Strike Zone Performance Services

Certified Mental Performance Consultant: Rugby Workshops

7’s and 15’s programs: Rugby is a physically demanding and mentally challenging sport. Players must make decisions under pressure, manage fatigue, respond to mistakes, stay composed through physical contact, and remain connected to their teammates throughout the match. Mental Performance training helps rugby athletes develop the mental skills needed to compete with confidence, resilience, focus, composure, and purpose

Strike Zone Performance Service

Certified Mental Performance Consultant: Rugby Workshops

Rugby—whether played in 7s or 15s—requires athletes to make quick decisions under pressure, manage fatigue and physical contact, recover from mistakes, and stay connected to their teammates. Mental performance training helps players manage nerves, frustration, and aggression while remaining focused and composed after penalties, turnovers, or missed opportunities. Through productive self-talk, focus training, visualization, and competition routines, athletes learn to compete with greater confidence, resilience, composure, and purpose.

Confidence and Self-talk

Trust your preparation, mechanics, and abilities. Develop productive thoughts and performance cues.

Composure Management

Manage pressure, frustration, aggression, and game-day nerves. Quickly recover after mistakes, missed opportunities, penalties, or turnovers.

Competition Planning/Regulation

Create routines that help athletes arrive mentally ready to be starters or impact subs. Learn how visualization techniques and post-performance reflection can optimize experiences

Focus Training

stay locked in and recover quickly from bad plays or mistakes. Learn about the different types of focus and stay mentally engaged even when opportunities are infrequent

Free Discovery Call Available

Book An Certified Mental Performance Consultant: Rugby Workshops Today

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Ready to build the mental strength your game demands? Book a session to develop the focus, confidence, composure, and resilience needed to perform under pressure and respond effectively to adversity. Complete the form to get started and take the next step toward becoming a more prepared, disciplined, and confident rugby player.

Certified Mental Performance Consultant

About Ashley Strike

“I’ve been immersed in sport for as long as I can remember. Like many athletes, I was introduced early—starting in figure skating before finding my way to hockey at age nine. I played boys’ hockey until I was 13, eventually transitioning into competitive girls’ hockey. As a shorter athlete, I constantly felt the need to prove myself. That mindset shaped me into a relentless worker, always striving to be the hardest-working player on the ice—but it also led to a habit of focusing only on what I lacked, rather than what I was doing well.

Looking for a new challenge, I made the transition to rugby. I was drawn to the sport’s inclusivity and the way it celebrates different body types and skill sets. It felt like an opportunity to unlock a new version of myself. However, I quickly realized that my biggest obstacle wasn’t the sport—it was my mindset. Perfectionism, self-doubt, and harsh self-criticism followed me, often showing up most intensely in competition. While I performed confidently in practice, game situations triggered doubt and negative self-talk that held me back.

Eventually, I reached a turning point. I recognized that my internal dialogue was limiting my potential, and I made the decision to address it. In my second year, I began working with a sport psychology student who helped me identify the mental barriers I had created. That experience was transformative. I learned how to reframe my thinking, let go of mistakes, and compete with freedom and confidence. For the first time, I was playing the way I knew I was capable of.

That shift didn’t just change how I felt—it changed my performance. During my university career, our team went from a fourth-place finish to winning the RESEQ championship twice and competing at Nationals. I was also selected to the Quebec Provincial Women’s Rugby Program, where I competed for ten years alongside athletes who went on to represent Canada. None of that would have been possible without investing in my mental development.

One of the most valuable lessons rugby taught me was adaptability. In one season, I played multiple positions to meet the needs of the team. That experience challenged me to put ego aside, embrace versatility, and deepen my understanding of the game. What once felt like weaknesses—my attention to detail and critical mindset—became strengths when applied constructively. I learned to stay present, trust my abilities, and respond effectively to whatever the game demanded.

Today, that journey fuels my passion for helping other athletes. I know firsthand how powerful mindset can be—not just in performance, but in personal growth. I work with athletes to develop self-awareness, build confidence, and navigate the challenges that come with high-level sport. Because ultimately, it’s not just about talent—it’s about how you respond when things don’t go your way.”