The Resilient Young Athlete: A Practical Guide to Developing Mental Toughness, Self Confidence, and a Growth Mindset Amid the Success and Setbacks of Youth Sports

Real Athletes. Real Stories. Real Mental Toughness. Does your young athlete crumble when they compete? Does pressure, one mistake, or one critical comment corrupt their confidence?

If the above sounds familiar I promise you, you're not alone.

My name is Carol Robins, and I believe success in sports starts with a mentality . Over the past 18 years I have worked as both a coach and sports scientist in youth sports. I've been a part of championship winning teams, and worked with local league to national level youth athletes, their parents, and coaches. I have also toured the world to countries including the USA, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands through youth sport. These experiences have helped shape my approach to youth athlete development and led to my national recognition as Australian Accredited Sports Scientist of the Year 2024 .

During this time, what I have witnessed is one universal truth: skill and natural talent may open doors for a young athlete, but it’s those who embrace challenges, push through setbacks, and keep working when no one else is watching who go on to achieve greatness — long after talent alone is no longer enough.

The Resilient Young Athlete is the result of my years of experience, and the guide I wish every youth athlete, parent, and coach had. Packed with actionable strategies, inspiring stories, and science-backed research, this book will help young readers learn how to:

Develop a growth mindset that thrives on improvement and opportunity

Conquer doubts, sharpen focus, and maintain composure under pressure

Set and achieve SMART goals that pave the way to success

Elevate performance with training and game-day techniques used by the best pro-athletes including icons like Kobe Bryant, Rafael Nadal, Cristiano Ronaldo, Stephen Curry, Tom Brady and more

Handle criticism constructively and turn the tables in your favor

Embrace the pivotal role of failure and emerge stronger than ever from setbacks

For Parents: I know behind every young athlete who believes in themselves is a parent who believed first. That's why I've designed sections of this book that offer practical strategies specifically for you. While you can’t remove every challenge or setback from your young athlete’s sporting journey, you can learn how to help them build the mindset and skills they need to face those moments with greater confidence, resilience and independence.

For Coaches: We have the power to shape not only athletic performance but also mindset, character, and confidence. So I’ve created dedicated sections to help you build positive athlete–coach relationships and create the kind of atmosphere that inspires peak performance. With my own experience, and leadership lessons from legends like Sir Alex Ferguson, Phil Jackson, and Patrick Mouratoglou, you’ll discover strategies to communicate effectively, instill belief, and create an environment where athletes excel.

You'll also meet two young athletes I’ve had the privilege to work with, and whose powerful stories of perseverance bring these lessons to life.

In the UK, hear from Burnley FC and 2023 championship-winning Wrexham FC goalkeeper Kai Calderbank-Park. Then in the USA meet NCHSAA and AAU basketballer Ruben Borg, whose journey has since led him to become a Division II collegiate player with Division 1 offers.

With a foreword by dual Olympic track and field coach Mel Smith, The Resilient Young Athlete allows readers to create a fully customisable toolkit for building mental toughness. Acknowledging that each athlete’s journey is unique, this book is the ultimate guide for anyone involved in youth sports.

The best is yet to come. Make now the moment everything changes.