Sports Mastery: Recent Episodes

DeShawn Fontleroy

A PODCAST FOR ELITE ATHLETES, PARENTS, AND COACHES... As a Sports Performance Consultant, I've worked with hundreds of student-athletes, parents, mentors, and coaches. The most common hopes and dreams of these Student-Athletes and their support community are to get a D-1 scholarship, go Pro, or make it to the Olympics.

However, they're often held back by pains and fears that include self-doubt, peer pressure, fake friends, making mistakes in games or practice, and criticism from parents and coaches. These personal constraints lead to barriers and uncertainties: such as no confidence, laziness, and depression.

Sports Mastery has been formulated to help the motivated but struggling student-athlete to accomplish their hopes and dreams. But they can't do it alone! THEY NEED YOU, the parent, the mentor, the coach. This podcast provides the Student-Athlete and their support team with the systems and strategies to help them break through all barriers and limitations!

The tools I provide range from visualization exercises to print out reminders that you can tape to the fridge. You can even listen to each episode with your Student-Athlete. Use the episodes as a conversation starter... because your relationship with the Student-Athlete is PARAMOUNT TO THEIR SUCCESS. Start now by downloading my FREE guide: "5 Devastating Mistakes Every Elite Athlete Should Avoid” at http://www.SportsMastery.com

Channel this incredible content and YOU WILL aid the growth of your Student-Athlete as a student, an athlete, a young person, and a future leader.

Your Coach, DeShawn Fontleroy http://www.SportsMastery.com

In this episode, Coach Brandon discusses:

What is your coaching philosophy and approach to training 2. How do you help sprinters overcome FEAR 3. Why is it important for middle school and high school football athletes to run track 4. Explain the difference between speed coaches and sprint coaches 5. What’s the biggest mistake that you see track & field sports parents make 6. Describe your philosophy on helping and developing other coaches

DeShawn Fontleroy

In this episode, Coach Hatton discusses:

What is your coaching philosophy and approach to training How do you help sprinters overcome FEAR Why is it important for middle school and high school football athletes to run track Explain the difference between speed coaches and sprint coaches What’s the biggest mistake that you see track & field sports parents make Describe your philosophy on helping and developing other coaches

DeShawn Fontleroy

In this episode, Coach Greg discusses

Track & Field youth development
Developing a sound mindset and mental preparedness
How to communicate better with young athletes
Working with young athletes from South America
Developing other coaches and athletes around the world
Creating better connections between coach and athlete
The future of FAST PREP
FEAR
Training with intention

In this episode, DeShawn Fontleroy discusses:

Setting and managing expectations for personal success
Last years times aren't this years times
Track & Field is an individual and team sport
Can you train around two sports and be successful?
Offseason training and development
Sports Parents
FEAR

In this episode, D'ghon Culpepper, LMT discusses massage therapy and body work. Some key points to this discussion are

Massage Therapy vs Personal Training
Instant Gratification
Subconscious Habits
Helping clients with pain relief & pain management
Understanding human anatomy & physiology
Assessing human movement

This is a podcast where we observe, examine, experiment, and explain the physical, mental, and social dynamics of the world's best athletes and coaches. We examine their strengths, weaknesses, character, and personality traits; to explain what works and what doesn't according to our situation and circumstance in space and time.

In this episode Will Collins discusses:

The history of FAST UNIVERSITY Define the culture of FastU How do you help sprinters overcome FEAR Explain the difference between speed coaches and sprint coaches What's the biggest mistake that you see track & field parents make Describe your philosophy on helping and developing other coaches

Ryan Banta discusses his book: SPRINTERS COMPENDIUM

AND...

The brotherhood of track & field
Coaches being willing to share information
Variances in training due to environment and school size
Respecting opposing coaching philosophies
Max Velocity Sprinting
Creating a culture of discipline, family, and community

In This Episode, We Discuss The Importance Of:

Self belief
Self learning
Continuing education
Finding mentors
Perseverance
Confidence

Judging yourself to be capable of success increases your chances of actual success. Judging yourself as not capable of success reduces the chance of success.

In This Episode We Discuss Benefits Of Running Track:

Enhance your recruiting
Increase acceleration
Play faster longer
Enhance sprint mechanics & force output
Play faster in the 4th Quarter
How not to waste time

In This Episode We Discuss The Elements Fear:

What is FEAR
Where does FEAR come from
How do we manage FEAR
Is FEAR innate or TAUGHT
The most common emotion in society

In This Episode We Discuss:

The importance of goals
Matching words with ACTION
Consistency with off-season training
Injury prevention
Sports Parent accountability
Decision Making

Welcome back to Sports Mastery. In this episode, I share:

The future of the show
experiences throughout the Pandemic
Inspirations
Lessons on perseverance

Thank you for listening. Peace & Blessings.

DeShawn Fontleroy

In this episode, we discuss creativity amongst sport coaches or lack thereof.

In this episode, Sugey Gomez and I discuss:

How the COVID-19 pandemic affecting student-athletes?
The greatest impacts felt by student-athletes stem from school closures.
Being in the house with family members, and not getting to see friends and teammates.

Let's face it, teens have different developmental needs than adults. They're at the stage in life when they are very invested in social connections and in separating from their parents. So, COVID-19 social distancing requirements have a different emotional impact on them than on adults. Depending on their age and developmental stage, many teens have had a hard time understanding what the pandemic really means and how it impacts their world.

Stay tuned as we dive into this episode.

DeShawn Fontleroy

Adapting To Online Learning

Sugey Gomez Discusses:

How to stay organized
Creating a structure to meet deadlines
Knowing when to rest your eyes from the computer screen
Her new projects...

Staying Motivated During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Sharks aren't being affected by this and neither should you.

Here are some reflections and lessons that you should consider:

Keep Moving: Set small daily goals.
It is important to recognize that these aren’t normal times, and your productivity is likely not at its peak right now. That’s okay. Setting daily goals can help you to make your day as productive as possible, but be realistic with the goals you set.
Carve out time in your day for more work and less bullshit.
Work more at night when it's quiet and dark, then spend time relaxing in the morning before jumping into work later on. Get off Netflix and the F'n video game console.
Start a new project, invention, or business. Study American History. This country is littered with multimillionaires who came out of the worst of depressions, recessions, and regressions throughout the history of this country.

As a coach, I'm always looking for an edge to develop my athletes. I get caught up with equipment, new technology, the popular coach's book for the month, etc. But now I'm beginning to look at each athlete that I train different. This leads us to genetics by understanding and respecting all of our historical and ethnic differences. Take a listen as we discuss biodiversity...

Human Biodiversity (hbd) is very simply the diversity found among and between human populations that has a biological basis.*

Each of us is biologically unique. Our genomes, our phenomes, our patterns of gene expression, our epigenomes, our microbiomes — none of these are ever exactly the same in any two individuals, even identical twins.

Yes, you are all special! You’re not even the same person today biologically that you were when you were six — or sixteen (unless you’re still sixteen, of course). Each individual human is biologically diverse when compared to all other humans and even across his or her own lifetime.

Human Biodiversity research is conducted in numerous academic disciplines and their subfields such as biology, genetics, medicine, neurology, psychology, and anthropology. HBD research also draws on social, historic, and prehistoric data related to human populations. (there is no separate academic discipline known as “human biodiversity.”)

Mentors believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself.
Supportive relationships are formed. A mentor gives a mentee access to a supportive relationship. A mentor becomes the mentee’s ‘go-to person’ which is someone where he/she can get advice from and assistance into how to deal with situations and how to respond or react.
Mentors give objective advice and constructive criticism. They are authentic and objective people. They will tell you straight up if you need to change your attitude or how to deal with situations. With mentors, there are no guessing games or feelings spared, but the criticism and advice are still constructive, tactful and supportive.
Mentors help with setting reasonable and reachable goals, creating necessary boundaries and practicing the right disciplines to align your professional and personal growth.
Mentors become the mentee’s cheerleader and confidence-booster. They motivate and inspire mentees to go all the way. To never stop trying, and through this, they motivate each of them to focus on developing endurance.   
Mentors are usually well connected within the arena they operate in. This opens up a lot of networking opportunities for mentees. Mentors usually introduce their mentees and try to assist them in climbing the ladder to success. After all, mentors want to see their mentees succeed.
The mentorship becomes mutually beneficial and personally rewarding for both parties. Mentors are proud to be part of the mentees journey and in turn, mentees feel honored and invested in. When you are a mentor it doesn’t mean that there is nothing to be learned from the experience. Mentors also learn from their mentees.

Muscle-To-Mind Relaxation Skills (Circle Breath)

Taking slow, deep breaths can help performers/athletes/individuals be able to lessen muscle tension, racing heart rate, or stomach butterflies.

There are a number of breathing exercises, but the simplest and most basic one is a Complete Breath (AKA Circle Breath).

Basically, a deep breath from inhaling via nose, a slight pause, and then an exhale through the mouth.

When a Circle Breath is done right, a person looking will be able to see the shoulders stay relatively still, and stomach go in and out (similar to filling a balloon).

Usually, folks will lift and lower their shoulders as they breathe, which actually creates tension.

Here's how to have an individual do a correct circle breath.
Have a client put one hand on his chest,
and one hand on his stomach and
see which one raises up and down.

When breathing is done correctly, the hand on the stomach should move, while the hand on the chest stays relatively still.

As the breath is inhaled, paused, and exhaled, adding counts can be helpful to make sure that the breath is slow, and complete.

Example:
inhale for 4 seconds,
holding for 1, and
exhale out for 4.

*For another athlete/performer, that may not allow for a complete breath to be taken so customize accordingly.

To master the art of doing, you need to create habits and routines in the brain that are relatively resistant to quitting and paralysis-by-analysis.For the routine to become automatic, we need to design it with such conscious and deliberate precision that it's read made to run on autopilot.

Step 1: Learn the pattern, crack the code

A. Triggers

B. Rituals

C. Rewards

Step 2. Make watertight rituals

The ritual is the sequence of behavior steps you need in order to actually create a habit. You need to know exactly how it unfolds for you, and this takes some self-experimentation. If you're trying to start a new habit, you should design the ritual so it has a good chance of becoming automatic.

Step 3. Know the rewards that do and don't work for you

For some people, the reward is the driving force behind the habit. If the action you're trying to do isn't pleasurable or enjoyable, we need to find away to make it so.

Learn more in this episode...

Need for Mental Health Services in Sport

1.Prevalence of clinical issues in sport

Anxiety, depression, eating disorders
Personality challenges/disorders
Issues with identity
Consequences of concussion history

How current structure of sport influences the need for services on all levels.

Multi-billion dollar industry
Pressure to succeed + stress
*Life demands vs. sport demands

Social perspective and expectations of the "athlete"

How can we best service athletes at all levels.
Approaches and best practices
Rise of Clinical Sport Psychology
Clinical training vs. Sports Science vs. Knowledge in Both

In the fall of 2019, the NCAA decided to allow college athletes to earn compensation — but it says it's only starting to work out the details of how that would take place. The organization's board of governors said that it had voted unanimously to permit student-athletes to benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness.

"We must embrace change to provide the best possible experience for college athletes," said Michael Drake, the NCAA board chair who is also president of Ohio State University. In a statement, Drake stressed the need for "additional flexibility" in the NCAA's approach.

Drake added, "This modernization for the future is a natural extension of the numerous steps NCAA members have taken in recent years to improve support for student-athletes, including full cost of attendance and guaranteed scholarships."

SPORTS
California Governor Signs Bill Allowing College Athletes To Profit From Endorsements

The NCAA, the national governing body for collegiate athletics, said its decision followed input over the past few months from "current and former student-athletes, coaches, presidents, faculty and commissioners across all three divisions.”

Notably, the decision follows California's adoption of a law that bans schools in the state from preventing student-athletes from accepting compensation from advertisers and allows them to hire agents. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the legislation late last month, calling it the "beginning of a national movement.”

Indeed, it did spark a trend. Politicians in Illinois, New York, Florida and other states have introduced bills allowing endorsement deals for college athletes. And days after the California bill was signed, national politicians signaled they would push for something similar in Congress.

Amid this groundswell of political support for paying college athletes, the NCAA has quickly eased its public resistance to the idea. After initially pushing back hard on California's measure, the NCAA has recently been taking a more conciliatory tone, suggesting it would "move forward with ongoing efforts to make adjustments" to the organization's practices.

The NCAA has reported annual revenues topping $1 billion, largely on the strength of TV rights and marketing fees connected with its most prominent sports and events, such as the highly lucrative Division 1 men's basketball tournament.

And though the organization long argued that it was converting those revenues into scholarships and other opportunities for students, that line had lately attracted prominent skeptics — such as NFL cornerback Richard Sherman and NBA superstar LeBron James.

In this episode, Angela R. Lewis discusses

The Female Presence In Sports
College Recruiting Process
Distractions
Time Management

Angela has traveled the country giving presentations at colleges, universities, k-12 schools and conferences. Given Angela’s global experiences she offers insightful keynotes addresses, workshops, panel discussions and seminars. She has also served as a consultant for various educational institutions regarding community development.

Partial List of Past Events Include:

I Define Me Girls Summit

Florida State University Athletics

St. Louis University

University of Missouri St. Louis

Riverview Gardens High School

National Youth Summit on Justice, Education and Economics

SETTING GOALS IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM

THE SECRET IS DOING

Do. Or do not. There is no try. - YODA, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

It turns out that "JUST DO IT" is pretty shitty advice. It might make for a good marketing tag line and it's certainly one of the most commonly shrieked instructions from exasperated coaches, parents, and teachers, but the scientific reality is that this call to action is almost always ineffective. In fact, some evidence suggests that it can actually undermine motivation, confidence, and enjoyment. The sentiment behind just do it is perfectly well intentioned - stop overthinking it, stop talking about it, stop procrastinating, and stop forcing me to keep asking you to take action.

We must turn our thoughts, ideas, and goals into action.

A goal: An aim or action usually with a specific time limit. So having a specific timeline is important for goal setting.

SMART goal (Specific, Measureable, Achievable/Adjustable, Realistic, Time (time-dependent))

Why athletes benefit from setting goals:

Increase performance – goals give focus and directs efforts. Performance can increase when goals have been set

Increase positive thoughts – athlete sees himself make progress towards a goal, he/she is likey to have positive reactions

Increase confidence – as challenging and realistic goals are completed, helps create stronger beliefs that the athlete/performer can cont to move forward

Types of goals in sport psychology:

Outcome goals: goals related to the desired result of a competition (i.e., winning the game)
Athlete has not control over this

Performance goal: refers to athletes performance in relation to previous performance (i.e., improving free-throw shot from 70% to 80%Athlete has more so control over this

Process goals: how an athlete performs a particular skill. These goals usually focus on practice or training (i.e., a batter keeping his eye on the ball) Under athletes control

So basically it’s important for athletes to essentially focus on process and performance goals because these are under their control. Ultimately focusing on these goals gets them to the outcome goal.
--
The brave athlete
Saying just do it is pretty silly advice or as the Brave Athlete books states, in ch. 4 “Setting goals is not your problem,” it’s pretty shitty advice.

The just do it can be a challenge and can undermine motivation.
Most things in life, it’s easy to know what to do but to actually do it is the hard part!

The best way to mobilize the what, how, and do is goal setting!
Most folks have an understanding of the important of goal setting – given that we are all human and carry a brain we are wired to be goal oriented. For example, our brain naturally gives us basic goals to accomplish like stay alive, eat, sleep.

References

Cheadle, C. (2017). Week 4 goal setting [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Website: https://www.nu.blackboard.com/

Marshall, J. S., & Paterson, L. (2017). The Brave Athlete: Calm the f*ck down and rise to the occasion. Boulder, CO: Velopress.

I DON'T THINK I CAN

Building Confidence & Self-Belief

Whether you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right.

Henry Ford

Self-confidence is the psychological wonder drug! Everything improves when an athlete's confidence is high. Athletes with high confidence feel less anxious, relish adversity, set higher goals, try harder, tolerate more exertional pain, feel more in control, are more optimistic and enthusiastic, and do better under pressure. They also give less of a $#!+ when things don't go according to plan. And these are just outcomes that have been studied extensively.

KEY TERMS:

Self-Confidence - A feeling of trust in one's abilities, qualities, and judgement.

Self-Esteem - Confidence in one's own worth or abilities; self respect

Self-Efficacy - Refers to an individual's confidence in in their ability to complete a task of achieve a goal.

Self-Worth - is based on deeply held feelings about your true value & worth as a person.

What's the single-most -important psychological skill for an athlete to possess? It isn't motivation, tenacity, optimism, concentration, or attitude - it's SELF-CONFIDENCE, the belief that you can succeed.

YOU NEED TO HARDEN THE F*CK UP

Learn To Embrace Life When It Sucks

Alaskans might have 50 words for snow, but athletes have 51 words for suffering. One thing that sets most athletes apart from others is that their success depends in large part on their ability to tolerate exertional discomfort. Its a fancy way of describing the personal suffering that comes from increasing practice, training, or exercise intensity. The harder you push, the more it hurts. All other factors being equal, the one who can suffer the most will rise through the ranks of competition. If you're new to athletics, you need to learn the difference between pain and suffering.

Stay tuned as we explain both.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, success achieved.

Helen Keller

RESISTING THE URGE TO QUIT

We've all been there. You've started a new training routine, joined a new team, learned a new position, or just something that is uncharted and challenging. Buoyed by adrenaline, motivation, and pride, everything seems to be going fine; perhaps you're even enjoying things. And then without much warning, things start heading south. The discomfort feels worse than normal, or perhaps the motivation to keep getting up early begins to wane. For some, it's the just the boredom of doing the same thing over and over again. Perhaps you don't actually stop but you mentally throw in the towel. You ease up or let the other athlete next to you win the sprints in team conditioning. It feels to hard to stay with him. You go into coast mode, even though you've got more in the tank. before long you just want it all to stop. The argument in your head gets louder and louder as parts of your brain frantically try to cut deals with other parts of your brain to avoid bailing or permitting your body to ease up or come to a grinding halt.

Stay tuned as we provide solutions and fixes on "resisting the urge to quit."

Trigger warning: This story explores suicide, including the details of how the author’s mother took her own life. If you are at risk, please stop here and contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for support. 800-273-8255

Many people may not show any signs of intent to harm themselves before doing so, but some actions can be a sign that a person needs help. People in crisis may show behaviors that indicate a risk of self-harm. The following can all be warning signs:

Appearing sad or depressed most of the time
Hopelessness; feeling like there’s no way out
Anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness, or mood swings
Feeling as if there is no reason to live
Feeling excessive guilt, shame, or sense of failure
Rage or anger
Engaging in risky activities without thinking
Losing interest in hobbies, work, or school
Increasing alcohol or drug misuse
Neglecting personal welfare; a deteriorating physical appearance
Withdrawing from family and friends
Showing violent behavior, like punching a hole in the wall or getting into fights
Giving away prized possessions
Getting affairs in order, tying up loose ends, or writing a will

The following signs require immediate attention:

Thinking about hurting or killing yourself
Looking for ways to kill yourself
Talking about death, dying, or suicide
Self-destructive behavior such as drug abuse, weapons, etc.

IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE OUTCOMES YOU ARE CURRENTLY GETTING, THERE ARE TWO BASIC CHOICES YOU CAN MAKE.

You can blame the event (E) for your lack of results (O). In other words, you can blame the referee, the weather, a teammate, your parents, the coaching staff, racism, gender bias, the lack of support, the political climate, the system, and so on. If you’re a golfer, you’ve probably even blamed your clubs and the course

MAKE THE MOST OF SETBACKS

E (event) + R (response) = O (outcome)
The basic idea is that every outcome you experience in life (whether it is success or failure, wealth or poverty, health or illness, intimacy or estrangement, joy or frustration) is the result of how you have responded to an earlier event or events in your life. No doubt all these factors do exist, but if they were the deciding factor, nobody would ever succeed.

Lots of people overcome these so-called limiting factors, so it can’t be the limiting factors that limit you. It is not the external conditions and circumstances that stop you –it is you! We stop ourselves! We think limiting thoughts and engage in self-defeating behaviors. We defend our destructive habits (such as drinking and recreational drugs) with indefensible logic. We ignore useful feedback, fail to continuously educate ourselves and learn new skills, waste time on trivial aspects of our lives, engage in idle gossip, eat unhealthy food, fail to train, fail to study, avoid necessary conflict, fail to tell the truth-- -and then wonder why our lives don’t work. But this, by the way, is what most people do. They place the blame for everything that isn’t the way they want it on outside events and circumstances. They have an excuse for everything.

You can instead simply change your responses (R) to the events (E) ---the way things are ---until you get the outcomes (O) you want. You can change your thinking, change your communication, change the pictures you hold in your head (your images of yourself and the world) ---and you can change your behavior---the things you do. This is all you really have control over anyway. Unfortunately, most of us are so run by our habits that we never change our behavior. We get stuck in our conditioned responses. We are a bundle of conditioned reflexes that operate outside of our control. You have to regain control
of your thoughts, your images, your dreams and daydreams, and your behavior. Everything you think, say, and do needs to become intentional and aligned with your purpose, your values, and your goals.

Confidence in Sports

Confidence defined: Believing that you can successfully perform a desired behavior or act. For example: “I have confidence to perform that jump shot.”Confidence actually has a direct correlation/link to success, but not saying they cause one another – instead there is a relationship between the two.

Another definition of confidence: A person’s belief that they can do whatever it takes to be successful In their sport (Williams & Krane, 2014, p. 275)

Confident athletes and even any performer believes in themselves, their ability to handle tasks and challenges – often you can see their confidence by the way they walk, their demeanor or body language.

Building confidence: How?
Before we begin on the how… confidence does not happen by chance instead athlete/performer/individual goes through a process at which athlete must commit and persist.

Goals, strategies, and focus needs to be set, but first an athlete needs to choose confidence. Also take advantage of mental skills like
goal setting, positive self-talk and imagery to name a few. Basically, fostering confidence should be a goal or focus.

Strategies to build confidence:

Preparation
Recognizing athletes strengths
Seeing confidence modeled
Self-talk
High light video’s
Highlight list
Wins, but also things they learned in the win

Moments they are proud of, qualities they possess...

AFFIRMATIONS: “statements that reflect positive attitudes or thoughts about themselves” (Williams & Krane, 2014, p. 295) – this helps foster confidence and create strong positive beliefs about themselves.

Example:
I am strong; I am ready; I perform well under pressure.

References
William, J. & Krane, V. (2014). Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (7th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Education.

Relationships never get tested until they get tested. People are of infinite complexity and you can spend a lifetime watching them without ever fully understanding them. So it is all the more important, then, to begin your education now. In doing so you must also keep one principle in mind: Never discriminate as to whom you study and whom you trust. Never trust anyone completely and study everyone, including friends and loved ones.

How can we better prepare for the dark side of others. We must first look within and better understand our own troubling emotions. What if we could understand why we are so compelled to desire what other people have, or to identify so strongly with a group that we feel contempt for those on the outside? What if we could find out what causes us to lie about who we are, or to inadvertently push people away.

HOME WORK:

Define Hindsight

Define Insight

Define Foresight

Mental toughness is…

…when you, your body, the competition, nature, or the environment has the best of you so that you’re physically tapped out and need to figure out how to pull something out of yourself… not in a robotic way—in a way that’s mentally aware and engaged. It’s not just the ability to keep moving but to keep doing it in a way that’s engaged and competitive in the environment you’re in, whether that’s competing against the clock or other human beings. It’s easy when you feel good physically. It’s when that physicality leaves you.

Why you’re stronger than you think you are...

What you’re physically capable of in athletic environment is more determined by your mental strength than your physical capabilities… your body can go beyond what your physical perceptions of tiredness or fatigue are. Your brain will be telling you “You’re tired. Stop.” It’s trying to stop you from killing yourself. The mental limitations kick in before the physical limitations.

On training for mental toughness

Visualization is a piece of the training that is incredibly important. You don’t have to do anything physically—you can be meditating or walking, anything where you’re in your mind, playing it out in advance. You’re imagining the start, the route, the competition, those points that your body is saying, ”stop,” or that you’re suffering. You’re mentally training yourself to push through those barriers.

How do you spot the potential in something thats looks ordinary?

What does potential which has not yet found expression look like?

How do you spot a superstar who is not yet a superstar?

What does talent that whispers look like?

These are some of the questions that we tackle during this episode. You'll also hear from two collegiate athletes that share a story of hard work, diligence, and belief.

CONSIDERATIONS

It's not about the performance - it's about the story behind the performance
Understand the difference between a fatal flaw and an opportunity
Put passion above skills

What you should never forget about TALENT IDENTIFICATION

The world is full of overlooked talent. If you look in the same way and in the same places as everybody else, you'll get what everybody else gets.
Great potential does not necessarily manifest itself in current top performance.
Hire for skills and fire for attitude.
Talent identification is not about talking. It's about listening. Listen for what you can't tread in a resume.

