Melbourne's Youth Confidence & Performance Specialist
Helping Children Ages 8-16 Build the Mental Toughness, Confidence & Resilience to Thrive in Sport and Life
We believe every child deserves to develop real confidence—the kind that comes from mastering something difficult, not just being told they're capable.
Natural Born Running teaches children ages 8-16 to master their movement. But that's just the vehicle. What we're really building is the mental toughness, self-belief, and resilience that transfers to everything they do
We're not just movement coaches—we're confidence builders who understand that physical competence creates psychological strength. When kids learn to trust their bodies, they learn to trust themselves.
"I created this platform because I know what it's like to lose something you love—and to wish someone had given you the tools to handle it differently."
"Years ago, I tore my ACL. Not once, but three times. My rugby career ended before it really began. But the physical injury wasn't the hardest part. It was the identity crisis that followed. Who was I without sport? Where did my confidence come from now?"
"I spent years rebuilding—not just my knee, but my sense of self. And I realized something that changed everything: my confidence had been built on the wrong foundation. It came from external validation, not internal competence."
"That's why I focus exclusively on children ages 8-16. This is when the foundation gets built. This is when kids either develop real, lasting confidence—or learn to depend on praise, trophies, and other people's opinions."
"I see so many young people struggling. Not just with injuries (though those happen too), but with anxiety, self-doubt, and fear of failure. They've been told they're capable, but they don't believe it. Because belief doesn't come from words. It comes from evidence."
"Movement mastery provides that evidence. When a child learns to control their body—to run with power, land with balance, move with precision—they develop proof of their own capability. That proof becomes confidence. And that confidence transfers everywhere."
"When I see a child who once held back now trying hard things... when a parent tells me their kid raised their hand in class for the first time... when I watch a young athlete handle failure with resilience instead of tears—that's why I do this work."
🧠 Mental Toughness Through Movement
We don't just teach kids to move better—we build the psychological strength that helps them handle pressure, try hard things, and bounce back from setbacks.
🎯 Competence Creates Confidence
Real confidence comes from mastering something difficult. When children achieve physical competence, they develop self-belief that transfers to school, friendships, and life.
👨👩👧 Parents As Confidence Coaches
We empower you to become your child's guide. You'll learn the language, tools, and approach to support their development long after the program ends.
⚽ Foundation for Every Sport
Running is the base of all athletic movement. Mental toughness built here shows up in football, basketball, netball—and in the classroom too.
🛡️ Ages 8-16 Specialized
Growing bodies and developing minds need age-appropriate approaches. Our programs respect where your child is while building them toward where they're capable of going.
Mick Breen is a certified Running Coach and Myotherapist with over a decade of experience—but more importantly, he's someone who understands what it's like to lose confidence and have to rebuild it from scratch.
After three ACL injuries ended his rugby career (including time with England U18s), Mick faced the question every athlete dreads: who am I without my sport? That journey—from identity crisis to rediscovering his sense of self—shapes everything he teaches today.
Now specializing exclusively in children ages 8-16, Mick has helped over 150 young people across Melbourne develop not just better movement, but genuine confidence. The kind that comes from competence, not compliments.
His coaching philosophy is simple: confidence is built from the bottom up. You can't talk a child into believing in themselves. But you can give them experiences of mastery that prove they're capable. Physical achievement creates psychological strength.
What fires him up is the transformation that goes beyond running. The child who once held back, now volunteering to go first. The kid who used to quit when things got hard, now pushing through. The young athlete who handles a bad game with resilience instead of tears.
Mick's approach blends his therapy background with skill-based movement coaching and the psychology of confidence development. The result isn't just faster kids—it's more resilient ones.
We measure success by who your child becomes, not just how fast they run. Mental toughness and self-belief come first.
Real confidence comes from achievement, not praise. We create experiences of mastery that prove capability.
You know your child best. We give you the tools, language, and framework to become their confidence coach for life.
We're building resilient humans who thrive for decades, not just athletes who win next weekend.
Confidence grows through trying hard things and handling failure. We celebrate effort and growth, not just results.
Start The Journey
I also deliver running technique workshops to schools and sports clubs across Melbourne.
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