Yips and Giggles

We're back with Part 2 of recruiting and college visits--because there are just too many good stories to tell. We chat about getting ghosted by schools, hosting recruits, and just overall mistakes we have seen people make during their visits. We also break down what programs might look for and the kinds of questions you should ask during your visits or conversations with coaches.(00:00) Intro(00:18) What coaches look for when recruiting(2:45) Being a versatile player(6:00) Sampling vs specialization in sports(7:56) Coaches are ALWAYS watching(09:23) Grind in the back draws(10:44) Recruiting red flags(12:51) Recruiting green flags(14:03) Recruiting visits! Our experiences and the dos and don’ts(26:16) Outro

We've got important updates this week from both collegiate and professional tennis. After that, we discuss the recruiting process--what goes on behind the scenes, how to choose the right program for you, and the difficulties international athletes face when coming to the US to compete. (00:00) Intro (00:18) News this week: Arkansas tennis discontinued & Alcaraz out of French Open(04:15) Individual NCAAs permanently moved to the fall season(07:24) NFL draft: the interview portion(14:25) Recruiting process(17:25) Different scholarship numbers per sport(19:54) NIL and recruitment(21:00) Cutting a tennis team for flag football?(22:00) Recruiting is a 2-way street and what to ask yourself during the process(24:22) Don’t rush your decision(25:30) Breaking down the logistics(28:07) Verbal commitments(28:58) Our own recruiting experiences: communicating with schools and committing(35:45) Managing expectations and making realistic goals(37:00) International athletes playing in the US(44:05) Outro

This week, we break down major NCAA news, including changes to prize money, agents, and what could be ahead for athlete eligibility. We also dive into confidence—what it is, what it isn’t, and our own experiences with low self-confidence. And don’t worry, we’ve always got you covered with practical tips, so we'll get into techniques which help build confidence, especially on the days when it feels hardest.(00:00) Intro(00:40) NCAA DI Cabinet update: prize money, eligibility, and agents(11:50) Topic this week: confidence(15:43) Role models who exude confidence(20:30) What does confidence and a lack of confidence look like?(23:43) Reasons for lack of confidence(25:40) Self-discrepancy theory(27:45) Confidence gap(34:44) Real world example: Anya’s personal confidence issues in tennis and Peyton’s advice(40:20) Internal and external sources of confidence(41:19) Fusing with the thought of “I’m not good enough”(43:13) Techniques to build confidence(45:09) Clinching matches is hard(50:27) Manipulating the training environment and preparation(53:29) Making matchday plans(55:12) Transforming your relationship with fear(57:30) Being a source of confidence for others(58:42) Outro

In this episode, we're sharing real stories from our junior tennis days. The drama, the cheating, and the moments that really made you question everything. It was a chaotic time, but it taught us a lot! We also give tips to players and parents who are going through juniors now and how to handle situations that are thrown at them because we know just how crazy and intense it can get. Tune in and let us know your wildest junior tennis stories!(00:00) Intro(01:34) Growing up in an academy vs private coaching(06:51) Finding warm-ups at tournaments(07:50) Juniors eastern section vs southern section(13:09) Our favorite junior tournaments (14:34) Playing on holidays(16:14) The not-so-glamorous life of a junior tennis player(17:54) Logistics of traveling with an academy(20:26) Trigger warning: emetophobia(21:24) Getting humbled in front of your friends(23:02) Always double check your match time!(26:14) The never-ending grind(28:04) Tips for traveling to tournaments(30:44) Forgetting your racquets(32:00) Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater(33:28) Cheating escalating to cops being called(35:24) Faking medical timeouts(37:32) Tips on how to deal with cheaters(40:06) What NOT to do as a parent(41:56) Learning lessons after having a bad attitude on court(44:00) Parental physical and mental abuse in sport(46:10) Funny junior stories(49:15) DM us your stories!(50:42) Outro