SPORT SPECIALIZATION CONSIDERATIONS

Skill Acquisition and Motor Performance Perspective

Perhaps the greatest and most obvious benefit of specialization is the acquisition, development, and proficiency of motor skills related to success in a given sport. An athlete who practices a skill or set of skills with increased frequency and duration, considering he or she does so in a scientifically appropriate manner, may become more proficient at the skills than one who practices them periodically and irregularly, as may be the case with diversification. With the relatively short career of most athletes and a perceived finite amount of time with which an individual can reach peak physical performance, many athletes and coaches believe that it is foolish not to specialize.

However, studies from the former Soviet Union, in which early specialization was widely practiced, have provided evidence against its effectiveness. It’s widely recognized that only a minority of Soviet athletes from single sport backgrounds were able to improve performance later in their careers and that most diversified athletes attributed success to a multi-sport background. Athletes who specialized early in their careers experienced quick performance improvement, they achieved their best performances by age 16, then performed much less consistently and quit their sport sooner than those whose training programs were diversified.

No sport program should restrict the diversification of physical skills or social development of athletes under the age of 15. The child must also be permitted the participation in - - other sport and non-sport activities without the associated guilt sometimes experienced by talented athletes who are pressured by adults to remain in a sport.

Coaches and parents must understand and plan for long-term periodization of training. The phrase "a champion cannot be made overnight," while taught to athletes to ensure adherence and loyalty to a demanding schedule, ideally is the guiding philosophy by which a long-term training program is structured. Such a program should allow for appropriate training breaks crucial for physiological and psychological recovery from training, at which time an athlete could balance complete rest from the sport with participation in other sports or activities at a lower level of intensity. When a child reaches an age in which he or she is physiologically and psychologically mature enough to handle increased training loads, specialization at that time may be justified to optimize the positive adaptations accompanying the advanced intensity and duration of training. Most importantly, at the center of periodization should be the needs and wants of the young athlete and the incorporation of other important variables into a training season, such as educational and social opportunities outside of sport. Under these conditions, young athletes have an optimal chance of attaining athletic success under the proper physical, social, and psychological development afforded to them through sport.

Nevada shooting guard Jazz Johnson is looking forward to his senior season. He was the Wolf Pack's leading 3-point shooter last season. In a candid interview, he sits down with me and co-host Leland Johnson (Father) to discuss:

Overcoming Adversity
Training
Mental Toughness

After coming off the bench for all but one of his 33 appearances last season, Johnson was named the Mountain West's sixth man of the year. He averaged 11.0 points in 28.6 minutes per game. Stay tuned!

Self-talk is your internal dialogue. It’s influenced by your subconscious mind, and it reveals your thoughts, beliefs, questions, and ideas.

Self-talk can be both negative and positive. It can be encouraging, and it can be distressing. Much of your self-talk depends on your personality. If you’re an optimist, your self-talk may be more hopeful and positive. The opposite is generally true if you tend to be a pessimist.

Positive thinking and optimism can be effective stress management tools. Indeed, having a more positive outlook on life can provide you with plenty of benefits.

If you believe your self-talk is too negative, or if you want to emphasize positive self-talk, you can learn to shift that inner dialogue. It can help you be a more positive person, and it may improve your health.

Why is it good for you?
Self-talk can enhance your performance and general well-being. Research shows self-talk can help athletes with performance. It may help them with endurance or to power through a set of heavy weights.

It’s not clear why optimists and individuals with more positive self-talk experience these benefits. However, research suggests people with positive self-talk may have mental skills that allow them to solve problems, think differently, and be more efficient at coping with hardships or challenges. This can reduce the harmful effects of stress and anxiety. Listen in to learn more.

HOW TO HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE…

A positive attitude–optimism, expectancy, and enthusiasm–makes everything in academics, sport, and life easier. A positive attitude will fuel you when you’re down and supercharge you when you’re already “in the zone.”

Here’s how to cultivate a positive attitude, regardless of what’s happening at school, practice, or at home:

#1 Link positivity, creativity and attention. In addition to physical benefits, a positive attitude produces a “broad, flexible cognitive organization and ability to integrate diverse material.” These effects improve your attention, creativity, and ability to learn. Positive emotions also improve a person’s ability to cope with minimal playtime, upsets, and a difficult coach.

#2 Reframe negative moments as positive ones. Take time to reflect on your latest bouts with negative self-talk. Spend some time reframing these negative self-discussions in a way where you can get positive emotions out of these experiences.

For example, if you experienced your coach yelling at you, reframe his intentions as positive constructive criticism . If you felt embarrassed about an error or mistake in a game, think about how it is actually silly or laughable to be thinking about it 3 days later. Even if your coach was upset about you throwing an interception, mistakes happen from time to time. With any luck, maybe your coach will see the humor in it also.

If you don’t treat smaller mistakes as life-altering experiences, you will be able to handle situations better. One way to handle the game losing interception, is to watch more film with your offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. Next, you can offer to work on the plays that beat blitzing linebackers.

#3 Recover from negative life events more quickly. Building and maintaining a positive attitude can help you be more resilient to negative life events such as a below average SAT score.
People who experience positive emotions when discouraged tend to develop healthy long-term plans. Having goals and plans will result in an overall better sense of well-being after suffering setbacks.

DeShawn Fontleroy

HOW TO HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE...

A positive attitude--optimism, expectancy, and enthusiasm--makes everything in academics, sport, and life easier. A positive attitude will fuel you when you're down and supercharge you when you're already "in the zone."

Here's how to cultivate a positive attitude, regardless of what's happening at school, practice, or at home:

#1 Link positivity, creativity and attention. In addition to physical benefits, a positive attitude produces a “broad, flexible cognitive organization and ability to integrate diverse material.” These effects improve your attention, creativity, and ability to learn. Positive emotions also improve a person’s ability to cope with minimal playtime, upsets, and a difficult coach.

#2 Reframe negative moments as positive ones. Take time to reflect on your latest bouts with negative self-talk. Spend some time reframing these negative self-discussions in a way where you can get positive emotions out of these experiences.

For example, if you experienced your coach yelling at you, reframe his intentions as positive constructive criticism . If you felt embarrassed about an error or mistake in a game, think about how it is actually silly or laughable to be thinking about it 3 days later. Even if your coach was upset about you throwing an interception, mistakes happen from time to time. With any luck, maybe your coach will see the humor in it also.

If you don’t treat smaller mistakes as life-altering experiences, you will be able to handle situations better. One way to handle the game losing interception, is to watch more film with your offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. Next, you can offer to work on the plays that beat blitzing linebackers.

#3 Recover from negative life events more quickly. Building and maintaining a positive attitude can help you be more resilient to negative life events such as a below average SAT score.
People who experience positive emotions when discouraged tend to develop healthy long-term plans. Having goals and plans will result in an overall better sense of well-being after suffering setbacks.

Coachable athletes are obedient athletes. Being obedient means a player not only listens to coach's instruction, but is willing to complete the responsibilities of his role in that instruction.

In an athlete, obedience breeds discipline, and discipline is a requirement for anyone hoping to reach their full potential. There are not a lot of paths to a player becoming his best.

Discipline makes a player trust worthy in the eyes of his coach, and that trustworthiness reboots the process from the beginning, motivating the coach to find new ways for his player to grow and succeed.

Sports-parents. The goal you should have for your student-athlete is for the sports experience to prepare them life. Most likely, working under a coach will be preparation for working under a boss someday. It's not hard to draw some parallels between the experience of being coached and a future on the job.

How To Overcome Adversity #3

Travis Daugherty explains in his book, THE LENS that the ability to overcome adversity is a hidden talent. He further explains that the ability to overcome adversity can be taught, developed, and cultivated in a student-athlete. Listen in as we supply the sports parent with answers to help their student-athlete overcome adversity. Below are 5 ways to help you get through adverse situations in sport or life.

Have the right mindset. Your thoughts are essential; they frame the triumphs or tragedies of your life. Getting past adversity requires a change in your belief about challenges. It is not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that is important here.
Stop making excuses. Excuses are the lies we tell ourselves when we’re too afraid of the future. Whatever you tell your mind will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don’t achieve your dreams, it will be because you made the decision to be detained by excuses.
Have faith. It takes more energy to live a life full of fear than to live one full of faith. To fear is to convince yourself to live in the walls you build yourself. To have faith is to convince yourself to embrace change.
Don’t take “no” for an answerTrials will occur in life, but endurance requires you to never stop trying. Trials are one of the greatest teaching tools of life. Dare to do the impossible!
Let each success energize you. With every success, we are strengthened and empowered for greater victories. You cannot become enslaved by disappointments. You must realize that every disappointment is being engineered for your destiny.

The Takeaway Life can get us down, but we can pick ourselves back up. We must learn and not be limited by the experiences of our lives. We are strong, and we all have a dreamer inside of us. Anything is possible if we are willing to persevere.

TWELVE DISCIPLINE OF THE MIND

Right Hearing
Strength & Courage
Right Judgement
Love & Affection
Power of Expression
Imagination
Understanding
Will Power
The Discipline of Order
Praise
Enthusiasm
Detachment

"Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There's plenty of movement, but you never know if it's going to be forward, backwards, or sideways."

Discipline brings stability and structure into a student athletes' life. It teaches a young person to be responsible and respectful. The observance of well-defined rules is the basis of society. If there were no discipline, athletes would coach themselves and make mistakes without putting the consideration of others first and foremost.

Discipline promotes good behavior to make better teams, organizations, and society.

The ability for an individual to have self-restraint allows them to behave in a consistently stringent and controlled manner.

"Mental toughness is many things and rather difficult to explain. Its qualities are sacrifice and self-denial. Also, most importantly, it is combined with a perfectly disciplined will that refuses to give in. It's a state of mind -- you could call it character in action." — Vince Lombardi

Mike Judy is going into his 13th season at Smyrna (DE), 6th as head coach. Judy has amassed a 42-12 record, winning 3 state championships in 5 years.

Prior to Smyrna, Coach Judy served as Offensive Coordinator at Gar-Field HS (VA) and Hargrave Military Academy (VA) Post-Graduate Team. Judy has served as strength and conditioning coordinator at each of the schools, and worked one season in Major League Baseball as a Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Philadelphia Phillies Minor League teams.

A graduate of Wesley College (DE), with a B.S. Exercise Science, Judy served as a graduate assistant at his alma mater under former head coach Mike Drass. Mike was a 4 year starter at offensive line, 2x team captain, and was an all-conference, all-region, and all-American selection.

In this conversation, Coach Judy shares insightful and reflective wisdom on the college football recruiting process. Below you’ll find bullet points that reflect our discussion.

1) visit/photo ops– just because you put on the uni doesn’t mean they are actually recruiting you…probably recruiting your stud teammate OR just want to keep good relationships with your coach/school

2) offers– there was a time once when an offer meant that you’ve made it! Not anymore. Offers mean very little until the ink is dry. Check to see if the offer is committable or not- schools will offer to get you to camp OR to be able to recruit another stud at your school

3) mailings– between social media and mail you will get bombarded. Not all the schools actually will recruit you. But it costs nothing to fill out the info card and send it back. Hand-written letters mean more.

4) timeline– everything is pushed up. high likelihood that very little will happen FBS recruiting-wise starting fall of your senior year. Don’t stop working, but please realize holding out for that big offer may cause you to miss out on the right fit for you. Calculated risk   *

5) recruiting questions– I’ve been asked this (in order of most asked):
– does he love the weight room?
– are there any issues with his parents and your staff?
– do his teachers like him/can I speak to his teacher?
– what’s his attendance like?
Be a complete person. They saw film

6) camps
You only have so many days in summer to get in front of coaches. 1 school told me 75% of all commits got offered in camp. With that said- don’t waste a weekend going 12hrs to a school that you don’t physically look like guys they recruit. Be real, go somewhere else

7) Film– this May be (besides GPA) the deciding factor. You HAVE to make “splash” plays that jump off the screen if you want to get $ for college. If the coach pulls up your film and there is no splash, there is no $. Put your craziest plays first. Film of 2-3min. No JV/7v7 film

You absolutely have to stand out & “splash” plays do that. However, any college that recruits you has a different need for that position. Tailor your film for different needs, then position yourself & your film for that need.

8) 7v7 – it is a SUPPLEMENT to your TRAINING regiment. Not for recruiting in most cases. I’m a fan of 7v7 if done properly. It shouldn’t replace other sports/training/camp schedule…

9) other sports– play other sports in HS if you love them. Coaches always ask if he plays other sports…it must mean something to them if they keep asking. Just be sure to compete hard and be a great teammate.

10) Weight room vs Indy training– you do what you need to do. Some schools do it well for free, other schools do not. Assess the situation and do what’s best for you. Caveat- having a 1v1 trainer helps you but not your team, and the sum total of everyone’s effort dictates success

11) GPA-3.0 or bust. Let’s be real-the #1-20 ranked player at your position may not need anything other than to qualify. But many FCS schools cannot get you in with a GPA below a 2.75 (there are exceptions). Hard to call yourself a future college athlete when you can’t perform in high school classroom.

12) Never ignore a coach that reached out to you. Coaching careers often look like a scatterplot-they are all over the place. You never know – the coach you ignored could eventually end up being your position coach… And he won’t forget!

Mike Judy is going into his 13th season at Smyrna (DE), 6th as head coach. Judy has amassed a 42-12 record, winning 3 state championships in 5 years.

Prior to Smyrna, Coach Judy served as Offensive Coordinator at Gar-Field HS (VA) and Hargrave Military Academy (VA) Post-Graduate Team. Judy has served as strength and conditioning coordinator at each of the schools, and worked one season in Major League Baseball as a Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Philadelphia Phillies Minor League teams.

A graduate of Wesley College (DE), with a B.S. Exercise Science, Judy served as a graduate assistant at his alma mater under former head coach Mike Drass. Mike was a 4 year starter at offensive line, 2x team captain, and was an all-conference, all-region, and all-American selection.

In this conversation, Coach Judy shares insightful and reflective wisdom on the college football recruiting process. Below you’ll find bullet points that reflect our discussion.

1) visit/photo ops- just because you put on the uni doesn’t mean they are actually recruiting you…probably recruiting your stud teammate OR just want to keep good relationships with your coach/school

2) offers- there was a time once when an offer meant that you’ve made it! Not anymore. Offers mean very little until the ink is dry. Check to see if the offer is committable or not- schools will offer to get you to camp OR to be able to recruit another stud at your school

3) mailings- between social media and mail you will get bombarded. Not all the schools actually will recruit you. But it costs nothing to fill out the info card and send it back. Hand-written letters mean more.   

4) timeline- everything is pushed up. high likelihood that very little will happen FBS recruiting-wise starting fall of your senior year. Don’t stop working, but please realize holding out for that big offer may cause you to miss out on the right fit for you. Calculated risk   *

5) recruiting questions- I’ve been asked this (in order of most asked):
– does he love the weight room?
– are there any issues with his parents and your staff?
– do his teachers like him/can I speak to his teacher?
– what’s his attendance like?
Be a complete person. They saw film

6) camps
You only have so many days in summer to get in front of coaches. 1 school told me 75% of all commits got offered in camp. With that said- don’t waste a weekend going 12hrs to a school that you don’t physically look like guys they recruit. Be real, go somewhere else

7) Film- this May be (besides GPA) the deciding factor. You HAVE to make “splash” plays that jump off the screen if you want to get $ for college. If the coach pulls up your film and there is no splash, there is no $. Put your craziest plays first. Film of 2-3min. No JV/7v7 film

You absolutely have to stand out & “splash” plays do that. However, any college that recruits you has a different need for that position. Tailor your film for different needs, then position yourself & your film for that need.

8) 7v7 – it is a SUPPLEMENT to your TRAINING regiment. Not for recruiting in most cases. I’m a fan of 7v7 if done properly. It shouldn’t replace other sports/training/camp schedule…

9) other sports- play other sports in HS if you love them. Coaches always ask if he plays other sports…it must mean something to them if they keep asking. Just be sure to compete hard and be a great teammate.

10) Weight room vs Indy training- you do what you need to do. Some schools do it well for free, other schools do not. Assess the situation and do what’s best for you. Caveat- having a 1v1 trainer helps you but not your team, and the sum total of everyone’s effort dictates success

11) GPA-3.0 or bust. Let’s be real-the #1-20 ranked player at your position may not need anything other than to qualify. But many FCS schools cannot get you in with a GPA below a 2.75 (there are exceptions). Hard to call yourself a future college athlete when you can’t perform in high school classroom.

12) Never ignore a coach that reached out to you. Coaching careers often look like a scatterplot-they are all over the place. You never know – the coach you ignored could eventually end up being your position coach… And he won’t forget!

Michael Judy, M.Ed.

Mike Judy is going into his 13th season at Smyrna (DE), 6th as head coach. Judy has amassed a 42-12 record, winning 3 state championships in 5 years.

Prior to Smyrna, Coach Judy served as Offensive Coordinator at Gar-Field HS (VA) and Hargrave Military Academy (VA) Post-Graduate Team. Judy has served as strength and conditioning coordinator at each of the schools, and worked one season in Major League Baseball as a Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Philadelphia Phillies Minor League teams.

A graduate of Wesley College (DE), with a B.S. Exercise Science, Judy served as a graduate assistant at his alma mater under former head coach Mike Drass. Mike was a 4 year starter at offensive line, 2x team captain, and was an all-conference, all-region, and all-American selection.

In this conversation, Coach Judy shares insightful and reflective wisdom on the college football recruiting process. Below you'll find bullet points that reflect our discussion.

1) visit/photo ops- just because you put on the uni doesn’t mean they are actually recruiting you...probably recruiting your stud teammate OR just want to keep good relationships with your coach/school 

2) offers- there was a time once when an offer meant that you’ve made it! Not anymore. Offers mean very little until the ink is dry. Check to see if the offer is committable or not- schools will offer to get you to camp OR to be able to recruit another stud at your school 

3) mailings- between social media and mail you will get bombarded. Not all the schools actually will recruit you. But it costs nothing to fill out the info card and send it back. Hand-written letters mean more. 

4) timeline- everything is pushed up. high likelihood that very little will happen FBS recruiting-wise starting fall of your senior year. Don’t stop working, but please realize holding out for that big offer may cause you to miss out on the right fit for you. Calculated risk   *

5) recruiting questions- I’ve been asked this (in order of most asked):
- does he love the weight room?
- are their any issues with his parents and your staff?
- do his teachers like him/can I speak to his teacher?
- what’s his attendance like?
Be a complete person. They saw film 

6) camps
You only have so many days in summer to get in front of coaches. 1 school told me 75% of all commits got offered in camp. With that said- don’t waste a weekend going 12hrs to a school that you don’t physically look like guys they recruit. Be real, go somewhere else 

7) Film- this May be (besides GPA) the deciding factor. You HAVE to make “splash” plays that jump off the screen if you want to get $ for college. If the coach pulls up your film and there is no splash, there is no $. Put your craziest plays first. Film of 2-3min. No JV/7v7 film

You absolutely have to stand out & “splash” plays do that. However, any college that recruits you has a different need for that position. Tailor your film for different needs, then position yourself & your film for that need.

8) 7v7 - it is a SUPPLEMENT to your TRAINING regiment. Not for recruiting in most cases. I’m a fan of 7v7 if done properly. It shouldn’t replace other sports/training/camp schedule... 

9) other sports- play other sports in HS if you love them. Coaches always ask if he plays other sports...it must mean something to them if they keep asking. Just be sure to compete hard and be a great teammate. 

10) Weight room vs Indy training- you do what you need to do. Some schools do it well for free, other schools do not. Assess the situation and do what’s best for you. Caveat- having a 1v1 trainer helps you but not your team, and the sum total of everyone’s effort dictates success

11) GPA-3.0 or bust. Let’s be real-the #1-20 ranked player at your position may not need anything other than to qualify. But many FCS schools cannot get you in with a GPA below a 2.75 (there are exceptions). Hard to call yourself a future college athlete when you can’t perform in high school classroom.

12) Never ignore a coach that reached out to you. Coaching careers often look like a scatterplot-they are all over the place. You never know – the coach you ignored could eventually end up being your position coach… And he won’t forget! 

PERSEVERANCE….IS IT REALLY THE KEY TO SUCCESS?

PERSEVERANCE IS THE HARD WORK YOU DO AFTER YOU GET TIRED OF DOING THE HARD WORK YOU ALREADY DID.

How you do anything is how you do everything.

Perseverance is a steady persistence in a course of action-trying again and again. It is the inner machine that keeps you going. I’ve realized that I have to be committed in all I do to have success and not give up, no matter the circumstances. There were times I felt like shutting down this podcast. I felt drained, discouraged and thought it made no sense to continue. Can you relate to this?

Ask yourself this question which will determine if perseverance is the key to success for you: “If you give up, who will fight for you?”

You may be lacking perseverance as a coach, maybe you are as a student-athlete, struggling as a sports parent, or as an individual trying to overcome a specific challenge. Sometimes it takes very little to bring you to the point of giving up when you are not seeing the result you expected.

Many want to achieve what they want comfortably, but if you’re not yet successful and you’re too comfortable; You are not far from experiencing poverty.

Taking risks is not comfortable: If you were to ask the most successful people in the world how they reached success, they will talk about an uncomfortable time in their life that they had to persevere through.

Let’s take a look at some practical steps you can take to move forward successfully.

HOW TO PERSEVERE THROUGH CHALLENGES

Learn how to manage stress and make time for yourself
Ensure you set realistic goals and develop the mental capacity to reach them.
Have confidence in yourself.
Don’t compare yourself to others; we all differ in strengths and talents, and drawing comparisons will put unfair pressure on you.
Stay resilient at all times.

How many times have you started an important task or project but gave up when faced with a challenge?

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself how much you would have achieved if you didn’t give up?

How long are you going to make it to the starting line but not the finish line?

Are you not aching to experience the feeling of success instead of getting excited by just watching others?

So what is the challenge that you are facing now and have you been tempted to go back into your comfort zone? If yes, ask yourself this question; will I benefit more from giving up and continuing the vicious cycle – in a Rat race going nowhere or persevering to accomplish my desired success?

EMILY PAPPAS, M.S. EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY

WHY is there a disparity of women in the weight room compared to men? It all derives from how women have been viewed in sport since the early 1900s. Why females view lifting as a guy thing stems from years and years of misinformation and cultivation of societal norms that are currently inhibiting our female athletes success.

Emily brings to light these common myths:

Q angle, Hormones, and Injury risks ( Alluding it is due to a "structural deficiency" perpetuates a culture that assumes females are less fit for sport. When in fact SOME females have wider hips, some do not. ACL injuries were considered an epidemic 10 years after females were allowed to engage in sport under the NCAA umbrella....yet those females were not pushed to the weight room like men. Rather than explaining this epidemic as a structural or hormonal default, we need to consider the overall systemic strength of our female athletes).
Lifting makes you bulky: this statement is not only incorrect but fails to recognize the neurological adaptations gained in strength training (beyond a small amount of "mass") that aids in athletic performance
MISSED PERIODS ARE NORMAL FOR FEMALES: completely false and a disastrous mindset. Missing periods (outside of other health issues like PCOS) are defined by REDs as due to low energy availability. This could be a entire topic in itself talking about the relationship females have with food, fear of carbs, lack of protein, body composition anxiety, and how simple nutrition education is the key to helping solve these problems.
ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES:t o help regulate periods (again completely false and a misguided belief that could actually lead to long term low bone density as the female ages)
LIFTING TOO YOUNG IS DANGEROUS: this is a huge one that applies to males as well

How we as coaches can help educate our parents, other coaches, and our athletes on the importance of strength training and how to create an environment that encourages females...

Emily Pappas holds a master's of science in Kinesiology & Exercise Physiology and is the founder of Relentless Athletics. Relentless is a company driven by science that specializes in the development of female athletes. Relentless consists of a team of passionate and well-educated female sport physiologists & athletic trainers who work to provide proper education and training centered around scientifically-based approaches to strength training, sports nutrition, and sports injury rehabilitation that is specific to the female athlete population.

Emily R Pappas
M.S. Exercise Physiology
Founder of Relentless Athletics
Adjunct at Temple University

The Coaches, The Athletes, The Parents, The Referees...

How Can We Do All Four Respectfully?

With the rising concerns about player safety, the research indicates that 7-on-7 football is not a fad but instead has staying power as the next generation of the sport. With national tournaments, like Pylon, Players of the Future, Adidas, Under Armor, and Left Coast Elite:the verdict is clear. 7v7 Football is here to stay.

Love it or hate, 7v7 Football brings some of the brightest kids together to compete against one another during the off season. It allows young athletes to gain recruiting exposure through platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

In this episode, we discuss cleaning up the culture and attitudes that surround the competitions such:

Me first attitudes by athletes
Verbally bashing referees
Blatant disrespect
Entitled parents & athletes

The debate will no doubt continue over the staying power of 7-on-7 football. Nevertheless, it's an excellent supplement to traditional 11-on-11 football when the proper leadership, culture and environment are instilled.

