Thriving Under Pressure: Lessons from Olympic Athletes

In this episode of Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families, host Valerie Alston explores how athletes manage pressure during the Winter Olympics. She discusses why pressure itself isn't the enemy and how interpreting it differently can determine success. Valerie offers insights on mental toughness, resilience, and confidence, with specific examples from Olympic athletes. She provides conversation prompts for parents and young athletes to discuss how to handle high-pressure situations effectively. Tune in for advice on harnessing nerves and focusing on performance rather than outcomes.

00:00 Introduction to Pressure in Sports

01:03 The Winter Olympics: A Case Study

01:28 Understanding Athlete Reactions to Pressure

03:02 Mental Strategies for Handling Pressure

06:41 Youth Sports: Applying Olympic Lessons

11:21 Conversation Prompts for Families

15:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Discussion questions:

1. When do you feel pressure most in your sport—and what do you usually tell yourself in those moments?
2. How can feeling nervous actually mean you’re prepared and invested?
3. What’s one phrase you could use to turn pressure into focus?
4. As a parent/coach, how do we talk about pressure without making it heavier?

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.

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

Building Confident, Calm, and Clutch Athletes with Coach Jack Smithlin

In this episode of 'Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families,' host Valerie Alston offers a preview of her new podcast 'The Clutch Academy.' This clip features Jack Smithlin, a coach with over 50 years of experience and an unbeaten record, discussing what it means for athletes to be confident, calm, and clutch. He shares insights on building mental performance, grit, and redefining success to foster resilience and love for the game. Whether you're a parent or a coach, learn valuable strategies to help athletes perform under pressure. Don't miss out on more tips and updates on 'The Clutch Academy' by subscribing to the newsletter!

00:00 Introduction to Clutch Performance

01:48 Meet Coach Jack Smithlin

02:25 Defining Confidence, Calm, and Clutch

03:14 Building Confidence Through Practice

04:32 The Importance of Mental Performance

09:19 Strategies for Coaches

14:24 The Mind-Body Connection

17:41 Car Ride Conversations

20:07 Closing Remarks and Newsletter Sign-Up

Discussion questions:

1. What helps you feel confident going into a game or tryout? Parents: What did confidence look like for you when you were younger?
2. Why do you think being calm helps you play better? What could we do before games or at home to help each other stay calm and focused?
3. Can you remember a time you were “clutch” you stepped up under pressure? What helped you rise to that moment? How can you build that mindset for next time?
4. What do you think matters more to a coach: results or effort? Why? How does that change how you see your role as a teammate or a player?

🎧 Sneak Peek: The Clutch Academy Podcast (Launching 2026!)

In the new year, I’m launching a new podcast called The Clutch Academy where I’ll interview coaches across sports and levels to unpack this core question:

How do great coaches build athletes who are confident, calm, clutch and full of character?

We’ll dive into:

- What they say at practice, after games, and in tough moments

- How they develop leadership and mental resilience

- The strategies they use to help athletes succeed on and off the field

If you’re a coach with something to share or know someone who should be on the mic I’d love to hear from you.

👉 Click here to apply to be a guest on The Clutch Academy

https://valstoncoaching.typeform.com/clutchacademy

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.

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

Embracing Adaptability: Lessons from a Snow Day

This week on Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families, host Valerie Alston shares a personal story about dealing with unexpected snowfall in the South and its parallels to sports challenges. Valerie discusses adaptability, problem-solving, and maintaining humor under pressure. She relates her snow day experience to athletes needing to adjust to adverse conditions and unplanned situations. Listen in for meaningful dialogue about resilience, mental toughness, and confidence-building while exploring engaging conversation starters for parents and young athletes. This episode is perfect for families looking to build stronger relationships and lifelong skills, one car ride at a time.

