The SquashMind Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jesse Engelbrecht
Welcome to TheSquashMind podcast! The top rated, all access squash podcast which looks to take a deep dive into the minds, habits and behaviours of world leading professional squash players, sports psychologists, physical trainers and life coaches.
The podcast is designed to look at and understand how the mind works for high achievers both for sport and for life. Even if you are not a squash follower, the lessons, insights and honest truths from the shows guests will be of high value and will provide a perspective of how to reach and achieve life goals! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the very very best.
For further information about how to learn to train the mind visit www.SquashMind.co.uk
Hello ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to your next episode of the podcast series.
Today, I welcome Matt Gill
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mattgill_yoga4squash/
Website - https://mattgillyoga.co.uk/blog/tag/yoga+for+squash
Matt Gill is a multifaceted practitioner deeply rooted in the world of wellness and fitness. With a journey spanning over 15 years, Matt has not only mastered the art of yoga but has also become a certified breathwork coach with the Oxygen Advantage program. His expertise doesn’t stop there; he’s a mobility specialist certified in the Functional Range Conditioning system, a testament to his deep understanding of the human body's capabilities and limitations.
Beyond his professional qualifications, Matt’s passion for racquet sports, notably squash and racquetball, showcases his dedication to not only teaching wellness but living it. His approach to wellness is holistic, integrating the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects to enhance performance both on and off the court.
Our conversation today dives deep into Matt’s journey from the squash courts of his youth to the yoga mats of India and beyond. Matt shares with us how an injury led him to explore the realms of yoga and mindfulness, transforming not just his recovery process but his approach to life and sport. His stories of personal growth and discovery are interwoven with practical advice on how we, too, can apply the principles of yoga, breathwork, and mobility to our daily lives and athletic pursuits.
We delve into the specifics of how yoga and breathwork can elevate your game in squash and other high-intensity sports. Matt breaks down the scientific and intuitive aspects of breathing, mobility, and mindfulness, providing listeners with actionable steps to incorporate these practices into their training routines.
Expect to uncover the symbiotic relationship between physical health and mental well-being as Matt expands on the profound impact of mindful practices on athletic performance. His insights into the integration of Eastern philosophies with Western science offer a refreshing perspective on holistic health and its benefits beyond the physical realm.
Moreover, Matt gives us a sneak peek into ‘Yoga for Squash,’ his innovative approach to blending the dynamic demands of squash with the grounding practices of yoga. This unique fusion promises not just improved flexibility and strength but a deeper connection with one’s body and breath, unlocking new levels of performance and enjoyment in the sport.
So, without further ado, let’s get into the show to help elevate your mental game in sports and life. Please welcome Matt Gill.
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Grab Your Copy Of The Squash Playbook - https://www.squashplaybook.com/ ⚫️💨
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Grab Your Copy Of The Squash Playbook - https://www.squashplaybook.com/ ⚫️💨
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Grab Your Copy Of The Squash Playbook - https://www.squashplaybook.com/ ⚫️💨
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Grab Your Copy Of The Squash Playbook - https://www.squashplaybook.com/ ⚫️💨
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Grab Your Copy Of The Squash Playbook - https://www.squashplaybook.com/ ⚫️💨
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I'm excited to welcome my guest for today, Victor Crouin. A powerhouse in the world of squash, Victor is a top ten player renowned for his competitive spirit and exceptional victories on the Tour. Starting his career with a major win at the Open International d’Angers in 2017, he has never looked back, delivering consistent performances and bagging multiple titles year after year.
While attending Harvard University, Victor saw an impressive winning streak on the Tour, including a triumphant run on Australian soil. He balanced his academics with a rigorous training regimen, his now-famous spreadsheets guiding his path to victory. His determination and strategic approach eventually paid off when he moved into the world's top ten rankings, a testament to his indomitable spirit and consistency in how he trains and behaves.
In the 2022-2023 season, Victor's scintillating form continued, securing victories at significant tournaments, such as the Open de France de Squash, and making it to the finals of his first three tournaments. His second Bronze title win at the Squash On Fire Open and the qualification for the season-ending CIB PSA World Tour Finals solidify his reputation as a formidable force in squash. Not only this but making it to the final of the Qatar Open, his first Platinum ever final.
In our insightful conversation, we reflect on Victor's incredible season, his journey from being number 20 rising to world number 7, and his preparation for the upcoming season. We delve into his early days, transitioning from tennis to squash at 11, and the dynamics of his father-coach relationship. We also explore his decision to attend Harvard, how he balanced his degree with top-tier performance on the PSA World Tour, and what this prestigious education brought to his career.
I dive deeper into Victor's mental strategies, exploring how he handles pressure, starts matches on a strong note, and closes games out. As someone who has an in-depth understanding of his game and life, Victor's thoughts on these subjects are enlightening. Moreover, we discuss overall deep strategies about the mind from a young superstar who's improving at a rapid rate, both mentally and physically.
We had such a great conversation but it does feel there is a part 2 coming to go even deeper with mental exploration with one of the best minds in the game right now! But until then, let's get into the conversation with the remarkable Victor Crouin.
