Car Ride Conversations For Sports Families

Valerie Alston
  • 4.8 (13)
  • Sports
  • Weekly

The ultimate podcast for parents, coaches, and youth sport athletes who want to unlock the secrets to mental toughness, confidence, and resilience. Whether you're on your way to practice, a big game, or just tackling the daily grind, these bite-sized episodes are designed to spark meaningful conversations to equip young athletes with actionable tools to thrive in school, sports and life while building strong relationships with their parents, one car ride at a time. Hosted by Valerie Alston, former D1 athlete, sport psychology expert, and resilience coach, each episode dives into key topics like building effective self-talk, staying calm under pressure, and bouncing back from setbacks. With real-life stories, practical tips, and relatable insights, you'll discover how to support your youth sport athlete's journey while strengthening your connection along the way. Buckle up and join us for a ride full of inspiration, growth, and the skills needed to become Confident, Calm, and Clutch! Questions? Comments? Ideas? ✉️ Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me On: 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 ✨ For exclusive tips, tools, and updates, join my newsletter: 📬 https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter

  1. 3d ago

    Dear Parents: Are You Helping the Way Your Athlete Needs?

    How to Support Your Young Athlete After a Tough Game (Without Making It Worse) Host Valerie Alston discusses the difference between loving a young athlete and supporting them in the way they actually need, inspired by Grayson Gervais’ book Dear Parents, Sport Isn’t Easy: Here’s How to Have Our Backs. She emphasizes that love and trust are the foundation, not parental perfection, and shares a personal story about sensing her mom’s disappointment after a national tournament and avoiding her, illustrating how intentions and impact can differ. The episode explores parents managing their own emotions so athletes don’t feel responsible, using process- and character-based pride instead of outcome-based praise, and offering support without automatically agreeing with complaints about coaches or teammates. Alston recommends “ask before you advise,” especially during post-game car rides, and gives prompts for parents and athletes to communicate needs, timing, and evolving roles. 00:00 When Support Misses 00:47 Book Sparks Insight 03:08 Love Over Perfection 04:21 A Sticky Memory 07:11 Managing Parent Emotions 11:29 Proud Without Pressure 14:38 Support Not Agreement 19:09 Ask Before Advising 22:00 Family Discussion Questions 25:21 Final Takeaways Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go. 🧠 FREE Mental Skills Assessment for Your AthleteDoes your athlete perform great in practice but struggle with nerves, pressure, confidence, or bouncing back from mistakes during competition? Stop guessing about what might be getting in the way. With my FREE Mental Skills Assessment, your athlete will complete the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), receive a short personalized report, and join me with you for a FREE 15-minute Zoom call to discuss what we're seeing and identify practical next steps. There are no good or bad scores and no labels. We're simply discovering where your athlete is strong and where they may need to build their mental toughness muscle. Assess. Discover. Build a game plan. 👉 Get Your Athlete's FREE Mental Skills Assessment: https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/assessment For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here. Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOjguEFjF88w5Wl-eA9dlkwLk7f_sI12V

    Dear Parents: Are You Helping the Way Your Athlete Needs?

  2. Oct 26

    Helping Young Athletes Take Ownership Without Giving Up on Big Goals

    Parents vs. Athletes: Who Owns the Recruiting Journey? (Richie Contartesi | Next Play) Valerie Alston wraps her conversation with recruiting coach Richie Contartesi about balancing parent support with athlete ownership in youth sports and recruiting. They discuss how comparison can derail athletes and emphasize “you vs. you,” focusing on the next play, learning from mistakes, and choosing the right next step with parental guidance rather than control. Richie describes weekly parent community calls that reduce anxiety and clarify expectations, and explains his process of evaluating athletes’ film to set realistic college-division targets while still building a long-term plan to progress. Key takeaways include aligning ambition with reality, gradually developing independence, and ensuring athletes—not coaches or parents—take responsibility for communication, relationships, and effort. The episode ends with family discussion questions and a free mental skills assessment offer. 00:00 Parents vs Athlete Ownership 01:33 Stop the Comparison Trap 03:12 Helping Parents Manage Anxiety 05:21 The Next Play Framework 05:41 Coaching Through Reflection 07:53 Guide Dont Take Over 09:19 Let Them Learn Safely 10:47 Persistence vs Realistic Goals 11:24 Player Division Evaluation 12:01 Injury Changes Recruiting 12:47 Realistic Expectations Upfront 14:21 Two Year Transfer Plan 15:54 Own Your Recruiting 17:17 Where To Find Richie 17:39 Support And Ownership 19:58 Family Discussion Questions 25:47 Closing Resources Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go. 🧠 FREE Mental Skills Assessment for Your AthleteDoes your athlete perform great in practice but struggle with nerves, pressure, confidence, or bouncing back from mistakes during competition? Stop guessing about what might be getting in the way. With my FREE Mental Skills Assessment, your athlete will complete the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), receive a short personalized report, and join me with you for a FREE 15-minute Zoom call to discuss what we're seeing and identify practical next steps. There are no good or bad scores and no labels. We're simply discovering where your athlete is strong and where they may need to build their mental toughness muscle. Assess. Discover. Build a game plan. 👉 Get Your Athlete's FREE Mental Skills Assessment: https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/assessment For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here. Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOjguEFjF88w5Wl-eA9dlkwLk7f_sI12V

