Mental Performance Coaching for Hockey Players

Hockey is a fast paced and physical sport that demands both athleticism and skill. As players rise the ranks, the mental game becomes more and more important.

Those that consistently play with confidence, trust their training, and relentlessly play their game have a significant competitive advantage.

But many players get caught in the fear mindset – afraid to make mistakes. They end up tentative with the puck, overthinking key decisions, and doubting their abilities.

We work with Hockey Players to improve their mental game and consistently show up in an attack mindset. Here are the most common situations we help hockey players with:

Struggling to Score or Get Points:

  • The Problem
    They want to score so bad that they can’t stop thinking about it – they start worrying, holding their stick too tight, losing confidence, & overthinking in the scoring area. In turn, this makes it harder to get points and leads to a downward spiral in performance.
  • How We Help
    We help them let go of worrying about the results. They can care but they don’t have to worry. We get them to reconnect to the love of the game so they can relax and just play. Once they get back into this mental state – they stop trying to force it and let it happen. Then the points start to come.

Afraid to Make Mistakes:

  • The Problem
    They make a turnover or giveaway, the coach gets upset, they start to fear mistakes, play too safe, start hesitating or panicking with the puck, and stop having the impact on the game that they can. This often starts to decrease a players ice time or starts happening because they are not getting the ice time they want.
  • How We Help
    We help them go from a fear mindset to an attack mindset. We give them the tools and perspective to overcome the fear, trust their training, and impose their will on the game. Instead of being caught up in trying to be perfect and impress their coach, scouts or teammates, we help them focus on what they can control, see mistakes as learning opportunities, and start playing with unshakeable self-confidence. Regardless of the current amount of playing time, they now have the tools and the mindset to go out and make the most out of every shift. Which is the best way to earn more playing time.

Overthinking Decisions:

  • The Problem
    They struggle to decide whether to shoot or pass, to skate the puck or dump it in, to make a hit or play the puck. These lead to less confidence and more indecision.
  • How We Help
    We help them to stop trying to be perfect and over analyzing every decision. Instead, we get them to focus on being aware and doing what they feel is best. They trust their training and follow their instincts.

Struggling On Breakouts

  • The Problem
    They worrying about making mistakes. Maybe their coach yells at them or benches them for mistakes. They start focusing on trying to be perfect and not making mistakes, instead of going out there and making plays. Bottom line is they are in a fear mindset and they are holding themselves back. They lack confidence, overthink, and play tentative. This often starts to decrease a players ice time or starts happening because they are not getting the ice time they want.
  • How We Help
    We help them overcome the fear and build an attack mindset. We give them the tools and perspective to overcome the fear, trust their training, and impose their will on the game. Instead of being caught up in trying to be perfect and impress their coach, scouts or teammates, we help them focus on what they can control, see mistakes as learning opportunities, and start playing with unshakeable self-confidence. Regardless of the current amount of playing time, they now have the tools and the mindset to go out and make the most out of every shift. Which is the best way to earn more playing time.

Too Safe or Passive Defending

  • The Problem
    Defence will often get afraid to get beat and play too far back. Their gaps are off and this actually makes it harder to play good defence. They give up zone entry too easily, the opponents are able to generate more shots, and they are often left with no speed so they get beat more in 1on1 situations.
  • How We Help
    We help them push their comfort zone so they no longer fear getting beat. Instead of sitting back they push the pace, have tighter gaps, and shut down plays earlier. They also develop a more assertive and attack mindset that is fierce and embraces the physical battles. They no longer play passive or timid, but learn how to effectively play with an edge.

Lacking Confidence with the Puck

  • The Problem
    Hockey in general encourages players to avoid mistakes and to make ‘safe’ plays with the puck. This makes it especially hard for defence to make confident plays with the puck when their main priority is to be defensively sound. They see players get in trouble for making mistakes, so instead of going out there to contribute, have an impact, and thrive, they end up in survival mindset that is focus on avoiding mistakes. This mindset holds them back from playing at their capabilities and maximizing their impact on the game.
  • How We Help
    We help them understand that playing in attack mode offensively with the puck doesn’t mean they are playing recklessly. They can play smart and simple hockey while still making confident plays. We help them own their capabilities and develop a mentality that wants to thrive, grow, and maximize their impact on the game.

