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Sports Psychology Coaching — Sports
Sports Psychology Coaching

The Sports Psychology Coaching Podcast by Eli Straw is a mental training podcast for athletes, competitors, coaches, and performers who want to improve confidence, focus, and performance under pressure. This podcast teaches practical sports psychology strategies to help athletes overcome fear of failure, performance anxiety, overthinking, and loss of confidence after mistakes so they can trust their training and compete freely.

Each episode covers key mental performance topics, including:
• Sports psychology and mental training for athletes
• How to build confidence in sports
• Overcoming performance anxiety and pressure
• Trusting your training and competing without fear
• Focus, composure, and mental toughness in competition
• Letting go of overthinking and perfectionism
• Visualization, mindfulness, and present-moment performance
• How to perform consistently in games, races, and competitions

Hosted by mental performance coach Eli Straw, this podcast provides simple, practical mental game coaching used with athletes from youth to elite levels. Learn how to stop playing scared, compete with freedom, and unlock your true performance.

If you’re an athlete, parent, or coach looking for sports psychology tips, mental toughness training, and performance mindset strategies, this podcast will help you build the mental skills needed to perform at your best when it matters most.

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist.

Copyright: © 2024 Sports Psychology Coaching

Latest Episodes:

What’s the Best Approach for Athletes Confident in Practice but Nervous in Games? Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

Why are you confident in practice but nervous in games?

Many athletes play freely and confidently during training — but once competition starts, they feel anxious, tight, and afraid of making mistakes. In this episode, I explain why this happens and the best approach for athletes who are confident in practice but nervous in games.

As a mental performance coach, this is one of the most common issues I see. The difference between practice and competition is not skill, it’s pressure, consequences, and how you respond to nervousness.

In this video, you’ll learn:

Why games feel more intense than practice
The real reason nervousness leads to tension and poor performance
Why trying to “force confidence” makes things worse
How to accept nerves without letting them control you
How to shift from outcome-focused thinking to controllable goals
A simple two-step approach to play more freely in competition

Key takeaway: Nervousness is not the problem. The way you respond to nervousness determines how you perform.

Instead of trying to eliminate nerves or create fake confidence, you’ll learn how to:

Acknowledge that games matter and accept nervousness
Focus on small, specific, controllable actions that lead to success

This process builds real confidence — the kind that shows up under pressure.

If you struggle with performance anxiety, game-day nerves, fear of mistakes, or playing worse in games than in practice, this episode will help you develop a stronger mental approach to competition.

—

I also offer a 12-week 1-on-1 mental performance coaching program where we:

Start with a full mental game assessment
Build your custom mental game plan
Meet weekly to train mental skills
Use structured exercises and accountability
Provide ongoing support between sessions

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

What’s the Best Way to Start Mental Training as an Athlete? Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

What’s the best way for an athlete to start mental training if they’ve never worked with a sports psychologist or mental performance coach before?

The best way to begin mental training is to treat mental skills like physical skills and build a simple daily routine focused on four foundational areas: mindfulness, self-talk, self-awareness, and visualization. Mental skills such as confidence, focus, and composure are trainable, and with consistent practice, athletes can develop a stronger mindset and perform better under pressure.

In this episode, mental performance coach Eli Straw explains what mental training is, why mindset is trainable, and how athletes can begin building their mental game starting today.

Direct Answer

The best way for an athlete to start mental training is to build a simple daily routine that includes:

• Mindfulness meditation to improve focus and stay present
• Self-talk training to reprogram negative thinking
• Journaling to increase self-awareness and understand fears
• Visualization to build confidence and mentally rehearse success

Athletes do not need a coach to begin. They need consistency. A simple 20 minute daily mental training routine can significantly improve confidence, focus, and performance in competition.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

What mental training is and why it matters
Why mental skills are trainable like physical skills
The four foundational mental skills athletes need
How mindfulness improves focus and composure
How self-talk builds confidence and controls negative thinking
How journaling improves awareness and emotional control
How visualization strengthens confidence and performance under pressure
How to build a simple daily mental training routine
How to use mental training as part of your pre-game routine

Simple Daily Mental Training Routine (20 Minutes)

Journal writing
Self-talk statements
Mindfulness meditation
Visualization

If you want a structured and personalized mental training plan, Eli offers a 12 Week 1-on-1 Mental Performance Coaching Program that includes:

Mental Game Assessment
Custom Mental Game Plan
Weekly Coaching Sessions
Personalized Workbook and Exercises
Ongoing Support Between Sessions

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

How to Use Visualization Before a Game (4 Powerful Mental Training Techniques for Athletes) Feb 18, 2026

Show notes

Visualization is one of the most powerful mental training tools athletes can use before competition—but only when used the right way. In this episode, mental performance coach Eli Straw explains how to use visualization correctly to build confidence, stay calm under pressure, and perform freely during games.