    Helping Young Athletes Take Ownership Without Giving Up on Big Goals

  3. Oct 19

    Afraid to Put Yourself Out There? How Young Athletes Build Confidence Through Action

    Build Confidence by Taking Action: Recruiting, Rejection, and the “Next Play” Mindset Host Valerie Alston continues her conversation with recruiting coach Richie Contartesi about how high school athletes build confidence by doing uncomfortable things, especially in the college recruiting process. Richie explains that many athletes avoid social media posting and outreach because of fear of judgment and rejection, so he changes the goal from getting likes or offers to controllable actions like helping coaches get to know them and simply getting a response. He shares practical posting ideas and frames recruiting around three coach questions: can you play, do you have the grades, and do you have the character. They discuss setting expectations with numbers, building resilience through reps, and using a “next play” process when overwhelmed. Valerie recaps key takeaways, offers family discussion questions, previews a final episode on responsibility for big goals, and shares a free mental skills assessment resource. 00:00 Confidence Starts With Action 00:29 Meet Richie And The Big Picture 02:14 Changing The Social Media Goal 04:06 What Coaches Want To See 04:43 Cold Emails Without The Pressure 06:56 Building Confidence Through Reps 10:35 Resilience And The Next Play Mindset 12:32 Where To Find Richie 12:46 Key Takeaways And Recap 14:23 Conversation Rules For Families 14:58 Guided Questions To Discuss 17:12 Closing Thoughts And Next Week Teaser 18:06 Free Mental Skills Assessment Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go. 🧠 FREE Mental Skills Assessment for Your AthleteDoes your athlete perform great in practice but struggle with nerves, pressure, confidence, or bouncing back from mistakes during competition? Stop guessing about what might be getting in the way. With my FREE Mental Skills Assessment, your athlete will complete the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), receive a short personalized report, and join me with you for a FREE 15-minute Zoom call to discuss what we're seeing and identify practical next steps. There are no good or bad scores and no labels. We're simply discovering where your athlete is strong and where they may need to build their mental toughness muscle. Assess. Discover. Build a game plan. 👉 Get Your Athlete's FREE Mental Skills Assessment: https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/assessment For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here. Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOjguEFjF88w5Wl-eA9dlkwLk7f_sI12V

    Afraid to Put Yourself Out There? How Young Athletes Build Confidence Through Action

  4. Oct 12

    The Next Play: How to Keep Going When Things Don't Go Your Way

    The Most Important Play Is the Next Play: Helping Young Athletes Bounce Back | Richie Contartesi Host Valerie Alston welcomes former college football player Richie Contartesi to discuss helping young athletes respond to mistakes, setbacks, and disappointment with a “next play” mindset. Richie shares his journey from being an undersized, overlooked high school athlete to earning an FCS scholarship, transferring to Ole Miss, walking on, and eventually earning a full-ride scholarship, emphasizing the importance of marketing yourself to coaches. He explains how a coach taught him that the most important play is always the next one, and how he and his parents reinforced it with three action questions: what will you do, how will you do it, and when will you do it by. Valerie closes with discussion rules, four reflection questions for parents and athletes, and a free mental skills assessment offer. 00:00 Mistakes And Setbacks 00:20 Meet Richie And The Lesson 01:48 Recruiting Struggles And Breakthrough 03:56 Next Play Mindset 07:11 Parents As Support System 09:19 Where To Find Richie 09:36 Host Wrap Up Key Takeaways 10:28 Car Ride Questions Rules 11:06 Guided Questions For Families 13:37 Final Takeaway And Next Episode Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go. 🧠 FREE Mental Skills Assessment for Your AthleteDoes your athlete perform great in practice but struggle with nerves, pressure, confidence, or bouncing back from mistakes during competition? Stop guessing about what might be getting in the way. With my FREE Mental Skills Assessment, your athlete will complete the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), receive a short personalized report, and join me with you for a FREE 15-minute Zoom call to discuss what we're seeing and identify practical next steps. There are no good or bad scores and no labels. We're simply discovering where your athlete is strong and where they may need to build their mental toughness muscle. Assess. Discover. Build a game plan. 👉 Get Your Athlete's FREE Mental Skills Assessment: https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/assessment For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here. Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOjguEFjF88w5Wl-eA9dlkwLk7f_sI12V

