ADHD · Executive Functioning · Sports

COACH CAREY
ADHD & SPORTS

Helping kids with ADHD and executive function challenges thrive in team sports — and in life.

Dr. Carey Heller · Licensed Psychologist · Volunteer Youth Sports Coach

🏆 Get the Playbook Follow on Instagram
@CoachCareyPsyD

Quick Facts

  • 🧠 Specializes in ADHD & executive function evaluation and treatment
  • ⚾ Seasoned volunteer youth baseball & basketball coach
  • 📖 Chair, Editorial Advisory Board for CHADD's Attention Magazine
  • 🏋️ Running his 1:1 & small-group ADHD/EF Boot Camp for over 12 years
  • ✍️ Author & expert contributor — Washington Parent, Attention Magazine, GoodTherapy
Meet Coach Carey

A psychologist on the sidelines.

Dr. Carey Heller — or "Coach Carey," as the kids like to call him — is a licensed psychologist and co-founder of the Heller Psychology Group in Bethesda, Maryland. He specializes in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and executive function challenges, providing formal testing, psychotherapy, and ADHD/executive function coaching.

He's also a seasoned volunteer youth baseball and basketball coach who has spent years on the diamond and the court, often coaching two teams each season. That rare combination — clinical expertise plus real sideline experience — is what makes his approach so practical.

Coach Carey bridges the gap between clinical ADHD knowledge and real-world sideline action, giving parents and coaches field-tested tools that actually work on game day.

💻 Online Course · On-Demand

GAME ON WITH COACH CAREY

A Psychologist's Playbook for Helping Kids with ADHD Thrive in Team Sports

Your player is spinning in the outfield, melting down after a bad call, or tuning out halfway through your instructions. It's not defiance, and it's not bad coaching. It's ADHD meeting the demands of team sports: long stretches of waiting, multi-step directions, and high-pressure transitions. This course gives you tools for the sideline and for home, in short modules you can watch before your next practice or game.

  • Handle frustration with bad calls and mistakes. The "What-If" script and Goal Shifting help kids who get stuck when things don't go their way.
  • Keep players focused when they aren't in the play. The "Pop Fly Shuffle" and Tactical Resets keep kids engaged in games and practices.
  • Turn a tough loss into growth. Why losing can feel like a "dopamine crash" for ADHD brains, and the "Highlight Reel" pivot forward.
  • Give instructions that stick. Discreet cues, visual demos, and "3 Technical Goals" that simplify directions and protect self-esteem.
  • Get parents and coaches on the same page. Communication strategies and welcome emails that set every child up for a successful season.
$24 Enroll on Gumroad →

Ages 6–16 · No diagnosis needed · Lifetime access · Works for any team sport

Game On with Coach Carey — online course banner
⏱️7 short video modules (~48 min)
📄Coach's Playbook PDF
📋Clipboard Reference Guide
Who It's For

Made for the sidelines.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Parents

Support your child in team sports and help them thrive both on and off the field or court — with strategies you can use from the bleachers and at home.

🧢

Youth Coaches

Understand ADHD and executive function in a sports setting, and get a toolkit to help kids stay focused, be less disruptive, and play to their full potential.

🎁 Free Downloads

Free tools for the sideline.

Three free guides from Coach Carey for parents and coaches. Enter your email to unlock all three instantly.

For Parents 📘

Helping Your Athlete Stay Focused & Engaged

Strategies for mindset, behavior, and overcoming challenges, so your athlete can succeed on and off the field.

For Coaches 📋

The Coach's Playbook: Keeping Every Athlete Engaged & Focused

Practical techniques to keep every player engaged, improve team dynamics, and have a more successful, fun season.

For Families 🗓️

Multi-Sport Organization & Executive Function Toolkit

Keep track of the sports schedule, manage team and league info, and use game-day strategies, with a game-day checklist included.

You'll get instant access to all three PDFs. No spam, and your email is never shared.

Work With Dr. Heller

Beyond the course.

Through the Heller Psychology Group in Bethesda, Maryland — with telehealth available in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and other PSYPACT states.

📝

ADHD & Psychoeducational Testing

Formal evaluation of ADHD and executive functioning.

💬

Psychotherapy

Evidence-based treatment for ADHD and executive function challenges.

🎯

ADHD/EF Coaching

Executive function coaching, often blended with psychotherapy.

🏋️

EF Boot Camp

Two-hour intensive 1:1 and small-group sessions — running 12+ years.

Visit Heller Psychology Group →
🎤 Talks & Trainings

Bring Coach Carey to your league.

Engaging, practical talks and trainings for sports leagues, coaches' clinics, schools, and organizations — on ADHD, executive functioning, and helping every kid thrive in youth sports.

Upcoming Talks

📅 November 18, 2026 · 8:00–9:00 AM

"Building a Better League: Strategies for Supporting Youth Athletes with ADHD"

NAYS Youth Sports Congress

National Alliance for Youth Sports annual congress · November 17–19, 2026 · Orlando, Florida

Event details →
📅 December 5, 2026 · 4:30–5:30 PM

"Game On with Coach Carey: A Psychologist's Playbook for Helping Kids with ADHD to Thrive in Team Sports"

International Conference on ADHD (ADHD2026)

Hosted by CHADD, ADDA & ACO · December 3–5, 2026 · Baltimore, Maryland

Event details →

Past Talks

Oct 19–22, 2026
"Coaching the ADHD Athlete: What Every Youth Coach Needs to Understand"
Youth Sports Success Summit · Virtual
Jan 29, 2026
"Coaching Kids with ADHD in Sports: Empowering Youth Coaches"
Kansas Recreation and Parks Association Annual Conference

Now booking fall 2026 & winter 2027 talks

Want your coaches and parents equipped with the same field-tested strategies? Contact Coach Carey to schedule a talk or training for your league or organization.

Prefer email? Reach Coach Carey at CoachCarey@thehellerpsychologygroup.com

🧢 Hyperfocus Apparel — tees for coaches, parents & players who believe sports should be fun. Shop the store →
📬 The Newsletter

Get the game plan in your inbox.

Practical ADHD and sports strategies from Coach Carey — for parents, coaches, and anyone helping kids thrive on and off the field. Free on Substack.

Or read past issues at coachcareyadhdsports.substack.com

Join the Team

Follow Coach Carey

Tips, plays, and practical tools for ADHD and sports — on your feed.