Focus Under Pressure – The Athlete’s Superpower

🗣️ Who We’ve Been Talking To This Week

We’ve had some incredible conversations behind the scenes!

🎤 Sarah Cowley-Ross – Olympian, Commonwealth Games medallist, sports commentator, and mum

We’re beyond excited to welcome Sarah Cowley-Ross to the podcast — but this episode comes with a twist…

She’s not coming alone.

Sarah will be joined by someone who knows her better than anyone else: her mum.

Together, they’ll take us behind the scenes of what it really takes to raise — and become — an elite athlete. From early mornings and late-night training sessions to mindset, motivation, and the messy moments in between, this conversation will give us a rare dual perspective: the athlete and the parent.

This episode promises a powerful blend of:

• 💬 Insight: What shaped Sarah’s path to the Olympics? What helped her push through challenges?

• 😂 Humour: The untold stories only a mum can tell.

• ❤️ Heart: A celebration of the support, sacrifice, and belief it takes to reach the top — together.

Whether you’re a parent guiding a young athlete or someone chasing a dream yourself, this one’s going to hit home.

🎧 Stay tuned — it's going to be real, raw, and seriously inspiring.
🌐 More about Sarah

🌍 Francis de Vries – All White and current Auckland FC player

Francis has agreed to do a virtual fan Q&A where fans from all over the world can Zoom in and ask questions live directly to Francis!

Stay tuned for details on how you can join the interview.

Want to be inspired by Francis’ journey?

Grit. Gratitude. Growth.

About a month ago, I watched a 15-minute interview with Francis, shared by New Zealand Football — and it’s stayed with me ever since.

What struck me most wasn’t just his impressive football career, but the kind of person he is. Francis embodies grit, gratitude, and growth. He’s a humble hustler — someone who’s faced his fair share of setbacks, stayed grounded, and kept showing up when others might’ve stepped away. And now, he’s using his journey to lift others.

Throughout the interview, Francis came across as resilient, down-to-earth, and driven — a player who’s forged his path not through luck, but through relentless effort and a clear sense of purpose. He doesn’t just speak about hard work — he lives it. And the way he shares those lessons shows a real passion for empowering the next generation.
🎥 Watch it here.

⚽ What is HeadStart Coaching?

HeadStart Coaching was founded by Francis, with a simple but powerful goal — to inspire and equip the next generation of athletes with the tools they need to thrive in sport and in life.

Francis knows first-hand what it takes to rise through the ranks, overcome setbacks, and perform at the highest level. Through HeadStart Coaching, he’s sharing those lessons to help young athletes grow in confidence, character, and resilience.

HeadStart Coaching vision is to see youth athletes develop not just technical skill, but the mindset and life skills that drive long-term success — like self-belief, consistency, and the ability to perform under pressure.

Their mission is to empower young people to take ownership of their journey by learning directly from professionals who’ve lived it.

From live Q&As and workshops to video content and practical takeaways, HeadStart Coaching is building a community where athletes can be challenged, supported, and inspired to become their best — on and off the pitch.
🌐 Check out HeadStart Coaching

🎯 This Week’s Focus: Focus Under Pressure – The Athlete’s Superpower

We’ve all seen it. The moment the pressure hits—last play of the game, final free throw, penalty shootout, race start gun—and everything tightens. Nerves creep in, thoughts scatter, and focus disappears.

But great athletes? They don’t crumble. They lock in.

And trust me, I get it. Even during something as casual as a game of mini putt, I still manage to choke when it counts. One shot left, a tiny crowd of onlookers (okay, just my family), and somehow… it just doesn’t come together. I put too much pressure on the shot, get in my own head, and overthink the whole thing. Meanwhile, my daughter? Ice-cold. She lines it up, takes a breath, and sinks the putt like it’s nothing. Cool. Calm. Focused.

That’s the difference. And it’s not luck. It’s learnable.

This week, we’re diving into how focus under pressure can be trained, nurtured, and turned into a superpower for your athlete—so they can perform when it matters most, whether it’s the World Cup or the family mini putt course.

This Week:

🏆 A Quote to Fuel Focus
🧠 Train the Brain: Focus Isn’t Luck
🎙️ New Podcast: Performing Under Pressure
🥑 Nutrition for Focus & Clarity
⚡ Bonus Tool: The 3-Step Focus Reset Plan
📢 Review Time + Facebook Group Shout-Out

🏆 A Quote to Fuel Focus

Let this quote sink in. It's not about trying harder in the moment. It’s about preparing before the pressure hits. That’s where real performance comes from—not hype, not luck, but training, habits, and mindset.

🧠 Train the Brain: Focus Isn’t Luck

Just like sprint speed or shooting accuracy, focus is a skill. And like any skill—it needs practice.

