Boost Your Coaching: Avoid Rookie Mistakes for Peak Performance

Want to level up your coaching game fast? Avoid these rookie mistakes for peak team performance. Learn more about the mental game → https://coachfreetraining.com 

⚡If you’re a new high school or middle school coach — or even a seasoned one looking for a reset — this episode breaks down three coaching pitfalls that could be quietly holding your team back. From poor communication to overlooking mental performance, I share hard-earned lessons that transformed my coaching career from a one-win rookie to a 4x state champion. 🏆 

These are the behind-the-scenes shifts that fuel real athlete development, stronger team culture, and long-term success — especially when you’re coaching girl athletes who need more than just drills and conditioning to thrive. 

👋 I’m Coach Bre — a mental performance coach for girl athletes, Co-Founder of The Elite Competitor™, and a long-time head volleyball coach and 4-time state champ. On this channel, we help coaches lead with confidence, build stronger teams, and elevate the mental and emotional side of sport. 

Inside this episode:

✅ Why “coaching to prove yourself” backfires (and what to do instead) 

✅ The #1 mistake new coaches make with mental & emotional training 

✅ How to build athlete trust and reduce drama with better role clarity 

✅ Simple mindset tools that help players handle pressure like pros 

This episode is packed with coaching tips, communication strategies, and mental performance tools to help you build a team culture that lasts. Whether you're coaching volleyball, basketball, softball, or soccer — these lessons apply. 

🕓 Key Moments

00:00 Introduction: My First Coaching Job 

00:17 Lessons Learned from Early Coaching Mistakes 

00:47 Episode Overview: Top Three Coaching Mistakes 

01:23 Shoutout to a Successful Coach 

02:39 My Coaching Journey Begins 

04:48 Mistake #1: Coaching to Prove Myself 

11:15 Mistake #2: Neglecting Mental and Emotional Training 

13:48 Implementing Mental Training Techniques 

19:18 Mistake #3: Poor Communication 

21:29 Strategies for Effective Communication 

24:58 Empowering Athletes with Defined Roles 

26:29 Conclusion: Recap and Next Steps 

📌 Want a shortcut to coaching the mental side of the game?

Grab our FREE mental training for coaches → https://coachfreetraining.com

Follow us on IG → @elitecompetitorcoach

Check out our plug & play elite mental game info → https://elitecompetitor.com/plugplayemg 

Head to coachfreetraining.com to grab our free training for coaches to quickly level-up your team's mental game!