I’m a sports parent, same as you.
You’ve watched your kid fall apart over something that didn’t matter, and light up over something that did. You’ve sat in the car after a rough game not knowing what to say. You’ve wondered whether the thing in their head — the nerves, the doubt, the spiral — is normal, and whether you’re supposed to fix it or leave it alone.
That’s what this publication is about.
I’m Dobb Mayo. I write about the mental game behind youth sports — what’s actually happening inside a young athlete under pressure, and what the adults around them can do about it. Not vague mindset talk. The real mechanics, made usable.
Why me
I come by this honestly. I’m a parent of three high school student-athletes and an amateur baseball player myself, from a family that’s been at this a while — my father played college ball, and my grandfather, Eddie Mayo, was a World Series–winning Detroit Tiger. So the bleachers are home.
But the reason this publication is different comes from a different corner: I hold advanced degrees in biology and chemistry. When I write about pressure, focus, sleep, or confidence, I’m working from what the science of the body and brain actually says — then translating it into something you can use on a hard Tuesday. Rigor you can act on. That’s the whole idea.
The books
My Student Athlete Series is written for athletes aged 13–18, and read alongside the parents and coaches who guide them:
Mental Toughness for Student-Athletes — Gold Medal, 2025 Global Book Awards (Sports & Outdoors). The Spanish edition was named Best Spanish Book of 2025.
Overcoming Anxiety for Student-Athletes — Finalist, 2025 Global Book Awards (Health: Counseling & Psychology).
Leadership for Student-Athletes — the newest in the series, out July 23.
And my newer series, the Sideline Parents Playbook, turns the lens around — written for you, the parent on the sideline. It opens with Behind Every Great Student Athlete, with two more books on the way.
What you’ll find here
Here’s how this publication works:
Free — the why. The science and the ideas, out front for everyone. What’s happening in a nervous kid’s head, and why. Plus book news and launches.
Paid — the how. The playbook parents and coaches actually reach for: conversation scripts, pre-competition routines, worksheets, and the full archive. Paid subscribers also get Ask Dobb — bring me the situation you’re stuck on, and I’ll answer.
Free explains. Paid equips.
The details
I publish every Sunday morning. Paid subscriptions run $8/month or $72/year, with a Founding Member tier for readers who want to go further: a signed copy of every book I publish during your membership year, plus your name in the Acknowledgements.
Find the books at dobbmayo.com and free resources at StudentAthleteZone.com.
Subscribe free below. When you’re ready for the tools, the playbook’s right here.
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