About The 5Cs
Transforming athletic performance and personal development through psychological excellence
Our Story
Supported by core principles within sport psychology, The 5Cs emerged from a vision to provide athletes, coaches, parents and organisations with a user-friendly methodology and approach enabling people to excel in their sporting and non-sporting roles. The framework encompasses five interconnected psychosocial qualities: Commitment, Communication, Concentration, Control, and Confidence. Underpinned by a focus on demonstrating behaviour and strategies associated with each ‘C’, the framework enables individuals to optimise their experience of sport.
Developed by Professor Chris Harwood while working within UK youth football, the 5Cs can be applied across sport and many other achievement or social contexts to help the development and well-being of individuals and teams. Practitioners working in youth sport have used the framework to enrich athletes’, coaches’ and parents’ understanding of how to build, support and nurture these important attributes.
Today, we work with practitioners, athletes, coaches, and parents worldwide, supporting individuals across all levels of sport. Our accreditation, certification and education programs aim to share the benefits of understanding the 5Cs and ensure the highest quality delivery of the framework by practitioners, coaches, clubs and organisations. At the same time, our research across sport continues to advance the field of applied sport psychology and how best to support athlete development.
Our People
Expert sport psychologists and researchers dedicated to your success
Professor Chris Harwood
Founder and Director of 5Cs Psychology
Chris is a leading academic and practitioner in the psychology of youth sport with over 30 years experience researching and supporting athletes, coaches and parents. He is a HCPC Registered Sport Psychologist who focuses upon the youth education, development and support programmes of national and international governing bodies, sports clubs and professional academies. He developed the 5Cs Framework to make sport psychology accessible and targeted at helping young people to build their psychosocial strengths through sport.
Dr. Karl Steptoe
Senior Practitioner, 5Cs Psychology
Karl is a HCPC Registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist with over 15 years experience working in both youth and adult sport, focusing on performance, developmental and well-being objectives. He has held lead Sport and Exercise Psychologist roles in Premier League Football, Premier League Football Academies, County Cricket and Paralympic Sport. Karl has held lecturing positions in Psychology at London Metropolitan University and the University of Greenwich before joining Loughborough University in 2017 where he is currently the Head of Applied Sport Psychology.
Eleanor Shaw
Assistant Practitioner, 5Cs Psychology
Eleanor is a student-practitioner in sport psychology with a strong academic and applied background in performance sport. She has an undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Bath and is currently completing a Master's degree in Sport Psychology at Nottingham Trent University. Alongside her studies, Eleanor completed a placement year at Soto Tennis Academy in Spain where she worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach, supporting developing tennis players within a high-performance environment.
Our Mission & Values
Guided by principles of excellence, integrity, and impact
Excellence
We strive for the highest standards in research, training, and athlete support across everything we do.
Evidence-Based
Our programmes and strategies are grounded in peer-reviewed research and contextual practice associated with core principles in sport psychology.
Inclusive
We seek to support athletes, coaches, and parents across all levels and types of sport, encouraging practitioners to apply the framework as broadly as possible.
Collaborative
We are keen to develop a partnership approach with sports organizations, academic institutions, and community stakeholders.
Innovative
Our creativity is something we pride ourselves on in terms of accessible and innovative methods, tools and technologies to deliver the most effective interventions.
Holistic Impact
We strive to achieve measurable improvements and life skill gains in the psychosocial development of athletes as young people, beyond their development as performers.
The 5Cs Framework
Five interconnected psychological competencies for peak performance
1. Commitment
Dedication to goals, resilience in the face of challenges, and unwavering pursuit of excellence. Athletes develop the mental toughness to persist through setbacks and maintain focus on long-term objectives.
2. Communication
Effective interpersonal skills, team cohesion, and leadership capabilities. Building strong relationships through clear, empathetic communication enhances both individual and team performance.
3. Concentration
Sustained focus, attention management, and ability to perform under pressure. Athletes learn to block out distractions and maintain optimal concentration during critical moments.
4. Control
Emotional regulation, stress management, and composure in high-pressure situations. Developing control over thoughts, emotions, and physical responses leads to consistent performance.
5. Confidence
Self-belief, positive mindset, and resilience in competition. Building authentic confidence through preparation and positive self-talk enables athletes to perform at their peak.
Our Impact
Accredited Practitioners
Athletes Supported
Countries Reached
Years of Research
Trusted by Organisations
Join The 5Cs Community
Whether you're a practitioner, coach, parent, or athlete, there's a place for you in our community