The Mindset Experience: Recent Episodes
Dr. T
“Mindset” is a process where you continue to grow, push yourself in different ways, and get “comfortable with being uncomfortable.” In order to teach it, you need to live it! This podcast integrates my experience as a board certified Psychiatrist, NCAA division 1 wrestler, and current competitive athlete as we dive into the stories of how elite athletes and entrepreneurs used mindset to help them overcome challenges and achieve success.
In 1992, as a freshman swimmer at Notre Dame, Haley Scott DeMaria survived a devastating bus accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors told her she would never walk again.
But that wasn't a story she was willing to accept.
Drawing on the mindset, discipline, and competitive spirit she developed as an athlete, Haley began the long road back — starting with something as small as wiggling her toes. What followed were months of grueling rehabilitation, multiple life-threatening surgeries, and relentless adversity.
And then, just over a year later, she did the unthinkable. She returned to the pool… and won her first race back.
A graduate of Notre Dame and later the University of Southern California, Haley went on to become an educator, coach, and nationally recognized speaker. Her journey has earned her numerous honors, including the Gene Autry Courage in Sport Award and the Honda Award for Inspiration.
She is the author of What Though the Odds – Haley Scott's Journey of Faith and Triumph, a story now being adapted into a major motion picture.
Today, Haley speaks across the country, inspiring audiences to reframe adversity, strengthen their mindset, and rise to challenges with purpose and perspective.
Her story is a powerful reminder: we don't control what happens to us — but we always control how we respond.
@hsdemaria, www.haleybook.com
Before he was helping save lives… he was fighting for his own.
In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Brandon Saho, founder of The Mental Game, shares the journey that transformed his darkest moments into a mission that is now impacting lives across the country.
After battling depression and suicidal thoughts, Brandon made a decision: to turn pain into purpose.
Today, through raw, unfiltered conversations with elite performers, public figures, and everyday individuals carrying extraordinary stories, he is helping redefine how we think about mental health, vulnerability, and strength.
Endorsed by Oprah Winfrey and featured in Forbes, ESPN, and CBS News, Brandon has become one of the most authentic and impactful voices in mental health.
But this conversation goes deeper than accolades.
We explore the tension between mental toughness and mental health — especially in high-performance environments like the NFL. Brandon opens up about the isolation he felt during his lowest moments, the struggle of being misunderstood by those closest to him, and the internal question so many people silently carry:
"Why can everyone else be happy… but not me?"
More importantly, we unpack what changed.
From the hesitation to ask for help… to the moment he finally did — and how that decision altered the trajectory of his life.
We also dive into the creation of The Mental Game, the conversations that have impacted him most, and a recent viral moment where Brandon shared one of his deepest personal fears — and how vulnerability, not success, became the bridge to connection.
This episode is a reminder that strength is not found in silence.
It is found in honesty. In courage. In conversation.
Because sometimes the most important thing you can do… is speak.
Aaron Golub is a professional speaker, entrepreneur, and leadership consultant who made history as the first legally blind Division I athlete to play in a college football game while competing at Tulane University, where he was later named team captain and went on to become an NFL free agent.
Born legally blind, Aaron learned early that success requires a different relationship with adversity. Instead of focusing on what he couldn't control, he built his mindset around maximizing what he could. His journey reflects a powerful truth: when you commit to doing what others won't, you give yourself the opportunity to achieve what others can't.
Rather than viewing his blindness as a limitation, Aaron now sees it as one of his greatest advantages. His story challenges how we think about setbacks and reminds us that life doesn't just happen to us — often, it happens for us.
Today, Aaron works with organizations, teams, and leaders to build resilient cultures and leadership strategies that thrive in adversity. His work has been featured on major platforms including Good Morning America, CBS, NBC, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, NPR, and Entrepreneur.
As the title of his TEDx talk suggests, Aaron Golub is truly a Diamond in his Disadvantage.
In this conversation, we explore how perspective, discipline, and ownership of the controllables can transform adversity into opportunity.
@aaronjgolub
Dr. Jonathan Haywood Jenkins, Psy.D., CMPC, has spent more than a decade supporting athlete mental health and performance at Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital. As a member of the Harvard Medical School teaching community, he serves as Team Clinical and Performance Psychologist for the New England Patriots, Behavioral Sport Psychologist for the Boston Red Sox, and Sport Psychology Consultant for the Para Rowing Foundation.
He is also the co-author of Mentality Wins: The Athlete's Playbook for Thriving in Sport and Life, currently the #1 New Release in Sport Psychology, a holistic guide to improving performance while protecting mental health.
In this episode, Dr. Jenkins shares the Peachtree Approach and the deeper principles that drive sustainable success. Drawing from his own early speech and language challenges, his experience as a collegiate athlete, and his work with elite performers, he explains how adversity can become an advantage, how relationships fuel resilience, and why appreciating the good days prepares us for the hard ones.
This conversation goes beyond sport. It's about leadership, perspective, and building a mentality that lasts.
@dr.jonathanjenkins, @Unlimitedresilence, @mentalitywinsbook
Andrew is a 2017 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he served as Class President before commissioning as an Infantry and Intelligence Officer. A proven leader, he completed U.S. Army Ranger School and Airborne School, going on to lead hundreds of soldiers across multiple operational assignments.
He later became the 14th Commander of the Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery and served as a White House Military Aide to both the 45th and 46th Presidential administrations. After transitioning from active duty, Andrew moved into national security strategy consulting.
An avid adventurer, Andrew has completed over 2,300 parachute jumps from planes, helicopters, bridges, and cliffs. Most recently, he summited Mount Everest on May 15th of this year. He is currently an MBA candidate at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, where he is building two ventures: Katalyze LLC, a defense contracting firm he co-founded with his brother Matthew and Dream to Summit, an alpine, adventure, and character-building camp for the next generation of young leaders
Across his military, entrepreneurial, and expedition experiences, Andrew has developed powerful lessons rooted in Confidence, Direction, and Community. He believes the greatest growth occurs in the gap between expectations and reality—and by tapping into that space, he continues elevating his mindset higher than any mountain he's climbed.
@andrewpkatz
Kori Edmonson has been surrounded by lacrosse for as long as she can remember — and even as a kid, she knew exactly who she wanted to become.
At just seven years old, she wrote down four big, ambitious goals. And in her mind, none of them were out of reach. Not surprisingly, she accomplished each one of them most recently winning a gold medal for Team USA.
From high school to college to the international stage, Kori has never shied away from the moment. She wants the ball in her stick when the game is on the line — and no matter the outcome, she's committed to learning, growing, and coming back stronger.
Her purpose is crystal clear. Her intensity is unmistakable. She tells her coaches to push her until she can't go anymore. She believes in the process over the outcome, the team over the individual, and embracing every chance to enjoy the game that continues to shape who she is.
And that mindset has led to major accomplishments. This past year alone, she was: 2025 Big Ten Midfielder of the Year… USA Lacrosse Magazine First Team All-American… Inside Lacrosse First Team All-American… IWLCA Third Team All-American… 2025 Tewaaraton Top 25 Finalist… and All–Big Ten First Team.
In this episode, we sit down with Kori to talk drive, purpose, pressure, and what it truly takes to chase greatness.
Despite being the child of two professional tennis players, Makenna Jones was never forced to play the game. Furthermore, she hated tennis as she never felt good enough, felt her standard was so high and didn't have fun playing the game. Ironically, when her family moved and she was without a soccer club, she decided to choose tennis.
Makenna often felt tremendous stress and pressure to win every match which typically led to panic, negative thought spirals and very critical thoughts about herself. However, when she focused on having fun, her performance excelled. She played for five years at UNC Chapel Hill (2017-2021), earning a top singles ranking of #2 and a doubles ranking of #1. She won 4 ACC titles and 3 National Indoor titles.
She also made it to the professional level reaching a career-high ranking of No. 236 in singles and No. 107 in doubles and played in some of the world's biggest tournaments, including the US Open, Wimbledon, Indian Wells BNP, and Miami Open.
Makenna shares how her mindset played a key role in both her performance and her rocky relationship with her sport. It wasn't until she read the classic sports psychology book, "The Inner Game of Tennis" where she learned how to try less and let her body do what it already can do. Through her ups and downs, she has learned to get through struggle with grace, joy and gratitude.
@kennajones14
Daphne Faldi graduated from Harvard University in 1997 with a degree in Biological Anthropology, where she played both field hockey and lacrosse. After losing her best friend, Dartmouth athlete Sarah Devens, to suicide, Daphne dedicated her career to supporting athlete wellness and mental health.
A certified life coach, she has served as a head lacrosse coach and spent over a decade in school administration. Daphne now works with the YMCA of the North Shore, partnering with donors to advance the Y's mission of strengthening communities and promoting healthy living in spirit, mind, and body.
She also serves on the advisory board at McLean Hospital and collaborates with nonprofits including The Hidden Opponent, Morgan's Message, Katie's Save, The Kevin Love Fund, and One Love. She also works with student athlete mentors at Athletes Better Together. In the mental health field, when so many student athletes struggle and feel alone, Daphne's experience has shaped her message that, "Life is better when we are together."
Passionate about connection and community, Daphne strives to inspire others and spread joy and compassion.
@daphnefaldi, @athletesbettertogether, @coacmh
Mac Childs has had the privilege of growing up with a caring family including siblings and a dog. He attended top schools where he played alongside the most talented teammates and learned from the best coaches all of whom instilled consistency, discipline, and a passion for growing the game. While his environment provided the framework to succeed in athletics, he also grew up in a culture where alcohol and substance use was associated with fun. At a relatively young age, he transformed from a participant to an initiator leading others to confront his choices. In 2021, the age of 18, things had progressed to a point where he had to make the uncomfortable decision to enter a treatment facility, talk about his insecurities and make the commitment to focus on his physical and mental health.
As a senior captain on the Dickinson Men's lacrosse team, Mac is now inspiring others though his play on the field but more so, his impact off the field. He serves as the SAAC membership chair, is a mental health and addiction awareness speaker, advocate and mentor for Athletes Better Together, Dickinson Athletics, and Generation S.O.S. He is described as purposeful, impactful, honest and strong. How does he earn such high praise? He is intentional, has empathy, and believes it's cool to care!
@macmchilds, @athletesbettertogether
Myles Amine was born into a family of wrestling champions. But once he forgot about his family’s legacy, he unlocked his own potential to achieve greatness while continuing to surround himself with mentors. By learning from mistakes and focusing on the process, his intentional training has led to more successes than those around him. He is a 5X NCAA All-American, 2X Big Ten Champion, 2022 European Champion, 2X Olympian and 2020 Olympic Bronze Medalist.
Myles shares that we are often surrounded by exceptional people that make mediocre decisions but to raise the standard, champions need to go places that most people won’t go and always aim to be the best at whatever they do physically and mentally. His mindset has led to greatness off the mat earning an MBA from Ross School of Business and a Masters in Sports Management at University of Michigan. As he transitions out of competitive athletics and becomes an amateur again, he knows as long as he sets the bar high, he will find a way to get there again.
@mylesamine, @earningearth
Tom Turcich, the tenth person to walk around the world and the first to do so with a dog, captured the world's imagination with his remarkable journey. After the death of a close friend, Tom resolved to make the most of life by seizing each day. The day before his twenty-sixth birthday, he stepped out his front door to begin an adventure spanning seven years, twenty-eight thousand miles, thirty-eight countries and over 34 pairs of shoes!
By traversing the globe on foot, Tom immersed himself in the diverse cultures and landscapes. But his expedition was not just a physical feat but a profound introspection. Each step was a testament to an unwavering commitment to self-discovery of his adaptability and capability but also his realization of his selfishness and lack of generosity compared to others.
Through encounters with strangers, weeks of solitude, and a sheer resilience of spirit, Tom emerged as a beacon of inspiration and serves as a reminder that fulfillment lies not solely in reaching a destination but in the transformative power of the journey itself. Ironically, through taking more steps in life, he developed the psychological assurance that what he is doing by staying still is enough!
Tom has been featured on CNN, BBC, Good Morning America, The Guardian, and countless other news outlets.
@theworldwalk, tomturcich.com
In the sport of water polo, Amanda Longan was “late to the pool party” as she was introduced at the age of 14. Day 1, she hated it but by day 2, she was hooked. Since then, she has excelled at every level including 2 National Championships at USC, was MPSF player of the year, NCAA player of the year and Cutino Award Winner (equivalent to the Heisman) in 2018. She has also made 6 world championships rosters winning 4 world championship gold medals. She is a 2X Olympian, gold medalist in Tokyo and now pursuing the LA Olympics in 2028.
With increased pressure and competition, Amanda found that the mental demands were far more challenging than the physical ones, so she really invested in her mindset and reminded herself that she is really that good. Despite her work ethic, talent and previous accomplishments, she later learned that being a leader does not always take place in the starting lineup. In fact, true leaders also learn how to be followers. By embracing her role and ability to make an impact regardless of circumstances, she experiences an appreciation for the opportunity to do hard things.
@amanda_longan, @usawaterpolo
In the sport of lacrosse, Julie Myers is a legend. As a player, she achieved a National Championship. As a coach, she is responsible for 2 total National Championships, 6 Final Four appearances, 5 Title Game appearances, 5 ACC Championships and 27 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. She was also National Coach of the Year in 2004, ACC Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2006 . She was inducted in the US Lacrosse Hall of fame and the IWLCA Hall of Fame. In 2022, She earned the Diane Geppi Aikens Lifetime Achievement Award.
But athletics is only part of her story. Julie’s success in sports and life is a result of grit, resilience and putting family first. Growing up, she loved competing with her siblings while appreciating how lucky she was to be able to play. As a coach, she emphasized the value of relationships and feeling connected. As a mother, she made hard decisions that kept her on the right path.
In one of the biggest tragedies to affect the lacrosse communities, the death of Yeardley Love to abuse by an ex-boyfriend, Julie Myers realized that who she was and what she accomplished was just a drop in the bucket of life but also learned that every drop is incredibly important. With the beginning on The One Love Foundation, she was determined to make her ripple bigger by creating social change, raising awareness about relationship abuse and educating about relationship health. Now as CEO, she is responsible for ultimately teaching us all to “Love Better.”
Julie Myers’ message and legacy show us that, “It is amazing what people can do, especially when they have to.”
@join1love
Maddie Prohaska was initially drawn to soccer to spend time with her friends but fell in love with the goalie position because it was, “weird, different, unique.” It also produced special moments where it was all on her. As her career evolved, so did her mindset from “nothing else matters, I will give up everything” to” I will strive to strike what’s important for my physical and mental performance.”
Not surprisingly, by thinking about things differently, she started to train differently using visualization, journaling, meditation and reframing her approach on the field. The results were record breaking. At University of Auburn, Maddie played over 96 matches with 36 shutouts! She was a 2022 Golden Glove Winner and 2023 Team Captain. In March 2025, she signed with Seattle Reign FC and in June 2025, she was selected to the Team USA U23 team.
She shares that she didn’t always believe she was capable but started to once she realized others did. By focusing on her feelings and identifying her values off the field, she is able to be where her feet are typically stopping a soccer ball and giving her team a chance to win!
@m.proha
Despite growing up in a hockey family and living in a hockey town, Casey Dornbach was taught early on that if he wasn’t passionate about it, he didn’t need to do it. But he fell in love with the process of growth, striving for something and the feeling that comes from learning and getting better. At Harvard, whether in difficult classes or the challenge on a D1 sport, he “honored the gifts he was given” and did everything to the best of his ability. As a professional hockey player, he has dedicated time and intentionality to his mental training resulting in the mindset to believe that he “can make mistakes but also be his best,”
As the Founder of Whole Hockey Group, Casey is redefining what it means to train like a pro—blending neuroscience, breathwork, and game IQ to prepare the next generation for success on and off the ice. He gives rising players what he wishes he had: a system built around longevity, elite skill detail, and internal growth. Now in its second year, WHG has become a trusted path for high-level athletes seeking to elevate their game.
@caseydornbach, @wholehockeygroup
Dominic Pietramala is a standout collegiate lacrosse player who made a major impact during the 2025 season. He was named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List, recognizing him as one of the nation’s elite players. Pietramala earned All-ACC honors and was named an Honorable Mention All-American by both the USILA and Inside Lacrosse, while also being selected to the USA Lacrosse Second Team All-America. He led the ACC in goals this past season, showcasing his scoring ability and leadership on the field.
Before his collegiate success, Pietramala was one of the top high school players in the country—winning the prestigious C. Markland Kelly Award as Maryland’s top high school player and being named the Mid-Atlantic Boys Player of the Year during his senior season.
As a younger player, Dom was initially motivated to be the best version of himself to gain his father’s approval, but once he learned to be the best for himself, his game went to another level. When so many players want to be like their role models, he grew up wanting to be different. When others try to overcome their perceived limitations, he utilizes them to excel even further. When others have the ultimate dream of winning awards and championships, Dom’s dream was always to play for his dad alongside his brother. In storybook fashion, last season his dream came true during a breakout game against Johns Hopkins, on the same field where his father left an irreplaceable legacy!
@dompietramala
Alex Guerrero is one of the key reasons that Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski and so many other legends have found success. When it comes to recovery, so many other trainers and practitioners focus on self-imposed physical timelines, but Alex is different. Using his background and training in holistic Chinese medicine, he integrates physical, emotional and spiritual components to improve strength and relief exponentially faster.
By setting higher expectations for his athletes and changing their negative neuromuscular responses, his athletes start to learn and believe they can do things that others can’t do. By training athletes to see and remember positive experiences, he trains their bodies to respond ultimately accomplishing things that other athletes dream about.
Alex is also a father, grandfather, author and collaborator for Tom Brady’s TB12 brand. He teaches us the secret to being elite “by focusing on the better” and that, “We can’t be afraid to get worse, to get better.”
@ag_tb12, @tb12sports
Liz is a 3x Olympian and Canadian record-holder in javelin, now a dedicated holistic performance coach. From her own experiences, she has learned the ability to sensitive oneself to the process, invest into the learning process and train to appreciate delayed gratification. But when it’s time to compete, she has a routine that dials her in and helps her realize that “It’s her runaway, just her and a stick!”
As a performance coach, she draws upon her own learned experience about the importance of the emotional state, and she helps athletes strategically optimize their time and energy investments to accelerate results and avoid burnout. Liz guides individuals to uncover the highest return on investment (ROI) strategies for their unique journey. Her philosophy centers on working smarter by addressing the entire human – physical, mental, emotional, and social – not just the athlete. She shares her strategies and systems in her course, the Peak Performance Accelerator.
Liz helps us understand that every challenge is a learning experience and we have the power to choose to learn now or look for the lesson later.
@javelizz
Jill Schulman is a former U.S. Marine Corps Officer, leadership development expert and founder of Breakthrough Leadership Group. She also has a master’s in Applied Positive Psychology. Jill has dedicated her career to studying the science of bravery, resilience, and peak performance, drawing on disciplines such as psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science. Her work merges the academic rigor of research with practical tools that help individuals and teams increase their performance, resilience and well-being. Her upcoming book, The Bravery Effect is the culmination of years of exploration, offering evidence-based strategies for increasing bravery by developing a courageous mindset, taking bold actions, and building brave relationships. In short, Jill helps people do hard things—and loves it!
@jillschulman, www.jillschulman.com
Sierra Enge is a professional soccer player for Racing Strasbourg in France. She started her career in the US, playing for the San Diego Wave in the NWSL. She received her BA and MA from Stanford University ('22) where she was a five-year member and captain of the soccer team which won a National Championship in 2019 and 3 Pac-12 titles. Sierra was named the 2022 Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the year.
In addition to her soccer career, Sierra is a mentor for Female Footballers and Athletes Better Together as well as an advocate for mental health. She works with Athletes for Hope and Katie's Save to increase conversations around mental health and wellness. Her passion and lived experiences have led Sierra to creating communities and spaces where people feel comfortable talking about the challenges and struggles, they are facing.
@sierraenge, @femfootballers, @athletesbettertogether
Miles is a former student-athlete (Elon FB 2X team captain)turned award-winning educator and school principal. After nearly a decade leading in classrooms and communities, Miles now focuses on storytelling, mental health advocacy, and building platforms that center love, equity, and wellness. Known for his powerful voice on identity, transition, and healing, he brings lived experience and deep empathy to every conversation. Whether it’s in schools or on sidelines, Miles is all about helping people show up whole.
His passion and purpose come from lived personal experiences and the mindset to develop a true understanding on how to define and implement the concepts that he teaches. Miles shares the importance of communication through listening and empathy which creates a community that inspires and allows us to feel like the wealthiest people in the world.
@themileswill
Allisen Corpus was introduced to the game of golf at the age 4 by her father and older brother. She played through a few junior circuits and ultimately went to USC where she became a 2X NCAA All-American. In 2021, she turned pro and has earned several top 10 finishes on the LPGA tour.
