Compete With a Standard, Not the Scoreboard: Mental Performance for Youth Athletes (Presence Over Pressure) | Episode 205

If you’re raising an athlete, this episode is your car-ride-home playbook. Moira breaks down mental performance for youth athletes—how to coach confidence without crushing it, what to say (and not say) after a tough game, and why presence over pressure changes everything. You’ll learn the “spectrum check” for post-game emotions, how to use language that builds identity (not anxiety), and the power of competing with a standard, not a scoreboard.

What you’ll learn:

• The #1 mindset shift for youth sports: presence > pressure

• The “Spectrum Check” to meet your kid where they are (not where you wish they were)

• The car-ride script that calms nerves fast: “Are you hungry? What do you want to eat?”

• Language swaps that build unshakable identity (NLP-informed)

• How to guide reflection without re-living the loss

• Why standards beat circumstances—and how to set them with your athlete

Perfect for parents navigating club volleyball, baseball recruiting, school sports, and every level in between. Resources mentioned include mental performance coaching (Brian Cain) and Moira’s past episode on athlete mindset—see show notes for links.

Timestamps: 00:00 Presence over pressure (and why it works) 05:55 Compete with a standard, not a scoreboard 07:15 “Come alongside” vs. “come at” (parenting energy) 09:26 The Spectrum Check + what to say after a loss 12:20 Car-ride script that defuses pressure 16:45 Language and tone shifts that build confidence 18:53 Telescope view > microscope view

If this helped, share it with a sports parent and tag @moirakucaba.

 

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Keywords: mental performance for athletes, youth sports mindset, sports parenting tips, confidence for young athletes, post-game car ride, standard vs scoreboard, athlete confidence, NLP for athletes