At Feyenoord, working alongside Arne Slot, Dan Abrahams made a decision that changed everything 🧠 Dan is a sport and performance psychologist. He has spent the last 20 years working with some of the best sports competitors in the world. He has been consultant psychologist for Aston Martin F1, and has been Lead Psychologist for England Golf and for England Rugby as well as 6 teams in the English premier League. Instead of diving into tactics and systems, they got the players in the room and asked them to lean on their memories. "Think about us at our best. Who are we when we're unstoppable?" The players broke it down into three action-based words: • BRAVE • DOMINANT • RELENTLESS These weren't coach-imposed values. This was player-owned identity. For two seasons, everything they did connected back to brave, dominant, relentless. Every training session. Every team meeting. Every moment of adversity. When you let athletes define who they want to be, magic happens. They don't just follow the plan, they BECOME the plan. The framework only works when everyone owns it together. Change the game. Want to watch the full podcast? Visit changingthegameproject.com #ChangingTheGame #TeamCulture #AthleteMindset #EveryMomentMatters #BetterEveryday

This is a brilliant example of mindset becoming actionable through simple language. At Red2Blue, we see the same thing with golfers who define their “Blue” state using three words they can return to under pressure. One young Red2Blue athlete, golfer Imogen Hall described it perfectly: “If I can stay Relaxed, Focused and Confident, then I know my mental approach during the round was successful.” Just like Feyenoord’s BRAVE, DOMINANT, RELENTLESS, these words create clarity, ownership and a repeatable performance identity when pressure rises. #Red2Blue #Mindset #PerformancePsychology #Golf #MentalSkills #HighPerformance #Leadership #PerformanceUnderPressure #SportPsychology

In Lincoln’s latest Becoming Necessary episode, Dr. Elko — performance coach to pro football MVPs — breaks down a foundational rule of top performers: Never drop the standard. Not after a win. Not on a bad day. Not ever. Because when your standard stays fixed, your clients stay confident, and you become essential in the moments that matter most. Start watching: https://lnkd.in/gE7ywD8w #LincolnFinancial #BecomingNecessary #Dr.KevinElko #WinningMindset #MVP

What lessons does Carolyn O'Dwyer bring back to the University of Alberta Pandas after spending the summer coaching with Volleyball Canada Women's team and working alongside Giovanni Guidettii ? In this clip, Carolyn shares the biggest takeaways from the national team environment and how those lessons translate directly to her program at Alberta. From training standards and attention to detail to communication and culture, she explains what she hopes to implement with the Pandas as they continue to build on their championship success. It’s always fascinating to hear how coaches adapt ideas from the highest levels of the sport and apply them to help their athletes grow. 🎧 Watch the full conversation now on YouTube and all podcast platforms. Link in bio. #CarolynODwyer #AlbertaPandas #UniversityOfAlberta #TeamCanada #VolleyballCanada #GiovanniGuidetti #CanadianVolleyball #USports #VolleyballCoach #WomenInCoaching #ChampionshipCulture #AthleteDevelopment #CoachDevelopment #VolleyballPodcast #VolleyballInterview #Leadership #TeamCulture #WinningMindset #EliteVolleyball #CoachPerspective

I was listening to a Tennis Insider podcast interview with Brad Gilbert and one line stayed with me: “You shouldn’t fear winning or losing. You should fear not playing your best under pressure.” That applies far beyond tennis. Many senior leaders become overly focused on the outcome: Will we win the pitch? Will the board approve it? Will the client say yes? Will the market react positively? But in high-stakes situations, a more useful focus is often: Did I perform at my best under pressure? Did I think clearly? Did I stay composed? Did I communicate with clarity? Did I project confidence and calm when scrutiny increased? The real regret is often not losing. It’s knowing you didn’t access your best thinking or presence when it mattered most. Excellent discussion of performance under pressure here: https://lnkd.in/gxbr93RY

After competing in an 8-week mixed doubles pickleball league, I was also reminded that winning teams require trust. In doubles pickleball, you quickly learn: - communication matters - encouragement matters - consistency matters - and emotional steadiness matters For me, one bad point can affect the next three or more plays if I let frustration take over. But strong partners help steady each other. For Rachelle and me, that meant: We communicate. We adjust. We stay connected even when momentum shifts. That’s true in leadership teams too. The healthiest teams I’ve been around aren’t perfect, but they trust each other enough to: - communicate honestly - recover quickly from mistakes - and keep working together under pressure Over time I’ve realized that strong teams are rarely built on talent alone. They’re built on trust, encouragement, accountability, and the willingness to keep growing together.

Klopp explains player-specific approach at Red Bull Jürgen Klopp has explained why he adopts a player-specific approach within the Red Bull GmbH football structure, stressing that individual backgrounds influence how players respond to coaching. Klopp said some players have questioned why he does not communicate with everyone in the same way. In response, he noted that upbringing and life experiences shape mentality, affecting how players handle pressure, criticism, and motivation. -— Continue reading in the comment section

The latest episode of Upgame Talks features Phillip Kenyon — one of the world’s leading putting coaches - hosted by Kit Alexander Phil has worked with some of the biggest names in golf, including Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and more. In this conversation, he shares valuable insights on elite putting performance, green reading, data-driven coaching, and what separates the best players from the rest. Topics covered include: • Coaching at the highest level • The role of data and strokes gained • Building confidence on the greens • Common mistakes amateur golfers make • Equipment trends and custom fitting • Lessons from working with world-class players A great watch for coaches, players, and anyone interested in performance improvement through smarter practice. 🎥 Watch the full episode below. https://lnkd.in/gvikdkRk #Golf #Coaching #Performance #SportsTech #DataAnalytics #Leadership #Upgame #Putting #GolfCoaches

🎯 Set pieces are not just about delivery… they’re about creativity In this situation, the goal was to create multiple scenarios from the same setup: 3 players over the ball to create uncertainty Opposite movements (right / left) to manipulate the defensive line And a Third player making a smart curved run behind the defensive zone 📌 The key idea: Give the taker more than one option instead of forcing a predictable action The more solutions you create, the harder it becomes for the opponent to read and react 👌 Set pieces have become a decisive factor in modern football — and the difference is always in the details #Football #SetPieces #Tactics #Coaching #GameAnalysis #FootballCoaching #Analysis #Soccer #Strategy

Hockey Development is the latest series of the Half Court Press Podcast. Here, Tao MacLeod chats to a variety of hockey personalities, including players, coaches, umpires and media types on how to develop, grow and improve the sport, as well as discuss what’s already being done well. Episode three is with Simon Mason OLY, who is the Managing Director of Mercian Hockey, one of the top manufacturers of goalkeeping kit and other hockey related equipment. He is also one of the foremost English language commentators in the game, helping to provide media coverage of elite level competitions. Previously, Simon has represented the England and Great Britain men’s teams at the highest level, including events such as the Commonwealth Games, EuroHockey Championships and three Olympic Games. In this interview we chat about different tournaments (both domestic and international), the current state of hockey and how to develop the sport. Follow the link to listen to the episode: https://lnkd.in/eTrtyuc5