Allisen shares the importance of making sure that no one shot defines her by reinforcing the mindset that, “The most important shot is the next one.” By focusing on her pre-shot routine she is able to relax into her shots and make sure she is comfortable in the most difficult situations. Despite some injuries, she has trusted in her process, reminded herself that everything happens for a reason and had faith that golf will come around again when she is ready.
Her support system and approach to her sport have allowed her to experience meaningful opportunities, see iconic places and live so many “pinch me” moments on and off the course.
@allysoncorpuz
Jackson Heidesch is a sophomore on the Duke Cross Country and Track and Field teams. Hailing from Iowa, Jackson first made national headlines by winning the NXR Heartland Regional in 2022, earning the nickname “The King of Iowa” from The Running Effect. His momentum carried into a historic 2023 season: he won the mile at New Balance Indoor Nationals, shattered the coveted 4-minute mile barrier at the HOKA Festival of Miles, and captured victory at the prestigious Brooks PR Invitational.
Following his historic senior year, Jackson has faced a series of injuries that sidelined him for much of his freshman and sophomore seasons at Duke. The physical setbacks were compounded by mental health challenges, as he battled depression that turned training into dread and everyday life into a struggle. Through it all, Jackson discovered a deeper resilience, sharing openly about his experiences with therapy, medication, and the slow, patient process of rebuilding his love for running.
Now redshirted and healthier, Jackson has embraced a broader mission: to speak out on the importance of mental health in athletics. Whether competing at the highest level or advocating for mental health awareness, Jackson Heidesch is committed to making a lasting impact both on and off the track. His journey is one of resilience, community, and a relentless belief in moving forward—no matter how difficult the path may be.
@jacksonheidesch, @duketfxc
In the Rodger’s household, Dona and Kurt discussed everything they could ever imagine their children would encounter. Nothing was too uncomfortable to talk about including alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. However, the one subject they never discussed was mental health, not because they avoided it but because it never came up. They were fortunate to have a close loving family, and their kids were safe, supported, loved and most importantly, happy.
Their daughter Morgan was a bright student, a talented athlete, a gifted artist, a lover of music and dancing and a loyal friend. She achieved her dream to play lacrosse at Duke University. In January 2017, just before her sophomore season, she experienced a devastating knee injury along with other stressors but feelings of isolation and being misunderstood along with the stigma of reaching out for help prevented her from getting the help and support she deserved. Morgan Rodgers died by suicide July 11, 2019, at the age of 22.
In the wake of this tragedy, her friends and family have created something so meaningful and powerful. What was supposed to just be podcast to share stories has turned into an internationally recognized nonprofit called Morgans Message that is impacting thousands of student athletes. While the organization has grown beyond anything imaginable, the message is simple: You are not alone, there is always someone in your corner.
In this episode Morgan’s mother Dona shares her passion, her purpose and her unwavering pride for her daughter, her love of her family, her gratitude for daughter’s friends and her respect for the athletes who have chosen to take a shot at mental health.
@morgansmessage
WARNING: This episode contains sensitive material including comments about suicide that may be triggering to some listeners. If you are struggling with thoughts of self harm, please contact a mental health professional or dial 988.
Kylie Ohlmiller is a true legend in the sport of Lacrosse. Her accomplishments include 2X Tewaaraton Finalist, 4X NCAA All-American, 2022 Team USA Gold Medalist and Professional lacrosse player with the NY Charging. She is also the Founder of KO17 Lacrosse, Owner KO17 Lacrosse App and Co-Founder of TBD Lacrosse.
However, what is most impressive is her journey through two devastating knee injuries, surgeries and rehabs within a two-year period. During a time when women’s lacrosse was gaining massive notoriety and exposure, she was asking herself, “why now, why me, why is this happening?” Because she had already developed and was actively training her mindset pre-injury, she was able to dedicate more time to her process. Instead of just trusting that things happened for a reason, Kylie went further to find the reasons creating a challenge that inspired her competitive spirit.
Not only did she return to her sport, but she also scored the first ever goal in the history of the WLL Champs Series! While others celebrated her record, she is celebrating the wins along the way including her relationship with the game that has introduced lifelong friends, her fiancé, travel around the world and the ability to inspire young girls to grow the game she loves. For Kylie Ohlmiller, her new definition is success is so simple: suiting up, catching, shooting and running up and down the field!
@kylieohlmiller17, @ko17lacrosse
Madison Doucette is a 2x World Champion with Team USA and a current pro lacrosse player for the New York Charging. She recently set a record in sixes lacrosse for the most saves made in a championship series game and holds the saves per game record at both Northwestern and Johns Hopkins, where she played collegiately.
However, her first love was hockey, and her father was her coach. While her dad expected a lot from all his players, he made sure he was composed, consistent and always checked in. As such, Madison never dreaded the ride home and embodies many of her father’s traits in own athletic career.
Even though she is the player to represent the US in all three disciplines of lacrosse, which demands variability, she created a process that she can replicate and a mindset that allows her to believe that “the only thing going in the net is her.” As a currently student manager, she has combined her father’s coaching style with her experience as a player to take the perspective and approach of consistency, transparence and gratitude. As she plainly states, “I am just here for the vibes!”
@_madisondoucette
Not only did Colleen Magarity grow up playing multiple sports, but she also excelled in them. In fact, she was specifically told by her Team USA lacrosse coach that she, “will make the team because she played basketball.” Given her diversity in athletics, she was rarely hurt, had better situational awareness than others and could play both offense and defense. She was ultimately inducted into Germantown Academy Hall of fame Inductee for Soccer, Basketball, and Lacrosse. More importantly, learning how to play on different teams serving different roles allowed her the mental toughness to adapt to various challenges within the college game.
At Northwestern University, she incorporated mental skills training into her physical training setting her up to win 3 National Championships, become an All-American, NCAA All-Tournament and serve as captain for the 2011 team.
Colleen is now the director girl's HHH lacrosse club, and the head coach of Penn Charter's girl's lacrosse team where she has taken them from not ranked to a nationally top ranked High School Program. She also serves as Head Coach of the WLL New York Charging. Her ability to connect with her players personally, keep her all-stars humble and use mental training to help them adapt to challenges has earned her the respect of all players youth, collegiate and professional.
She doesn’t just preach true mental toughness, she lives it!
@cmagarkelly, @hhhphillygirls, @limitlessphilly_ksp
Like many elite athletes, Kate Daley grew up playing multiple sports and only considered indoor track in high school as it provided social opportunities and allowed her to “get her homework done between events!” However, once she realized the ability to consistently improve, break new barriers and feel a sense of accomplishment, she caught the “running bug.” As her career evolved, she needed to shift her mindset around success but also health and nutrition.
As a retired collegiate distance runner, registered dietician and mental health therapist, Kate has combined her own athletic experiences, educational background and personal struggles with an eating disorder to treat athletes struggling with eating disorders. She also continues to study weight stigma, trauma, and disordered eating in marginalized populations.
She is passionate about taking a non-diet, weight-inclusive approach to sport psychology and nutrition as well as instilling hope that recovery is always possible.
@katedaleynutrition, @athlete_edge_at_edcare
Danny O’Connor was an honor roll student, a Massachusetts HS wrestling state champion, and a nationally ranked wrestler as a sophomore in high school. By his junior year, he was failing every class, dropped out of school, fell into substance abuse, experienced homelessness, and had 22 involvements with the criminal justice system before adult age. He was on a path destined for prison or death.
In just two years two years after finding boxing, he became a two-time national amateur champion, ranked #1 in the U.S., and traveled the world as part of Team USA. He made the United States Olympic boxing team, turned professional, won 31 fights, and became the WBC International Champion. He was ranked in the top 5 in all major sanctioning bodies, managed and mentored by the Dropkick Murphys, and fought on HBO, Showtime Sports, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and more.
However, the hardest and longest battle he fought was not on a mat or in the ring but rather with his eating disorder. The very same discipline that led to his success also led to his demise taking away his dreams and almost his life. Danny shares his incredible story and struggles in hopes that others can learn from his mistakes and be inspired from his resilience.
@therealdannyoconnor, www.doboxingacademy.com
Becca Mann is a writer and athlete. A member of the USA Swimming National Team from 2012 until 2021, Becca is a 2x USA National Champion and was the youngest person ever to place in the Top 10 in 4 events at a single Olympic Trials. She has also represented Team USA at 4 World Championships. Becca initially fell in love with the solitude, power and efficiency that swimming offered but was ultimately motivated by the ability to consistently achieve goals. Whether moving to a more advanced lane, breaking a school record, breaking a state record or becoming a world champion, each small goal led to an even bigger one. No matter how big the goal was, her mindset stayed the same. She maintained the same pre-race routine (as it had worked before) and reminded herself that every meet was the most important meet of her life.
After missing her 3rd Olympic team, she decided that if she was going to walk away, she would need to do something that had never been done before. With clear understanding and mastery of her mental strengths and vulnerabilities including OCD, she became the first person to have consecutively swum the triangle between the Hawaiian islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. This life defining experience allowed her to redefine her relationship with swimming and reminded herself that it is supposed to be fun.
Becca Mann shares her struggles, insights and knowledge in her latest book, “Outside the Lanes.”
@becca__mann
Emily Hawryschuk has been standout player her entire career. She is the all-time career goals leader at Syracuse, 2X All-American and 3X First Team All-ACC Selection. She has been involved with Team USA since 2013 and secured 2 gold medals at both the prestigious Super Sixes tournament and the first ever Women's Box Lacrosse Championships. Most recently she earned the Golden Stick Award and All- Tournament Team Honors at the inaugural Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL) Champ series.
However, her introduction to lacrosse was unique and her love for the game came from a perspective of healing exemplifying why they call it “the medicine game.” What most fans don’t realize is that Hawryschuk still considers herself a nervous player and has chosen to acknowledge her thought and accept her feelings and always come back to her preparation. While she appears naturally calm with a quiet but intentional intensity, she has developed this mindset through extensive training. Whether she is navigating a physical challenge or mental obstacle, she reminds herself that “She will not quit.”
As founder and head coach of 51 Stars Lacrosse, she is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of women's lacrosse players by focusing on both on-field skills and off-field personal development, ensuring athletes excel in all aspects of the game.
@ejaneh803 @51starslacrosse
Like so many elite athletes, Carly Nelson grew up playing multiple different sports and was attracted to soccer because she could run around with her friends and kick a ball. She was both a field player and a goalie until a pivotal moment at age 15. During a typical game while playing goalie, she saved a great shot and experienced feelings of excitement, euphoria, validation, appreciation and ultimate confidence realizing, “I can do this!”
Despite this life changing moment, she was talented enough in college that she didn’t fully understand the work ethic required to be great. That was until she sustained a severe concussion and learned that her sport could be taken away from her at any moment. She also learned the critical values of self-talk, discipline, and effort through the unlikeliest of circumstances. After 4 years at the University of Utah, achieved her goal of becoming a professional athlete where she has played for the last 5 years for the Seattle Reign, Kansas City Current, Orlando Pride, Utah Royals FC.
Carly explains however that while many consider professional sports a dream, it’s really a job and it began to take away the joy, excitement, and validation she once felt. As hard as it was to get into pro sports, she made an even harder choice to step away. By taking care of her own health and wellness and appreciating herself, she is highlighting that if we want people to show up for us, we need to show up for ourselves. Showing up for ourselves might include walking away from something we love.
@carly_nelson
For Katherine Shai, the sport of wrestling is embedded into the culture of her family. Her father was an Olympic wrestler, Olympic coach and was instrumental in growing the sport of women’s wrestling. Her sister was also an elite wrestler. She was drawn into it for its competitiveness and intensity but excelled once she understood the power of choice. By choosing to show up for herself and choosing how to train regardless of the outcome, she created the process to achieve success at every level. She became a 2X College National Champion. Senior National Champion, University World Champion, 7X Team USA National Team member and a 2X Olympic Alternate.
More importantly, she helped give the sport a platform where others could advocate for themselves, get more opportunities and achieve the unthinkable like winning Olympic Gold Medals for USA in women’s wrestling. She has also used her experiences to create LuchaFit which is a series of resources including articles and workshops to address gaps in education, mental preparation and athlete well-being.
Whether or not you get your hand raised at the end of a match, Katherine Shai teaches us to anchor into our values and choose to come back Monday!
@katherineshai, @lucha.fit
Matthew S. Ibrahim, PhD(c), CSCS, LMT, is a strength and conditioning coach, college professor, public speaker, author, and founder of Athletic Performance University (APU). Currently, he serves as Clinical Coordinator/Instructor of Exercise Science and Co-Advisor of The Hidden Opponent chapter at Endicott College.
Initially drawn to strength and conditioning for the structure, routine and discipline, he started to see the impact on self-efficacy, problem solving and positive change.
He has shared his knowledge and experience in over 25 U.S. states at prestigious venues such as the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), Perform Better, EXOS at Google Headquarters, Sports Academy (formerly Mamba), UFC Performance Institute, Duke University, Stanford University, and Equinox, along with several engagements across Europe. His professional work and expertise have been featured in leading platforms and publications, including Muscle & Fitness, Men’s Journal, NSCA Personal Training Quarterly, Science for Sport, and T-Nation.
As an author, Matthew is set to release his first book through Human Kinetics in July 2025: “Train Like a Pro: Programming to Develop Your Inner Athlete”.
@matthewibrahim_, www.athleticperformanceu.com
In the sport of lacrosse, Marcus Holman is the standard of ultimate success. He was a 3X NCAA All-American at UNC Chapel Hill, 11X Pro All-Star, 2017 MLL Championship MVP, 3X Team USA Member, 2023 PLL Attackman of the Year and is currently 3rd All time in Pro Goals Scored. However, he will be the first to tell you that he has never been the best player, but he truly enjoys the process of getting better each day. In addition to training physically, he focuses on being present and remembers, “to play with emotion but don’t play emotional.”
Marcus’ is not only the son of a lacrosse coach but also the husband of another professional lacrosse player. He shares both the challenges and unique relationship with lacrosse that he gets to experience. For him, this is truly a family affair!
@marcusholman1
Anthony Pecorella is a Division 1 football punter, cancer survivor and mental health advocate. Like so many elite student athletes, he played multiple sports until he became a specialty player as a quarterback, kicker and punter. When given the opportunity to play at University of Maryland, a Big10 program, all seemed to be going well until it wasn’t. One night, while with family and friends, he heard a voice in his head saying that “he would not make it until tomorrow.” In that moment, he learned that “someone could have the biggest smile on their face while fighting the biggest war in their head.”
Fortunately, that moment passed but shortly after, he was faced with the hardest but most rewarding period in his life. Diagnosed with cancer, he began his treatments on a pediatric floor where he was inspired by so many young kids who taught him that, “if they can do it (fight), he can do.” In particular, a 3-year-old named Elianna taught him the power of resilience, friendship and how to “Just Keep Swimming!”
While Eli is now gone physically, her legacy and mindset lives on in Anthony as he shares his story, her story, and so many others who are struggling physically and mentally. Through his speeches and advocacy work, the message is simple. “Give each moment your all because tomorrow is not promised and always keep 10 toes on the ground”
@ant_pec98, @healthyminds____
Allie Coyle is the head coach of the Montgomery Blair Boys Soccer Varsity team. Over the last 3 years as the head coach of the Varsity Boys Soccer, she has led the team to numerous titles including: 2x County Division Champions (2022, 2023), 2x Maryland 4A Region Champions (2022, 2024), Maryland 4A Semifinalist (2022), and, most recently, Maryland 4A State Champions (2024).
Through numerous injuries as an athlete that required multiple surgeries, she learned that it doesn’t matter how bad you get knocked down, what matters is how you get up. She knew her teammates needed her, and she needed them. While working as a teacher as an adult, a group of boys lost their coach mid-season and approached her to help. By saying yes and showing up for them, they began to show up for each other. Allie instilled her refusal to take no for an answer coupled with a culture a positivity.
The outcome is remarkable. Coyle became the first female of a boys’ soccer team to win the State Championship in the state of Maryland. This fall she not only brought in the coveted trophy but earned the title of Maryland’s Large Public High School Coach of the Year by the Maryland Association of Coaches of Soccer, as well as the Boys Soccer Coach of the Year from the Washington Post’s All Met.
@coach.coyle, @montblairsoccer
Ally Sentnor grew up playing multiple sports, but soccer held a special place because on Saturday morning, soccer was always followed by Dunkin Donuts! By age 11, she committed to the sport itself and looked for every opportunity to improve. When it came time to choose a college program, she picked UNC not necessarily because it was the best soccer program and would make her the best player but because UNC would make her the best person given the focus on core values and building a culture of excellence through discomfort and chosen adversity.
Ironically, sustaining a serious injury and navigating the psychological challenges she didn’t expect allowed her the opportunity to grow even more. By meeting with a sports psychologist and learning to better communicate her feelings, she gained a deeper appreciation for the concept of resilience, which was the core value she initially identified with. Her successes include 2019 Sports Illustrated Sports Kid of the year, , NCAA All-American, FIFA World Cup Bronze Medalist, US National team member since age 14 and 2024 First Overall pick NWSL draft. Through it all, she understands that being true to your values is the secret to increase motivation, satisfaction, happiness and ultimately success.
@allysentnor
Colleen Rue’s relationship with fitness has evolved over the years. Starting as a dancer and drill team member in high school, she transitioned to a fitness, aerobics, spin instructor then began running marathons, triathlons and ironman ultramarathons. While the events got harder, her connections with others grew stronger instilling a confidence that she could do anything if they believed in her.
In addition to being a 2x Ironman finisher (with plenty of 70.3 finishes too!) and having 20+ years of experience as a coach, personal trainer and fitness instructor, she stands on the other side of the start and finish line with 10+ years of experience as an event host, speaker, emcee and race announcer. Her ability to truly understand what competitors are going through, meet them where they are at, identify what they need at any given moment and offer a level of support they didn’t realize they needed has allowed her to create deep connections, fosters participant’s personal growth, and develops bonds for life.
Colleen Rue has the privilege of having a front row seat to see the struggle and heroic journey that endurance event participants’ go through and chooses to see the best in others for who they are and what they have to offer.
@voiceofthemountain, @colleenrue
Growing up, Mitch Mathews didn’t know what hard was. He enjoyed what he was doing and was good at it. That was until the age of 25 when he lost his mother and his football career in the same weekend. These experiences lead to 3 years of pain and anger until he finally learned that hurt people hurt other people, but healed people can heal other people.
This shift in mindset led him to give his life the theme, “Redefine Hard” where he started improving his perspective on life through doing hard things repeatedly. These experiences not only help authenticate and heal himself but also expose him to others where he can learn their stories.
This former NFL athlete turned entrepreneur is using his chosen and unexpected adversity to accomplish 3 major “hard” goals that he hopes will impact millions of people. Mitch Mathews wants to break a world record by 34 years old, be the entrepreneur of the year in Utah by 39 years old and plans to give away $50 million dollars away in his lifetime.
@mitchmathews10
TJ Malone is largely known for his accomplishments on the field including PLL Rookie of the Year, 2x All-American, 2x All-Big Ten Offensive player of the year and 2-time Tewaaraton Award nominee for the Penn State Lacrosse program. However, what he loves most is his process off the field. In fact, he prefers practice over games, uses wall ball as a form of meditation and believes in the power of “kaizen” or continuous improvement.
By devoting hours to practice and falling in love with process over product and visualizing the feeling he wants vs the outcome he desires, he has been able to overcome various obstacles or adversity. Instead, he creates moments that he will remember for the rest of his life versus living with feelings of defeat. TJ chooses a mindset that takes him away from “I CAN’T” through “I CAN” and all the way to “I GET TO!”
@tjmalone1
Marc Hodulich is an avid adventurer, accomplished entrepreneur and proud father of two boys. While he has founded and exited multiple event series converging community, athletics and philanthropy, he is likely most known as the CEO and Co-Founder of 29029. This is an uphill premium endurance challenge that asks participants to hike up a major ski mountain, take a gondola down and repeat until they ascend 29029 feet or the equivalent height of Mt. Everest.
As Marc describes, 29029 combines a physical obstacle, mental adversity, sleep deprivation, hunger, and unpredictable elements of weather to create an experience that helps one find out who they really are. Marc also explains his mindset as an endurance athlete who has completed this challenge 15x along with several 100-mile events and an Ironman triathlon. He discusses his definition of endurance and the ability to make a choice between what we don’t want to do vs what we are able to do.
Through his experiences and business, he appreciates the opportunity to establish connections and relationships, help others become their best, and allow vulnerability and authenticity to bring out the best in himself. Marc is telling his own story while helping others write theirs as well.
@marc29029, @29029everesting, @29092trail
Growing up in a sports family, John Armistead always had a ball in his hand and found success at an early age. In fact, he relied on his talent too much while neglecting the mental side of sports. When he found himself without any college athletic offers, he needed to shift his mindset to create an opportunity by making an impact on the field, in the weightroom and in the classroom.