00:00 Snow Day Struggles and Lessons

00:42 Welcome to Car Ride Conversations

01:15 Creative Snow Shoveling Solutions

03:25 Adapting in Sports and Life

06:33 Humor and Perspective in Problem Solving

11:19 Interactive Car Ride Questions

15:15 Conclusion and Call to Action

Discussion questions:

1. Have you ever had to figure something out on the fly in your sport when things didn’t go as planned?
2. When conditions aren’t ideal — weather, refs, equipment, teammates — what helps you stay focused instead of frustrated?”
3. What’s something that felt harder than expected at first, but got easier once you adjusted?
4. How important do you think it is for athletes to be able to laugh at mistakes or awkward moments?”

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.

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

Building Lasting Habits: Rewarding Effort and Tracking Progress

In this episode of 'Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families,' host Valerie Alston discusses the importance of making good habits satisfying to ensure they stick, especially for young athletes. Valerie explores the principles behind behavior change, as detailed in James Clear's book 'Atomic Habits,' emphasizing the Fourth Law of Behavior Change: make good habits satisfying and bad habits unsatisfying. She provides actionable strategies for parents and coaches to help young athletes pair behaviors with rewarding outcomes, track progress, and create immediate satisfaction to foster long-term behavior change. Valerie also shares practical tips for using habit trackers and gamification to maintain motivation and consistency. Don't miss out on valuable insights into building stronger relationships, promoting mental toughness, resilience, and confidence in young athletes.

00:00 Introduction to Building Lasting Habits

00:15 Welcome to Car Ride Conversations

00:50 The Science Behind Behavior Change

01:17 Law 4: Making Good Habits Satisfying

04:09 Creating Instant Rewards

10:35 Tracking Progress and Building Streaks

13:06 Handling Setbacks and Maintaining Momentum

16:35 Engaging Family Conversations

20:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Atomic Habits link: https://amzn.to/49rZNP4

Discussion questions:

1. When you finish a habit you’re trying to build, what kind of reward actually motivates you — something fun, something relaxing, or seeing your progress?
2. Which habits feel hardest to stick with, and what kind of reward would make showing up feel worth it?”
3. How could we reward effort and consistency, not just performance or results?”
4. Would tracking your habits or building a streak motivate you more than a physical reward? Why?

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.

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:

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Making Habits Stick: Simple Strategies for Athletes and Parents

In this episode of Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families, host Valerie Alston explores how to make big goals attainable by shrinking habits to ensure they stick. Drawing inspiration from 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear, Valerie discusses the importance of making good habits easy to start and emphasizes the value of consistency over perfection. She offers actionable advice on breaking down daunting tasks into manageable steps, piggybacking new habits on existing ones, and making bad habits harder to start. Ideal for parents and young athletes, this podcast aims to foster mental toughness, resilience, and confidence through practical, everyday conversations.

00:00 Introduction to Effective Habits

00:49 Understanding the Third Law of Behavior Change

01:42 Making Habits Easy to Start

04:04 Practical Examples for Athletes and Students

05:34 Attaching New Habits to Existing Routines

06:33 Eliminating Bad Habits

08:10 Building Mental Toughness and Discipline

10:49 Conversation Prompts and Challenges

15:19 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Atomic Habits link: https://amzn.to/49rZNP4

Discussion questions:

1. What habit feels hardest to start right now?
2. How could we shrink that habit so it feels easier to begin?
3. What daily routine could we attach that habit to?
4. What’s one distraction we could make harder to access during school or practice prep?

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.

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:

Mastering Habits: Law 2 - Make it attractive

Join host Valerie Alston on this episode of Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families as she dives into the science of habit formation and motivation. Learn how to connect habits to purpose, enjoyment, and identity, and discover practical tips from James Clear's book, 'Atomic Habits.' Valerie discusses the dopamine feedback loop, temptation bundling, and surrounding yourself with the right influences to build effective habits. Ideal for parents and young athletes aiming to improve mental toughness, resilience, and confidence, this conversation will help you build stronger relationships and lifelong skills. Tune in for actionable advice on making habits stick and avoiding negative behaviors. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more insightful discussions!