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Today, I am happy to introduce Luke Butterworth, a former player on the PSA World Tour, who has channeled his global competitive experience into becoming one of America's leading squash coaches.
Luke currently serves as the National Junior Coach for TEAM USA. He previously held the role of Head Coach for the Paraguay National Squash Team, leading them to a historic medal at the 2011 Pan American Games. He is also the founder of LBSQUASH and currently holds the esteemed position of Director of Squash at Greenwich Academy. There, Luke has orchestrated the team's success, culminating in seven National Championships and he has a burning ambition for more!
In our captivating conversation, we'll journey back to Luke's early days in Northern UK, exploring the foundations of his squash journey. We'll discuss what sparked his move to the US, and the prestigious coaching award he recently received.
We'll delve into the fabric of Luke's coaching philosophy, his blueprint for success, and the reasons behind the triumphs of his players. He'll share invaluable advice for parents of young, talented players and identify some of the most prominent mental barriers holding players back.
From discussing techniques for handling high-pressure moments to nurturing a player's confidence, Luke offers insightful guidance. We'll also delve into the importance of mental training for junior athletes, and the behaviours that distinguish the exceptional from the good.
As we wrap up, we look ahead to the future of US junior squash, with Luke's informed perspective on the direction it's heading.
Get ready to dive deep into the wisdom and experiences Luke Butterworth brings to our conversation.
Without further ado, let's welcome the extraordinarily accomplished Luke Butterworth!
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Today on the show I welcome Mark Andrew Burke,
Mark is a proud Australian slash Belgian. He’s been involved in squash for 37 years and played on the PSA Tour until 2004, with a highest World Ranking of 97. He also represented the Belgian national team. He’s been coaching for the last 25+ years with a UKCC Level 3 certificate and a Masters degree in Sports Coaching from the University of Queensland.
Mark was also National Coach of Luxembourg 4 years and then started at Cornell University in 2019 where he is now the Assistant Coach to the Men’s and Women’s Squash program. Both teams finished Top 8 in the 2023 season.
His current role at Cornell combines his knowledge of coaching and mentoring players whilst building an inclusive and successful team culture.
Mark and I have been friends for many years, so it was an absolute pleasure to sit down with him and discuss the incredible journey he's been on, and the positive impact he's making on the lives of young athletes.
Our conversation delves into his role at Cornell University and we explore the fascinating story of how he arrived there. It's truly remarkable. We discuss his transition from Australia to Europe as a young aspiring pro, as well as the ups and downs that came with it. Mark paints a vivid picture of his experience as a young professional athlete, training diligently while also supplementing his daily expenses with coaching income. From early on, Mark was drawn to coaching, and found true joy and passion in it. He reflects on his ascent to the position of national coach for Luxembourg and the valuable learning experiences he gained there.
We also touch on the topic of team culture at Cornell and the key elements required to build a successful collegiate team. David Palmer, the head of squash at Cornell, has played a significant role in Mark's life, both as a young athlete and now as a coach. Mark shares invaluable insights and wisdom on what it takes to thrive as a student-athlete in the high-pressure environment of US college squash.
There's so much more to discuss that it feels like we're ready for a second episode, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, sit back and enjoy my engaging conversation with Mark Andrew Burke.
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Today, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome to the show a true ambassador for the sport of squash, Charlie Johnson! Hailing from Bishops Stortford, England, Charlie has been based in the United States for the past 10 years, and is currently the Squash Director at Bay Club Redwood Shores, CA, a Team USA National Coach, and the founder of the Charlie Johnson Squash Academy - CJSA.
He is fiercely passionate about growing the game of squash and, more importantly, shaping world-class individuals.
In our conversation today, we'll be diving into Charlie's early days in the UK as a full-time pro squash player and the factors that led to his move across the pond to the US. We'll explore the adjustments he had to make to thrive in the US squash scene and how he ultimately built an incredible coaching career.
Charlie recently received a prestigious award for his coaching, and we'll discuss the fabric and philosophy that underpins his approach to coaching. We'll also touch on the impressive success of his academy and the guidance he offers to parents of young, talented players.
A true student of the game, Charlie has an amazing process of keeping detailed notes to help him grow and develop as a coach. We'll delve into this method and discuss one of his standout philosophies: "We're not teaching ordinary people how to be extraordinary squash players, we're teaching ordinary players to be extraordinary people."
From handling pressure in big moments to training the mind as a junior athlete, Charlie shares his insights on the behaviours that separate the good from the great. We'll wrap up by discussing the future of junior squash in the US and where he sees the sport heading in the coming years.
I am beyond excited for you to listen to the wisdom and passion Charlie brings to the table. You can follow his journey on Instagram at @cjsquashacademy.
So, without further ado, let's dive in and welcome the one and only Charlie Johnson!
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Whenever you're ready to enhance your mental training and optimise your life with SportMind, here's how you can achieve it:
https://linktr.ee/sportmind
Also, download the FREE SportMind App on Apple or Android to get access to hundreds of lessons on how to train the mind for living your best life.
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Today I am excited to have on the show my long-time friend, fellow squash player, and coach, Gilly Lane. Also affectionately known as Gilly from Philly!
