Welcome to Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! I’m your host, Valerie Alston, here to help parents and young athletes spark meaningful dialogue about mental toughness, resilience, and confidence. Whether you’re heading to practice, a game, or just running errands, this podcast is your go-to for building stronger relationships and lifelong skills—one car ride at a time. Let’s dive in!"

The Rules of Conversation:

Here are simple "rules of conversation" to make these chats as fun and meaningful as possible:

1. There are no wrong answers. Everyone’s opinion is valid, and the goal is to explore ideas together.
2. Take turns talking and listening. Make sure everyone gets a chance to share, and don’t worry if you need more time to think. You can always pick up the conversation in your next car ride!
3. Minimize distractions. No phones or other gadgets—though parents, I know you still need to focus on driving!
4. Choose your flow. You can listen to all the questions first and then discuss, or pause after each one to talk.
5. Keep it flexible. You don’t have to answer every question, and you’re welcome to come up with your own rules. The key is to keep the conversation exploratory and helpful—this isn’t an interrogation!

Topic: Mental Toughness

Mental toughness is the ability to stay focused, confident, and resilient—even when things get hard. It’s what helps athletes bounce back from mistakes, handle pressure, and keep working toward their goals. But here’s the thing—mental toughness isn’t just for sports. It’s just as important for school, friendships, and life in general.

When kids learn mental toughness, they develop skills like problem-solving, emotional regulation, and self-confidence. These are tools they can carry with them into adulthood.

Discussion questions

Here are a few questions to get you started on this topic:

1. What does mental toughness mean to you? And why do you think it might be important to develop? Parents, share your perspective too. For example, is there a time when you had to stay focused or bounce back from a tough situation?
2. Can you think of a time in sports or school when you had to be mentally tough? How did you handle it? This question can help kids reflect on their own experiences and recognize their strengths.
3. What’s one thing you think could help you become mentally tougher? And how will you start practicing that today? This question invites exploration and sets the stage for growth.

Remember, take your time with these. You don’t have to discuss them all in one car ride, and it’s okay if the conversation goes in a different direction. The goal is simply to connect and learn from each other.

Share and Subscribe!!!

And don’t forget to join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter for exclusive tips, tools, and updates or buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology on Amazon. Together, we can help young athletes thrive in sports, school, and life. See you next time!"

Do you have a topic you'd like me to discuss or are curious about? Submit your request here https://valstoncoaching.typeform.com/carridetopic