The Weight of the Team on their Shoulders

  • The Problem
    Goalies have one of the toughest positions in all team sports because they have such a big impact on the results of the game. Many goalies put too much pressure on themselves as if they can single handily win or lose a game. This mentality leads to a lot of stress and unhealthy pressure. They are way too hard on themselves and have yo-yo confidence based on their results. They end up feeling overwhelmed in high pressure games and struggle to consistently perform at their capabilities.
  • How We Help
    We help     goalies to see their role in a healthy way – to stop putting all the need to, have to, should’s, and expectations on their shoulders. Instead of thinking they can single handily win or lose games, we help them understand that although they have a big impact – they don’t score. Even if they let in 5 goals, the team could win 6-5. Or if they post a shutout, the team could tie 0-0. This healthy perspective helps them get back to enjoying the game and making saves. As they build up their mental toolbox they stop tying their self-confidence to the results and start staying even keel regardless of what’s going on around them. They become unshakeable and start consistently performing at their capabilities. This is the mental state where the ‘pressure’ no longer gets to them, they shake off the goals against, and they make the big time saves.

Derailed by Goals Against

  • The Problem
    Many goalies can get unravelled by one ‘weak’ goal against, a series of goals in short amount of time, or too many goals against in a game. By holding on to past results they get into their own head and stop performing at their capabilities. Which results in more mistakes and goals against. Some goalies beat themselves up while others at times blame their teammates (at least in their own head). Regardless, they all suffer from tying their confidence to the results instead of their actually capabilities.
  • How We Help
    We help them to find the balance of caring about their performance while being able to accept the results, learning from them, and keep moving forward. We help them develop a mindset that lets go of perfection but still holds oneself to ever raising standards of execution. This way they are now able to bounce back after goal against and stay focused on what they can control.

Shaky Starts

  • The Problem
    A lot of goalies feel the nerves before the game even starts. They believe the start of the game is ‘more important’ than the middle of the game. As such, they put unrealistic pressures on themselves to be perfect. Many goalies also feel like they need to have a good start to the game to build confidence. Which is clearly problematic cause that means they are not starting the game with confidence and are now less likely to have a good start.
  • How We Help
    We help them channel their nerves, manage their expectations, and give them the perspective to have calm & confident starts. Nerves are just a form of energy that they need to learn to embrace and channel toward the process. Having high expectations for results is not inherently bad but they need to be able to manage those expectations instead of causing unrealistic goals and unnecessary pressure. The bottom line is the new mental state combined with the fundamental tools and strategies helps them to consistently start games off calm and confident.

SIMPLIFYING THE MENTAL GAME

We understand that working on your mindset can be difficult and confusing

  • Practical & Personalized Programs
    We don’t use cookie-cutter strategies or fluffy clichés — instead, we provide practical and personalized strategies that deliver repeatable and reliable results

  • Relatable & Expert Coaches
    We have a dedicated team of 20+ coaches that include former professional athletes who have been in your shoes and know what it takes to climb the ranks

  • Proven Results
    We have helped 10,000+ athletes play with more confidence and have 500+ five-star google reviews

Hockey Player Testimonials

SUPPORTING YOU IS OUR TOP PRIORITY

We know how challenging hockey can be

As an elite hockey player, nothing feels heavier than when you don’t perform at your capabilities. And over time, that frustration can drain the love of the game. At CEP Mindset, our proven approach clears away the noise holding you back and helps you develop the mental skills to thrive when it matters most. By guiding you through our personalized and practical strategies, you’ll build confidence, embrace pressure, and rediscover your love for the game—while achieving the Consistent Elite Performance you’ve been striving for.

IT’S EASY TO GET STARTED

Follow these 3 steps so you can improve your mental game

500+ FIVE STAR REVIEWS

Don’t take our word for it – check out our proven track record

THE CEP MINDSET SYSTEM

How our programs work for Hockey Players

The CEP Mindset System combines practical strategies with a personalized approach.

This ensures our programs follow a repeatable process while allowing us to be innovative and customize the strategies for reliable and optimal results for each client.