When we focus on more than just winning, the kids will go on to be contributors at their prospective high schools because their skill level is so much higher than kids who don't participate. Because 7-on-7 is an in-your-face type of game, it helps kids learn how to compete at a high level.

Jason Brown, the coach of the Independence Community College featured on season three of Netflix's "Last Chance U," recently resigned from the position. Brown's resignation comes on the heels of his text message to a player, in which he said the following: "I am your new Hitler."

The player Brown sent the text to Alexandros Alexiou, a German native. In an exchange with Alexiou, Brown told the freshman he had 17 disciplinary points out of the 25 you're allowed before getting kicked off the team.

"410pm on field u German f---," Brown texted Alexiou in an exchange Alexiou posted on social media. "u have 17 points toward your 25 points ... u got an extra point for not hanging the lion poster as instructed I'm your new Hitler figure out your life."

To all my fans, supporters, both past and present players, and coaches, please read the following letter that I have posted and please respect my decision. Much love to you all, W.I.N. FOREVER! Once a Pirate always a Pirate! #DREAMU pic.twitter.com/M88TcQKvDQ
— Coach Brown (@INDYHEADCOACH1) February 25, 2019

In this episode, we discuss...

Was what he said a bad thing? Why/why not. He uses vulgar language regularly.
Did team/coach success play a part in this occurring?
What is the take away from this experience?

Thomas Stallworth is in his first season as the Giants’ assistant strength and conditioning coach. He shares his thoughts on:

What would you tell a young athlete (high school), with NFL aspirations how to approach the strength training process?
What aspects, outside of football do you think a young athlete should try and master as they work toward an NFL career?
What are your top 3 pieces of advice for the strength coach wanting to work at the NFL level? What is the major difference between collegiate strength & conditioning and NFL?
How do you approach leadership as a S & C Coach at the NFL level?

Stallworth came to the Giants from Western Kentucky University, where he spent the 2017 season as the football program’s head strength and conditioning coach.

Prior to his stint at WKU, Stallworth spent one season as the head strength and conditioning coach at Fresno State University. Prior to Fresno State, Stallworth spent time at Texas Tech University after a season at North Carolina State.

Stallworth was the associate strength and condition- ing coach for three seasons at Mississippi State. That included the best season in the program in 2014, when the Bulldogs rose to No. 1 in the Associated Press poll behind the play of quarterback Dak Prescott and earned their first Orange Bowl berth since 1941.

While Stallworth was at Mississippi State University, 12 Bulldogs were drafted into the NFL, seven of them in the first three rounds, including 2012 Jim Thorpe Award winner Johnathan Banks and 2016 NFL second-team All-Pro Bernardick McKinney.

From the 2015 N.C. State team Stallworth worked with, three players were drafted, including quarterback Jacoby Brissett and defensive tackle B.J. Hill, one of the Giants’ third-round choices this year.

Stallworth previously worked as the head strength coach at FCS schools Grambling State (2008-11) and South Carolina State University (2004-08). One of his players at Grambling State was former Giants tight end Larry Donnell.

Stallworth was a linebacker at the University of Tennessee from 1997-2001, a period in which the Volunteers played in five bowl games and won the 1998 national championship, 1997 and 1998 SEC championships.

Stallworth earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Tennessee in 2001 before earning his masters from the school in sports administration in 2004. He is currently pursuing his doctorate degree in sport psychology and sports science from the University of the Rockies. Stallworth is married to the former Ingrid Garvin, and the couple has two children, India and Thomas III.

Thomas Stallworth is in his first season as the Giants’ assistant strength and conditioning coach. He shares his thoughts on:

What would you tell a young athlete (high school), with NFL aspirations how to approach the strength training process?
What aspects, outside of football do you think a young athlete should try and master as they work toward an NFL career?
What are your top 3 pieces of advice for the strength coach wanting to work at the NFL level? What is the major difference between collegiate strength & conditioning and NFL?
How do you approach leadership as a S & C Coach at the NFL level?

Stallworth came to the Giants from Western Kentucky University, where he spent the 2017 season as the football program’s head strength and conditioning coach.

Prior to his stint at WKU, Stallworth spent one season as the head strength and conditioning coach at Fresno State University. Prior to Fresno State, Stallworth spent time at Texas Tech University after a season at North Carolina State.

Stallworth was the associate strength and condition- ing coach for three seasons at Mississippi State. That included the best season in the program in 2014, when the Bulldogs rose to No. 1 in the Associated Press poll behind the play of quarterback Dak Prescott and earned their first Orange Bowl berth since 1941.

While Stallworth was at Mississippi State University, 12 Bulldogs were drafted into the NFL, seven of them in the first three rounds, including 2012 Jim Thorpe Award winner Johnathan Banks and 2016 NFL second-team All-Pro Bernardick McKinney.

From the 2015 N.C. State team Stallworth worked with, three players were drafted, including quarterback Jacoby Brissett and defensive tackle B.J. Hill, one of the Giants’ third-round choices this year.

Stallworth previously worked as the head strength coach at FCS schools Grambling State (2008-11) and South Carolina State University (2004-08). One of his players at Grambling State was former Giants tight end Larry Donnell.

Stallworth was a linebacker at the University of Tennessee from 1997-2001, a period in which the Volunteers played in five bowl games and won the 1998 national championship, 1997 and 1998 SEC championships.

Stallworth earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Tennessee in 2001 before earning his masters from the school in sports administration in 2004. He is currently pursuing his doctorate degree in sport psychology and sports science from the University of the Rockies. Stallworth is married to the former Ingrid Garvin, and the couple has two children, India and Thomas III.

Performing Under Pressure tackles the greatest obstacle to personal success, whether in a sales presentation, at home, on the golf course, interviewing for a job, or performing onstage at Carnegie Hall. Despite sports mythology, no one rises to the occasion under pressure and does better than they do in practice. The reality is pressure makes us do worse and sometimes leads us to fail utterly. But there are things we can do to diminish its effects on our performance.

Performing Under Pressure draws on research from more than 12,000 people, and features the latest research from neuroscience and from the frontline experiences of Fortune 500 employees and managers, Navy SEALS, Olympic and other elite athletes, and others. It offers 22 specific strategies each of us can use to reduce pressure in our personal and professional lives and allow us to excel better in whatever we do.

Whether you’re a corporate manager, a basketball player, or a student preparing for the SAT, Performing Under Pressure will help you do your best when it matters most.

To learn more about Hank Weisinger, PhD visit: www.hankweisingerphd.com

The word “leadership” gets thrown around a lot.

Recruiters, parents, and coaches rant about leadership and how the Student-Athlete needs to be a leader. What many do not understand, is that leadership is something that must be learned and developed. Yes, leadership is incredibly important in a Student-Athlete, but it is not something that happens overnight.

Dr. Benjamin Wax is a strategic leadership specialist with the John Maxwell Team and winner of several powerlifting and bodybuilding titles. Dr. Wax understands the proven principles that create a great leader who is exemplified through their words and actions. Dr. Wax’s academic background includes a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi and Masters from Mississippi State University.

He has conducted extensive research studies, published numerous scholarly works and spoken at numerous regional and national events.
Listen and learn why leadership is so closely linked with influence. You’ll also discover the immense impactof leadership, the levels of leadership, and how your Student-Athlete can develop their leadership skills.

Don’t know how to improve your Student-Athlete’s leadership skills or where to start? This episode will show you how!

Dr. Benjamin Wax is a performance and leadership coach who assist people in making profound shifts in their lives though 1 on 1 coaching, leadership groups, and speaking engagements.

As a member of the John Maxwell Team, his group has worked with major companies from Chic-fila, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines to training programs impacting our youth in the school system.

Dr. Wax academic background includes a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi, Masters and Bachelor from Mississippi State University.

He is also certified as a Breakthrough Specialist and Strategic Intervention Coach through the Madanes-Robbins Center for Strategic Training by Tony Robbins (World’s Leading Authority on Coaching) and Dr. Cloe Madanes (World Renowned Psychotherapist).

Perhaps his greatest lessons, the value of hard work, ethics, honesty, communication, teamwork, and doing the right thing, was learned while working with his father (Rev. Benjamin Wax, Sr.) in the family businesses and ministry (5 churches).

Find out more about Dr. Wax here: http://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/benjaminwax/About

ADETOLA OGUNLEWE is a sports performance coach and sports attorney who helps young athletes navigate the world of sports by understanding the mental and physical issues stalling their growth and productivity. Find him at www.athletemaestro.com or listen to his podcast, Athlete Maestro, on iTunes and other platforms.

In this wonderful conversation, we discussed:

The sports business in Nigeria
The Nigerian education system
Sports academies
Overcoming an ACL injury
Getting a law degree

How To Overcome Adversity #2

Travis Daugherty explains in his book, THE LENS that the ability to overcome adversity is a hidden talent. He further explains that the ability to overcome adversity can be taught, developed, and cultivated in a student-athlete. Listen in as we supply the sports parent with answers to help their student-athlete overcome adversity. Below are 5 ways to help you get through adverse situations in sport or life.

Have the right mindset Your thoughts are essential; they frame the triumphs or tragedies of your life. Getting past adversity requires a change in your belief about challenges. It is not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that is important here.
Stop making excuses Excuses are the lies we tell ourselves when we’re too afraid of the future. Whatever you tell your mind will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don’t achieve your dreams, it will be because you made the decision to be detained by excuses.
Have faith It takes more energy to live a life full of fear than to live one full of faith. To fear is to convince yourself to live in the walls you build yourself. To have faith is to convince yourself to embrace change.
Don’t take “no” for an answer Trials will occur in life, but endurance requires you to never stop trying. Trials are one of the greatest teaching tools of life. Dare to do the impossible!
Let each success energize you With every success, we are strengthened and empowered for greater victories. You cannot become enslaved by disappointments. You must realize that every disappointment is being engineered for your destiny.

The Takeaway
Life can get us down, but we can pick ourselves back up. We must learn and not be limited by the experiences of our lives. We are strong, and we all have a dreamer inside of us. Anything is possible if we are willing to persevere.

Most young athletes want things fast and easy – D1 scholarship, turning pro, going to the olympics. Boredom is their great enemy and fear. Whatever success they may have is short lived, it slips through their hands as fast as it comes in. You, on the other hand, want to outlast your rivals. You are building the foundation for something that can continue to expand. To make this happen, you will have to find the right coach, mentor, and support group. You must learn early on to endure the hours of practice and drudgery, knowing that in the end all of that time will translate into a higher pleasure – mastery of a craft and of yourself. Your goal is to reach the ultimate skill level – an intuitive feel for what must come next.

If you are able to overcome your anxieties and forge a fearless attitude towards life, something strange and remarkable will occur — that margin of control over circumstance increases. At its utmost point, we can even create the circumstances themselves, which is the source of the tremendous power that fearless types have had throughout history. The people who "RESPECT THE PROCESS" in their lives all share certain qualities — supreme boldness, unconventionality, fluidity, and a sense of urgency — that give them this unique advantage over their rivals.”

The episode goes on to break down this law into its components, and details examples of each, as well as actionable guidelines for student-athletes, sports-parents, and coaches.

It’s a conversation you should listen to and digest, and then refer back to constantly. This is one of my favorite episodes, it provides a set of principles by which you should live by. I definitely recommend.

Quotes

This must be the power and the direction of your mind whenever you encounter some problem — to bore deeper and deeper until you get at something basic and at the root. 

The real poetry and beauty in life comes from an intense relationship with reality in all its aspects. Realism is in fact the ideal we must aspire to, the highest point of human rationality. 

Keep in mind the following: what you really value in life is ownership, not money. If ever there is a choice — more money or more responsibility — you must always opt for the latter. A lower - paying position that offers more room to make decisions and carve out little empires is infinitely preferable to something that pays well but constricts your movements. 

Events in life are not negative or positive. They are completely neutral...Things merely happen to you. It is your mind that chooses to interpret them as negative or positive. 

Most people wait too long to go into action, generally out of fear. They want more money or better circumstances. You must go the opposite direction and move before you think you are ready. 

Understand: it is not only what you do that must have flow, but also how you do things. It is your strategies, your methods of attacking problems, that must constantly be adapted to circumstances. 

Forgetting is a skill that you must develop in order to have emotional flow. If you cannot help but feel anger or disgust in the moment, make it a point to not let it remain the following day. 

After listening to this episode, you’ll understand that same lesson, how to eliminate this fear and how to help youR Student-Athlete grow in the process.

RJ Hodges is a best-selling author, speaker, coach and empowerment entrepreneur who’s list of titles include: Mission Unstoppable, You Can’t Practice At The Game, The Art of Mastering You Volume One and an audio book series called Winner Status.

RJ reminds us that fear, life-balance, self-confidence, organization, and planning, weave a delicate web among the lives of the successful Student-Athletes. To make it work you’ll need to learn how to take control of your life so that your life doesn’t control you. This calls for strategies, appreciation, and understanding.

Want to be able to help your Student-Athlete get rid of their anger and emotional mood swings? Have them listen to this episode with you. Their expanding mind can overcome fear, increase confidence and improve prioritization.

Lastly, I want every parent, coach, and Student-Athlete to read the following quote from RJ and really take it to heart.

“Start your day in peace and end your day in peace.”
RJ Hodges

To help you stay focused and manage a complicated schedule, here are some tips for organizing your time as a student-athlete.

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize. Whether or not you want to go pro or to the Olympics, academics should be your No. 1 priority in college.
Prioritize What's Important.
Study Wisely.

4.Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help.

Set Goals: Everything has to start with this process.. Set goals for what you want to achieve in your sport and in school. Many people skip this step, and just progress toward vague goals (“get better in my sport”) or accept the default goals in front of them (“graduate high school or college”). Anything exceptional that has ever been done didn’t just happen; it started out as a dream.

Plan: In order to accomplish your goals you have to zoom in a little closer and decide what specific steps you have to take. This could be deciding how many times you are going to lift weights a week, or how many professors you want to have a strong relationship with by the end of college. One step I began 3 years ago to get the most out of planning is to take an hour every Sunday to plan out the next week. This allows me to prepare physically and mentally for my busy schedule.

Sleep: One of the most important things to develop is your sleeping habits. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that the average 18-20-year-old needs 8-10 hours sleep each night. Presumably, a college athlete would be toward the higher end of that. The effects of too little sleep are endless. If you wait for sleep to happen instead of being proactive about when you go to bed, you probably aren’t getting enough.

Keeping Up the Resolve: It’s easy to do all of the above for one week, or even a few weeks. However, long classes and hard training can wear you down to the point where you don’t want to put the effort in anymore. It will happen, and you need to plan for it! The best way to handle these moments is to find a way to focus on your goals. Visualize yourself achieving your goals, or make a vision board.

Most of the times that you lose the willpower to stay disciplined is because you’ve lost sight of the connection between the hard work that needs doing and the payoff you will eventually have.

Trust the Process has become a catchphrase in sports. You hear it all the time. But WTF does it really mean?

It supposedly means sticking to a long-term plan even in the face of short-term adversity or bad outcomes.

We looked at the absurdity of using the phrase with young people in such a micro-wave culture. If it's such a well-grounded methodology, why are so many young athletes and people in general failing and quitting when it comes to accomplishing their goals.

Stay tuned as we intend to provide some solutions.

In this episode, I had a magnificent conversation with Sugey Gomez, MA Sport Psychology. Sugey (Sue-hay) is currently working on her Doctorate in Sport Psychology. She's also a practicing certified holistic health coach.

Sugey shares her thoughts on:

Thoughts > Feelings > Behavior

The idea that one’s thoughts directly influence ones feelings, which then impact ones behavior/reactions.

In other words, misguided or inappropriate thinking usually leads to negative feelings and poor performance, just as good thinking enables feelings and good performance.

Mental skills being life skills too.
Importance of self-awareness.

Awareness, the first step to making change.

Definition: noticing or creating recognition about areas such as what is going on in one’s body and mind, as well as what is going on around you. For example, as a mental skills coach/practitioners (my job as I am training as a sport psychology student), is to help clients first become aware of what they are experiencing, and then make positive changes to the way they think and feel, (and yes, how they perform) but first the athlete must be able to take note of what is happening internally.

Example: Athlete is losing focus at key moments then some sort of refocusing technique might be helpful. If, however, they are not aware of losing focus in the moment, then the refocusing technique won’t actually be useful. Often times, work needs to begin around building the athlete’s own awareness of the way they think and feel in certain moments in their sport experience, and then you can move on to teaching of techniques.

A REFLECTION ON TRAINING CULTURE, LEADERSHIP, AND AFFIRMATIONS

It is a widely held belief in the sports world that the team culture can have a big impact on how a team functions and performs. How team members, think, feel, behave, and perform are all influenced by the environment in which they train, practice, and compete.

Developing a healthy team culture is as important in the sports world as it is in the corporate world. Understanding this, what a team culture is and why it is of essential value.

A culture is the expression of a team’s values, attitudes, and goals about sports, competition, and relationships. It determines whether, for example, the team’s focus is on fun, improvement, or winning or whether it promotes individual accomplishment or team success.

A team culture is so important because it directly influences many areas that affect team functioning and performance:
The culture establishes norms of acceptable behavior on a team, either explicitly or implicitly conveying to members what is allowed and what is not. These norms can dictate to team members how to behave, communicate, cooperate, and deal with conflict. When clear norms are established, everyone on a team is more likely to abide by them.

Join us for a conversation with two Division 1 basketball athletes. This episode features Jazz Johnson and Tre'shawn Thurman. Both are outstanding student-athletes for University of Nevada-Reno. Jazz is a transfer from University of Portland. Tre'shawn transferred from Nebraska-Omaha.

Last Friday, No. 6 Nevada captured the Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitation after defeating UMass (4-3) 110-87 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

Tre'Shawn Thurman were was named to the all-tournament team. He scored a Nevada career-high 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Teammate Caleb Martin was named tournament MVP.

In this episode, both athletes articulated a tremendous amount of insight, knowledge, and wisdom gained from past experiences. They are the epitome of leadership and high character. Stay tuned as they share valuable information for the young student-athlete and sports parent.

Have the right mindset:  Your thoughts are essential; they frame the triumphs or tragedies of your life. Getting past adversity requires a change in your belief about challenges. It is not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that is important here.
Stop making excuses : Excuses are the lies we tell ourselves when we’re too afraid of the future. Whatever you tell your mind will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don’t achieve your dreams, it will be because you made the decision to be detained by excuses.

The Takeaway
Life can get us down, but we can pick ourselves back up. We must learn and not be limited by the experiences of our lives. We are strong, and we all have a dreamer inside of us. Anything is possible if we are willing to persevere.

One of the characteristics of being humble is having a low sense of entitlement. Humble people don't think they are owed things. This leads to a less prejudiced view of the world, encouraging them to be tolerant to others and less defensive about their own beliefs.

What does it mean to have a growth mindset?

You must believe that you most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. Having this view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Below are 10 strategies to develop a growth mindset.

1. Acknowledge and embrace imperfections.
Hiding from your weaknesses means you’ll never overcome them.

2. View challenges as opportunities.
Having a growth mindset means relishing opportunities for self-improvement. Learn more about how to fail well.

3. Try different learning tactics.
There’s no one-size-fits-all model for learning. What works for one person may not work for you. Learn about learning strategies.

4. Follow the research on brain plasticity.
The brain isn’t fixed; the mind shouldn’t be either.

5. Replace the word “failing” with the word “learning.”
When you make a mistake or fall short of a goal, you haven’t failed; you’ve learned.

6. Stop seeking approval.
When you prioritize approval over learning, you sacrifice your own potential for growth.

7. Value the process over the end result.
Intelligent people enjoy the learning process, and don’t mind when it continues beyond an expected time frame.

8. Cultivate a sense of purpose.
Research also shows that students with a growth mindset had a greater sense of purpose. Keep the big picture in mind.

9. Celebrate growth with others.
If you truly appreciate growth, you’ll want to share your progress with others.

10. Emphasise growth over speed.
Learning fast isn’t the same as learning well, and learning well sometimes requires allowing time for mistakes.

Having a growth mindset (the belief that you are in control of your own ability, and can learn and improve) is the key to success. Yes, hard work, effort, and persistence are all important, but not as important as having that underlying belief that you are in control of your own destiny.

MAKE THE MOST OF SETBACKS

E (event) + R (response) = O (outcome)

The basic idea is that every outcome you experience in life (whether it is success or failure, wealth or poverty, health or illness, intimacy or estrangement, joy or frustration) is the result of how you have responded to an earlier event or events in your life.

IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE OUTCOMES YOU ARE CURRENTLY GETTING, THERE ARE TWO BASIC CHOICES YOU CAN MAKE.

You can blame the event (E) for your lack of results (O). In other words, you can blame the referee, the weather, a teammate, your parents, the coaching staff, racism, gender bias, the lack of support, the political climate, the system, and so on. If you’re a golfer, you’ve probably even blamed your clubs and the course you played on. No doubt all these factors do exist, but if they were the deciding factor, nobody would ever succeed.

Lots of people overcome these so-called limiting factors, so it can’t be the limiting factors that
limit you. It is not the external conditions and circumstances that stop you –it is you! We stop ourselves! We think limiting thoughts and engage in self-defeating behaviors. We defend our destructive habits (such as drinking and recreational drugs) with indefensible logic. We ignore useful feedback, fail to continuously educate ourselves and learn new skills, waste time on trivial aspects of our lives, engage in idle gossip, eat unhealthy food, fail to train, fail to study, avoid necessary conflict, fail to tell the truth-- -and then wonder why our lives don’t work. But this, by the way, is what most people do. They place the blame for everything that isn’t the way they want it on outside events and circumstances. They have an excuse for everything.

You can instead simply change your responses (R) to the events (E) ---the way things are ---until you
get the outcomes (O) you want. You can change
your thinking, change your communication, change the pictures you hold in your head (your images of yourself and the world) ---and you can change your behavior---the things you do. This is all you really have control over anyway. Unfortunately, most of us are so run by our habits that we never change our behavior. We get stuck in our conditioned responses. We are a bundle of conditioned reflexes that operate outside of our control. You have to regain control

of your thoughts, your images, your dreams and daydreams, and your behavior. Everything you think, say, and do needs to become intentional and aligned with your purpose, your values, and your goals.

Stay tuned for our student-athlete discussion.

Alice Ruth "Ruthie" Bolton (born May 25, 1967), known as Ruthie Bolton, is an American former professional women's basketball player. Born in Lucedale, Mississippi, she played at the collegiate, Olympic and professional levels of women's basketball. Bolton played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 1997 through 2004 with the Sacramento Monarchs. She played collegiately at Auburn University, teaming with her older sister, Mae Ola Bolton. Bolton has also served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army Reserves as a transportation officer.

Ruthie Bolton is a published author with two books now available for sale (1) From Pain to Peace and (2) The Ride of a Lifetime. They can be purchased at her website https://mightyruthiebolton.com

In this episode, we were blessed to have a conversation with Ruthie and discuss:

Playing in the SEC at Auburn
Your experiences playing on the US National Team
The mindset needed for recovering from a torn ACL
Your journey & accomplishments playing in the WNBA
Tell us about your new book: From Pain To Power (what can readers expect to learn?)
What would you like to be remembered for? Your legacy.

Bolton was named to the team representing the USA at the World University Games held during July 1991 in Sheffield, England. While the USA team had won gold in 1983, they finished with the silver in 1985, in fifth place in 1987, and did not field a team in 1989. The team was coached by Tara VanDerveer of Stanford. After winning opening games easily, the USA faced China in the medal round. The USA shot only 36% from the field, but limited the team from China to 35%, and won 79–76 to advance to the gold medal game. There they faced 7–0 Spain, but won 88–62 to claim the gold medal. Bolton was the team's leading scorer with 14 points per game, just ahead of Lisa Leslie's 13 points per game.

In 1994, Bolton-Holifield was named to the national team which competed in the World Championships in Sydney, Australia. The team was coached by Tara VanDerveer. The team won their early games, then advanced to the medal rounds and faced Brazil. Despite 17 points from Bolton-Holifield and 29 from Katrina McClain, the USA fell 110–107 when Brazil hit ten of ten free throws in the final minute. The USA went on to defeat Australia 100–95 to claim the bronze medal.

Bolton continued with the national team to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Bolton was the leading scorer in the game against the Ukraine, with 21 points. She helped the team win all eight games to win the gold medal for the USA team. Bolton averaged 12.8 points per game and led the team in steals with 23.