He traveled across the country to play lacrosse at Richmond for 4 years then took his 5th year to go back west and play football and one of the most historic and prestigious programs in USC. While he didn’t focus on mental health growing up, he quickly learned how important it was while balancing athletics, academics, and college life. Navigating severe injuries also tested his identity without sport and forced him to find satisfaction in new things when his usual things were no longer there.
John is now combing his personal experience and passion to help others to build a platform called AthletesTogether to create awareness, community and actionable resources.
@athletestogether, @johnarmistead
Valarie Cagle essentially grew up on a diamond as her siblings played baseball and softball. Practicing with her father, she learned how to become a player before becoming a pitcher. Her approach to the game translated to the collegiate level where she played and excelled at multiple positions at Clemson earning awards as a pitcher and hitter. Throughout her collegiate career, she became a 4X All-American, 4X All-ACC honoree, and ACC Player of the Year in 2021 and 2023. In 2023, she was also named as USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, NCAA D1 Softball Player of the Year, and Rawlings Gold Glove award winner.
Despite her tremendous success on the field, she struggled with her identity and faced several challenges that impacted her mental health off the field. She was so focused on being the player others needed her to be that she lost sight of the person she wanted to be. By learning to give herself permission to take care of herself and prioritize things she enjoyed doing, she redefined her relationship with the sport including her role on the field.
Valarie candidly shares that while we may see athletes smiling on the field, it does not show their entire story. She also explains that while others often remember us for what we did, it’s much more important to be remembered for who we are.
@val_cagle
Growing up in a lower income household as the 5th of 6 kids, Kevin Krause did not have some of the privileges that others had and while he always knew there would be food on the table, he didn’t get to choose what he would eat. Early on, he learned that if he worked hard, he could earn the freedom to make his own choices.
While he stumbled into law enforcement as a career, his work ethic combined with his love of physical activity allowed him to excel and better handle the stress of his job. His appreciation for people and experiences caused him to invest in life outside of work by prioritizing scheduled and meaningful trips with friends and family evolving into what is now known as “Kevins rule.”
Kevin takes an intentional approach to his job, family, friends, fitness and other “boxes he needs to check” on a daily basis. As such, while others focus on the pain and discomfort of completing a major endurance event like riding a bike for 100 days x 14 days across country, climbing the equivalent of Mt. Everest in a weekend or completing an Ironman, Kevin looks at these challenges as a vacation!
Kevin Krause has been a law enforcement officer for 30 years, Ironman, winter mountaineer. He has completed two 100-mile races, finished Boston marathon in 2:28 and biked across America. He is a husband and father of 4. However, he believes that he is just, “an ordinary man doing extraordinary things!”
Darian Cruz was always a huge dreamer working to chase the next great thing. Exposed to wrestling at age 4, he didn’t have to look far to find his heroes. They lived in his house or went to his local high school. Every Wednesday and Friday evening at the local dual meet, he witnessed how champions looked and acted. By surrounding himself with greatness and “keeping the main focus the main focus,” his own ideas turned into thoughts and ultimately became beliefs.
That belief system has been continuously tested with adversity, but he keeps learning to struggle well which lights a fire that motivates him even further. He has gone from a 2X Pennsylvania State Champ to a 3X NCAA D1 All-American to an NCAA National Champion and most recently he achieved the ultimate dream of becoming an Olympian competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Darian shares his experiences, his perspective and the evolution of his mindset that have helped him become the man he is today, continues to be and wants to be in the future.
@dariantoicruz.pur
Lindsey Wilson is a mindset and mental performance coach best known as The Sports Hypnotist™. With a professional basketball career spanning close to a decade, Lindsey took her knowledge of the mental game to work with collegiate athletes, professional athletes from Olympians and players in the NFL and WNBA, all the way to youth athletes.
She is the founder of Positive Performance™ and The Mindset Coach Academy™ where she helps aspiring mental performance coaches start their dream business and impact lives. She’s also the author of the upcoming book Think Like an Athlete which teaches the critical and undertrained skill of belief and how to build it to be successful on the playing field and off.
Lindsey’s exposure to mental performance came at age 16 and completely changed her perspective on how to navigate physical training with her mental barriers. She also learned the power of belief and importance of consistently training it to achieve the highest goals. Despite a successful career, she did fall short of her ultimate athletic goals but is using that experience and message to create and surpass her professional goals! Her mission is to teach mental performance tools so that coaches can have a massive impact on athletes’ performance, enjoyment of competing and life.
@lindseypositiveperform
Dr. Michael Gervais is a high-performance psychologist, national bestselling author, and one of the world’s leading experts on the relationship between the mind and human performance. His clients include the NFL’s Super Bowl Champions, Seattle Seahawks, world record holders, Olympians, MVPs from every major sport, internationally acclaimed music artists, and Fortune 50 CEO’s. He is also the co-creator of the Performance Science Institute at the USC Marshall School of Business and has been featured in premier media outlets including NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, ESPN, NFL Network, Red Bull TV, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Outside Magazine, WIRED, Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine.
As the host of the Finding Mastery podcast, he explores the psychology of the world’s most extraordinary thinkers and doers. Through his work and conversations, he explains how the top 1% have a fundamental commitment to be the very best leading them to seek out information and practices to train their mind.
Dr. Gervais also discusses the difference between mental toughness vs. psychological agility and how we can use specific mental training techniques to become better versions of ourselves, stop worrying about what others think of us and improve performance.
@michaelgervais
Lanni Brown grew up surrounded by basketball. Her father, Dee Brown, was an NBA legend with the Boston Celtics. Her sister is currently playing in the WNBA and her brother is a D1 Basketball player. While she also found success in the sport, she faced lots of comparisons with her family, struggled to separate her self identity from her performance and ultimately realized that she was “not feeling basketball.”
Her transition to the D1 level exacerbated her struggle as she felt different from her teammates because she didn’t love her sport and even felt selfish, ungrateful and guilty that she was getting a scholarship despite not being fully invested. Lanni chose to shift her mindset and focus on energy, positivity and enjoying the moments and making an impact in her own way.
Since her competitive career has ended, she is pursuing a Master’s at Jacksonville University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with the plan to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology She is combining her personal experiences and education to better support student athletes as an advocate, ambassador and future clinician.
@alanni.noelle
Dee Brown was a 12-year NBA legend and member on the 1990’s Boston Celtics all decade team.
While so many young kids dream of the NBA, Dee Brown just wanted to use basketball to get a free college education. By creating a process, locking in and having no fear of failing, he found himself as the 19th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in 1990. Having the opportunity to play alongside legends like Larry Bird, he learned how to focus on solutions vs successes, apply mindfulness to sport and the power of information, motivation and inspiration.
By mastering these concepts, he was also able to build a level of confidence and trust in himself to make up an iconic dunk on the spot that was memorialized and recreated years later. Through his experiences as a player, coach, parent and now an administrator at Jacksonville U, Dee Brown shares the “B principles” that are necessary for a championship culture in sports, school and life.
@deebrown_og
Sydney Moore is a Division 1 Volleyball player at Syracuse University pursuing her master’s in marketing. Before Syracuse, Sydney was a senior captain at Cornell University where she majored in psychology with a focus in neuroscience and human development. Her initial love was basketball but as the pressure increased, her confidence decreased and her motivation to improve became fear based, she found volleyball as a refreshing change. As her understanding of health and wellness grew, so did her interest in pursuing information for herself and others.
Sydney created a video podcast titled, “Let’s Talk About It” which discusses and advocates for important topics that affect student-athletes such as mental health, gender equity, going pro, and more. In 2022 Sydney was awarded the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award at the ESPYs for her work to introduce the Fair Play for Women Act into Congress and was named one of Glamour Magazine’s College Women of the Year 2023.
Sydney discusses her own process and passion that embodies the characteristics for which she has been recognized including intelligence, bravery, confidence and compassion. She has worked so hard to find her own voice and is using that voice to empower other female athletes.
@ssydney.mmoore
Born with cerebral palsy, Kyle Pease knew his life was different and understood he would always need help but believed he could do everything others could do. His family believed the same and chose a mindset of relentless optimism to focus on what he can do vs cant’t do. He graduated from Kennesaw State University with a degree in sports management and partnered with his brother Brent Pease for a creer total 125 races including making history as the first push-assist brother duo to complete the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.
While Brent’s resume includes 11 Ironman events and several 70.3 and Olympic distance triathlons, he shares countless examples of being physically broken needing his brother, Kyle to work even harder mentally to inspire them both to realize, “where there's a wheel, there's a way!”
Like many siblings, Brent and Kyle tease eachother, yell at eachother and show unconditional love for eachother. Through their nonprofit, the Kyle Pease Foundation, they have championed more than 100 athletes across 1000+ events and raised more than $10 million in aid. They have offered support through programs such as scholarship opportunities, purchasing adaptive sports equipment and participating in educational campaigns about cerebral palsy and other disabilities.
By going through this journey together, they have both become better brothers, better friends and better men by becoming better, “one mile at a time. “
@bpease9, @thekylepeasefoundation
On the field, Ashley Hatch has dominated the game of soccer as a 2-time NCAA All-American at BYU, US Women’s National Team member with 21 appearances, 2017 NWSL Rookie of the year, the Washington Spirit’s all time leading scorer, 2021 Best Player of the Year and 2022 ESPY award winner.
Off the field, she has worked even harder establishing a foundation of undeniable belief through every stage and phase of her career. This mindset has grown with her commitment to mental training where she devotes intentional time and energy to learning actionable skills that have directly led to her success and confidence despite several setbacks Including major injuries and recently missing the World Cup Roster for 2025.
“Hatchy” as she is known by her teammates, is described as, a professional in every sense of the word, one of the most process-oriented people, someone who can create something out of nothing, and a really special human who is absolutely goated!”
@ash_smash33
Shaylee Ungos has a special connection with Volleyball; it is a part of her Hawaiian culture, and her parents met each other playing the sport. However, she really fell in love with the sport while living in Korea on a military base during Covid. It provided an outlet and ability to see her friends when she would be otherwise isolated. Without the resources, coaching and support that other elite athletes in America are afforded, she created her own process largely training alone and used social media as a tool to document and track her progress but also develop content for recruiting.
Ironically, it was documentation of a major injury and the pain of losing her sense of self as an athlete that opened her eyes to how much support and love she had all along and inspired her smile at the little things and appreciate every piece of joy. In addition to redefining her relationship with sports, she also redefined her relationship with social media and become more intentional about creating and consuming. In doing so, she improved not only her p[physical but also mental health.
She is currently a collegiate volleyball player, THO Campus Captain, an awesome mental health advocate, and a content creator for student-athletes who has built her own social media following to over 50k followers while helping others learn how to capitalize on NIL. Shaylee has even partnered with United Sports Abroad a non-profit that supports military kids like herself with recruiting, media exposure, and camp or tournament opportunities.
@shayleeungosvb
The Aumiller Sisters had it all. Or so they thought. Star collegiate lacrosse players, who graduated and landed jobs on Wall Street, married amazing men, and then moved back to their hometown of Baltimore to start their families. But their lives soon unraveled as they were confronted with the challenge of their lifetimes -- infertility.
In heartbreaking meetings with doctors, they were each told they would never have children. What followed was a decade long quest to prove the doctors wrong. Through grit and determination, digging into the mindset learned through athletics, they endured years of miscarriages, failed IVFs, painful D&C’s, the shattering loss of a newborn, and the birth of an “extreme preemie” with special needs.
Their memoir, Bitches on IVF, tells the story of their struggles and successes in the world of infertility. How, against all odds, they now have eight children between them including two cousins born by the same surrogate. This conversation highlights the challenges they faced, how they overcame them and how it has shaped their parental experiences.
@aumillersistersivf
Growing up in Northern California with a single mom, twin brother and limited finances, Nahshon Garrett was unable to afford team sports, so he gravitated towards wrestling. Initially introverted, his confidence grew as from the beginning, he found himself, “always on the edge of beating someone.” Given his success, he had the opportunity to travel across the country to attend Cornell University exposing himself to a new area, new living situation and new culture. He was faced with the dilemma to conform to his environment or let his environment crush him. He made the choice to adapt and become the man he wanted to be. Despite always feeling a little behind his peers, every year he focused on more growth and more experiences.
This mindset led to more wisdom and joy within himself and his sport. Through his journey, he has found success on the mat becoming a 4X EIWA Champion, 4X NCAA All-American, NCAA Champion, 2X US Open Silver Medalist and 2X World Team Trials Champion. More importantly, he has found success in self-love and reflection by viewing setbacks as opportunities and taking accountability for every circumstance regardless of the outcome while accepting that sometimes things are not good or bad but rather, “just the way they are.”
@nahshongarrett_
At age of 6, while all her peers huddled around the ball, Civana Kuhlmann was already setting herself apart as she had learned about proper spacing. Her ability to view the soccer field like a problem to solve cultivated a “no quit” mindset that helped her become relentless, aggressive and determined. The same belief system that helped her excel also ended up hurting her emotionally and physically.
As an athlete, Civana has represented the United States in multiple World Cup Qualifiers, a U17 FIFA World Cup, won 2 National Championships and played in 3 Final Fours as a member of the Stanford University women’s soccer team, and was drafted to the Washington Spirit in January 2023.
As a human being, she has endured seven surgeries for four major injuries since August 2019 including 2 torn ACL’s, 2 hip surgeries, and a fractured femur. She has also lost a close friend and teammate to suicide.
Through her experiences, she continues to ponder everything that got her to this point, and most definitely uses everything she has learned so far while still searching for lots.
@civanakuhlmann
Ryan Deakin’s first impressions of wrestling were spot on: it was tough, it looked different, and he could directly affect the outcome. His work ethic set a foundation for success where he won the state title as a 10th grader in high school. The next year, he lost his state semi-final match in overtime to someone he had previously beaten. Instead of challenging his identity, he appreciated the major loss that enabled him to see that he was much more than just a wrestler who had unconditional support and love from his family. Free of pressure, he won another state title as a senior.
What followed was a historic career where he became an NCAA D1 National Champion, 4X NCAA D1 All-American, 3X Big Ten Champion, 2X Northwestern male Athlete of the year, and 2020 and 2022 Hodge Trophy Finalist awarded to the best collegiate wrestler in the Nation. He has also experienced success at the international level where he won US Open National Freestyle Title in 2017 and 2019 and won a silver medal for Team USA in the Junior World Championships.
Ryan shares the mindset that allowed him to accomplish success on the mat, in the classroom as a 5X Academic All-American and Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient but most impressively as a 5X team captain at Northwestern University. He works hard, he leads by example, and he never questions the tough things because he believes no matter the outcome, “you will never regret the sprints.”
@ryandeakin, @iron.summit
Sammy Schultz grew up playing multiple sports including soccer swimming, horseback riding, and shooting rifles. By the time she was a senior in high school, she realized she possessed the skill set required for 4 of 5 events in the Olympic Pentathlon. She decided to give fencing a shot and really enjoyed that as well!
Joining the army gave her the support to train, created opportunities to grow, provided leadership experience but also challenged her to give up control and trust in her process. Her experiences taught her how to balance rhythm and aggression in her sport and in life.
Not only is she a 2021 Tokyo Olympian, but she is a seven-time US National champion, Pan American Games Silver and Gold medalist, and multiple world and national team member in the sport of pentathlon. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer, Pilates and yoga instructor, strength and conditioning coach and running coach.
Sammy frequently speaks to people of all ages in community at schools, sporting events and has worked with fellow Soldiers in the US Army to share her journey, overcoming obstacles, perseverance, and the importance of taking care of your mental and physical health.
@samanthaausa
Stephen Johnston, MD, MBA, is a father, radiologist, non-profit founder, and Ironman athlete. When he found out his nine-year-old son, Luke, was going blind as a result of a rare disease, he founded A Race Against Blindness to fund sight-saving research for his son and thousands of others like him.
Though Stephen is relatively new to the nonprofit world, he’s a man on a mission to raise $1 Million for a clinical trial and taking on challenges like Ironman to raise money and be an example for his son.
To prepare himself mentally, he is using his knowledge from personal setbacks to look at himself, identify the role he plays, take ownership over what he can control to be the best he can be. Emotionally, he is deliberately taking on difficult and painful obstacles to process hard moments, learn how to experience and explain what he is going through, how he will handle it and what he will learn from it.
By showing up every day, experiencing micro failures and progressing through different levels he is working to be an example for his son. Ironically, his son’s approach and perspective to his own illness is inspiring Dr. Johnston to be a better father, athlete and overall human being.
@dad.vs.blindness, www.araceagainstblindness.org
Born and raised in Toronto but growing up in an Italian household, “futbol was life!” for Jordyn Listro. She began playing at age 5 and loved to run, be part of a team and create relationships with families who lived nearby. The experience was as much cultural as it was athletic. However, as things became more competitive, she needed to adjust her focus to prioritize both the physical aspects of success such as nutrition, sleep, extra training but also the willingness to seek out information and feedback to get better. She needed to become her own biggest fan and advocate.
She attended the University of South Florida, where she was a 4-year starter, setting the USF record for career games played. She then made her professional debut in the Spanish Primera Division in 2017 before playing in the National Women's Soccer League. She has also been a member of the Canadian National Team.
Despite all her efforts, she fell short of a major goal to make the Canadian Olympic team who ended up winning gold without her. Rather than give up, she used her competitive mindset to dig even deeper on the mental side of the game while also gibing attention to her life outside of soccer.
Jordyn is looking forward to making an impact in the USL Super League for Tampa Bay Sun, still planning to compete for Team Canada on the biggest stage and helping grow women's professional soccer in her home country.
@jordylistro
Kendall Wesenberg has been a competitor from an early age as she “wanted to win before I knew what it was.” She grew up playing all the typical youth sports and continued with club soccer through college. After seeing bobsled during the 2010 Olympic Games, this California girl moved to Park City, Utah 2 years later after graduation to learn more about the sport. She loved the adrenaline rush that bobsled provided but felt her body type was better suited for skeleton.
In 2014 Kendall earned an invite to US Team Trials where she took 4th then went on to become the first American woman to win the European Cup circuit overall title. The following season she earned a World Cup spot where she has competed for the last 3 seasons, winning a silver medal in the St. Moritz World Cup in 2017 and earning one of two Olympic spots for the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang.
Kendall shares how she trains her mind and body to access the zone and make 100 crucial decisions every minute. Her sport is extremely dangerous and challenging but she approaches it like she approaches life, by focusing on kindness, hard work and having the most fun!
@kendallorraine
Donnell Whittenburg was born to be a gymnast. He grew up doing back flips, tucks and handstand walks in his backyard. To help him avoid injury, his mother enrolled him into formal gymnastics classes. The ability to learn new and more challenging skills, share experiences with teammates and focus on the process of improving laid a foundation where he has competed on the international level for over 12 years including multiple world championships, Pan American Games. He was an Olympic alternate in 2016 and even has a skill named after him, “The Whittenburg.” Despite all these accomplishments, his biggest obstacle is not competing at the Olympic Games.
Donnell shares his motivation to keep competing including unfinished business, growing the sport on the men’s side, inspiring others to create opportunities to expand their cultural experiences and investing further in lifelong friendships and bonds. He teaches us that, “it doesn’t matter how long it takes; as long as we keep trying, we always have a chance.”
@donnell_whittenburg
Nikita played soccer for most of her younger years but struggled with severe anxiety and panic attacks leaving her unable to leave her home. “Forced” to play a sport, she found BMX to fulfill that rule, do it on her own time, and even in the driveway so she didn’t have to leave her home. Little did she know that BMX would soon take over every aspect of her life and become the reason she would push through her fears one step at a time.
Fast forward nine year later and Nikita now travels the world as one of the top female BMX riders. With podiums at multiple world cups since 2016, 2nd at the 2022 World Championships, and an Olympic bronze medal at the first ever inclusion of the sport, Nikita is ready to jump back into training for Paris 2024!
Nikita shares how she felt stuck in a room for so long but through her physical and mental training, she gets to experience the feeling of freedom. She chooses to use BMX and her voice to help end the stigma around mental health.
@nikita.ducarroz, @m1ndtricks
Born into a hockey family, Hayley Scamurra wanted to compete just like her brothers and father who had played in the NHL . While she fell in love with the sport herself, she also felt the need to always be the best and live up to her father’s expectations. This pressure began to manifest in severe anxiety for which she sought out therapy. Through this process, she learned to focus on what she could control including being physical, controlling the puck and having fun. She also empowered herself to redefine her relationship with her father, set boundaries and help him treat her like his daughter not just a hockey player.
Hayley has won a championship for the Buffalo Beauts of the NWHL, finally made the team USA roster and ultimately won 2 gold and 2 silver medals in world championships. She is also a 2022 Olympic Silver Medalist. She reminds us that this has been the dream the whole time. As the competition grew more intense, she needed to maintain the mindset to remember how fun it was as a little girl when she skated in her backyard ice rink as fast as she could until she jumped into the snow along the rink!
