A 6-Week Small-Group Program for High School Athletes (Grades 9-12)

Mental performance training (MPT) is part of performance training. Alongside physical and technical skills, attention, self-talk, emotional regulation under pressure, and the ability to reset after a mistake are also skills that can be trained.

This 6-week program is a structured introduction to MPT. Athletes learn practical tools they can begin using in training, competition, and everyday life.

what athletes will leave with

By the end of the program, athletes will have:

• a better understanding of how thoughts, feelings, and actions influence performance

• practical tools they can use in training, competition, and everyday life

• personalized performance tools and resources they can continue using and building on after the program ends

What athletes will build

Each week focuses on one mental performance skill while building on the previous session, so athletes leave with a practical set of tools they can continue using after the program ends.

Session 1: Controllables + Attentional Focus

MPT is a pillar of athletic development, alongside physical training and sport-specific skill. In this session, athletes are introduced to one of its foundational concepts: the difference between what they can and cannot control. Learning to focus on controllables can reduce frustration, increase ownership of performance, and help athletes recover more quickly when things do not go as planned. Athletes practice directing their attention to what matters most and leave with a simple reset strategy they can begin using immediately.

Session 2: Self-Talk

The way athletes talk to themselves before competition, after mistakes, and throughout training influences how they think, feel, and perform. In this session, athletes learn what self-talk is, how it shapes performance and their relationship with themselves, and how to recognize when their internal dialogue is working against them. They develop personal self-talk cues they can begin using immediately, along with a practical strategy for reframing thoughts that get in the way.

Session 3: Energy Regulation + Breathing

Every athlete knows what it feels like to be too wound up or too flat to perform at their best. In this session, athletes learn to recognize their body's activation signals, understand how their energy level influences performance, and develop practical tools to regulate it in the moment. Athletes will leave with a breathing technique they can use to manage tension and restore focus, and an understanding that the goal is not to eliminate nerves: it is to work with them.

Session 4: Imagery and Mental Rehearsal

Mental rehearsal is an underused performance tool available to athletes. Athletes can use imagery to build confidence, prepare mentally for competition, and reinforce skills. The session opens with a short experiential exercise that lets athletes feel what imagery does, before learning why it works and how to make imagery effective. Athletes will leave with a personal scenario and the tools to begin practicing on their own.

Session 5: Performance Routines

Performance routines help athletes build mental and physical plans to perform at their best more consistently. A good routine creates familiarity and comfort, makes useful behaviors part of the performance process, and builds a sense of control and confidence. In this session, the focus is on one of the most practical tools in MPT: the reset routine. Athletes will learn and personalize a simple, repeatable process for recovering quickly from mistakes or distractions and getting their attention back where it belongs.

Session 6: Performance Planning + Goal Setting

Having a clear goal focuses your attention, sustains your effort, and builds confidence as you make progress. Many athletes focus on the destination rather than the daily actions that help them get there. In this session, athletes learn to set goals that are specific, controllable, and connected to what they actually do in training and competition, not just where they want to end up. Athletes will leave with a written performance plan that brings together the skills they've developed throughout the program and can be put into practice immediately.

format

Held at the Raising Strength office: 2210 Encinitas Blvd, Suite K2, Encinitas CA 92024

• Open to high school athletes (grades 9-12), any sport

• Boys and girls cohorts

• Small group: 4-8 athletes

• 6 weekly sessions, 1 hour each

what’s included

• 6 weekly sessions

• Session handouts, kept in a folder that athletes will bring back each week

• A Raising Strength t-shirt

questions?

I'd be happy to answer any questions and help you determine whether it's the right fit for your athlete.