The national team traveled to Berlin, Germany in July and August 1998 for the FIBA World Championships. The USA team won a close opening game against Japan 95–89, then won their next six games easily. In the semifinal game against Brazil, the USA team was behind as much as ten points in the first half. Bolton hit a three pointer in the second half to give her team the lead, as part of a 16-point scoring effort, and the USA went on to win 93–79. The gold medal game was a rematch against Russia. In the first game, the USA team dominated almost from the beginning, but in the rematch, the team from Russia took the early lead and led much of the way. With under two minutes remaining, the USA was down by two points when Bolton hit a three pointer to give the USA a lead. Russia tied the game, but Bolton hit another three to give the USA a lead they would not give up. The USA held on to win the gold medal 71–65.

Bolton continued with the national team to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The USA won all eight games, including the gold medal game against host Australia to win the gold medal. Bolton averaged 5.0 points per game.

How To Overcome Adversity

Travis Daugherty explains in his book, THE LENS that the ability to overcome adversity is a hidden talent. He further explains that the ability to overcome adversity can be taught, developed, and cultivated in a student-athlete. Listen in as we supply the sports parent with answers to help their student-athlete overcome adversity. Below are 5 ways to help you get through adverse situations in sport or life.

1. Have the right mindset

Your thoughts are essential; they frame the triumphs or tragedies of your life. Getting past adversity requires a change in your belief about challenges. It is not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that is important here.

2. Stop making excuses

Excuses are the lies we tell ourselves when we’re too afraid of the future. Whatever you tell your mind will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don’t achieve your dreams, it will be because you made the decision to be detained by excuses.

3. Have faith

It takes more energy to live a life full of fear than to live one full of faith. To fear is to convince yourself to live in the walls you build yourself. To have faith is to convince yourself to embrace change.

4. Don’t take “no” for an answer

Trials will occur in life, but endurance requires you to never stop trying. Trials are one of the greatest teaching tools of life. Dare to do the impossible!

5. Let each success energize you

With every success, we are strengthened and empowered for greater victories. You cannot become enslaved by disappointments. You must realize that every disappointment is being engineered for your destiny.

The Takeaway

Life can get us down, but we can pick ourselves back up. We must learn and not be limited by the experiences of our lives. We are strong, and we all have a dreamer inside of us. Anything is possible if we are willing to persevere.

WHAT IS FEAR?

DEALING WITH YOUR FEARS

Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that we are okay. - Thich Nhat Hanh

FEAR - NOUN: FEAR; PLURAL NOUN: FEARS

an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. "drivers are threatening to quit UBER in fear after a driver's murder"
discomfort caused by the perception that something has the potential and/or intent to detract from our life force. The greater the potential and/or threat perceived as harmful to life, the more urgent and intense is the desire for avoidance.

*3. Recognize that the immediate need in dealing with fear is to face FEAR with all your intelligence and sensory faculties so that the decision or course of action can be made with WISDOM.

Listen in as several of my student-athletes share their thoughts on FEAR and it's different varieties. They provide insight and truth to what they are experiencing emotionally and socially. This is a great episode for sports parents and coaches to learn to better understand the young athlete.

There's an exercise where we say SUPERSTAR. Those that wanna do the exercise, we're gonna say SUPERSTAR to ourselves without opening our mouths, without saying anything out loud. We're gonna say this to ourselves. We're gonna say SUPERSTAR to ourselves. Don't say it out loud at the count of three. One, two, three…

Okay. Now the question to ask, if you've said SUPERSTAR in your mind, the question to ask is what voice is that? What voice is that? What voice just spoke? You just said SUPERSTAR without moving your mouth at all.

On top of that, on top of saying SUPERSTAR, you heard yourself say SUPERSTAR. How can you hear yourself say SUPERSTAR and no vibration of sound has happened?

In this episode, we discuss:

Three dimensional space + Time
The mind's eye
Overcoming the illusion of DEATH and FEAR
Defining superstar, soul, and spirit
How to command reality
How to apply samurai wisdom in sports

This is a special episode that includes a number of athletes that I've been working with for several years. It provides insight into my mentorship program. If you're a sports parent or coach, I suggest listening to this episode from start to finish

The Warriors rep the entire Bay Area, but on a visceral, emotional level very much belong to Oakland. From Mosswood in the east to DeFremery Park in the west, where basketball greats Bill Russell, K.C. Jones and Paul Silas plied their trade 60 years ago, from the ground floor of playground hero-worship to Oracle Arena and the Dubs, Oakland ‘ball is an essential part of the city’s identity. RYANT DIEW was born and bred in this Goldmine. Today, he has been proclaimed the Godfather of Oakland youth basketball by his peers and contemporaries.

In this conversation, Ryant shares his thoughts on: 1. Growing up in Oakland on the basketball court 2. The mentality needed to grow and flourish 3. His relationship with Leland Johnson growing up 4. The Oakland Rebels 5. His journey into coaching AAU basketball 6. The importance strength training in AAU basketball

N'Dea Flye discusses her first year basketball experience at University of New Mexico. In the this conversation, she expounds on:

Communication between coach and athlete
Advice for young female basketball athletes
Pros & Cons of collegiate basketball life
Her training/coach relation with Leland Johnson
Why she decided to transfer
Who's recruiting her now
Future basketball aspirations

"I want to first start off by saying, thank you UNM for a great freshman year...Thank you to my teammates for not just being there for me on the basketball court, but also off the court. You guys became my family. I also want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to play this sport and grow as a human being within this year, which has taught me a lot. With all that being said, I'd like to announce that I'll be transferring from UNM and re-opening my recruitment."

Truly, Thank you New Mexico

A proper mission statement doesn't require that we pursue any single career or hobby or activity but rather is conceptually broad enough that any number of strategies would enable us to accomplish it. Yet it can also be narrow enough that it feels like the single most important thing we could spend our lives doing.

Of course, we don't have to define a mission for ourselves. The pleasures life brings us will still remain pleasurable even if we don't. We can choose to view our job, our hobbies, major, sport, position or whatever we spend most of our time doing as just that: what we spend our time doing. Or as something we enjoy. Or as a necessary evil, a means to some other end, like making money.

But if we embrace a mission--our mission as a provisional bodhisattva (a bodhisattva defined in Buddhism as a person who dedicates himself to the happiness of others)--we'll not only enjoy greater satisfaction in life, but also gain something that the joy we feel from fleeting pleasures can't provide, something that most people fail to associate with a strong sense of purpose but that's nevertheless one of its principal benefits: increased strength.

Daniel Goodenough discusses:

What is the best way to tap into your talents and desires to create a life of meaning and authenticity?
How can spiritual principles be used by a student-athlete to create an environment of success, growth, and fulfillment for a team?
How can the student-athlete live in a way that is fulfilling while serving their community?

Dwayne Adams breaks down an extraordinarily diverse city with a storied history, and a long tradition of political and social justice activism. Oakland is also a city of contradictions: It's both loud and tranquil, crowded and desolate, beautiful and gritty. The grit that's ingrained in what's affectionately known as the "Town", has produced some of the best street ballers, AAU teams, and NBA athletes.

In this conversation, we discuss:

Growing up in Oakland
Playing ball with Leland
Working with youth
Today's basketball culture
Dwayne's business ventures

This is a podcast where we observe, examine, experiment, and explain the physical, mental, and social dynamics of the worlds best athletes and coaches. We examine their strengths, weaknesses, character, and personality traits; to explain what works and what doesn't according to our situation and circumstance in space and time.

WORKBOOK Now In Hard-Copy! Includes spaces to write in answers.

The Sports Mastery Workbook is your Athlete’s Blueprint for Success!

A guide to achieving athletic excellence. Engineered for the motivated and struggling Athlete who wants to conquer fear, crush competition and achieve amazing results!
They’ll learn:

The #1 mistake made by 90% of athletes
Secrets to competing that most athletes never figure out
Decoding the mystery of ultimate human performance
How to define, recognize, and overcome fear
Strategies to remove all mental barriers and uncertainties
AND MUCH MUCH MORE!

This episode was inspired by the Netflix football documentary LAST CHANCE U. It features several collegiate athletes that have been removed from Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary issues. Our conversation is focused on all aspects of personal development, leadership, social intelligence, and overcoming setbacks. We begin this conversation discussing season 3; which explores Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. The first two seasons were filmed at East Mississippi Community College.

As a game against rival Coffeyville caps off the regular season, the ICC players and coaches reflect on the season and weigh their next moves. In this episode, we particularly discuss:

The 24 hour rule
Sports-parents
Sports Mastery
Intimidating opponents
The best psych-job ever
Ms. Pinkard's effectiveness as a mentor
Leadership development

This is a great listen to understand why certain athletes have success and why others fail who are equally talented. It also enlightens the listener with strategies to overcome set-backs.

The student-athlete and sports parent will benefit tremendously by working through the Sports Mastery Workbook together. Click here to learn more.

This episode was inspired by the Netflix football documentary LAST CHANCE U. It features several collegiate athletes that have been removed from Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary issues. Our conversation is focused on all aspects of personal development, leadership, social intelligence, and overcoming setbacks. We begin this conversation discussing season 3; which explores Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. The first two seasons were filmed at East Mississippi Community College.

The highlights of this conversation include:

The relationship between Frank Diaz and JB Brown
The mentorship efforts on Ms. Pinkard
Looking beyond athletics
Team camaraderie

This is a great listen to understand why certain athletes have success and why others fail who are equally talented. It also enlightens the listener with strategies to overcome set-backs.

The student-athlete and sports parent will benefit tremendously by working through the Sports Mastery Workbook together. Click here to learn more.

Chris Dennis was one of Lebron James early mentors. He played a significant role in Lebron's development between ages 10 and 13. As Lebron began to ascend as an NBA star, Chris became the content manager for LebronJames.com.

It was actually Chris who acquired the domain name for the James family during LeBron's high school years to ensure ownership.  *

Later Chris worked with the Board of Directors, as Executive Director for the James Family Foundation. He was responsible for developing and implementing a Strategic Vision and focus for the foundation. Chris also managed the planning and administration of all financial and budgeting activities related to program operations.

He says LeBron always dreamed of going to the NBA, and once that dream became a reality, he wanted to give something back. “They always talked about what they would do if they were in a better position,” says Dennis. “The foundation is really a combination of how LeBron and his mom show their love for the community.”

Expect Chris to share his thoughts on:

Where he's from and his early days playing basketball
Experiences playing with co-host Leland Johnson (good & bad times)
The desire to start a mentorship program
The early journey with Lebron James/and mentorship
What he's doing now
Plans for the future

Here's an authentic conversation that gives you the clarity to help your student-athlete reach their full potential on the playing field and in life. It provides a powerful vision for who your student-athlete can become, and a meaningful purpose for navigating today's myopic (short-sighted or narrow-minded) youth sports culture.

This episode will help you see clearly what matters and what doesn't. It focuses on developing the talents of a champion athlete, hidden from the average sports parent in our world today. Regardless of age or physical ability, you'll learn how these talents can be developed in your student-athlete. You'll also see how they change who your student-athlete becomes, and how they separate him/her from others in sports and in life.

In a world of youth sports where rising costs, increased investment, and unhealthy pressure have become the norm, it's time to give your sports parent experience the meaning and purpose it deserves. It's time to choose a new perspective. It's time to become a champion parent, and to raise a champion student-athlete.

Learn how to help your student-athlete...

Love the game
Give their best
Overcome adversity
Seek improvement
Be a teammate
Get coached
Take risks
Have a positive attitude

The student-athlete and sports parent will benefit tremendously by working through the Sports Mastery Workbook together. Click here to learn more.

This episode was inspired by the Netflix football documentary LAST CHANCE U. It features several collegiate athletes that have been removed from Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary issues. Our conversation is focused on all aspects of personal development, leadership, social intelligence, and overcoming setbacks. We begin this conversation discussing season 3; which explores Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. The first two seasons were filmed at East Mississippi Community College.

Despite being invited back to EMCC for a third season, producers decided to move the show to Independence Community College of Kansas. The new location is different in that ICC has historically had much lower expectations than EMCC; in 2016, it ended the season 5–4, its first winning season in ten years. The ICC Pirates had a very successful recruiting campaign for the 2017 season, landing many acclaimed players who began at NCAA Division I schools.

This conversation highlights the following bullets points:

Life after sports
Coach/player relationships
Making the most of setbacks

The student-athlete and sports parent will benefit tremendously by working through the Sports Mastery Workbooktogether. Click here to learn more.

This episode was inspired by the Netflix football documentary LAST CHANCE U. It features several collegiate athletes that have been removed from Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary issues. Our conversation is focused on all aspects of personal development, leadership, social intelligence, and overcoming setbacks. We begin this conversation discussing season 3; which explores Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. The first two seasons were filmed at East Mississippi Community College.

Despite being invited back to EMCC for a third season, producers decided to move the show to Independence Community College of Kansas. The new location is different in that ICC has historically had much lower expectations than EMCC; in 2016, it ended the season 5–4, its first winning season in ten years. The ICC Pirates had a very successful recruiting campaign for the 2017 season, landing many acclaimed players who began at NCAA Division I schools.
This is a great listen to understand why certain athletes have success and why others fail who are equally talented. It also enlightens the listener with strategies to overcome set-backs.

We particularly discuss:

Generational Curses
Recruiting
Strength Training

The student-athlete and sports parent will benefit tremendously by working through the Sports Mastery Workbook together. Click here to learn more.

This episode was inspired by the Netflix football documentary LAST CHANCE U. It features several collegiate athletes that have been removed from Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary issues. Our conversation is focused on all aspects of personal development, leadership, social intelligence, and overcoming setbacks. We begin this conversation discussing season 3; which explores Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. The first two seasons were filmed at East Mississippi Community College.

We also address an email inquiry:

Hi DeShawn, I hope you're well. Just wanted to say I've enjoyed your last 2 podcasts on Last Chance U Season 3, which is by far my favorite season of the show. Will you be doing a separate podcast on each of the 8 episodes? I'm fascinated by sports performance and psychology and found Malik Henry's story particularly compelling. The podcast's breakdown of his behavior in the first 2 episodes make a lot of sense. Malik has all of the physical talents to be a star QB, but as you discussed, it seems he wasn't taught the discipline and mental toughness required to succeed and to cope with pressure and stress. It also seems that he was forced to choose football over baseball. At this point, he appears to still be unsigned and football season is about to start. I had a few questions for you (and maybe you'll cover this in the upcoming podcasts): What do you think are the options for someone in his position now? The show's portrayal of him didn't do him any favors and it seems most coaches would not want to take him on. He seems to have a lot of baggage. Is there any way he could make it back into a D1 school? How does he make a comeback from the last 2 years when his reputation has taken such a hit? How does he show coaches that he has developed the required mental toughness and discipline? Or maybe he switches to baseball? Is that even possible this "late" in the game? Thanks! Rain C.

This episode was inspired by the Netflix football documentary LAST CHANCE U. It features several collegiate athletes that have been removed from Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary issues. Our conversation is focused on all aspects of personal development, leadership, social intelligence, and overcoming setbacks. We begin this conversation discussing season 3; which explores Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. The first two seasons were filmed at East Mississippi Community College.

Despite being invited back to EMCC for a third season, producers decided to move the show to Independence Community College of Kansas. The new location is different in that ICC has historically had much lower expectations than EMCC; in 2016, it ended the season 5–4, its first winning season in ten years. The ICC Pirates had a very successful recruiting campaign for the 2017 season, landing many acclaimed players who began at NCAA Division I schools.

This is a great listen to understand why certain athletes have success and why others fail who are equally talented. It also enlightens the listener with strategies to overcome set-backs.

The student-athlete and sports parent will benefit tremendously by working through the Sports Mastery Workbook together. Click here to learn more.

This episode was inspired by the Netflix football documentary LAST CHANCE U. It features several collegiate athletes that have been removed from Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary issues. Our conversation is focused on all aspects of personal development, leadership, social intelligence, and overcoming setbacks. We begin this conversation discussing season 3; which explores Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. The first two seasons were filmed at East Mississippi Community College.

Despite being invited back to EMCC for a third season, producers decided to move the show to Independence Community College of Kansas. The new location is different in that ICC has historically had much lower expectations than EMCC; in 2016, it ended the season 5–4, its first winning season in ten years. The ICC Pirates had a very successful recruiting campaign for the 2017 season, landing many acclaimed players who began at NCAA Division I schools.

This is a great listen to understand why certain athletes have success and why others fail who are equally talented. It also enlightens the listener with strategies to overcome set-backs.

The student-athlete and sports parent will benefit tremendously by working through the Sports Mastery Workbook together. Click here to learn more.

Welcome to The Science of Sports Mastery. Today's guest is Mike Joachim. Mike is the host of Pit Lane Parley podcast. Pit Lane Parley is an Indy Car Racing show that features interviews with fan favorite IndyCar drivers, news, and debates about IndyCar racing. Growing the IndyCar fanbase is Mike's main goal!

In today's episode, Mike shares his thoughts on:

What does it take to be a race car driver?
What are the challenges & unique obstacles?
What does it take to be a winner?
What separates champions from the rest?
Odds of getting to professional race car status
What do racers enjoy about winning?
Discuss over coming set backs and frustration
How do you learn from making mistakes?
What are rivalries like?
How important is the ability to concentrate/focus in the car?
Explain the importance of working out.
What are the strategies used to manage stress?
Advice to the 14 yr old who wants to be a professional race car driver.

To learn more

http://pitlaneparley.com/

Jackie Slomin is the epitome of the wrestler's guide to success. She's an expert in helping the wrestler cut weight safely and effectively.

Jackie is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist on a mission to make sure people feel confident and happy about their food and bodies by providing a science-driven approach to nutrition coaching that will allow people to meet their goals while still enjoying their favorite foods and not feeling overly restricted..

He approach to nutrition coaching is different from traditional counseling as she helps to solve people's problems and bring them closer to their nutrition related goals by spending time learning about each individual and what their specific needs are. She doesn't believe in any one specific diet or plan being best, but instead looks at the individual person, their lifestyle and medical history to determine what the best and most successful plan of action will be to help people reach their goals and maintain their results long-term.

In this conversation, Jackie shares her thoughts on:

How and why you began working with wrestlers
Explain how confidence can rise from proper nutrition
Explain cutting weight
What are the common fears for making weight
How can a wrestler make weight without cutting strength
Discuss your weight calculator for wrestlers

Jackie graduated Magna Cum Laude from LIU Post with a BS in nutrition and is working on a master's degree concentrating on sports nutrition and exercise science. She completed a 1200 hour training program before getting her credentials as an RD, and was able to act as LIU Post's campus nutritionist where she provided counseling for students, staff members, and numerous division II athletes including the women's basketball team, women's lacrosse, and women's volleyball, and men's wrestling teams. In addition, she created numerous movements on campus promoting body confidence, positivity, and how to make healthy food choices in any environment. Jackie also completed rotations at Good Samaritan Hospital, Fresenius Medical Care Dialysis Center, Brookhaven Memorial Hospital, and South Oaks Broadlawn Manor. After graduation she served as Chief Dietitian for two years at Bellhaven Center for Rehabilitation providing medical nutrition therapy and counseling to clients and families. She has also received a certification of completion of training from WellCoaches, the world's leading health coaching organization.

https://www.jackieslomin.com/

This episode was inspired by the Netflix football documentary LAST CHANCE U. It features several collegiate athletes that have been removed from Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary issues. Our conversation is focused on all aspects of personal development, leadership, academic struggles, and overcoming setbacks. We begin this conversation discussing season 3; which explores Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. The first two seasons were filmed at East Mississippi Community College.

Despite being invited back to EMCC for a third season, producers decided to move the show to Independence Community College of Kansas. The new location is different in that ICC has historically had much lower expectations than EMCC; in 2016, it ended the season 5–4, its first winning season in ten years. The ICC Pirates had a very successful recruiting campaign for the 2017 season, landing many acclaimed players who began at NCAA Division I schools.

The is a great listen to understand why certain athletes have success and why others fail who are equally talented. It also enlightens the listener with strategies to overcome set-backs.

James was born with a congenital disability called femoral dysplasia and a floating hip of the left leg as well as scoliosis of the spine. James' grew up on a NATO base in Belgium but now reside back in Prestatyn, North Wales. He is an online training and nutrition coach by trade but he was an elite Paralympic athlete for just over a decade. He has been lucky enough over those years to have represented Great Britain at countless World Championships and 2 Paralympics Games (Beijing 2008 and London 2012) to just name a few.

He started out his sporting career in swimming and was part of British Swimming's Potential Squad from 2003-05. During that time, I held the SB8 200m breaststroke and 50m breaststroke national records.

After being dropped from the GB swimming programme, he moved on to rowing in 2006. The transition happened fairly quickly as James' made his first senior international competition that summer at the 2006 World Championships in Dorney Lake, Great Britain and made the final finishing 6th. 2007 World Championships Semi-Finalist, 2008 Paralympic Finalist (5th) and 2009 World Championships Finalist (5th).

He made another transition of sport, this time to sitting volleyball (aka now Para Volley). From 2010 until 2012, he amassed 56 caps for Great Britain. His first international was a surprise selection to compete at the 2010 World Championships in Edmund, Oklahoma, the USA. He was lucky enough during his time with the squad, to have competed for Great Britain at his only European Championships in his repertoire as well as a Continental and Intercontinental Cups. James' career calumniated at the London 2012 Paralympics where the GB sitting volleyball squad lost in the quarter-final to eventual silver medallist Iran.

In this episode, James discusses:

Overcoming adversity
Seeing himself as more than an amputee
Seeing himself as more than an athlete

For more information visit: fitamputee.co.uk

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDdcgbvE5f3W07br0EEQ9bg

Follow James on Instagram: https;//www.instagram.com/fitamputee

https://www.facebook.com/jamesrobertsfitness

https://twitter.com/jamesoroberts11

Michele Badie is a former Director of Career Services in higher education. Her work in that role lead her to becoming a Career Confidence Coach and the Published Author of Confidently You: 21-Day Action Plan to Your Professional Best. Through her career confidence coaching and book, she has helped professionals face fears, break through mental blocks, and realize the possibilities that exist in their careers. She enjoys seeing people succeed and has coached professionals at different stages of their career, in national and international markets, on how to accomplish their career goals and land their desired professional role. She has also executed training and development programs.

Michele is also the Creator and Host of the podcast, Career Tipper. The podcast features weekly interviews on Spotify, iTunes, and Stitcher Radio with professionals in different industries sharing their expertise and professional development resources.

In this conversation, Michele shares her thoughts on:

How to master/manage your time
Keeping "Grit" along the journey
Entrepreneurship for student-athletes
Three keys to stay motivated

Instagram: @careertipper

Facebook: facebook.com/careertipper

Twitter: @careertipper1

The #1 lie you've been told...

Lifting weights will make women bulky. One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding females and strength training involves the notion that lifting weights will make them appear bulky.

Unless females take anabolic steroids or double their clean food intake, that simply won’t happen. Hormones factor heavily in determining an individual’s size. According to Medline Plus, women naturally produce about only 5-7% as much testosterone as men.
That means men produce 14 to 20 times as much testosterone as women, so women won’t increase muscle mass at nearly the same rate unless they supplement with steroids or other performance enhancing drugs.

They can work at the same intensities as men and build lean, slender physiques like fitness models instead of massive bodybuilders. This is absolutely possible, but the bulk thing? Not so much.

According to a 2004 study by Dr. Andrew Fry, “In general, females do not exhibit as great an absolute hypertrophic response when compared with males, although relative gains may be similar” (Fry, 2004).

Ladies aren’t going to throw on big slabs of muscle even if they exert the same level of effort as men. Whether this is good or bad is for you to decide, but being informed of facts, not opinions or anecdotal case studies of one, is necessary.
If women want to build muscle while losing weight, they should focus on maintaining a negative energy balance and burning off more calories than they consume. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. And guess what? That same tip can be used for men!

To take it to the next level, females should work on reducing stress and getting a requisite amount of sleep per night. Again, this is not rocket science, but it has been shown that getting decreased number of hours of sleep reduces anabolic hormone levels and increases catabolic hormone concentrations (Cook, Kilduff and Jones; 2004).
While the very word “anabolic” may scare some women, it’s actually an important hormone for building lean muscle and burning fat. You’re either building muscle or losing muscle, and you definitely don’t want to decrease muscle mass because muscle burns more calories than fat.

So if females want to remain lean, they had better prioritize staying in an anabolic state.

That means ladies should aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night and consume plenty of high quality, unprocessed foods like lean meats, vegetables, fruits and nuts. And yes, it can be that simple.

Master the basics to move your goals forward.

In this episode, we discuss:

Strength Training for the Female Athlete

Why is there such a stigma when it comes to strength training with female athletes? First, we must to look at the historical aspects. Past mindset and views
What are the strength training guidelines when it comes to training female athletes.
Is the female strength training program different from that of males? Yes and No
What are some specifics to consider when training the female athlete? Posterior chain work. Q angle
What can be done to make strength training more acceptable with female athletes?
Education of athlete, parent and YES, some coaches.

