The “Yes, And” Mindset: How Athletes and Coaches Build Resilience Through Acceptance

The most useful mindset shift in sports may come from an unlikely place: improvisational comedy.

In Episode 143 of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann spoke with Travis Thomas—performance coach, author, improv expert, and former Leadership and Team Dynamics Coach for the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team—about how the foundational improv principle of “Yes, And” can help athletes and coaches stay present, respond to adversity, and build stronger teams. Thomas has also worked with organizations including the New York Yankees, Miami Marlins, Georgia Football, and IMG Academy, using improv-based tools to develop communication, connection, mental performance, and team culture.

His experience with the USMNT reinforces an important point: “Yes, And” is not just a fun exercise from a comedy stage. It is a practical framework for high-performance environments, where players and coaches must constantly adapt, communicate, and respond to situations they cannot fully control. In soccer especially, the game is fluid and unscripted. Players prepare, train, and follow a game plan, but once the match begins, success depends on how well they respond to what is actually happening—not what they hoped would happen.

What Does “Yes, And” Mean?

In improv, “Yes, And” means accepting the reality your scene partner gives you, then adding something that moves the scene forward.

The “yes” is acceptance. The “and” is contribution.

If one performer says, “We are stranded on a boat in the middle of the ocean,” the other performer does not say, “No, we are not. We are at a baseball game.” That response shuts down the scene.

Instead, they might say, “Yes, and the only map we have is written on the back of a cereal box.”

Now the scene can continue.

That is the heart of the “Yes, And” mindset: stop wasting energy arguing with reality, accept what is happening, and choose a productive response.

Travis Thomas describes “yes” as acceptance or consent for what is real, while “and” is the act of building, contributing, and finding the next response. Neither person controls the story, but both people help create it one moment at a time.

“Yes, And” Is Not Approval

This distinction matters.

Saying “yes” does not mean you like what happened. It does not mean a bad call was fair, an injury is good, a loss does not hurt, or a teammate’s mistake does not matter.

It means recognizing that the event has already happened.

• You missed the free throw. Yes, and you can sprint back on defense.
• The referee made a call you disagree with. Yes, and you can control your body language and your next play.
• Your team lost a tough game. Yes, and you can learn what the film shows and improve this week.
• You did not get the playing time you wanted. Yes, and you can ask what you need to develop and keep serving the team.

The alternative is often “yes, but.”

“Yes, but the referee cost us the game.”
“Yes, but my teammate made the mistake.”
“Yes, but the coach does not like me.”
“Yes, but the conditions were not fair.”

Sometimes those statements contain a grain of truth. But they do not move an athlete forward. They keep the focus on what cannot be changed.

A “Yes, And” response brings the focus back to the next controllable action.

Why Athletes Need It

Sports are unscripted. A game plan matters, preparation matters, and skill matters—but once the game begins, athletes must respond to what is actually happening, not to what they hoped would happen.

Thomas makes this point clearly: every sport is an improvisation. Athletes prepare, but their real job is to respond to the moment rather than fight the mismatch between reality and expectation.

This is why “Yes, And” supports mental toughness.

A mentally tough athlete is not someone who never gets frustrated, nervous, or disappointed. A mentally tough athlete notices those emotions, accepts the situation, and returns to the next useful action.

That might mean:

• Resetting after an error.
• Communicating after a breakdown.
• Adjusting to an opponent’s strategy.
• Staying composed during pressure.
• Moving on after a disappointing result.

The athlete who can do this quickly is not ignoring adversity. They are using it.

“Yes, And” Builds Better Teams

The mindset does not only apply to individual performance. It can change team culture.

When teams operate from “yes, but,” communication becomes defensive. Players look for blame. Coaches protect their ideas. Teammates hesitate to contribute because they expect to be shut down.

A “Yes, And” culture creates something different:

• Players listen before reacting.
• Teammates build on each other’s ideas.
• Coaches invite athlete ownership.
• Mistakes become information, not identity.
• Everyone understands that the best solution may come from the group—not one person.

Thomas explains that “Yes, And” helps groups tap into their collective brilliance rather than arguing over who has the smartest perspective.

That is valuable in a locker room, a staff meeting, a classroom, and at home. Great teams do not need every person to think the same way. They need people who can bring different perspectives together and keep moving forward.

A Present-Moment Reset

One of the hidden benefits of improv is that it forces people into the present moment.

You cannot successfully improvise while replaying a past mistake or worrying about the final outcome. You have to listen, process, and respond to what is in front of you.

That is the same skill athletes need in competition.

When an athlete becomes overwhelmed, a simple reset can help:

1. Recognize the moment: “I am frustrated,” “I am anxious,” or “I am distracted.”
2. Accept reality: “Yes, that happened.”
3. Find the next action: “And here is what I can do now.”

For a basketball player, that might be: “Yes, I turned the ball over—and now I am getting back on defense.”

For a volleyball player: “Yes, I missed that serve—and now I am ready for the next point.”

For a coach: “Yes, this practice is not going how I planned—and now I can adjust the drill, clarify the standard, and communicate better.”

The goal is not perfection. Distraction is part of being human. The skill is recognizing it faster and returning to the present more effectively.

Put It Into Practice

Coaches can make “Yes, And” part of everyday culture without turning practice into a comedy class.

Try these simple applications:

• After a mistake, ask: “Yes, that happened. What is our ‘and’?”
• During film, identify the moment an athlete or team could have responded instead of reacted.
• Use a short improv warm-up before practice to build focus, listening, and connection.
• In team meetings, have players build on an idea before offering a critique.
• Replace “Why did that happen?” with “What do we do next?”

The language matters because it shapes attention. Teams become what they repeatedly practice—not only physically, but mentally and emotionally.

Build Your Mental Mettle

The “Yes, And” mindset does not eliminate hard moments. It helps you meet them with a better response.

For athletes, it is a tool for confidence and resilience. For coaches, it is a tool for leadership and culture. For parents, it is a reminder that growth rarely comes from controlling every outcome.

Life will not follow the script. Games will not follow the plan.

But you can always choose your next response.

Mental Mettle Coaching helps athletes, coaches, parents, and schools develop practical mental skills for pressure, confidence, focus, resilience, and team culture. To learn more about individual coaching, team sessions, or professional development for your staff, visit Mental Mettle Coaching.

Yes, that happened. And now, what will you do next?