The Mental Match

The Mental Match

Hosted by: Michelle Thompson

The Mental Match is your weekly playbook for mastering mindset, building confidence, and unlocking consistency—on and off the court. Hosted by performance coach and sport psychology PhD student Michelle Thompson,...

Episodes

From Rounders to Bracket: Staying Consistent Under Pressure | Live Coaching with Matt

Season #1

Why do some players throw lights out in rounders—only to lose their rhythm in bracket play? In this live coaching session, Michelle Thompson works with Matt Girdner on the mental side of consistency. Matt explains how...
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Moving Up a Division Without Losing Confidence | Live Coaching with Chris

Season #1

What happens when you level up into a tougher division—but your confidence doesn’t come with you? In this live coaching session, Michelle Thompson works with Chris Pacheco on the mental shift required to compete at...
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How to Close Out Games Under Pressure | Live Coaching with Mike

Season #1

In this live coaching session, Michelle Thompson works with player Mike Dilse on one of the most common struggles in competitive play: finishing strong. Mike shares how he often battles back into a game only to falter...
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How Expectations Get in the Way of Competitive Cornhole | Live Coaching with Henry

Season #1

In this live coaching session, Henry opens up about his struggle to stay focused during competitive cornhole. What we uncover is that his expectations — and the pressure he puts on himself — are pulling him out of the...
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How to Bounce Back After a Bad Cornhole Game

Season #1

Every player has bad games — but what you do next can make or break the rest of your night. Today I’m showing you exactly how to bounce back fast after a rough game, so you don’t spiral, lose focus, or throw away the...
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The Real Reason You Miss Easy Bags

Season #1

You’ve hit this shot a hundred times… but when it counts, you miss it. Today, I’ll break down why those “easy” bags suddenly go sideways — and the simple fixes that will make you more consistent in every game. Whether...
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The Game-Day Routine You Need to Win

Season #1

What you do before you throw a single bag can make or break your game. Today I’m walking you through the exact game-day routine you need to show up confident, focused, and ready to win. From the night before, to your...
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Stop Wasting Practice Time — Do THIS Instead

Season #1

You don’t have to grind through endless games to improve your cornhole skills. In fact, most players get stuck because they’re repeating the same habits over and over. Today, I’ll show you exactly how to level up your...
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The Confidence Formula (It’s Not What You Think)

Season #1

Confidence isn’t hype—and it doesn’t come from winning. In this episode, Michelle shares her real Confidence Formula: Clarity, Rhythm, and Reset. You’ll bust common confidence myths, reflect on where your belief...
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What to Do After You Perform (So You Don’t Spiral Between Games)

Season #1

Win or lose, what you do after a performance matters just as much as your prep. This episode teaches you how to regulate your nervous system post-performance, reflect without spiraling, and reset with purpose so you...
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The Ritual That Helps You Lock In—Every Time You Compete

Season #1

What you do in the minutes before you compete can make or break your performance. In this episode, Michelle shares her Pre-Performance Reset Ritual—a 3-step system to help you regulate your body, ground your identity,...
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You Can’t Outthink a Dysregulated Nervous System

Season #1

Ever felt like you’re mentally prepared… but still unravel under pressure? That’s not a mindset problem—it’s a nervous system one. In this episode, Michelle breaks down what dysregulation really is, how it hijacks...
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