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.
Episodes
580 episodes
How to Play Your Best Under Pressure in Sports
Pressure in sports can cause athletes to overthink, force outcomes, play scared, and struggle to perform freely when the moment matters most. In this episode, I explain how to perform under pressure in sports, why some athletes choke, and how t...
How to Build Mental Toughness in Sports
Mental toughness in sports is the ability to stay confident, focused, composed, and in control when pressure, mistakes, frustration, and adversity challenge your mindset. In this episode, I explain how to build mental toughness in sports and de...
Sports Performance Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Play Freely
Sports performance anxiety can cause athletes to overthink, tense up, fear mistakes, and struggle to perform as freely in games as they do in practice. In this episode, I explain how to overcome sports performance anxiety, manage nerves, and co...
Fear of Failure in Sports: How to Stop Playing Scared
Fear of failure in sports can make athletes play scared, hesitate, overthink mistakes, and hold themselves back in competition. In this episode, I explain how to overcome fear of failure in sports, stop playing not to lose, and compete with mor...
How to Build Confidence in Sports
Low confidence can cause athletes to doubt themselves, overthink during games, play tentatively, and struggle to trust the skills they know they have. In this episode, I explain how to build confidence in sports, overcome self-doubt, and develo...
How to Stop Worrying About What Might Happen Next During Games
Do you constantly worry about the future when you play? Whether you worry about stats, what coach will do or think, what your opponent will do, or anything else, this kind of worry can keep you from playing your best. Learn an effective strateg...
How Fear of Failure Holds Athletes Back
Learn how fear of failure holds you back, and the shift you need to make in your thinking and in how you approach games to keep fear from destroying your game.
My Favoirte Strategy for Managing Sports Anxiety in the Moment
When anxiety takes over during games, you need a simple, repeatable strategy to apply. In this episode, I explain my favorite strategy I teach athletes to use to manage sports performance anxiety during games.
Tip to Play More Freely & With Less Fear
Do you struggle to play freely during games? Does the fear of mistakes cause you to hold yourself back? A large part of that has to do with the confidence you have in your own ability to bounce back from mistakes, along with your emotional reac...
How to Improve Focus in Sports
Do you struggle with focusing during games? Learn how you can improve your focus as an athlete to increase your ability to perform in the present moment and compete at your best!
How to Bounce Back from a Bad Game
The way you respond to a bad game can make or break your next game. Respond poorly, and you set yourself up to repeat the bad performance. In this episode, I share three tips you can apply to respond better and bounce back from a bad game.
How to Stop Getting in Your Head During Games
Do you get in your head when you compete, causing you to underperform? When athletes get in their own heads, they overthink, second-guess themselves, worry about results, and lose focus on the present moment. In this episode, I discuss how to s...
How to Stop Negative Thinking as an Athlete
Do you struggle with negative thinking as an athlete? Do you criticize yourself after games or doubt yourself before you compete? In this episode, I share a simple two-part process you can use to stop negative thinking, improve your self-talk, ...
How to Regain the Love for Your Sport
Have you lost the love for your sport? Athletes can lose their passion for many reasons, including fear of failure, sports performance anxiety, high expectations, pressure, and negative thinking. In this episode, I share five practical tips to ...
4 Mental Training Techniques to Stay Calm Under Pressure
Mental training techniques can help you stay calm under pressure, control your thoughts, and perform your best when the game is on the line. In this episode, I share four of the most effective mental training techniques I teach to help them com...
How to Help Your Athlete Stop Being Afraid to Make Mistakes
Fear of making mistakes in sports can cause athletes to play scared, hesitate, and lose confidence. In this episode, I explain why athletes become afraid of mistakes and share 4 practical ways you can help your athlete build confidence, respond...
5 Signs Your Athlete Is Playing With Fear of Failure
Fear of failure can cause athletes to play cautiously, overthink mistakes, and look completely different in games than they do in practice. In this episode, I explain how parents can recognize when their athlete is playing with fear and help th...
Why Your Child Loses Confidence in Sports
Why does a child lose confidence in sports so quickly? If your athlete seems confident one week and full of self-doubt the next, there's usually a deeper reason. In this episode, I explain why confidence becomes so fragile in young athletes, wh...
10 Signs Your Mental Game Is Holding You Back in Sports
Your mental game may be holding you back even if you have the physical skills to succeed. In this episode, I explain 10 signs that the mental side of sports is hurting your confidence, consistency, and performance in competition. I...
5 Mental Skills Every Athlete Should Practice
Most athletes spend hours training their body but very little time training their mind. If you want to become a more confident, focused, and consistent athlete, your mental game has to be developed just like your physical skills. In this episod...
5 tips to Be a More Consistent Athlete
Learning how to be a more consistent athlete does not mean expecting yourself to produce the exact same result every game. In this episode, I share five practical tips to help you become more consistent with your preparation, your focus during ...
10 Habits of Mentally Tough Athletes
What makes some athletes mentally tougher than others? In this episode, I share 10 habits that mentally tough athletes develop to stay confident, focused, and resilient under pressure. These habits aren't something you're born with. They're ski...
How to Help Your Child Stop Playing Scared in Sports
If your child plays scared in sports, they may be afraid of making mistakes, disappointing others, losing playing time, or failing under pressure. In this episode, I explain how parents can help young athletes overcome fear of failure, build co...
How to Move On From Mistakes During Games (5 Simple Ways)
In this episode, I explain how to move on from mistakes during games so one bad play does not ruin your confidence, focus, or the rest of your performance. If you struggle with frustration after mistakes, overthinking errors, or le...
5 Ways to Perform Better Under Pressure in Sports
In this episode, I explain how to perform better under pressure in sports so you can stop playing scared, handle high-pressure moments, and compete with greater confidence. If pressure, fear of making mistakes, or performance anxiety is holding...