All Episodes

Ep. 154: Secrets Behind the Third Skill Set: Mental Performance

Ep. 153: "Raging Psychopath" to Transformational Coach with Lee Mateer

Ep 152: "Throwing it into the pole" with Olympian Joe Brown

Ep. 151: Before the Crisis – How Coach Chad Cluver’s Habits Shape Team Adversity Response

EP. 150: Do All Your Labor as Unto the Lord: Faith, Failure, and the Hammer with Olympian Alex Young

Ep. 149: Never Done Learning with HOF Coach Pat Ryan

Ep. 148: Reborn in the Ring: Gabi Jacobs on Walking Away, Coming Back, and Trusting the Process

Ep. 147: Fear vs. Faith with Dr. Dave Jones: Beating Toxic Motivators with True Mental Toughness

Ep. 146: Pedaling with a Purpose with USA Track Cyclist McKenna McKee

Ep. 145 The Resilient Parents Playbook

Ep. 144: Persistence Over Prodigy with Team USA Climber Ben Hanna

Ep. 143. Skydiving into Sharks with Travis Thomas: Improv Tools for Athletes and Coaches

Ep 142: Zen & Grit: The Mental Game of Nordic Combined with USA Olympian Niklas Malacinski

Ep 141: Shane Fisher USA Bobsled Pilot Part 2

Ep 140: Shane Fisher USA Bobsled Pilot Part 1

Ep: 139: The Winning Edge with Morgan (Kane) Brons

Ep. 138: "Coach the Heart First" with Greg Gisinger

Ep. 137: Making football the best part of a kid's day with State Champion Coach Garrett Mueller

Ep 136: Use Your Strengths and Own Your Limitations with Coach Adam Lewandowski

Episode 135: If you want to grow in 2026, Be Vulnerable.

Episode 134: Beyond the Pitch: Maya Lambert on Turning Soccer Lessons into Career Strengths

Episode 133: 100% Mettle: Coach Matt Thomann’s 9 Core Topics for Positive Toughness

Ep. 132: The Power of Hope with Derek Gordon

Ep 131: Way of the Warrior: Leadership Coaching with SGT. Brett Miller

Episode 130: Happy Thanks "taking"

Episode 129: A Coach Looks at 50

Episode 128: Basketballs and Bibles with Robo Kreps

Ep 127: From Courts to Fields: 30 Years of Klay Wheeler's Coaching Insights

Episode 126: Building Mental Strength Take Mental Tools with Jason Drengwitz

Ep. 125: Sleep is your mental and physical superpower

EP. 124: The Power of a Player-Led Team with Coach Tyler Erwin

Ep. 123: "What else is possible?" with endurance athlete Pierce Showe.

Ep. 122: The Freedom to Lead: Sean Taylor’s Coaching Philosophy

Ep. 121: Transforming Athletes from the Inside Out with Coach Jamie Kromm

EP. 120: Looking for that "edge" with HOF basketball coach Tim Meiss

Ep. 119: Intentional Positivity is the Key to Happiness.

Ep. 118. Unified Hearts, Fearless Minds, and National Championships with Greg Tonagel.

EP. 117: Anchored in Faith: JaDawn Bryant's Guide to Purposeful Leadership

EP 116: Finding Identity Beyond the Court: Zach Cleveland's Journey

EP 115: Beyond Wins and Losses with Coach Abe Zeller

EP 114: The Untapped Power of Visualization: Are You Missing Out?

EP 113. The Healing Power of Faith and Determination with Anna Pavey

EP 112: Building a First-Class Program with New Millikin Coach Billy Riebock

Ep 111: Tips for Mastering the Mental Game with Coach Brandon Beery and Coach Matt Thomann

Ep 110: Passion for the Process with Jarrett Brown and Lane Thomann

Episode 109: JT Welch, playing with confidence and a chip on his shoulder.

Episode 108: A journey from transactional to transformational coaching with Josh Williams

Episode 107: Knowing your Athletes with HC Kim Barth of the Washington Lady Panthers

Episode 106: Matt Laur of HC of Pinckneyville Basketball. Giving support to match expectations.

Episode 105: Physical and Mental Growth Through Yoga

Episode104: Student-Athletes Explain the Benefits of Mental Performance Coaching

Episode 103: "Standing Up" with Tyson McFeeters

Episode 102: The Mental Side of "Feed the Cats" with Tony Holler.

Episode 101: Forging your mettle with fire and ice.

