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
570 episodes
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...
10 Mental Mistakes Athletes Make That Hurt Performance
Mental mistakes can hurt your athletic performance even when you have the physical skills to succeed. In this episode, I explain the most common mental mistakes athletes make and how improving your mindset can help you build confidence, stay fo...
10 Mental Skills Every Athlete Needs to Develop
Every athlete needs a strong mental game, but most athletes don’t know which mental skills they need to develop or how to improve them. In this episode, I break down the 10 most important mental skills for athletes so you can build confidence, ...
4 Ways to Stop Overthinking During Games
Overthinking during games can cause athletes to hesitate, play tight, lose confidence, and perform differently than they do in practice. In this episode, you’ll learn how to stop overthinking in sports, stay focused during competition, and trus...
Why You Play Better in Practice Than Games (And How to Fix It)
Do you play better in practice than in games? Pressure, fear of mistakes, and overthinking can make you tense, hesitant, and unable to trust the skills you consistently show during practice. In this episode, I explain why the practice-to-game g...
What Is Sports Psychology? How Mental Training Helps Athletes
What is sports psychology, and how can it help athletes perform better? In this episode, I explain how thoughts and emotions affect sports performance, how sports psychology becomes practical mental training, and how athletes can strengthen the...
10 Ways to Improve Your Mental Game in Sports
These 10 ways to improve your mental game in sports will help you develop greater confidence, focus, mental toughness, and composure under pressure. Learn how mental training and sports psychology can help you manage your thoughts, prepare your...
4 Tips to Help Your Child Overcome Sports Anxiety
Is your child struggling with sports anxiety, nervousness before games, fear of mistakes, or pressure to perform? In this episode, I explain how to help your child overcome sports anxiety so they can manage nerves, build confidence, and play mo...
How to Overcome Fear of Failure in Sports (3-Step Mental Training Plan)
Fear of failure in sports can cause athletes to hesitate, play scared, and judge their performance only by the result. In this episode, I walk you through a three-step mental training plan to understand what you’re truly afraid of, prepare your...
How to Calm Sports Performance Anxiety Before Games: 3 Steps
Sports performance anxiety can leave athletes feeling nervous, tight, and unable to play like themselves before games. Learn three practical steps to manage pregame anxiety, release physical tension, and regain control of your focus so you can ...