    The Next Play: How to Keep Going When Things Don't Go Your Way

  5. Oct 5

    When Something Feels Wrong: Teaching Young Athletes How to Speak Up

    Teaching Young Athletes to Speak Up: Notice, Own It, Act After Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich collapsed during an outdoor workout and remained hospitalized with severe injuries, teammates challenged parts of the university’s account and the head coach was placed on paid administrative leave, prompting a broader discussion about why athletes may fear speaking up. Valerie Alston explains a problem-independent framework for intervention: noticing when something physical, behavioral, or environmental seems off (without diagnosing), owning responsibility despite barriers like the bystander effect, expert bias, or fear of repercussions, and acting with a simple menu of options—directly acknowledge, distract/interrupt, get help, and keep telling if the first adult doesn’t respond. She emphasizes creating psychologically safe environments, helping athletes distinguish hard from harmful, building a “trusted adult bench,” and provides family discussion questions to practice these skills. 00:00 ASU Heatstroke Fallout 00:51 Why Athletes Stay Silent 01:43 Three Steps to Speak Up 04:00 Notice the Warning Signs 06:17 Own the Responsibility 09:32 Act With Simple Options 11:39 Keep Telling Until Help 13:33 Adults Create Safe Space 16:39 Build a Trusted Bench 18:10 Family Discussion Questions 21:31 Final Takeaways and Next Steps Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go. 🧠 FREE Mental Skills Assessment for Your AthleteDoes your athlete perform great in practice but struggle with nerves, pressure, confidence, or bouncing back from mistakes during competition? Stop guessing about what might be getting in the way. With my FREE Mental Skills Assessment, your athlete will complete the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), receive a short personalized report, and join me with you for a FREE 15-minute Zoom call to discuss what we're seeing and identify practical next steps. There are no good or bad scores and no labels. We're simply discovering where your athlete is strong and where they may need to build their mental toughness muscle. Assess. Discover. Build a game plan. 👉 Get Your Athlete's FREE Mental Skills Assessment: https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/assessment For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here. Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOjguEFjF88w5Wl-eA9dlkwLk7f_sI12V

    When Something Feels Wrong: Teaching Young Athletes How to Speak Up

  6. Sep 28

    Who Will You Be When Nobody Is Keeping Score?

    Who Are You Besides an Athlete? Redefining “Elite” When Youth Sports Ends Valerie Alston closes a six-week series on the pressure to be elite by reminding families that every athlete eventually plays their last game and that true success includes who athletes become through sport, not only performance outcomes like rankings, scholarships, and trophies. She discusses the risks of tying self-worth solely to athletic identity and encourages athletes to broaden their identity through friends, hobbies, school, and non-sport interests so setbacks like being benched, cut, injured, or not recruited don’t create an identity crisis. Alston reframes “elite” as lasting life skills, resilience, discipline, communication, handling feedback, losing well, leading and following and offers reflection prompts and family conversation questions about what sports has already given, what to carry forward, and what makes sport worthwhile without external rewards. She also invites listeners to subscribe, share, and take a free mental skills assessment at confidentcalmclutch.com/assessment. 00:00 The Last Game 01:32 Why Sports Matter 02:16 Athlete Identity Trap 05:01 Redefining Elite 06:21 Skills That Travel 07:09 Build Life Beyond Sport 10:11 Future Self Reflection 11:23 Parents Big Picture 12:54 Fill In The Blanks 15:15 Share And Subscribe 15:39 Conversation Ground Rules 16:03 Four Family Questions 18:38 Final Perspective Reset 20:04 Free Assessment Offer 20:43 Closing Thanks Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go. 🧠 FREE Mental Skills Assessment for Your AthleteDoes your athlete perform great in practice but struggle with nerves, pressure, confidence, or bouncing back from mistakes during competition? Stop guessing about what might be getting in the way. With my FREE Mental Skills Assessment, your athlete will complete the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), receive a short personalized report, and join me with you for a FREE 15-minute Zoom call to discuss what we're seeing and identify practical next steps. There are no good or bad scores and no labels. We're simply discovering where your athlete is strong and where they may need to build their mental toughness muscle. Assess. Discover. Build a game plan. 👉 Get Your Athlete's FREE Mental Skills Assessment: https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/assessment For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here. Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOjguEFjF88w5Wl-eA9dlkwLk7f_sI12V

    Who Will You Be When Nobody Is Keeping Score?