Our system follows 3 simple steps that have helped 1,000’s of hockey players play with more confidence:

Step 1 is use the CEP Assessment and identify your priorities.

You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint – and in the same manner you shouldn’t seek to improve your mental game without first knowing what to work on.

The CEP assessment breaks down your mindset into the 7 Mental Skills that you need to develop in order to build a strong foundation and win the mental game.

This breakdown not only helps us determine which mental skills to prioritize in your program, but also ensures we keep you accountable to making progress.

Now that you can see what you will be working on, let us show you HOW you will work on it in step 2.

Step 2 is about personalizing the practical and proven strategies.

A good blueprint won’t help without the right tools. For example, you may have tried the cookie-cutter advice perpetuated by sport culture like ‘be positive, forget about it, or don’t worry about it.’

But when you build your mental game by patching together all these fluffy quick fixes – it’s like building a house out of straw – it is not sustainable & will fall apart in the face of adversity & pressure.

Instead, you need to build your mental game – like you would a brick house – out of practical & personalized strategies that deliver reliable and repeatable results.

We have 3 sets of tools – you might not need to use all the tools, but you do need to build your personalized mental toolbox based on your blueprint and current needs. Here are the four fundamental strategies we go through with every client:

Step 3 is about optimizing your mental toolbox for long-term results.

Implementing steps 1 and 2 can get you results quickly, but if you stop doing the work you will gradually stop getting the benefits.

Similar to how a brick house needs be maintained and modified – the mental game requires constant work and refinement. It never ends.

It is a constant process of self-awareness, self-discovery, and growth.

As time passes you will need to evolve & upgrade your alter ego and reset routine.

You should also constantly tweak and tinker with their personalized scorecard, imagery scripts, and core priorities to match your ever changing landscape.

At CEP Mindset, we like to use our 5 Milestones to make the mental game more tangible and help keep you committed to the constant upkeep and upgrades.

Every season you start from square one and have to put in the work to reach each milestone.

Note that the numbers above are generic and are altered depending on the sport. We use 95% plus in the zone to avoid the trap of perfection.

When you join our programs, you will stop under performing and start achieving Consistent Elite Performance.

Hockey Player Case Studies

WHO WE WORK WITH

Similar Process – Different Context

Our programs are effective for Youth, Amateur, & Professional Athletes. Similarly we also work with high-performing business executives from a variety of industries.

We follow a similar process regardless of the context. However, you can find out more about the nuances of the main categories of client we work with:

We work with many athletes 12 years old and younger. In these programs the parents are more heavily involved. Generally attending sessions with the athlete and or having 25-75% of the program hours spent working directly with the parent. We have worked with athletes as young as 8 years old. 

The rollout and involvement of the parents in these programs is dependent on the maturity of the athlete more so than the age.

One of the great benefits to working on an athlete’s mental game at a young age is that they develop a solid foundation that will serve them as they progress through their athletic career.

The pace of the program might be slower than an older athlete, but the athlete is generally more open and receptive. So this gives the athlete the opportunity to strengthen their mindset now, instead of waiting till they are older where more is at stake and the current mindset has only cemented further.

The majority of our clients are amateur athletes aged 13-18. 

This is a crucial time period in their development as an athlete and as a person. It is also the time period where the pressures and adversities can pile up, but often the athlete lacks the tools to effectively cope. 

This can be frustrating because all the hard work can go out the window if they can’t get their head in the right place. It also can be costly to their long term goals — as one or two poor months, let alone a poor season, can be hard to bounce back from.

We take a lot of pride in the impact we have with these amateur athletes because every CEP coach was once in these exact shoes. Our own struggles with the mental game in this age range is the main reason why every CEP coach got into this profession. 

As such, we are able to relate, understand, and effectively guide them through this crucial time period.

Professional athletes are at another level when it comes to pressure, distractions and adversity. 

Often these athletes have experienced so much success as they have risen the ranks because of their superior athletic abilities and skills. So the challenge becomes being able to maintain their confidence and focus while success becomes harder to achieve competing against the best athletes in the world. 

With so much at stake they need to be able to block out the noise from friends, fans, and the media. 