Gilly was a former world number 48 with three PSA titles and seven finals. He was also a US National Team player between 2007 and 2015. He is currently the head of men's squash at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2022, he led the team to become Ivy League Champions, and in that same year, he was awarded Ivy League Coach of the Year. A pretty high-flying CV both as a player and now as a coach
Gilly and I go way back, and we first met when I was in my early 20s, around 2003, as I was invited to train in Philadelphia for a summer and to help Gilly get an off-season like a pro would. He was a couple of years younger than me, and he was considering his future squash options. We became close friends and have stayed in touch ever since.
On the show, we discuss Gilly’s first summer training in the UK and the lessons he learned there, as well as how this shaped him for the next steps of his professional career. He reflects on some of the lessons he learned and things he may have done differently. We talk about his pride in playing for his country and how he, along with a few others, were the early pioneers of professional US squash. He opens up and shares the real reasons why he retired from the game at such a young age, and it may surprise you. I really respect how open and honest Gilly was on the show today, and he lays out his vulnerabilities for us all to hear and hopefully learn from.
We continue the conversation about his role now at the University of Pennsylvania and the incredible job he is doing alongside his assistants, Stuart Crawford and Jack Wyant. He has turned the team and the culture around amazingly well, and it only looks like it’s getting stronger and stronger. He shares some of the key aspects of what it takes to be a successful college coach, as well as how players can get the most out of themselves during their time at college. We discuss the mental health aspect and the pressures of college squash, and he shares some brilliant tips on this. It was also great to hear how he has grown and changed as a coach and a person, and how he now coaches very differently than on his first day in the chair. He is massively committed to building a strong team culture, and you can see he is such a role model and leader for these young athletes he is in charge of.
If you want to follow Gilly and his progress at Penn, then please do check him out on Instagram at @gillyfromphilly6.
I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Gilly, and it had been a long time coming. I am grateful for the time he spent with me today, and I am sure you are going to feed off his positive energy and enthusiasm for the game. We are lucky to have him doing what he is doing. So without further ado, please welcome Gilly Lane.
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Whenever you're ready to enhance your mental training and optimise your life with SportMind, here's how you can achieve it:
https://linktr.ee/sportmind
Also, download the FREE SportMind App on Apple or Android to get access to hundreds of lessons on how to train the mind for living your best life.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Well, folks, let me tell you about my recent 5-day silent meditation retreat - it was a wild ride! I had heard so much about the transformative power of silent retreats and decided to give it a go. I was feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole thing, but I figured, what the heck, might as well give it a try.
As soon as I arrived, I knew I was in for a challenge. The retreat was located in a remote area, and I had to trek through the wilderness to get there. Well, in my car at least! The smallest of country lanes, surrounded by farms and wilderness. It was bliss!
The retreat started with a series of instructions on how to meditate and the power of silence, and I found myself struggling to keep my mind from wandering. It was tough, folks, really tough. On average, 7-hours per day of meditation. But, slowly and surely, I started to get the hang of it. I began to feel more at peace, and I even found myself looking forward to my meditation sessions.
The days were long and filled with guided and non-guided meditation, but there were also long periods of silence where we could reflect on our experiences. These moments were especially powerful for me, as I realised just how much my mind had been running on autopilot. I had been so busy with the day-to-day hustle and bustle that I had forgotten to take a step back and really think about what was important to me.
As the days went on, I began to feel more and more connected to myself and the world around me. The silence had allowed me to tune out the noise and really listen to my inner voice. I realised that I had been neglecting my own needs and desires, and that I needed to make some changes in my life.
On the last day of the retreat, we were allowed to break the silence and share our experiences with one another. I was amazed at how much we had all grown and transformed in just five short days. We had all faced our fears and challenges head-on, and come out stronger on the other side.
In conclusion, folks, this silent meditation retreat was a truly life-changing experience for me. It taught me the power of stillness and reflection, and showed me that sometimes, we need to disconnect from the noise to truly connect with ourselves. I highly recommend giving meditation a try - who knows, it might just change your life too!
I have already blocked off my calendar for roughly the same time next year and plan on doing this annually (if not more) as it was so powerful and mind-opening.
Please do share and pass this on to anyone who may want to hear about the reflections of a 5-day silent meditation retreat.
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Whenever you're ready to enhance your mental training and optimise your life, here's how you can achieve it:
https://linktr.ee/sportmind
Also download the SportMind App FREE on Apple or Android to get access to hundreds of lessons on how to train the mind for living your best life.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Success Toolkit - Overall Summary
In the final episode of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart take a high level overview of all the 8 themes that were covered over the last few weeks. They dissect each theme and give the main tools for people to take away and use right away. The idea behind this final episode is for people to get a feel and a sense of the nature of what was recorded and to then go and dive into an individual theme that may be of interest.
If those listening would like to know more about certain topics that have not been covered, then please do reach out to us. If the demand is high enough, then special episodes will be recorded and added to the Success Toolkit.
Please do email support@sportmind.io
And finally, please do share The Success Toolkit far and wide and to anyone who you feel may benefit from the lessons discussed in it.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone who wants to understand how to improve their overall life.
