The Pressure Lab

Philadelpha Union Foundation
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

The Pressure Lab is a first-of-its-kind mental fitness podcast built specifically for competitive and youth soccer players navigating the real emotional demands of the game. This weekly podcast from HEADFIRST, a Philadelphia Union Foundation initiative, is hosted by Keith Wilford who gets into the realities of being a young athlete today. Featuring conversations with pro athletes, coaches, mental health professionals, and youth development experts, each episode is an honest conversations about pressure, identity, confidence, failure, burnout, belonging, and the emotional weight competition can put on you. No highlight reels. No empty hype. Just real stories, real insight, and practical tools for players and the people around them. If you’ve ever felt the game get bigger than the field, The Pressure Lab was made for you. About HeadFirst: HEADFIRST is a mental fitness initiative of the Philadelphia Union Foundation designed to equip young athletes with the tools, language, and mindset to perform under pressure and grow through everything sport puts them through. HEADFIRST is proudly sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. More information at www.myHEADFIRST.org About the Philadelphia Union Foundation The Philadelphia Union Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, dedicated to creating opportunity, building community, and developing the next generation of athletes and leaders through soccer and education-based programming in Chester, Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. More information at www.philadelphiaunionfoundation.org About Our Host: Keith Wilford is a Mental Health and Wellness Educator at YSC Academy and founder of The Wilford Movement. A Widener University All-American and MA in Counseling Education, Keith has spent his career at the intersection of sport, education, and youth development. He is a national leader in student development and has coached and counseled student athletes at some of the most competitive academic and athletic programs in the country. Tag In here: https://forms.gle/VLBmyLFjVmbtZxBb6. In a few honest words, tag in with the heart of why you’re here: why you play, why you coach, why you care, why you support someone you love in sport. Share your moment and add your voice to a space that puts every player’s whole self first.

Episodes

  1. It's Always You Under the Jersey | Maddie Elwell on Athlete Identity, Self-Worth, and Life Beyond Performance | The Pressure Lab

    5d ago

    It's Always You Under the Jersey | Maddie Elwell on Athlete Identity, Self-Worth, and Life Beyond Performance | The Pressure Lab

    What happens when the sport you love starts to feel like proof of who you are? Washington Spirit midfielder Maddie Elwell joins host Keith Wilford for a conversation about one of the most overlooked pressures in high-level sport: the slow erosion of identity when performance becomes the measure of your worth. Maddie played at Vanderbilt University and competed professionally in the NWSL. She knows what it costs to build a life inside a sport, and what it takes to stay yourself while doing it. In this episode, Maddie and Keith get into: How athletic identity forms early and why it becomes a trap for so many young athletesThe pressure of joining new teams and trying to prove yourself every single dayManaging emotions on the field without losing your competitive edgeWhy self-worth and sports performance are not the same thing, even when everything around you insists they areThe practices that helped her stay grounded: presence, real relationships, and relentless self-forgivenessThis episode is for every athlete who has ever tied their value to a result, a roster spot, or a coach's approval. It is also for every parent and coach who wants to understand what is actually happening inside the athletes they care about. Free mental fitness tools at myheadfirst.org   Follow us on Instagram:  @Thepresurelabpod@Philaunionfoundation

    26 min
  2. Catch the Good: How Young Athletes Can Train Their Inner Voice and Build Confidence

    Jun 3

    Catch the Good: How Young Athletes Can Train Their Inner Voice and Build Confidence