@hayleyscamurra
As a high schooler, Catie Lang’s identity was embedded in being an athlete to the point that she even loved the ideas of being tough, not quitting and “walking off” any pain or suffering. She had no real concept, awareness, or education of mental health despite having severe anxiety herself. Even after experiencing major panic attacks that were terrifying, she brushed them off and told herself that she was just being dramatic.
As a member of an NCAA Division 1 lacrosse team, her program lacked the culture and resources necessary to promote health, wellness and happiness but instead reinforced the antiquated narratives about strength and toughness. This flawed mindset and approach exacerbated her own challenges and resulted in multiple players walking away from the team. This story has made national headlines.
Catie shares her personal story of struggle including near suicide to both spread awareness but also spark action in addressing this epidemic of mental illness and suicide in college athletics.
WARNING: This episode contains emotionally sensitive material including discussion surrounding suicide that may be triggering or disturbing to some listeners. If any of the content in this podcast has brought anything up for you, please reach out or speak to someone you trust.
@catielang
At the age of 6, Kim Zmeskal watched her first gymnastics class and was upset that she, “wasn’t allowed to play on the playground.” A few years later, training under Bela and Martha Karolyi, Mary Lou Retton came back to their home gym with an Olympic Gold medal showing her early on that any dream was possible. Since then, Kim has become the first American to win the all-around at a World Gymnastics Championships in 1991, 2X Gold medalist in the 1992 World championships, 1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist, 3X US National Champion, 1991 U.S. Olympic Committee’s Sportswoman of the Year and the 1991 March of Dimes Athlete of the Year. She is also a 2001 USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame inductee.
As an athlete, she worked hard to remove challenges and always strived for perfection. Now as a coach, she is passionate to learn more than she ever thought possible about trust, partnership, and appreciation for her athletes. She leans into the challenges and creates a culture where her athletes dream so big that they can achieve excellence over perfection.
@kimzb
Matt Choi is a 27-year-old former NCAA D1 football player, content creator, entrepreneur, and fitness enthusiast who decided to take on the Murph challenge every day for 30 days as an outlet to maintain his physical and mental wellbeing during the pandemic. Running a total of 60 miles in 30 days inspired a relationship with running that resulted in 12 marathons in 12 different cities in 12 months. The discipline and consistency required to maintain a high level of fitness for 365 days also provided opportunities to learn more about himself, meet so many different people and curate his experiences allowing him to live his life through his lens.
Whether he is running a 100-mile ultramarathon or running across Korea, Matt lives by the mantra that, “the only limits we have are the ones we believe in” and uses gratitude to shift his mindset from complacency to contentment through every challenge, every interaction, and every piece of content. He appreciates the opportunity to show up and get a little better each day as he is consistently working on his speech to the world.
@mattchoi_6
Dr. Madeline Barlow is a former collegiate swimmer, individual and team record holder, and NCAA qualifier. She is also CEO and Founder of Mind-Wise Mentoring LLC, The Director of Programming and Key Note Speaker for The Hidden Opponent, and a Transition Coach for Athletes Soul.
Self described as “highly sensitive,” swimming initially provided support, self reflection and muted the intensity of her world creating joy…until it didn’t. While competing in college, Madeline often got stuck between high levels of self awareness and action leading to recurring overwhelming episodes. When her swimming career came to an end, she kept moving forward and didn’t allow her self to process the transition out of competitive sports until her body demanded that she stop and acknowledge the loss.
Through her “Mind-Wise” method and her book, "The Highly Sensitive Athlete: How to Embody the Magic of Your True Self in and Out of Sport," Madeline Barlow validates that we are human and offers actionable tools that give us the choice to challenge ourselves or give ourselves grace.”
@mindwisementor
Donald Stewart is a former NCAA D1 football player at both Stanford University and Wake Forest University. He is also an HBO actor, published children’s book author and mentor to high school athletes.
His dedication to sports was initially fueled by his desire to avoid doing household chores. His success inspired his community to embrace him and his brother who was born with a facial malformation. As such, his confidence grew in knowing his efforts could impact his future but also those he loved by being the star. While he became super confident, he was not super prepared for the transition to Stanford University where he would be surrounded by the brightest and most talented athletes, students, and future leaders.
In his junior year, a significant injury requiring surgery caused him to hit his rock bottom. In trying to figure out how to be happy, he chose to invest in his mind, body and spirit while exploring his passion for music and theatre.
As a mentor for high school athletes, Donald uses his experience to connect and help them figure out passions outside of sport by tapping into what motivates and inspires them within their sport.
@_donaldstewart
Olivia Karas is a former 6x All-American gymnast from the University of Michigan where she helped the Wolverines win four consecutive Big Ten team titles. She won a share of the Big Ten All Around title in 2019 and finished her career ranked 8th in the country in the all-around.
Early in her gymnastics career, she was inspired by Olympic champion Kerri Strug who stuck her vault on one leg showing the world the mindset to make an imperfect moment perfect. Oliva’s own journey has also included several imperfect moments leading to perfect teaching moments such as her struggle with anxiety or “rushy-itis” which taught her a process to slow down, utilizing her breath to connect her mind and body or a torn Achilles which reminded her to focus on what she could control while highlighting how much she loved her sport.
Currently, she is an on-camera analyst for Big Ten Network where she combines her athletic and professional experience to tell the stories of other athletes in a way that captures the effort, attitude, and gratitude behind a perfect routine giving them something they will be proud to share with future generations.
As an athlete or analyst, what is she most proud of? The ability to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
@livkarass
Kate Parker is a mother, wife, former NCAA D1 athlete, Ironman, TEDx speaker, professional photographer and New York Times bestselling author whose first book “Strong is the New Pretty” garnered support from the Spice Girls, David Beckham, Drew Barrymore, Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman and Emma Watson. Her work has been featured in several major magazines and her clients include REI, Verizon, Athleta and American Express.
Growing up, she was known for being loud, driven and perfectionistic which might be associated with “being strong” but typically not “pretty.” Like many female athletes, as she became more competitive in her sport, she started emphasizing being skinnier. However, a coach helped her reframe her body image and in turn her internal view of strength and beauty.
As a mother and photographer, she uses her critical eye to point out perception vs reality while capturing powerful emotions to help us realize that exuberance needs no apology. In her newest book, “Force of Nature” she shows us why “too much” is actually the right amount.
@katetparker, katetparker.com
Olivia Bray is a current member of the University of Texas Women’s Swim Team and majoring in Business Management. She is a 17-time All-American, two-time National team runner-up, 18-time Big 12 champion, four-time member of the Big 12 commissioner’s honor roll, and two-time CSCAA scholar All-American.
She is passionate about mental health. In 2020, she put her life on hold and entered an eating disorder treatment center to battle something that was controlling her. By prioritizing herself and investing in the process, she was able to redefine her relationship with food and return to her sport with a different mindset. This 3x campus captain for The Hidden Opponent continues to advocate for mental health and eating disorders by being authentic and appreciating the grind.
@oliviaabray
Alan Stein Jr. is a performance coach, speaker and author who has spent 15+ years working with the highest performing basketball players on the planet, including NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Kobe Bryant. He now transfers his unique expertise to maximize both individual and organizational performance.
In an early 4 am session in 2007, Alan questioned Kobe about focusing on basic drills, and Kobe's response left a lasting impact: “Why do you think I am the best player in the world? Because I never get bored with the basics.”
Alan discusses the mindset required to embrace the basics, what sets elite performers apart, how to define and develop a winner’s mindset, and failure as a prerequisite for success.
He also lives what he teaches by asking himself, “ Are the habits you have today on par with the dreams you have for tomorrow?”
@alansteinjr
As the son of a lacrosse legend, Tom Schreiber was given a stick “immediately” and taught the value of hard work, sacrifice and “practice after practice.” His foundation put him ahead of his peers physically, so he chose to invest in his development mentally as his main competition was, “me vs. me.”
This process allowed him to win almost every award possible including 2 gold medals for team USA, a PLL championship, 3X MVP, 4X pro lacrosse Midfielder of the Year Award, 9X professional all-star, a two-time Tewaaraton Finalist, a three-time 1st Team All-American, and a two-time Donald MacLaughlin Award winner as the nation's top midfielder. In 2023, fresh off a record-breaking season, he found himself in an emotional slump requiring him to analyze what gives him true meaning and motivates him to keep growing. The answers to these questions translate directly to his personal life off the field.
As the spouse of an elite athlete and father of two young children, Tom prioritizes the concepts of sacrifice, teamwork, self-accountability, establishing high standards to leave a legacy so his kids will thank him one day just like he did with his own father.
@tom_schreiber26, @pll,
Shannon Will, owner of Will Power PT is among the best sports physical therapists in the area and recipient of Baltimore’s Best Physical Therapy in 2022. Dr. Will has extensive experience in treating professional athletes (NFL, CFL, NBA , PLL, MLS, MLB, MMA) and Division I collegiate athletes in sports including lacrosse, football, soccer, basketball, track & field, gymnastics, field hockey and boxing.
In addition to physical therapy, Dr. Will is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified USA Olympic Weightlifting Coach (USAW) and Sports Performance Specialist (XPS).
She considered herself an average athlete at many sports but found her passion in athletic training as a college student. She focused on learning and the more she knew, the more she realized what she didn’t know. By focusing on her personal growth through gaining knowledge, she laid a foundation that would set her apart from others as a professional. As a PT, her practice model is based on availability, communication, and relationships. By choosing a mindset that prioritizes her own mental and physical wellbeing, she can offer personal experiences and guidance that helps each athlete reach their full potential well beyond their initial injury.
@will_power_pt
Miki Barber is an American sprinter who competes in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dash. She is an Olympian, World Champion and 5x World Championship team member. As an NCAA athlete, she was a 20x All-American, 5x NCAA Champion, 2x Scholar Athlete of the year and made the Olympics as a sophomore. In 2015, she was selected to the University of South Carolina Hall of Fame.
Miki knew early on that she wanted to be a professional athlete. Along with her twin sister to compete alongside her, support her and ensure they were having fun, “The Barber Twins” both won numerous world titles and participated in numerous ad campaigns including BMW, Nike, Adidas, and ESPN Magazine.
Through faith, persistence, and desire to challenge incorrect assumptions, she has competed at the highest level for the past 20 years. Despite having two foot surgeries that paused her career, she chose a never give up mindset that enabled her to rehab herself back on top where everyone could notice her big hair, glossed lips and ink gloves. Her philosophy has always been, “when you look good, you feel good.”
@mikimango
In his 14th year as the head lacrosse coach at Penn State University, Jeff Tambroni has coached 44 All-Americans, 8 USILA Scholar All-Americans, and 47 all-conference award winners. Prior to PSU, his resume also includes Cornell, Loyola and Hobart. He is a 2X Big 10 Coach of year, 2X CAA Coach of the year, 2009 D1 Coach of the year, and member of Hobart HOF class 2018.
As a player, he was fortunate to have coaches who instilled a “hard love” mentality which created a level of success that he wanted to emulate. As a coach, he focuses on transformational relationships developed through connection, trust, vulnerability and mutually beneficially partnerships with his athletes.
Much of his perspective and approach is shaped by a single tragic moment in March 2004 when one of his players (and a team leader), George Boiardi, died after ball struck his chest in a college lacrosse game. This experience changed the trajectory of his life as a coach, father, and spouse. He is inspired to live each day like George by subscribing to the motto, “Well Done is Better than Well Said.”
@pennstatemlax
Akeem Shannon’s story demonstrates how a fear of failure means a fear of trying and less effort means missed opportunities. Despite earning a full tuition scholarship to Howard University to earn a chemical engineering degree, his mindset of fear caused him to lose his scholarship, drop out and go into a really dark place. Bathing in his failure, he faced his high achieving parents and was surprised to learn their disappointment was not in his setback but rather in his inability to ask for help.
This “rock bottom” experience motivated Akeem to redefine his relationship with failure, improve his overall awareness, shift his creative energy, embrace his sense of self and go all in holding nothing back. Instead of living a life full of regrets, he is living a dream that includes connecting with world famous rappers Sean “P Diddy” Combs, Snoop Dogg, and landing a deal on Shark Tank.
As CEO of Flipstik (now sold in over 3000 retailers including Target, Best Buy, AT&T, T-Mobile, and QVC), Akeem's story is currently featured at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History’s “Cellphone: Unseen Connections” exhibition in Washington D.C. and he is featured in INC Magazines top 50 fasting growing consumer product companies in 2023.
@getflipstik, @akeemshannon
Initially exposed to the goalie position because her sister thought it would be funny, Kait Devir found enjoyment in the game to stop balls from going into the net. As her lacrosse experience grew, so did her mindset to excel, leading her to invest in her effort by always doing 1% more, reaffirming her preparation for big moments, and taking initiative to vocalize her needs. Her focus on the details to succeed as a player have translated over to her attention to detail as a sports photographer. Her approach to progress over perfection as an athlete have also enabled her to focus on growth in her visual art. She is known for her ability to capture unique and special moments of celebration and gratitude.
Kait believes that “Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” She has personally lived this mantra by leaving one of the top women’s lacrosse programs in Boston College to attend University of Southern California allowing her to pursue her creative passion as a student athlete studying cinema
@kaitdevir
Despite her smaller stature as a younger child, Alycea Adams was dominant in confidence through effort, speaking up and maximizing first impressions. As she entered the sport of cheerleading, her ability to bring together her physical work ethic, desire to improve, willingness to learn and skill set of connecting with others enabled her to achieve success in her sport earning her a spot on the UNC-Chapel Hill Cheerleading Program. As a social media influencer, she applies her personal experiences and knowledge gained to her passion for breaking societal barriers for women of color in technology & sports to be a role model for young black women to bring confidence into any space they occupy!
Within the past 9 months, her channels on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have grown to nearly 600K! She has had several brand deals with Pantene, YSL Beauty, and Mielle Organics as a natural hair influencer.
At Carolina, she is pursuing a B.S. in Information Science and a double minor in Entrepreneurship/Urban Studies & City Planning. In addition to being a UNC Cheerleader, she is also a Carolina Covenant Scholar and an ambassador for the Shuford Entrepreneurship Program.
@alycearae
Dr. Hillary Cauthen is a distinguished clinical sport psychologist and author with 15+ years of experience working with the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, Premier League, and more. As a retired D1 athlete herself, Dr. Cauthen is an unwavering advocate for open conversations about mental health, aiming to eliminate stigma and create a safe & secure environment for athletes like herself to seek support. Dr. Cauthen formerly served as the Director of Organizational Wellness & Performance for Austin FC as well as the Performance Psychologist for the San Antonio Spurs where she developed their mental performance and wellness programs.
She discusses her personal experiences and challenges with competitive sport, defining mental health and mental illness and transforming the conversation to better navigate the toxicity of sport culture.
@drcmindset
Spencer Horwitz was destined to play professional baseball. His first word was “ball” and he excelled early on earning the opportunity to play in the prestigious Cape Cod Summer league at age 20. However, it was then that he experienced severe anxiety and panic evoking fear that he would never get drafted, and his baseball career and all his dreams would be over. With the support and validation of his family, he began the process of investing into both his physical and mental health.
Drafted in 2019, he spent 4 years in the minors and finally made his MLB debut on June 18, 2023, earning his first hit on his very first at bat. Despite this early success, he also experienced early failure striking out in a key moment of an important game. Again, he hit a low spot not knowing when his next opportunity would come. Having struggled before, he knew that things could get low really quick but can also be high just as quick. The very next night, on September 3 he got that chance, reminded himself to “be on time and let it rip” and hit his first major-league home run (a solo shot) in a 7-5 win against the Colorado Rockies!
Spencer uses his past experiences as learning experiences and continues to invest in his mind as much as his body consuming positive information, journaling daily, and checking in on those he loves “all the time.” While so many athletes operate out of fear, Spencer operates out of love identifying it is the number 1 thing that will overcome fear.
@spencer_horwitz
Growing up in Toronto Canada, Kate Allgood learned to skate before she could talk. Her early exposure to hockey, attention to detail and relentless dedication to be perfect led her to become a top-ranked ice hockey player who also burned out by the age of 18. By working with a professional to prioritize her own mental health, she developed the purpose for her own profession.
Kate holds two master’s degrees in psychology and works as a mental performance coach and CEO of Quantum Performance Inc., a high-performance coaching firm that specializes in mental training for athletes. Kate has worked closely with top athletes in the NHL, NFL, LPGA, Supercross, and other professional leagues. Kate has also assisted military personnel such as Navy Seal recruits in passing both their physical and written exams. Her first book, "Get Into the Zone", became an Amazon bestseller on the subject.
She shares ways to create a sustainable flow/rhythm throughout performance and teaches us the necessary tools to build sustainable confidence.
@qpathlete, qpathlete.com
Victoria Garrick Browne is a TED Talk speaker, mental health advocate, podcast host and former NCAA Division 1 Athlete who has amassed 2M+ followers across social media where she’s known for her unfiltered campaign #RealPost. She first began sharing her story of how she battled and overcame depression and anxiety as a student athlete in her 2017 TED Talk, “The Hidden Opponent” which has been viewed over 500,000 times. She has also been featured in the NY Times’, The Player’s Tribune, E! News, People, Access Hollywood and is the Founder and CEO of mental health non-profit, The Hidden Opponent which was recognized as a standout resource for athletes by the late Kobe Bryant.
In this episode, Victoria addresses the pressures she faced as a student athlete, and her experiences with anxiety, depression, and her eating disorder. She also discusses her introduction to therapy, and the insights that she has gained that motivate her to inspire so many others as she tours the country speaking at universities in hopes of destigmatizing the conversations around mental health and encouraging all people to be their unfiltered selves.
@victoriabrowne, @thehiddenopponent, @realpod
As a runner, Nicole Linn may consistently finish towards the back of the pack but as an influencer and entrepreneur, she is sprinting ahead of the rest. Two years ago, she chose to publicly document her marathon training and joke about how “slow” she was by advertising herself as a “below average runner!” By changing her approach and focusing more on the process rather than the ultimate outcome, she redefined her relationship with her sport and her definition of success.
Since that moment, she has created a community where people come together, support each other, experience the joy of running and accomplish something unique in completing an endurance event. Nicole teaches us that, “There will be so many days when we want to give up and quit but we need to remember why we started.” Instead of worrying or judging ourselves by how fast we get to the finish, we will be so much happier and healthier if we, “Embrace the Pace.”
@belowaveragerunning, www.belowaveragerunning.com
Winter is approaching and daylight savings just occurred. With less day light, colder temperatures and increasing academic demands, student athletes are more vulnerable to mental health struggles.
In this episode, Dr. T will guide you through his Mental Injury Prevention Guide to best support yourself and your teammates by focusing on Awareness, Communication and Listening (ACL). These concepts are discussed in detail with clear examples demonstrating how to be intentional and effective. In competitive athletics, there is so much emphasis on being strong and tough. This MOVEMBER, lets come together and understand that, “Being tough means acknowledging there is a problem. Being strong means asking for help.”
@dr.t_sportspsych
Katie Hoff understands elite performance and the drive to do the extraordinary. At 15 years old, she made her first Olympic team. How did she do it? In the end, it boiled down to a very simple, yet effective formula. She came up with 5 standards that she followed to a "T." Standards that allowed her to break American and World Records, win 3 Olympic medals, get back up after the lowest of lows and become a TEDx speaker, best-selling author and successful entrepreneur.
Katie's 5 standards will give you the ability to accomplish that goal and achieve the most extraordinary version of yourself. Katie shares her wisdom through captivating stories filled with humor, humility, honesty, and vulnerability. She will leave you with a sense of motivation, fresh perspective, and ultimately clear and actionable standards to apply to your own big goal.
@kthoff7, @synergydryland
Johnny Martin was raised in a family where hard work, drive, positivity and a growth mindset was the standard. It was embedded in his DNA. Through his degree in health studies and education, his master’s degree in educational psychology and counseling and his national certification in grief recovery, many would consider him an expert. However, what really sets him apart as one of the best is his dedication to guide others, make sure they feel heard and empower them to understand they are really the experts on themselves. When so many mental performance coaches take the approach of motivational quotes and consistent hype, Johnny teaches us the power of the pause, creating opportunities to truly reflect and choose the direction we really want to take. Despite serving as a performance coach with professional athletes, educational leaders, military veterans and corporate executives for the past 15 years, he continues to maintain a “white belt mentality” while mastering the art of humility.
@realjohncmartin
Many athletes work consistently and relentlessly for so many years to have the opportunity to play at the collegiate level. But when it comes time to finally enter the recruiting process, the passion of sports commonly gives way to incredible pressure which can directly affect mood and motivation. In this episode, Dr. T offers 5 actionable takeaways that any athlete can immediately apply to prepare for, manage, and even enjoy the roller-coaster of thoughts and emotions that come with recruiting. Apply these strategies and you will be ready for one of the biggest decisions of your athletic life!
This is a must listen for any athlete or parent who hopes to play collegiate sports.
