A healthy mindset is something athletes have to start training for at a very young age.
Stars like USWNT's Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan weren't just born to thrive on the big stage -- they integrated mental health tools and disciplines early on in their careers that have helped them succeed today.
"We prepare them to be the best…always thinking in the long term… but a mindset about the present," Telemundo Deportes’ commentator and former U.S. U-17 coach Natalia Astrain said.
The U.S. is looking to become the first country, male or female, to win three consecutive World Cup titles -- a feat that certainly requires mental skills to conquer. But Astrain says the pressure is a privilege and the gals will look forward to rising to the occasion.
"[With] U.S. players, the mentality is so competitive and they love the challenge," the former coach said. "… pressure? No, They want to win."
Astrain said she likes to work with her players in various mental capacities, specializing in visualization and meditation. The visualization allows her players to imagine themselves succeeding in competition or in any part of the game while meditation practices controlling emotions before getting on the battlefield.
The biggest task for the USWNT to three-peat at the Women's World Cup will be to stay present, she said. A skill that only mental preparation can train.
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The U.S. begins its title defense on July 21, when it meets Women's World Cup newcomer Vietnam in Auckland, New Zealand (9 p.m. ET).