Episode 100: "Live your 100" with Lane Thomann

Episode 99: The Right Way to Fail in Hoops with Brandon Heyen.

Episode 98: Less Scroll, More Soul: The Benefits of a Digital Detox

Episode 97: Training the D1 body and mind with Terrell Washington of Grindhouse Sports Training.

Episode 96: Roots of Resilience: How Team Culture Built Illini Bryce Barnes

Episode 95: The Physical and Mental Edge: Brad Dixon on Sprint-Based Football

Episode 94: From Punishment to Positive with Coach Kelsey Mueller

Ep 93: Hitting the Wall with Ryan Clanton, Iowa State OL coach.

Episode 92: Fasting for fulfillment with Aubrey Ghafari and Dana Thomann

Episode 91: Mental toughness through empowerment and faith with Clint Burris, HC of the OCC Lady Knights

Episode 90: A Faith-Based Coaching Transformation with Jarret Brown

Episode 89: "Faith is not soft" with Blake Yager Team Chaplain

Episode 88: Forging Spiritual Mettle. The MMC continues with coach Len Anspach

Episode 87: Why it's good to be a Chief with Dee-Mack Coach Cody Myers

Episode 86: The process driven approach in coaching with Mike Kohl of Bradley-Bourbonnais

Episode 85: Introducing the Monthly Mettle Challenge with Dana Thomann and Coach Megan Gilmore

Episode 84: Building stronger teams and coaches with legendary Coach Troy Allen

Episode 83: Pastor Ryan Weaver: A Holistic Approach to Mental Toughness

Episode 82: Taming Your Inner Grinch: A Christmas Guide to Positive Self-Talk

Episode 81: All In, All Us: Coach Luke Carmody on Transforming a Team from 0-9 to 10-1

Episode 80: Hoops Mentality: Mastering Attitude, Communication, and Effort for Success

Episode 79: IWU Men's Volleyball Head Coach, Brandon Mueller, talks about keeping and building culture.

Episode 78: Finding Purpose Through Adversity: Steven Rankin's Journey of Transformation

Episode 77: Attack Every Day: Building a Culture of Winning with Coach Mike Burris

Episode 76: The GRRRs of Growth: Grit, Grace and Gratitude

Episode 75: Forging Resilience through Consistency and Conviction with Coach Jack Cornell.

Episode 74: The Transformative Journey of Illinois State Offensive Lineman J.J. Guedet.

Episode 73: From Defeated to Dominant with 3-Star Offensive Lineman Casey Thomann of Olney.

Episode 72: Leadership Lessons from the Battlefield to the Football Field with Judge Smitty

Episode 71: Good Things Happen to Teams That Work Hard with Coach Jeremy Shubert

Episode 70: Intentional Adversity: Rochester Superintendent Dan Cox on Growth and Personal Development

Episode 69: Unlocking Your Athlete's Growth Mindset: A Path to Confidence and Success

Episode 68: "Stay Another Day" with Mental Health Advocate Mackenzie Nelson

Episode 67: Intention and Patience in Coaching: Lessons from Dave Witzig

Episode 66: Locked In: The Mental Game of Success with Lauren Getz

Episode 65: The Power of Mindfulness and Breathwork for athletes, and their parents!

Episode 64: The Power of Positive Self-Talk in Parenting and Coaching

Episode 63: The Power of Focused Praise in Developing Mentally Tough Athletes.

Episode 62: Parenting in Sports: Balancing Expectations and Support with Jamie Nixon

Episode 61: Chasing Significance with Coach Hollis

Episode 60: Building an Undeniable Culture with Coach Olivia Lett

Episode 59: Leadership Lessons from Coach Clark

Episode 58: The Mindset of a Late Bloomer with Ryland Holt

Episode 57: Turning values into culture with Brody Walworth of Normal U-High

Episode 56: Unlocking Resilience: The Power of Mindset in Sports with Dayton Burnett

Episode 55: How SEL Transforms Student-Athletes: An In-Depth Discussion with Toby Vallas

Episode 54: Transformative Coaching with Ryan Thornton

Episode 53: Forging the Future: Navigating Modern Athletics with Coach Massey

Episode 52: Grindability with Brad Soderberg of Virgnia Basketball

Episode 51: Transformative Coaching with 600-Win Coach Matt Long: Visualization, Gratitude, and 'Do it Right, Do it Light

Episode 50: Keane Thomann on playing hard, smart, and together.