@dr.t_sportspsych
Bennett Jackson’s love for football came from watching games on TV or going to Giants/Jets games with family or friends. As a youth player, he was motivated by the opportunity to expand his circle of friends. At Notre Dame, his dedication to Sports, School and Sleep created a process to, “focus on now and prepare for tomorrow.” His commitment to making his mother proud instilled the discipline to consistently push himself past any limits allowing him to hear his name being called on draft day watching TV surrounded by family and friends.
This 7 year NFL veteran has experienced his share of successes and hardships including major injuries and changing multiple teams. In every case, his mindset of “So What, What now?’ and “dealing with outcomes as they come” have helped him to consistently readjust and refocus preparing him for perhaps his biggest challenge of all; the transition out of football.
@b_jax2
Natalie Coughlin is one the most the accomplished female swimmers in the world. She was a 3X Olympian, 12X Olympic Medalist and has won 60 medals in international competition. She has been voted the World Swimmer of the year, American swimmer of the year 3 times, NCAA swimmer of the year and Sports Illustrated collegiate female athlete of the year. Her continued success is not just due to setting goals and creating a process but also her ability to be present and remind herself in the most intense situations that she is just, “swimming up and down a silly pool!” While she has won more awards than most of us can imagine, she is most grateful for the setbacks that have helped her grow.
Natalie discusses her ability to keep growing by setting goals high enough to fail. She also shares how her learned skill set of discipline, hard work, patience, and letting go of things out of her control have led to more incredible experiences such as competing on Dancing with the Stars and directly impacted her success as the co-founder and vintner of Gaderian wines.
@nataliecoughlin, @gaderianwines
2023 PLL Champion Grant Ament is no stranger to success at every level he has played. As a professional lacrosse player, he was the Number 1 overall pick in 2020 PLL draft. He was also an All-Star game captain in 2021, 2021 Attackman of the year, and member Team USA 2021 Fall Classic. While at Penn State, he was the 2019 Attackman of the Year, Big Ten Offensive Player of the year, three-time All American, four-time All-Big Ten and a captain of the Nittany Lions Lacrosse Team.
While Grant’s vision was very clear from an early age, his path was not so linear. However, he chose to put consistent effort into his preparation identifying a process or pillars including knowing yourself, knowing your obstacles, visualization, and reflection. By investing more time and energy into these key elements of his mindset, he has been able to grow as a player on the field and more importantly as a person off the field.
As a big believer in mindset training, he has frequently said “I wish I had this info and support when I was in HS or college, I would have been so much better!”
@grantament
As a child of Christian Iraqi immigrants who escaped an oppressive society, Dan “Zia” Joseph was very familiar with being a minority and the concept of intergenerational trauma. Despite being taught not to “go back to the nightmare he came from”; he felt a calling to join the US military post 9/11 at the age of 32 years old. His life changed when one of his fellow soldier's survived a suicide attempt while at the same time, his best friend in the military lost 13 men from his unit to suicide. Working closely and sparring Jiu-Jitsu with several combat Veterans brought deeper awareness about the psychological weight they carried each day while helping him uncover and work through his own trauma, navigate his own spiritual journey and reframe his perspective on helping others.
After obtaining a master’s degree in organizational psychology, Dan combined his education, research and life experiences to write, "Backpack to Rucksack: Insight Into Leadership & Resilience By Military Experts" which honors the struggles that his fellow military brothers and sisters still face while highlighting the importance of strong leadership in providing much needed support.
@combatpsychology, www.combatpsych.com
At the age of 9, Anastasia Pagonis began losing her vision progressively until the age of 14 when she was diagnosed with autoimmune retinopathy. With only light perception but no central vision, she not only lost her usable vision but also lost her relationship with sports and her positive outlook on life. With the compassion of her providers and the strong encouragement of her parents, a 5-minute walk/day turned into a walk in the park which became anxiety provoked by swimming in the pool which ultimately led to a 3 world championships, a world record and gold and bronze medal in the 2020 Paralympics.
Anastasia embraces the fact that she is perfectly imperfect and uses her platform to bring her trauma to comedy with the goal of changing how the world sees the visually impaired. Her vision may be limited, her mindset is limitless.
@anastasia_k_p
Greg Louganis is considered the greatest diver in history. As a 3x Olympian, he is the only male to win gold medals on both 3 meter springboard and 10 meter platform in consecutive Olympic Games (1984, 1988). With a total of 5 Olympic medals, 5 World Championship titles, 6 Pan American titles and 47 national titles, his records remain unbroken.
His legacy was built through a life of adversity including his adoption, learning differences, a victim of bullying given his skin color, and almost walking away from his defining sport at the age of 11. His mindset to choose his own destiny, never give up and smile through it all was made possible by the ultimate belief of his mother, his coach, and his mental training. This process culminated in one of the most memorable Olympic performances of all time in which he hit the platform, split his head open, suffered a concussion then came back to win the gold!
Today, as a coach, speaker, author, actor, activist, humanitarian and GOAT of mindset he continues his tradition of excellence.
@greglouganis, greglouganis.com
Approaching the fall season, many athletes have done the work by preparing physically and mentally. With the start of competition, it’s common to experience anxiety, fears and doubts. This anxiety can lead to frustration, fear of more worries and can ultimately impact confidence. Dr. T has created a 5-step process designed to address the fears, focus on growth, build upon past successes, and appreciate the privilege to play at a high level. You are going to love listening to this episode over and over to stay motivated and keep building that confidence.
@dr.t_sportspsych
At the age of 4, Cory Camp fell into a pool almost drowning before being saved by his father, an elite swimmer which sparked his own interest in the sport. At age 17, he collapsed and hit his head due to an electrical malfunction in his heart, but a coach showed him the power of psychological safety allowing him the freedom to keep pursuing his dream. After his elite swim career ended, his sense of identity foreclosure led to severe alcohol use, depression, weight gamin and body image struggles. Cory’s story is one of continuous vulnerability leading to being saved leading to the mindset of nothing to lose leading to strength and success.
He has chosen to use his experiences by becoming a Life Optimization Coach and Community Builder for former athletes to find themselves beyond sport and access the “zone” into daily life. His company “Forever Athlete” embodies a mission to help athletes feel less alone after that last whistle while helping them realize their calling isn’t over because they don’t play their sport like they once did.
@corycamp, www.forever-athlete.com
Brandon “Soul Cole” Coleman’s life story is all about defining, refining then redefining himself. As a redshirt freshman on the Rutgers football team, he chose the mindset to show up every day in practice and make himself so valuable that he could not be overlooked. He used the exact same blueprint as an undrafted rookie to earn a spot on the New Orleans Saints.
After suffering a career ending injury in 2018, he was faced with the reality that he while he had mastered the physical part of training, he had overlooked the most important part, the mental part. As such, he committed to transition into the health and wellness space by achieving a Health and Wellness Coaching Certificate at Georgetown University as well as completing the MBSR program from the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, School of Public Health.
As a Flow Facilitator, Mental Performance Coach, Certified Breath Coach and Sound Healing Practitioner, Soul Cole breaks down his non negotiables into actionable items that allow him to always “Be Curious” while helping others attain balance, intention, and wellness.
@b_cole16, soulcolethebrand.com
As a 9th grader, Jon Gordon witnessed first-hand the power of positivity and transferred belief when a coach talked him out of quitting lacrosse and into the process of ultimately playing in the Ivy League. Later, his challenges of depression and anxiety guided him towards the power of prayer, gratitude and, “talking to himself vs listening to himself.”
He is now the author of 28 books including 15 best sellers and 5 children’s books. His books include the timeless classic The Energy Bus which has sold over 3 million copies, The Carpenter which was a top 5 business book of the year and his newest release The One Truth to name a few.
His clients include The Los Angeles Dodgers, In-N-Out Burger, The Los Angeles Rams, Campbell Soup, Dell, Publix, Southwest Airlines, The Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, The Colorado Rockies, Truist Bank, Clemson Football, Northwestern Mutual, Bayer, West Point Academy and more.
Jon creates leaders and champions by helping them understand, “We are not positive because life is easy. We are positive because life is hard.”
@jongordon11, jongordon.com
Caroline Burckle is an Olympic Medalist, Entrepreneur, Birth Doula, and Artist. Born and raised in Louisville, KY, she was a competitive swimmer throughout her early life. She then took that and went to the University of Florida on a Swimming Scholarship and became an NCAA Champion before making the Beijing Olympics, where she earned a Bronze Medal.
When she retired from sport, the accumulation of insecurities led her to begin the real inner work. She went on to get her Masters in Sport Psychology, her Associate of Arts in Merchandise Product Development and In 2015, she and her Olympic Medalist business partner Rebecca Soni began a youth athlete mindset development program, and successfully ran that for 8 years.
Caroline discusses the importance of the mind/body connection and how she actively integrates it into her mindset coaching, her art, her work as a doula and her daily life. She continues to stay curious and finds ways to access the greatest tool…herself!
@caroburckle, mtmnewsletter.com
Devon Lévesque is a 31-year-old serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, and fitness enthusiast. Like many other kids, his exposure to physical health began at a young age by doing pullups in his living room, doing flips on a trampoline and climbing trees. Unlike other businessman, his success has come well outside of the classroom and through significant challenge and adversity .
At age 23, he began coaching clients on positive energy and his unique health practices, which quickly led him to start his first company. He is currently the founder of The DML Group, which invests in growth stage health and wellness companies and Creator & Company, a growth marketing firm helping selected brands build community. Devon and his team have invested and spearheaded marketing initiatives for some of the largest companies in the industry including Super Coffee, Playbook, Whoop, Promix, ARENA, Gymshark and more.
He may be best known for bear crawling the NYC marathon in 2020, setting a world record while raising capital for suicide awareness and mental health. Since then, he has climbed some of the world’s tallest mountains, competed in numerous endurance events and recently participated in a bike ride across America.
By focusing his attention on positive energy, doing hard sh*t to consistently change his perspective and surrounding himself with a community that supports his values, he chooses a mindset centered around living life for a living while honoring a piece of his childhood every single day.
@devonlevesque
Jimmy played football professionally for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans as a tight end, was a multi-sport athlete at Auburn University, and most recently was a member of the 2016 United States Rowing Team. From track/cross country to basketball to football to triathlons to rowing, Jimmy’s mindset to “bury people in workouts” created a template for success in athletics.
His dedication to keep learning earned him a college degree in 3 years, an MBA and a masters in finance.
His interest in health and wellness combined with his motivation to be surrounded by growth minded people, being goal oriented and establishing values have created opportunities focused on innovating and changing the health and technology industries.
www.alirx.health
Cody Byrns is an internationally recognized speaker, best-selling author, TEDx speaker and entertainer. In May of 2013, Cody’s life was drastically changed. While stopped at a red light on the highway, Cody was rear-ended by a box-truck that failed to stop. He was considered dead until first responders saw his hand move. He received many injuries that day, including severe burns to almost 40% of his body. After years of countless surgeries and rehabilitation, Cody has chosen to not allow his scars to keep him bound in bitterness and defeat.
His goal is to help people live free from the bonds of scars (physical and emotional), equipping others with the proper steps to walk out of their past hurt and defeat and run towards their full potential. As a thought leader, he speaks worldwide and featured on many TV and radio shows to provide relevant, applicable, and thought-provoking messages that others and even himself find energizing and therapeutic.
@thecodybyrns, codybyrns.com
Nick Cutsumpas is a “plantrepreneur” who is establishing ROOTS as a full-time plant coach, award-winning landscape designer and environmentalist. Just LEAF through NY Times, Vogue, Architectural Digest, Food Network, and Business Insider or his own book, “Plant Coach: The Beginner’s Guide To Caring for Plants and the Planet.” to learn about his GROWTH. Turn on the TV to see that he also BRANCHED out to the Netflix original series "The Big Flower Fight” and as a host on Netflix’s Emmy-nominated Instant Dream Home.
Nick’s first garden was actual the baseball field where he learned lessons about discipline, patience, trusting the process and success through setbacks. An unexpected piece of advice opened his mind and heart to a new passion and profession to leave the earth greener than when he found it. He teaches us that by creating our own green spaces, we will directly develop the mindset and personal habits necessary to succeed in athletics, business, family and life in general.
@farmernick
Kelsey Lensman is just a “normal girl on a big mission.” As a young female athlete, she appeared full of confidence to others but in her mind, she was insecure, quiet and afraid to step out of the box. Her identity was really challenged when chose her educational specialty over collegiate athletics. Through the process of weight training, she discovered that self-confidence is created through making and keeping promises to yourself every day. She is the now the founder of EmpowHER Fitness providing individual coaching and events that teach nutrition, fitness and mindset to challenge a community of women to do hard things, push their limits, and build true self-confidence.
She’s now ready to take on her next purpose driven mission, which is to complete 48 fitness competitions in 48 states in 48 days to raise money for ROX, Ruling Our Experiences, a 501c(3) that develops confident girls who control their own relationships, experiences, decisions, and futures.
@kelseylensman, kelseylensman.com
Growing up, Riley Kehoe was taught that pressure reveals character so with every hardship, she should, “thank the trial.” Her parents’ commitment to live incredible lives with integrity created a level of trust that would ultimately be tested in the most traumatic of ways. At the age of 10, her family was on vacation in Thailand when the Boxing day Tsunami struck. By focusing on the voice of her father yelling, “Run” that she had learned to obey without hesitation and telling herself, “One more step” over and over, she was able to survive a tragedy that killed over 290, 000 people. Riley uses her several close encounters with death and the hard knocks she’s experienced in life to inspire audiences all over the world in podcasts, speaking events, social media and her recent TEDx talk titled, “An Insight I Almost Died For." @rileywithcourage
From a football player at Texas A&M majoring in pre-med to a earning a Master’s in Exercise Science to becoming the Director of Sports and Science at Florida State, Erik Korem has always been driven by a relentless pursuit of high performance. His drive and purpose to improve the lives of others including Olympians, NFL players, NCAA athletes and members of the U.S .Department of Defense has created a process to uncover how to understand adaptive capacity, see pressure as a great opportunity, and use stress as a secret weapon. Dr. Korem highlights the value of sleep, exercise, mental fitness, nutrition and healthy relationships to optimize his own performance. As Founder and CEO of AIM7, he’s employing his unique expertise as an applied performance scientist to unlock a new level of human performance for anyone with a wearable device.
@erikkorem, AIM7.com, BluePrint Podcast
As a Florida Gator gymnast, Leah Clapper competed on bars, beam, and floor, earned All-American honors on the balance beam, and was the 2021 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Her love for flipping began as a toddler. Her coaches worked hard to “not kill the love” and created a training schedule to prioritize enjoyment and personal growth. She also learned how to face fear using it to develop strength and experience success.
When the new NIL era came into effect, she tapped into her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit jumping into brand sponsorships which motivated her to start NIL Island, a community for student-athletes who want to get better at NIL.
Lean highlights her mindset and intentional process to “have fun, compete freely, get perfect 10’s and win championships.”
@leahclapper, @nilisland
Abdelrahman Elaraby AKA Haridi Sameh hails from Cairo, Egypt, where he was a member of the Egyptian National Team, 2018 Junior Olympic Bronze medalist, and 2018 Egypt National Champion, and 2018 Mediterranean Games Silver medalist. He is also a 2X All African Champion and NCAA Champion. While he may be superhuman in the water, a suicide attempt one year ago resulted in a coma nearly ending his life. Despite missing the NCAA tournament, he gained a new perspective, and learned the value of being just an “average” human being. Elaraby discusses how stigma is perpetuated in college athletics, highlights the lack of proper knowledge and resources and details the thoughts, emotions and events of his suicide attempt.
WARNING: This episode contains emotionally sensitive material including discussion around suicide that may be triggering or disturbing to some listeners. If any of the content in this podcast evokes concerning thoughts or feelings, please reach out or speak to someone you trust.
@haridiiii
Dom Fusco is an athlete, health and wellness creator, host of the Pure Ambition podcast, and Co-Founder of Upspace. When his college football career ended, he lost his identity. Knowing he had more to give, he transitioned into running. He is in relentless pursuit of the best version of himself and continues seeking discomfort and growth through physical challenges. Using social media to document his training process and journey, his life mission is to empower 100 million people to become the healthiest, happiest, most fulfilled versions of themselves. When asked why his goal is impacting 100 million people, he identifies that everyone else says, “1 million” so why not have more ambition!
@dominicfusco, @pureambitionpodcast
Erin Washington is an author, podcast host and former DI college athlete who struggled with weight and body image for 20 years. Her drive and determination to achieve perfection created an unachievable standard and a longstanding eating disorder. Ironically, she finally found her best body at 37 after having two kids. Her choice to listen to her body not only lowered her stress but also fueled her confidence to apply for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue at age 41! Erin promotes a balanced lifestyle of “Squats and Margaritas” and offers specific tips and motivation showing women how to trust in their future selves, improve results and live a happier, more balanced lifestyle. Her nonprofit, Blue Butterfly Foundation provides mentorship for teen girls struggling with body image and self-worth.
@iamerinwashington, @squats_and_margaritas, @the_blue_butterflies_
At 19 years of age, two years after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Kevin Hines attempted to take his own life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. Thousands of people have tragically lost their life since the bridge was erected in 1937, he is now one of only 36 people who’ve survived that 220-foot jump. In the summer of 2013, he released his bestselling memoir titled Cracked Not Broken, Surviving and Thriving After A Suicide Attempt. His story was featured in the 2006 film The Bridge by the film director and producer Eric Steel. He is currently producing a documentary entitled Suicide: The Ripple Effect. As a multi-award-winning filmmaker, bestselling author, and an award-winning global suicide prevention and mental health advocate, he is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder for us to love the life we have.
WARNING: This episode contains emotionally sensitive material including discussion around suicide that may be triggering or disturbing to some listeners. If any of the content in this podcast evokes concerning thoughts or feelings, please reach out or speak to someone you trust.
@kevinhinesstory
Natalie Allport is a former Canadian team & world tour snowboarder, competitive CrossFit athlete, and lifelong creator & entrepreneur. Her story is all about creating and recreating oneself. A goal to make Team Canada for hockey turned into the reality of making the Canadian national snowboarding team. Despite the appearance of “living the dream” from the outside, the injuries and failing to qualify for the 2014 Olympics took a major toll on the inside. She made the difficult choice to leave the sport and faced an even tougher experience of finding her new identity. With the addition of Crossfit and a commitment to be open and vulnerable, Natalie has gone “ALL IN” on training, mindset, mental health, fitness, gender equity, body image, wellness and more.
@natalieallport
Mira Shane is much more than a Professional athlete and the all-time winningest goalie for Michigan Women’s Lacrosse. She is a proud biracial queer woman who studied African American Studies, law, Justice, Social Change and Music. She also a TEDx speaker and an advocate for diversity and inclusion. Mira shares her personal journey navigating her own identity, prioritizing her mental health and learning the value of self-love. If that’s not impressive enough, wait until you hear her beatbox. This episode has it all: Education, Inspiration and Entertainment.
@4amiracle
At age 17, Mary Cain was the fastest girl in America, leaving high school to sign with the most recognized track team in the world. The more attention she received as an athlete, the less attention she received as a young woman with her own thoughts, emotions, hopes and dreams. Mary describes the intense challenges that came with professional running which created a toxic environment for both her physical and mental health. Eventually she chose to leave the world of competition which was running away from the responsibility of keeping athletes healthy and happy. Instead, she decided to sprint towards advocacy and empowerment of young female athletes and victims of sexual violence.
@runmarycain, @atalantany, @thearmyofsurvivors
Scotty Rodgers looks big, plays big and acts big. His personality will, “make the room” or “nuke the room.” This NCAA Final Four MVP, 2X All-American and 12-year lacrosse legend shares the importance of creating your own style and defining your own identity to find success. He also shares the eternal struggle of good vs evil and using his tattoos as reminders of his power to navigate that constant struggle in his daily life. Whether on the field, in his personal life or visiting patients in a children’s hospital, he believes it’s important to, “Use your smile to change the world but don’t let the world change your smile.”
@scottyrodg42, @riseup_pod
What do Simone Biles, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, and Ray Lewis all have in common? While they have all been considered the greatest of all time in their respective sports, what really draws them together is their mindset on failure. Join Dr. T as he dives into failure and fear, sharing personal examples to help us better understand these underappreciated experiences and reframe these concepts to develop a sustainable template for winning.
Laura Wilkinson has achieved every honor in the sport of Diving. She is 3x Olympian, Gold Medalist, World Champion, 2X NCAA Champion, 8X All-American, and holds 19 USA Diving National Titles. At the age of 43,she even qualified for finals in the 2021 Olympic trials with her 4 kids watching. Her path was filled with obstacles as she started late, was called a “waste of space” by a coach and gave up her college scholarship to train for the Olympics only to shatter her foot leaving her unable to train just months before the 2000 Sydney Games. Her mindset to “rather fail than not try” and her choice to find humor and joy and in the scariest of moments enabled her to overcome the impossible coming from 8th place in the final round to achieve her childhood dream of winning an Olympic Gold Medal. She teaches current athletes that we will all have challenges that will define us.