Nutrition is an important aspect of training. It’s the fuel we need to optimally perform. What needs to be considered when addressing this topic with the female athlete?
Be mindful about what you say that could lead to eating disorders

Are there psychological aspects to consider when training female athletes?

Hello my name is Kathy Pickel. I’m a Certified Clinical and Medical Hypnotherapist from the ACHT, (Atlanta Center for Hypnosis Training), I'm certified as a Consulting Hypnotist with the NGH, (National Guild of Hypnotists), I am certified as a Clinical Hypnotherapist with the ACHE () and I have a Bachelors Degree in Science from Georgia State University in Psychology. I'm also a certified NLP, (Neuro Linguistics Programming) Practitioner, and, generally, a student of life, an autodidact. I love all things having to do with creativity and especially creativity over the long haul. In school I studied psychology and anthropology, and still love learning. I especially love learning about human potential and flow state.

In this episode, Kathy discusses:

Limiting Beliefs
The Subconscious Mind
Relaxation/Direct Suggestion
Overcoming Failure
Getting into Flow State/The Zone

Kathy also wants you to consider:

Do you know what a fighter's mind is?

It doesn't matter what your sport is.

Once we figure out why you're standing on the edge of the mat, once we figure out why you're competing, you'll fight every moment and not give up until you win. It will become impossible for you to fail because you'll never quit. Your thoughts, your words, your actions will all become congruent. You'll have the heart of a champion and the mind of a fighter, you'll be on the offensive. "Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles." Alex Karras

Increase Your Focus

You know what it means, you understand the words, but do you know how to increase your focus? I'll put your hand on the knob, so you can crank it up. The light in a laser beam is not more than the light in a standard bulb, it's just focused. That's what you're going to need to know how to do to reach your peak performance, intently focus.

Don't forget it's play, that's how you perform at your best.

Serious competition is still play. You're serious when you train, but when you compete, you're playing. Don't forget that. Watch Michael Jordan laughing on the court. His focus is intent, but he's playing his sport. You work when you train, you play when you compete. When you compete you get to see what you've learned, you get to see how far you can push it, how far you can take it, you get to see how far you've come. You're intent, you're focused, you're playing.

Riley Tincher is an All-American pitcher turned author. He’s also a mental conditioning coach with a master’s degree in psychology from Baylor University. He’s the owner of Coachability - a mentorship program that serves athletes, at every level (youth, high school, college, professional, and Olympic), all throughout the country. Coachability was created to provide athletes a safe haven they can go to, to talk to someone who has been through what they are going through. It was also created to teach athletes the principles to succeed in sports, and more importantly, in life after sports. It is the mentorship program Riley wished existed when he was younger.

In this episode, Riley Tincher shares his personal story and life lessons. He also explores his personal battles with:

Identity crisis
Depression
Suicide

Riley discusses the meaning behind the message, "your are more than an athlete".

One of the most powerful testimonies was given by former NFL athlete Jonathan Martin who described the role of emotional debilitation in his decision to retire from professional football:

"Your job leads you to (try to) kill yourself on multiple occasions. You either sleep 12, 14, 16 hours a day when you can, or not at all. You drink too much, smoke weed constantly, have trouble focusing on your job... But one day you realize how absurd your current mindset is, that this shit doesn’t matter... nothing matters besides your family, a few close friends, and your own personal happiness."

My conversation with Riley Tincher stresses the need to talk about depression and suicide among athletes.

In a study of depression among current and former collegiate athletes, 17% endorsed symptoms consistent with depression. In discussing depression among professional athletes author Alfie Potts Harmer reported that athletes have among the highest rates of mental illness with as many as 25% experiencing depression.

It remains clear that the mental health needs of this population are inadequately addressed.

Seeking Help

Despite exposure to stressors known to increase susceptibility to mental health issues, the help-seeking behaviors of these individuals remains alarmingly low. One study revealed that members of this group are less likely to report mental health problems and “less likely to report having received psychological or mental health services from a variety of providers including counselors and psychiatrist.” This study suggest that coaches, trainers and those authority figures associated with the lives of athletes become vigilant in promoting that athletes in need seek mental health services.

Hypermasculinity often prevalent in sports culture seems to negatively impact help-seeking. A primary idea perpetuated by this hypermasculinity is the idea that ‘real men’ do not need help and acknowledging vulnerable emotions such as sadness, grief or fear indicate weakness. ‘Real men’ buck up, get up and move on with things. Each of these notions provide cognitive barriers to reaching out for assistance. Individuals who internalize these ideas have a higher propensity to struggle reaching out for help, and all too often those around them are unaware of the suffering being endured. It proves that traditional masculinity is the enemy of mental health.

Some individuals choose to cope with their emotional pain through externalizing behavior such as acting out. This can make recognizing depression challenging for family, friends, loved ones, coaches and trainers. Dr. Michele Leno revealed that high-risk behavior such as using drugs or engaging in violence can mask psychological dysfunction. Her study also revealed that family and social support are among the best protective factors to emotional debilitation for athletes. As Dr. Leno reported “athletes may be perceived as successful, wealthy, superman. However, career pressures, and struggles may be camouflaged”.

Unique Stressors

My conversation with Riley Tincher illustrates that professional and collegiate athletes experience clinical depression for reasons consistent with the general population. This includes lack of social support, feelings of hopelessness, grief, sadness, isolation, psycho social adjustment challenges, chemical imbalance, drug related issues, and overwhelming anxiety among other symptoms. I believe, the intense pressure athletes face to ‘win’ can add significant psychological stress.

Why is Sports Nutrition so important?

At the most basic level, nutrition is important for athletes because it provides a source of energy required to perform the activity. The food we eat impacts on our strength, training, performance and recovery. Not only is the type of food important for sports nutrition but the times we eat throughout the day also has an impact on our performance levels and our bodies ability to recover after exercising.

Sleep deprivation can contribute to poor performance through reduced motivation and efficiency of cognitive processes, increasing perceived effort, and limiting physiological recovery responses. Monitoring the quality and quantity of sleep can aid in detecting poor sleep patterns and behavior. The use of diaries outlining hours of sleep and routines is encouraged. Recommendations for sleep patterns should be specific to each individual; however, at least 9-10 hours of sleep is a general recommendation, implemented within a routine of consistent sleeping and waking time. Knowledge surrounding sleep and its importance with regard to recovery, monitoring, and assessment is becoming consistently more predominant within the elite performance setting.

Recovery is becoming increasingly important to the high-performing athlete in a bid to reduce fatigue and enhance performance. Some of the more common recovery techniques utilized by athletes include hydrotherapy, active recovery, stretching, compression garments and massage. There has been a significant increase in research examining both the effects of recovery on performance and potential mechanisms. Recent research suggests that hydrotherapy, compression and massage can enhance acute performance when utilized appropriately. Athletes are encouraged to experiment with various recovery techniques to identify useful individualized recovery strategies.

**120 PAGES OF SOLUTIONS, EXERCISES AND ACCOUNTABILITY**     Including:

The Successful Habits Formula
The B-Alert System
Four Key Areas of Athletic Excellence
The Strangest Secret to Winning
Discover the Secret Foundation to Maximize your Full Athletic Potential

WHY DO I NEED A MENTOR?

Sometimes people use the words “mentoring” and “coaching” interchangeably, but they do not describe the same type of working relationship. Both share basic organizational and team goals including learning and development that leads to peak performance, and the realization of full potential. However, the definition, focus, role, approach, and tools of each are different. In this conversation, you can expect us to discuss:

1) Can a coach be a mentor? Is there a difference between the roles? 2) What attributes should a good mentor possess? 3) Is there anything you should be aware of in these roles? 4) How does mentoring help the athletes? 5) What could be the difference between an athlete who is mentored compared to one who isn't? Definition and Focus

Mentoring: A more informal association focused on building a two-way, mutually beneficial relationship for long-term personal development.
Coaching: A more formal structured association focused on improvements in behavior and performance to resolve present team issues or handle specific aspects of performance.

Role

Mentoring: Talking with an athlete who has identified his needs prior to entering into a mentoring relationship. The emphasis is on active listening, providing information, making suggestions, and establishing connections.
Coaching: Talking to an athlete, identifying what she needs, and developing an action plan. The emphasis is on instruction, assessing, and monitoring.

Approach

Mentoring: This is a self-directed method whereby participants have choices. This approach can begin with a self-matching and individualistic process and continue throughout the relationship using a committed timeline to determine how often and where individuals will meet, identify goals, and so forth.
Coaching: A structured method that is more frequently used whereby athletes are working within a narrower perspective; their agenda is more specific, shorter in duration, and oriented the season and certain results. Usually a coach is assigned to an entire team.

Tools

Mentoring: The most important tool is the Mentoring Agreement—developed, completed, and signed by both participants. This document formalizes commitment to the mentoring relationship. Items include individual goals, learning content, a meeting schedule, and communication methods.
Coaching: Depending on the situation, various assessments can be used such as skills training activities, practices, and teaching evaluations. A contract can be issued regarding certain problems that need to be resolved or skills to be learned.

Although differences exist between mentoring and coaching, they do share some comparable characteristics as well:

Defined roles allow individuals to envision the achievement of desired goals.
Working relationships require trust, respect, open communication, and flexibility.
Training, education, and orientation are necessary.
Success is best achieved when leaders understand the return on investment, and expectations regarding engagement, performance, and retention are being achieved.
The mission is to meet both individual and team goals.

A good combination of Coaching and Mentoring will increase an athletes' chances of success. Each one enhances an individual’s ability to contribute to the team's goals. Consider how these two activities can fulfill the expectations of coaches, student-athletes, and sports parents, while simultaneously accomplishing the team's goals.

For booking contact: deshawn@sportsmastery.com

**THE PATH TO PURPOSE**

Shannon M. Carlisle is the creator and host of The Path to Purpose, a podcast for current and former athletes. She's an alum of THE Howard University. After her career in athletics, Shannon became an educator in the public school system and later received her Masters in Educational Technology. She also created a self discovery journal for high school athletes. Her goal is to empower them with the tools needed to succeed in college and well after their playing career is over. Shannon's varied experience allows her to understand the unique challenges faced by athletes, especially during a transitional period. Athletes that understand their value as a person and the mindset required to follow through on personal and professional goals have a greater chance at fulfilling lives later on. Listen in as Shannon discusses:

 * Reconnecting with the person behind the jersey

Developing goals that match your bigger vision
The importance of communicating clearly
Taking your influence to the next level

For more information contact: deshawn@sportsmastery.com

THE D1 EXPERIENCE

THIS is what you can expect: 6 a.m. strength & conditioning Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Imagine freshman year, everybody’s partying and getting to know each other, and you can’t stay out past 10 p.m. You will do it and you’ll go to rehab after your morning training. From there, you’ll have breakfast with your teammates and then have class from 9 a.m to 1pm. class. In the afternoon, you’ll have a 1hr film session and then a 2 hour practice. After practice, which will normally be done by 6 p.m. you’ll have dinner. Then you’ll go to study hall at 7 p.m. After study hall you’ll have more homework. You might get to bed by 12:30 a.m. or 1.

You’ll do that four to five days a week.

In the offseason, you’ll commit anywhere from 20 to 40 hours [a week for practice, training, and film study] depending on the week. In season though, it’ll be easily 40, 50, 60 hours. Some folks might spend more than that studying the playbook and watching film. If you’re always thinking of “what’s the biggest return on investment for my time,” if you’re never going to play or get in, that can be a little disappointing!

Listen as GRANT NEWELL who played football at Oklahoma State University shares his D1 Experience. Grant shares his thoughts on:

The recruiting process
Inside the locker room
Training Camp
Redshirting
Off-season Strength & Conditioning
Studying film
Gameday
The Collegiate Classroom & Expectations
Stress
Social life

With athletics, there’s a regimen, there’s a schedule. There’s this path to be great: Practice, practice, practice, work harder than the next person, practice, practice, play the game. It can be scary.

Would like to be interviewed on the Sports Mastery podcast? Do you know a former D1 athlete who would make a great guest?

Contact: deshawn@sportsmastery.com

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIM MENTALITY

1. Look for signs of blame. A major indicator of the victim mentality is the tendency to place blame on outside sources such as referees, play-calling, coaches, and the weather. Maybe you blame your parents because they didn't invest in that one camp that you really wanted to attend. Maybe you blame your coaches for not calling more pass plays.

No matter where blame is directed, it’s essentially useless. When you blame others, you give them power over your GAME instead of taking your destiny into your own hands. What’s more, you also push people away in the process.

2. Determine if you are always calling others to complain. Do you spend most days of the week talking to any teammate who will listen about your problems or inadequacies? Do you notice friends slowly not taking your phone calls or texting back in a timely manner? Even the best relationships have trouble surviving when one person always has something negative to share.

Complaining can be a tempting behavior and nonstop venting may seem to make you feel good on the surface. However, constant complaining sends the message to your brain to look for the negative, which only makes you feel worse in the long run.

3. Identify self-loathing. Feeling inadequate and not good enough is at the core of the victim mentality. A self-loather often views him/herself negatively and is always nervously waiting for others to spot all their inadequacies.

This kind of person is terribly hard to COACH because they cannot accept praise or compliments. Someone else may say “Wow, you did a great job on in the last game!” and the person pushes away the compliment with “Oh, no Tommy threw great passes all night long.”

One way to stop self-loathing is to accept the reality that how you see yourself isn’t the only or right way for you to be. Recognize that others' perceptions of you may be different, but, at least to them, they may also be accurate.

DeShawn Fontleroy

THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO AS AN ELITE ATHLETE

The worst thing you can do as an elite athlete is to consume an excessive amount of sugar, processed foods, and the wrong fats. There's more but the subject of nutrition can be quite cumbersome.

Shawn Jenkins - MS, CSCS, ATC answers the question.

Why is Sports Nutrition so important?

At the most basic level, nutrition is important for athletes because it provides a source of energy required to perform the activity. The food we eat impacts on our strength, training, performance and recovery.

Not only is the type of food important for sports nutrition but the times we eat throughout the day also has an impact on our performance levels and our bodies ability to recover after exercising.

Meals eaten before and after exercise are the most important in sports nutrition but you should really be careful with everything that you put into your body. As a general rule of thumb athletes should eat about two hours before exercising and this meal should be high in carbohydrates, low in fat and low to moderate in protein.

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy that powers your exercise regime and protein is required to aid muscle growth and repair.

After exercising you need to replace the carbohydrates you have lost and you need to ensure proper muscle recovery by including protein in your post training meal.

The proportions of protein and carbohydrates that you require will vary depending on both the intensity and type of sport; so to get your individual balance right; you should contact a qualified dietitian or sports nutritionist for professional help with your sports nutrition.

THE DARK SIDE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL

In this interview, Terrence Wood delivers priceless information regarding the multi- billion dollar industry of college football. Throughout the interview, and in his book, Terrence uncovers the dark side of college football. At the end, the athlete and parent are enlightened with increased confidence to make the right decision.

Before you go pro is an online mentoring company, designed for football players between the ages of 13-19 yrs old. The program is geared towards teaching kids the mental and moral obligations that come with the game of football.

Founded in 2010, by CEO Terrence Wood, Before You Go Pro, was built on a love for football, and the players who play the game. The mission of Before You Go Pro, is to teach young football players the X’s and O’s on and off the gridiron. To mentor and groom the person, before the player.

TOPICS

Finding a blueprint for success
NCAA Recruiting
The Intangibles

MOST STUDENT-ATHLETES FAIL BECAUSE THEY DON'T BECOME A STUDENT OF THE GAME. There’s so much that can come out of watching game film, whether it’s learning your game, analyzing a offense/defense, or studying each and every move of your opponent. It’s often practiced at all levels of athletics from high school to the professional level but taken more seriously at the collegiate and professional level.

Studying Yourself Analyzing and breaking down your own game is very important. It can separate an average athlete from a good athlete and a good athlete from a great athlete. It’s imperative to know what you’re really good at and where you need to strive to make improvements. Pay attention to things like your defense, the release point of your shot, sprinting back on defense and things of that nature. When you get better at the little nuances of the game, you’ll be surprised at the major impact it makes.

Getting tips from watching some of the best players in the world can also be beneficial as well. Just like how rappers and producers take things from the past and incorporate them in music today, the same can be done in athletics. All the vices are there with the power of the internet and social media. If you want to learn how to run a pick and roll, search Steve Nash. If you need more post moves, just google Hakeem Olajuwon. If you’re a shooter and you want to learn how to read/come off screens, then Ray Allen is your guy. All the outlets are there, you just have to take the time to do your research and apply them to your game.

Studying Your Opponent When it comes to scouting your opponent it makes you aware of their tendencies and how they play at all facets of the game. You’re able to watch what plays they run, where they like to attack, who their top athletes are and many other various tips. However, you still have to execute. You can scout a team for days and days and know everything about them but if you can’t go out there and stop them, then it really does nothing for you. Studying game film is an important aspect of the process but you can’t forget that execution means everything.

Watching game film comes from the love of the sport. It’s not made for everybody and not everyone will enjoy it but if you take it serious and really pay attention, then it will lead to success.

Listen to this episode a few times if you have to. If you have questions, contact me here:

deshawn@sportsmastery.com

WHAT IF MY COACH DOESN'T LIKE ME?

FT: SHAWN JENKINS - MS, CSCS, ATC

Hey Coach....What's wrong with me? You told me before I joined the team that I'd be your number one guy, that I'd start in my position. The whole team played really bad in that first game, yet you benched me and then didn't play me for two whole weeks! What's wrong with me?

You told me to keep working hard and that when I played well I'd get my starting position back. So I believed you and really busted my butt. After I finally got a chance to get in, I had the game of my life. Everyone told me I was brilliant, even people who were unrelated to me. You didn't say word one to me about my play, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! It was like I wasn't even there in your mind, and then you proceeded to sit me for the next two weeks, no explanation! Coach, What's wrong with me? Didn't you think I played well?

The other two guys who are getting all the playing time aren't any better than me, and in fact, one of them is obviously much weaker. There have been games where their mistakes have cost us a win. Coach, that's not me saying this. That's a number of my other teammates and a lot of the parents on the team who watch the games. Not even my parents. I can't tell you what my parents are saying about you because it's not so nice. How come when these two guys mess up, you let them keep playing? You're more patient and encouraging with them. The minute I do something that even resembles a mistake, you bench me and then ignore me. Hey coach, what's wrong with me?

Coach, I train really hard. I take the sport seriously. I do everything that's asked of me in practice as hard as I can. I do extra training every day at home. I lift weights. I have a dream. I want to play at a higher level, maybe in college, maybe even beyond. But you never play me. You rarely give me a chance. You never talk to me. You never give me any feedback, positive or negative. I'm starting to lose my self-confidence. How can I feel good about myself when you don't believe in me? Coach, what's wrong with me?

I've tried talking to you, but all you do is repeat the same things to me over and over again, like a recording. "Keep working hard. If you work hard your game will improve and when you play better you'll get the start." Coach, I think you're not being entirely honest with me here. I've been working hard. I've played much better in those rare games when you've given me a chance. Yet, you still don't start me. Coach, what's wrong with me?

I'm starting to feel like it doesn't really matter what I do now. You bench me if I play poorly. You bench me if I'm great. You don't notice how hard I work in practice. You never talk to me. I thought a coach's job was to motivate his players, give them corrections and support, and help them reach their potential. I have to admit that I've been struggling with the question lately, 'What's the point? Why bother?' Coach, what's wrong with me?

So I think I've finally figured it out. I'll admit though that I've had some help because as a 15 year old, it's really impossible for me to have a good perspective here. All this time, I've been thinking that it was all my fault. That I'm just not good enough to play for you, because if I was, then you'd play me more and talk to me more. Because of you, I've been believing that the dream I've had all of these years is a joke and that I don't really have the skills to play at the next level, despite what all of those other coaches have told me in the past. After all, if I did have the skills, wouldn't you support those skills, encourage me and play me more?

So the real problem isn't really me coach, it's YOU! That's what people have tried to get me to understand. They're telling me that there's something wrong with YOU, not me. They tell me that good coaches don't play favorites, that good coaches can communicate with their players, that they continuously provide their players with positive as well as constructive feedback, that they inspire and motivate, that they are honest, that they have the courage to deal with their players directly, that they have some sensitivity to what it's like to be a 15 year old struggling with adolescence and a sport. They've been telling me that really good coaches make kids feel good about themselves, that they build, not tear down self-esteem. So everything that they've been telling me makes me wonder. Coach, what's wrong with you?

If you enjoyed this short story, you'll really appreciate listening to this episode. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions, comments, or concerns. I can be reached at:

deshawn@sportsmastery.com

HOW TO ADDRESS SPORT SPECIALIZATION

Structural Strategies to Avoid Overspecialization and Exclusive Specialization * Perform strength training (8 to 20 weeks out of the year) * Incorporate skills training * Consider active & passive recovery * Play multiple sports

Long-term athletic development should always trump specialization when it comes to youth sport.

And the benefits of strength training during youth and adolescence have far-reaching health benefits, including: * Increased bone density. * Decreased body fat. * Improved physical performance, which reduces risk of injury when playing sports. * Improved motor performance skills.

  **No athlete should be restricted from diversification through high school participation.** This recommendation is designed to preserve young athletes’ rights to diversify their sport participation through their high school years. Others have recommended 15 years as the cutoff age for protected diversification (Wiersma, 2000), and we agree that this is a logical age cutoff. However, we see no reason that club coaches or high school team coaches should mandate specialization before college when 98% of high school athletes are not going on to play at the collegiate level. Parents and sport performance coaches should guide young athletes in making important decisions about multiple sport participation versus more specialized approaches. But this should be discussed on an individual-case basis and should ultimately be the athlete’s and parents' decision.  DeShawn Fontleroy www.sportsmastery.com deshawn@sportsmastery.com

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY

OF

EARLY SPORT SPECIALIZATION

In this episode, we discuss sport specialization. What is sport specialization? When did it start? Why? How is it trending? What are the harmful side effects of early sport specialization. Does early specialization promote long-term success in sports?

Will we ever see another Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Jackie Robinson, or Jim Brown?

In what sports are there exceptions? Why is strength & conditioning of vital importance?

MYTH

Most college athletes specialized in one sport as a child.
The only way for my child to be "good enough" is for him/her to focus specifically on one sport early in life.
Children need to play their sport year-round to avoid getting out of shape.
Kids who spend their time learning one sport as a child are more likely to stay active throughout their adult lives.
The only way to develop skills in a sport is to adopt that sport early and spend time training to be better in that specific sport.
The only way to learn to love a sport is to specialize early and focus on getting better in that sport.

The episode features:

DeShawn Fontleroy

Shawn Jenkins

Leland Johnson

OLD SCHOOL VS NEW SCHOOL COACHING STYLES

Listen and learn as we explore 'old school coaching' vs 'new school coaching' styles. Coaching styles are often debated and argued by administrators, coaches, psychologists, parents, and athletes.

My intention as a coach is to help the athlete grow as a person and as a competitor. This topic stirs emotions and stimulates questions.

How do modern coaches differ from coaches of the past?
Do they differ at all?
What can coaches do to reach their athletes and promote optimum performance?
How can a coach earn respect from athletes without using negative responses and punishments?
Which coaching style or styles do athletes respond best to?

WHAT IS COACHING?

Here are a few definitions: Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them. In general, coaching should brings out the best by helping an athlete focus, break down tasks, and clarify their values. Coaching can be a managerial methodology that seeks to maximize an athlete's performance by conscientiously considering individuals and their unique talents and abilities. It can be a form of accelerated learning that supports and facilitates enhanced performance. The coach applies specific principles of success in a way that creates experiential learning that translates concepts into actual skills. Coaching is a conversation, a dialogue, whereby a coach and athlete interact in a dynamic exchange to achieve goals, enhance performance and move the athlete forward to greater success.

 **RESTORATIVE JUSTICE LEAGUE**   Andre Griggs, founder of the Restorative Justice League has created a program that promotes social and emotional learning. In an atmosphere that develops self-awareness, Andre is helping students foster relationship skills, communication, and leadership development. Most important, he said, he’s seen a boost in confidence in students who participate in the program. “It’s an evolution process,” Griggs said. “They start believing in themselves. They see their attributes and they realize they are more than the streets.”

Restorative alternatives offer a more effective approach and are a viable alternative to traditional disciplinary policies. The way we plan to bring awareness of alternative concepts will be by targeting the interest through advocacy, skills based scenarios, critical thinking and real life situations. Adults and youth will have increased participation and support by implementing restorative justice practices thereby reducing suspensions/expulsions as evidenced by implementation of a Restorative Justice League Panel and peer mediation as part of the school districts discipline policy and procedures. Restorative Justice League Educational Consulting development and implementation of an on-campus restorative justice panel and mentoring program as an alternative disciplinary action will meet the requirements for other means of correction and behavior modification. The conference component will provide a preventive and educational outreach resource to engage youth to positive alternative activities.

