Why I Decided to Write My Book

Sometimes the best ideas don’t come from sitting at a desk with a grand plan. They start on the sidelines of a muddy pitch or a crowded sports hall, in the in-between moments when parents are chatting about the highs and lows of their children’s sporting journeys.

That’s where my book began.

As a sports parent myself, I found I was having the same kinds of conversations again and again. Parents would open up about the pressure their children felt, about worries over confidence and motivation, about trying to support without pushing too hard. It struck me how many of us were navigating these challenges alone, without much guidance on how to balance our role as cheerleader, chauffeur, coach, and confidant.

At first, I thought the answer might be an online toolkit — a collection of practical mental performance tools and insights that parents could use to support their child’s sporting journey. But before I created anything, I wanted to make sure I truly understood the challenges parents were facing.

So I set out to do some research...

I spoke to, surveyed, and interviewed around 50 fellow sports parents whose children were competing at all levels — from local clubs to national squads, across a wide range of sports. And despite the different ages, abilities, and pathways, a set of clear themes emerged.

Parents consistently told me they wanted help with:

• Managing the pressure and emotions that come with competitive sport — both their child’s and their own.

• Striking the right balance between encouragement and over-pushing.

• Supporting their child’s confidence, resilience, and motivation without adding more stress.

• Helping their children cope with setbacks, losses, and disappointments.

• Finding ways to keep sport fun and balanced, while still nurturing talent.

The more I listened, the more I realised: these weren’t small, one-off challenges. These were universal struggles that shape not only a child’s sporting experience, but also their confidence, wellbeing, and long-term love of sport.

And then, in October 2024, something shifted.

I discovered Abi Horne from Authors & Co, who was launching a course on how to write a book. It was an instant lightbulb moment. Instead of just creating a toolkit, I could write a book. A book that would capture these insights, share the lessons from my research, and provide parents with practical tools.

That’s when my book-writing journey began.

From Research to Reality

The book brings together the voices of parents, the lessons from my own journey as both a sports parent and mindset coach, and practical strategies that families can use every day.

Without giving too much away (because I’d love you to discover it for yourself), the book explores:

• The common traps sports parents fall into — and how to avoid them.

• How to build healthy motivation in your child.

• Tools for managing the highs and lows of competition.

• Ways to help your child develop resilience and confidence, both in sport and beyond.

• How to keep your athlete’s identity balanced and joyful, so they don’t get lost in the pressure of performance.

  
  

It’s part guide, part conversation, and part reassurance that you’re not alone in this journey.

When does it launch?

After many months (and countless cups of coffee), I’m so excited to share that my book will officially launch on 23rd October 2025. Yippee!

If you’d like to be the first to hear updates, sneak previews, and behind-the-scenes insights as we get closer to launch day, you can sign up to my waitlist here > www.thetalentedmind.com/book

This book started with a conversation on the sidelines. My hope is that it will start many more conversations — in families, clubs, and communities — about how we can support our young athletes to thrive, not just in sport, but in life.