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
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The Success Toolkit - Lesson 8: Mental Health
In Episode 8 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of mental health. This is a large and complex topic and the aim of this episode is to distill the main areas of mental health into an accessible episode. On the show the conversations revolve around how we all have am ugly side and we should be ok exposing it. How and what true and deep happiness is. How the achievement of external rewards is fleeting at best. And how to help with anyone suffering with depression.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone who wants to understand how to improve their overall mental health for a strong and flexible mind.
Bart and Jesse are not trained specialists when it comes to the complex issues of deep rooted mental health concerns and we advise listeners to seek professional help in addition to what is discussed in this episode.
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
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The Success Toolkit - Lesson 7: Injuries
In Episode 7 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of injuries and how to mentally cope better and healthier with this negative aspect on any athletes journey. On the show the discussions revolve around how seeing injuries as an opportunity to reflect with oneself and with the team around them. How to work on areas of mental fitness when the body will not allow athletes to train. How to make the use of the situation outside of the athletes chosen sport and to mentally refresh yourself in the process without having feelings of guilt.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone who wants to understand the concept of dealing with injuries and how to mentally cope with them better.
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Success Toolkit - Lesson 6: Visualisation
In Episode 6 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of visualisation and how this is part of the success toolkit. On the show the discussions revolve around that the brain cannot tell the difference between the event and the visualisation of that event, how the law of attrition works and doesn’t work, and how listeners could look to incorporate visualisation into their lives on a regular basis.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone who wants to understand the concept of visualisation and how to apply it to their situation.
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
The Success Toolkit - Lesson 5: Pressure
In Episode 5 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of pressure and the debilitating factors around this concept. In the show the discussions revolve around how pressure is in the mind and how to transfer it out to the body, tools and methods to do this, and player examples of how they use pressure to get the best out of themselves.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with pressure and how best to handle it in a rational and healthy way.
Click here to listen to the long-form podcast on the ego with Jesse and Bart
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Success Toolkit - Lesson 4: Motivation
In Episode 4 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of motivation and how the only motivation that really works is internal motivation. The key question that gets explored in this episode is the question of WHY. Why are we doing what we are doing? The episode also looks at the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and the important role both these factors play and how external goals can hep to some degree but it is not the be-all and end-all.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with motivation and how best to understand and ultimately develop more motivation in all you do
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
The Success Toolkit - Lesson 3: Mental Toughness
In Episode 3 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of mental toughness, what this is and the varied definitions, how to attempt to grow it, how that setting a plan and sticking to it whatever the situation is a fundamental habit to build, how mental toughness is not necessarily “tough” but rather it’s more about mastering the art of showing up and how to stay a little more stubborn.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with mental toughness and how best to incorporate this essential tool into your mental training.
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
In Episode 2 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of mindfulness, what this is, how it lends itself to playing your best, how to train and practice mindfulness, how to strike the balance between mindfulness and having a cutting edge.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with mindfulness and how best to incorporate this essential tool into your mental training.
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
In Episode 1 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of nerves and anxiety, what this is, where it comes from, how a healthy dose of nerves is a good thing, what are you afraid of, asking the 4 “why’s” and how this helps, and finally, sharing with others.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with nerves and anxiety and how best to handle and make them work for you and not against you.
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
The Success Toolkit
This series of lessons is the coming together of two minds, of two people who are passionate and dedicated about mental training and the power this holds.
Myself, Jesse Engelbrecht, SportMind founder, and Bart Wijhoven, the mental coach for among others Paul Coll, world no. 1 squash player and Nele Gilis, have pooled our resources and collaborated to bring you a series of lessons to train the mind and to develop mental strength and flexibility.
Whether you are sporty or not. An elite competitor, a young pro, a club player, or a weekend warrior. The mind is the gateway to everything we do when it comes to getting the best out of ourselves.
We wanted to give the users some of the science, evidence, and research on each of the topics, as well as the way to train and improve each topic we discuss. These lessons are meant to be used and practiced and not just listened to.
The success toolkit covers the following topics:
-
Nerves And Anxiety
-
Mindfulness
-
Mental Toughness
-
Motivation
-
Pressure
-
Visualisation
-
Dealing With Injuries
-
Mental Health
We both feel it a real privilege and honour to have been asked to create The Success Toolkit and to get our passion down in words to help a lot of people who listen and try out our suggestions.
This toolkit is meant to be shared and designed to help people out there willing to use it. So please do pass on and share this message with those that may be in need to hear this.
We do not proclaim to have all the answers or that every bit of advice would work for every person. But rather, that what we present in these lessons will help stimulate the mind and get people into action around topics they may be struggling with and not have an answer or solution to use in order to address them. This toolkit aims to provide some answers and solutions.
If you would like to know more about SportMind and the SportMind app and training syllabus then the best place would be to visit the SportMind.io website. www.SportMind.io.
Alternatively you could also visit www.SquashMind.co.uk
If you would like to know more about Bart then please do visit his website which is www.championsfactory.net
Please do enjoy the lessons and feel free to get hold of myself if you would like to hear more from us around any topics or themes we may not have covered that would be of use and value to explore.
