What if the biggest threat to your young athlete is not failure, but pressure from the people who love them most?
Written by Brandon Guyer, seven year Major League Baseball veteran, mental performance coach, founder of Major League Mindset, and father of three, with Robert Elwood, Raise The Player, Not The Pressure is a practical playbook for helping young athletes compete hard, grow through adversity, and protect their love of the game.
Every parent and coach wants to help. You drive to practices. You pack the coolers. You pay for teams, lessons, tournaments, camps, equipment, and long weekends. You show up because you care.
But today’s youth sports world can feel louder and heavier than ever. Travel teams. Rankings. Showcases. Scholarships. Social media highlights. The constant chase for the next level.
Somewhere along the way, the game that was supposed to build confidence, joy, and resilience can start to feel like a test. For many young athletes, pressure replaces purpose. Comparison replaces confidence. The car ride home becomes more stressful than the competition itself.
A better way for sports parents and coaches
Raise The Player, Not The Pressure
gives parents and coaches a better way to support young athletes without adding unnecessary pressure.
This is not a book about lowering standards. It is about raising athletes the right way.
It is about helping young athletes compete with freedom, respond to adversity with strength, and learn lessons from sports that carry far beyond the field, court, rink, pool, track, or gym.
Inside, parents and coaches will learn how athletes before, during, and after competition without adding unnecessary pressureReplace outcome obsession with effort, attitude, preparation, and responseHelp young athletes recover from mistakes, failure, fear, and disappointmentTeach the mental skills Brandon used throughout his Major League careerProtect joy, confidence, and love of the gameUnderstand the truth about youth sports odds, scholarships, and the real purpose of the journeyBuild stronger relationships with athletes through better words, better timing, and better presenceCreate a healthier sports experience that develops character, resilience, purpose, and confidenceFor the adults who want to get it rightWith stories from Brandon’s playing career, practical reflection questions, and tools from the Major League Mindset system,
Raise The Player, Not The Pressure
helps adults understand one simple
Your athlete does not need more pressure. They need the right support.
This book is for sports parents, youth coaches, high school coaches, travel families, athletic directors, and anyone who wants young athletes to compete with freedom, confidence, and joy.
Because the goal is not just to raise a better player. The goal is to raise a confident, happy athlete who can carry the lessons of sports into life.