Webinar
Virtual Conference - Coaching for Impact: Mental Performance in the Youth Sport Environment
11:00 am - 2:00 pm EDT
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm UTC
Overview
As youth sport continues to grow in popularity and is a significant part of many young people’s development worldwide, it is important that we understand that context and how to be effective within it as mental performance and sport psychology professionals. The 2025 Virtual Conference will offer valuable perspectives into the diverse and evolving landscape of youth sport, highlighting practical strategies for professionals and students to utilize in their work. Speakers will examine the youth sport system across both developed and developing regions; discuss tailoring mental performance sessions to meet the unique needs of youth athletes while engaging key stakeholders; offer actionable strategies to support and integrate parents within the mental performance process in particular; and share best practices in coaching mental skills with youth athletes. Attendees will gain practical insights and tools to enhance their approach to developing youth athletes and supporting key stakeholders within the youth sport system in order to make a lasting impact.
Speakers & Presentations
The Current Landscape of Youth Sport: Athletes and the Individuals and Contexts that Surround Them
Travis Dorsch PhD, Utah State University
To understand the global phenomenon of youth sport, it is important to explore all aspects of the youth sport system: athletes, parents, siblings, peers, coaches, organizations, communities, and society at large. In addition, it is important to compare the youth sport systems in widely researched countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia to others around the world, especially those in developing and highly populated areas such as Africa and Asia.
Mental Performance Effectiveness: Structure and Stakeholder Considerations when Working with Youth Athletes
Felix Yu, MA, CMPC, Chicago Fire Football Club
In order to have a positive impact on youth athletes, there are various factors that we believe are important to be mindful of and incorporate into our work. It’s keeping the phrase, “meet the client where they’re at”, top-of-mind and structuring team sessions, quick touchpoints, and longer-form individual sessions around this central idea. Two main areas include: a) where, what, and how sessions are conducted and b) the extent that key stakeholders around this athlete are engaged to maximize effect.
Parents as a Part of the Youth Sport Experience and Mental Performance Work
Camilla Knight, PhD, MSc, BSc, HCPC registered practitioner psychologist, Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist, FBASES. Swansea University and University of Agder
It’s broadly recognised that parents are a key stakeholder within the youth sport experience. However, while research in this area is developing, there is still limited consideration of the experiences of parents themselves when developing and delivering sport psychology support. This presentation will seek to explore the youth sport parent experience and influence, resulting in identification of key strategies to support parents and integrate them within the broader mental performance work.
The Art of Teaching Mental Skills: Strategies for Creating Lasting Impact with Youth Athletes
Becca Thomas, MS, IMG Academy
Consultants have the opportunity to create lasting impact with youth athletes they work with, making session preparation essential to success. Thoughtful planning and intentional decisions going into each session can lead to more effective and engaging experiences. Using real-world examples, we will explore considerations around setting clear expectations during a session, building a supportive learning environment, and leveraging stories, videos, and activities to keep athletes engaged. Consultants will gain insights into crafting impactful sessions, reinforcing mental skills over time, and addressing challenges like maintaining athlete engagement.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Gain a topical understanding of youth sport, in many forms, around the world
- Learn considerations for being effective as a mental performance coach working in youth sport around structuring sessions and engaging stakeholders
- Understand the experiences of youth sport parents and develop strategies to work with them
- Learn strategies for preparing and delivering effective, engaging, and impactful sessions when working with youth athletes
CE Credit
This program is under review by the Continuing Education Committee for 3.0 CEUs to partially meet the continuing education recertification requirement for Certified Mental Performance Consultants® (CMPCs).
Program Format
You can attend an AASP webinar from your home or office. All you need is an internet connection. You can see the presentation slides on your computer or mobile device, and listen to the audio through your device, or call in with a phone. Registrants will be provided with login information the day prior to the session. The webinar will also be archived for those who wish to watch it at a later date.
About the Speakers
Dr. Travis Dorsch is an Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Families in Sport Lab in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Utah State University. Dr. Dorsch’s research targets the persons (i.e., parents, siblings, peers, and coaches) and contexts (i.e., organizations, communities, and societies) that have the potential to influence or be influenced by athletes’ behaviors, attitudes, experiences, and outcomes in youth sport. His research has been funded by multiple national organizations, including the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NCAA, and the Aspen Institute. Dr. Dorsch has authored more than 70 articles, book chapters, and technical reports and has contributed to more than 110 presentations for local, state, regional, national, and international audiences. His research findings have been highlighted in outlets such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and TIME Magazine and are used by sport governing bodies within the U.S. Olympic movement, recreational and elite youth sport organizations, and sport coaches and parents to construct more developmentally appropriate sport contexts and to evaluate the role of youth sport in contemporary society. Dr. Dorsch is a former member of the national science board for the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, & Nutrition, a research fellow for the U.S. Center for Mental Health & Sport, and a member of the steering committee for the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation’s “Sport 2030” initiative. He was also named the 2021 Early Career Distinguished Scholar by the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport & Physical Activity.
Dr. Camilla Knight is a Professor in Sport Psychology and Youth Sport at Swansea University, UK and a visiting Professor at University of Agder, Norway. She is also the Youth Sport lead for the Welsh Institute of Performance Science, an HCPC registered practitioner psychologist, accredited sport and exercise scientist and fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science. Camilla’s research interests are concerned with understanding and enhancing the psychosocial experiences of children in sport, with a particular focus upon the influence of parents. Camilla is co-author of “Parenting in youth sport: From Research to Practice” (Routledge, 2014) and co-editor of “Sport Psychology for Young Athletes” (Routledge, 2017). She has published over 25 book chapters on topics related to parental involvement in sport, as well as 70 peer reviewed journal articles. She has delivered over 20 keynote and invited presentations around the world and her work has been presented at more than 150 conferences. She collaborates extensively with academics across the Globe, including but not limited to Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the USA. Camilla also consults widely with a range of national and international sports organisations on parental involvement and youth sport participation more broadly. Due to her research knowledge, Camilla has particular expertise in relation to developing and optimising relationships with sport settings, with an emphasis on enhancing performance, psychosocial outcomes, and wellbeing.
Becca Thomas is the Assistant Head of Mental Performance at IMG Academy, where she leverages her extensive experience working with youth athletes across various sports. In her role, Becca conducts mental performance sessions with youth tennis players while collaborating closely with experts in sports medicine, nutrition, and strength and conditioning to foster holistic well-being and performance optimization. Her work is centered on empowering athletes to reach their full potential, ensuring a well-rounded approach to both athletic and personal growth. Committed to the success of both athletes and professionals, Becca also extends her expertise to corporate sectors, providing mental skills training for professionals seeking to improve performance in high-pressure environments. With a Master of Science in Kinesiology, specializing in Psychosocial Aspects of Sport and Physical Activity from Michigan State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from Wingate University—where she was a collegiate tennis player—Becca combines academic knowledge with practical experience to make a meaningful impact in youth sport.
Felix Yu is the mental performance coach for the Chicago Fire Football Club working primarily with the Academy players. He started as an intern through his masters program that he completed at Adler University, with a specialization in sport and health psychology. Over the past 7 years at the club, Felix has helped athletes progress through the academy, equipping them with coping skills to deal with the challenges of the MLS Academy landscape. Recently, he has focused on the oldest age groups and supporting their transitions into the MLS Next Pro and 1st team environments. At the core of his work is honing in on what the athlete needs in that moment in context of their environment.
Registration
Students – $49.00
Members – $75.00
Non-members – $99.00
