104 - Building Anti-Fragile Athletes and Officers w/ Dr. Jenny Prohaska

What this episode covers

What happens on the youth sports field doesn't stay there. The culture a coach creates — the trust built, the conflict navigated, the way kids learn to repair relationships — travels with athletes long after the final whistle. And for the ones who go on to wear a badge, carry a weapon, or run toward danger for a living, those early lessons either become the foundation they stand on or the cracks they fall through. Dr. Jenny Prohaska is a licensed clinical psychologist, founder of Tactical Longevity, and one of the few practitioners in the country working at the intersection of trauma, anti-fragility, and performance psychology with law enforcement and tactical teams. She's also spent over a decade screening new hire candidates entering the profession — giving her a rare, ground-level view of what's working and what's not in how we develop young people. In this conversation, Tex and Dr. Jenny go deep on the psychological overlap between sport and public safety, the role of coaches in shaping (or breaking) long-term mental health, and the practical tools her tactical teams use to stay sharp under pressure — tools that translate directly to the locker room. In this episode: * Why emotional reactivity in coaches is often a skill deficit, not a personality trait * The "Palms Up," "Be the Grass," and "Don't Feed the Weeds" heuristics Dr. Jenny uses with tactical teams * How toxic coaching creates downstream relational damage that follows athletes for decades * Why reparative relationships on teams are some of the most powerful mental health interventions available * The psychological profile of athletes who can push through toxic environments and come out stronger If you coach, parent, lead, or serve — this one's for you. *NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com [http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com/] Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train C&C Merch - shop.captainsandcoaches.com [https://shop.captainsandcoaches.com/]