
The Athlete's Mind
Book Two
The next volume in the series, building on confidence, focus and competitive pressure for young competitors.
Sports psychology and performance training for middle and high school athletes. Built around mental skills, BlazePod reaction work and real game-day readiness.

Michael Austin Diaz
Sports Psychology & Performance Consultant
NextGen Performance provides sports psychology and performance enhancement services designed specifically for middle and high school athletes. Through individual and team sessions, young athletes build confidence, focus, concentration, emotional regulation, motivation, goal setting and the ability to handle competitive stress.
Every program also uses interactive performance activities, including BlazePod reaction training, to develop reaction time, agility, decision making, coordination, multitasking and cognitive performance. Athletes are not just talking about their mental game, they are training it.
The approach is personalized to each athlete. Based in Miami, Florida, sessions run remotely for athletes anywhere and in person when the location is close enough to make it work.
Mental Skills Training
Confidence, focus, composure and motivation
Performance Enhancement
BlazePod reaction and decision-making drills
Athletes, Teams & Coaches
Middle school through high school programs
Author & Educator
Everyday Mental Skills for Athletes
Every athlete starts with a free 15 to 20 minute consultation. From there the work is shaped around the sport, the season and what is actually getting in the way of performing.

Personalized mental skills training covering confidence, focus, concentration, motivation, goal setting, emotional regulation, competitive stress, resilience, self-talk, visualization and pre-performance routines.

Sessions for teams, coaches and athletic programs focused on communication, leadership, cohesion, confidence, handling pressure and building a positive team culture.

BlazePod reaction training and customized interactive drills that develop reaction time, agility, decision making, multitasking, coordination, balance, focus and cognitive processing.

Books, workbooks, mental skills exercises, downloadable resources, videos and athlete toolkits, including The Athlete's Mind book series for young competitors.

Presentations, workshops and custom programs for schools, sports organizations, camps and youth groups on the mental game, confidence, pressure, focus and team culture.
Tell Michael about the sport, the team or the challenge. He will recommend a starting point on a free intro call, with no obligation.
Start the conversationSessions run remotely for athletes anywhere and in person around Miami. Team programs are delivered at your school, field or training facility.
A three-book series written for athletes, parents and coaches who want the mental side of sport explained in plain language, with exercises that can be used the same week.

A practical starting point for young athletes learning to train their mental game. Short, usable chapters on confidence, focus, self-talk, nerves and routines, written so athletes can pick it up between practices and parents and coaches can follow along.

The Athlete's Mind
The next volume in the series, building on confidence, focus and competitive pressure for young competitors.

The Athlete's Mind
The final volume of the three-book playbook, bringing the mental game together across a full season.
Every athlete starts with a free consultation so you know what the work looks like before committing to anything.
Individual Athletes
Single session $90
Free 15 to 20 minute initial consultation
Get startedPerformance / BlazePod
$100 - $125
Available in person around Miami
Get startedTeam Services
From $350
Custom programs quoted on request
Get startedTrain the mind. Challenge the athlete.
A growing library of worksheets, workbooks and athlete toolkits built for real sessions and shared with athletes, parents and coaches.

A simple in-game routine for young athletes: notice the distraction, reset the body, refocus on the next play.
Request this resource
Break a big season goal into weekly targets an athlete can actually control, then track progress honestly.
Request this resource
Breathing, self-talk and pre-performance routines that keep nerves from taking over on game day.
Request this resourceEveryday Mental Skills for Athletes, plus The Athlete's Mind three-book series for young competitors.
Short training videos and athlete toolkits that extend the work between sessions.
Presentations for schools, clubs, camps and youth organizations on the mental game of sport.
Placeholder testimonial. Real feedback from athletes and families will be added here as the practice grows.
High School Soccer Player
Sample feedback
Placeholder testimonial. Space reserved for a parent describing the change they saw in their athlete's confidence.
Parent of a Middle School Athlete
Sample feedback
Placeholder testimonial. Space reserved for a coach describing what a team workshop added to their program.
Varsity Head Coach
Sample feedback
Placeholder testimonial. Space reserved for an athlete describing how reaction training changed their game day focus.
High School Basketball Player
Sample feedback
Placeholder testimonial. Space reserved for an athletic director describing a school program or workshop.
Athletic Director
Sample feedback
Placeholder testimonial. Space reserved for feedback on the mental skills books and resources.
Travel Team Parent
Sample feedback
What the training involves, how sessions run and what athletes, parents and coaches can expect before the first conversation.
Send Michael a note. Every message is read personally and answered within one working day.
Ask MichaelNextGen Performance is built for middle and high school athletes, roughly ages eleven to eighteen, across any sport. I also work directly with teams, coaches and athletic programs, and I keep parents in the loop so the work continues outside of sessions. No athlete needs to be struggling to benefit. Most are already competing well and want more confidence, sharper focus and better composure when the game gets tight.
No. This is performance training for the mental side of sport, the same way a strength coach trains the physical side. Sessions focus on trainable skills such as confidence, focus, self-talk, goal setting, routines and handling competitive pressure. If something comes up that belongs with a licensed clinical provider, I will say so directly and help the family find the right support.
Both. I am based in Miami, Florida, and the practice is primarily remote, so athletes anywhere can work with me over video. In person sessions are available when the location is reasonably close, and team workshops are delivered at your school, field or training facility.
BlazePod is a set of light-based reaction pods used in interactive drills that train reaction time, agility, decision making, multitasking, coordination, balance and focus. It turns mental skills into something athletes physically do rather than only talk about. It can be built into individual sessions at no extra cost, or booked as a specialized performance session.
We start with a free fifteen to twenty minute consultation to understand the sport, the season and what is getting in the way. From there, sessions blend conversation with practical skills work and performance activities. Athletes leave every session with something specific to practice, and we review how it went next time.
There is no fixed requirement. Some athletes come for a single focused session before a big competition, while others work through a full season. Most notice a meaningful shift within four to six sessions, which is why the packages are built in blocks of four, eight and twelve.
Team work is designed with the coaching staff around what the group needs, such as communication, leadership, cohesion, confidence, handling pressure or building a stronger culture. Options run from a single workshop to a four-session program across a season, and everything is delivered on site with the whole squad.
Yes. Sessions are treated as confidential. General progress and themes can be shared with parents or coaches when that helps the athlete, and where a school or program funds the work we agree on those reporting boundaries with everyone up front before starting.
Whether you are an athlete chasing consistency, a parent looking for support or a coach building a stronger team, the first step is a free consultation.
Prefer to reach out directly? Email or call and you will hear back personally, usually within one working day.
Phone
305-979-4062Location
Miami, Florida. Remote nationwide, in person locally
Availability
Weekday afternoons, evenings and weekends