Podcast
Clutch Academy: Sports Psychology for Youth Sport Coaches
Hosted by Valerie Alston · EN
Welcome to the Clutch Academy, where we feature elite coaches who show us how they develop athletes who are confident, calm, clutch, and ready to perform when it counts. We discuss practice strategies, in-game management, leadership, character development and mental resilience the exact strategies they use to help their athletes succeed on and off the field.
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3episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Mastering Mindfulness - Elevate Your Coaching Strategy with Nate Buck's Tips
Jun 1000:37:16Tap to summarizeMindfulness for Youth Athletes: Building Confident, Calm & Clutch Players with Hockey Coach Nate BuckIn this Clutch Academy episode, host interviews Minnesota high school hockey coach Nate Buck (20 years on staff in Hermantown) about developing athletes who are confident, calm, and clutch through mindfulness, trust, and mental resilience. Buck explains “fix it, flush it, forget it,” being present, controlling breathing, and responding pragmatically without getting stuck in past mistakes or future worries. He details team mindfulness routines on game days (five minutes of quiet focus) and daily practice starts (30 seconds of silence to reflect on what to improve, what they’re struggling with, and gratitude), plus using competition and high-pressure scenarios in practice. Buck also describes a phone-free locker room culture to build connection, recommends resources like Mind Game and Legacy, and emphasizes balancing high expectations with positivity to help kids handle modern sports pressure.00:00 Youth Sports Mental Game00:53 Show Intro and Sponsor01:46 Meet Coach Nate Buck03:47 Defining Calm and Clutch05:39 Game Day Mindfulness Routine06:57 Pressure and Expectations09:02 Trust and Team Resilience10:29 Mindfulness in Daily Practice14:34 Gratitude and Team Culture17:19 Training Under Pressure18:36 Keeping Practice Fresh19:23 Phone Free Locker Room20:59 Trauma Bonding Teams22:39 Decoy Phone Stories23:56 Mindfulness Book Picks27:24 Coach Learning Resources29:16 Lessons From Experience34:41 Final Words On Mindset And one more time if you want to give your athlete a science-backed process to take them to the next level without changing anything about their physical practice and training routine, then you need to learn the three secrets at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/coaches.All links below include affiliate links. I will receive a small commission from the sale of services/resources linked in this video. Resources from this episodeConfident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology - Valerie R. Alston https://amzn.to/3PI7ieJHow to Teach Mental Skills to Athletes: Confident, Calm, and Clutch Coaching Companion - The Ultimate Guide to Coaching Mental Toughness https://amzn.to/4dEGwNH Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence https://amzn.to/4xcvcA5 Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success - Phil Jackson https://amzn.to/4uqhdUz Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business of Life https://amzn.to/4xmSymG Follow Me on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoachingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoachingYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666
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Volleyball Coaching Masterclass: Instilling Confidence and Building Culture with Laura Watling
May 2700:30:51Tap to summarizeVolleyball Coach Laura Watling on Building Confidence Under Pressure with Culture and Practice DesignIn this Clutch Academy episode, host Valerie Alston interviews high school volleyball coach Laura Watling, who shares how mental pressure—not technique—often causes athletes to miss fundamentals like serving, and how she builds confident, calm, clutch performers. Watling explains the importance of relationships and understanding athletes’ lives so coaching corrections don’t deflate confidence, and describes challenges with a young team that struggled to perform under pressure. She discusses how social media and comparison increase pressure, plus the high-stakes postseason qualification system in Colorado. Watling outlines strategies including summer camps and open gyms to prepare athletes early, building a program-wide culture across three teams, daily pressure-serving and goal-based drills that add fatigue and consequences, faster-than-game practice tempo to make matches feel slower, and teaching players to think for themselves rather than relying on constant coaching.00:00 Why Athletes Miss01:01 Clutch Academy Intro01:56 Meet Coach Laura02:45 Defining Calm Clutch05:21 Coaching Confidence07:08 When Pressure Hits10:04 Social Media Comparison13:32 Summer Prep Strategies15:31 Building Program Culture16:54 Culture Does The Work17:30 Competitive Love Balance17:55 Building a Program19:15 Pressure Proof Practices19:41 Serving Under Pressure22:29 Fast Tempo Training24:12 Explaining the Why25:05 Empowering Athlete Leaders26:45 Teaching Self Reliance29:07 Community of Coaches30:08 Wrap Up and Resources And one more time if you want to give your athlete a science-backed process to take them to the next level without changing anything about their physical practice and training routine, then you need to learn the three secrets at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/coaches.All links below include affiliate links. I will receive a small commission from the sale of services/resources linked in this video. Resources from this episodeConfident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology - Valerie R. Alston https://amzn.to/3PI7ieJHow to Teach Mental Skills to Athletes: Confident, Calm, and Clutch Coaching Companion - The Ultimate Guide to Coaching Mental Toughness https://amzn.to/4dEGwNH Follow Me on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoachingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoachingYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666
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Interview with 52 Year Coaching Veteran Jack Smithlin
May 1800:30:22Tap to summarizeCoach Jack Smithlin on the Mental Game, Mindset, and Building Resilient AthletesThis episode of Clutch Academy features veteran softball coach Jack Smithlin, who shares how confidence leads to calmness and enables athletes to perform clutch under pressure. He emphasizes that skill alone doesn’t keep athletes on the field; the mind, heart, and body must work together, with relaxed muscles and a relaxed mind producing better performance. Smithlin discusses coaching tactics such as repetition and “perfect practice,” focusing on controllables, redefining success beyond stats, and teaching players to react rather than overthink. He describes using Valerie Alston’s books and weekly team sessions to develop mindset skills like positive self-talk, handling failure as learning, and building grit and character for life beyond sports, while adapting coaching to individual athletes’ needs.00:00 Mind Over Skill00:35 Show Intro and Mission01:29 Meet Coach Jack02:18 Defining Confident Calm Clutch06:54 Control the Controllables09:22 Practice Mindset Tactics14:06 Teaching Flow at the Plate17:00 Where the Title Came From21:30 Growth Mindset and Failure25:07 Passion Drives Progress26:36 Resources for Coaches29:43 Final Thanks and CTAAll links below include affiliate links. I will receive a small commission from the sale of services/resources linked in this video.Resources from this episodeConfident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology - Valerie R. Alston https://amzn.to/3PI7ieJMindset: The new Psychology of Success - Carol Dweck https://amzn.to/4nyMjYnThe Mental Game of Baseball : A Guide to Peak Performance - H.A. Dorfman https://amzn.to/491GkW0Secrets of Sports Psychology Revealed by Rick Wolf https://amzn.to/42GF6vDYou Haven’t Taught Until They’ve Learned - Swen Nater & Ronald Gallimore https://amzn.to/3RfCi6eFollow Me on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoachingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoachingYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666
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