Great at practice.
Then the game starts.
The missed free throw. The at-bat with two outs. Serving to stay in a tennis match. Seven questions can help you name the pattern you notice when the pressure rises.
Take the free assessment7 questions · About 2 minutes · For parents and athletes
Trevor Conner
Founder & Mental Performance Coach, Hearts & Minds
A letter from Trevor to you
15 years in sport psychology.
Our mental performance coaches and advisors bring more than 80 years of combined experience in high performance. Meet our advisors.
Trevor has personally trained more than 70 Olympians and 120 professional athletes. His work also includes more than 1,200 NCAA Division I athletes, dozens of collegiate athletic programs, and thousands of amateur athletes.
- SPIRE · 2013–2016
- Director of Mental Performance at SPIRE, a U.S. Olympic training site.
- IMG Academy · 2011–2012
- Intern in 2011, then consultant in leadership and mental conditioning in 2012.
Use this assessment to start a conversation about your athlete’s experience. Trevor is available to help you work through what comes next.
What happens when the game gets tight?
Think about the last game and the ride home. Which of these moments did you notice? Your athlete may describe it differently.
Practice Beast, Game Ghost
Dominant in practice. Disappears when it counts. They make the shot all week, then hesitate with a defender in front of them.
Confidence Collapse
A missed shot turns into three rushed plays. Their eyes drop. They stop asking for the ball.
Pre-Game Anxiety
Nerves show up before the first whistle: poor sleep, a rushed warm-up, or trouble settling into the first ten minutes.
Hard on Every Mistake
They played well, but the ride home is about the one error. Every good play gets dismissed with “but I should have…”
Focus Drift
They are still thinking about the last point when the next serve comes. Instructions, teammates, and the ball fade into the background.
Lost the Fire
They used to be first out the door for practice. Now getting ready takes a push, and they rarely talk about what they enjoyed.
A crowd watching.
The next play.
What you get after seven questions
Choose the moments you recognize from practice and competition. Parents and athletes answer from their own perspective.
See your selected pattern before providing an email. Add your email to view a fuller report and a three-day practice plan.
Try the exercise at your next practice. Use the Built for Pressure workbook to keep working, with a call to Trevor available if you need guidance.
You watched the same game.
You may have felt it differently.
Take the parent version, then share your link with your athlete. They answer independently and see the two patterns together. Ask which moment each of you had in mind. A different answer gives you something specific to talk about.
Start with the last game.
Seven questions. See your pattern first. Your name and email stay out of the link you share.
Coach or club director?
Use the assessment to start a team conversation about pressure, mistakes, and focus. Contact Trevor to discuss a workshop or team assessment session.
Ask about a team session