THE MENTAL SIDE OF

SPORTS PERFORMANCE

Who you are shapes how you perform.

WHAT WE DO

PERFORMANCE STARTS WITH THE WHOLE PICTURE

Sports Mind AE exists to help athletes perform with clarity at the highest level, by aligning psychology, practice and performance environments.

It's not about isolated mental skills. It's about getting the whole system around the athlete working properly

1-TO-1 CHOACHING

Individual sessions on mental skills, competitive preparation, and performing under pressure.

In person or online.

GROUP PROGRAMMES

Team and squad workshops on focus, composure and mental preparation.

Academies · School teams · Competitive groups

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

JAMIE MCCONNELL

A performance coach and golf professional with over 15 years working alongside Olympians, European Tour players and elite junior athletes.

He holds a Masters in Applied Sport & Exercise Psychology from Setanta College, and works across golf, endurance and team sport.

He also competes in triathlon and time trial events. That isn't a footnote — it shapes how he thinks about long-term development, consistency, and what preparing to compete under pressure actually feels like.

15+ MSc Dubai

years of coaching Applied Sport & Exercise Psychology and online

WORKING TOGETHER

START WITH A CONVERSATION

Every athlete starts the same way — a free discovery call. No preparation needed, and no obligation to book anything afterwards.

✓ 30 minutes, online, free of charge

✓ What you're working on and what's getting in the way

✓ Where mental skills would and wouldn't help

✓ An honest view on whether this is the right fit

Already know what you need?

Performance plans are listed in full.

BOOK YOUR DISCOVERY CALL

THOUGHTS ON PERFORMANCE

THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE WORK

Research, reflection and real experience.

EXPLORE ALL POSTS

Two rides, and a question worth sitting with There's a phrase in cycling about emptying the tank. Most of the time it's just something people say, yet as a cycling fan we got to see what it actually looks like more than once in the last month; however, two in particular stand out.

What's in the Tank?

I was on the floor last night doing the exercises nobody enjoys. The ones that don't feel like training, don't look like training, and definitely don't make it onto anyone's highlight reel. And somewhere in the middle of it, mildly bored, I found myself thinking about the invite I'd turned down. Nothing dramatic. Just a small social thing, easy to say yes to, easy to enjoy, and I said no anyway. Which is a strange thing to sit with while you push a lacrosse ball into a tendon that nobody will ever ask you about.

It All Adds Up, Eventually

Stress isn't the problem. How you deal with it is. It had been over two years since I’d been to a tour event, and even longer since I’d actually caddied. That said, a home event for Kristyna was a good reason to dust off the cobwebs and get back on the bag for the LET Access Tour. It was a hilly course, to say the least, so I was quite happy to have a trolley for the week rather than carrying the bag, little wins!

In the Arena

I was in Stockholm this weekend. Not racing, just watching. Standing at the side of the road as thousands of people moved through the city on marathon day, I found myself not necessarily watching the race but watching the people. The ones flying through at kilometre twenty, all efficiency and quiet confidence. The ones starting to hurt at thirty, jaw tightening, form beginning to unravel at the edges. The ones at thirty-five who have clearly had a conversation with themselves that nobody else was party to, and are still moving forward anyway.

It Owes You Nothing

Why the build matters more than the day itself I was sitting in the café after track Tuesday this week, coffee in hand, still sweating!! When my friend VK asked how the recovery from my hip operation was going.

The Best Part Isn't the Race

Better people. Better environment. Better performance. I've been thinking a lot about environment this week. Not training environment in the technical sense like altitude, heat etc. The human environment. The people you do it with. The energy in the room when you show up.

The Room You're In Changes What You're Capable Of

From Formula 1 drama, to the chaos of the Six Nations, and of course the epic Milan–San Remo this weekend, it’s been one of those periods where you’re reminded why you love sport in the first place. Not just for the quality… but for the unpredictability of it all. And that’s what’s been most interesting from a psychology perspective. Because if there’s one thing that keeps showing up, over and over again, it’s this:

The Myth of Consistency & Predictability

The past few weeks in the UAE have felt a little uneasy. With tensions rising in the region and constant updates about the situation involving Iran, it’s been hard not to get pulled into the cycle of news, speculation, and commentary.

The Love of Sport: A Welcome Distraction

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Written pieces on clarity, learning, performance and pressure.