Sponsored by Gap Year Soccer & Sports Recruiting USA (SRUSA)

In this episode, host Don Williams engages world-renowned sport psychologist Dan Abrahams in a deep dive into his soon-to-be-released book Compete, alongside his celebrated career and work. Dan unpacks what defines a great competitor and a high-performing team, and shares actionable insights for managing anxiety, anger, frustration, and fostering a championship mindset.

🧠 Meet Dan Abrahams

Global Sport Psychologist with a Master’s in Sport Psychology and HCPC registration, Dan has served elite soccer clubs—Premier League, Championship, and national teams—to optimize performance through mindset uk.linkedin.com+15danabrahams.com+15listennotes.com+15.

Former professional golfer, he brings unique insights from multiple sports into his coaching howsoccerexplainsleadership.com

Author of four best-sellers: Soccer Tough, Soccer Tough II, Soccer Brain, and Golf Tough—each focusing on practical mental strategies for players and coaches footblogball.wordpress.com+4danabrahams.com+4surfsoccernation.com+4.

📘 New Book: Compete (working title)

Focused on cultivating a competitive mindset, Compete helps athletes and teams define their competitive identity. Dan explores:

Traits of great competitors & teams—clarity, resilience, adaptability, and collective purpose.

Mental health tools—strategies for managing anxiety, anger, and frustration.

High-performance routines—process over outcomes, emotional regulation, and staying present under pressure.

📈 The Dan Abrahams Soccer Academy

A robust online platform offering:

3 core video series—Player, Coach, and Parent Tracks—with over 100 concise modules,

Tools to build confidence, enhance focus, and create game-day routines and mindsets,

Proven, bite-size lessons and real-life case studies used by parents and coaches internationally youtube.com+7howsoccerexplainsleadership.com+7norcalpremier.com+7behindthebest.colistennotes.com+4danabrahams.com+4footblogball.wordpress.com+4.

🔍 Special Topic Highlights

What defines elite competitors & high-performing teams?

Dan emphasizes a “high-performance mindset” founded on flexible process, psychological resilience, and collaborative “teamship” .

Conquering anxiety, anger, frustration

Through mental skills like self-awareness, process focus, and game-face routines, athletes can navigate emotional volatility in competition.

Practical mindset coaching tools

Dan outlines key techniques: scaling performance realistically, injecting process routines, situational self-talk, and mental warm-ups—helping athletes stay present and consistent.

Empowering coaches & parents

Communication strategies are critical. As Dan recently noted, “Every word a coach says builds confidence or damages it”—making precise, positive guidance essential norcalpremier.com+2soccertoday.com+2surfsoccernation.com+2.

👥 Media & Community

The Sport Psych Show—Dan hosts this podcast, sharing expertise across sports and performance listennotes.com+10danabrahams.com+10howsoccerexplainsleadership.com+10.

Active on social: X (@DanAbrahams77), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn—engaging with athletes, coaches, and parents globally youtube.com+15instagram.com+15howsoccerexplainsleadership.com+15.

🎧 Why This Episode Matters

Athletes, coaches, and parents will walk away with:

A playbook for mindset mastery: Simple, structured routines and principles that work under pressure.

Insight into next-level competitor development: Understanding the psychological benchmarks separating good from great.

Better communication strategies: Learn how to speak to athletes in ways that uplift and motivate—even in adversity.

This is more than a podcast—it’s a mental strength master class aligned with SRUSA and Gap Year Soccer's mission to build resilient, college-ready athletes.

This episode is brought to you by Sports Recruiting USA, the College Soccer Recruiting Experts.

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