Coach Scott Papek is a mindset coach and youth basketball coach based in the Boston area. He helps athletes build the confidence and composure to compete at their best. By training mental skills, Scott teaches players how to quiet overthinking, recover quickly from mistakes, and step onto the court with trust in themselves. The Max Out Mindset training program has contributed to 12 national championships at the professional, college, high school, and club levels, along with nearly 30 high school state titles.

Who I Serve

• Individual athletes and leaders

• Sport teams

• Coaches

What I do

• Identify hidden potential in athletes and teams

• Train leaders to bring out the best in others

• Build team culture rooted in trust and accountability

Confidence is the number one challenge athletes face — and the most important skill they can train. Too often, athletes second-guess themselves, overthink mistakes, play small, and shut down under pressure.

From middle school to college, the competition has never been tougher. Coaches expect toughness, teammates look for leaders, and parents want results, yet most athletes are never given the tools to handle the mental side of the game.

As a youth basketball coach for the past five years, I’ve seen the struggles up close — how players hesitate, experience self-doubt, and play scared in big moments.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

This guide is written specifically for student-athletes. The chapters are short and to the point, with reflection questions to help you slow down, think, and apply the lessons to your own game.

Leadership is one of the most discussed qualities in sports, but one of the least developed. Every season, athletes hear, “We need leaders,” yet few are ever shown what that really means or how to become one. Coaches expect it, teammates depend on it, and the game exposes when it’s missing. The problem isn’t that athletes don’t want to lead — it’s that no one has taken the time to train them how to lead.

As a youth basketball coach for the past five years, I’ve seen these challenges up close — athletes afraid to communicate, hesitant to hold each other accountable, and unsure of how to step into leadership when their team needs it most.

The Athlete’s Guide to Leadership is designed for athletes who want to step up as leaders — whether you’re a captain, a role player, or simply ready to make your team better — and for coaches who want a clear, practical tool to help athletes grow into those roles.
The chapters are bite-sized, clear, and practical, so athletes can learn in small doses and immediately apply what they’ve learned.