE live training for sports parents: The Do's and Don'ts of Strengthening Your Athlete's Mental Game! -> REGISTER HERE

Athlete of the Month: Mackenzie's Mental Game Breakthrough Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

💛 A 9-year-old competitive swimmer learned one mental skill and dropped time in every single event. Grab the free training for your daughter: https://trainhergame.com/mom
Meet Mackenzie. She's nine years old, a competitive swimmer, and our December Athlete of the Month inside the Elite Mental Game.
At her first swim meet after starting the program, she used her Snapback Routine for the very first time. She placed first in two events. Third in another. And dropped nearly 14 seconds in one event alone.
Her mom Sarah said she was blown away by Mackenzie's excitement, dedication, and commitment. In fact, Mackenzie asked for a journal so she could take notes on the Zoom calls.🏊‍♀️
In this episode, you'll hear:
✅ What Mackenzie said about her first time using the Snapback Routine
✅ Why mental skills matter even more in swimming (the clock doesn't lie)
✅ What Sarah noticed about her daughter's confidence before her next meet
✅ How mom and daughter worked through the program together
This is the shared transformation we talk about. When your daughter has the tools to reset quickly, she doesn't just swim faster. She believes in herself differently. And that's the whole point. 💛
💬 Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction
01:20 Mackenzie's Snapback Routine Success
02:03 First Swim Meet Results
02:58 Mom's Perspective
04:55 Closing & Call to Action
Athlete of the month episodes are hosted by REC Coach Saylor, a mental performance coach for girl athletes. I empower girl athletes with tools to build confidence and manage pressure so they can compete freely and passionately. New AOTM episodes every month!
📌 Free Tools & Next Steps
🙌 What's Your Competitor Style Quiz (to send your athlete!): https://www.videoask.com/fnbmhduxy
💜 Conversation Guide w/ Scripts to Bring Up Mental Training: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/144031/downloads/66e16c-6886-4a62-b8db-c43a1ae18fbd_The_Elite_Mental_Game_Conversation_Starter.pdf%20
🎯 FREE Training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom
📺 YouTube Playlist for Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteMentalEdge
🎓 The Elite Mental Game (our self-paced mental training program): https://elitecompetitor.com/emg
🔔 Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes ⬇️
P.S. - Stats worth knowing:
According to research from the NCAA, 85% of elite athletes use mental training as a regular part of their performance preparation. (NCAA, 2020)
A study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology found that pre-performance routines significantly reduce anxiety and improve consistency in athletes. (Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 2010)
Athletes who learn emotional regulation skills before age 12 are significantly more likely to maintain sport participation through high school. (Aspen Institute, Project Play, 2022)
The Raising Elite Competitors podcast is hosted by The Elite Competitor and is dedicated to helping sports moms strengthen their daughter's mental game and confidence in order to help her perform her best when it matters most.
#mentalperformance #girlathlete #sportsparenting

Join our FREE live training for sports parents: The Do's and Don'ts of Strengthening Your Athlete's Mental Game! -> REGISTER HERE

We Quit Our Sports. Now We're Helping Girls Stay and Lead with Confidence Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

We both quit our sports despite being talented. Here's what girls actually need to stay in the game → https://trainhergame.com/mom
Girls are quitting sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14. But it's not about talent or access.
The real reason? Mental game. Fear of judgment, anxiety, pressure to perform, low confidence.
In this episode, my co-founder Kristina and I are sharing our personal stories about quitting our sports. Stories we don't usually tell.
Kristina was a basketball starter who quit her senior year because she physically couldn't shoot anymore. Not because she lost her skills, but because she couldn't handle the pressure of standing out and the fear of friends getting mad at her for being too good.
I turned down college volleyball offers after my senior year because the emotional cost felt unbearable. Between my parents' divorce and perfectionism, I felt like I was failing everyone no matter what I did.
We both came back to our sports later. But we shouldn't have had to quit in the first place to find peace.
That's why we built The Elite Competitor and the Play, Stay, Lead mission.
What You'll Learn:
✅ Why girls quit sports at twice the rate of boys (and it's not what you think)
✅ The real reason talented athletes walk away from their sport
✅ How mental game challenges show up (pressure to be invisible, perfectionism, anxiety)
✅ What keeps girls in sports longer and turns them into confident leaders
✅ The mission behind everything we do at The Elite Competitor
👋🏼 I'm Coach Bre, a mental performance coach for girl athletes, Co-Founder of The Elite Competitor, and a former head volleyball coach and 4-time state champion.
🕓 Key Moments:
00:00 Introduction: The Girls Sports Crisis
02:40 The Mission: Play, Stay, Lead
04:39 Kristina's Story: Quitting Basketball
12:32 Bre's Story: Walking Away from Volleyball
17:04 Coming Back: Finding the Game Again
22:36 Why Girls Quit: The Mental Game Gap
24:13 Building Future Leaders Through Sports
25:52 How You Can Help: Parents and Coaches
💬 Parents - comment below: Did you or your daughter ever struggle with wanting to be good but not wanting to stand out?
📌 Resources & Tools
🙌 What's Your Competitor Style Quiz (to send your athlete!): https://www.videoask.com/fnbmhduxy
💜 Conversation Guide w/ Scripts to Bring Up Mental Training: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/file-uploads/sites/144031/downloads/66e16c-6886-4a62-b8db-c43a1ae18fbd_The_Elite_Mental_Game_Conversation_Starter.pdf%20
🎯 FREE Training for Sports Moms: https://trainhergame.com/mom
📺 YouTube Playlist for Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteMentalEdge
🎓 The Elite Mental Game (our self-paced mental training program): https://elitecompetitor.com/emg
🔔 Subscribe for more mental training tips for girl athletes ⬇️ Raising Elite Competitors
P.S. A few stats worth knowing:
⚡️ Girls quit sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14 (Women's Sports Foundation, Aspen Institute)
⚡️ 94% of women in C-suite positions played sports growing up (Ernst & Young and espnW)
⚡️ 70% of girls drop out of sports by age 13 (National Alliance for Youth Sports)
The Raising Elite Competitors Podcast is hosted by The Elite Competitor and is dedicated to helping sports moms strengthen their daughter's mental game and confidence in order to help her perform her best when it matters most.
#girlssports #mentalperformance #sportsparenting #girlathlete #youthsports

Join our FREE live training for sports parents: The Do's and Don'ts of Strengthening Your Athlete's Mental Game! -> REGISTER HERE

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