    What can a goldfish teach an athlete about mental fitness? Forget the mistake. Replay the good. It sounds simple. For most young athletes, it is one of the hardest skills to build. In Episode [#6] of The Pressure Lab, Keith Wilford sits down with Dr. Scott Glassman, licensed psychologist, author of A Happier You, and director of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), and Will Davis, a high school sophomore goalkeeper for FC Delco 2010 MLS Next HG, to answer one of the most common questions in youth sports mental health: how do athletes stop dwelling on mistakes and start building real confidence? Why do athletes remember mistakes more than wins? Dr. Glassman explains the science behind negativity bias, the brain's tendency to hold onto what went wrong longer and harder than what went right. For young athletes, this means one bad play can overshadow an entire strong performance. Understanding why this happens is the first step to changing it. What does "catching the good" actually mean for a teen athlete? Dr. Glassman breaks down how athletes can actively redirect attention toward positive moments, not by ignoring mistakes, but by training the brain to give equal weight to what is working. This is a learnable, practicable skill, not a personality trait. How do breathwork and visualization help athletes under pressure? Will Davis shares the specific tools he uses as a goalkeeper: breathwork to stay present, visualization to prepare for high-pressure moments, and trust in the people around him to stay grounded when the game gets hard. These are not abstract concepts. They are tools a 15-year-old uses in real competitive situations. Why does athlete identity matter for confidence? Both guests address one of the most underexplored issues in youth sports mental health: athletes whose entire identity is tied to performance are more vulnerable to confidence collapse after mistakes. Seeing yourself as more than your stats protects the joy that brought you to the game. What this episode covers: Why the brain holds onto mistakes longer than wins (negativity bias explained)How young athletes can move from a bad moment to the next play without spiralingWhat breathwork and visualization actually do for a teenager under pressureHow to actively catch the good even in a hard game or hard seasonWhy confidence is built through practice, gratitude and support, not just beliefHow athlete identity affects mental health and performanceWhat parents and coaches can do to reinforce a healthy inner voice in young athletesThe goldfish principle: why forgetting the mistake is a mental fitness skillGuest: Dr. Scott Glassman, Licensed Psychologist, Author of A Happier You, Director of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology Program, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Guest: Will Davis, a high school sophomore goalkeeper, FC Delco 2010 MLS Next HG Host: Keith Wilford Related episodes: The Last Line (Ep. 4), Face the Feed (Ep. 5) Subscribe to The Pressure Lab on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. New episodes every week. Tags: youth athlete mental health, athlete confidence, sports psychology, inner voice athletes, negativity bias sports, breathwork for athletes, visualization for teen athletes, positive mindset youth sports, how to stop dwelling on mistakes, athlete identity, HEADFIRST, The Pressure Lab, mental fitness, youth sports, teen athletes, FC Delco, PCOM, A Happier You

    39 min
  3. Face the Feed: Social Media, Mental Health and Young Athletes

    May 27

    Face the Feed: Social Media, Mental Health and Young Athletes

    A mistake on the field can become a story online before the final whistle. For young athletes, social media means the scoreboard never really disappears. In Episode 5 of The Pressure Lab, Keith Wilford sits down with Dr. Megan Walls, pediatric psychologist at Nemours Children's Hospital, to talk about what social media is doing to teen athletes and their mental health: their confidence, their identity, and their sense of self-worth when the noise never stops. They get into why one negative comment can erase ten positive ones, how constant comparison quietly convinces even successful young athletes that they're falling behind, and why online bullying hits differently than anything that happened on a sideline. It follows you into your bedroom. It's there when you wake up. There's no leaving it at the field. Dr. Walls breaks down what actually helps: learning to ask whether what you're consuming is building you or breaking you, understanding whose voice deserves space in your head, finding trusted adults who can hold what a comment section never can, and building real-life connections strong enough to anchor you when the feed gets loud. If you're a teen athlete, a parent of a young athlete, or a coach working with youth sports, this episode is for you. Topics covered: Social media and athlete mental healthWhy negative comments stick longer than positive onesOnline bullying and youth athletesSelf-esteem and identity in youth sportsHow comparison affects athletic confidenceBuilding mental fitness in the digital ageSports psychology tools for teen athletesHow parents and coaches can help young athletes navigate social mediaGuest: Dr. Megan Walls, Pediatric Psychologist, Nemours Children's Hospital Host: Keith Wilford Subscribe to The Pressure Lab on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for new episodes every week.

    35 min
  4. The Last Line: Goalkeeper Mental Health, Pressure and Identity in Youth Soccer

    May 20

    The Last Line: Goalkeeper Mental Health, Pressure and Identity in Youth Soccer

    For a goalkeeper, every mistake is in the spotlight. There is no hiding, no reset, and no one standing behind you. It is the most isolated position in soccer and the most unforgiving one mentally. In Episode 4 of The Pressure Lab, Keith Wilford sits down with Cate Cantu, ECNL national champion, U.S. U19 Youth National Team goalkeeper and Louisville signee, and Jillian Loyden, former U.S. Women's National Team goalkeeper and professional coach, to talk about the mental health and sports psychology of the most unique position in the game. They explore what it actually feels like to be the last line of defense: where one moment can shift everything, where the loudest voice is often the one inside your own head, and where the mental game is not a supplement to the physical one. It is the whole thing. Cate and Jillian get into perfectionism and what it does to young athletes, the specific loneliness of the goalkeeper position, the mental weight of penalty kicks, how to recover after getting scored on in front of everyone, and the difference between playing to prove your worth and actually learning how to grow. They also talk about routines, self-talk, identity, and why a goalkeeper's real strength is knowing how to come back to the present moment when everything in you wants to spiral. This episode is for every goalkeeper who has ever stood alone between the posts and wondered if they were enough. It is also for every coach and parent who works with one and doesn't always know what to say. Topics covered: Goalkeeper mental health and sports psychologyPerfectionism in young athletesRecovering mentally after conceding a goalPenalty kick psychologySelf-talk and routines for athletesIdentity and self-worth in youth soccerLoneliness and isolation in sportMental fitness tools for goalkeepersYouth athlete confidence and resilienceHow coaches and parents can support goalkeepersGuests: Cate Cantu, ECNL National Champion, U.S. U19 Youth National Team Goalkeeper, Louisville Signee Jillian Loyden, Former U.S. Women's National Team Goalkeeper, Professional Coach Host: Keith Wilford Subscribe to The Pressure Lab on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for new episodes every week. Tags: goalkeeper mental health, youth soccer, sports psychology, teen athletes, mental fitness, perfectionism, youth athletes, goalkeeper training, self-talk, identity, HEADFIRST, The Pressure Lab, women's soccer, ECNL, USWNT