  7. Sep 21

    When More Training Isn’t Making You Better

    Mental Toughness in Youth Sports: When to Push Through vs When to Recover (Green/Yellow/Red Signs) Valerie Alston challenges the “do more” mindset in competitive youth sports, explaining that mental toughness includes knowing when pushing harder stops helping and recovery is needed. She distinguishes growth discomfort from depletion, emphasizing that recovery is part of training physically, mentally, and emotionally. Using a personal story of burnout from playing multiple varsity sports plus travel softball, she highlights how overloading can reduce focus and performance. The episode teaches families to recognize signs of fatigue and burnout and introduces a stoplight framework—green (push through), yellow (adjust/caution), red (stop and address)—to build self-awareness and self-regulation. Alston outlines recovery options beyond rest, including sleep, nutrition, lighter sessions, fun activities, and mental breaks, and offers discussion questions to help families evaluate what’s truly helping versus fear of falling behind. 00:00 More Isn't Always Better 01:29 Series Context And Myth 04:14 Stress Needs Recovery 06:20 Freshman Year Burnout 08:43 Tired Or Burned Out 11:18 Recovery Beyond Rest 14:15 Green Yellow Red System 18:36 Weekly Check In Plan 19:57 Family Discussion Questions 22:52 Wrap Up And Next Week Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go. 🧠 FREE Mental Skills Assessment for Your AthleteDoes your athlete perform great in practice but struggle with nerves, pressure, confidence, or bouncing back from mistakes during competition? Stop guessing about what might be getting in the way. With my FREE Mental Skills Assessment, your athlete will complete the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), receive a short personalized report, and join me with you for a FREE 15-minute Zoom call to discuss what we're seeing and identify practical next steps. There are no good or bad scores and no labels. We're simply discovering where your athlete is strong and where they may need to build their mental toughness muscle. Assess. Discover. Build a game plan. 👉 Get Your Athlete's FREE Mental Skills Assessment: https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/assessment For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here. Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOjguEFjF88w5Wl-eA9dlkwLk7f_sI12V

    When More Training Isn’t Making You Better

  8. Sep 14

    Cut, Benched or Not Recruited? How Athletes Handle What They Can’t Control

    You Can Own the Goal Without Owning the Outcome | Controlling the Controllables Valerie Alston explains that athletes can work hard and still miss desired outcomes like making varsity, earning scholarships, or getting recruited because sports involve other people, limited opportunities, circumstances, and luck. She reframes mental toughness as accurate thinking and forward movement when things don’t go as planned, emphasizing separating desired outcomes from controllable process goals. The episode breaks performance factors into three categories—what you control (effort, preparation, attitude, recovery, grades), what you influence (playing time, recruiting interest, team success), and what you must accept (roster needs, injuries, officiating, others’ talent, coaches’ decisions). Alston discusses attribution and realistic optimism, encourages allowing disappointment without rushing to fix it, and offers a three-question reset: what happened, what’s yours to learn, and what happens next, plus discussion prompts for sports families. 00:00 Effort Without Guarantees 01:43 Own Goal Not Outcome 05:53 Control Influence Accept 10:30 Rewrite The Story 12:46 Realistic Optimism Reroutes 18:44 Feel Disappointment Then Act 21:06 Three Question Reset 22:39 Family Discussion Prompts 27:02 Weekly Takeaways And Next Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go. 🧠 FREE Mental Skills Assessment for Your AthleteDoes your athlete perform great in practice but struggle with nerves, pressure, confidence, or bouncing back from mistakes during competition? Stop guessing about what might be getting in the way. With my FREE Mental Skills Assessment, your athlete will complete the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), receive a short personalized report, and join me with you for a FREE 15-minute Zoom call to discuss what we're seeing and identify practical next steps. There are no good or bad scores and no labels. We're simply discovering where your athlete is strong and where they may need to build their mental toughness muscle. Assess. Discover. Build a game plan. 👉 Get Your Athlete's FREE Mental Skills Assessment: https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/assessment For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here. Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOjguEFjF88w5Wl-eA9dlkwLk7f_sI12V

    Cut, Benched or Not Recruited? How Athletes Handle What They Can’t Control
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4.8
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About

The ultimate podcast for parents, coaches, and youth sport athletes who want to unlock the secrets to mental toughness, confidence, and resilience. Whether you're on your way to practice, a big game, or just tackling the daily grind, these bite-sized episodes are designed to spark meaningful conversations to equip young athletes with actionable tools to thrive in school, sports and life while building strong relationships with their parents, one car ride at a time. Hosted by Valerie Alston, former D1 athlete, sport psychology expert, and resilience coach, each episode dives into key topics like building effective self-talk, staying calm under pressure, and bouncing back from setbacks. With real-life stories, practical tips, and relatable insights, you'll discover how to support your youth sport athlete's journey while strengthening your connection along the way. Buckle up and join us for a ride full of inspiration, growth, and the skills needed to become Confident, Calm, and Clutch! Questions? Comments? Ideas? ✉️ Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com Follow Me On: 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666 ✨ For exclusive tips, tools, and updates, join my newsletter: 📬 https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter

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