@lala_the_diver, laurawilkinson.com
Raised in Boston, Devin Ibañez was drawn to Ruby given its encouraging, inclusive and counterculture vibe compared to American football. His accomplishments include a gold medal for Team USA at the 2017 World Maccabiah Games in Israel, winning a 2018 D1 National Championship and moving abroad to play at the highest level. However, the more he success he found, the greater the struggle to be open about who he really was. A life-threatening injury changed his mindset on his relationship with rugby, the loss of a beloved pet opened his heart to the reality of isolation and the love of his partner all inspired him to become the first openly gay Major League Rugby player. As a Global Ambassador for International Gay Rugby (IGR), Devin hopes to inspire the next generation of LGBTQ+ athletes and make sport an inclusive space for them.
@thatgayrugger, @usmlr
Max Browne’s dream to play in the NFL began in kindergarten, his trajectory began in 6th grade and by 12th grade, he was the National Player of the Year. His parents laid out a process with unconditional support, humility and ingrained the effort required to build confidence and achieve success. However, his college experience revealed that sometimes hard work and talent are not enough. Declared a “bust” by many, he became frustrated with being frustrated and made the choice to invest in his mental wellbeing and community without football. The skill set he developed on the field gave him the confidence to become risk tolerant, bet on himself and learn to, “treat success the same way he treats failure.” He shares his life post football to motivate and inspire others that, “life can be amazing even when Plan A doesn’t work out.”
@maxbrowne
Reagan Rust’s story includes an abusive father, a family history of mental illness, transitioning through five different high schools and leaving home at age 15 to pursue dreams of playing D1 Ice Hockey. Her story also includes recurrent thoughts and plans to end her own life only to ask herself, “What if I keep going?” Her ability to look for opportunities in front of her, advocate for mental health support and appreciate her mother’s sacrifices helped create the resilience to grow the confidence to achieve her goals. She is the first player from Mississippi to play D1 Ice Hockey, 2019 Beanpot Tournament Champion, 2020 Beanpot Hall of Fame Inductee and member of the Metropolitan Riveters Professional Ice Hockey Team. As founder of the Female Athlete Society, she uses her experience to empower female athletes to take control and create tribes of support.
WARNING: This episode contains emotionally sensitive material including discussion surrounding suicide that may be triggering or disturbing to some listeners. If any of the content in this podcast has brought anything up for you, please reach out or speak to someone you trust.
@rea.rust, @femaleathletesociety
Caeli McKay feel in love with the sport of diving at the age of 6 and decided to leave home at 16 to pursue her Olympic dream by training with a 3x Olympic Medalist who eventually became her mentor, synchro partner and friend. Suffering a career threatening injury just before the Tokyo games, she relied heavily on visualization to stay motivated placing 4th in the Olympics. In addition to sharing her process for success, Caeli dives into her personal struggles with anxiety, depression and an eating disorder exacerbated by “positive feedback” from others regarding how “fit” she appeared in a televised competition. Her experiences and knowledge have created a passion for mental health advocacy and the importance of creating an identity outside of one’s sport.
@caemckay, @thehiddenopponent
With the spring athletic season approaching, Dr. T identifies the typical thoughts and emotions that so many athletes encounter this time of year. He also takes us through an exercise to identify our own strengths and increase their value in our mind to improve confidence, manage doubts and ensure we are fully prepared to conquer our athletic season. You will want to add this motivational mindset episode to your preseason playlist.
@dr.t_sportspsych, @thehiddenopponent
Emily Sterling has captured almost every award given in her sport including National Goalkeeper of the year but even more incredible is her template for success. She utilizes her strengths of organization and communication to create goal-oriented tasks while being very intentional about language she uses. After an ACL repair, her biggest athletic challenge was not the physical recovery but rather the emotional and psychological recovery for which she was completely unprepared. Her experiences have inspired her to develop a gameday process that encompasses all the work she has put in and has proven difficult to beat.
@em.sterling, @marylandwlax
The youngest of 7 kids, Teague Moore was taught about “toughness” through respect, perseverance and accountability. He also learned that in order to become a true champion, you must create your own goals and develop motivation by what you envision not what you see. This mindset fostered grit which defined his career as one of the most successful wrestlers of his time. He invested back in his sport as a long time NCAA D1 and Team USA Coach. His combined experiences have provided him the knowledge and process to endure the most painful challenges of his life these past two years.
thewrestlingconsultant.com, @wrestlingmindset
Born and raised in the small town of Seward Alaska, Lydia Jacoby made a huge splash by becoming the first ever Alaskan swimmer to qualify for an Olympic Games. She created even more waves by winning a gold and silver medal in Tokyo 2020. She shares the power that comes from a close-knit community, the importance of changing her mindset for bigger moments and the ability to stick with her own process that has always allowed her to maximize every experience knowing it will not last forever. Lydia also dives into her post Olympic depression and her intentional healing process that has helped her prioritize herself and redefine her relationship with her sport as she currently competes for the University of Texas Longhorns program.
@lydiaalicee_, @thehiddenopponent
Michelle Tumolo played multiple sports growing up and wasn’t even introduced to lacrosse until 9th grade. Her own desire to get really good really fast combined with a coach who taught her to believe in herself and appreciate every moment created an opportunity for her to play at Syracuse University becoming an All-American, Tewaaraton finalist and eventual 2017 World Cup Champion. As the current head coach at Army West Point, she embraces the opportunity to coach young women who have chosen the harder path to serve others. She also values the ability to teach these young cadets the importance of being one’s complete self and expressing every emotion.
@mtumolo35, @armywp_wlax
Robert Owens is considered “The Fittest and Mentally Toughest 71-Year-Old in the World” He is a Special Ops Pararescueman, mountain climber, 12X Ironman triathlete, World Marathon Challenge finisher, SEALFIT’s Kokoro 50-hour challenge, radio/TV personality, keynote speaker, minister, philanthropist, and father of five – to name a few. He was also adopted at age 3 months, could not run until 7th grade requiring corrective boots, was suspended from school multiple times barely escaping expulsion. He learned that by developing an “unbeatable mind,” being willing to listen and practicing self-mastery, he could endure any pressure situation revealing his true character. This is the “most interesting man in the world!”
roberthamiltonowens.com, robrows4vets.org
Emily Cole is an All-American NCAA D1 runner, social media creator and health advocate. Her passion for running started relatively late in high school but the structure, routine and feeling it created fostered the motivation to excel. Her dedication to training and nutrition was tremendous but her lack of knowledge was life threatening. After spending the most important race day of her life in a coma induced by hyponatremia, she decided to invest in herself and her sport physically and mentally. Her personal experiences inspired her to write a book about sports nutrition and dedicate her mindset to making the most out of each day. The result: she helps others “find balance while fueling their dreams.”
@emilycole, @duketfxc
Lisa Wimberger began meditation at the age of 12 but without the proper knowledge and guidance she used it as an escape rather than a way to connect with herself. At the age 15, she was struck by lightening which set off a series of seizure like episodes extending into her adulthood causing her heart to stop on multiple occasions. She created the process of Neurosculpting to save her own life out of necessity and commitment to her husband and daughter. By understanding the brains learning process, she created a process to disrupt her own flight/flight/freeze response ensuring she would never have an episode again. Now as the founder of the Neurosculpting Institute, co-founder of the NeuroPraxis App and author of seven books, she teaches audiences from corporate leaders to FBI to Secret Service how to manage the challenges in life, regulate ones emotions and intentionally focus on appreciating the unremarkable.
@neurosculpting, @lisa_wimberger
Forbes magazine describes his life as, “A story of addiction and recovery. A story of rising above a chaotic childhood. A story of a guy who went from a prison guard to Wall Street to arguably the top over-50 marathoner on he planet.” Ken Rideout’s story is inspiring but he believes he is like everyone else. By focusing on his attitude and maximizing opportunities, he has become incredibly “lucky.” His mindset is involves being consistent, authentic, grateful and willing to admit his anxieties and fears. What makes him so tough? Even when he is scared to do something, he always chooses to, “Just do it scared.”
@ken_rideout
Maxwell Costes is a Baltimore native whose success in high school was largely related to his wellness practices created by a supportive environment. He earned the opportunity to play Division 1 Baseball at the University of Maryland where he began to confront his own mental health issues. By choosing to access support, he learned the importance of acceptance, prioritizing excellence over perfection and valuing discipline over motivation. He invests in consuming the right information and meaningful relationships. Now a member of the Baltimore Orioles system, Maxwell is, “content but never satisfied.”
@maxwell_costes
Born to a single teenage mom in the inner city, football replaced the void left by the absence of his biological father. For Marq Brown, the structure, discipline and work ethic required to succeed felt natural and comforting. It led him to Auburn University where he met his wife (also a D1 athlete) and a spot on the NY Jets. After an abrupt end to his NFL career, the feelings of abandonment resurfaced creating feelings of depression and uncertainty in his identity. However, he found his passion for fitness, and connected with amazing people who continuously challenge themselves mentally, physically and professionally . As such, he learned the value of training his mind and “his hustle like his muscle.” Now a proud father of twin boys, he uses his personal experiences to be available, interested and appreciative in his children’s lives making sure no matter what they choose to do, they understand “they were born to do this.”
@marqbrown, @theblackbearsden
Despite having no college football offers, Todd Anderson took advantage of one opportunity, which led to another and another after that. By putting himself “in the fire”, he repeatedly elevated the bar to become a product of his environment. His mindset to convince others and prove himself everyday enabled him to create a process to earn a full scholarship, starting fullback position at Michigan State and a roster spot in the NFL. After an abrupt end to his playing career, Todd took his personal passion for strength and conditioning to performance coaching. He now creates comprehensive individualized training program encompass strength, condition, nutrition, sleep, brain health and stress management for a variety of high level athletes including a program devoted to elite swimmers. His biggest challenge these days: trying to convince his wife (3X Olympic medalist and World Champion swimmer) Katie Hoff to let him install a sauna on his porch!
@toddanderson42_, @synergydryland, synergydryland.com
At the age of 9, Peter Berry’s family was involved in a car accident that killed both his parents, injured his 5 year old sister and left both he and his brother paralyzed from the waist down. Despite losing his parents and use of his lower body, he used his innate optimistic mindset and physical drive to focus on what he could do. Since then, he has redefined what family means, is thriving and continuing the legacy of his parents. His drive, determination and follow through on commitment have earned him a full scholarship for wheelchair basketball at University of Alabama and a spot on Team USA. Despite the repeated challenges in his life, Peter utilizes the life lessons he has learned to provide inspiration and hope for anyone who might need it.
@p_dawg31
Son of Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., Ryan Ripken was exposed to baseball from birth and faced ongoing comparisons to his father’s legacy. But his personal passion for the game, motivation to win and desire to define who “Ryan” was regardless of outside perceptions paved the way to create his own baseball journey. He won a high school championship, was drafted in 2014 by the Washington Nationals, signed with the Baltimore Orioles in 2017 and just completed his career at the Triple-A level retiring in 2022. He shares his mindset in handling external pressures, navigating numerous setbacks and the evolution of redefining himself outside of baseball.
@ryanripken
Dr. Nate Zinsser has taught 3 generations of soldiers, athletes, and executives to master the art of confidence and mental toughness. He is the Director of Performance Psychology Program at US Military Academy at West Point, sports psychology mentor for 2XSuperBowl MVP Eli Manning, long time consultant to the NFL NY Giants and NHL Philadelphia Flyers. He has worked with Olympian’s, NCAA Champions, FBI, NYFD, and the US Army recruiting command to truly understand and become “mentally tough.” He is also a former state wrestling champion, elite level mountaineer, lifetime practitioner of Japanese karate and meditative disciplines. Doc Z is truly a mindset expert!
Natezinsser.com
Maggie Headlee is a former NCAA D1 swimmer for the University of Minnesota and Olympic Trials Qualifier, who now plays masters water polo and competes in triathlons for fun. She struggled with severe perfectionism and performance anxiety throughout high school, which got progressively worse in college and eventually manifested through an eating disorder. After many struggles, she took ownership over her recovery and currently uses her food blogging platform to show others that food is a privilege, it is fuel, it is a gift and it can bring us joy.
@maggiebakesgrace
Kimber Hower’s introduction to collegiate lacrosse was far from typical. She came from Utah growing up in a family that skied competitively and showed horses. She hid under her helmet and trained with male athletes, committed to UNC as an 8th grader, only played 2 years of HS lacrosse, graduated as valedictorian as a junior and started her college experience at age 17. However, much like other athletes, she began to struggle with anxiety, self-confidence, and depression. She ultimately allowed others to help, prioritized herself, chose to redefine her identity and made an unprecedented move to transfer schools. She has become an inspiration and advocate for mental health teaching us why we should all “slowdown” to get further ahead.
@kimberhower, @cusewlax
Leah Jantzen grew up playing multiple sports but never felt like she really pushed herself. After 4 children, she reconnected with fitness at the age of 40. Two years later, she ran her first marathon and a few years later qualified for Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii in 2020. Due to circumstances out of her control, the biggest race of her life has been postponed for two years. She discusses her ongoing training process, navigating the mental/emotional challenges through this process while managing life as a mother, guidance counselor, coach and endurance athlete by “showing up every day. “ In a few short weeks, she will finally be able to complete her “unfinished business” while raising money and awareness for The Hidden Opponent, an organization dedicated to mental health and awareness of student athletes.
@leahjantzen, @thehiddenopponent
At the age of ten, a boating accident led to the unthinkable for a young athlete: the amputation of his right leg. His parents showed him empathy but also set his perspective for the future helping him believe he could be an Olympic Champion. Today, Jack Wallace is a 2X Paralympic Gold Medalist and 2X World Champion in Sled Hockey. He is also setting his sights on Sprint Kayak for the Paris 2024 Olympics. When he is not competing or training, he is a mentor/counselor at Camp No Limits, which introduced him to sled hockey as a child. His mindset is all about maximizing experiences and his mantra is, “You get out what you put in.”
@jwallace_usa
Growing up in Dallas Texas where lacrosse was not well recognized, Meg Carney combined her work ethic with a chip on her shoulder to prove she can hang with anyone becoming a 2019 Gold Medalist for Team USA and a multiple time All American at one of the top programs in the nation. She has navigated several severe injuries that caused her to miss playing time but has turned each obstacle into an opportunity to learn, surround herself with good people, support younger players and truly commit to always improve. Her motto and advice to younger players is simple, “Instead of proving others wrong, prove yourself right!”
@megcarney22, @fitandfoodwith22, @cusewlax
James Boria is a former collegiate baseball player, gym owner, functional strength coach and endurance athlete who is currently training to become the first ever person to complete the first ever bear crawl ultra marathon, 31 miles through the streets of NYC. Through this feat, James is bringing awareness and raising money for “The Hidden Opponent,” a non-profit who supports athletes and their mental health. His personal story included neglecting his mental health, forgetting who he was and struggling with performance until he made the choice to be proud of failure, rewrite his own story and create a new life.
@james.boria, @thehiddenopponent
Kayla Treanor is a 2X World Champion, 2X All-World Team Selection, All time leading scorer in USA lacrosse history, 4X NCAA All American, 3X Tewaaraton Finalist and Head Coach for Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse. She has also failed to achieve her dreams several times experiencing the reality of humility. Growing up, her parents never forced her to play even though she almost quit several times. Her college coach, Gary Gait invested fully in her and showed her the power of ultimate belief. Over her career, she has learned not to be afraid to dominate, avoid comparison with others, and the importance of being herself. She chooses to prioritize passion, hard work and appreciation and always encourages her athletes to “play with joy in their hearts.”
@kaylatreanor, @cusewlax, @usa_wlax
Haylie Wagner is a professional softball player who received her bachelors and masters in social work from the University of Michigan where she was 2012 unanimous Big Ten Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, 4x Big-Ten Champ, 2x All-American, 2015 WCWS Runner-up and All-Tournament Team. Her growth and confidence evolved from giving up her pride, accessing support, trusting the process, and facing her fears. Her mindset is to stay focused, keep life simple and connect with the fans. She plays not just for herself, but for her family, loved ones she has lost, those struggling with mental illness and the future generations of female athletes.
@haywags17, @auprosoftball, @auprosports
Dave Pietramala is the only person in the history of college lacrosse to win a Division I national championship as both a player and a head coach. His accomplishments also include 2X defenseman of the year, most outstanding player of the year, most wins in Johns Hopkins history and National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. What really separates him is his love for competing and his focus on the fundamentals, discipline and relationships. His mindset is to “be great at the things that don’t take any talent.” He is successful because he was well trained on knowledge, delivery and transparency.
Maddy Price is a professional track and field athlete (400m) and Canadian Olympian in the Women's 4x400m relay. Off the track, she is a mentor to female athletes, a motivational speaker, an athlete mental health advocate, and a lover of all things food, camping, and travel. Her road to Tokyo was filled with uncertainty as she dealt with recovering from foot surgery with only 12 months to the Olympics, the global pandemic, and losing her dad to cancer just 6 months after missing the Rio 2016 Olympic Team. Despite the odds, she helped lead the Canadian Women’s 4x400m Relay team to a 4th place finish, just narrowly missing the podium and a Canadian record by six-tenths of a second. Far more important than the accomplishment of becoming an Olympian is how she approached the process... with a gritty and “day by day” attitude.
@maddypriceless, maddyprice.net, voiceinsport.com
Sam Swart did not grow up in a lacrosse hotbed, did not specialize in one sport and never restricted herself to one group. Rather, her mindset to be intentionally free, creative and have fun has enabled her to be 2 sport NCAA athlete, All-American, and member of Team USA lacrosse. She prioritizes what is most important to her while supporting everyone around her. She has trained herself to believe that each experience is the best experience ever! Her mission is simple: Live with no regrets and make sure that the 12-year-old version of yourself will always be proud.
@samswart1
Sam Swart did not grow up in a lacrosse hotbed, did not specialize in one sport and never restricted herself to one group. Rather, her mindset to be intentionally free, creative and have fun has enabled her to be 2 sport NCAA athlete, All-American, and member of Team USA lacrosse. She prioritizes what is most important to her while supporting everyone around her. She has trained herself to believe that each experience is the best experience ever! Her mission is simple: Live with no regrets and make sure that the 12-year-old version of yourself will always be proud.
@samswart1
Meaghan Tyrrell is a 2022 Tewaaraton Finalist, 2X NCAA All-American, 2022 World Games Team USA member and Team Captain of Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse. She dominates on the field but her attitude and approach is what really sets her apart. Whether it was choosing her sport, the position she plays or making it to the highest level, her mindset is simple. She decides that, “I want to do it.” Her focus on meditation, visualization and breathing into her daily training has allowed her to master the ability to turn it on at the most critical moments without overthinking, thinking at all, or simply singing “Gary’s Song” from Sponge Bob in her head!
@meaghanntyrrell, @cusewlax
Over his 16-year career, Sam Koch has established himself as one of the most accomplished punters in NFL history. This Baltimore Raven legend didn’t start until perfecting his art until he entered the pros and learned to create a routine that included strength training, nutrition, sleep and a pre-kick process focused on footwork and fundamentals. Sam discusses the importance of doing everything with a purpose including his relationship with family, mentorship with teammates off the field and his passion for craftsmanship. His experiences have shaped the mindset he teaches his son and other players, which is that simple: “Find a way to have fun.”
@sdkoch4
Jacob Pacheco is a content creator, entrepreneur, model, speaker (including TedX talk) and professional surfer who works with major brands such as Zappos, UGG, Nike, and Tommy Hilfiger, Liv3mind, Bomber Eyewear, Adidas and more. Born with cerebral palsy, he was consistently told that his “body was broken” and bullied because he was “not good enough”. His experiences also include medical setbacks, surgical complications, abuse, and depression. However, instead of letting others write his own story, he chose to “take the pen back,” literally focus on one step at a time, and founded “Prone to Life” which promotes empowerment and optimization.
@pronetoride
Her dream was to play soccer at UNC. Once she got a lacrosse stick for Christmas, her reality became playing lacrosse at UNC. But the transition was anything but easy for Marie McCool including self-doubt, comparisons to other players and wondering if she was worthy. Her willingness to open up to her coach helped her develop a plan for growth leading to an amazing career being considered as perhaps the most decorated player in UNC history. Most importantly was her ability to develop a sense of confidence, pure enjoyment and love for her teammates. This Team USA member shares the value of preparation, learning from failure and becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable as critical experiences for success.
@mariemccool
Mason Beckman is one of Pennsylvania’s most accomplished wrestlers including a 2X PA State Champ, 4X State Medalist, 2nd All time in PA HS wins, 4X NCAA qualifier and 2X NCAA D1 All-American. The foundation to his success is built on a desire to compete, a family and community of support and the ability to reframe and redefine his identity several times. The lessons learned on the mat provided the strength to navigate some incredibly vulnerable times in his personal life. He chooses to have a mindset of growth, gratitude, and the quest to always “do the next right thing.”
