Time Required: 20 minutes

Format: Interactive exploration with guided reflection

Materials Needed: Notebook or phone for notes

Target Ages: 8-18 years

How did the Spotlight Technique work for you this week?

Did anyone notice their ability to focus getting stronger during practice or games?

Which focus challenges were hardest to work with?

When did you successfully redirect your attention back to what mattered?

Celebrate efforts to practice focus, even if not perfect.

Building on mindfulness foundation (Module 1), growth mindset (Module 2), mental resilience (Module 3), and focus skills (Module 4), this module helps young athletes develop emotional intelligence for optimal performance.

Athletes will learn to recognize, understand, and skillfully manage their emotions.

By the end of this module, athletes will be able to:

• Identify their personal emotional patterns during competition
• Distinguish between helpful and unhelpful emotional states
• Use the STOP technique to manage emotions in real-time
• Create personalized strategies for achieving optimal emotional states
• Implement an emotional recovery plan for intense competitive moments

Address complex emotional experiences and high-stakes pressure

Connect to college recruitment and performance anxiety

Include mental health awareness and seeking help when needed

Discuss emotional intelligence as a life skill for leadership

Allow for sophisticated discussions about emotional complexity

Use advanced emotional intelligence terminology

Include research on emotions and peak performance

Connect to adult emotional responsibilities and relationships

Address mental health stigma and help-seeking

Include professional athlete emotional management examples

Complex emotional scenario analysis

Leadership opportunities in helping others with emotions

Connection to career and life skills beyond sports

Advanced emotional regulation strategies

Future-oriented emotional skill development

Model emotional awareness and regulation during coaching

Use STOP technique language during intense practice moments

Create emotional check-ins before important training or competition

Celebrate athletes who demonstrate good emotional awareness

Address team emotional dynamics and support

"I can see you're feeling frustrated - try your STOP technique"

"What emotion are you noticing right now?"

"That's great emotional awareness"

"How can we use that feeling energy to help your performance?"

"It's okay to feel nervous/excited/disappointed"

Brief emotional check-ins during water breaks

Immediate STOP technique practice during emotional moments

Help athletes identify optimal emotional states for performance

Create team emotional support and awareness culture

Use mistakes as opportunities to practice emotional skills

Kim, S., Lee, J., Park, H., & Choi, M. (2024). Mobile-based mindfulness meditation intervention's impact on mental health among young male judo athletes in South Korea. Scientific Reports, 14, 12847.

Oguntuase, O., Afolabi, A., & Adebayo, S. (2022). Effects of mindfulness training on resilience, self-confidence and emotion regulation of elite football players. Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2(2), 89-98.