00:00 Introduction to Motivation and Habits

00:20 Podcast Introduction and Host Welcome

01:07 Understanding the Second Law of Behavior Change

01:52 The Dopamine Feedback Loop

02:44 Temptation Bundling Explained

04:03 Practical Examples of Temptation Bundling

06:22 Combining Temptation Bundling with Habit Stacking

07:27 The Role of Belonging in Habit Formation

09:35 Surrounding Yourself with the Right People

12:48 Reframing Negative Habits

14:41 Interactive Questions for Listeners

18:44 Conclusion and Call to Action

Atomic Habits link: https://amzn.to/49rZNP4

Discussion questions:

1. What’s something you want to do every day — and something you need to do — and how could we pair them together?
2. Who are 2-3 people you’re around often who have habits you admire — and how do those habits influence you?(Friends, teammates, older players, etc.)
3. When you hear someone say “I have to go work out” vs. “It’s time to get stronger and faster,” how do those feel different?
4. What’s one habit you could make more attractive this week — and what would help make it feel more fun, social, or rewarding? (Could be schoolwork, workouts, even sleep routines)

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.

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?

Kickstart Your Year: Build better habits - Make it Obvious

In this episode of Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families, host Valerie Alston discusses the importance of habit formation over motivation for achieving long-term goals. She dives into the science of habit formation and shares practical tips on building effective habits for athletes and their families. Valerie highlights the significance of making good habits obvious and bad habits invisible. She provides actionable strategies, inspired by James Clear's 'Atomic Habits,' for creating an environment conducive to achieving goals. Valerie also prompts listeners to engage in meaningful family conversations about identifying and implementing new habits. Join the conversation for insights on building mental toughness, resilience, and confidence while fostering stronger family relationships. Don't forget to share this episode and subscribe to Valerie's newsletter for more tips.

00:00 Introduction to Motivation and Habits

00:52 Welcome to Car Ride Conversations

01:26 Kicking Off January with Better Habits

03:19 Understanding Habit Formation

06:13 The Habit Loop Explained

09:11 Making Good Habits Obvious

10:56 Eliminating Bad Habits

12:17 Aligning Habits with Identity

14:11 Practical Tips for Building Habits

16:15 Family Discussion Questions

19:58 Conclusion and Next Steps

Atomic Habits link: https://amzn.to/49rZNP4

Discussion questions:

1. What’s one habit you do automatically without thinking?
2. What’s a good habit we could make more obvious this week?
3. What’s one distraction we could make less visible?
4. Where could we place reminders to help you succeed?

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.

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:

Navigating Athletic Slumps: Insights and Strategies

Every athlete experiences slumps—periods where performance doesn't meet expectations. In this episode of Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families, host Valerie Alston explores the nature of slumps, why they occur, and how to overcome them. Valerie shares her personal story of switching to left-handed hitting in softball and the growth that came from this challenging season. Learn about the importance of going back to basics, focusing on controllables, and maintaining a curious mindset. This episode provides practical advice for young athletes and their parents on how to navigate these tough periods and ultimately emerge stronger. Tune in for valuable tips on building mental toughness, resilience, and confidence. Remember to subscribe and share if you find this episode helpful!

00:00 Introduction: Understanding the Slump

01:09 Defining a Slump: What It Is and Isn't

02:59 Personal Story: Overcoming My Slump

07:55 Strategies to Break Out of a Slump

12:09 The Importance of Patience and Resilience

16:11 Interactive Q&A: Reflecting on Your Slump

20:19 Conclusion: Keep the Conversations Rolling

Discussion questions:

1. What part of your game feels like a slump right now — and what do you think that slump might be trying to teach you?
2. If we focused less on stats and more on small wins, what would success look like for you this week?
3. Can you think of a time when something felt hard in the moment but ended up helping you in the long run — like my switch-hitting story?
4. How can I support you during a slump without adding pressure?

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.

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.

***NEW COACHES PODCAST***

I’m getting ready to launch a brand-new podcast called The Clutch Academy where I’ll interview coaches across sports and levels to unpack this core question:

How do great coaches build athletes who are confident, calm, clutch and full of character?

If you’re a coach with something to share or know someone who should be on the mic I’d love to hear from you.

👉 Click here to apply to be a guest on The Clutch Academy

https://valstoncoaching.typeform.com/clutchacademy

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

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