Written by Felix Denayer — Olympic Gold Medalist, World Champion & Belgian National Team Captain
This is the first in a 4-part series on mastering the mental side of hockey — developed in partnership with Felix Denayer, Olympic Gold Medalist, World Cup winner, and long-time captain of the Belgian national team.
With over a decade competing and leading at the highest level of international hockey, Felix has experienced the full spectrum of pressure, focus, flow, and performance.
Now, he’s sharing those insights with you.
Whether you're an up-and-coming player or already competing at an elite level, this series is built to help you sharpen your mindset, remove the noise, and perform with clarity.
Years of elite experience, simplified into 4 powerful, practical lessons.
Let’s get to work.
In sport, physical skill will take you far — but your mind will take you all the way.
Whether you're stepping onto the pitch for your first school match or playing at an elite level, one thing holds true: performance is as much mental as it is physical.
At Naked Hockey, we believe in removing the noise. The distractions. The pressure. The clutter.
Why? Because clarity unlocks confidence.
Less is more.
It's not just a design principle — it's a mindset.
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Less overthinking, more instinct.
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Less comparison, more self-belief.
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Less clutter, more clarity in the moment that matters.
Here’s how pros and rising players alike can apply it:
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Focus on one key goal each match.
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Create pre-match rituals that centre your focus.
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Remove distractions — from your mindset, your gear, even your social feed.
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Keep your kit simple and your setup clean.
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Breathe. Re-centre. Play free.
Great players know that confidence isn't noise. It's quiet certainty.
The kind that comes when you strip it all back.
We build our gear the same way we train our minds: clean, focused, and made for performance.
Less weight. More power.
Less distraction. More dominance.
*pictured above is Maddie Long - England U21 and GB Elite Development Programme