 These practices both address and prevent conflict by building positive relationships and a sense of community within the school environment.       Restorative Practices utilize processes that:

Address the needs of the school community.
Build healthy relationships between educators and students.
Resolve conflict and hold individuals and groups accountable.
Repair harm and restore positive relationships.
Reduce, prevent, and improve harmful behavior.

In addition we have a simple approach to interaction and problem solving. We call them the “Three Pillars of Reconciliation.”

Prevention
Leadership
Intervention

The application of these principles allows us the opportunity to actively affect the situations that students face effectively and directly with an underlying premise of ongoing learning and development.

http://www.restorativejusticeleague.com

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Andy Chitty. His son Sam attends Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. This was a conversation that uncovered several metaphors, ironies, and paradoxes of life. The interview with Andy was open, candid, and very informative. I would suggest any parent of a student-athlete to listen to this episode. We uncovered some valuable gems in this conversation. Some of the highlights of our conversation were:

Doing things that you don't like to do...so that you can do the things that you want to do
Minimizing the pressure on children to succeed
Sports parents, politics, and perceived iniquities
Lessons that pay dividends
Intrinsic motivation
Attending college 3000 miles away
The psychology of transitioning from sports to life

The goal here is to share information, experience, stories, and dialogue to better help our student-athletes. Would you be willing to discuss the topics below?

If your new to the Sports Mastery podcast, check out the bullet points below. I've been interviewing the parents of student-athletes for the last 3 weeks.

What is your #1 strategy that you use at home to develop discipline with your student-athlete?
When you find your student-athlete procrastinating how do you motivate him or her to take action?
How do you use reflective thinking to support achievement?
What are your student-athlete’s barriers and limitations?

Do you know who would make a great guest? If so, don't hesitate to connect us. Thanks.

DeShawn Fontleroy

Everyone has dreams and goals. However, very few people actually achieve them. This is because the majority of us let our limits hold us back. These limits take various forms. Examples are physical inability, doubt, fear or a negative past. When you meet your personal limits, you feel resistance. This makes everything feel much harder to accomplish. Many people around the world are unable to hold on when it gets to this point. Therefore, they give up. It is important to learn how to beat your limits and overcome them. This enables you to achieve your goals. This episode explains how to push beyond your limits and achieve your biggest goals.

https://www.patreon.com/sportsmastery

Over the last several months, I've been asked how listers could support the Sports Mastery podcast. After several hours of research, interviews, and phone calls I decided on creating a Patreon page. I did this to be all inclusive. Check out the link to review my goals for the podcast and to see the rewards for becoming a Patron.

Financial support from you, the listeners is what keeps this going and the podcast really really needs more funding to grow not only to become financially stable but to grow. A budget to interview guests globally instead of locally is one of my dreams. Because of the intimate nature of the interviews, in-person conversations are necessary.

Your support will allow me to dedicate more time to working on the show. It will allow me to hire an audio editor, sound engineer, videographer, publicist, and social media manager. Put simply, the more you help out, the better quality of podcasts I can produce and develop for you.

Thanks,

DeShawn Fontleroy

https://www.patreon.com/sportsmastery

Duante Barnett, father of 5 kids is also known as The Professor. He holds a masters degree in athletic administration.

After 12 years of semi pro football and 10 years of coaching at all different levels, Duante` Barnett has been delegated to just coaching and writing about semi pro football in the NW. He has played QB, FB, TE, WR, OT, OG, C, DE, DT, OLB & MLB in his 12 years of semi pro.

As a coach, he has been at little league, high school and the semi pro level. 2014 DB Coach for Puyallup Nation Kings, 2015 Defensive Coordinator for Cowlitz County Cobras and 2017 Assistant Defensive Coordinator for Wenatchee.

https://westernwashingtonfootballalliance.wordpress.com/2017/06/01/pierce-county-bengals-tri-city-rage/

https://www.patreon.com/sportsmastery

Over the last several months, I've been asked how listers could support the Sports Mastery podcast. After several hours of research, interviews, and phone calls I decided on creating a Patreon page. I did this to be all inclusive. Check out the link to review my goals for the podcast and to see the rewards for becoming a Patron.

Financial support from you, the listeners is what keeps this going and the podcast really really needs more funding to grow not only to become financially stable but to grow. A budget to interview guests globally instead of locally is one of my dreams. Because of the intimate nature of the interviews, in-person conversations are necessary.

Your support will allow me to dedicate more time to working on the show. It will allow me to hire an audio editor, sound engineer, videographer, publicist, and social media manager. Put simply, the more you help out, the better quality of podcasts I can produce and develop for you.

Thanks,

DeShawn Fontleroy

https://www.patreon.com/sportsmastery

After taking three weeks off to contemplate the future of the podcast, I arrived at a few interesting conclusions: It's time to start interviewing parents and coaches. I really feel that the parents are the first coaches of the student-athlete.

To further this thought, I addressed my Facebook community. What I had in mind was to start a conversation with parents and coaches that would lead to an interview. The goal is to share information, experience, and dialogue to better help our student-athletes.

Erin M. was the first to respond to my questions and survey.

What is your #1 strategy that you use at home to develop discipline with your student-athlete?
When you find your student-athlete procrastinating how do you motivate him or her to take action?
How do you use reflective thinking to support achievement and well being?
What are your student-athlete’s barriers and limitations?

I am looking to do 200 interviews with parents and coaches over the next year. If you'd like to come on the show and share your thoughts, don't hesitate to reach out to me.

https://www.patreon.com/sportsmastery

Over the last several months, I've been asked how listers could support the Sports Mastery podcast. After several hours of research, interviews, and phone calls I decided on creating a Patreon page. I did this to be all inclusive. Check out the link to review my goals for the podcast and to see the rewards for becoming a Patron.

Financial support from you, the listeners is what keeps this going and the podcast really really needs more funding to grow not only to become financially stable but to grow. A budget to interview guests globally instead of locally is one of my dreams. Because of the intimate nature of the interviews, in-person conversations are necessary.

Your support will allow me to dedicate more time to working on the show. It will allow me to hire an audio editor, sound engineer, videographer, publicist, and social media manager. Put simply, the more you help out, the better quality of podcasts I can produce and develop for you.

Thanks,

DeShawn Fontleroy

https://www.patreon.com/sportsmastery

RESPECT THE PROCESS

“MOST PEOPLE CAN’T HANDLE BOREDOM. THAT MEANS THEY CAN’T STAY ON ONE THING UNTIL THEY GET GOOD AT IT. AND THEY WONDER WHY THEY’RE UNHAPPY." —50 Cent

More often than not our position in sport or life is something that we endure. We wish the season to be over and dream of the future. We are not engaged in the daily activity of the sport. Being constantly distracted, we never harness our full mental powers. Mastering a sport, subject, skill, or trade is not as exciting as life outside work.

We tend to be fanatics and focus on others hall-of-fame achievements. From such an angle, it is easy for us to be dazzled and see their success as stemming from genetics and perhaps some social factors. Kobe was just gifted. We could never reach his level, or so we think. But we are choosing to ignore that telling period in their lives, when each and every hall of famer underwent a rather tedious learning and training process in their sport.

Know this: the real secret, the real formula for power in this world, lies in accepting the ugly reality that learning and training requires a process, and this in turn demands patience and the ability to endure hours of drudge work.

KEYS TO MASTERY

• Progress through trial and error.

• Master something simple. Develop a pattern of confidence through the parts of your life that you take control over.

• Internalize the rules of the game. “With a deepening knowledge of these rules you can begin to maneuver them for your purpose… Knowing how it works, you can take it apart— for good.”

• Attune yourself to the details. “Often when you begin a project of any kind, it is from the wrong end. You tend to think first of what you want to accomplish, imagining the glory and money it will bring you if it succeeds. You then proceed to make this concept come to life. But as you go forward you often lose patience, because the small steps to get there are not nearly as exciting as the ambitious visions in your head.”

• Rediscover your natural persistence. “First, you must understand the role that your energy level plays in mastering a process and bringing something to completion. If you take on added goals or new tasks, your focus will be broken up and you will never attain what you wanted in the first place… Second, try breaking things up into smaller blocks of time. You have a large goal, but there are steps along the way, and steps within the steps.”

“Try to look at boredom from the opposite perspective— as a call for you to slow yourself down, to stop searching for endless distractions.”

The key to defusing anxiety and avoiding stress to an overresponse is the reframe the event. You can learn to avoid stress by developing the habit of consciously examining events from a different perspective. Take a look at these steps. It's easy to remember them as S.E.E.D.S. that you sow in anticipation of reaping future success.

S - ituation
E - valuation
E - motions
D - o
S - elf esteem

As you listen & learn about how Jalen sowed his SEEDS, think about your own "push-button responses" and how this solution might apply to you.

See the situation as fundamentally neutral. Don't take it personally.
Evaluate the situation: who owns the problem?
Shift your emotions to fit your evaluation.
Do something about the situation.
Self-esteem will follow.

It is important to sow SEEDS every time you feel yourself reacting stressfully to an outside event. New habits are only learned through constant repetition. Once you get started, you will soon begin to experience inner peace and confidence in situations where you have habitually known anxiety and self-criticism.

The arrival of a new year signals new expectations. And when you feel stuck in anything from a relationship to career decisions or even family matters, you may feel more than a little blue.

It’s easy to be swept away by a whole cocktail of negative emotions. The reason for this is that most people don’t want to bring old baggage into a feeling of newness.

There are many possible ways to rid yourself of feeling like you are spinning your tires in muck. One regiment that I have found works comes from core martial arts techniques. These concepts have helped me find the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel many times over the years, and I want to share them with you. My hope is that they will serve you well.

Practice empty mind.

If you are feeling mentally paralyzed, martial arts tradition insists you begin your turn-around by emptying your mind completely. Most of us who have had older computers have experienced how nearly all functions and applications slow down in time—sometimes to a crawl—with the addition of more files and larger software. Not only does your computer lose speed, but eventually it has no more memory for new files. It simply cannot take on another thing. Its hard drive is full. And it can’t function again until you do something about it. Many people feel this way when an issue that has been “consuming” 24-7 remains unresolved—be it a relationship, employment or whatever. The next technique is at the heart of all holistic arts. If you do nothing else do this:

Pay attention to the way you are breathing.

ZEN BREATHING

“Zen Breathing” may sound like some esoteric practice that belongs in a japanese monastery, but it isn’t. It is based on meditation techniques long used in Asia, but it has nothing intrinsically to do with religion. Slow, rhythmic breathing can turn an anxious mental state into one of relative tranquility and release the body from many of the other adverse effects of anxiety. Below, you’ll find a simple relaxation method. It’s natural and easy to learn. Just follow this procedure:

Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit.
Breathe deeply, slowly and through your nose.
With each breath you take, concentrate on feelings, sensations and changes you experience through breathing. Listen to your breath. Hear the life-giving sounds of breathing in and breathing out. This process helps you tune out other sounds and forget distracting left-brain thoughts.
After about 15 minutes, take one last deep breath and end the session. You should feel completely relaxed and refreshed in body and mind.

An important thing to remember about this or any relaxation technique is that individual preference is an important part of the process. Experiment with variations in your breathing and find a method that is right for you. For example, you may find that instead of the sound of your breathing, you prefer to concentrate on an external sound with a regular rhythm such as that of a classical composer.

How To Free Yourself From False Beliefs

How To Identify Your False Beliefs

a. Do you become anxious or fearful in situations that pose no actual threat?

b. Do you feel that "things just happen" that prevent you from achieving success?

c. In pursuing goals, do you ever find yourself blocked by such thoughts as "I can't," "I'm no good," or "This is too much..."

c. Do you sometimes feel that you're moving toward some desired outcome only to find yourself stymied by procrastination, leading to blaming others and a sense of hopelessness?

Exploring Where Your Beliefs Come From

a. What is your first memory of being alive?

b. What were you like as a small child?

What were your elementary school years like?

LOSING YOUR FALSE BELIEFS

Consider the false beliefs that have impacted your self-image and how you could use reflective relearning to replace them with new, positive memories. Plan your own program by filing in the questionnaire below.

A false belief I'd like to dehypnotize myself from is:

A positive memory I'd like to replace it with is:

What negative self-thoughts will I cancel?

What positive statements will I replace them with?

What will my AFFIRMATIONS be?

What images will I focus on to create my new memory?

What attitudes and actions will I assume in TRAINING myself?

Six Ways To Turn On Your Creative Imagination

Prepare to go deeper into harnessing the powers of your imagination. In this episode we review reflective relearning, explore a new imagination exercise, and offer strategies to enhance your imagination.

I. Reflective Relearning - It's the process of using your creative imagination to select positive images for yourself and eliminate the false, destructive, images your subconscious mind may be acting on as if they were true.

II. Release the Power of Your Imagination Exercise:

a. Partner up with someone from your team. This could be your mom, dad, brother, sister, mentor, coach, pastor, etc. For five minutes share your visual. Have a brief conversation regarding your vision. This conversation should take 5-7 minutes.

b. Now visualize for 5 minutes. Visualize the successful achievement of your goal. Be as detailed as possible. See the finish. What do you see? How do you feel?

c. For the last 5 minutes, in partnership with your team, discuss the visualization experience in detail.

GUIDELINES:

Choose the same time everyday for mental picturing
Make sure there will be no interruptions
Accept all positive images as valid and helpful
Do the work

III. Six Ways To Turn On Your Creative Imagination:

Take "time out" for yourself
Make sure you'll be undisturbed during your appointed time
Make yourself as relaxed and comfortable as possible
Make your imaginings as detailed as possible
Imagine yourself being successful
Make your right brain work for you

HOW TO CRAFT A NEW SELF-IMAGE

How can you take control of your mind and CRAFT a new Self-Image. Change comes about through awareness of a negative self-image, by challenging the bad habits that support this image, and by creating a new, positive self-image that allows you to set and achieve worthwhile goals.

It’s easy to remember these steps if you think of reprogramming your Self-Image as a CRAFT.

C - ancel
R - eplace
A - ffirm
F - ocus
T - rain
Cancel old, negative data. Go about your business as usual. But any time you find yourself thinking, “I just can’t do it,” or any limiting though, say the word “cancel!” out loud. By hearing yourself speak the thought, you complete what psycholinguists call the language loop. It’s a double reinforcement: your ears hear your voice giving the order. It makes your focus clearer. The repetition will help you move toward actual CANCELATION of your old self-image.
Replace it with new, positive data. For instance, you can replace, “I suck at math” to “I’m getting better at math everyday in every way.” Repeat your new data several times each day. Every time a negative self-limiting belief pops up, immediately after saying “ CANCEL” reaffirm the new program to yourself. This is the power of affirmations.
Affirm your new image to yourself. Make some affirmation cards by writing statements that define your new positive self image. Place cards on your mirror in the bathroom, at your desk, in your locker, on the bedroom end table, on the refrigerator, etc. By doing so, you’ll reinforce your new self-image on repeated basis. Remember, affirmations used alone will not change habits. Only if the self-image is in the process of change will they begin to take effect.

Affirmations help to point you back on course when feedback from your old, negative self-image makes you get off course versus focusing on your destination. But unless you have a destination, affirm-ation will turn quickly to frustr-ation.

Focus on an image of a successful you. Everyday allow 10-15 minutes to sit by yourself, relax, and picture yourself being success or fulfilling your wants, needs, and desires. This process is called “mental pictures” or “entering the theater of the imagination.” Its also been termed “reflective relearning.” By vividly imagining success, you’ll cause your subconscious mind to respond as though you’re already successful. This is not a metaphysical process. The brain works in pictures. Visualization is crucial to reprogramming your self-image, and relaxation is crucial to visualization.
Train yourself for lasting change. Now is the time to “act as if” you’re already successful. Start dressing, talking, practicing as if you’re already successful.These are reinforcements that will serve as an insurance policy for your new attitude and behavior.

NOTES:

TAKE ACTION
AFFIRM
VISUALIZE
RELAX

DeShawn Fontleroy

SIX STEPS TO SUCCESS

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN FROM THE PODCAST

How To Program Yourself For Success
How To Imagine Your Way To Success
How To Relax & Turn Stress Into Success
Set Goals: A Prerequisite To Success
How To Use Negative Feedback To Create Success
Disinhibit Your Personality & Fuel Success

Success begins with a BLUEPRINT. This is how you prepare for the day. You do prepare, don't you? A blueprint is simply a map for the day. It helps you prioritize the important tasks on your agenda.

There are two options for preparing your blueprint for the day. Either do it the night before, or early in the morning before your day has started. You only need ten to fifteen minutes to do this.

Recent research indicates that if you create your blueprint the night before, rather than in the morning, your unconscious mind will actually work during the night figuring out how to fulfill your next day's plan, i.e., spell checking that essay, preparing the best presentation, solving team conflicts, talking to recruiters and team tryouts, or solving any conflicts that need to be addressed.

So if you can, take time each evening to plan for the next day, and review your plan before bedtime. This review should focus on your most important activities, such as whom you will meet with and the purpose and objective of each appointment. Set specific time limits for your appointments. Also go over what projects must be worked on, and determine if you have reserved enough time to deal with them.

*It's important to have your own blueprint recording system. This could be a standard daily journal or time planner, or you may prefer an electronic organizer or software program to create your blueprint. Just choose a system that works well for you. For best results keep it simple. Customize it to suit your own style

DeShawn Fontleroy, p. 67 Sports Mastery

INNER GAME SECRETS

The answers to every human beings desires and struggles have arrived. Discover the Secrets To Inner Game Vol. 2 - 150 Inner Transformations Beauty, Power, & Wealth

There’s a power inside You. If you're a student-athlete with ambition, motivation, and purpose BEWARE. People are not going to believe in You. But what's more important than that, is what You believe.

Do You believe that you are meant to succeed? Do You believe that You are meant for better things in life? Do You believe that You are worth it? Do You believe that You should be loved in life? Do You believe that You should be respected? Do You believe that You should be healthy? Ask Yourself those questions.

Let's take a closer examination. Are Your beliefs aligned, with what You want in life or not? Because You may say You want "A" but Your belief system tells You "B." Now the most important thing when it comes to Your belief system, is do You believe in Yourself? Think about that. Do You believe in Yourself? If You believe in You, then as the day goes forward, and obstacles come in Your way, Your belief system will help You overcome the obstacles. ·

Do You believe that You are powerful? · Do You believe that You are here for a higher purpose? · Do You believe that it is Your destiny to win and succeed? · Do You tell yourself that You believe in You and that You're worth something? · Are You satisfied with Your current condition? · Do You have high standards? · Do You believe in You?

This is an episode that promotes Ambition, Motivation, and having a Purpose for what you do.

We explore the importance of clarity and having a vision. Key terms noted are:

Hindsight
Insight
Foresight

I want to help you create a clear mental picture of the things you desire. This leads to Expectancy and ultimately Effective Action.

Reflect - Intuit - Predict

THE BENEFITS OF HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PARTICIPATION

2 x Ironman; Motivational Speaker; Positive Coaching Alliance Trainer; NSCA Certified Personal Trainer; Former Collegiate Bball Coach; Duke Univ. Alumna 2001

Missy West, a former Duke University Women's Basketball Athlete explains why sports and extracurricular participation is SO important for our youth. She touches on the value of the High School experience and why it's critical we give our children a positive life learning experience.

Missy shares her your thoughts on:

Her top three life lessons learned through sports
How and what to sacrifice to be your best
How we can be a better sports parent, coach, role model for our student-athletes

Missy West was a three-sport star out of Franklin Academy High School in Malone in the mid-1990s, setting numerous records in basketball, softball and soccer. In basketball, she averaged 29 points per game and was named Miss Basketball in New York as a senior. She scored 2,605 points and helped her team to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Section 10 title. In softball, she won 64 games and pitched 15 no-hitters and two perfect games and led her team to the New York state championship. She was selected Softball Player of the Year in New York and was chosen on the All-American team. She was a standout on the soccer field as well, scoring 63 goals and contributing 15 assists during her high school career. Missy played basketball at Duke University and was an integral member of the Blue Devils’ 1999 NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Championship team. She played professional basketball in Germany for three years winning a German National Championship both as a player and as a youth coach.

She then began a 12-year stint of collegiate coaching at the Division III and II levels earning three conference coach of the year awards as well as the Eastern Region Coach of the year and was one of 8 nominees up for National Coach of the Year in 2013.

She was inducted most recently in July to the National High School Hall of Fame in Providence, RI and presented the acceptance speech on behalf of all 11 inductees. She has also been inducted into the New York State Hall of Fame, The New York State Softball Hall of Fame, and the Franklin Academy Hall of Fame.

She currently resides in Tampa, Florida and is a trainer for the Positive Coaching Alliance, a motivational speaker and a NSCA personal trainer. She spends much of her spare time on her personal fitness and has completed 2 full Ironman’s with goals to complete many more. She also enjoys the outdoors, spending time with friends and family and serving others with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and The Boys and Girls Club.

As far as my Motivational Speaking - I speak mainly to athletes, coaches, parents, and communities about the Benefits of Sports Participation. I share a lot of my personal stories..How sports shaped me into a strong and confident woman, sports taught me how to communicate when I was scared to death to speak in a classroom, sports taught me how to fail and rise again - resilience. It taught me how to deal with a challenging coach/boss etc. Sports goes far beyond the game itself…..

I also speak to a lot of school administrators about the life lessons we should be teaching our student athletes. Why it’s crucial to have students involved in sports but also that not ever kid should get a trophy. Through our sports participation we should be teaching life lessons….and teaching them how to lose is one of them. Not creating opportunities where it’s easier for the student to “win.”

HOW TO MINE FOR YOUR DIAMONDS

The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.

This episode contains an exploration into reflective thinking. It educates the student-athlete on how to mine for diamonds. Three key terms are:

Hindsight
Insight
Foresight

Some of the most come cliches are illustrated in this presentation:

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Pressure busts pipes but it also forms diamonds

These are just a few cliches that illustrate the concept of POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH.

Post Traumatic Growth is centered around the idea that human beings can be changed by their encounters with life challenges in radically positive ways.

The student-athlete must consummately strive for physical, emotional, and spiritual alignment.

HOW TO EMBRACE THE LESSONS OF REFLECTIVE THINKING...

Set Aside Time For Reflection
Remove Yourself From Distractions
Regularly Review Your Journal Or Calendar
Ask The Right Questions
Cement Your Learning Through Action

THINKING QUESTION

Am I regularly revisiting the past to gain a true perspective and think with understanding

"To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection."

Jules Henri Poincare

“Remember diamonds are created under pressure so hold on, it will be your time to shine soon.” “Everyone is diamond in the rough but sometimes they aren't shining.” “A muddied diamond is better than an unsullied pebble.”

Inspired by Russell Conwell and Mike Hubbell

Russell Herman Conwell (February 15, 1843 – December 6, 1925) was an American Baptist minister, orator, philanthropist, lawyer, and writer. He is best remembered as the founder and first president of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Pastor of The Baptist Temple, and for his inspirational lecture, Acres of Diamonds. He was born in South Worthington, Massachusetts, and is buried in the Founder's Garden at Temple University.

Mike Hubbell (Founder of Portland Development Group) has been an entrepreneur since 1997. His expertise is in home design, product distribution, and people allocation. He is well-versed in all areas of the construction field and has spent many years perfecting his trade. Mr. Hubbell’s background is in sales, marketing, and accounting. As Managing Member, it is his responsibility to plan out the future of the company, as well as to oversee the day-to-day operations.

In this episode: we discuss, ponder, and examine...

I. What stimulates feelings of FEAR?

a. importance/magnification

b. uncertainty

c. responsibility

d. feeling judged/potential embarrassment

II. Two FEARS you need to face.

a. Fear of being alone

b. Fear of making mistakes

One of my favorite books of all time...

Is a classic called “Acres of Diamonds”

As the story goes, a farmer became enamored with tales of others becoming rich discovering diamond mines.

He truly wanted to be wealthy.

And so he sold his farm and went on his journey.

Searching for diamonds.

And search he did.

Years went by and nothing.

He lost his health.

He lost his family.

He no longer resembled who he once was.

But still, he searched far and distant lands for diamonds

Until his end.

One day, the man who had purchased that farm
came across a shiny object.

That shiny object, hidden just under a stream in the farm…

Was nothing else than one of the largest diamonds he’d ever seen.

That farm it turns out contained “acres of diamonds”

In haste to find the next shiny object the farmer had not seen the riches underneath his feet.

The point of the story is that we often dream of all the riches to be had elsewhere. Let me bring this home. We wish we could play on another team. We fantasize of playing for another coach. We think, "If only I had these athletes on my team.

Maybe we instead should be open to the opportunity around us.

Maybe we are overlooking the value of the people that surround us everyday.

Maybe your team, community, or business right now, hidden in plain sight contains your acres of diamonds.

Would you know it if you did?

Maybe I can help?

