Written by NTangible, Alliance Fastpitch’s Official Mental Performance Partner.

You’ve trained your body. You’ve hit in the cage until your hands were raw, stayed late for extra reps, and pushed through workouts most people would walk away from. That kind of grind builds power, speed, and confidence on the field. But here’s the truth: the strongest players aren’t just physically tough—they’re mentally fit too.

Mental fitness is just as trainable as physical fitness. And like your swing, your throw, or your glove work, it doesn’t improve by accident. It takes reps. It takes focus. And it makes all the difference—not just in softball, but in life.

Olympic gold medalist and softball legend Cat Osterman once said, “The mental game is what separates the good from the great.” And she’s right. You’ve probably felt it already—the pressure of a full count, the sting of a bad game, the doubt that creeps in when things don’t go your way. Being mentally fit means being ready for those moments. It’s the ability to reset after an error, to breathe before a big pitch, and to bounce back stronger the next day.

Sports psychologist Dr. Ken Ravizza, who worked with countless elite athletes, put it simply: “You have to train your mind like you train your body.” That means practicing focus. Practicing confidence. Practicing how to respond—not just react—when the game speeds up or life throws a curveball. It’s a skill, not a trait. And like all skills, you can get better at it.

Howard Schwartz, one of the leading voices in performance psychology and NTangible’s lead sports psychologist, explains it like this: “We don’t rise to the occasion—we fall to our level of training. And that includes your mindset.” In other words, how you prepare mentally matters just as much as how you train physically. And that preparation doesn’t just help you win the next game—it prepares you for the next challenge, the next step, the next chapter of your life.

Softball demands it. But so does school. So does your first job interview. So will college, relationships, and every challenge you’ll ever face. Mental strength isn’t just a softball skill—it’s a life skill. That same energy you’ve poured into hitting farther and running quicker? It works here too. The discipline you’ve built as an athlete is your edge.

Naomi Osaka, a Grand Slam champion who’s been open about her own mental journey, once said, “It’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay to talk about it.” Strength isn’t just about holding it all together—it’s knowing when to reset, ask for help, and do the work to grow. There’s nothing weak about training your mind. There’s everything strong about it.

When your body is ready and your mind is ready, that’s when you become truly unstoppable. Not just in games that matter, but in moments that matter. Because confidence isn’t luck. Resilience isn’t magic. Focus doesn’t just show up when you need it—it shows up because you’ve worked for it.

Now you can take the first step. NTangible has partnered with Alliance Fastpitch to bring cutting-edge mental testing to athletes like you—at 50% off. The NTangible test is the first to give you an objective number for your readiness in the biggest moments. It sets your mental performance baseline and tracks your growth as you train your mind. This is your chance to see where you are and build from there.

About NTangible

NTangible has created the first objective, predictive mental test focused on the ability to succeed in high leverage situations. For years, coaches and players have known certain people step up when the game is on the line … and some don’t. Finally, NTangible can answer the question – Are you clutch? NTangible.co for more details.

About the Alliance Fastpitch

The Alliance Fastpitch is a national organizing body for travel softball. The Alliance Fastpitch offers annual memberships for teams, athletes, and coaches. Our national competition structure provides a clear pathway to your season starting with regional play that leads to a national event. Alliance Fastpitch competition includes league play, an in-season tournament series called the Super Cup Series, National Championships, and a player identification program called the Stars of Tomorrow Series.