Many athletes unknowingly create stress during visualization by forcing perfection or trying to avoid mistakes. In this episode, you’ll learn how to visualize in a relaxed, effective way that strengthens confidence, reduces anxiety, and improves your response to pressure and mistakes.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How visualization affects confidence, nerves, and performance
The biggest mistake athletes make when visualizing before games
4 powerful ways to use visualization pre-competition
How to visualize without creating tension or pressure
How to use visualization to stay calm and confident under pressure
How to mentally rehearse bouncing back from mistakes
How to build visualization into your pre-game routine

The 4 Types of Visualization Covered:

Confidence-building visualization (seeing yourself perform well)
Relaxation / anchoring visualization (calming nerves and anxiety)
Pressure visualization (mentally preparing for high-pressure moments)
Bounce-back visualization (training your response after mistakes)

Visualization helps athletes:

Build confidence before competition
Reduce performance anxiety and nerves
Handle pressure more effectively
Improve composure after mistakes
Trust their training and perform freely

If you struggle with fear of failure, performance anxiety, overthinking, or losing confidence during competition, visualization can be a powerful tool to strengthen your mental game.

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

Fear of Failure in Sports: Why Working Through Fear Matters More Than Confidence Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

Are you struggling with fear of failure in sports, performance anxiety, or playing scared in competition? Many athletes believe they lack confidence, but the real problem is often fear of mistakes, fear of embarrassment, and fear of letting others down. When fear controls your game, confidence cannot show up — no matter how skilled you are.

In this episode, mental performance coach Eli Straw explains why working through fear is more important than building confidence. Confidence is trust in your ability, but if fear of failure is present, athletes hesitate, second-guess, and underperform — especially under pressure.

This episode is for athletes who:
• Perform well in practice but struggle in games
• Feel confident in training but tight or hesitant in competition
• Deal with performance anxiety or fear of mistakes
• Struggle with confidence, pressure, or overthinking
• Feel like they are holding themselves back

What You’ll Learn

• Why fear of failure in sports blocks confidence and causes timid play
• The connection between performance anxiety and playing scared
• Why confidence alone does not prevent choking under pressure
• How fear leads to hesitation, overthinking, and underperforming in games
• A simple 3-step mental training process to reduce fear and play freely
• How to trust your skills and compete with confidence under pressure

Eli shares real examples from a professional basketball player and a Division 1 baseball player who overcame fear of mistakes, competitive anxiety, and self-doubt to perform freely and aggressively in competition.

The Key Mental Game Truth: Confidence does not eliminate fear. Fear must be addressed first.

When athletes reduce fear of failure, their natural confidence, trust, and ability begin to show — allowing them to stop playing scared and start competing freely.

Work With Eli Straw

Eli Straw is a mental performance coach who helps athletes overcome fear of failure, performance anxiety, negative self-talk, and confidence struggles through a structured mental training system. Athletes learn how to build trust, play freely, and perform under pressure.

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

Stop Letting Pressure Control Your Performance (3 Mental Tips) Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

What Actually Matters When You Compete Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

How to Train Being Present as an Athlete Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

Why You Hold Yourself Back During Games Jan 29, 2026

Show notes

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

What to Do if Coach Pulls You After a Mistake Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

Stop Freezing When You Play Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

Work with me!

🧠 1-1 Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes: https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/

👉 Confident Competitor Academy: Go from playing with fear & anxiety to playing with confidence in just 6 weeks!

👉 Mentally Tough Kid Course (for youth athletes)

📖 Mind Games Book: https://a.co/d/gXZfORN

📖 Athlete Mental Training Book: https://a.co/d/bfojamY

Free Training: Top 5 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make

*This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical treatment. I am a mental performance coach, not a licensed psychologist. For clinical concerns, consult a licensed professional.

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