Train the Mind, Coach the Athlete
Coaching athletes to play the long game.
Level up your coaching to understand how gender norms and expectations impact communication, conflict resolution, and resilience. Coaches will learn to help athletes develop the mindset and social skills to navigate challenges, work collaboratively, and continually grow—whether they’re chasing a championship or facing life’s next big test.
Train the Mind, Coach the Athlete was created for coaches, athletic directors, community-based organization recreation and sports staff, and other sports educators of middle and high school youth, especially girls and gender-expansive youth in sports.
This 2-hour online training is live, experiential, and highly interactive.
“All coaches, whether working with brand-new afterschool club teams, to guiding highly experienced players in highly competitive teams, will benefit from this training and be ready to use the lessons, activities, and check-in tools right away.” –Dr. Jia Nettles, National Sports Program Director
What you’ll learn:
- Understanding how gender norms and expectations impact athletes’ performance, confidence, ability to receive feedback, manage pressure and conflict, and their overall well-being
- Guiding your athletes to set goals, embrace challenges, learn from mistakes and continuously improve
- Building team cultures where athletes are taking risks, messing up, learning, improving and thriving, on and off the field
Date & Time:
Monday, October 20, 2025
2:00 – 4:00 PM Pacific
3:00 – 5:00 PM Mountain
4:00 – 6:00 PM Central
5:00 – 7:00 PM Eastern
Price:
$50 sliding scale
Why is this especially important for girls?
Many girls and gender-expansive youth face real challenges in sports, from lack of access to the right gear to team cultures that value competition over connection. On top of that, they often carry unspoken expectations about how they “should” act, which can make them hesitant to take risks or learn from mistakes. Coaches play a powerful role in shifting this—by creating supportive environments where athletes feel safe to grow, stumble, and try again. When belonging and growth mindset are part of the culture, young people build the confidence, resilience, and joy that keep them in the game and set them up for success in life.
Facilitator
Dr. Jia Nettles
National Sports Program Director
Check Girls Leadership’s sports programming here.
On February 1, 2023, Girls Leadership and Warriors Basketball Academy powered by Rakuten co-hosted an event in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day — a nationwide celebration to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sports and life. Check out the inspiring pictures here, and learn what basketball means to the girls and how they plan to support others in their basketball and leadership journey.
Girls Leadership also offers private online trainings and in-person trainings.
Ready to Bring Girls Leadership to Your Athletics Program?
Contact Amal Aziz at amal@girlsleadership.org.
To hear the latest about Girls Leadership’s programs for coaches, fill out this form.