This episode explores what stops most people from realizing there own acres of diamonds. Let's schedule a 30 minute call to discuss your hopes & dreams, pains & fears, and barriers and limitations. You can email me personally here: deshawn@sportsmastery.com Familiarity often breeds contempt - Earl Nightingale

JAMES LEATH

Head of Leadership Development

IMG Academy shares his thoughts on:

Talent vs Character
Leadership Development
How to Build Confidence
Your #1 Strategy to Overcome Fear

James joined IMG Academy in 2015. As Head of Leadership Development, James develops and delivers curriculum for IMG Academy student-athletes across 8 sports and presents to visiting teams, companies, and professional athletes.

Leadership lessons consist of communication skills, personal and group leadership, developing identity, and building team culture. James attended Fresno State University where he recieved his B.A. in Communication. During college, when he wasn't playing football, he was best known for being the beloved mascot of Fresno State, Time Out. After graduation, James went on to play quarterback for a semi-pro team in Fresno, CA. With over 15 years of coaching experience and a M.A. in Performance Psychology, James is passionate about teaching athletes the tools they need in order to be successful in life and in sport.

EDUCATION/ACCREDITATIONS * B.A. in Communication - Fresno State University * M.A. in Performance Psychology - National University * NCSA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist * Applied Association of Sport Psychology Member

RENEE LOPEZ

AUTHOR | CERTIFIED SPEAKER | TRAINER |

USSF & NSCAA LICENSED COACH | CEO

Team Building - Mental Training - Growth

Today, we are hearing from a veteran college coach, keynote speaker, trainer, consultant, and author of an upcoming book. Coach Renee Lopez has been named Coach of the Year, had over 30 All-Conference players, multiple Team Academic and Sportsmanship Awards, and reached conference and regional championships.

You can expect Renee to discuss

Team Building
Mental Training
Growth
Character
Integrity
Accountability

Renee played college soccer and graduated with her undergraduate degree in elementary education. Her graduate degree is from the University of Florida in Exercise Sport Science with a concentration in Sport Management/Pedagogy. As a seventeen-year coaching veteran, Renee Lopez is an expert in the college recruiting process, leadership training and team culture development. As a United States Soccer Federation (USSF)- and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)- licensed coach, she has recruited and produced three All-Americans and has been honored as Coach of the Year by her peers. In addition to serving as NCAA compliance director, she has learned the recruiting process from having worked as a high school varsity head coach for three years and a college coach for fourteen, in NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA. Renee has learned what it takes to succeed in leadership, recruiting, and team development. Through RL Academy, she offers seminars and consults on “The College Recruiting Process and How to Become a College Student-Athlete.”

info@lookingforafullride.com

www.lopezacademy.com

Grab A FREE Copy Of

The Strategy To Emailing

A College Coach

WWW.LOOKINGFORAFULLRIDE.COM

https://hankweisingerphd.com/ Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters Most How do you perform under pressure? -Can you summon your talent at will? -Can you deliver on a test? -Can you sleep at night? In this episode, Dr. Hank Weisinger discusses:

Performing Under Pressure
The difference between Stress and Pressure
The Anatomy of Choking
How pressure affects our thinking
Pressure Traps

Students are under more pressure than ever before. Here are 7 students who need to listen to this episode. Which one are you? • The High School Student under pressure to meet parental expectations, ace SATs, be accepted by a top school, participate in extracurricular activities, play a sport, instrument or both, get your driver’s license, and find a prom date.

• The College Student under pressure to fit into a new environment, make friends, pledge a frat or sorority, constant exams, declare a major, answer parental questions such as “What are you going to do after college? “ get a job, take LSATs, MCATs, GREs, become financially independent and other nightmares.

• The Graduate Student under pressure to please professors, publish research, write grants, live cheaply, pass comprehensive exams, and complete a dissertation.

• The Law Student, under pressure to excel, works hard to make the law review, present cases, find summer clerkships, learn to think more critically, pass the bar, graduate and enter the grind, and eventually pay back their loans.

• The Medical Student under pressure to master organic chemistry, memorize information daily, excel in an internship, perform in do or die moments, cope with death, match for a residency, pay back loans and adapt to the changing business of health care.

• The Performing Arts Student under pressure to act, dance or sing for their supper — or try and balance a second job while mastering their craft.

• The Adult Student under pressure to readjust to student life, maintain a job, support a family, and finish their degree quickly.

Nobody performs better under pressure. Regardless of the task, pressure ruthlessly diminishes our judgment, decision making, attention, dexterity, and performance in every professional and personal arena. In Performing Under Pressure, Drs. Hendrie Weisinger and J.P. Pawliw-Fry introduce us to the concept of pressure management, offering empirically tested short-term and long-term solutions to help us overcome the debilitating effects of pressure.

Performing Under Pressure tackles the greatest obstacle to personal success, whether in a sales presentation, at home, on the golf course, interviewing for a job, or performing onstage at Carnegie Hall. Despite sports mythology, no one rises to the occasion under pressure and does better than they do in practice. The reality is pressure makes us do worse and sometimes leads us to fail utterly. But there are things we can do to diminish its effects on our performance.

Performing Under Pressure draws on research from more than 12,000 people, and features the latest research from neuroscience and from the frontline experiences of Fortune 500 employees and managers, Navy SEALS, Olympic and other elite athletes, and others. It offers 22 specific strategies each of us can use to reduce pressure in our personal and professional lives and allow us to excel better in whatever we do.

Whether you're a corporate manager, a basketball player, or a student preparing for the SAT, Performing Under Pressure will help you do your best when it matters most.

DON'T LET YOUR INJURY DEFINE YOU...

And yet so many people from the general public and athletes allow this to happen. What causes an individual to continue to be hampered and slowed down by injuries that are long gone?

Dr. Carl Baird enlightens us during the episode.

What stops most people from recovering after an initial injury are fear and self-doubt.

Dr. Baird explains that avoiding activity due to fear of re-aggravation keeps us in the pain/injury cycle. Research has shown that movement and pain get mapped along similar pathways in the brain. This means that following an injury your brain will remember the movements that caused you pain.

In short, avoiding a movement because we fear it will be painful actually increases the amount of pain we experience, regardless of actual tissue irritation.

DOUBT - Individuals who believe an activity will be painful have been shown to have reduced performance abilities. When we convince ourselves we have a bad knee, back, shoulder we set ourselves up for failure. Fear and doubt can come from a variety of sources. It can be developed internally through our emotions and feelings. It can be unintentionally worsened by our doctors or stories from family and friends. Regardless, the end result is that our injury slowly begins to define who we are.

Stay tuned as Dr. Baird provides answers and solutions. To learn more about his practice visit: https://www.performancehealthcarepdx.com

You need to listen to this episode! Jonathan Boland was a star quarterback at Parkrose High School in Portland, Oregon. His success there led to a full-ride scholarship to Portland State, but a series of concussions forced him to leave football. This began a downward spiral into depression, substance abuse and eventually a series of robberies. Those are the facts of what happened, but today is about the why. As he accepts responsibility and holds himself accountable this interview documents a discovery moment. A moment where you find out who you really are, the mistakes and setbacks to overcome and the better person you will become. This is Jon Boland’s story in his own words… his feeling, his insight, his change. Everyone needs to listen to this episode! All parents, student-athletes, and coaches will get something out of this. For more information on how to reach out to Jon visit http://sportsmastery.com/57.

The word "leadership" gets thrown around a lot. Recruiters, parents, and coaches rant about leadership and how the Student-Athlete needs to be a leader. What many do not understand, is that leadership is something that must be learned and developed. Yes, leadership is incredibly important in a Student-Athlete, but it is not something that happens overnight. Dr. Benjamin Wax is a strategic leadership specialist with the John Maxwell Team and winner of several powerlifting and bodybuilding titles. Dr. Wax understands the proven principles that create a great leader who is exemplified through their words and actions. Dr. Wax's academic background includes a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi and Masters from Mississippi State University. He has conducted extensive research studies, published numerous scholarly works and spoken at numerous regional and national events. Listen and learn why leadership is so closely linked with influence. You’ll also discover the immense impact of leadership, the levels of leadership, and how your Student-Athlete can develop their leadership skills. Don’t know how to improve your Student-Athlete's leadership skills or where to start? This episode will show you how. Visit http://sportsmastery.com/ for more leadership tips and Student-Athlete growth tactics.

An elite Student-Athlete will need to overcome adversity in order to be successful. Adversity comes in many shapes and sizes for a Student-Athlete. Some examples include injury, socio-economic status, hardship, trauma, depression, peer pressure, etc. So what does it take to overcome these obstacles? It takes a mental shift.

Yes, you may have heard this before, but don’t roll your eyes just yet. This mental shift encapsulates multiple areas: recovery, nutrition, avoiding distraction, goals, success, cross-training, and recruiting. If your Student-Athlete wants to get a scholarship, go pro, or make an impact on the world, they need this mental shift to happen NOW!

Julianne Soviero discusses priorities, goals, optimal performance and perseverance. She exemplifies the ability to overcome injury and lead a successful athletic career. Now she teaches countless award-winning athletes as a pitching coach.

Julianne speaks truth to what it takes to be a four-time academic All-American (Division I) athlete and the mindset it takes to get there. Listen and learn how your Student-Athlete can make the mental shift to overcome any type of adversity.

Discover the 5 ways Sports Mastery can turn your motivated Student-Athlete into an Elite Student-Athlete go here: http://sportsmastery.com/start-here/

What the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz didn’t know was that his abundance of fear sabotaged his courage. After listening to this episode, you’ll understand that same lesson, how to eliminate this fear and how to help you Student-Athlete grow in the process. RJ Hodges is a best-selling author, speaker, coach and empowerment entrepreneur who’s list of titles include: Mission Unstoppable, You Can’t Practice At The Game, The Art of Mastering You Volume One and an audio book series called Winner Status. RJ reminds us that fear, life-balance, self-confidence, organization, and planning, weave a delicate web among the lives of the successful Student-Athletes. To make it work you’ll need to learn how to take control of your life so that your life doesn’t control you. This calls for strategies, appreciation, and understanding. Want to be able to help your Student-Athlete get rid of their anger and emotional mood swings? Have them listen to this episode with you. Their expanding mind can overcome fear, increase confidence and improve prioritization. Lastly, I want every parent, coach, and Student-Athlete to read the following quote from RJ and really take it to heart. “Start your day in peace and end your day in peace.” For more details on this episode and to download my FREE guide go to: http://sportsmastery.com/54

The best athletes move from a state of intuitiveness as they tap into nonverbal communication and instinct. It may surprise some, that this set of talents comes from energy that female athletes have more naturally. When this "feminine" energy is balanced with "masculine" energy it makes for a dominant athlete. We can learn a great deal from female athletes and their own set of unique challenges and strengths. Their body chemistry, development, emotionality and social dynamics need to be taken into account when preparing to be an elite athlete. Nell Daly, a highly trained psychotherapist and journalist, is an expert on the uniquely female aspects of a student-athlete's experience. This includes the effects of birth control and anti-depressants on the female athlete. That being said, this episode isn’t just for female athletes and their support team. As we learned in episode 41, mental health issues are very prevalent among young people. Nell skillfully shares cutting edge mental health protocols and the effects of psychiatric medications. Listen and learn how to help guide your Student-Athlete through their development challenges and why every athlete can benefit from feminine energy. Visit http://sportsmastery.com/53 to learn more and download my FREE report: "5 Devastating Mistakes Every Elite Athlete Should Avoid."

We often forget the importance of loss or even failure. We don’t discuss how important it is to learn from, and how vital this skill is for a Student-Athlete’s future success. Jeron Mastrud’s ability to learn from defeat is one of the reasons for his launch to the NFL. Jeron says it best, "There is another day, there is another opportunity. There is something you can learn from this and move forward from this. So instead of being devastated by the loss, figure out why you lost and make sure that doesn't happen again." Jeron shares his journey from Southridge High School in Beaverton, OR to 2 time All-American at Kansas State University and starting Tight End for the Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins. He expounds and elaborates on: * - Smack talk * - Developing a mindset for stiff competition * - Strategies to overcome adversity * - How to bounce back after injury

Overcoming obstacles can range from loss, injury or other forms of adversity. Listen and learn why the journey to success includes the ability to overcome. Jeron Mastrud is a prime example of this and why it leads to future success. Discover more systems and strategies to help your Student-Athlete break through all barriers and limitations! Visit http://sportsmastery.com/52

There is nothing quite like Olympic Lifting when improving the performance of an athlete. Most likely you’ve heard that Olympic Lifting can help an athlete develop greater force, but it does so much more than that. In this episode, Sam Johnson and I discuss the many reasons why Olympic Lifting is such a powerful tool for athletes. Sam Johnson has devoted his life to athletic performance. It began as a young successful athlete, transferred to his time in the United States Air Force, and continues today at his training facility, StrengthFarm, in Portland, Oregon. Sam is a champion weightlifter with the experience and knowledge to know the amazing gains Olympic Lifting produces. The list of benefits we discuss includes: * - Increased Mobility * - Improved Neuromuscular Coordination * - Increased Force Production * - Improved Lateral Stability * - More Linear Power * - Increased Overhead Strength * - Improved body awareness * - Fewer injuries

Listen and learn why your Student-Athlete needs Olympic Lifting in their exercise routine. Visit http://sportsmastery.com/51 to get more and download my FREE report: 5 Devastating Mistakes Every Elite Athlete Should Avoid

A good youth sports performance coach understands the need for a foundation built on basic relative strength. A GREAT youth sports performance coach, like Cory Gilday, builds off of this foundation with expert level sport specific strength and conditioning. Cory’s 14 years of experience training hundreds of athletes from youth to professionals like Shaquille O'Neal, Shaun Bodiford, and Slade Norris has led to his success on a local and national level. He specializes in movement training, injury prevention, linear and lateral speed development, foot speed and agility, explosive power development, proper strength training techniques, sport specific conditioning and recovery strategies. In my conversation with Cory Gilday you’ll learn: - The differences between a sport coach and a performance coach... and how they can best work together - Why proper tissue quality is vital - The importance of in-season strength and conditioning - Why the goal of long-term athletic development determines the type of training methodology Get more at: http://sportsmastery.com/50

Self-mastery begins with the mind and develops into a strength that is unstoppable. Successful mental strength coach, Gregg Swanson, explains the powerful need for mental strength training in this statement: “Every compartment of your mind is to be programmed by you. If you don’t take rightful responsibility to program your own mind the world will program it for you.” Mental strength training is imperative not only for self-mastery in sport but also to be a successful human being. Its practice should be embraced and includes 5 key areas of focus. Gregg Swanson's practical mental strategies are language specific because a poor choice in vocabulary can mislead a Student-Athlete and provide negative consequences. These 5 mental strength training actions can be downloaded and added to the daily practice of your Student-Athlete. Listen, learn and get them here: http://sportsmastery.com/49

You've likely heard of IMG Academy. It’s a boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida that delivers training in both academics and athletics. Since 1978 it has trained thousands of Olympic, collegiate, and professional athletes. The IMG complex currently sits on 450 acres and includes a talented multidisciplinary staff to support its Student-Athlete.

Dr. Duncan Simpson is one of these skilled trainers. He is IMG Academy’s Assistant Head of Mental Conditioning. Originally from England, Dr. Simpson has a Ph.D in Sport Psychology and is a Certified Consultant with the Association of Applied Sport Psychology. His in-depth knowledge is vast and important for every parent, coach and mentor to hear. Today, Dr. Simpson shares 4 important values used in the mental conditioning at IMG… 1) different sport = different demands, 2) emotional regulation, 3) overcoming setbacks (including injury), and 4) integrating mental and physical training. Listen and learn how to apply the successful strategies used at IMG Academy to the training of your Student-Athlete. Download my IMG cheat sheet here: http://sportsmastery.com/48 and take your Student-Athlete's training to the next level!

It takes a special individual to be a Student-Athlete. Their journey through physical and mental challenges calls for specialized training and practice. Goals are set, like getting a college scholarship, and the everyday work is put in. However, success is not guaranteed and the road it fraught with challenges… But there is hope! Many amazing Student-Athletes have gone before and can help guide us to an easier way to success. Maneuvering past the typical obstacles and having strategies to conquer those the Student-Athlete will face. Keith Sconiers is one of these incredibly insightful people. His progression from Basketball at Portland State to owning 2 businesses has been an exploration in learning about self and progress. Keith draws on his Student-Athlete experience as he shares the 6 crucial principles that have led to his continued success. From basketball to businessman Keith expresses his struggles along the way and how he overcame them. Listen and learn Keith’s 6 crucial principles... or download them HERE: http://sportsmastery.com/47 … They can be applied to the development of your Student-Athlete now and to their advancement in life after sport. To learn more about Keith Sconiers visit: http://www.keithsconiers.com/

Does your Student-Athlete need to be trained in running or sprinting? To walk us through what the answer entails is running expert Dr. Jason Karp. Dr. Karp has spent his life devoted to running. “I really believe that running is the best expression of our physicality as human beings,” he said in our interview. His dedication to running has led to extensive education and experience. His 3 degrees in exercise science (PhD in exercise science, Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science), over 400 published articles, and 8 books provide examples of his immense expertise. The key to a running regimen is to know what you want to get out of it. Whether it's to be a better runner, to psychologically challenge yourself, or running to lose weight. Every coach and parent needs to understand the importance of running specifically for their Student-Athlete's training. Listen and discover 1) the training differences of runners and sprinters, 2) the mental preparation an elite runner needs, 3) how to best coach a runner, 4) the art & science of recovery and, 5) how to bounce back after injury. Learn more about Jason Karp here: http://run-fit.com/

A Student-Athlete’s diet can have an immense impact on their energy level, health, and focus. Making smart nutritional choices comes with a long list of positives: it improves strength & endurance, boosts metabolism, enhances electrolyte balance, amps up cardiovascular health, maintains good stamina, and improves coordination & mental focus. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Iris Briand, explains how to achieve these amazing nutritional benefits for the Student-Athlete. These nutritional must-haves are backed by digestive science and natural body needs. You’ll also discover how to decrease those pesky junk food cravings every Student-Athlete faces. This expert advice develops a healthy appetite for food that nourishes the body and mind. Download my nutrition cheat sheet and discover how your Student-Athlete can achieve all 6 nutritional must-haves: http://sportsmastery.com/45. To learn more about Iris visit: http://solfoodnutrition.com/

The list of steroid benefits is long. It includes increased muscle mass, greater fat loss, tissue repair, increased physical performance, improved bone density, increased sprint speed... and on and on it goes. The word "steroid" may make you think of Anadrol and Testo-max... but these are a big NO!

So what legal steroids are available?

What can your Student-Athlete take to get such drastic benefits?

In this episode, I prescribe to you a legal 5 steroid regimen that is able to provide all the same amazing benefits as the Deca-Duro and Trenorols of the world. Discover the 5 best legal steroids to get your Student-Athlete to the next level. Download the prescription here: http://sportsmastery.com/44

Finding the RIGHT high school for your Student-Athlete enables them to experience enjoyment, to thrive socially, academically and athletically, and to achieve postgraduate opportunities. This decision can be pressure filled, especially with colleges receiving a record number of qualified applications each year. The success of your Student-Athlete in high school is essential to opening postgraduate doors. The right high school needs to be able to do more than just provide athletic wins. In fact, many factors may out way the high school's winning percentage. You are your Student-Athlete's best and sometimes only advocate. Your due diligence in researching and finding the right high school now can save you many headaches and possibly a transfer down the road. A thorough investigation of the following 10 factors will paint the full picture of a high school’s fit for your Student-Athlete. These 10 things need to be weighed and considered specifically for the unique young person your Student-Athlete is. Listen and learn to the 10 things you need to consider when finding the right high school for your Student-Athlete. Download and print my special high school checklist to use in your research. Find it here: http://sportsmastery.com/43

Orthopedic surgeon & sports medicine specialist, Dr. David Geier, is just as passionate about injury prevention as he is about treating injuries. Dr. Geier writes a regular newspaper column, produce a weekly sports medicine podcast (The Dr. David Geier Show), and writes for his own blog and other numerous publications. All of this while he maintains his own busy practice in Charleston, South Carolina. His practice is particularly focused on knee and shoulder injuries and the arthroscopic surgeries used to treat them. With his vast experience and knowledge, Dr. Geier realizes the importance of preventing youth sports injuries and has developed a passion for sharing this message. In this conversation we tap into his immense expertise and discuss: * - How & why playing one sport year-round can do more harm to your kid than good * - Why we should focus more on fun and less on winning in youth sports * - Steps parents and coaches can take to prevent ACL and other injuries in young athletes * - What parents should know about concussions in football and other sports

Last but definitely not least... Dr. Geier has graciously shared with us 2 amazing PDFs for you to instantly download. 1) “That Doesn’t Have to Hurt” - 5 steps that you and your kids can take to avoid injuries and perform your best... and 2) The introduction of his NEW book "That's Gotta Hurt: The Injuries That Changed Sports Forever.” Download them now by visiting: http://sportsmastery.com/42 To learn more about Dr. Geier, visit his website: http://www.drdavidgeier.com/

That’s Gotta Hurt: The Injuries That Changed Sports Forever

Being the Parent of a Student-Athlete brings its own set of unique challenges. Thankfully, with these obstacles come amazing rewards as you aid in the growth of your Student-Athlete. Your job is complex as you provide the Student-Athlete with support, structure, guidance, love and often times coaching. Today, I share with you the 3 biggest problems that Parents and their Student-Athlete face together… pay attention to that together part. This is a family effort. These challenges can't be overcome without consistent and honest dialogue between you and the Student-Athlete. I break these complex obstacles down and provide you with the strategies to navigate these situations for the best possible outcome. Being the Parent of a Student-Athlete is an opportunity to help them grow on and off the field. Listen and discover the 3 biggest problems Parents face with their Student-Athlete and how you can maneuver to success. Don’t forget to download this episode’s PDF as a reminder of the strategies you can use now! Visit http://sportsmastery.com/41

Being a top student-athlete means constantly growing and reinventing yourself. It's a journey comprised of ups, downs, successes, and failures. This is the story of Julius Shellmire and our work together. Throughout this narrative, you’ll discover the reasons for Julius’s success and the training regimen that took his hard work into real results.

This narrative includes his transition from Southern Oregon University to the University of Oregon, the experience of believing in yourself, the importance of goal setting, and why keeping a positive mental attitude is necessary throughout the journey. Julius is currently preparing for the NCAA D-1 Track and Field finals that begin tomorrow. His 4x100 team has already broken 3 school records and is hungry for the championship. Lastly, I’ll leave you with this: Success is about mindset, not facilities. View Julius’s journey through videos, photos and an amazing graphic timeline here: http://sportsmastery.com/40

Stress has a PR problem. We try and avoid stress at all costs, when in reality the proper dose of stress brings opportunity for growth. If we label stress as bad, we're doing more harm than good. A Student-Athlete needs exposure to the right type of stress and competition in order to improve, become a better teammate, and learn the value of hard work. Listen and learn why its important to calm the stress response instead of trying to eliminate it completely.

Christa couldn’t have said it better… “Our brain is most open to change and new suggestions when we are in a relaxed and focused state.” Whether a Student-Athlete, Parent, or Coach, we can create greater change when we work within the unconscious mind. By focusing on this we can create new positive neuropathways in our brains. This is called Mind Zoning. Christa King is an expert guide to the holistic process of change. With techniques like Mind Zoning, she helps those on a mission to create lasting life changes on her podcast Fitlandia. Listen and learn how you can teach your Student-Athlete to tap into their ideal self using their unconscious mind. Christa has even graciously shared a verbal Mind Zoning exercise that you can talk your Student-Athlete through. Download it now by visiting http://sportsmastery.com/38 For more information on Christa King visit: https://www.fitlandiafitness.com/

Does your student-athlete dream of playing football for the Oregon Ducks? Do they have what it takes? On a recent trip to The University of Oregon, I asked the football coaching staff what they look for in their student-athletes. Their insightful answers painted the picture of what makes up a PAC 12 athlete on and off the field. Each coach had their own specifications, but the importance of mindset bonded across them all.

Head Coach, Willie Taggart, stressed competition... Special Teams Coach, Raymond Woodie, underscored being fundamentally sound... Co-Offensive Coordinator, Marcus Arroyo, preached taking a mind-numbing amount of reps. Listen and learn exactly what it takes to be recruited and succeed at The University of Oregon. Does your student-athlete have what it takes to be a Duck? Download, print, and share my pdf from this show with your student-athlete now! Visit http://sportsmastery.com/37

As parents, we want to guide our student-athlete towards success and happiness. We support them in multiple ways, many times by coaching them and their team. You may be the coach of their travel team or the extra set of eyes watching their mechanics during practice. Either way, the mixed role of coach and parent brings its own set of unique rewards and challenges.

