In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition, I talk with Elite Performance Coach Breanne Smedley, who helps female athletes cultivate true confidence in sports and life. Breanne shares how, as a top volleyball player, personal struggles with a lack of confidence deterred her from sports and ultimately motivated her to help other athletes feeling similarly. Breanne discusses how she overcame her own lack of confidence and developed the courage to return to sport. We hear about Breanne’s business, The Elite Competitor, where she is on a mission to help young athletes and their parents train their mental game.  Breanne and I discuss the common killers of confidence in female athletes, including body image concerns, uncomfortable team dynamics, and fear of judgment, as well as how parents and coaches can best support athletes here with their words and actions. Breanne and I emphasize the huge influence of parents’ behavior on young athletes, particularly as it pertains to their body image and self-concept. We remind listeners to consider the stories they tell themselves and others about their bodies, unpacking where they originated from. We finish off with our end of the podcast questions, and hear about Breanne’s current hobbies pickleball and CrossFit! For more on Breanne, check out her website https://www.elitecompetitor.com/ and access her free training for moms of athletes www.trainhergame.com  Follow Breanne on Instagram and Facebook @elitecompetitorcoach and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition  We have a huge announcement! We are launching patreon! Female Athlete Nutrition podcast patreon is now LIVE and we are excited to offer our community unique perks. Join today and receive bonus episodes, merch, monthly recipes, access to an exclusive community message board, and have the chance to ask Lindsey your questions and get a podcast shoutout, and more! Head to patreon today patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition  Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation?  Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only! THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY: Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders. Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp  Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order In this episode we talk about: 4:20 Breanne’s athletic background and confidence struggles as a young athlete  7:15 Helping other athletes and their parents train their mental game; the impact of parents  11:45 Taking a break from sports  15:20 Overcoming fear of rejection: 30 seconds of courage 18:25 Confidence killers for female athletes 21:15 Navigating team dynamics and social relationships in sports 28:20 Advice to parents on raising confident athletes 36:40 Body image and parental influence 41:50 Connect with Breanne at The Elite Competitor  42:50 End of the podcast questions