The document details the case study of Ryan, a motivated sixth-grade student-athlete who sought mental coaching from Mental Edge due to struggles with self-talk and pressure during competitions. Through techniques such as progressive relaxation and mental rehearsal, Ryan improved his mental approach, leading to enhanced athletic performance in basketball and other sports. The success story illustrates the benefits of mental coaching for young athletes in maximizing their physical talents and managing emotions.

1. Mental Edge Athletic Performance Consulting & Coaching
Case Studies / Success Stories
“Ryan”
Ryan is a sixth grade student-athlete who plays basketball, soccer, and baseball. Ryan is a
good athlete with a lot of natural ability. He is fast. He has good hand-eye coordination. He also
works hard and wants to do well. Ryan also does well in school. Ryan has been playing on elite,
travel, and AAU teams since he was 9 years old. Ryan is motivated to succeed especially in
basketball. Ryan and his parents began working with Mental Edge to develop his mental
approach. Ryan would sometimes struggles in pressure situations because of difficulty
controlling his nerves and occasional fear of failing. Even though he did well, he was afraid that
he would disappoint others if he didn’t come though when the game was on the line.
I met with Ryan every other week for a month. Ryan, as I find with many young athletes,
had a problem with controlling his self-talk. His internal dialogue with himself was not only
negative, but also created tension during competition. When we have tension in our muscles, it is
difficult to perform well. As a result, during these times, he would perform poorly during
important parts of competition. Ryan learned methods of controlling his self-talk. He then
learned about progressive relaxation and mental rehearsal. Ryan used this tool daily during the
regular and AAU basketball season. Ryan used these tools to become a consistent high
performer. They helped him take advantage of his natural ability and skill. He worked on both
his physical and mental skills. He has taken his game to a totally new level. With the help of
Mental Edge, Ryan is maximizing his physical skill and talent to take his game to a higher level.
Ryan was already motivated to succeed in the classroom and in athletic competition.
Mental Edge helped him not only manage his thoughts and emotions, but also use them to raise
his performance even higher!
Even motivated, high achievers benefit from what Mental Edge has to offer. How high
will your middle or high school athlete climb with Mental Edge?