WHY
Why MINDFUL FC exists
Sport holds extraordinary potential. At its best, youth sports can cultivate confidence, resilience, leadership, and lifelong wellbeing. The playing field can be one of the most powerful environments for human development.
Yet the current model often struggles to support that potential. Across many youth sport systems, increasing competitive pressure have become normalized. Research and global participation data show rising dropout rates during adolescence, growing levels of anxiety and burnout among young athletes, and environments where the pursuit of results can overshadow learning, enjoyment, and long-term development.
Part of the challenge lies in how development is approached. Most programs focus almost exclusively on the athlete, while the broader human environment surrounding the athlete remains largely unaddressed. Parents, coaches, and leaders shape the emotional climate of sport every day, yet parents in particular are rarely included in the educational process that supports healthy development. In reality, athletes do not develop in isolation, they grow within systems (families, teams, and clubs) where behaviors, emotions, and expectations continuously interact.
MINDFUL FC was created to address this gap. By integrating mindfulness, leadership development, and systems thinking, MINDFUL FC supports parents, coaches, and sport leaders in cultivating healthier environments around young athletes. This context-focused approach recognizes that when the environment evolves, the athlete can truly thrive. Because elevating the game ultimately begins by elevating the system that surrounds it.
Sport holds extraordinary potential. At its best, youth sports can cultivate confidence, resilience, leadership, and lifelong wellbeing. The playing field can be one of the most powerful environments for human development.
Yet the current model often struggles to support that potential.
Across many youth sport systems, early specialization, constant evaluation, and increasing competitive pressure have become normalized. Research and global participation data show rising dropout rates during adolescence, growing levels of anxiety and burnout among young athletes, and environments where the pursuit of results can overshadow learning, enjoyment, and long-term development.
Part of the challenge lies in how development is approached. Most programs focus almost exclusively on the athlete, while the broader human environment surrounding the athlete remains largely unaddressed. Parents, coaches, and leaders shape the emotional climate of sport every day, yet parents in particular are rarely included in the educational process that supports healthy development.
In reality, athletes do not develop in isolation. They grow within systems — families, teams, and clubs — where behaviors, emotions, and expectations continuously interact.
At the same time, sport is evolving within a world increasingly shaped by technology, analytics, and artificial intelligence. These tools can enhance performance, but they also make it more important than ever to protect and strengthen the human foundations of sport: awareness, relationships, perspective, and leadership.
MINDFUL FC was created to address this gap.
By integrating mindfulness, leadership development, and systems thinking, MINDFUL FC supports parents, coaches, and sport leaders in cultivating healthier environments around young athletes. This context-focused approach recognizes that when the environment evolves, the athlete can truly thrive.
Because elevating the game ultimately begins by elevating the system that surrounds it.
FOUNDER
Aleix Gibert
Aleix Gibert is an educator, researcher, university professor, and sport practitioner dedicated to improving the environments surrounding young athletes.
His journey in sport began as a youth football player competing at a high level in Spain, and later evolved into a career devoted to understanding how athletes, coaches, and families develop within sport systems. Aleix holds a degree in Sports Science, a Master’s in Sports Management, the UEFA Pro coaching license, and a PhD focused on mindfulness and human development in sport environments.
Over the past two decades he has lived and worked across multiple countries and cultures. During eleven years working with FC Barcelona’s Academy, he gained a close understanding of the realities of youth sport systems around the world.
These experiences revealed a recurring gap: while athletes receive extensive technical training, the human environments surrounding them — families, leadership cultures, and emotional climates — are rarely supported with the same level of education.
MINDFUL FC emerged from this realization. Aleix’s work seeks to bridge science and practice, bringing together research in mindfulness, leadership, and systems thinking with real-world experience in sport environments.
At heart, Aleix is an educator committed to helping youth sports become mindful environments.
Aleix Gibert is an educator, researcher, university professor, and sport practitioner dedicated to improving the environments surrounding young athletes.
His journey in sport began as a youth football player competing at a high level in Spain, and later evolved into a career devoted to understanding how athletes, coaches, and families develop within sport systems. Aleix holds a degree in Sports Science, a Master’s in Sports Management, the UEFA Pro coaching license, and a PhD focused on mindfulness and human development in sport environments.
