“Didn’t only change my coaching, changed my life.”
That was how one coach described their experience of working with a sport psychology consultant. It’s also the title of a paper by Sheehy, Zizzi, Dieffenbach, and Sharp that really stuck with me this week. The research explores how coaches—particularly in high-performance sport—use sport psychology not just to support others, but for their own development. […]
Team Values Can’t Be Static: Rethinking Culture in Sport
How often have you walked into an organization and seen values and slogans printed on the walls—mantras that you’re expected to adopt without question? These values, often crafted by leadership or consultants, are supposed to define the organization’s culture. But here’s the issue: the people expected to live by these values often had no role […]
The Power of Belief: Real Madrid, Manchester United, and the Never-Beaten Mentality
Some teams seem to defy logic when chasing a result. Real Madrid, renowned for their late Champions League heroics, and Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, famous for their “Fergie Time” winners, embody the mindset that a game is never lost until the final whistle. This isn’t just about having great players—it’s about psychological conditioning […]
Building a Strong Coaching Partnership: The Key to High-Performance Teams
In high-performance environments, the partnership between the mental performance coach and the head coach is crucial for building a strong, resilient, and adaptable team. My role extends beyond individual mental skills training—it’s about embedding psychological principles into the team’s culture, daily routines, and game preparation. Here’s how we integrate mental performance into the team’s environment. […]
Liverpools Premier League Run in and the Challenge of Complacency
What is Complacency in Sport Performance? With Liverpools run in to the league title one challenge for the team and coach is complacency. Complacency is a psychological state where an athlete or team becomes overly comfortable, leading to a decrease in effort, focus, or intensity. It often stems from past successes, underestimating an opponent, or […]
What Makes a Great Coach? The Hidden Factors Behind Coaching Expertise
What separates an expert coach from the rest? Is it experience? Tactical knowledge? The ability to motivate athletes? While these factors play a role, research suggests that coaching expertise is more complex than we often assume. It’s not just about having the right qualifications or years of experience—it’s about how coaches think, reflect, and interact […]
“Can you measure character?”
This is a question I get asked a lot. The easy answer is no, however there are things we can look at to develop a person for our environment and identify the right people for our environment before they join. The first thing we need to do is define what we are looking for and […]
The role of a Great Captain
When we think of leadership in sport, the image of a captain lifting a trophy or delivering a pre-match speech often comes to mind. But leadership in a team extends beyond the individual wearing the armband. Research shows that effective teams rely on a network of leaders, each fulfilling different but equally critical roles (Fransen […]
Emotional Control and the 5 Cs: How Championship Teams Manage Momentum
Championship season brings intensity, pressure, and unpredictable momentum swings. We’ve all seen teams build big leads, only to let them slip away. Why? Because momentum isn’t just physical—it’s psychological. A team’s ability to control their emotions in key moments determines whether they sustain dominance or allow the opposition back into the game. By developing emotional […]
Strikers Confidence
“99% of a striker’s life is frustration” Gary Lineker. If a player wants to score a goal, they are likely going to miss chances before and after the attempt. The question is, how can they build momentum in their performance despite the frustration of missing chances? When we are faced with frustration it is important […]
