Youth sport today asks more of young people than ever before. Selection starts earlier, competition runs deeper, and pressure moments arrive before many athletes have the skills to cope. When this gap exists, confidence wavers, enjoyment fades, and potential remains untapped.

In his compelling keynote, Under Pressure, Dr Craig Harrison reveals what’s really happening under pressure, and what it takes to thrive within it. Drawing on developmental science, lived stories from youth sport, and practical tools, this session shifts the conversation from “handling pressure” to working with it.

First, you’ll learn how the adolescent brain, stress response, and social dynamics influence behaviour under pressure. Then, you’ll discover how to build the skills to meet pressure moment by moment and create the conditions for confident, adaptable performance.

Who is this talk for?
- Parents of youth athletes want to better support their child
- Coaches of youth athletes wanting to develop more resilient players
- Teen athletes wanting to understand and manage big emotions

About Dr Craig Harrison
With over 20 years’ experience working alongside young athletes, coaches, and families, Craig is one of New Zealand’s leading voices on helping young people thrive in sport. His work blends research in youth development and learning environments with real-world stories from schools, clubs, and academies, helping people better understand pressure and respond to it with intention.