Please email support@sportmind.io
And on that note, let’s dive right into your first lesson.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In Episode 1 of The Success Toolkit, Jesse and Bart tackle the topic of nerves and anxiety, what this is, where it comes from, how a healthy dose of nerves is a good thing, what are you afraid of, asking the 4 “why’s” and how this helps, and finally, sharing with others.
As always we aim to provide a practical and hands on toolkit to help anyone struggling with nerves and anxiety and how best to handle and make them work for you and not against you.
___________________________________
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
www.championsfactory.net
support@sportmind.io
The Success Toolkit
This series of lessons is the coming together of two minds, of two people who are passionate and dedicated about mental training and the power this holds.
Myself, Jesse Engelbrecht, SportMind founder, and Bart Wijhoven, the mental coach for among others Paul Coll, world no. 1 squash player and Nele Gilis, have pooled our resources and collaborated to bring you a series of lessons to train the mind and to develop mental strength and flexibility.
Whether you are sporty or not. An elite competitor, a young pro, a club player, or a weekend warrior. The mind is the gateway to everything we do when it comes to getting the best out of ourselves.
We wanted to give the users some of the science, evidence, and research on each of the topics, as well as the way to train and improve each topic we discuss. These lessons are meant to be used and practiced and not just listened to.
The success toolkit covers the following topics:
-
Nerves And Anxiety
-
Mindfulness
-
Mental Toughness
-
Motivation
-
Pressure
-
Visualisation
-
Dealing With Injuries
-
Mental Health
We both feel it a real privilege and honour to have been asked to create The Success Toolkit and to get our passion down in words to help a lot of people who listen and try out our suggestions.
This toolkit is meant to be shared and designed to help people out there willing to use it. So please do pass on and share this message with those that may be in need to hear this.
We do not proclaim to have all the answers or that every bit of advice would work for every person. But rather, that what we present in these lessons will help stimulate the mind and get people into action around topics they may be struggling with and not have an answer or solution to use in order to address them. This toolkit aims to provide some answers and solutions.
If you would like to know more about SportMind and the SportMind app and training syllabus then the best place would be to visit the SportMind.io website. www.SportMind.io.
If you would like to know more about Bart then please do visit his website which is www.championsfactory.net
Please do enjoy the lessons and feel free to get hold of myself if you would like to hear more from us around any topics or themes we may not have covered that would be of use and value to explore.
Please email support@sportmind.io
And on that note, let’s dive right into your first lesson.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today I welcome to the show the 2019 World Champion Tarek Momen.
We have just had a deep dive conversation taking all sorts of routes and rabbit holes and we both thoroughly enjoyed it.
We start off with talking about growing up in the Egyptian squash culture and how his athlete parents helped teach him lot of discipline very early on and how this paid dividends later. This also lent itself to his perfectionist mindset which he reflects is both a blessing and a curse.
We also explore how he was able to get the balance between getting an engineering degree, passing with highest honours, as well as reaching the top 20 in the World Rankings at 22-years old. A pretty incredible feat and one to be admired even if he achieved nothing more in the game.
We spend a large part of the show talking about his World Open victory in 2019 and the whole story of how it came together from the year before losing in the final of the same event. Quite a story and Tarek really comes to life and tells it in such a detailed and fantastic way. It was a real pleasure sitting and unpacking it all with him and I think you will really enjoy reliving what he has to say on it all.
Tarek also kindly shares his mental tips for some key subjects of high performance including how he deals with losses in mentally positive way, what is happening when he feels mentally at his strongest, what his visualisation process is and how he relies on it as a big part of his mental training, how he copes with nerves, what starting a match well looks like, what mental state you should try be in when closing out a match, and finally his final message for how to become mentally strong.
A true gentleman and a great asset to the game of squash. Thank you to Tarek and I am sure you are going to get as much out of this as we both did.
Please enjoy…
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For mental training programs and to book 1:1 lessons please visit:
www.SportMind.io
www.SquashMind.co.uk
Also download the SportMind App FREE on Apple or Android to get access to hundreds of lessons on how to train the mind for living your best life.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today I welcome Gary Nisbet.
Gary has been involved at the elite level of sport for over 20-years now and certainly knows a thing or two about the mindset when working with elite athletes.
Gary has worked with the police force, football teams, and top professional squash players so far in his career.
Gary is the fitness director for the global online coaching platform SquashSkills.com as well as working individually with several of the worlds top men and women players in the game.
On the show today we go deep with 1 topic. Injuries. And in particular the mindset needed before and during injuries in a career.
We have all become pretty good with the knowledge and scientific understanding of injuries, but maybe not enough has been explored in regard to the importance the mental state plays with how to cope positively with injuries.
Gary does a fantasist job bringing this subject to life in this insightful and deep thinking episode. He eloquently describes tips and strategies athletes should employ about how best to get into the right state mentally when injuries inevitably happen in a career.
It’s not an easy thing for an athlete by any stretch of the imagination but I’d hope by the end of the conversation that listeners are better armed with tools how best to mentally get through injuries, short- or long-term, and to even be able to come through the other side stronger and better.
