Mental Performance at Team USA
This is your central hub for mental performance skills backed by science, built for athletes, coaches, and the high-performance community. Learn about evidence-based mental performance skills, assessment tools, and mental performance resources available for Team USA.
Are you an athlete, coach, or NGB staff?
Or
Mental skills aren’t purely innate — they’re trainable. Just like physical strength or technique, athletes can:
Learn why each skill matters (e.g., how mindfulness impacts recovery)
Practice consistently with feedback so mental skills show up when needed (under pressure)
Adapt skills to match personal and sport-specific needs
Focus, shift, and toggle attention efficiently in dynamic environments. Scharfen & Memmert, 2019
Develop confidence through mastery, consistency, and awareness of your strengths. Jekauc et al., 2023Lochbaum et al., 2023
Recognize, label, and modulate emotion before, during, and after competition. Wagstaff, 2014, Lane et al., 2012
Use breathwork, muscle relaxation, biofeedback, music, or movement to modulate intensity. Sammy et al., 2017
Set and track outcome, performance, and process goals. Williamson et al., 2022,Bird et al., 2023
Rehearse movements, skills, competitive scenarios, and coping strategies through mental practice. Lindsay et al., 2021
Strengthen team cohesion, communication, and emotional intelligence. Davis et al., 2018, Laborde et al., 2016
Cultivate non-reactivity, present-moment awareness, and meta-cognition. Bühlmayer et al., 2017, Gardner & Moore, 2017
Align values with goals to drive sustained effort. Henriksen, 2019, Lemyre et al., 2007
Rewire internal dialogue to enhance focus and confidence and let go of self-defeating narratives. Hatzigeorgiadis et al., 2013, Walter et al., 2019
Develop consistent rituals around training and competition. Rupprecht et al., 2021
Cultivate self-kindness to support resilience and recovery. Kuchar et al., 2023,Cormier et al., 2023
Why Train Mental Performance?
Why Train Mental Performance?
Evidence-Based Benefits
Mental Performance Assessments
Explore a suite of evidence-based tools to evaluate mental skills and traits that facilitate sport performance.
Reports We Offer
We provide detailed feedback for the following assessments:
TOPS – Mental skills in training & competition
🔗 [Download All One-Pagers] (placeholder for bundled ZIP or links to each)
VAMS – Psychological flexibility in performance (Note: This measure was adapted specifically for Team USA athletes)
SMTQ – Foundational and interpersonal skills
CSAI-2R – Competitive anxiety
BNSSS & PMCSQ-2 – Coaching climate and team motivation
[Sample Report Downloads] (placeholders for downloadable PDFs)
Full List of Tools by Category
- Optimize Mental Performance (OMP) App
- Headspace access via Team USA
- Biofeedback & Neurofeedback lab sessions at COS OPTC
- Request a Workshop, opens in a new tab
✔ Mental Skills Overview
✔ Focus & Attention
✔ Imagery & Rehearsal
✔ Goal-Setting
✔ Team Culture
✔ Communicating Deselection (for coaches)
✔ Sleep & Performance
✔ Virtual Reality Training
Team USA Psychological Services Resource Hub
Refer or Request Services – Click Here (Access restricted to eligible users)
📚 Additional Reading
Links to research papers embedded throughout
Books and Training Guides (Add future reading section or bookshelf)