This week, we sat down with Olivia Papakyrikos, LMHC—licensed therapist and mental performance coach—who works at the intersection of mental health and sport performance. She helps athletes and high-performing individuals navigate pressure by regulating emotions and building confidence to unlock their full potential. In this episode, we dive into powerful topics like resilience, habit formation, and body image. Whether you're an aspiring athlete or interested in the field of sport psychology, this conversation offers practical insights and meaningful takeaways you won’t want to miss.(00:00) Intro(01:23) Olivia’s path to sport psychology(03:42) Olivia’s clinical and mental performance work(05:40) Adapting to working with multiple sports(07:54) Resilience and “bouncing forward”(09:16) Regulating the nervous system(11:55) Focusing on the present task with cues(14:00) Habit stacking: how to form consistent habits(17:34) Athlete experiences transitioning out of sport(21:10) Body image within the athlete population(29:57) Fueling to perform and building better relationships with nutrition(34:45) Body image after transitioning out of your sport(37:25) May 5th: Cape Cod Mental Health Summit at Barnstable High School(39:00) Why we started this podcast(40:35) How our inner narrative influences our actions(43:03) How to follow and work with Olivia

We've got another bonus episode this week for those of you that are new here or accidentally missed a few of our episodes. We've wrapped episodes 5-9 into one quick listen featuring the funniest moments, helpful ideas...and it'll only take you 10 minutes!(00:00) Intro(00:18) Ep 5: Serves & Stereotypes (ft. Emma Hall) - Hannah Berner teaches Paige DeSorbo tennis etiquette on Giggly Squad(02:50) Ep 6: Kate Earnhardt & Pickleball - emotions after playing your last college match(04:01) Ep 7: Lauren Walsh & The LPGA - winning an NCAA championship(06:19) Ep 8: Injuries & Setbacks - journaling during injury rehab(07:53) Ep 9: Team Culture & Cohesion - informal leadership roles

If you’re new here or accidentally missed a few of our episodes… no worries! This week, we’ve wrapped our first four episodes into one quick listen—featuring the funniest moments, helpful ideas...and yes, it's under 10 minutes.(00:00) Intro(00:19) Ep 1: Yips & Anxiety - focusing on the process(01:38) Ep 2: Student & Athlete - mental breakdowns at practice(02:22) Ep 3: Alex Fitzpatrick & Life on Tour - Krispy Kreme adventures(03:40) Ep 4: Profit & Player Well-Being - periodization in training

Sometimes it’s hard to get a group of individuals on the same page. So, this week, we get into what makes a good team culture: communication, role clarity, shared goals, and much more. We also uncover what successful coaches say and do to make their teams great. Specifically, we take a look at Emma Hayes, the current manager for the USWNT, who has been extremely successful in her career and embodies what it means to be a leader. This episode is for coaches, teammates, and anyone who is striving to create a better team environment or wants to learn how to lead effectively and efficiently.(00:00) Intro(01:28) Episode overview(02:25) Brief opinions on team culture (04:18) Benefits of a team(04:59) What does team culture actually mean?(06:17) Communication, communication, communication(08:29) Anya’s bad culture red flags(09:31) Doubles communication(11:53) Collegiate obstacles to team culture(14:12) Time spent outside of playing(15:30) Advantages of a good team culture(16:46) How to build team culture(17:42) How can coaches shape team culture?(20:23) Leadership styles(21:25) Learning from Emma Hayes (USWNT coach) - clip source: U.S. Soccer TikTok 3/3(27:36) Role clarity(28:27) Professionalism(30:00) Characteristics of a leader(35:02) Can culture be recruited?(37:01) Team leaders(39:11) Informal leadership roles(41:36) Peyton’s bad culture red flags(45:13) Team/individual meetings to foster communication(46:28) Team bonding(49:09) Shared vision and goals(50:09) Outro

