Episode 27

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Published on:

14th Jul 2025

Regulate Your Body, Own the Moment

Welcome to 'Confident Calm Clutch Car Ride Conversations' with Valerie Alston. In this episode, Valerie delves into managing nerves and using your body to enhance performance. Learn the importance of controlling your body's responses, using breath as a key tool to maintain calm and confidence, and practical strategies like box breathing and grounding techniques. This episode is perfect for parents and young athletes looking to build mental toughness, resilience, and confidence. Tune in to discover how to harness your body's natural reactions to stress and channel them productively.

00:00 Introduction to Confidence and Body Connection

00:51 Understanding the Mind-Body Link

02:31 Fight or Flight: The Body's Response to Stress

05:15 Harnessing Nervous Energy for Performance

06:42 Breathing Techniques for Athletes

13:11 Grounding Techniques to Stay Present

18:21 Family Discussion and Reflection

20:31 Conclusion and Next Steps

Download the FREE Mental Skills Journal here



Discussion questions:

  1. How do you usually feel in your body before a game or big moment?
  2. Have you ever tried a breathing routine to calm down? What worked—or didn’t?
  3. What’s one thing you could do to stay centered during pressure moments?
  4. How do we (as a family) talk about nerves? Is it seen as something bad—or normal?





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

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

Follow Me on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666

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About the Podcast

Car Ride Conversations For Sports Families
Conversation prompts for building mentally tough young athletes while you drive
The ultimate podcast for parents, coaches, and young athletes who want to unlock the secrets to mental toughness, confidence, and resilience. Whether you're on your way to practice, a big game, or just tackling the daily grind, these bite-sized episodes are designed to spark meaningful conversations to equip young athletes with actionable tools to thrive in school, sports and life while building strong relationships with their parents, one car ride at a time.

Hosted by Valerie Alston, former D1 athlete, sport psychology expert, and resilience coach, each episode dives into key topics like building effective self-talk, staying calm under pressure, and bouncing back from setbacks. With real-life stories, practical tips, and relatable insights, you'll discover how to support your athlete's journey while strengthening your connection along the way.

Buckle up and join us for a ride full of inspiration, growth, and the skills needed to become Confident, Calm, and Clutch!

Questions? Comments? Ideas?
✉️ Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com

Follow Me On:
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666

✨ For exclusive tips, tools, and updates, join my newsletter:
📬 https://www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter


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About your host

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Valerie Alston

Drawing from a rich background as a former D1 softball player and a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, she boasts over 15 years of experience dedicated to teaching and training Soldiers in the intricate art of mental toughness and resilience. As a distinguished author and coach, she brings a unique perspective to the realm of performance enhancement. Currently, her passion lies in empowering today's youth, leveraging her expertise to build and foster resilience through sports and mental toughness training, ensuring the next generation thrives in both their athletic pursuits and broader life challenges. With a comprehensive approach to athlete development, she extends her expertise to parents and coaches. Committed to enhancing understanding, she collaborates with them to impart valuable insights on building the mental toughness of young athletes, fostering an environment that nurtures resilience and unleashes their full potential.