@the_rudis, Twitter @beck_diggity
Natural talent and the enjoyment of winning motivated Julie Culley to excel early on as a runner. She became a 3X Cross Country and 2X track/Field MVP at Rutgers. However, as expectations increased, she learned that her mind was the real key to her performance and gave her the power to do something so great or so detrimental. She decided to invest in her mindset and redefine her identity within her sport. The results include competing in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, creating over 50 All-Americans as a coach, induction into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame and the manager of sports marketing at Brooks Running. While running is the common theme in her life, she really believes in the power of movement.
@jeculley2012
Jack Kelly embodies the ultimate inspirational story. Learning the concepts patience and enjoyment early on, he accomplished almost every award imaginable: 2X H.S. State Champ, 2X NCAA All-American, top college goaltender in the nation, MLL Rookie of the year, MLL Champion, MVP Finalist and Gold Medalist for Team USA. However, a devastating knee injury with surgical complications derailed his playing career for 3 years while also challenging his identity. While many would have retired and suggested he do the same, Jack chose to focus on his mental health and reinvest in the concepts of patience and enjoyment in order to promote his physical recovery. The results include a new definition of strength, a new appreciation for his sport and a spot on Team USA “Sixes Team” in the 2022 World Games. @j.kelly94
Zion Clark is recognized by many as the wrestler, Guinness world record holder, motivational speaker and social media icon that was born with no legs, grew up in foster care, and survived abuse/neglect. But Zion is really known for choosing a mindset that focuses on his strengths, his creativity, his passion, and being known for who he is and what he is doing now rather than the stereotypical narrative of overcoming adversity. There are two statements that are his mantra and way of life; “If they are going to look at you, make sure they remember your name” and, “No Excuses.”
@bigz97, zionclark.com
Like so many high school athletes, Cailin Bracken only focused on her physical health not mental health. Like so many D1 athletes, she was unprepared for the pressure that would impact her performance. However, she broke the norm when she decided to take time away to prioritize herself, her mindset and mental health. By choosing herself she was able to choose to return to lacrosse as a better player, teammate and most importantly…a better person. She also created a platform to advocate for the responsibility and privilege of “adults” to become “mentally tougher” by having more open discussions and creating a safer/more supportive environment.
ownyourstory.community, @kalewithcail
Growing up a competitive swimmer, Marsie Salvatori learned that “you can always go harder than you think” but transitioned to lacrosse to enjoy the rush of scoring, and build strong relationships. On her 22nd birthday, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The lessons and bonds created through athletics helped her take it “one day at a time”, led to tremendous support from teammates and even gave her the strength to support a former teammate with a new cancer diagnosis. These experiences have shaped her mindset to find purpose giving back to the cancer community. She will now turn her passion into her profession as a social worker in oncology for young adults.
@mgsalvatori, @headstrongfnd
Kyla Ross is the first ever gymnast to be an Olympic Champion, World Champion and NCAA Champion. From an early age, she shifted her mindset to find love for each event allowing her to dominate them all. She developed a training process that included open communication, focusing on small steps, visualizing what she could control, and reframing significant setbacks. Her goal to “give the illusion of a perfect 10” allowed her to actually earn 22 perfect 10’s as a 24X NCAA All-American! @kyla_ross96
Justin Tucker is the most accurate kicker in the NFL, is a 5X Probowler, Super Bowl Champion and owns the record for the longest kick in history (66 yard field goal). What’s more impressive is his mindset and process to achieve success beginning at the age of 4. Learn about the direct correlation in his ability to master a musical performance with the ability to focus his thoughts and emotions ensuring a game winning field goal. We also discuss his continued attention to improving every detail in his pre-kick routine, which lasts only 13.8 seconds on the field but creates memories and experiences that last a lifetime. His appreciation for his team, fans and family combined with his enjoyment of the smallest moments are building a legacy bigger than anyone who will ever play his position.
@jtuck9, @ravens
Change the narrative by starting to change the language around suicide. TME is re-releasing this important conversation. The Hilinski’s Hope Foundation (H3H) was created in 2018 to honor the life of Tyler Hilinski, a starting quarterback at Washington State University who died by suicide January 16, 2018. H3H uses this tragedy to save lives, eliminate stigma, & scale mental wellness programs for student-athletes. Mark Hilinski shares Tyler’s story, misconceptions about mental illness, the importance of language & how he celebrates his son daily.
Other resources include The Hidden Opponent, Morgan’s Message, #SameHere Global, Dam Worth It Company, The Trevor Project, NAMI, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 1-800-273-8255
Hilinskishope.org, @hilinskishope
As the youngest of 5, Mary Griffin was given the inspiration, love and support to excel in life. As a NCAA D1 freshman, her lacrosse season was cut short due to COVID, her parents lost their jobs & a tree fell on her brother’s car. Hopeful for a new start as a sophmore, her life got even more complicated when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while in isolation from COVID. She accessed the support of a former teammate also battling cancer, decided this hardship would give her an advantage & chose to embrace the imperfections of the year, which was “Not a 10.” Mary teaches us, “If you are a mess, you have a message.” @margriff10, @hokieslax, @nota10_podcast
John Rallo was a 3 sport HS athlete who got into MMA fighting by accident. Using his wrestling and background, he found initial success going undefeated and even earned a spot on the Ultimate Fighter. An ACL injury forced him to overcome his ego and shift his focus. He found a mentor in Renzo Gracie, earned a 4th degree black belt, grew his own training school with multiple locations, advocated to get MMA legalized in Maryland and committed himself to serving his local community. His mindset is simple, “You either win or you learn.”
groundcontrolbaltimore.com, shogunfights.com
Eric DeCosta has been with the Ravens since day 1, from an intern to a scout and now the GM/Executive VP since 2019. His dream began at age 6 when he decided, “to be the guy that builds the team.” Despite his limitations, he loved to learn, showed enthusiasm every day, actively looked for ways to improve and earned respect from his peers.
He was rejected by all but one NFL team, but with that opportunity he created a process making him irreplaceable. His work ethic, growth mindset, thirst for knowledge and ability to truly define competiveness and strength continues to make the Baltimore Ravens and the local community better each day.
@ravens
TD Irelan is a 3X All American, Tewaaraton Finalist, pro lacrosse standout and coach. Early on, his father challenged him, believed in him and showed him how much he cares. Football taught him mental preparation. Wrestling taught him mental toughness and accountability. Chess taught him patience and creativity. These experiences combined with the mindset to learn from others has made him the most dominant face off specialist in the sport of lacrosse.
TD teaches us that the gap between good and great is small, there are many athletes in that gap and we get to choose what we do in that gap.
@td_ierlan
As an athlete, Kenzie Kent gained numerous recognitions and accolades playing both Ice Hockey and Lacrosse at the NCAA D1 and professional level. As a student, her effort earned Academic Honor Roll honors. However, her mindset is what makes her truly exceptional. Early on, she embraced the ability to learn from mistakes, make quick decisions and play aggressively, selling out on every play. Inspired by her college lacrosse coach, encouraged by her mother and motivated by her teammates, she committed to doing something no one had ever dose before, winning a National Championship in two sports. Her mantra is simple yet so powerful; “Stay Humble, Hustle Hard.” @kenziekent, @cusewlax
Nate Boyer is a former Green Beret, football player for the Texas Longhorns & later the Seattle Seahawks becoming the oldest rookie in the NFL at age 34. He is currently the co-founder of Merging Vets & players (MVP), a producer, director, actor, & TV host. His experiences embody the mindset of having purpose, choosing what is important, & pushing yourself to look for opportunities without limitations. He believes that anything is possible and teaches us to always find a challenge. He lives by the motto, “To Free The Oppressed” @nateboyer37, nateboyer.com, vetsandplayers.org
This gymnast at U of Florida is winding down an incredible 18 year career including former U.S. National Team Member, Pan American Games Gold & Silver Medalist, 2019 SEC Balance Beam Champion, 6x All-American, and 2-term SAAC President. By trusting the work, talking to herself, & continuing to strive, Megan keeps building her confidence bank. Her mental health experience helped her reconnect with her sport and inspired the “Tiny Bow Project” created to educate, inspire & empower.
@megan_skaggs
Cyrus Jones has found success at all levels winning championships in high school, 2 National Championships with U of Alabama& a Super Bowl Championship with the New England Patriots. His football career ended prematurely at age 26 when he was discovered to have a congenital condition requiring open-heart surgery. He continues to apply his principals of accountability, humility & selflessness combined with teachings from his coaches Nick Saban, Bill Belichick & John Harbaugh making him grateful, adaptable & unbreakable.
@cyjonesjr, @cyjonesfit
Brian Mazza’s exposure to hard work & entrepreneurship came at an early age. As a collegiate athlete, he learned the value of personal accountability in context of a bigger picture. When it comes to fitness, business and family, he understands that things could end tomorrow, you need to strive to get better, adversity can be your best friend & you have to change your behavior to change your circumstance. The result: multiple successful businesses, partnerships, media features & a dedication to High Performance Lifestyle Training.
@brianmazza, brianmazza.com
Eric is a former U.S. Marine & expert in the field of mental toughness & emotional intelligence (EQ). As a professional speaker, he teaches executives & sales professionals how to overcome the limits brought on by fear & emotions, & replace them with clear, concise critical thinking that gets results. As an author, he highlights the value of respect, empathy, & appreciation among other attainable skills to become mentally tough & connect with anyone you choose.
mentaltoughnessspeaker.com, @ericrittmeyer
Damion uses his personal story of being shot 1 inch above the heart to teach lessons of forgiveness, self-control, discipline, & redemption. While mentoring a young man in prison, he discovered his mentee was the assailant who shot him years earlier. This inspired him to create Project Pneuma; a holistic program focused on social emotional learning, communication & curbing actions from trauma in young African American males. This is the mindset of empathy & forgiveness!
projectpneuma.org, @projectpneuma
Kylie Ohlmiller is a 4x All-American, Team USA member, Pro Athlete and Founder of KO17 Lacrosse. Early on, she loved the fact that if you practice harder, you will get better. She found herself in a leadership role quickly & learned the value of doing the work herself so others would follow. Despite her size, her passion, intensity, & creativity are larger than her sport. Young girls who cheer for #17 with her tucked in shirt & trademarked eye black are shown why we should all “Dream On.”
@kylieohlmiller17, ko17lacrosse.com
Despite early success in wrestling, he considered quitting at the NCAA D1 level. His ego kept him going & he learned the value of focusing on effort over results. After getting fired as a referee, his ego was crushed but led to opportunities as an analyst on ACC Network & ESPN. Throughout his experiences on & off the mat, Rock Harrison refuses to quit, focuses his effort on preparation & continues to be authentic. The result; taking advantage of an unforgettable moment during a televised match that made him an Internet sensation. IG: @rock_reax, Twitter: @rockreax
Inspired by Mia Hamm, she drew a picture at age of 6 declaring she would also play soccer at UNC. Since then, Paige Nielsen has become obsessed with the physical and mental dedication required to be great. She was a captain at UNC, has played all over the world & won a NWSL championship. Her experiences have taught her to be fearless, adaptable, communicative and inspirational. She firmly believes, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”
@pnielsen24
Janine Tucker is the all time winningest coach at Johns Hopkins University Women’s Lacrosse, a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame & a Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. She was empowered to be better than the boys by her father, developed courage with her high school coach & learned communication & leadership from her college coach. With her own players, she ensures they know “they belong here, they were meant to be here & they are expected to contribute.”
@hopkinslacrosse
The Hilinski’s Hope Foundation (H3H) was created in 2018 to honor the life of Tyler Hilinski, a starting quarterback at Washington State University who died by suicide January 16, 2018. H3H uses this tragedy to save lives, eliminate stigma, & scale mental wellness programs for student-athletes. Mark Hilinski shares Tyler’s story, misconceptions about mental illness, the importance of language & how he celebrates his son daily.
Hilinskishope.org, @hilinskishope
What a privilege to appear on Gilman School’s podcast: Path to Follow! We discussed my perspective on David Goggins, Jocko Willink, Nick Saban & so many other examples of greatness; specifically how their mindset applies to “regular athletes.” I discuss the importance of admitting vulnerabilities, reframing setbacks, accepting ownership, & creating a process to grow. We also go over specific mindset skills, why they are effective & how to implement them to be the best.
IG: dr.t_sportspsych
Mark Schultz didn’t begin wrestling to win. He did it to learn how to fight. What he lacked in experience, he overcame with his work ethic & learning process. He became a master at managing his fear & utilizing his anxiety. He explains how “confidence is either built or destroyed each day” & “nothing motivates you more than your own success.” The result: 4X US Open Champion, 3X NCAA Champion, 2X World Champion, Olympic Champion, Winner UFC IX & best selling author of "Foxcatcher."
Growing up in East Baltimore, his mother taught him it was good to be different and sent him to private school instilling the confidence to make the school a better place. In H.S. football, he learned how to build men for others through love, accountability, empathy and respect. In year 7 as an undrafted free agent in the NFL, Darius Jennings chooses to live life with a heart of gratitude for himself, his teammates and his community.
IG: @dariusjennings_
As a pro lacrosse player, he is a 7X All-Star and holds the scoring record for most points in a season. In college, he was a Tewaaraton Award winner, 4X All-American and all time leading scorer in college lax history. Rob Pannell was also cut from many teams and wasn’t heavily recruited. He shares how the mindset to believe in himself, focus on his fundamentals and control the controllables led to experiences and relationships that will forever shape him.
IG: @robpannell3, theattackacademy.com
Mark Zinno has served over 22 years in the US Army, where he currently holds the rank of colonel. He has multiple combat deployments overseas to Iraq & has been awarded 2 bronze stars & a combat action badge. In his civilian career, he was a member of the Baltimore Ravens cheerleading team & has 20 years of radio experience. Mark has also created the “Hazard Ground Podcast” which tells stories of combat & survival from a first-person point-of-view by the veteran themselves.
@markzinno, hazardground.com
In 25+ years as an educator & administrator, Jim House has numerous recognitions including Teacher of the Year & Principal of the Year. He also developed “Resetology” & wrote a book to help dads better connect with their kids. He left teaching, invested over 20, 000 hours & became a writer. Now as “The Book Carver” he teaches writing by tapping into the mindset of his clients to create a shared experience that results in a true gift. A legacy.
thebookcarver.com
IG: @thebookcarver
Ray Rice’s story is more than a Super Bowl Champion released after assault of his fiancé. Growing up exposed to abuse & violence, he began "normalizing abnormal things." Football was his escape but also taught him to avoid any personal struggles. When “the worst split second decision” took away football, he focused on education & counseling to get his 2nd chance as a husband & father. His mission: become relatable & prove that you can only be “the man” for a moment but you can be “a man” for a lifetime.
As an NFL coach, Marvin Lewis’ historic defense led the Ravens to their first ever Super Bowl championship & guided the Bengals to 7 playoff appearances, 4 division titles, a franchise record 131 wins & Coach of the Year honors in 2009. He believes in empowering his players to be leaders, setting the standard for his organization, making sure everyone knows he has their back & owning his job to make everyone better. His mantra: ” They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Given her personal, educational and clinical experiences, Dr. Karyn Gordon truly understands the mindset of leadership. She discusses different types of leaders, differentiates concepts vs. actions, identifies characteristics necessary for effective leadership and breaks down specific leadership skills. Told she would be lucky to finish high school because of a learning disability, learn why, “her curse was her blessing.”
Dkleadership.org
IG: dr.karyngordon
His resume includes 4X Olympian for Team USA Volleyball, winning Gold & Bronze medals & 2019 Manhattan Beach Open Champion to name a few. Reid Priddy discusses the true value of key setbacks, how he integrated a goal setting process to achieve the unthinkable & the ability to consistently reframe or redefine his relationship with his sport. His evolving mindset has culminated to create the “Max Potential Process” & “INSAND” training programs.
mxpmindset.com, moveinsand.com
IG: reidpriddy
This 3X SEC soccer Champion is known for being the first female to play & score in a Power 5 college football game for Vanderbilt. Her honesty is unwavering, but her attitude has been consistently challenged. She has chosen to redefine her role as an athlete, focused on improving her thinking & opened herself to opportunities to help others. The result: more confidence, honesty & becoming the most authentic example of respect and positivity. This isn’t history, its HER-story!
IG: sarah_f27
Christian Conte PhD is a licensed professional counselor, Level V anger management specialist, creator of Yield Theory, author, TV personality, radio and podcast host. His success comes from teaching self-control through Choices, Consequences, Consistency and Compassion. By living his message and leading with humility, he empowers the most diverse and difficult populations to manage their emotions though communication and accountability.
IG: drchristianconte, web: drchristianconte.com
Her love for cars began at age of 12. Her experiences in the US Army taught her about structure, setting goals to develop self-confidence, and using her skill set and determination to elevate her team in accomplishing any mission. By her mid 20’s, Brooke Berini bought a house, started two businesses, bought her dream car and has dominated the drag racing scene winning several world records while inspiring young women to enter male specific professions.
Brookeberini.com, IG: @brookeberini
Over his 12 year NFL career, the Raven's and Charger's Jarret Johnson played in 129 strait regular season games, was named “Top 10 Most Underrated Players” in 2009, has been selected as “most inspirational” and described as “the toughest guy” to play with. He describes how his challenging path built him to become the player he was by embracing the grind, loving the adversity and making sure he always earned it. Above all, he stayed hungry and demonstrated that he belonged.
IG: doublej_9596
Living above Jimmy’s Famous Seafood as a kid, John Minadakis knew he was different. His experiences instilled the work ethic, self-awareness & confidence to take over the business at age 20, by necessity. By showing up, staying disciplined & embracing his Spartan roots, his attitude of “no retreat, no surrender” created a culture responsible for an iconic business, strong community partnerships & “The Famous Fund;” raising over $500K to keep local restaurants open during COVID.
Jimmysfamousseafood.com
As a 2X Olympian, 3X Medalist, 8X World Champion, Katie Hoff’s obsession and addiction to winning began at the age of 9 when she discovered the reward of pushing herself past discomfort. Her unwavering attention to the process, a relentless attitude and the ability to "Embrace the Suck" has created a mindset that is “bulletproof to failure.”
Kthoff.com, IG: kthoff7
As Head Coach of the Baltimore Ravens since 2008, his accolades include: 2019 NFL Coach of the Year, Super Bowl 47 Champion, 4 AFC North Division Titles, & 9 playoff appearances in 13 years. Learn the importance of believing in your players, creating a shared understanding & focusing on the process of improving each day. We also discuss his experience competing with & against his brother & the importance of being a dad NOT a coach for his daughter; now an NCAA D1 athlete!
baltimoreravens.com
Despite being a 2-sport college athlete, Josh Levinson wasn’t exposed to endurance running until it became an opportunity to spend time with his family. With it came bonding time, thinking time and the ability see the world in a different way. By creating a process and putting “one foot in front of the other,” he prioritized his “IT” and created a business, a community and an unforgettable 50th birthday celebrated by running 50 miles.
charmcityrun.com, IG: @charmcityrun
Despite being “cut from every team he tried out for” & being “undersized,” Pat Spencer trusted his coaches, believed in himself & continued to develop his skills. In 2019, he graduated as one of the top lacrosse players in the country. He also had a plan & put in the work to chase his ultimate love of basketball. He played 1 year of NCAA Big 10 Basketball & is currently chasing his dream to play in the NBA. No matter his circumstance, his “Mindset Never Changes.”
Jesse Dellavecchia is a 2x NCAA All-American & his school's first-ever National Finalist. His love for competition has fueled his growth in wrestling & martial arts. Recognizing he was struggling with depression & anxiety his freshman year of college, Jesse decided to step away from his sport, create a process to focus on himself, understand that wrestling was important but not special & learn to become happy without the sport before returning. The result: a legacy in the record books!
IG:@jdella16
Victoria Brown is a Senior SoulCycle Instructor, Under Armour Athlete, Founding Equinox+ instructor, Functional Strength Coach, Life Coach, Podcaster, Meditation, and Breathwork facilitator. Her purpose in life is creating programs and communities that bring people together to become their “Very Best Self.” Given her mindset and her personal experiences, she successfully integrates mental and emotional fitness into physical fitness.
IG: @VictoriaBrown, @verybestself
Lindsay Helm is a successful entrepreneur & lifelong athlete driven by a passion for mindset, coaching, & helping others pursue their unknowable potential. After a catastrophic injury left her husband paralyzed from the waist down, their road through rehab inspired them to open Stand Strong Training Center. This wife & mom shares why & how she teaches the principles of “Mindset Over Everything” & “Stronger Through It.”