My guest, Mike Hubbell, is a shining example of this parent-coach role. His experience as a talented entrepreneur has helped him teach his daughter, son, and their teammates the tools and work ethic needed for success. From the parent-coach perspective, we discuss the importance of mental preparedness, goal setting, confidence, and action when facing obstacles like injury, self-doubt, and failure.

As a parent-coach, you have the opportunity to mentor your child and have a powerful effect on a group of young athletes. Listen and learn as Mike shares his insightful thoughts on parenting, coaching, and success. Then download this episode’s pdf as a reminder of the action you can take to help your student-athlete succeed: http://sportsmastery.com/36

To learn more about Mike Hubbell visit: http://portlanddevelopmentgroup.com/

What does it take for a student-athlete to stand out among the rest? How do they get noticed in order to further their career? My guest, Dr. Daniel E. Walker explains the big picture of what your student-athlete needs for their future to be successful. His answer: 1) By believing in themselves, 2) By knowing themselves and 3) By having a mentor …

Dr. Walker has an exceptional range of experiences and knowledge that comes from his various titles: filmmaker, scholar, social entrepreneur, professor, and public speaker. He works to increase the college graduation rates of students of color and to bring high quality arts education to urban communities. His important viewpoint stresses student-athlete academic preparation, leadership, mindset, educational aspirations, being proactive, and personal branding.

He passionately shares with us the importance of student-athletes to create personal branding that takes advantage of their unique perspective, rather than compromising their values. Listen and learn what your student-athlete needs to be successful in their next step forward.

For links mentioned in this episode and my downloadable PDF with actionable items, visit: http://sportsmastery.com/35

To learn more about Dr. Walker visit: https://www.drdanielwalker.com/about

At the age of 16, Leslie Poole moved across the country for an intensive year of fastpitch training with Doug Finch. This formative time instilled the commitment level needed to become a college pitcher at the University of Tennessee and top-25 ranked Fresno State. She now shares this knowledge with her own pitching students at PDX Pitching LLC and on our show today.

As a pitching coach, Leslie's 3 priorities are to: 1) teach safe mechanics 2) increase to full speed and intensity 3) control … As we discuss, staying within these priorities demands mental toughness and sets the tone for the discipline she expects from her athletes. We also discuss why working on your mechanics and technique is a constant and vigilant process across all sports.

Leslie does a great job guiding her athletes towards setting and reaching a single goal. Why just 1 single goal? Listen and find out now! http://sportsmastery.com/34

For more info on Leslie Poole contact: pdxpitching@gmail.com

A discussion centered around progressive muscle relaxation and visualization exercises. In progressive muscle relaxation, you work your way through the muscle groupings of your body, alternating contraction with relaxation. It is a crucial skill that helps you: 1) Handle the pressure of competition 2) Physiologically cool the body down in between and after athletic events 3) Maintain an appropriate level of concentration 4) Prepare to visualize and mentally rehearse for competition. Listen and learn the techniques now! Download and print my step by step guide to progressive muscle relaxation and visualization here: http://sportsmastery.com/33

Learn to think differently. To do that you need to question popular thinking. Popular thinking is:

Too Average to Understand the Value of Good Thinking
Too Naive to Recognize the Importance of Realistic Thinking
Too Undisciplined to Release the Power of Strategic Thinking
Too Trendy to Embrace the Lessons of Reflective Thinking

YOU SHOULD QUESTION THE ACCEPTANCE OF POPULAR THINKING. If you want to become a good thinker, then start preparing yourself for the possibility of becoming unpopular. Ask yourself, am I consciously rejecting the limitations of common thinking in order to accomplish uncommon results? ...

Visit http://SportsMastery.com/ for my FREE report: 5 Devastating Mistakes Every Elite Athlete Should Avoid

Self-reflection questions are designed to raise your confidence as you review accomplishments, recall positive feedback, resolve to mirror and model your athletic heroes, and listen to reminders of your capabilities. In this episode you'll find important self-reflection questions and learn how to transform your self-image. Change comes about through awareness of a negative self-image, challenging the bad habits that support this image, and creating a new, positive self-image that allows you to set and achieve worthwhile goals. I even share an easy way to remember these steps of reprogramming … Plus, you can download my proven system for self-reflection and reprogramming your self image HERE: http://sportsmastery.com/31

Six Confidence-Building Strategies: 1) Everyday remind yourself that you did something well 2) Read or watch inspiring biographies or autobiographies 3) Be Thankful 4) Build excellent support around you 5) Push yourself to accomplish short-term goals 6) Do something for yourself every week... Self-Confidence can be defined as a strong belief in one's skills, preparation, and abilities.Confidence is built through preparation. Take a listen...

Today, I discuss 8 Strategies to Mastery: 1) Value learning, training, & practice over competing 2) Keep expanding your horizons 3) Revert to the feeling of inferiority 4) Trust the process 5) Move toward resistance and pain 6) Learn how to fail, fail forward 7) Combine the "How and the What" 8) Advance through trial and error ... - Your Coach, DeShawn Fontleroy - Visit http://SportsMastery.com/ for my FREE report 5 Devastating Mistakes Every Elite Athlete Should Avoid

Download my proven system for overcoming stage fright HERE: http://sportsmastery.com/28... Today I share a recent experience on a trip to Las Vegas where I helped coach a 7v7 touch football team. We traveled to Vegas to compete in the Pylon 7v7 Football National Tournament. The tournament was a tremendous learning experience, as our record showed 0 wins and 4 losses. Some of the things that held us back were: Distractions, Low Commitment Level , & Stage Fright... Try these 10 tips to reduce your Stage Fright: 1)Shift the focus from yourself and your fear to your true purpose—contributing something of value to your team. 2) Stop scaring yourself with thoughts about what might go wrong. Instead, focus your attention on thoughts and images that are calming and reassuring. 3) Refuse to think thoughts that create self-doubt and low confidence. 4) Practice ways to calm and relax your mind and body, such as deep breathing, relaxation exercises, yoga, and meditation. 5) Exercise, eat well, and practice other healthful lifestyle habits. Try to limit caffeine and sugar as much as possible. 6) Visualize your success: Always focus on your strength and ability to handle challenging situations. 7) Study, watch film, practice intensely. 8) Make connections with your teammates: Smile and greet people, thinking of them as friends rather than enemies.9) Listen to your coaches with assurance and confidence. Make eye contact and always be aware of your posture and body language. 10) Give up trying to be perfect and know that it is OK to make mistakes... Download my proven system for overcoming stage fright HERE: http://sportsmastery.com/28

In this episode I interview Kyle Kennedy, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) who resides in Ottawa Canada. He discusses the basic principles of power and speed development for non-track athletes. He also expands on a common theme on this show… mindset. While training, Kyle keeps these five tenets in mind: 1) Train movements over muscles 2) You need to rest 3) Set your workouts up accordingly 4) Prime the nervous system 5) Recover the nervous system ... "The coach-athlete relationship is very important. To achieve the best results, we must trust each other and work well together. I always try to keep communication lines open. If an athlete has a problem with something I’m saying or how I’m coaching, I want them to know they can talk to me about it.” - Kyle Kennedy, CSCS … Kyle's blog can be found at: http://razorsedgeperformance.ca/ ...His recent article on mindset can be found here: https://www.freelapusa.com/own-your-mindset/ … Visit http://sportsmastery.com/

Athletes face pain on both an acute and chronic level. My guest Raphael Bender is not only a qualified speaker on the treatment of pain, but describes the changing landscape of pain science in a clear and understandable way. His qualifications include: MSc Clinical Exercise Physiology (Rehabilitation), BSc Exercise & Sport Science, Pilates Alliance Australasia Principal Trainer, and Managing Director of Breathe Education (https://breathe.edu.au/). In this episode Raphael discusses: 1) What causes pain - what does current pain science tell us? 2) A simple model for classifying clients to target the most useful intervention 3) How to work with clients on the psychology of persistent pain (this is something we as trainers often feel ill-equipped to tackle)… Visit http://sportsmastery.com/26 for videos of Raphael working with Andrew, a 17-year old with a history of disabling persistent pain. And while your there download my SHOW TAKEAWAYS... http://sportsmastery.com/26

Get this episode's TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/25 ... God gives you talent, but you have to perfect your talent and turn it into an unbelievable skill. Ultimately it's up to the superhero or athlete to decide if they want to keep going. Superheroes and Elite Athletes share these common traits, qualities, and attributes: 1) Genetic Gifts 2) Determination 3) Practice 4) Mind to Muscle Synergy 5) Conquering Adversity 6) Mentors 7) Confidence 8) Rage to Master ... Which comes first, success or confidence? It can be that your success builds your confidence or you have someone who comes into your life, like Professor X, who helps mentor you towards both confidence and success. In the sporting world, a coach who says,"I see potential in you. You can be a champion," can change an athlete's entire perspective. The key is to get the athlete or superhero to realize and reach their potential. Listen to discover more examples of how superheroes and elite athletes are linked. Get this episode's TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/25

In the realm of fitness and training most people blame external forces when they don’t achieve their goal. They make excuses for their poor showing; time, equipment, lack of knowledge, poor genetics, etc. They rarely look within and blame the real culprit: Themselves. If you are willing to work hard, make sacrifices, and willing to suffer then you will be successful. If you want something bad enough you will find a way to make it happen. It's that simple... maybe not easy, but certainly simple... "Remember that the most successful people in the world share something in common: they are willing to make sacrifices where others are not. They are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful. There are no excuses. They embrace hard work, they are willing to give everything they have and they are willing to suffer. We could learn something from these people" - Bobby Maximus

You don't want to miss this episode's TAKEAWAYS! Get them here: http://sportsmastery.com/23... Our guest, David Watts, is a student-athlete advocate that travels the country speaking at schools, camps, and clinics about academic achievement, college planning/recruiting, character development, and preparing young people for life when their athletic careers are over. Mr. Watts is passionate about helping student-athletes succeed in their sport, but more importantly in the classroom. His ultimate goal is to transform student-athletes into scholar-athletes, and that’s exactly why he’s here today on the Sports Mastery Show. In this episode David shares tips and strategies for academic success, college recruiting, and life after sports. From there, he shares simple, but incredible, insight on how to become a better student overnight. Lastly, David shares his O.B.A.M.A. plan which equips the student-athlete for success: 1. Organized at all times 2. Build relationships 3. Ask for help 4. Maximize your time 5.Active reading - David Watts: davidwattsconsulting.com - Dwatts029@gmail.com - 818-839-1392 ... Get episode TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/23

Now 22 episodes in, I feel it’s a good time to share a little about the creation of Sports Mastery and my experiences training athletes. I am a Sports Performance Consultant that helps individuals and groups reach their hopes and dreams, overcome their pains and fears, and destroy all barriers and limitations. I have worked with high school, college, and professional athletes through practical and systematic strategies to help them master their confidence, strengthen their mental toughness, increase their social intelligence, and achieve their goals.

Sports Mastery training is not for just any athlete. It is a very intense, in-depth coaching program that requires a high level of accountability and work. It is specifically designed for athletes who are serious about their sport and taking their game to the next level. Sports Mastery is a worthwhile investment that brings amazing results!

8 Scenarios When You Need Sports Mastery: -When you are sick and tired of losing.

-When you are tired of everyone “bad mouthing” you.

-When you are constantly the butt of jokes regarding game performance.

-When you can’t relate to your teammates.

-When you think your coach doesn’t know how to win.

-When need to increase your mental toughness.

-When you need a fresh, new outlook on your game.

-When you’ve tried everything and don’t know what else to do.

Special music thanks to…

-No Fear by Black Violin: Get Black Violin's new album "Stereotypes"

-Changes Instrumental by Rae

Every young athlete that I meet wants to play Division-1 athletics, compete in the next Olympics, or go Pro. However, 90% of them fail and many face difficult anxiety and behavioral disorders. Did you know that over 30% of adolescents meet criteria for anxiety disorders? Did you know 20% of adolescents have behavior disorders? Did you know 14% of adolescents experience mood disorders? 11% have substance abuse disorders. I also discuss the rising number of athletes that have been diagnosed with ADHD. Every athlete and coach needs to ask: -How can you stop frustrating losses even after you've tried everything? -What can you do to consistently win big and when it counts the most? -Is there a way to silence the critics that say you always choke in big games? -How come you did everything you could, prepared for months and months and came up short when it mattered most? Why Coaches Fail With Athletes: 1. Not understanding an athletes natural disposition to learning. It's important to know if an athlete learns better by audio, visual, or kinesthetic. 2. You will fail with athletes by not sincerely getting to know them and their parents. 3. They don't have a clarity of purpose. 4.They're athletes don't trust them. 5.Lack of uniform accountability for athletes.

Get episode TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/20... In this episode, I interview Coach Eric Reveno. Coach Reveno currently coaches Georgia Tech basketball. He's also coached at University of Portland and Stanford. At University of Portland, Reveno served 10 years as head coach. It was an honor to interview Coach Reveno, he has outstanding qualities, and an important perspective. We discussed the three most important qualities that college coaches look for in high school recruits: 1. Academic 2. Psychological 3. Physical ... From there, Coach Reveno shared his wonderful experiences while coaching at University of Portland. We also spent some time discussing the pros and cons of AAU Basketball.Coach Reveno concludes the interview by reflecting on the recruitment of Jazz Johnson. Here are some insightful quotes from Coach Reveno's Twitter( @CoachReveno ): 1. Basketball is a game of balance. Most often when you want to get your best scorer more opportunities, you need to work to make others more a threat. 2. If you want to be a coach, practice solving problems before they occur. 3. To paraphrase Aristotle, "you are what you do on a daily basis." Your habits make you. You can't have people judge you just by your good days... Get episodeTAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/20

In part two of this series, Alex Molden discusses the team's mission, goals, and objectives. He discusses timeless coaching strategies used on the road to winning the state championship. The team goal was to dominate one week at a time. "We would watch film, discuss positives and negatives, then move on. Our weekly goal was to master our opponents most common 5-6 plays." From there, they would consistently revisit the fundamentals of tackling, blocking, and defensive back coverages. The variety of different practice routines and drills kept the team mentally focused throughout the season. Learn more about Alex Molden at:

https://www.instagram.com/alexmolden

https://twitter.com/alexmolden

DeShawn Fontleroy

Get episode TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/18 - This episode explores a June 2016 article by Chris Vannini. In this article, Ohio Sate Head Coach Urban Myer is quoted, "I don't care what you do at a camp. I care what your high school football coach says." This is a short article that happens to be very compelling. You'll find the link to the original article below. There is a video attached. It's grainy but if you listen, Coach Myer drops some valuable words of wisdom. Here are some of the takeaways from the article and video: -Become captain of your high school team -Master the art of discipline -Strategically use camps as a tune-up -Be reliable -Be the best player on your team -When things get hard, you get better -Be a multi-sport athlete ... One thing you should know about college recruiters, they never come in and say "I'm looking for an idiot or a pain in the ass." ...Get episode TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/18

Get episode TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/17 ... Do you struggle with confidence? Do you get down on yourself for making mistakes? Do you wish you could have the confidence of a superstar athlete? ... In this episode, Niyi Sobomehin shares information on how to double your confidence with the simple principle of positive reinforcement. You can use the same techniques that dog and dolphin trainers use, so that you can increase confidence and get yourself to do the things that you need to do. Confidence is something that can be cultivated, trained and conditioned. Learn how in this podcast episode ... To learn more about Niyi's coaching program visit: http://imnotyou.com/src/ ... Get episode TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/17

In part one of this series, Alex shares his son Elijah's recruiting experience. This conversation is sprinkled with jovial Christmas shopping banter. Alex discusses gifts for Elijah who recently committed to University of Washington. Elijah Molden is a standout athlete at Westlinn High School in the Portland-Metro area. He's one of the top defensive backs in the west region and arguably the best running back in the state of Oregon. After careful research and due diligence Elijah decided to commit to University of Washington over Oregon, Stanford, USC, and Washington St. He favored Washington because of these factors:

Coaching Staff
Style of Defense
Team Culture & Discipline
Top 20 Business Program

Get episode TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/15 ... Direct, blunt, and brutally honest, these books will help break down what it takes to be unstoppable: you keep going when everyone else gives up, you thrive under pressure, you never let your emotions make you weak. Read and expand your mind with these four books that every athlete should read: #1. The Relentless - By: Tim Grover #2. Psycho-Cybernetics - By: Maxwell Maltz #3. The Goldmine Effect - Rasmus Ankersen #4. Before You Go Pro - By: Terrence Wood ... Get episode TAKEAWAYS here: http://sportsmastery.com/15

This show was inspired from the input of my Facebook audience. In this show, we tackle some tough topics: including nutrition, motivation, social intelligence and college recruiting. Leyland shares his experience on how he introduced his son Jazz Johnson to athletics. This was a free flowing conversation that was very encouraging to the athlete, parent, and coach. At times, we we're deep in laughter, introspection, drama, and deep thought. Paradoxical and ironic this conversation leaves the athlete, parent, and coach with something to think about.

DeShawn Fontleroy

https://www.facebook.com/deshawn.fontleroy

http://sportsmastery.com/podcast/

This presentation is based on the research and book done by Cal Newport: DEEP WORK.

Deep Work - Professional activities performed in a state of concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit, and are hard to replicate.

Shallow Work - Noncognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted. These efforts tend to not create much new value in the world and are easy to replicate.

To remain valuable in our economy, therefore, you must master the art of quickly learning complicated things. To succeed you have to produce the absolute best stuff you're capable of producing -- a task that requires depth.

3-4 hours a day, 5 days a week, of uninterrupted and carefully directed concentration, can produce a lot of valuable output.

The lessons presented here are for the student, athlete, coach, parent, strength coach, and personal trainer. They are also for the executive, entrepreneur, marketer, web developer, videographer, cinematographer, writer, singer, pianist, and any other producer or creative. Click the link below to find Cal Newport's book below.

https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Work-Focused-Success-Distracted/

DeShawn Fontleroy

Antonio Harvey is a former Portland Trailblazer whose professional basketball career spanned 10 years - 8 years with 6 NBA teams and two internationally. He also served 11 years as Portland Trailblazer broadcaster and radio analyst. In this interview, Antonio Harvey addresses the following:

A story on relationship building and bridges to success.
How did you start playing basketball?
Explain a time when you had to overcome obstacles.
How has high school basketball changed?

Get my step-by-step guide to overcoming fear for free at www.sportsmastery.com

For your free 45 minute consultation

contact deshawnfontleroy@gmail.com

Alex Melson discusses the current state of competition in inner-city sports. What does it take to be in the elite athlete category. He furthers the discussion by expressing the essential needs of the athlete. Alex closes by addressing the rhetorical question of... "Can you coach heart?"

You'll find contact information below for Alex regarding strength training, linebacker development, and film study.

"This guy is going to be a great head coach." - DeShawn Fontleroy

https://www.facebook.com/alexander.l.melson

Instagram - Coach.Melson

Email: coachmelson@gmail.com

Kramer Knutson is an assistant basketball coach at University of Portland. He graduated from University of Portland with a degree in philosophy. Kramer played professional basketball over seas in Switzerland, Romania, and England. During this interview, he discusses high school basketball recruiting, preparing to play professionally over seas, energy as a skill, and embracing your weakness.

Kramer Knutson concluded a four-year professional career overseas in 2015 to accept the director of basketball operations position with the Pilots for the 2015-16 season. Knutson was retained in that same role upon the hiring of Terry Porter as head coach in April and then promptly promoted to an assistant coach position.

"Kramer has proven himself to be a valuable part of this program," Porter noted. "He was a key player during one of the most successful eras in Pilot Basketball and then chose to come back to Portland to begin the next part of his post-playing career. Kramer was extremely valuable to me during the transition and has shown the ability to be a great big man coach. During his short time working with our guys last spring I liked his energy, how he pushed the players in training sessions, and his knowledge of the game. He has earned both the respect of our players and basketball staff. It is great to have him here and part of a staff that I think is well-rounded and ready to take the program to the next level."

In this interview, Shawn Jenkins delivers cutting edge information on youth strength training and long term athletic development. He educates the listener on the fallacies, myths, and misnomers on the subject of youth strength training. He further discusses injury prevention, sports performance, and health benefits. Shawn shares valuable information with regard to assessing young athletes with the FMS and his experience working with the Oakland Raiders.

Owner, Stockton Sports Performance
Chair, NSCA Diversity Committee
Advisory Board, NSCA Northern California Area

Presenter: SHAPE (Society of Health and Physical Educators)

https://www.facebook.com/Stockton-Sports-Performance-114866185240037/

Inside the Black Box of Success

Simple concepts and principles:

First who... then what.
Focus on what not to do.
Create a culture of discipline.

First get the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus. After that, get the right people in the right seats. The right people are your most important asset. Focus on what to stop doing. Stop complaining. Stop crying. Stop the jealousy and hate. Create a culture of discipline. When you combine a culture of discipline with a growth mindset, you get the magical alchemy of great performance.

-DeShawn Fontleroy

In this interview, Quentin is relentless while discussing these three topics:

What it means for a high school quarterback to play college football.
How high school coaches are not adequately preparing their quarterbacks for the next level.
The coddling culture and how it's ruining athletes (aka The killing of a competitive culture).

Overall, Quentin provides detailed insight on the transition from playing high school football to the business of collegiate athletics. He furthers the discussion by providing valuable wisdom regarding performing in the classroom. After that, Quentin explains the importance of mental and physical preparation for young quarterbacks. He expresses, "film is your best friend." And then he explains how passing windows have become more 3-dimensional. To close out, Quentin leaves us with some jewels on how to attack a 3-4 base defense.

DeShawn Fontleroy

Three things you should know about the college football recruiting process:

Official Visits
National Letter of Intent

3 D-1 Freshmen Eligibility Requirements

During an official visit to an NCAA institution, it is permissible to provide a prospect with transportation to visit the campus, and with meals and lodging during a visit to campus that cannot exceed 48 hours from the time that the prospect (and parents or legal guardians, if they accompany the prospect) arrives on campus.

The National Letter of Intent started in 1964 with seven conferences and eight independent institutions, the program now includes 676 Division I and II participating institutions. There are designated dates for different sports, and these dates are commonly referred to as "Signing Day."

Beginning August 1, 2016: A core course GPA as low as 2.00 will allow a freshman to be eligible for practice and an athletic scholarship as an Academic Redshirt, but NOT for competition. An incoming student will need to have a core course GPA of atleast 2.30 (and the corresponding test score) to be eligible to compete as a freshman.

DeShawn Fontleroy

NIKE Master Trainer Alex Molden is a Performance Enhancement Coach. He specializes in utilizing his vast knowledge and experience to help his athletes become athletically efficient and durable.

His background includes being a Collegiate 1st team All-America defensive back at University of Oregon. Alex was a 1st round draft pick (11th) in the 1996 NFL draft where he had an 8 year NFL career. Alex currently coaches defensive backs at West Linn HS in the Portland Metro area. His son Elijah is currently being recruited by Stanford, USC, Oregon and Washington. Alex believes that with the proper training and mental approach, you can take your skills to the next level and become the best "YOU" you can be.

In this interview, Terrence Wood delivers priceless information regarding the multi- billion dollar industry of college football. Throughout the interview, and in his book, Terrence uncovers the dark side of college football. At the end, the athlete and parent are enlightened with increased confidence to make the right decision. -DeShawn Fontleroy

Before you go pro is an online mentoring company, designed for football players between the ages of 13-19 yrs old. The program is geared towards teaching kids the mental and moral obligations that come with the game of football.

Founded in 2010, by CEO Terrence Wood, Before You Go Pro, was built on a love for football, and the players who play the game. The mission of Before You Go Pro, is to teach young football players the X’s and O’s on and off the gridiron. To mentor and groom the person, before the player.

At Before You Go Pro, we display a sincere passion to teach families and kids about the business of football. Due to the popularity of football, the stakes have increased, and the need for player and family support has been heightened.

With Before You Go Pro, athletes will receive exclusive online access to current and former, College and Professional players and coaches every week. Players will also receive valuable industry content, thought-provoking conference calls and discussions, and timely academic and test taking (SAT/ACT) updates.

TOPICS

Finding a blueprint for success
NCAA Recruiting
The Intangibles

Gift to Audience

*We will give a free book and Player/Parent consultation to the first 3 student athletes who email us or reach out on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

(Must be a football player)

http://www.beforeyougopro.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Beforeyougopro

info@beforeyougopro.com

Thou shall not be a wiener.
Thou shall not be tentative.
Thou shall understand the business.
Thou shall not blame others.
Thou shall not daydream.
Thou shall attend class everyday and sit up front.
Thou shall train year-round.
Thou shall execute and produce.

9.Thou shall respect the game.

Discussing fear in all of it's forms; including your Fear of Death!

6 Basic Fears

vs

2 Innate Fears

The shelf-life of high school, college, and NFL athletes.

Fear of Failure

vs

Fear of Success