Description

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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