Standstrongtc.com
IG: standstrongstrive, standstrongtc
Mark is the founder of Dental Success Institute, Co-founder/CEO of Dental Success Network, best selling author of “Pillars of Dental Success” & host of “The Dentalpreneur Podcast.” His setbacks include 20 dental school rejections, multiple mistakes in private practice, & “never feeling more miserable” despite owning 6 practices & earning millions. His mindset & commitment to investing in his mind, meaning, muscle & money leads to daily habits resulting in ongoing gratitude.
IG: dentalsuccessinstitute
Kerry McCoy is the “REAL” deal. He is a 2X Olympian, World Silver Medalist, 5X US open Champion, 2X NCAA D1 National Champion, 3X All American, Dan Hodge winner (top collegiate wrestler) & Hall of Fame Inductee. He has coached 20+ years both at the D1 level and Olympic Level. His setbacks provided opportunities for growth. His mindset for growth laid the foundation for success. His template for success helped him create a process for his athletes to believe in themselves.
IG: kmccoy120, FB: Kerry McCoy
kerrytherealmccoy.com
Over his 23 year pro boxing career, his record was 41-5-1, he was the WBC light heavyweight champion and he co-promoted his iconic fight with Sugar Ray Leonard. Donny LaLonde’s commitment to self-confidence, accountability, and persistence laid the foundation to resilience. But once he understood the power of the mind, he could maximize his potential well beyond boxing.
donnylalonde.com
Kelly is a former USA National Team Lacrosse Player (3X Gold Medalist) & fitness enthusiast who created and runs her own Virtual Fitness Platform teaching Spin, Bootcamps, Run & Barre with her pup, Remy! As a recruited walk on to Division 1 lacrosse, she discusses the importance of believing in yourself & taking your own path. By investing in her mind, body & faith, she “enjoys having a positive impact on peoples lives through fitness everyday.”
IG: @kelbelberger, @resistancefitnesshq
resistancefitnesshq.com
Victoria Garrick is a former NCAA DI volleyball player, Pac-12 Champion at USC, TED Talk speaker, and mental health advocate. She initially shared her experience with depression and anxiety in her 2017 TED Talk, “The Hidden Opponent,” which has been viewed over 350,000 times. As the founder of the non-profit, The Hidden Opponent, Victoria tours the country as a public speaker, podcast host, and social media influencer using her authenticity and vulnerability to raise awareness and create support around mental health.
IG: @victoriagarrick, @thehiddenopponent, @realpod
Web: thehiddenopponent.com
Megan Reilly does it all! She owns Tippi Toes Dance Company, writes her own songs which hit the Billboard Charts #1 on iTunes, appeared on Shark Tank, hosts a radio show on BYLR radio, created a podcast interviewing the mom’s of famous athletes, entertainers, & CEOs, is a registered dietician, has been married for 13 years & has 3 kids under age 8. Learn from the mom who finds opportunities to crack open a door, then kicks it & runs through!
IG: @MeganLReilly, @WhoIsYourMommaPod
BYLR radio: Megan Reilly Show
At the age of 9, he wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth and got a reply. Since then his experiences have included tea with Margaret Thatcher, coffee with Pierre Trudeau, attending Nelson Mandela’s funeral, speechwriter for Canadian Prime Minister Harper and relationships with Gerald Ford, George HW Bush, Bill Clinton and a longstanding friendship with his hero, Jimmy Carter. Art Milnes, author of 13 books, shares the value that comes from writing a handwritten letter.
In professional tennis, Pam Shriver exemplifies greatness. She won 132 career titles, 111 doubles championships including Australian Open x7, Wimbledon x5, US Open x5 & French Open x4. She is a1988 Olympic Champion, 2002 Hall of Fame Inductee, & ESPN broadcaster. This Baltimore Native shares the mindset to become elite, the process of winning, playing with & against the best ever, the importance of mental health awareness/empathy in sports today and her thoughts on Naomi Osaka.
Twitter: PHShriver
An All-American at Syracuse and an NFL standout for 13 years, Joe Ehrmann understands the difference between transactional and transformational coaches. Through empathy, kindness and service to others, he coaches to, “help boys become men of empathy and integrity who will lead, be responsible and change to world for good.” His program, the InSideOut Initiative is committed to transform the sports culture to one of human growth and development. This is the Mindset of Coaching.
Alex Aust is not just a pro lacrosse player, NCAA National Champion, Team USA Gold Medalist, Under Armour ambassador, yoga/sweat instructor and social media sensation. She is also an advocate for women to love and believe in themselves. She shares her appreciation for the opportunity to be a female athlete, how she grows her confidence and the value of self-reflection. Learn why she believes in, “talking to yourself, NOT listening to yourself!”
IG/TikTok: @alexaust_
Twitter: @AAust10
Nikki’s story includes so much adversity: losing her father at age 3, struggling with an eating disorder and depression in high school then severe anxiety in college. Her experience also includes an attitude of growth, a choice to accept help, the effort to improve and an appreciation for who she is and the game she loves. By controlling the controllables, her mindset has led to enjoyment in sports, life and the opportunity to inspire so many others.
IG: @nikkisli
Athletehumanity.org
The sport of wrestling runs deep within Jim Dutrow's life. More impressive is his mindset in response to 2 major setbacks: choosing to wrestle in college only after losing in the state finals as a senior & creating a movement to raise awareness & support the growth of wrestling after several colleges including his own dropped their program. His experiences of determination, community & gratitude are shaped by his love for the oldest sport.
Twitter: @dutrowjim
#WrestlingShirtADayinMay
7 years ago, Hilton Carter was chasing his goal of becoming a filmmaker when he walked into a garden café for lunch. At that moment, he felt a sense of relaxation, release and calm wash over him. His feeling grew into a dream to “climb another tree.” His passion led him to “head towards a different branch” and his intention to detail has “planted the seed” to nurture over 200 plants, meet his wife, impact numerous others and now publish his third book.
IG: @hiltoncarter
thingsbyhc.com
Her path to pro soccer has been unconventional. She has played all over Europe, in the Middle East & the US. She has faced adversities including injuries, financial struggles, & unsupportive teammates/coaches. She has also earned honors for her performance, made amazing connections & played with the best players in the world. Despite her circumstances, Audrey Baldwin has learned to confirm her own thoughts, take accountability for her own actions & trust her own gut.
IG/twitter/FB: audball_00
Before joining the military, he ran the mile in 21 minutes and did only 13 pushups in 1 minute. When he deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, he learned you couldn’t prepare for the one thing that will really happen. After an IED caused the loss of both legs and extreme right hand damage, he realized he wasn’t “untouchable.” However through fitness, he learned that he sets his own limits, not have them set for him. Jason Smith teaches us that, “It’s your choice what happens next.”
His recognitions are endless. Some are surprised. He's not. He set a goal in 5th grade to go pro. He watched YouTube videos of the greats before bed, visualized his dreams and practiced technique for hours on his own. He focused on his process, learned to grow and develop confidence and actively integrates gratitude into his game. Grant Ament, PLL lacrosse player, is a Master of his Craft. But he is just getting started...
IG/Twitter: Grantament
App Store: A3 Lacrosse
Her resume includes screenwriter, stand up comedian, political consultant, blogger, podcaster, author and mom. Her best selling book, “How to Get Sh*t done” is the first productivity guide written by a woman in 10 years! Erin teaches us how to accomplish more by actually doing LESS, the importance of having passion and a plan, the growth that comes from failure and the process of integrating non-negotiable moments each day for OURSELVES over others.
erinfalconer.com, pickthebrain.com
IG: @erinfalconer
From a HS All-American to the leading scorer at Brown University to a pro career full of ESPN top 10 highlights; Chazz Woodson has experienced success at every level in lacrosse. Now the head coach at Hampton U, he is developing a championship culture in his hometown. We discuss the process and mindset necessary to grow confidence, how to maximize any opportunity, fall in love with the pursuit and prepare yourself to win in sports and life.
IG: @coach.woodson, @hamptonulax
This world-class athlete, Olympic Silver medalist, NBC Sports Analyst, two time TEDx Speaker, and award-winning author shares how 15 seconds changed his life. In that moment, John Coyle was inspired to study the difference between chronological time and human time. He has since mastered the ability to create meaningful experiences, manipulate and maximize the brain’s perception of memories and re-create the endless summers of his youth. This is the MINDSET of time!
johnkcoyle.com
IG: @coylejohnk
You’ve seen the movie “Rudy”, but now hear from the man himself. When his family saw his inadequacies, he saw his own potential. When teachers focused on his learning disabilities, he focused on his effort. When everyone was surprised to see him take the field for Notre Dame, he expected to be there. Rudy never saw himself as different, he never asked for permission, and he never quit. He just got better!
rudyruettiger.com
App Store: Rudy Ruettiger
IG: rudyruettiger_official
Laura Carney is a writer and magazine and book copy editor in New York. She's been published in numerous sources, appeared in multiple interviews and is writing a book about finishing the bucket list of her late father, who was killed by a distracted driver. By living out the dreams he never could, she repeatedly reconnects with her father, creates her own memories, and builds a community of love and support with everyone she meets.
IG/Twitter: @myfatherslist
Web: myfatherslist.com, bylauracarney.com
At the age of 6, a college lacrosse jersey in an apparel shop inspired her. She was told it would not be easy but showed that with hard work, she could do it. From that moment, her dream became a goal. Now a Penn State Senior, she has experienced the physical and emotional challenges of becoming an elite athlete. Through effort, preparation, visualization and gratitude, she has learned how to develop confidence from within and identifies herself with the term “Resilience.”
IG: mariaauth26
As the smallest player in hockey, only 5’6” 150 lbs., his size motivated him to “go where others couldn’t go” as he became an NHL All-Star, Stanley Cup Champion and Olympic Champion. As the victim of trauma & abuse, he experienced mental illness, battled addiction and considered suicide. Theo has become an author, healing motivator and advocate using his pain as a motivator to help him and others learn that courage is contagious and healing is possible when you ask for help.
theofleury.life
In 1st grade, his mother told him, “Go be a leader.” At age 16, his father’s death flipped his mindset causing him to consistently ask if, “my actions are reflective of my intentions or purpose.” From a 2X State Champ and 2X All-American in HS to a 4-year starter and team MVP at NAVY to a 2ndLt in the Marine Corp, Ryan Kern embodies the ideals of leadership. He discusses the concepts/values necessary for him to honor his father’s legacy and his mother’s request.
His passion for baseball began at age 7. Since then he became a college player, pro player, pro scout, & the owner of Global Scouting Bureau, which helps 300+ players sign professional contracts every year. He turns fairy tails into dreams, appreciates the value of adversity & understands the importance of a “compound effect.” James teaches how to evaluate and develop a successful mindset.
gsbsports.com, mytimesports.com
His accomplishments are endless: NAVY lacrosse standout, Special Operations leader, Business school graduate, ultra endurance athlete, high-altitude mountaineer, CEO of The Program Leadership LLC…but don’t forget husband & father. Eric teaches the importance of attitude & explains in order to be a great leader and teammate, toughness is non-negotiable. That means, “Mission focused in the face of physical, emotional and mental adversity. “
theprogram.org
As a young lacrosse player, Morgan was told she wasn’t good enough. She decided to prove everyone wrong, work even harder & became the leading scorer. With any mistake, she “loves" the chance to improve. After 5 significant knee surgeries, this 6th year senior at Syracuse refuses to give up & focuses on what she can control as she “owes it to herself to go out on her own terms” and “write her own story.” She consistently chooses a Mindset of Excellence.
IG: morgan_alexander99, morganalexandermindset
A 2x SuperBowl Champion, Matt Stover played 19 years in the NFL & retired as the NFL’s 4th all-time leading scorer. This Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor member shares his mindset to play in the NFL where he never missed a game, focused on his role & perfected his process resulting in 49 strait points, critical to the Ravens 2000 World Championship. By learning from failures and embracing doubts, he claimed every opportunity to be great…in football and in life!
mattstoverfoundation.org, ppf.org
His story inspired one of the most inspirational & motivational sports movies of all time. Vince Papale shares how at age 30, he beat “one in a gazillion” odds going from an Eagles fan to a player with only 1 year of H.S. football experience! With relentless training, encouragement surrounding him & focus on “winning the day,” he made sure the coaches had to notice him. He also teaches us that with trust, grit, passion, commitment, respect & love, we can all have “invincible moments!”
vincepapale.com
Spencer was destined to play professional baseball. His first word was “ball,” he grew up with a baseball in his hand, he made varsity in 9th grade, he was a Freshman All American at Radford U. & was invited to play in the prestigious Cape Cod Summer league. But his dream almost turned into a nightmare. We explore his journey with panic & anxiety, his experience with therapy, his active practice of mindfulness & his responsibility to help other athletes speak out and learn, “I am not my thoughts.”
Anna Barton is the definition a true leader. She fought to introduce lacrosse to her high school, moved 3000 miles to play at UNC, the top program in the nation and she consistently works to empower anyone who struggles to advocate for themselves. Despite growing up surrounded by hall of fame NFL players and playing under a hall of fame lacrosse coach, her humility, empathy and commitment to service demonstrate that SHE is a role model THEY are lucky to know!
Bryan McFarland did not grow up an athlete, struggled with a learning difference & poor confidence describing his mindset as “weak. ” After a series of setbacks, running became his opportunity to invest into himself, build his grit muscle, become comfortable with being uncomfortable & develop the top virtue, courage. Learn how the Power of Consistency empowered this ultra runner, successful entrepreneur, husband and father to start his latest business in just 9 weeks.
3x5life.com, promo code: MINDSET
Cornell “Chico” Conaway is the Owner of Gainz Sportsgear, member of “Dope Dads” and “Sidekick” to daughter/internet sensation Brooke Monroe Conaway who has been featured on NBC’s “Little Big Shots,” The Today Show, and The Steve Harvey Show just for starters. My dear friend is THE example of using his passion and creativity to instill the values of effort, sacrifice, humility and gratitude.
gainzsportsgear.com
IG: @iambrookemonroe, @chicodsolo,
You Tube: Brooke and her Sidekick
Dr. Willis Wu walked on to the TOP college lacrosse program in the nation, Princeton U where his team won a National Championship. Several years later, he walked out of the TOP heart/heart surgery program in the nation, Cleveland Clinic where he was the chief fellow and won an award for excellence. Throughout his entire life, he applies the same principles of effort, attitude, determination and discipline. Never afraid to work hard, he consistently asks himself, “What are you saving it for?
At the age of 8, Claudio Reilsono experienced a “magical” day at the ballpark igniting his unwavering dream to play pro baseball. Despite falling just short of his goal, he has accomplished so much more including winning multiple championships as a coach on all levels, signing numerous players as a pro scout, & countless “Hall of Fame” inductions. His new book, “Lead from the Heart Up, Not the Neck Up” tells how he empowers his athletes to, “show them your courage.”
claudioreilsono.com
Becca was a 2 sport NCAA Division 1 athlete. Since her first serious injury as a college junior, she has endured a total 32 surgeries. Her kryptonite in personally having so many physical and emotional setbacks is her superpower as a Sports Physical Therapist. Learn how she integrates the mindset and psychology of injury, her personal experience of recovery and daily habits to individualize care and motivate each athlete to recover to their full potential.
medstarsportsmedicine.org
IG: becsphysio
From one of the top high school football programs in Baltimore to Notre Dame to the Philadelphia Eagles, Victor Abiamiri embodies the ideals of hard work, consistency, focus on the little things and love for your team. This mindset was critical in navigating a career ending injury and successfully transitioning to a new career. Now a top portfolio manager, he proudly says, “I gave it all I could, football doesn’t define me as a person.”
FB/LinkedIn: Victor Abiamiri
IG:@vabiamiri
twitter:@VictorAbiamiri
Nicole Smollon was a 2-sport NCAA Division 1 recruit who decided to play lacrosse at UNC, earning 4x ACC Honor Roll and voted Captain as a Senior. This current athlete, coach, professional, entrepreneur and mother of 3 shares how she continues to excel in her personal life and how she motivates young athletes to become better through positivity, communication, an emphasis on effort and controlling the controllables. She describes herself as “average” but her mindset says otherwise!
As a wrestler, Todd Beckerman has achieved the highest level of success boasting a 208-1 High school record, 4x H.S. National Prep Champion, 2x NCAA All-American at University of Nebraska & Nebraska Male Athlete of the Year.
He is in his 8th year as Head Coach of Brown University Wrestling after coaching at Maryland, NAVY, Nebraska & Penn State.
We discuss his keys to success, his challenges, & his own experiences from this unique sport that he utilizes to build champions in wrestling & life.
Jay Dyer is THE strength and conditioning coach in the Baltimore area. As Director of Sports Performance for MedStar Health, Strength/Conditioning Coach for Men’s and Women’s US National Lacrosse and Johns Hopkins Men’s Lacrosse, Men’s Basketball and Women’s Soccer Teams, he has trained the best to be the best! Learn how he pushes athletes on all levels to earn the right to sign their name on his wall of excellence!
Instagram/Twitter: @coachjaydyer
Facebook: CoachJayDyer
Joshua Hebert is Founder & CEO of Magellan Jets, one of the most recognized private aviation companies. But his path to the top required grit, determination and dedication. He grew up blue collar with learning disabilities but was was shown early on what life could become. He has worked in car detailing, banking, and advertising before taking a risk in private aviation. Joshua believes in conquering your fears, saying yes to any opportunity and going higher in business, life and aviation!
magellanjets.com
With his father in prison & his mother addicted to heroin, Dorian Bostic entered the foster care system from the age of 7 until he was 21. He has been the victim of abuse, bullied by his own community, & doubted by so many others. His experiences motivate him to always fight to prove others wrong. He is now an undefeated professional boxer, soon to be PhD, author, & “voice for ghetto America.” This is the mindset of the “Educated Boxer.”
IG/FB: Educatedboxer
Author: “The Reasons Why I Fight”
Tap into the mindset of lacrosse standout, Jacob Stover. His resume includes: 2x PLL champion with Whipsnakes ,2019 First Team NCAA Division ALL American, & 2x Patriot League Goalie of the Year. However, Jacob was overlooked from the start as being “too small” or “too slow.” His grit, determination & work ethic combined with his setbacks led to the success he has achieved & his purpose to always, “leave a locker room better than when he entered it.”
Instagram: jacobstover
In 2018, Hayden Hurst was the Baltimore Raven’s first round pick out of University of South Carolina. However, he was initially drafted into Major League baseball out of high school. In the minors, he struggled with anxiety ultimately leading to severe depression, substance use & a suicide attempt. This podcast dives into his mother’s account of Hayden’s experience, what his family has learned, & their commitment to raise awareness and provide support for mental illness.
www.haydenhurstfoundation.com
The film “Black Hawk Down” describes the Battle of Mogadishu, in which Sgt. John Belman, a member of the Combat Search and Rescue Team was sent in after two helicopters were shot down. Dive into his mindset when, “very early on, I assumed I was going to die.” We also discuss how his military experiences shape his approach in both business and as cadre of GoRuck challenges where he and I first met. If you really want to learn the meaning of “Embrace the Suck,” this is the episode for you!
It’s never too late to chase your dreams. Meet Leah Jantzen: elite endurance athlete, life coach, motivational speaker, guidance counselor, volleyball coach, & mother of 4. At the YOUNG age of 42, she ran her first marathon followed by 9 more. She then decided to learn how to swim & compete in triathlons where she qualified for Iron man World Championships in Kona, HI on only her second event! Leah believes if you combine visualization, action, & positivity and “going deep with less,” nothing is off limits!
As a "self proclaimed nerd, hip-hop head, jock and yogi," Shauna's mission to always learn things, teach things and to move are defined by her educational experiences and professional role as a leading authority in health/fitness/yoga. But how does one navigate the experience of suddenly learning that you have a different biological father & 34 new siblings...in your late 30's?!! Shauna's MINDSET to use movement to ground herself has never been so important!
To learn more: shaunaharrison.com or IG:@shauna_harrison
In this episode, we "break it down" with the guy that "gets down with broken bones!" Chad Zooker M.D. is one of the top orthopedic surgeons in this area. He discusses how his early experiences playing sports have directly shaped his attitude, approach and mindset with his patients, "challenging himself to keep people moving, whether they are getting in shape, weekend warriors, or high level athletes."
To learn more: orthomaryland.net
This episode dives into the experiences of arguably the best female lacrosse player in U.S. History. Learn how playing multiple sports directly contributed to her growth and success, her ability to maintain competitive mindset, her vulnerabilities and her continued love for lacrosse...and Harry Potter!
To learn more about Taylor: taylorcummingslacrosse.com or IG: taylorcummings_
Excited to welcome Dr. Nii Darko, host of highly acclaimed podcast, "Docs Outside the Box" who flips the script and asks me the hard questions..on my own show!!
To learn more: mindsettraininginstitute.com
Follow me on IG: dr.t_sportspsych
Welcome to my first podcast episode of, "The Mindset Experience."
To learn more: mindsettraininginstitute.com
Follow me on IG: dr.t_sportspsych