Over the past two decades he has lived and worked across multiple countries and cultures. During eleven years working with FC Barcelona’s Academy, he gained a close understanding of the realities of youth sport systems around the world.
These experiences revealed a recurring gap: while athletes receive extensive technical training, the human environments surrounding them — families, leadership cultures, and emotional climates — are rarely supported with the same level of education.
MINDFUL FC emerged from this realization. Aleix’s work seeks to bridge science and practice, bringing together research in mindfulness, leadership, and systems thinking with real-world experience in sport environments.
At heart, Aleix is an educator committed to helping youth sports become mindful environments.
THE SHIFT
From success to impact
Success in sport is often measured through results: wins, rankings, and individual achievements. These milestones matter, but they only tell part of the story.
The deeper value of youth sports lies in the impact it creates beyond the scoreboard. Every parent, coach, and leader shapes the experience of the young people around them. A word of encouragement, a moment of patience, a decision guided by perspective rather than pressure… these small actions ripple through the environment.
When we lead with awareness and intention, that ripple becomes impact.
You make an impact.
Your child makes an impact.
Your players make an impact.
Your community makes an impact.
Together, these moments shape not only the experience of the game, but the people who grow through it. And when the environments surrounding young athletes become healthier, more conscious, and more supportive, the impact extends far beyond sport. It shapes the kind of people we become, and the kind of society we build.
Success in sport is often measured through results: wins, rankings, and individual achievements. These milestones matter, but they only tell part of the story.
The deeper value of youth sports lies in the impact it creates beyond the scoreboard. Every parent, coach, and leader shapes the experience of the young people around them. A word of encouragement, a moment of patience, a decision guided by perspective rather than pressure… these small actions ripple through the environment.
When we lead with awareness and intention, that ripple becomes impact.
You make an impact.
Your child makes an impact.
Your players make an impact.
Your community makes an impact.
Together, these moments shape not only the experience of the game, but the people who grow through it. And when the environments surrounding young athletes become healthier, more conscious, and more supportive, the impact extends far beyond sport. It shapes the kind of people we become, and the kind of society we build.
“Transforming youth sports does not happen through one program or one coach. It happens through communities of parents, coaches, and leaders who choose to shape environments with greater intention.”
Aleix Gibert
CORE COMMITMENTS
The principles that guide our work
Human First
Performance is strengthened when the person is supported.
Context Matters
Thriving emerges from coherent environments, not isolated effort.
Long-Term
Sustainable development requires patience, alignment, and perspective.
Collective Responsibility
Parents, coaches, and leaders shape culture together.
Human First
Performance is strengthened when the person is supported.
Context Matters
Thriving emerges from coherent environments, not isolated effort.
Long-Term
Sustainable development requires patience, alignment, and perspective.
Collective Responsibility
Parents, coaches, and leaders shape culture together.
RESEARCH
Grounded in research and real-world practice
MINDFUL FC is grounded in research and real-world experience in youth sport environments.
Its approach integrates insights from mindfulness science, leadership development, and systems thinking to better understand how environments shape learning, performance, and wellbeing.
Beyond education, the project aims to contribute to the broader conversation about healthier sport cultures through ongoing research, applied practice, and the long-term evaluation of program impact.
MINDFUL FC is grounded in research and real-world experience in youth sport environments.
Its approach integrates insights from mindfulness science, leadership development, and systems thinking to better understand how environments shape learning, performance, and wellbeing.
Beyond education, the project aims to contribute to the broader conversation about healthier sport cultures through ongoing research, applied practice, and the long-term evaluation of program impact.
Become the parent who supports your child with presence, emotional balance, and a long-term vision for growth.
MINDFUL Sports Parent
Lead your team with clarity, emotional regulation, and intention to create environments where players can truly thrive.
MINDFUL Sports Coach
Shape a club culture where awareness, alignment, and human development elevate both performance and wellbeing.
MINDFUL Sports Leader
“Fundamental.”
Technical Director
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