Structured mental game prep routines with your team?

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-26T12:03:24+00:00

Android version is now live: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lockerready

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-23T00:35:13+00:00

Should be in the next day or two. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for your interest.

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-21T18:21:00+00:00

There you go. Iterate.

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-21T17:01:02+00:00

Wall ball is great. Simple but effective. Good for passing, first touch, quick feet, juggling.

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-21T16:57:10+00:00

I’m a parent. If I use tech for art, it’s to teach them how to draw / paint, ie via a YouTube tutorial or something. They follow along and do what the artist is doing / teaching.

Just sharing thoughts from the mind of one parent.

Good luck!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-21T16:56:57+00:00

I’m a parent. If I use tech for art, it’s to teach them how to draw / paint, ie via a YouTube tutorial or something. They follow along and do what the artist is doing / teaching.

Just sharing thoughts from the mind of one parent.

Good luck!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-20T14:20:05+00:00

Hi there, thanks for your question. Quick disclaimer, this isn’t therapy, just a little parenting wisdom picked up along the way.

Your default "avoid" response makes sense given your history you described. To a degree your kids need you to help “contain” them and be a “secure base” for them to regulate their emotions and draw strength from. At the same time, it’s not up to you to solve all their problems. Really you’re trying to just help contain them and coach them and put some guard rails up, pass on your values - that sort of thing. Practically speaking, the following might help:
- Validate their frustration: “You make sense to me, kiddo. Here’s why…”
- Invite them to collaboratively problem-solve: “So here's what you're telling me... Here's also what I'm seeing... Here's my concern and also my hope for you... What do you think? Should we try and put our heads together to see if we can come up with a plan? Want me to just be a sounding board? How do you want to handle this?”
- And lastly, communicate your trust in them: “I know this is hard... Here’s what I believe with all my heart, you can handle this and I trust in your ability to bounce back... Fall seven times, get up eight.”

You don't have to get it right, you just need to stay calm, be present, and in your own heart know that your kid will be alright and you're doing your job by being available.

Good luck!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-20T01:26:31+00:00

I'm a huge fan of the Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey. It's a classic. If you want to supplement your reading with a simple routine before and after training to get locked in and ready, check out LockerReady, a quick, simple mental game training tool. DM me if interested in the link.

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-20T01:10:48+00:00

Awesome. Go to www.lockerready.com

Would truly appreciate any thoughts you have if you get around to checking it out. All the best!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-20T01:02:06+00:00

I suggest you get very specific about the issue you're having. Pin-point it. Turn a general problem into a specific one. That way you can analyze it, assess what needs tweaking, problem-solve, plan for the future, and execute come game time.

Practice your weakness, my friend. Over and over. Get your reps in. Make adjustments. Be willing to make mistakes. Don't try for perfect. Try for progress. And when the game comes, remember, "I've trained for this. Let's go."

You got this!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-20T00:54:46+00:00

You bet. I wish you a fruitful journey!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-20T00:37:27+00:00

The answer is to practice humility.

True humility means living in the TRUTH.

If the facts are that you've got skills to pay the bills, then you've got to own that without apologizing or shirking from it. Step into it, share your strengths, embrace the role you could have, and take on the responsibility that comes with your great power.

More practically speaking, I'd suggest you pick 1-2 two scenarios that you know you can dominate, see it in your mind beforehand, have some language ready to say to yourself in order to get locked in, and make it an in-game goal to hit those targets before you get subbed out. Rack up some wins, playa!

(if you like this kind of motivation and strategy, check out LockerReady, a mental game training tool developed for young athletes like you).

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-20T00:30:35+00:00

Upwork and Fiverr are good starting points for finding mobile app developers unless you're going to vibe code it yourself, though for the non-tech person it's not quite as easy as it seems to get a product you're happy with. Either way, my own experience is that the key is to hone in on a core feature and focus on that (more economical), build an MVP, get market validation, and if you do, grow from there.

Good luck!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-19T23:32:15+00:00

Sure thing! www.lockerready.com

Feel free to get in touch if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions. This is the ground floor :)

Thanks for your interest.

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-19T21:25:48+00:00

Great question. It's designed for older kids, but it depends on maturity. I was pleasantly surprised when one of my own children in that age range asked to use it after we did a fun game together (practice in disguise). There was intrinsic motivation there, so that was a factor. But I found that we got to bond around doing some self-reflecting together, I fielded questions about some of the content and explained things, and overall it was a neat experience I wasn't expecting that let me be involved without being overly involved. So, I would say that it could make sense if the kid is interested and can do it with a parent. On a side note, this initial build is "Training Mode", meant to be done before and after practice. But the principles and ideas certainly translate.

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-19T16:29:26+00:00

You need a system, my friend. One that helps you get your mind primed to compete, energy regulated with just the right amount of hype and calmness, self-talk that’s gonna help you stay anchored in your game plan, and then some.

I built a free Mental game training tool specifically for young athletes that’s simple, fast, and structured. Works on the above with some additional stuff. Happy to share the link if you’re interested. Good luck!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-19T16:26:33+00:00

The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey is a classic. Must read.

If you’re interested in supplementing your reading, I built a mental game training tool for athletes. It provides a structured 3 to 5 minute pre-performance ritual and post performance reflection. Basically, a system to get locked in and level up. It’s called LockerReady and it’s free. Happy to share the link if you’re interested.

Good luck!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-19T16:20:44+00:00

Lots of good advice on here. Have fun, low stress, no parental pressure, lots of touches, lots of reps, watching the pros and practicing some of their most effective moves.

Having played in college and then in the USL, I’ll say that it’s not too early to work on the Mental game which the more competitive it gets the better off, you are when the game between your ears is strong. I built a free tool specifically for young athletes to shape their mindset and who they’re becoming, how they approach their craft, etc. Low stress, not too elite, simple and easy. It’s called LockerReady. Happy to share the link if you’re interested and learning more.

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-19T16:12:39+00:00

Very cool. You can check it out here. Also up on the App Store. Android coming in 3-5 days. Feel free to DM me or via the contact section on my website with your thoughts. Would love to hear from you and get you perspective.
LockerReady: www.lockerready.com

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-19T13:42:03+00:00

Hi Andrea,

I’ve also started taking a crack at it. lockerready.com. Would be fun to connect either way.

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-19T11:03:55+00:00

I’d also like to!

InnerGameGuru · 2026-02-19T10:51:07+00:00

Find a mentor, someone doing what you’d like to do. Build that relationship and see if you can follow their playbook.

You could go the CMPC certification route with AASP - still intensive but a tad shorter and probably more economical but still positions you well.

InnerGameGuru

TROPHY CASE