[Athlete Tip] How to Rewire Your Brain for Confidence Mid-Game

💔 You know the moment: a few mistakes, slumped shoulders, glazed eyes, and she whispers, “I just can’t today.”

🧠 Her brain isn’t sabotaging her. It’s protecting her. Negative self-talk triggers the Reticular Activating System (RAS), making her believe the mistakes are true.

⚡ The Snapback Routine – quick mid-game reset:

1. Deep breath 🌬️
2. Reset word 🔁 (Focus, Go, Play)
3. Physical cue ✋ (tap leg, snap fingers, high-five)

😊 Confidence doesn’t need fake positivity. Neutral self-talk like “Next play” or “See the ball” keeps her grounded.

🤝 Supporting a teammate also helps—eye contact 👀, high-fives 🙌, or quick encouragement 💬 shift her brain out of panic.

❤️ As a Mom: You can’t fix every spiral, but you can equip her with tools to reset, bounce back, and stay confident under pressure.

🔍 Next Step: Try our free Athlete Confidence Quiz ✨ elitecompetitor.com/athlete to discover her competitor style, where she spirals, and tools to build mental strength.

🎧 For weekly tips, listen to the Raising Elite Competitors Podcast and explore The Elite Mental Game Program 💪.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00:00] Coach Bre shares a real-time moment from a recent volleyball tournament — the exact second a talented athlete spiraled after saying the four words that derailed her entire game.

[00:00:25] See how one negative statement (“I just can’t play today”) triggered hesitation, fear, and a full-game confidence collapse — and why our daughters’ words matter more than they realize.

[00:01:20] Learn what the brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS) does when an athlete says “I can’t”… and how it works against her performance completely unintentionally.

[00:01:59] Discover a better mid-game response: why mistakes are normal — and how athletes can train themselves to rebound without spiraling.

[00:02:20] Meet the Snapback Routine: a simple, powerful pattern interrupt athletes inside The Elite Mental Game use to stop the mental freefall and shift back into confidence.

[00:02:49] Get examples of real reset words athletes choose (“present,” “focus,” “go,” “play,” “free”) and how pairing it with breath + a physical cue instantly centers them.

[00:03:40] Tips for staying present without pretending everything is perfect — and why the next play is always the most important one.

[00:04:23] See how physical touch (high fives, eye contact) and focusing on teammates help athletes snap out of overthinking and return to the present.

[00:04:55] Coach Bre’s core message: delete “I can’t” from your daughter’s vocabulary — it’s not that she can’t, it’s that her brain is trying to protect her.

[00:05:20] Why mindset is your daughter’s competitive advantage — and how a strong mental game can beat equal physical talent every time.

[00:05:40] Next steps for athletes who want to learn their personal competitor style and dive deeper into mental training tools.

Next Steps:

• For athletes who want to learn more about how to strengthen their mental game
• Join our FREE Training for Sports Moms - How to Strengthen Your Athlete Daughter's Mental Game so She Believes in Herself as Much as You Do
• Visit our podcast website for more great episodes

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