Gary talks about, how when seen through the right lens, injuries are opportunities for growth and discovery. But only when the athlete uses the right tools and has the right support network around them.
We also explore how and when an athlete should get back to playing and competing as well as how best to try and overcome the PTSD of injuries as well as the fear of re-injury.
Thanks once again to Gary for giving us his time and his knowledge on the show today and I look forward to some future episodes with him also.
Please enjoy.
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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Mark Burns has worked with a full range of world class athletes and I have been lucky enough to get to know some of his work because of his background helping some of the top squash players in the game become the physical beasts that they are.
Notably Joel Makin, world no.4, and Mohamed ElShorbagy, world no.1 and World Champion plus plenty of others.
Mark brings a really unique angle to the strength and conditioning side of training his athletes and is really bespoke and detailed in what he does. I loved this as a lot of the conversation began to centre around the mindset of the athlete and how this can be the gateway for all that follows.
You will find some real gems in here about how to view training. Examples of world class athletes and what they do mentally and physically. How he sees common themes that come from a range of sports. The attitudes and behaviours of what he views as talent. What mental toughness is. And some awesome advice for different players at different stages of their careers. We also touch on the mindset of injuries and his best mental tips for that.
Finally he shares where he feels the greatest gains are going to made in the physical side of elite squash players. I think you’ll be surprised at what he says on this matter so do stick around right to the end to hear that!
So without further ado, please welcome Mark Burns.
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Gina Kennedy made history by becoming the first ever English woman to win the Gold at 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with a phenomenal week of squash playing at the highest level and defeating some of the worlds best players along the way.
We unpack her preparation for the event and what she did to stay so focussed and in the zone during it when the pressure and stakes were at their highest.
We had a really insightful and deep conversation into all things mental and mindset and she really opens up and gives some fantastic tips and tools for everyone to learn and try out.
She also recently completed a Masters dissertation all about the placebo effect of wearable technology when it comes to training and mindset and we talked about her view and perception of this. Really interesting stuff and I think you will like what she has to say!
We also go down loads of rabbit holes including pressure and how this has changed for her. Learning under Mike Way at Harvard. Learning to reframe mentally. How she handles nerves and pressure pre-match. How to get to and try and achieve the flow state. The mentality around her fitness regimen. Perfectionism and the pros and cons of this mindset. And also the huge influence her coach Ben Ford has had on her life both on and off the court.
You’re in for a real deep dive into the mind of one of the worlds fastest rising stars and she does not disappoint. I loved how open and honest she was in all she talks about and just a humble, grounded and very fun person to spend the best part of an hour with.
So please enjoy my conversation with Gina Kennedy.
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Today I am delighted to have on the show arguably one of the greatest and most successful squash coaches of all time Rahamt Khan.
Rahmat has a superb story and journey to tell and he brings it to life wonderfully in this episode and I feel so lucky and grateful to have spent this time and to have this conversation with him.
Rahmat was the coach of legendary squash player Jahangir Khan. Who famously won an incredible 555 matches IN A ROW! The greatest winning steak in sporting history for any individual or team and has since had books and features made about this incredible feat. Rahmat had a large part to play in this record as well as the other titles Jahangir achieved most notably 10 British Open titles and 6 World Championship Titles.
Rahmat himself was a top professional player back in the late 70s and early 80s but had decided to end his playing career early in order to coach and mentor Jahangir due to the tragic and untimely deaths of Jahangir broth Torsam whilst playing a squash match. Rahmat and Torsam were incredibly close friends and this untimely death of Torsam took everyone by surprise and changed the course of squash history. He shares this story in great detail.
During our conversation we delve into the mind and mental state of what made Jahangir such an icon and achieve all the success he did. Rahmat shares some of the intense and brutal training that was performed and how the motivation of playing for Torsam was a guiding force in regard to them both turning up day in and day out and doing everything for a greater cause.
This is such a wonderfully beautiful description of a very special time in squash history and I am sure you are going to enjoy this conversation as much as I did recording it. Thank you kindly to Rahmat taking the time to sit with me and please do sit back and enjoy what we discuss today.
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On the show today we have squash royalty in the form of Raneem El Weliley
Some career highlights including winning the World Junior Open twice as well as the reaching the world number 1 position and also getting a World Championship Title in the bag.
She won 24 PSA titles and was on the pro tour for an incredible 18 years!
She was the first Egyptian athlete to reach world no 1 in any sport.
She is also the wife of Tarek Momen who also won a World Championship Title in his career so no pressure on their young lad Shahir in the years to come!
We had such a fun chat and she really opened up about all aspects of her life and career and some real nuggets of gold sitting in what she reflected on.
In the show we discuss:
Parents and the pivotal role they play in a young athletes development both positive and negative.
How that at the end of the day it was all driven by fun and a deep rooted love for the sport, especially when the lows were there and in dark times.
Nerves and how best to reframe them and handle them positively.
How she prepares herself physically and mentally to access her flow state.
Handling pressure and expectations.
Dealing with bad losses.
How to focus the mind when things are going wrong within the match.