    41 min
  5. Resilience After the Fall

    May 13

    Resilience After the Fall

    Alan O'Mara knows what it feels like to reach the top, and then lose yourself on the way down. Keith Wilford sits down with Alan O'Mara, GAA footballer, founder of Real Talks, and author of "The Best Is Yet to Come," to explore what resilience actually looks like from the inside. At the height of his career, Alan was playing in front of hundreds of thousands of people. Six months later, he hit rock bottom. He became the first active inter-county GAA player to speak publicly about depression, and he opens up about the slow slide into burnout, the moments he almost asked for help but didn't, and the decision to finally speak out when vulnerability in sport was still rare. They get into what resilience actually means: not just pushing through, but learning how to come back, rebuilding identity after sport, and developing the mental performance tools that help you hold steady when things get hard. From journaling and breathwork to honest conversations and real connection, Alan shares how resilience is built in small, consistent ways. This is a conversation about identity, isolation, and the courage it takes to speak up. Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask for help.

    30 min
  6. Carli Lloyd: Forged through Failure

    May 6

    Carli Lloyd: Forged through Failure

    Carli Lloyd’s legendary career was built by learning how to lose. Carli and host Keith Wilford sit down to explore the mental work behind one of the most decorated players in the game. Carli looks back on getting cut from the U-21 National Team, questioning whether she wanted to keep playing, and rebuilding her confidence after setbacks. They get into the pressure she carried into the 2015 World Cup, learning to compete against herself, and how failure became feedback instead of something to fear. This is a conversation about pressure, identity, and what it takes to keep going when things get hard. Because the real work of being an athlete happens after the mistake.

    34 min
  7. PRESSURE GETS LOUD FAST

    Apr 28

    PRESSURE GETS LOUD FAST

    In this episode of The Pressure Lab, host Keith Wilford sits down with Philadelphia Union legend Sébastien Le Toux and sport psychologist Dr. Alec Baker for an honest conversation about what pressure really does to athletes. They get into where it starts, how comparison, coaches, parents, and social media can warp it, why vulnerability so often gets mistaken for weakness, and what actually helps when the game is over and the emotions are still roaring. This episode is for anyone trying to stay in the game when the pressure starts to take over.

    57 min
  • 7 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

The Pressure Lab is a first-of-its-kind mental fitness podcast built specifically for competitive and youth soccer players navigating the real emotional demands of the game. This weekly podcast from HEADFIRST, a Philadelphia Union Foundation initiative, is hosted by Keith Wilford who gets into the realities of being a young athlete today. Featuring conversations with pro athletes, coaches, mental health professionals, and youth development experts, each episode is an honest conversations about pressure, identity, confidence, failure, burnout, belonging, and the emotional weight competition can put on you. No highlight reels. No empty hype. Just real stories, real insight, and practical tools for players and the people around them. If you’ve ever felt the game get bigger than the field, The Pressure Lab was made for you. About HeadFirst: HEADFIRST is a mental fitness initiative of the Philadelphia Union Foundation designed to equip young athletes with the tools, language, and mindset to perform under pressure and grow through everything sport puts them through. HEADFIRST is proudly sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. More information at www.myHEADFIRST.org About the Philadelphia Union Foundation The Philadelphia Union Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, dedicated to creating opportunity, building community, and developing the next generation of athletes and leaders through soccer and education-based programming in Chester, Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. More information at www.philadelphiaunionfoundation.org About Our Host: Keith Wilford is a Mental Health and Wellness Educator at YSC Academy and founder of The Wilford Movement. A Widener University All-American and MA in Counseling Education, Keith has spent his career at the intersection of sport, education, and youth development. He is a national leader in student development and has coached and counseled student athletes at some of the most competitive academic and athletic programs in the country. Tag In here: https://forms.gle/VLBmyLFjVmbtZxBb6. In a few honest words, tag in with the heart of why you’re here: why you play, why you coach, why you care, why you support someone you love in sport. Share your moment and add your voice to a space that puts every player’s whole self first.

Information

  • Creator
    Philadelpha Union Foundation
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Philadelpha Union Foundation
  • Show Website
    The Pressure Lab