How Unleash Your Drive Helped One Young Pupil Find Her Voice
“At the start, she would get frustrated and doubt herself quite quickly, but as the sessions went on, she showed a much stronger mindset and was far more willing to keep trying and support others around her”
At Friockheim Primary School, one young girl’s journey through the Unleash Your Drive programme shows how confidence can be quietly unlocked—and how the right environment can change everything.
When she first joined the sessions, she stayed firmly in the background.
Quiet and hesitant, she avoided speaking in groups and often needed encouragement just to take part. When things didn’t go right first time, she would quickly put herself down. Her lack of confidence made it difficult to engage, limiting both her learning and her ability to build friendships.
Delivered by coach Bryce Ness alongside her class teacher, the programme created a supportive space where trying, failing and improving were all part of the process. Over time, small changes began to appear.
She started to contribute more.
At first, it was simple engagement in activities. Then came a breakthrough moment during a team task, when she independently initiated conversations and began encouraging others. What had once been hesitation turned into participation—and then into leadership within the group.
This progress was closely linked to the mental toughness tools introduced throughout the programme.
In particular, positive self-talk proved to be a turning point. Earlier in the programme, she had a tendency to be overly critical of herself when things didn’t go right. Learning how to reframe those thoughts helped her approach challenges differently—sticking with tasks rather than stepping away from them.
Bryce Ness saw that shift clearly across the weeks. “It was great to see her improve,” he said. “At the start, she would get frustrated and doubt herself quite quickly, but as the sessions went on, she showed a much stronger mindset and was far more willing to keep trying and support others around her.”
Alongside this, she developed stronger habits of positive self-reflection and goal setting, building the resilience to keep going even when things felt difficult.
The impact didn’t stop within the sessions.
Conversations with her teacher highlighted a wider shift across the group. Relationships between the girls improved noticeably, both in the classroom and out in the playground. They were communicating more, supporting each other more, and creating a more positive class dynamic overall.
For this pupil, the change was clear.
She became more confident, more resilient, and more willing to try new things—even without prior experience. By the end of the programme, she was not only participating, but actively engaging with others and embracing challenges she would previously have avoided.
She also showed interest in continuing her golf journey beyond school, exploring opportunities at Carnoustie Golf Links.
While her next steps are unknown, her journey reflects something bigger.
Through a supportive environment and the right tools, she moved from standing on the sidelines to stepping forward—building confidence, forming friendships, and developing the resilience to handle challenges both in sport and in everyday life.