What Lessons We Learned From Our Experts
Michael Urban — Director of Mental Performance, Los Angeles Clippers
The Big Idea:
Mental performance starts before the pressure hits. Building strong habits, relationships, and communication creates the foundation athletes need to perform when it matters most.
Key Takeaway:
Urban emphasizes that mental performance shouldn’t only be addressed when an athlete is struggling. It should be built proactively into the everyday environment. For coaches, that means asking better questions, listening with curiosity, and creating relationships where athletes feel heard and understood. For athletes, it means becoming more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and actions and using their values to guide how they respond—especially in high-pressure moments.
Put It Into Practice:
Instead of waiting for a difficult moment to work on the mental game, build one mental skill into your routine every day. Before practice or competition, ask yourself: “How do I want to show up today?” Choose one value — such as composure, confidence, effort, or connection — and use it to guide your actions throughout the day.
Dr. Larry Lauer — USTA Director of Mental Performance
The Big Idea:
Mental toughness isn’t about eliminating emotions — it’s about learning to recognize them, manage them, and choose your response.
Key Takeaway:
Pressure, frustration, nerves, and mistakes are all part of competition. Dr. Lauer emphasizes that mentally strong athletes aren’t those who never experience difficult emotions — they’re the ones who become aware of what’s happening and have the tools to respond effectively. By recognizing emotional triggers and using strategies like breathing, routines, and intentional self-talk, athletes can reset their focus instead of allowing one moment to dictate the next.
Put It Into Practice:
The next time frustration or nerves start to take over, pause and ask yourself: “What am I feeling, and how do I want to respond?” Take a breath, reset, and focus on the next controllable action.
Elizabeth Zanolli — Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine at
Stony Brook University
The Big Idea:
Injury isn’t a pause in an athlete’s development — it can be another opportunity to grow.
Key Takeaway:
Recovery goes far beyond healing the physical injury. Being sidelined can challenge an athlete’s confidence, identity, motivation, and sense of belonging. Zanolli emphasized the importance of setting small, meaningful goals, staying connected to teammates, communicating openly with coaches, and approaching rehabilitation with the same energy and purpose athletes bring to competition.
Put It Into Practice:
Instead of focusing only on “When can I get back?”, focus on “What can I work on today?” Set one small, controllable goal for your recovery and recognize the progress you make along the way.
Zach Brandon — Former Arizona Diamondbacks Head of Mental Performance
The Big Idea:
You don’t have to eliminate doubt, fear, or mistakes to perform well — you have to learn how to refocus on the next thing.
Key Takeaway:
Mental performance isn’t about having perfect thoughts or feeling confident all the time. Brandon emphasizes learning to direct your attention toward what you can control: your actions, your response, and where you choose to place your focus. When mistakes or adversity happen, the ability to reset quickly and return to the present moment is what allows athletes to keep competing.
Put It Into Practice:
When something goes wrong, don’t spend your energy trying to fix what already happened. Pause, reset, and ask yourself: “What is the next thing I need to do?”
Dr. Cindra Kamphoff — Mental Performance Expert
The Big Idea:
Mental performance isn’t about controlling every thought or emotion — it’s about learning how to respond to them with intention.
Key Takeaway:
Athletes will experience pressure, doubt, mistakes, and moments when confidence feels difficult to find. The goal isn’t to eliminate those experiences, but to develop the ability to recognize unhelpful thoughts, shift your focus, and choose a response that keeps you moving forward. Confidence comes from trusting your preparation, using intentional self-talk, and focusing on what you can control.
Put It Into Practice:
The next time you notice a negative or unhelpful thought, pause and ask: “Is this thought helping me right now?” If it isn’t, replace it with a more useful thought that brings your attention back to the present moment and what you can control.
Kris Goodman — Mental Performance Coach, Tampa Bay Rays
The Big Idea: Mental performance isn’t about eliminating pressure — it’s about learning how to respond to it.
Key Takeaway: Goodman emphasized practical tools like self-talk, breathing, neutral thinking, and focusing on what you can control. His approach also reinforced that mental toughness starts with relationships and trust. Athletes are more willing to receive difficult feedback when they know their coach understands and believes in them.
Put It Into Practice: When something goes wrong, ask yourself: What is actually in my control right now? Then focus your attention there.
