David Charlton
Owner Inspiring Sporting Excellence, HCPC Registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist, Podcast Host and Educator
What inspired you to become a Sports Psychologist?
From as early as I could walk, I was playing sport. My earliest childhood memories are of kicking a football around in the streets, day in and day out, with friends of all ages. I’d happily play football three or four hours a day. As time went on, I tried every sport imaginable darts, pool, crown green bowling, skiing, cricket, tennis, squash you name it, I tried it.
As I got into my teens, time became more precious, and football and golf were the two sports I specialised in. By 16, I had a decision to make: did I specialise in football or golf? The dream was to play professionally. Although I played county standard football at the time, I felt like I was better at golf. It was more aligned with my personality. I was a quieter kid, and football being a team sport meant there were so many outside factors I couldn’t control. Golf might have been the easier option because it was all on me to try and beat the golf course.
I had the opportunity to turn professional and become a golf coach in my early 20s, but I didn’t get the role. I let it really affect me and my confidence. That was symptomatic of who I was then. I lacked confidence, overthought things, and compared myself to others constantly.
I was fascinated by high achievers in different sports, particularly those who weren’t necessarily the most talented or skilled. Kevin Keegan in football, Jordan Henderson, Paul Collingwood in cricket, athletes who got the absolute most out of their abilities. I had the same fascination with Tiger Woods, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Ronaldo, and Messi. I kept asking myself: how do these people get to where they are and maintain that level for such a long period of time?
Sadly, in 2008, my wife Alex died of cancer at age 36. For 15 months we were aware she had cancer, and it was a really difficult period that made me reassess my life. It hit me hard and made me look in the mirror and take responsibility for moving forward. Eight months after she died, I was made redundant from my role as a branch manager in corporate travel. I was faced with a choice: stick with the travel industry or go for something I really wanted to do.
I went for it. It was a brave, bold step. I had a mortgage to pay, and sport psychology was relatively new at the time with few roles available. But I don’t regret it. I’ve been so fortunate to have supported thousands of people, from kids aged seven or eight all the way up to Olympians and Premier League footballers. I’ve had a great time.
What do you love most about working with children, young athletes and parents?
Three of my core values are making a difference, excellence, and fun. What I love most is seeing kids smiling, laughing, having fun, and enjoying themselves on a football pitch, golf course, cricket pitch, or tennis court. I love watching them overcome setbacks, perform well under pressure when least expected, make new friendships, and stretch themselves.
When it comes to excellence, I love having conversations where a child is thinking in a very black-and-white way, and being able to ask really good questions that shift their focus – then seeing that light bulb moment. The big thing for me is the fun element and enjoyment, but it’s also about helping them maximise their potential, similar to those athletes I mentioned earlier who got every single ounce out of their talent.
What are some of the mindset challenges you help kids, teenagers and young athletes overcome?
The challenges align with the categories on our website:
Confidence, self-belief, and self-doubt – Often it’s about kids taking themselves too seriously, allowing their inner chatter and self-talk to create doubt and worries that prevent them from performing at their best.
Emotional regulation and anger management – As children, our brains aren’t fully developed (not until our late 20s or 30s). Handling uncomfortable emotions like nerves, anxiety, fear, anger, frustration, and disappointment is challenging. I help children recognise these emotions are completely normal and we all experience them because we care and want to do well.
Fear of mistakes and perfectionism – This is huge. So many children and adults have expectations that are completely out of sync, linked to outcomes and results rather than process. This can cripple them with anxiety and fear. We help them control the controllables and focus on the process.
Mental blocks and fear of injury – Mental blocks are more common in sports like gymnastics and trampolining. Fear of injury is also common if a child has experienced trauma or injuries in contact sports like football or rugby. Helping children free themselves from these hidden mental barriers is a big part of my role.
Mental health and emotional and physical wellbeing – Children and teenagers often have their identity wrapped around their sport. If they’re not performing well, it impacts their mental health at home and school. We help them realise there’s more to them than just their sport, and we work with parents on this too.
Performance anxiety and match day or competition nerves – We work to normalise nerves and help kids get comfortable being uncomfortable, changing their perception that nerves are bad. Nerves show that you care.
Training versus competition performance gaps – Many young athletes perform great in training but can’t replicate it on match day. I help children, parents, and coaches understand what’s going on. Often their focus is on outcomes, making mistakes, or trying to be perfect. We work on helping them train and compete more freely, with process goals being one key approach.
How do you support families, youth teams and clubs?
When working with children, the child is my client. Building a trusting relationship is key, whilst also working with the parent. Sessions can be done one-to-one, or younger kids can have their parent involved, either for the whole session, short periods, or just to reinforce the messages we discuss.
As far as teams go, I’m involved with a number of clubs and organisations, both face-to-face in the Northeast of England and local areas, and online. We support coaches and teams with workshops, various programmes, and one-to-one support. Basically trying to make a positive difference to kids’ lives in their sport.
What's one simple mental skill every young athlete can benefit from?
Finding a way to focus on the PROCESS and not the OUTCOME or RESULT.
When you're not working, what do you enjoy doing?
I’m very active and outdoorsy. I could be hiking a hill with my wife, out running, cycling, training for a triathlon, or golfing. I might be relaxing in a spa, or I could be enjoying being a dad, spending time with my kids; watching them play football or other sports, spending quality time with them, and playing sport with them too.
Qualifications and Registrations
- Supervisor Training for Trainee Sport and Exercise Psychologists
- Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (Stage 2)
- MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology
- BSc Psychology
- Certified Mindfactor and Performance Coach
- NLP and Hypnotherapy Practitioner
- Mental Toughness Licensed User with AQR International.
- i3 Profiling Accredited Associate
- Level 2 and 3 – Personal Training and Fitness Instructing Qualifications
- Introduction to Coaching Football
David is a fully approved and HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist (Sport and Exercise) as well as a Supervisor for Sport and Exercise Psychologists in Training (SEPiTs) on the SEPAR pathway with CASES.
Looking to chat with David Charlton?
Get in touch with David by clicking on our CONTACT PAGE or using the form below asking any questions that you may have. We’ll respond to you within 24 hours or less on week days.