Unstoppable Athlete - Mental Resilience for Teen Athletes

#17 -  Importance of Self Talk - winning the mental game - Our call to action for athletes - DON’T IGNORE THIS CONVERSATION! You have to do the mental work. Learn about self talk, recognize when what you tell yourself is not helping, RESET, and choose a different story. Become accountable to yourself and also to your teammates. If you notice them being hard on themselves, invite them to reset. "I...

Michelle surprises Sara with a prompt about playing time philosophy which leads into a conversation about the different strategies coaches may take. They also touch on all the ways coaches are considering different perspectives and maybe where both parents and coaches can become aware that their beliefs colour their reality. Top 3 Takeaways There is no right answer Confirmation bias can cloud your...

Check out our upcoming dates at www.unstoppableathlete.ca Parent Workshop and 12 week Unstoppable Athlete workshop waitlist open now! Is not keeping score or giving MVP awards actually a good thing? Are we allowing our girls to change, learn how to embody their competitive fire. Can we teach them to find their people who inspire and support excellence within them? You can be competitive and kind a...

Check out our upcoming dates at www.unstoppableathlete.ca Parent Workshop and 12 week Unstoppable Athlete workshop waitlist open now! Michelle and Sara know what its like to watch athletes underperform, end up in tears and struggle to let go of perfectionist tendencies. Learn what this may mean and where you can go to learn how to support your athlete. Top 3 Takeaways 1. Parents can embody a growt...

Sara and Michelle talk about a recent volleyball tournament their team was in and how the attitude of the players translates into playing opportunities. Are you stuck in past mistakes? Is your attitude a detriment to the team? Can you learn the skills to move on? Self awareness is a key to being able to say “next”, and control the things you can control, your attitude and energy.  Know your role a...

How athletes need to take ownership for what they are learning from coaches or programs. Where does your fire from within come from and how does it motivate you to move towards your goals? Learning skills to take you to the next level and being motivated to apply them on a consistent basis will define your results. Top 3 Take Aways Be accountable to yourself What am I willing to do to actually ach...

Sara and Michelle really dig in to the topic of when future aspirations might be a detriment to your team and your experience in the present.  Top 3 Take Aways How can you show up for your team? With willingness and enthusiasm for what the team needs right now. Don’t play for your highlight reel, play for your team. Sport is the experience you are having right now, not where it might take you. Doo...

#10 - Athlete Interview with Mona. Track athlete, pilates instructor and counsellor Key Takeaways Reasons we compete can be varied and unique to each of us The body doesn't always speak to us in words, its important to listen to the whispers and trust the intuition. Its all okay! Learning to feel what's true and being okay that things can change. Your motivators of yesterday may not be right for y...

Recognize the perfectionist trap and reframe the inner dialogue. We are here to learn, not to be perfect or be the same as others, we are all on our own path. Keep it in perspective, it’s a game and it is supposed to be fun. Utilize strategies: pre-performance plan, post-game reflection and journal with a focus on gratitude. 

After last week, Sara is taking a break but before leaving Michelle guides her on a few of the important questions behind why we coach. Key Takeaways: 1. Seeing challenges as working for you 2.Coach for the relationships, with players, other coaches and the community 3. Growth and Life lessons from sport.

Check out our Unstoppable Athlete 8 week program for your team! www.unstoppableathlete.ca Sara shares about needing to listen to her own advice. Allowing life and expectations to build up, she is humbled that she was unable to show up as the coach she desires to be this past weekend. The conversation with Michelle and reflections around the process start to open big possibilities for showing up be...

Balance isn’t perfect. Prioritize the BIG 3: sleep, school, training. Prepare: what supports do you need, can you schedule school work so you are doing little bits everyday, pre-plan meals and more.

Mindset shift required! What can I learn from this challenge? When coping with illness and injury its helpful to celebrate the small wins and what you can do. Then build resilience: work on your bounce back plan, who can help support you, keep in perspective what this bump may bring, and focus on the opportunity to work on the mental skills needed in your sport. 

Versatility matters. Can you be the best you you can be? AND be whatever the team needs. Learning multiple positions makes you more adaptable and more desirable for future teams. Being open to opportunities can bring big payoffs. And you never know what lessons (or other gifts) can come from failure. You may meet your best friend being a role player on the bench.

How you can change your mindset to see challenges as opportunities for growth. I’m still learning, I’m not there yet. Look for opportunities, even when things don’t seem to go the way you thought. Be the best you, you can be. Every team doesn’t need all the same type of player, what is your superpower and how can you use that to be indispensable for your team.

We know it can be tough. Sara and Michelle chat about the ups and downs of playing sport, what they learned as “try hards” and also why sometimes the lesson learned from the struggle is the one that benefits you as you move on in life. Just know you are not alone! We have been there and want to help you navigate with a bit more kindness in your self talk.

Hey girls! Are you a volleyball player who sometimes can't quite perform like you hope? Do you feel anxious under pressure? Are you having trouble balancing training, school, work and friends? We've got you! Lets talk about the challenges and strategies you can learn from experienced coaches, athletes facing similar challenges, and ex-pros who have learned a thing or two they can't wait to share w...