At what age or level should athletes start mindset training?

Earlier than most clubs assume. The mental demands of competition arrive well before the elite level, and developing athletes are frequently dealing with selection pressure, the fear of letting teammates down and the frustration of inconsistency long before anyone thinks to give them tools for it. Junior athletes are often the most receptive group we work with, because they have not yet built-up years of habit around how they respond to pressure.

That said, the content is not identical across the board. The Agile principle means every step meets athletes where they are, based on their readiness to take on the approach. A junior squad might spend most of the work on emotional awareness and one or two accessible tools. A senior group carrying scar tissue from previous seasons might move faster into resourceful state work and dumping strategies.

We have found the honest test is not age or grade. It is whether the athletes want to be better and are prepared to practise. Where that exists, the work lands.