The cost of not having the mental strategies, routines, and overall capability to repeatedly and reliably get dialed-in can be both significant from the results and financial implications as well as the athletes overall mental well-being. 

Being a professional athlete is not all sunshine and rainbows. There is a lot of stress that comes with performing on the biggest stages and if they don’t develop the tools to manage that stress, then it can easily eat them up and get the best of them. 

Therefore, most of the professional athletes we work with will have custom programs that include additional access as well as a commitment from us to track and optimize their performance.

High-performers in any area of life will face similar challenges as professional athletes — such as the incredible amounts of pressure, distractions and adversities. 

As such, we apply the same principles that help professional athletes get dialed in, to help business executives excel in their professional and personal lives. 

We have coached C-Suite Executives, Business Owners, Hedge Fund Managers, Surgeons, Pilots, and Fire Fighters etc.

We help them to stop stressing about their external goals and get clarity on how they want to show up, so they can be present, decisive, and in control of their career and life.

Like professional athletes, business executives have a lot at stake – often even more. Whether it be their own career, obligations to others, or the literal safety and well-being of people in our society. 

They also have a slew of additional challenges around being able to unplug themselves from their work and emails, overcome the endless barrage of tasks and competing priorities, and the ability to navigate tough conversations within the workplace and build cohesive teams.

As such, there are additional strategies that we use with business executives that address their unique challenges and optimize their results in our 1-on-1 coaching programs.

CLICK HERE to Read More About 1-on-1 Coaching for Business Professionals

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FAQ

Our programs start at $1,600. Prices vary based on the experience of the coach and the length of the program. On the higher end our programs can cost $5,000 to $10,000 for a year long program.

During the 15 min intake call with our admin team, we will answer all your questions about the rates and program options based on the coaches that are the best fit for you.

First you tryout the coach with a free intro session, then you start a program if it feels like the right fit for you.

The end goal is you get the right coach for you at a cost that works for you.

Once you choose a program, then we promise that within the first 30-Days you will be satisfied with your program and see results or we will give you a 100% refund.

You choose a program that you plan to complete – you are not locked in and can stop at anytime.

It depends on your insurance and who your sessions are with.

In short: YES – if  you purchase sessions with one of the counsellors on our team, then you are likely to get coverage by your benefits in Canada. For more clarity, you will need to speak with our administrative team by booking here.

On the other hand, Dr. Cassidy Preston & the majority of the CEP team of coaches are not clinical therapists and are not licensed to diagnose or treat mental illness and, therefore, are NOT covered under most benefits. They are coaches and consultants who help athletes strengthen their mindset, get in the ZONE, and achieve Consistent Elite Performance.

You can read more about the similarities and differences between a sport psychologist and mental performance coach by clicking here.

Our 1-on-1 coaching programs are scheduled based on your needs and availability. You start with a free 30 minute 1-on-1 intro session, then your coach will recommend which option will be the best fit for you.

The first session in your program is generally 1 hour and the remaining sessions are 30 minutes.

Our shorter programs include 6-8 hours and last 2-3 months.

Other programs are last 6 months or 1 year and will have either weekly or bi-weekly 30 min sessions.

Importantly – the program is tailored to meet your unique needs and intended to optimize your results. So there is always unique considerations and nuances for every program.

Note year long programs generally will slow down sessions in the off-season.

Our 1-on-1 coaching programs can take place in person, on zoom, or via phone.

Generally most programs take place on zoom for simplicity and convenience. Especially given the majority of sessions are 30 minutes – travelling for that short of a session creates too much friction.

Occasionally the coach that is the best fit for you may also be located near you – when possible trying to co-ordinate an in-person session is ideal, but not necessary.

The zoom option also ensures you get the best quality coach and doesn’t limit you to coach that lives in close proximity.

Additionally, your coach may travel to see you in-person while you perform in your sport. This is not a standard part of our programs, but it could be personalized addition or sometimes it lines up that you have a tournament in the city of your coach – and we love to see our athletes perform live. 

Alternatively, it can be beneficial for clients to send video of their performance to their coach – therefore, we can review body language and help further bridge the gap between their mindset and real-life performance.