"I was on autopilot." That's what a rising high school freshman basketball player (we'll call him Damien to protect the innocent) told me earlier this week. He wasn't talking about his drive to the gym. He was talking about what happens inside his head when things start to go sideways in a game. Something doesn't go his way. He feels bad about himself. His attention turns inward. And then he's stuck — watching the game happen around him instead of competing in it. Sound familiar? I had my own...
3 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I recently had the pleasure of joining Coach George Vaz on the Transforming Basketball Podcast. I wanted to share it with you directly because I think it speaks right to what so many basketball families deal with. We talked about mental performance coaching — what it actually is, why it matters, and most importantly, how your young athlete can start using these skills right now. Here's some of what we covered: ✅ Why mindfulness and breathing aren't just "soft" skills — they're...
8 days ago • 1 min read
A few days ago, I found myself saying something to a client that I never expected to say. "I don't feel very good at my job right now." And I meant it. Not because the athlete wasn't listening.Not because he didn't care.Not because he wasn't working hard. In fact, he might be one of the most committed athletes I've ever worked with. He's spent years working toward his goal of being a Division I pitcher. He's trained relentlessly. Made sacrifices. Pushed through setbacks. He's done everything...
10 days ago • 3 min read
On Sunday, I shared the evolving story of a basketball player learning how easy it is for pressure and recruiting uncertainty to pull young athletes away from who they actually are. The challenge wasn’t just performing well — it was staying connected to himself while the future remains unclear. 👉 In case you missed it *** One Thought. I received an email from a client’s father on Monday. He shared this:“One of your competitors was a sponsor (at a local baseball game). He texted the announcer...
22 days ago • 1 min read
A few weeks ago, I wrote about a basketball player I work with who told me: “I felt like I was playing like someone else.” After a difficult tournament weekend in front of college coaches, pressure pulled him away from himself. He stopped trusting his instincts.Stopped playing freely.Stopped playing like the aggressive, versatile player he actually is. Instead of simply competing… He started trying to prove something. 👉 Read it now The following weekend, things changed. He played better. More...
24 days ago • 2 min read
On Sunday, I shared a personal story about how easy it is to lose yourself when you feel constantly evaluated. The truth is, pressure doesn’t just impact athletes — it impacts all of us when our worth starts getting tied to outcomes. 👉 In case you missed it *** A lot of young athletes are terrified of failing. ot because they’re weak. Because many environments make failure feel unsafe. I recently sat down with basketball coach and player development specialist Kerri Kuzbyt from Transforming...
29 days ago • 1 min read
I’ve recently found myself staring at my phone more than I’d like to admit. Checking views.Checking likes.Checking follows. Refresh.Repeat. Not because I wanted attention. Because I wanted proof. Proof that what I was saying mattered.Proof that I was helping.Proof that I was growing. And somewhere along the way… I stopped sharing with purpose and started performing to get a specific result. The irony? It’s the exact thing I suggest athletes don’t do. As a mental performance coach, I spend a...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
On Sunday, I shared a story about a high school basketball client who struggled in an important AAU tournament because he was trying to be something he’s not. 👉 In case you missed it *** One Thought. A lot of athletes want to “be themselves” under pressure… But they don’t always know who that is beyond results. Most athletes define themselves by things they can’t fully control: 👉 “I’m a scorer.”👉 “I’m a star.”👉 “I’m athletic.” But stable identity is behavioral.👉 Composed.👉 Decisive.👉...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
A basketball player I work with recently told me something that stuck with me. After a difficult tournament weekend in front of college coaches, he said: “I felt like I was playing like someone else.” Not because he forgot how to play. Because somewhere along the way… He stopped trusting who he is. Instead of playing like the smart, aggressive, versatile player he is… He started trying to prove he could shoot. Every possession became about results. Making shots became the priority. And once...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read