What is focus under pressure?

✅ Staying locked in despite distractions
✅ Keeping emotions steady when things go wrong
✅ Resetting quickly after mistakes
✅ Staying present, not hijacked by nerves

What derails focus?

• “What if” thoughts and self-doubt

• Fear of mistakes instead of playing freely

• Overthinking instead of trusting instincts

• External noise—crowds, comments, chaos

How to build focus:

1. Cue Word – A short, personal word that brings them back to the moment. (“Be the Lion”, “Next play”, “Lock in”, “Breathe”)

2. Set an Intention – Before games or training: “What’s one thing I’ll focus on today?”

3. Simulate Pressure – Practice with distractions, time constraints, or while fatigued.

4. Mindfulness Minutes – 2–3 minutes of quiet, focused breathing daily strengthens attention.

👉 Want a game-ready tool? Scroll down to try the 3-Step Focus Reset Plan.

🎙️ Podcast Drop: In Case You Missed It

Performing Under Pressure – With David Galbraith

In this powerful episode of The Game Changer Podcast, Ben sat down with one of Aotearoa’s most respected performance and mindset coaches — David Galbraith.

David’s track record includes:
🥇 Mind Coach to Lisa Carrington, Sarah Walker, Laura Langman, Sarah Cowley, All Blacks, NZ Netballers, Golfers, and more
🏉 14 years with the All Blacks Sevens
🏆 Mind Coach during the Chiefs’ Championship years
🎯 Olympics Performance Psychologist with High Performance Sport NZ — across FOUR Olympic Games

David shares insights that every parent, coach, and youth athlete needs to hear.
We dive into:

• The one emotion to master to unlock potential

• The 3 steps to fully commit to your dream

• Daily habits that lead to extraordinary outcomes

• The importance of “Green Box” thinking

• Youth-specific advice for athletes, parents, and coaches

• The power of mentorship and moments of perfection

  
  🎧 On Spotify: Listen here

You’re going to want your athlete to hear this one.

🥑 Nutrition with Dr Katie Schofield

🍏 Nutrition Activity: Fuel to Stay Cool!

Frustration happens—missed shots, tough races, or just an off day.
But did you know what you eat can help you stay calm and focused?

🥑 Fueling Calm: Emma’s Game-Changer

Emma was a fierce competitor on the soccer field, but lately, frustration was getting the best of her. Missed passes, tough games, and even small mistakes made her snap at teammates and doubt herself.

One evening after a particularly rough practice, I asked:

Emma paused and thought about it…
A rushed breakfast, not much at lunch, and barely any water.
No wonder she felt on edge!

For her next practice, we worked with Emma and her parents to try an experiment:

🛠 The Steady Energy Challenge!

Emma tracked how she felt after meals for one week:
Did she feel energized or sleepy?

We explored how better fueling could support her focus, emotions, and performance.

💡 For sustained energy, we focused on:

✅ Slow-digesting carbs – oats, whole grains, fruit
✅ At least three colours on the plate (and beige doesn’t count!)
✅ Protein + healthy fats – long-lasting energy
✅ Hydration! – small sips often (dehydration = quicker frustration!)
✅ Pre-training snack – something with fast-acting carbs for a quick energy boost

At first, Emma was skeptical.
But after a week, something changed:
She felt calmer, handled mistakes better, and even encouraged teammates instead of snapping.

That’s when she realised:
Frustration wasn’t just in her head—her body needed the right fuel to help her stay in control.
From then on, food became part of her game plan. 🚀💪

Try the “Steady Energy” Challenge and feel the difference!
The best athletes fuel their mind just as much as their body! 💪🔥

⚡ Bonus Tool: The “3-Step Focus Reset Plan”

Use this whenever performance starts to wobble:

1. Pause + Breathe
Two slow, deep breaths in through the nose, out through the mouth.

2. Cue Word
Repeat your personal word or phrase to reset focus. (“Reset”, “Here”, “Let’s go”)

3. Visualise the Next Action
Picture yourself executing it well—then step in with confidence.

💡 Practising this regularly builds “focus reflexes” that kick in under pressure.

📢 We Need Your Help! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you’ve gotten value from this newsletter, the podcast, or any of our work, we’d LOVE a review. It helps more families and coaches discover the support they need to raise strong, focused young athletes.

🚀 Join the Game Changer Community!

You’re not doing this alone—and you don’t have to.

Join our Facebook group for:

• Expert advice

• Behind-the-scenes updates on our podcast and platform

🌍 [Join The Game Changer Community on Facebook]

Here’s to raising young people who don’t just show up—they learn to focus, reset, and flourish when it matters most.

💥 Let’s raise Game Changers.

– Ben & B