276 How To Help A Footballer Who Focuses Too Much On Other People
Release Date: 04/04/2025
292 Breaking Barriers in Sport: Culture and Inclusion in India & the Middle East
Demystifying Mental Toughness
Today’s episode is the second part of my discussion with Gayatri Bhushan, co-founder of Mind Matter Performance. We go onto continue to explore the importance of being curious and open to learn about the experiences of others in sport. Gayatri goes onto share further insights from India and the Middle East, where cultural, social, and gender barriers can put limits on opportunities for different athletes, participants and coaches. Key Learning Points: · The discussion highlighted the significant impact of Premier League Football...
info_outline
291 From India to the Premier League: Sport Psychology, Belonging & Barriers in Global Sport
Demystifying Mental Toughness
Join us for an inspiring episode as we welcome Gayatri Bhushan, HCPC-registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist, who shares her deeply personal journey into the world of sports psychology. Born in India and now based in New Delhi, Gayatri reflects on her early years as a national-level 400-metre athlete and the pivotal challenges she faced, from performance pressures to the lack of mental health support. Her story of searching for guidance—often in vain—sparked a passion for ensuring no athlete is left without support, especially young girls navigating the complex intersection of sport and...
info_outline
290 Stop Focusing On Results: Developing Life Skills Through Sport
Demystifying Mental Toughness
In the second part of a dialog with Parents in Sport founder, Gordon MacLelland, the conversation goes onto discuss the importance of resilience and normalising failure in sports when communicating with children. Such discussions between parents, coaches and children can help kids develop positive coping mechanisms. David and Gordon also touched on the potential risks of early specialisation in sports at a young age, such as burnout, overuse injuries and the potential to drop out from the sport altogether. The benefits of diversifying sports participation and the...
info_outline
289 How To Support Children To Enjoy A Positive Relationship With Sport
Demystifying Mental Toughness
In episode 289 of Demystifying Mental Toughness, the founder of Parents in Sport, Gordon MacLelland, shared his journey from having a promising sports career, to coaching and teaching to supporting parenting in sports. He emphasized the importance of understanding individual children's motivations when considering their sporting experience. Also highlighted were the challenges of balancing fun and competitive pressures. The conversation underscored the importance of self-awareness as a parent and being an intentional in the love and support that you offer your...
info_outline
288 How To Overcome Intense Emotions From Football
Demystifying Mental Toughness
In a continuation of last week’s conversation, David Charlton and Duncan O'Brien discuss the impact of shame on athletes, particularly footballers. Self-esteem, the self-recognition of multiple-selves and self-compassion are also features of the conversation. They go on to discuss the impact of poor performances on an athletes’ mood. Solutions to shift perspective are discussed to aid the understanding of sport coaches and parents to support athletes effectively. They also touch on other strong emotions, such as anger and how to harness it. Key Learning...
info_outline
287 Is A Blame Culture In Team Sports Helpful For Performance?
Demystifying Mental Toughness
David Charlton and Duncan O'Brien discuss the emotional challenges in football, focusing on blame, shame, guilt, and anger in this week’s episode of Demystifying Mental Toughness. Duncan, influenced by Brene Brown's work, emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and collaboration in coaching. He highlights the need for coaches to create supportive yet challenging environments, using tools like Clean Language to foster self-awareness and resilience. They explore how emotions like shame can manifest in players, affecting their performance and behaviour. The...
info_outline
286 How To Understand Neurodiversity Better In Football Refereeing
Demystifying Mental Toughness
Today, the conversation delves into the experiences of a neurodiverse referee, referee educator and coach, Nathan Sherratt, the owner of The Third Team. We discuss the challenges faced in education, the workplace, and on the pitch, highlighting the importance of structure and accountability. David and Nathan also emphasise the need for understanding and support, particularly from clubs, organisations and governing bodies such as the FA, to better accommodate neurodivergent individuals in sports. Nathan goes on to share personal strategies for managing sensory...
info_outline
285 Football Coaches: How To Help Neurodiverse Players Thrive
Demystifying Mental Toughness
In today’s episode David Charlton and his colleague Adam Batstone emphasised the importance of psychological support in football and sport coaching with children. They particularly acknowledged the need to foster rapport with parents to address their concerns about disclosing their child's challenges. David and Adam highlighted the need for adaptability in coaching methods, especially for neurodivergent children, who may require more personalised approaches. They discussed strategies like framing sessions, providing clear routines, and using non-confrontational...
info_outline
284 What’s To Come This Summer – Contemporary Issues in Sport
Demystifying Mental Toughness
David Charlton introduces the next phase of the "Demystifying Mental Toughness" podcast, where episodes will address various contemporary issues, including diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly for underrepresented groups like BAME athletes and neurodivergent individuals. The podcast will also discuss the impact of social media and the problematic cultures of blaming and shaming in sports. David emphasizes the importance of recognizing individual differences and avoiding stereotyping, advocating for a more inclusive and supportive approach to enhance the everyone’s...
info_outline
283 How To Help A Swimmer Who Is Online A Lot Checking His Rivals Out
Demystifying Mental Toughness
Today, the case study that David Charlton and his colleague Colm O’Donoghue discuss is connected to a 16-year-old swimmer who spends a lot of time online checking his rivals out, be that on social media or reviewing stats and results. The implication is that his motivation and focus when training fluctuates and negative emotions such as jealousy and anxiety are triggered. As well, potential challenges with his own self-esteem and how he feels about himself can be evident. David and Colm offer some ideas to shift his focus so that he is able to enhance his motivation...
info_outlineToday marks the start of an 8-episode series where David Charlton is joined by a colleague. Gerard Fitzgerald features in this episode, as well as the next 3 episodes. They go on to discuss a case study of a young female footballer, 11 years old with a pseudonym name called Carly who is a sensitive soul who worries too much about other people (team-mates specifically in this case).
We go on to normalise emotional sensitivity in young athletes, highlighting that it can be a strength if managed properly. We also talk about the challenges of emotional sensitivity where young athletes often face mental drain and self-doubt. David and Gerard then go on to share some advice for parents and coaches to manage emotionally sensitive players who can focus too much on their team-mates.
Key Learning Points:
· Explore ways to normalize the emotional experiences of young athletes and help them manage the mental demands of the sport.
· Develop strategies to shift the focus from negative self-criticism and comparison to a more positive, responsibility-based approach.
· The conversation explores how a neutral third party can provide a fresh perspective and help both parents and children understand each other better.
· Constant comparison to teammates can lead to self-doubt and criticism in young athletes and footballers.
· The discussion concludes with a reminder that the win-at-all-costs attitude can sometimes drive young athletes away from sport emphasising the need for fun and enjoyment.
Connect with David Charlton
Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN
Podcast Episodes Related To The Youth Sport Experience
Ep049: James Maurice – How Does Sport Psychology in Elite Football Academies Help
Ep082: David Charlton – Supporting Children in Sport with Positive Feedback
Ep122: Prof Camilla Knight – Helping Your Children Get The Most From Their Sporting Experiences
Ep131 David Charlton – How to Deal with Self-Criticism using Self Compassion – FINAL PART
Ep141: David Charlton – How to Help a Child Who Wants to Quit Sport
Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Athletes, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches
Youth Sports Psychology Library
Soccer and Football Psychology Library
Frequently Asked Questions - Sport Psychology for Children and Parents