Reflecting on the drive that lead her to win the World Open title.
Plus many other interesting and fascinating subjects around the mind and getting the best out of ourselves.
So please welcome Raneem El Welily.
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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“The SquashMind podcast interviewing the greatest minds and thinkers about the psychology of competing to the maximum in high performance sport”
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I am delighted to welcome today, Marwan ElShorbagy. He's reached number three in the world, and he’s won many titles and many matches. He is such an interesting player to watch, and this chat just takes so many cool directions and divergences. We go down a few interesting rabbit holes. We do touch on his older brother, Mohamed and how it has been competing with him, how it was playing the World Open final against your brother and the processes behind that. There's a couple of mutual friends we have, and I think you're really if for a treat in this episode. We obviously get serious as well, and we go deep with certain parts of the mind and his mindset and how it's evolved over different parts of his career. How coming to England at a young age really formed him and created arguably his mental toughness because of his environment and being under the tutelage of Jonah Barrington and having his brother Mohamed there. I think Mohamed was top ten in the world at 19 years old and Marwan is a few years younger than that. Having that as a training partner really lent itself to the mental side of the game. We talk about his relationship with Danny Massaro, who I've had the pleasure to have on the SquashMind podcast series before, and we had a great chat about the mind, and Danny was kind enough to put us together. We go on to talk about his visualisation process and what this entails. And as you're aware, SquashMind is really big on visualisation and understanding how to incorporate this into players games. He gives some really cool insights in regard to how he does some ghosting, and he really brings visualisation into that process, how he was visualising when he was at a bit of a low point in his career, how he was able to put things in place for himself to be mentally tougher, be mentally stronger at those moments. We also investigate his style of play. I put across what I thought and that he plays like that smart tactician, putting the ball in the right places. But he gives us the real insight into what his game is based on how he goes about his business, what he's really trying to prioritise and his role models as he was growing up and developing his game and the players he liked to emulate and look up to. There are so many nuggets that people can take away from this and so many little gems, getting inside the mind of a current pro, someone who's competing at the highest level of the game at the moment, really trying to push on to win some titles and get himself right at the top of the world rankings, which he is. But to get him arguably to number one in the world, to win a World Championship and the way he speaks, the way he talks, the way he looks at the game, he's a very wise thinker. You can tell he thinks about things a lot, and it's going to be fascinating to see what's going to happen over the next few years or so, how he's going to develop and how he's going to hopefully reach those top parts of the world. As you can probably tell from the chat coming up, it was fun with lots of laughter and I hope you enjoy this deep dive into the mindset of Marwan ElShorbagy.
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I'm absolutely delighted to have on the show today, Daryl Selby. I feel lucky enough to call him one of my friends. We toured the world a lot together. He obviously reached a lot higher ranking than me, but we shared some cool tournaments and some cool times together. So, it's really cool to be able to have a chat with someone of Daryl’s caliber, but also just an excuse to have a chat with a friend that I've not caught up with for a while. And hopefully this comes across on the conversation. It's nice and free flowing, it takes lots of different directions and we just have a good time having a good chat about his career, looking back at a few things, looking back at some really key moments in his career and a very different way to look at the mental side of the game, not your traditional style. He goes into a very honest open chat about his structure, his routine or lack thereof, and how this actually helped contribute to his mindset of his game. He talks a bit about how to play to your style and know yourself and that's a really powerful message. He comes at it from a different angle. It's not your traditional model of mental toughness, but boy, he was known as one of the most dogged players out there. If you watch him, he appears on “shot of the month” a lot of the time and also “rally of the decade”. He’s got an amazing catalogue of entertaining skills. So naturally talented the way he hits the ball, smooth, great around the court, but the underlying fact is that he was dogged, he was determined, he never gave up. He had that real grit, that real determination and this comes across in the conversation. I hope you're able to extract a few things from the talk. Just a few little stats about Daryl. He's reached the world ranking high position of world number 9 in 2010. In 2011, in one of his biggest titles, he won the British Nationals, beating Nick Matthew, who at the time, Nick Matthew was world champion and world number 1. He goes into a lot of detail and a really great story of how he thought he won this event because of a poem from his sister, which is really sweet and really enlightening when you listen to it. Another couple of notable events; he reached the semi-finals of the Tournament of Champions in 2012. In 2019 he captained England at the World Team Championships. A very proud Englishman, he wears his heart on his sleeve when he's playing for his country, and he scored some really big wins in the England shirt. You can tell that he loves playing for England, and it's obviously a very different dynamic. I hope you enjoy this really wide ranging varied in depth friendly conversation with myself and Daryl Selby.
