Supporting Mental Wellbeing in High-Performance School Sport
- Neil @ Future Action
- Oct 27
- 5 min read
By Richard Stockings, International Consultant for Future Action, former Vice Principal for Wellbeing at Alice Smith School, Malaysia and former Director Of Wellbeing At the British International School Phuket, Thailand.
Wherever young people go to school in the world, the focus on performance in sport is growing.
Schools are investing heavily in coaching, fitness, and strategy, but one area consistently lags behind: the mental health and value-based mindset that allow students to handle pressure and thrive.
In this blog, I reflect on why that gap matters and how international schools can take action.
The Weight of Expectation
High-performing athletes, scholarship students and those simply striving to reach their potential often enter the school sporting arena carrying the weight of expectation.
They are asked to perform on the pitch, in the pool or on the court, while also excelling academically and maintaining exemplary behaviour.
Parents, schools, and communities, all deeply invested in their success, may unintentionally add to this pressure.
Much like in professional academies, there is often a belief that the student could be “the next star.” While motivating, this can quickly become overwhelming.
Too often, short-term results are the only measure of success. The processes that matter most, such as building resilience, understanding identity, and developing values that guide behaviour, are overlooked. And that’s the missing piece.
Beyond the Game: Closing the Gap
That is where programmes like Beyond the Game come in. Using the Future Action framework, students learn to manage stress points, recognise triggers, and apply clear strategies to regulate themselves in high-pressure situations.
The work begins on the pitch through helping athletes cope with pressure, judgement, and expectation in real sporting moments.
But this work goes deeper than technique; it’s about clarity of values.
Before athletes can perform with freedom, they must understand why they play, what they value, and how they want to show up each day.
When values like dedication, respect, accountability and teamwork are lived in action, not just spoken, confidence becomes rooted in something solid.
The focus shifts from outcomes to standards.
Train hard, sleep well, eat well.
Show up prepared and purposeful.
Be a great teammate and invest in the success of others
Hold yourself accountable for attitude and effort.
When young people live these values daily, performance becomes an extension of character, not a test of it. They stop fearing mistakes or judgment because their worth isn’t tied to results but to how they live and behave.
Once embedded, these strategies transfer seamlessly into exams, leadership roles, public speaking and everyday challenges.
At Alice Smith School, this approach has delivered measurable results:
+30% improvement in student mental wellbeing
+34% increase in students’ ability to perform under pressure
Students reported feeling calmer, more resilient, and more optimistic — in sport and in the classroom.
The Whole Triangle of Support
Equally important is working with the entire triangle of support around the student - parents, coaches and teachers.
Parents learn how their language and expectations can either intensify or reduce pressure.
Coaches and teachers adopt a shared language, reinforcing psychological safety through coaching conversations and regular check-ins.
Together, they create a fortress of trust where wellbeing comes first and winning becomes a by-product. It is not the sole measure of success.
When everyone is aligned around both values and process, students thrive physically, nutritionally and psychologically.
They learn that success is about showing up, giving their best, and living their values with consistency, not chasing perfection or fearing failure.
The Challenge for Schools
As international schools strive to develop well-rounded, high-performing athletes, the next step is to strengthen the area most critical to long-term success: the ability to cope with pressure, expectation and identity.
Without it, even the strongest physical and technical programmes fall short.
Through Beyond the Game, supported by research and grounded in a values-based philosophy, we help schools build “containers of safety” so young athletes don’t just cope, they grow.
They learn to perform under pressure because they are anchored in who they are and what they stand for.
Key Questions for Directors of Sport and School Leaders
Are you giving students’ mental health the same attention as their fitness, nutrition and technical training?
Do your young people have strategies to manage pressure, expectation and judgement both on and off the pitch?
Are parents, coaches, and teachers aligned in the language and values they promote?
How are you developing a value-centred sporting experience that prioritises learning, accountability, high standards and effort over results and winning?
Ready to Act?
If your school is serious about developing confident, resilient student-athletes, this gap cannot be ignored.
Investing only in performance, without addressing mental health and shared values, leaves students unprepared for the challenges that matter most.
Final Reflection
After 32 years in education, I’ve seen one truth stand above the rest: it’s the values we hold and live daily that shape unshakable confidence.
When young people know who they are, what they stand for, and how to act on it, they stop hiding behind excuses. They step into the arena, ready to have a go.
They understand that performance is never just about winning; it’s about living their values under pressure. At times they will fall short, and that’s okay.
Our role is not to show frustration but to recognise and celebrate their effort and intention, then guide them swiftly toward the next opportunity to try again.
What they learn in sport; courage, integrity, resilience, and teamwork, becomes the mantra for how they live their lives.
🚀 Take the First Steps to Improving Your Students’ Wellbeing
✅ Step 1: Join our Waiting List
Explore partnerships, training, consultancy, speaking opportunities, or request your copy of Time to RISE Up.
✅ Step 2: Book a conversation with us to explore how Beyond the Game could support your school here.
✅ Step 3: Read how Alice Smith School achieved a 30% rise in wellbeing and a 34% boost in performance under pressure here. We look forward to continuing our partnership together to serve their young people and families in Malaysia in November.
✅ Step 4: Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter
Stay informed with the latest wellbeing insights and practical tools for your setting.
Join Neil Moggan and me as we explore Beyond The Game in more depth and share practical strategies you can apply to help your students thrive both on and off the field.
Have a brilliant week — and thank you for all you do for your young people.
Richard Stockings and the Future Action team
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