Tips to Introduce Mental Performance Coaching to Athletes
Your athletes may hesitate when you introduce mental coaching. Most of the time, we find It’s because they don’t understand what it is. That does not mean your athletes do not need it. Parents, Please read the following tips to help your athlete better understand mental performance coaching.
1. Present It as Sports Training
When you introduce mental coaching, explain that it is another form of sports training. Athletes train their bodies, skills, and strategies. Mental skills such as confidence, focus, handling pressure, and recovering from mistakes also need training.
2. Connect Coaching to Their Goals
Ask your athlete what part of their game they want to improve. If they want more confidence, better focus, or less anxiety during competition, explain how mental performance coaching can help them develop those skills.
3. Avoid The Impression That They Have a Problem
Don’t tell your child they need mental coaching because they have a problem. Instead, explain that every athlete has mental skills they can improve, just like physical skills.
4. Explain That Coaching is Not Therapy
We don’t do therapy with athletes. Instead, we teach mental skills. Athletes learn strategies for confidence, concentration, self-talk, handling pressure, and recovering from mistakes.
5. Don’t Use Coaching as Punishment
Never present mental performance coaching as a consequence for poor performance or a bad attitude. Avoid saying, “You got frustrated and so you need a mental coach.” Instead, position coaching as a way to help your athlete improve and perform with greater confidence.
6. Discuss Role Models That Have Used Mental Coaching
Many professional athletes have sports psychologist or mental performance coaches today. Discuss the benefits of working with a mental performance coach.
7. Discuss a Sample Coaching Session
Suggest trying a 15-minute session instead of asking your athlete to make a long-term commitment. A positive first experience can help your athlete understand the value of mental performance coaching.
A Short Script for Parents
Parents, you might introduce mental coaching with this script:
“Your physical game is important, but there is also a mental side to competing. I found a coach who works with athletes on confidence, focus, handling mistakes, and performing under pressure. I think you might learn some tools that can help your game.”
“I found a group of peak performance coaches that help you perform better in competition and have more fun. Is this something you want to explore?”
“And they are not therapists–but instead performance coaches. It’s a great option for athletes who perform well in practice but struggle in games or who get nervous before competition.”
“You can jump on short zoom meeting with a performance coach for 15-minutes to sample the coaching–it’s a free service they provide. Is this something you would like to do? Or do you want more information?”
Explore Mental Performance Coaching
Enroll your athlete in a FREE one-on-one 15-minute session with one of our certified mental performance coaches. Simply enter your athlete’s name, and provide your email and the sport below:
©2026 Peak Performance Sports, LLC
Phone: 407-909-1700
What’s Next In the Process?
- On the next page, you can schedule your session. Please call us at 407-909-1700 if you want a recommendation about the right mental coach for you.
- You then book with one of our mental coaches at a time that works for you.
- We’ll send over the zoom link for us to connect with you or your athlete 24 hours in advance.
- We’ll also send over the mental coaching programs for your sport.
Last Updated on September 9, 2026