Free worksheet for young athletes: See it, set it, reset: visualization & anchoring

The best athletes don’t just train their bodies. They rehearse in their minds, have a way to get into the right zone, and know exactly what to do when something goes wrong. This worksheet helps you build all three: a picture of how you want to show up, an anchor to get you there, and a reset for when you slip, freeze or make a mistake.

START THE WORKSHEET

HOW IT WORKS

01See it: picture yourself at your best, using all your senses
02Set it: build an anchor with your breath, a cue word and a small action
03Reset: plan exactly what you’ll do after a mistake, slip or freeze

Takes about 15 minutes to fill in, then a few minutes a day to practise. Private: nothing you enter is saved or sent.

01 · Before you start

Your mind can practise too.

When you vividly imagine a skill, your brain uses many of the same pathways it uses when you actually do it. That’s why imagery is a training tool, not just daydreaming. An anchor is a simple cue you practise linking to a calm, focused feeling, so you can call it up when it counts.

TIPS FOR IT TO WORK

See it through your own eyes. Imagine what you’d really see, hear and feel, as if it’s happening now.

Make it real, not perfect. Include the pressure, the noise and even a mistake, then picture yourself handling it.

Practise when it’s easy first. Start at home when you’re calm, then in practice, then in games.

02 · See it

Picture yourself at your best.

Close your eyes and imagine a moment in your sport. Then write down what you noticed.

Where am I? What do I see, hear and smell? How does my body feel when I’m ready? (loose, strong, light, steady) What am I saying to myself? What does my best effort look like, play by play?

Three words for how I want to show up A moment I’ve already played well, to remember

My 60-second highlight reel: a short script I can replay before practice or games

03 · Set it

Find your zone, then anchor it.

Check your energy

Before a game, where are you right now?

Too flat: tired, low or unmotivated Just right: alert, calm and ready Too revved up: jittery, tense or racing

If you’re too revved up, slow your breathing and loosen your shoulders. If you’re too flat, stand tall, take a few quicker breaths and use an upbeat cue word. The goal is your “just right” zone.

Choose a breath

Try each one a few times. Tick the one that settles you best.

Long exhale: breathe in for 4, out slowly for 6 Box breath: in for 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4 Two in, one long out: two short breaths in through the nose, one long breath out

Build your anchor

Pair three things together: your breath, a cue word and a small physical action. Practise them together while you picture your highlight reel, a few times a day, so they start to go together.

My breath My cue word or phrase (for example, “smooth,” “ready,” “attack”) My physical action (for example, tap my thigh, adjust my gloves, tap my stick) When I’ll use it (warm-up, before a shot, on the bench, at the line)

04 · Reset

When it goes wrong, you’ll know what to do.

Every athlete makes mistakes. What matters most is how quickly you get back to the next play. Practise these four steps until they feel automatic.

STEP 1Notice it
Name it in a word or two: “missed pass.” No story, no judgment.
STEP 2Breathe
One long breath out, with your anchor action.
STEP 3Let it go
A physical release, like brushing off your shoulder or wiping your hands.
STEP 4Next play
Say your cue word and focus on one simple job right now.

My release action My “next play” job for my sport (for example, “get back on D,” “eyes on the ball”) What I usually say to myself after a mistake What I’ll say instead (kind, short and useful)

IF YOU FREEZE OR GO BLANK

Feel your feet on the ground, ice or floor. Find one spot to look at. Breathe out long, longer than you breathe in. Then give yourself one simple instruction, like “move your feet” or “find the open player.” You don’t need to fix everything, just the next moment.

Rehearse a reset: imagine a mistake in your sport, then picture yourself using all four steps. What happened?

05 · Practise it

A few minutes a day adds up.

For one week, try 3 to 5 minutes of your highlight reel and anchor each day. Tick the days you practised.

When I used my anchor or reset in practice or a game, and how it went What I’ll keep, and what I’ll change

FOR PARENTS & COACHES

Help your athlete practise their reset in low-pressure moments, and notice when they use it. After games, ask about effort and recovery, not just the score: “What was one good reset you did today?” Keep the tone light and encouraging. If anxiety, low mood or freezing starts to affect their enjoyment or daily life, it may help to talk with a mental health professional.

This is an original worksheet created by Core Psychology. It draws on research on imagery in sport, including vivid, realistic, first-person rehearsal (Holmes & Collins, 2001, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology; Simonsmeier, Andronie, Buecker & Frank, 2021, International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology), on slow breathing and relaxation (Zaccaro et al., 2018, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience), and on the refocusing plans used by high-performing athletes (Orlick & Partington, 1988, The Sport Psychologist). Core Psychology is not affiliated with or endorsed by these authors.

Please note: This resource is for education and skill-building only. It is not a substitute for coaching, medical advice, assessment or therapy from a qualified professional, and using it does not create a therapeutic relationship with Core Psychology. If breathing exercises make you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, stop and breathe normally. If you’re in crisis, call or text 988 any time, or call 911. Young people can also reach Kids Help Phone any time at 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868. © 2026 Core Psychology. You’re welcome to print and share this worksheet for personal, coaching or clinical use with credit to Core Psychology; please don’t sell or adapt it without permission.

Want a coach for the mental side of the game?

Mindset Mastery offers one-to-one sport psychology and mindset coaching for youth athletes with Jesse Fehr, a Registered Provisional Psychologist and former NCAA, professional and international athlete and coach. You’re welcome to bring this worksheet to your first session.

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