The Inner Scoreboard

In this episode of The Inner Scoreboard , I'm joined by Mitch Harris for a wide-ranging conversation about the mental side of performance. Mitch grew up playing AAA hockey in Peterborough before moving into cyclocross and off-road endurance cycling, eventually competing at the elite national level. Today, he works in executive leadership and development, coaches golfers on mental regulation an...

An injury can change much more than an athlete's ability to play. In this episode of The Inner Scoreboard , I'm joined by Adam Summers, physiotherapist and co-founder of Pulse Physio & Performance in Peterborough, Ontario. Adam has worked extensively with athletes of various ages and sports, and brings a unique perspective on what it takes to recover; not just physically, but mentally....

What happens when the goal you've been chasing changes along the way? In this episode of The Inner Scoreboard , I sit down with sport psychologist, mental performance consultant, and "endurance gremlin," Dr. Erin Ayala , to explore the mental side of endurance sport and the life lessons that come with it. Drawing from her own experiences in Ironman-distance triathlons and ultra-endur...

Former NHL defenseman Kurtis Foster joins me for a conversation about resilience, identity, and the lessons that extend far beyond hockey. We discuss his journey through minor hockey, making it to the NHL, the coaches and teammates who influenced his career, and how those experiences shape his coaching philosophy today. Kurtis also opens up about the devastating leg injury that threatened his care...

Navigating Identity (Part 2): Identity Reconstruction What happens when the life you planned is no longer possible? Injury - Retirement - Getting cut from a team - Career change - Divorce - Loss - Trauma. Major life disruptions don't just change what we do. They can fundamentally challenge who we believe we are. In Part 2 of the Navigating Identity series, psychotherapist and mental performanc...

Who are you when you take away the jersey, the job title, or the achievements? In Part 1 of this two-part series, Paul explores one of the most important concepts in mental performance and psychological well-being; identity. You'll learn what identity is, how it develops, and why it influences confidence, motivation, behaviour, and the way we respond to success and failure. Paul also examines the...

What is it like to be a 13-year-old girl playing on a boys' hockey team? In this episode of The Inner Scoreboard , Paul Brown sits down with Scarlett, a young female goalie to discuss her unique experience of spending a season on a boys' team before deciding to return to girls' hockey. Together, they explore the mental side of the game, including confidence, pressure, belonging, accept...

Most athletes have goals. Far fewer have a plan. In this episode of The Inner Scoreboard Podcast, Paul Brown explores how goal setting can help athletes turn motivation into measurable progress. Whether you're trying to improve your performance, build confidence, make a team, recover from a setback, or simply become more consistent, effective goal setting can provide the structure needed to mo...

Confidence is one of the most talked about concepts in sports, and one of the most misunderstood. In this episode of The Inner Scoreboard Podcast, Psychotherapist & Mental Performance Coach Paul Brown explores why so many athletes struggle with confidence, especially under pressure. This conversation goes beyond “think positive” advice and dives into what actually sits underneath confidence; t...

Tryouts can be one of the most stressful experiences in youth sports—but players, parents, and coaches often experience them very differently. In Part 2 of this tryout series on The Inner Scoreboard Podcast , I sit down with a coach, a player, and a parent from different teams to have an honest conversation about the realities of tryouts. We talk about pressure, confidence, expectations, communica...

Tryouts are about far more than hockey. In Part 1 of this special post-tryout series, Paul Brown shares his firsthand experiences from this Spring’s tryout season, as a coach, evaluator, former VP of Rep, and a psychotherapist working with athletes and performers. This episode explores the emotional, psychological, and organizational realities of tryouts, including: the evaluation process; what co...

In this episode of The Inner Scoreboard , I sit down with Coach Steve Tully to take an honest look inside our season coaching U14A. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a real conversation about what it takes to lead young athletes through confidence swings, pressure, team dynamics, and development. We break down what worked, where we struggled, and what we’d do differently. From managing ego and bui...

Most athletes don’t just perform… they become their performance. Play well? You feel confident. Struggle? You start questioning everything—your ability, your role, even who you are. In this episode of The Inner Scoreboard Podcast , we break down one of the most damaging beliefs in sport and life: that your performance defines you. You’ll learn: Why athletes tie identity to results (and how it star...

We’ve been taught that failing is something to avoid. Missing the lift. Losing the game. Falling short of the standard. And when it happens, we label it the same way: failure. But what if that’s wrong? Failing isn’t the problem. Failing is part of the process. It’s where growth, adaptation, and confidence are built. The real problem? Quitting. Through a performance and psychotherapy lens, this epi...

The Inner Scoreboard is a podcast about what’s happening inside the athlete—where performance, identity, and mental health intersect. Hosted by Paul Brown—psychotherapist, coach, and former athlete—this show goes beyond stats, wins, and losses to explore the internal game that drives performance. Because confidence isn’t something you switch on. It’s built on trust—trust in your preparation, your...