Teacher Julia Allain Writes Sports Psychology Book

In Everything I Got, GCDS psychology teacher and mental skills coach Julia Allain shares lessons from growing up in a world of sports to help players find success both on and off the playing field. Using her personal playing and coaching experience, academic research, and sports history, Allain provides thirty powerful lessons that challenge us all to re-examine the concept of an athletic identity, harness the power of emotions, and redefine the goal-setting process.

According to Allain, a 2019 national survey revealed that the average kid in the United States quits the sport they are playing by the age of eleven because it isn’t fun anymore. Plagued by the pressure, emotional stress, and the constant fear of failure, athletic experiences have started to take more from many athletes than they give.

In this book, athletes find the true value of the game and elite sports performance.

“As I have worked as a coach and sports psychology consultant, I have seen a shift that has started to take a lot of the value away from sports. This both worries and saddens me. Whether it be a focus on status, money, or trophies, the games we play have evolved from an experience to a means to an end, robbing us all

LOOMIS CHAFFEE SCHOOL | WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT

Julia Allain ’10 Writes Book on Preparing the Mind for the Game

Miss the first of two free throws, and somewhere inside that brain the chatter does nothing for your confidence as you step to the line for the second. Get a hit in your first at-bat, and you feel good stepping up to the plate the next time. Mind games.

“Unfortunately, making that first shot makes us feel better about taking the second because a lot of us have developed reactive confidence — confidence that relies on outcomes and context to grow and develop,” said Julia Allain ’10, founder of Allain Mental Performance LLC. “I work with athletes on creating proactive confidence — confidence that we develop based on our preparation and things we control, so as a result, we approach both that first shot and that second shot exactly the same regardless of the outcome. If our confidence is dependent on things such as rewards, outcomes, or other people’s reactions, we are leaving our confidence to chance rather than taking control of one of the most important elements of our performance.” of not just the experience of competing, but also the ability to perform at our best due to the increased pressure. Therefore, I hope this book offers both perspective and strategies to keep the love and fun of the game alive and help us all become the best versions of ourselves both on and off the field,” said Allain.

Visit Loomis Chaffee’s website for the rest of their article about Julia and her book.

“AN EXCELLENT ROADMAP FOR HOW YOU CAN GROW YOUR MENTAL GAME AND GET THE MOST OUT OF THE SPORT YOU LOVE. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO PLAYERS, COACHES, PARENTS, AND ANYONE THAT WANTS TO TAKE STEPS TOWARD THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.”

—DAN MUSE, HEAD COACH OF THE USA HOCKEY NATIONAL TEAM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM