I Prayed for Rain Because I Was Afraid to Play...
Now I Train Athletes to Perform With Unshakeable Confidence In Just 6 Weeks
You’ve trained like a beast. But when the lights come on, fear extinguishes your fire. Let’s fix that. Forever.
Trusted Mental Performance Coach for Athletes From the Following Leagues & Teams:
Dear Future Pro,
Let me take you back.
I was 15 years old.
The night before my first elite travel ball tournament.
I should’ve been pumped.
Focused. Locked in.
Instead?
I lay in bed praying for rain.
Not because I didn’t love the game.
But because I was scared.
Scared to mess up.
Scared to get pulled.
Scared of hearing the whispers:
“He’s not as good as they said.”
I had the skill.
I had the grind.
I was putting in more hours than anyone I knew.
But I was losing the battle—
Not on the field…
In my mind
I kept grinding.
Made it to college ball.
Four-year starter. Third base. Shortstop.
My coaches said I had “untapped potential.”
They were right.
I could feel it.
I was playing with the brakes on.
Tense. Tight. Overthinking every move.
And no one was talking about it.
No coach. No teammate.
Everyone just told me:
“Toughen up.”
“Get out of your head.”
That advice?
Garbage.
Then everything changed.
My sophomore year, I made the most important decision of my life.
I got help.
I hired a mental performance coach
A real one.
John Ellsworth out of California.
He cracked me open.
Made me face my fears.
Taught me how to flip the script.
And that…
lit the fire.
I didn’t just play better.
I became addicted—to the mindset.
I devoured every book.
I enrolled in a Master’s in Psychology with a sport psych specialization.
And I didn’t stop playing either.
I suited up for the Tucson Saguaros in the Pecos League.
We won the championship.
Then I went global.
Recruited to play pro ball in Europe.
Brasschaat Braves, Belgium.
Foreign country. New language. Packed stadiums.
Best baseball of my life.
Why?
Because my mind was my weapon.
The Enemy Was Never Your Opponent… It Was Always The Voice in Your Head.
You’ve trained your body like a savage.
But every time it’s showtime…
Your hands shake.
Your chest tightens.
Your breath goes shallow.
And you wonder—
“What’s wrong with me?”
NOTHING.
You’re not weak.
You’re undertrained.
Mentally.
And you’re not alone.
Let’s get brutally honest:
26%
of NCAA D1 schools have a mental performance coach—that’s it.
70%
of young athletes quit by age 13. Not because they’re lazy. Because the pressure kills the joy.
30–60%
of athletes experience sports performance anxiety.
1 in 5 Athletes
Has Ever Had Structured Mental Coaching
90%
of Olympians Use Visualization & Mental Rehearsal to Perform at the Highest Level
So yeah…
The mind matters.
And most athletes?
Are out there fighting mental demons with zero weapons.
Let’s Get Real for a Second
Tell me…
✔ Do you crush it in training, then underperform when it actually counts?
✔ Do your nerves hijack your body right before a game?
✔ Do you play not to lose, instead of playing to dominate?
✔ Do you feel like your thoughts spiral after every small mistake?
✔ Do you sense—deep down—you could be elite, if only you could stop sabotaging yourself?
If that’s you?
You’re not broken.
You’re untrained where it matters most.
And here’s where I come in.
Introducing
The Confident Competitor Academy
A Six-Week Tactical Mental Performance Program for Athletes Committed to Conquering Fear and Achieving Their Goals.
A System That Already Transformed Athletes In:
Here’s How It Will Change Your Game…And Life Forever:
Pinpoint the Root of Your Fear
Stop guessing. Find the exact mental trigger holding you back—and blow it up.
Lock in on What You Can Control
Fear comes from distraction. We rewire your brain to focus like a sniper.
Train Your Thoughts Like a Savage
You don’t need to “think positive.” You need to think powerfully. And I’ll show you how.
Become Fully Present, On Command
Goodbye overthinking. Goodbye past regrets. Hello flow state, whenever you want it.
Bounce Back Like a Killer
One mistake won’t kill your momentum. You’ll learn how to shake it off mid-game.
Build Confidence Rituals That Never Break
Confidence isn’t magic. It’s built-through routines that prime your body and brain.
Why Most Athletes Will Never Break Through (But You Will)
Because most athletes are stuck in a broken system.
Coaches scream “FOCUS!” but never teach focus.
Parents say “BELIEVE IN YOURSELF” with no tools behind it.
Trainers build the body…
But who’s building the mind?
Nobody.
That’s the void.
This is the weapon that fills it.
And the proof?
51.3%
of elite athletes in Europe say they lack enough mental training.
73%
of high school athletes have NEVER had a single session of mental performance coaching.
17%
of Elite Performance Comes from Mental Skills—But 80% of Training Programs Ignore Them
97%
of Olympians say mental prep gave them the edge in medal rounds.
"Train the Mind, or the Body Won’t Follow."
-Jack Nichlaus, One Of The GOATS Of Professional Golfing
30-Day Money Back Guarantee.
No Risk, All Reward
This isn’t a gimmick.
This isn’t some overnight confidence scam.
This is the real work.
And if you don’t feel a shift within 30 days—
If you don’t feel more control, more focus, more composure—
I’ll give you your money back. No questions asked.
But I know this:
You’re going to walk away different.
Stronger.
Sharper.
Dangerous.
Because when you train your mind?
Everything changes.
Here’s More of What You Get Inside the Confident Competitor Academy
Daily Mental Training Videos
Quick, powerful videos that show you how to train your mind just like you train your body.
30 Game-Changing Worksheets
Each video comes with a worksheet to lock in what you learned and put it into action.
Action-Packed Tools
No fluff. Just real tools you can use right away to calm nerves, boost confidence, and focus better under pressure.
Direct Access to Coach Eli
Got questions? Stuck on something? You can message me anytime during the course. I’m in your corner.
Get Lifetime Access for Only $250!
Enroll Today and take the first step toward transforming your mental game. Join a community of athletes who are ready to conquer fear, overcome anxiety, and unlock their true potential.
Lifetime Access
$250
Confident Competitor Academy
Unlock lifetime access with a single one-time payment.
2 Monthly Payments of
$130
Confident Competitor Academy
Unlock lifetime access with just two monthly payments.
Let’s Do This Together…
You’ve worked too damn hard to let your thoughts sabotage your future.
You want the edge? This is it.
While others scroll TikTok for motivation…
You’ll be building bulletproof mental game-day rituals.
While they panic under pressure…
You’ll be locked in.
While they keep praying for rain…
You’ll be ready for the storm.
Let’s build your mental legacy.
Let’s train like no one else does so you can play like no one else can.
And this time around, I’ve got you.
Eli Straw
Mental Performance Coach | Founder, Success Starts Within
Frequently Asked Questions
Meet Coach Eli Straw
Eli Straw is a former college and pro baseball player turned mental performance coach. He holds an M.S. in psychology and has one mission: to help athletes master the mental side of the game. In high school, Eli battled crippling fear. He used to pray for rain just to avoid playing. But he pushed through, became a four-year college starter, won a pro championship in the Pecos League, and played his best season overseas with the Brasschaat Braves in Belgium. His turning point? Learning to train his mind like he trained his body. That shift sparked his obsession with sport psychology. Eli spent years studying, coaching, and eventually founded Success Starts Within.
Today, he’s helped athletes across six continents overcome fear, silence self-doubt, and perform with total confidence. The same tools that changed his life? They’re all inside the Confident Competitor Academy now built to change yours.