Episode 49: Mindset, confidence, and today's college player with Coach Vince Walker

Episode 48: The mental toughness equation with Coach Ryan Hamilton of White House High School.

Episode 47: Coach Herm Senor II discusses skill and mental development in young hoopers.

Episode 46: Hard work is our flex with Joni Nightingale of the Dee-Mack Lady Chiefs.

Episode 45: Finding "The Signature Game" with Harvard Magazine sportswriter Craig Lambert

Episode 44: Doing hard things with Coach Margaret Lehr, the first high school female wrestler in Illinois.

Episode 43: "What does it take" with Darin Bazzell.

Episode 42: Just keep living with Savannah Jost of Tremont

Episode 41: The multiple sport mindset with multiple sport coach Jeff Henry.

Episode 40: Embrace Process with Reggie Ordonez

Episode 39: Go Big Blue! Millikin legend Lori Kearns talks about lessons learned from 31 years of coaching.

Episode 38: Air Support with retired USAF pilot/coach Tammy Barlette.

Episode 37: Removing the "woo woo" from well-being with Megan Gilmore.

Episode 36: Interview with a Fat Kid aka Nick Zerby.

Episode 35: 9-time State Champ Derek Leonard of Rochester talks about Faith, Family, and Football.

Episode 34: Building a team's legacy with GCMS coach Ryan Tompkins

Episode 33: "Head on" with Coach Josh Jostes of Maroa Forsyth Football.

Episode 32: Basketball referee Casey Heimer is out of (your) control.

Episode 31: Your New Year's Resolution Stinks.

Episode 30: There is no such thing as a Christmas Miracle! with special co-host Andy Thomann.

Episode 29: Rainer Meisterjahn of Courtex Performance explains proactive coaching for hoopers.

Episode 28: Kentucky Wildcat Hallie Mitchell talks about coaching and confidence!

Episode 27: How to be the antidote in a toxic situation.

Episode 26: How Russ Plummer built a successful program using communication!

Episode 25: Tammy Lott saved my life when she taught me about neuroplasticity, learn about it before you need it.

Episode 24: Making mentality part of your practice plan with Coach Dave Feeney of Normal Community.

Episode 23: Coaching with passion and positivity: Jason Welch of the BCC Saints!

Episode 22: Clancy Hall of Hendersonville TN basketball knows his metric of success, as a coach, so should you.

Episode 21: Dre Baldwin does not care what you think, and other tips for success in life.

Episode 20: Suffering, toughness, and Jiu-Jitsu: A convo with Gabe Slone, BJJ black belt.

Episode 19: Speaking the truth with Malik Mims

Episode 18: Going to the "Well" with ultramarathoner Rob Ulm.

Episode 17: Henry Domercant of the Windy City Bulls talks about mindset and development.

Episode 16: How a combination of talent and toughness allows USA athelte, Ali Ince, to run her best.

Episode 15: 3 generations on the bench. A convo with EPG Head Coach Nathaniel Meiss.

Episode 14: The AAU mindset for hoopers with Gavin Sullivan of Mid Pro Academy.

Episode 13: More grit than glamour, being a pro athlete: a conversation with pro hooper Skyler Bowlin.

Episode 12: How to build a program with expectations from 1st grade to Senior. A conversation with Jennifer Hayes of Hartsburg-Emden.

Episode 11: How to win basketball games with AI. Part 2 of a conversation with Justin Dehm of Metamora.

Episode 10: Old school vs new school coaching style. Part 1 of an interview with Metamora Asst Coach Justin Dehm.

Episode 9: Hoops and Hallelujahs: A conversation about Jesus, basketball, and toughness with HC Kramer Soderberg of Millikin University.

Episode 8: Should you coach your kid?? A conversation with two athletes that survived it.

Episode 7: Brawn and Brains. Becoming a Big Ten Lineman with UM Golden Gopher JJ Guedet.

Episode 6: "Are you blind, ump?" Mental toughness as seen from behind home plate with IHSA umpire Stephen Wilson.

Episode 5: Big Ten toughness: A conversation with Northwestern University Basketball assistant coach Chris Lowery.

Episode 4: Mental toughness in college basketball with former MSSU coach, Robert Corn.

Episode 3: How does culture affect mental toughness and vice versa with IHSA HOF Coach Rob Flanagan

Episode 2: Creating a defensive mindset in an offensive world with basketball coach John Hughs

Episode 1: How can the Mental Mettle Podcast make you a better coach?

The Mental Mettle Podcast Drops June 5th 2023

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