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Well, I hope you enjoyed that first part of my conversation with Sarah-Jane Perry. I'm not sure how you felt but I felt really inspired going through those matches with her, really getting into that detail about her mindset and her mental state I was taking a lot of notes and a lot of inspiration from what she spoken about. So, I hope you enjoy part two. We get into more of the detailed analysis about her mind, some of the practical things she does to foster and cultivate this strong mental toughness. She admits she is not necessarily the most physical play on the tour, so she must make up for it in other ways. Yes, we know how good her racket work is, how great she strikes the ball, how well she can put the ball away, but a massive contributing part to her success must be the mental side of the game, and she talks about this. So, I hope you enjoy this second part of my chat with Sarah-Jane Perry
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I'm welcoming Sarah-Jane Perry to the SquashMind Podcast series. In this episode we have had to split the episode into two parts where we got into such a great conversation, got into some real depth about her mindset and really analysed almost match by match her success in the Black Ball Open in Egypt, where it was a first win in a world title Gold event. She just played a phenomenal tournament. Everything came right. You’re in for a real treat in this one, I believe, and just really getting into the deep mindset about how she felt she won the title and all her training up until this point.
Sarah Jane is currently the English number one lady on the PSA tour. She hails from Birmingham in the UK and she turned pro in 2011. As a junior she ended up winning the European under 19 title as well as the British under 19 title in 2009, and she currently has two senior British National titles. If we fast forward a little bit, in 2013 she was part of the successful England Ladies team that won the European Championships, but later in 2013, she had to miss the remainder of the season due to back injury. She was also part of the successful England Ladies team, winning the world Championships in 2014 in Niagara, which was phenomenal considering the Egyptian opposition and one of the highlights of a career. She got selected for Team England and debuted at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, where she won a silver medal in the individual event, reaching the final and eventually just losing out to Joelle King in that final. As I've just mentioned, she won the Black Ball title and it's just so great to understand what she went through and the emotions all around it. She’s also reached a career high number five in the world and so far recorded eleven tour titles.
As I said, this chat gets split into two parts because we go into so much detail in the first part around the Black Ball event and then in the second part of the interview in the chat, we get a lot more into some of the practical things that she did for her mind, for her mental state, how she's cultivated this and how she looks like she's setting herself up for some real big wins in the near future. We also discuss why she went the University route before turning pro and at one point it sounded like she wasn't going to pursue a squash career and look at her now, number five in the world, so I'm sure they're going to be a lot of things for you to extract out of this conversation. A lot of key bits that might resonate with you as players, and I really hope you enjoyed it because I certainly did in this two-part conversation with Sarah-Jane Perry.
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Alison Waters, former world no. 3 and 4 time British Open champion is my guest on the show today. You’re in for a real treat! We discuss topics such as mental toughness, coping with a career threatening injury, how to cultivate resilience as a junior, habits and daily processes, evolution of her game getting older plus a whole wide ranging conversation that you should hopefully get a lot out of. Please enjoy.
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Welcome to the next instalment in the SquashMind Podcast series. Today I'm being joined by Jenny Duncalf. Jenny is one of the greatest players that England has ever produced. She reached world number two in December 2019. She's won ten professional tour titles. She's got 112 caps for England, which is phenomenal. She's also managed to get three silver medals at the Commonwealth Games, only being stopped on most occasions by Nicol David. She was in a generation where Nicol David was playing and arguably Nicol David was one of the greatest players to play the game. So for Jenny to become world number two and be slightly behind Nicol David, is nothing to be sniffed at. As a junior, she was the European Junior champion and she won two individual European titled as a senior as well. She managed to get two British National titles and was also part of the winning England Ladies team at the World Team Championships in 2016. She had a real good period and we talk about it in the podcast a little bit more. In 2009, she won three big titles back to back, which ultimately got her to world number two, the Soho Square Open in Egypt, the US Open and the Qatar Classic. She lost in in the World Open final in 2011 to her nemesis Nicol David. We go into quite a cool discussion about her trying to compete with Nicol and how this was. The conversation is really broad, really wide ranging and one that I think you'll find super insightful. It's so great to hear how she opens up. She is very honest about the mental side of the game, and we go into a lot of discussion around what it was like and her environment, growing up, and being coached by her father in law David Pearson, who was also the national coach in England and was the coach who produced Nick Matthew, Laura Masara, Peter Nicol also. So, you know, having someone like David as your father in law is going to put you in a good place to start a career. It's just such a cool conversation we got on really well and lots of little tips to take from what she has done in her career. She is currently the master of ceremonies for the PSA and she comes across brilliantly. She has been really well received in that. And she's also the junior Australian coach. She lives in Australia, in Brisbane, in particular with her partner, Rachel Grinham, who herself was a world number one. And we have a little discussion around how that was competing with someone you are in a relationship with and her philosophy around the junior squash in regard to Australia is insightful, really opening the mind and really got me to think a little bit about my philosophies and how things are going with the way I coach as well. She has such a wealth of knowledge being world number two, being playing for 17 years on the pro tour, winning loads of junior titles, number one in her age group, all the way through her junior ranks. And it's just a fun conversation. You can tell the passion and enthusiasm in her voice. She enjoys what she does massively and I hope you'll find a lot of takeaways and a lot of nuggets from this really insightful chat between myself and Jenny Duncalf. One small caveat, the sound recording is not great on this in the first 15 minutes of the podcast. There was quite a long delay. She was in Brisbane and I'm not sure if the distance had anything to do with it, but it gets a little bit easier as the podcast progresses, so hopefully you can stick with it because it's really insightful of what we talk about.
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