To perform at a gold medal-winning level, athletes go through extensive physical preparation, but just as importantly - they train mentally, with the help of coaches. A coach’s job, at heart, is to prepare athletes and teams to consistently perform at their best and to recover quickly from mistakes. Like all of us, athletes are complex, with different motivations and communication styles. The key for a coach is to figure out how to build trust with each athlete in authentic ways that motivate them to maximize their performances, build strong team chemistry, and help individuals and teams move beyond setbacks, like with Kerri Strug’s first failed vault attempt. Coaches must keep in mind, however, that each athlete brings their own set of unique identity markers, experiences, communication preferences, and levels of self-awareness to the table. Athletes respond to success and failure differently and have varying preferences for how they build trust and communicate.