This episode is for athletes who are going through or have gone through injuries and setbacks during their careers. Not making a lineup, getting benched, or dealing with long-term (or even short-term) injuries can take a psychological toll, so we wanted to make an episode that centers around how to deal with these situations. We go through our own experiences with injuries and lineup changes, and we bring in some helpful techniques for you all to try during these difficult times.(00:00) Intro and episode overview(02:00) Winter Olympics injuries(04:10) Lindsey Vonn update(07:58) Injury and setback scenarios(09:36) Holger Rune discusses his injury and setting small goals on Served with Andy Roddick(10:54) Proactive sport psych and goal-setting(12:25) Internal and external pressures while rehabbing(14:07) Impact of athletic identity on return-to-play(17:15) Anya’s personal injury experience(21:18) Grief response to an injury(23:06) Acceptance and emotional support(25:49) Journaling your journey(27:32) Workable thoughts vs unworkable thoughts(28:45) The danger of “what if”s(31:27) Focusing on the controllables(34:06) Techniques to deal with negative thinking(36:18) Utilizing your values when injured(40:30) How to handle not playing due to “underperforming”(43:53) The importance of EVERY player on a team(45:33) Open communication with coaches(48:10) Individual vs team sports(49:56) Peyton’s personal injury experience(55:29) Bridging the gap between mental and physical performance(57:00) Outro

Our guest this week is Lauren Walsh, a professional golfer now competing on the LPGA tour! Lauren represented Ireland in numerous international competitions prior to university. During her career at Wake Forest, she was an All-American, selected to the All-ACC team, and named Scholar Athlete of the Year in addition to winning an NCAA championship. Recently, she was awarded Women's Professional of the Year by the IGWA. We chat with her about collegiate golf, her transition to the professional stage, psychological skills she employs on and off the course, and her work with the Annika Foundation to help young women in golf succeed.(00:00) Intro(01:28) Lauren’s upcoming schedule on the LPGA tour(03:19) How Lauren started playing golf(04:22) Wake Forest and an NCAA title(07:59) Individual vs team dynamic in golf *(09:27) How collegiate golf works(12:01) Transitioning from college to pro(15:20) Typical week of a pro and reducing burnout(20:39) How Lauren got her LPGA card(23:25) Importance of team culture(25:45) Adjusting to the LPGA(26:56) Lauren’s values(28:48) The psychology of golf(33:25) Our first guest without the yips!(35:19) Gender pay gap: the need for more visibility in women’s golf(39:41) The Annika Foundation(42:59) What would Lauren be doing now if she weren’t a pro golfer?(44:21) Lauren’s role model(45:26) Lauren’s favorite place to travel(46:16) Gearing up for her first LPGA season(47:16) Recap of Lauren’s upcoming schedule: everyone tune in!(47:55) Outro

What’s the fastest growing sport in the U.S.? That’s right — pickleball! Our guest, Kate Earnhardt, is a former D1 college tennis player who has transitioned into pickleball as a competitive outlet. She has since won the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships in the Women’s Singles 5.0 category! She takes us through the rules, strategy, and environment of pickleball at the pro and amateur level. We also learn more about her process of transferring to different schools in college and her journey from juniors to D1 tennis. Tune in for some laughs and to learn a bit more about America’s newly popular sport.(00:00) Intro(01:00) Episode overview(01:59) Why Kate started playing pickleball(05:17) The growth of pickleball(06:59) Kate explains the rules and scoring of pickleball(08:50) Pickleball strategy(10:38) The tennis to pickleball pipeline(13:06) From local level to US Open 5.0 winner(14:43) Pro pickleball schedule(17:05) Pickleball as a full-time job(17:40) Pro pickleball environment(19:25) Playing pickle with your significant other might cause a strain on your relationship(20:31) Pro pickleball tours (PPA, APP, MLP)(22:15) Transferring in collegiate tennis(25:55) To take or not to take a fifth year(27:28) Parental bond with sports(28:54) Mental performance in pickleball(31:15) Yips in pickle vs tennis(36:42) Kate’s upcoming pickleball journey(37:45) Finding pickle partners(38:58) New strategy to get rid of the yips: screaming in a forest(44:10) Looking back at our younger selves(53:57) Playing your last college match(55:31) How to scratch that competitive itch (01:01:01) Outro

We’ve got lots of fun topics this week - tennis films, slang, stereotypes, and of course, the drama at the Australian Open. AND we get to hear from Emma Hall, a former pro player and now head coach, who worked on the set of Challengers and actually acted in the movie, too! Remember that opening racquet smash scene? Tune in for a super fun episode!(00:00) Intro(01:33) Episode overview(03:12) Social tennis vs “real” tennis(08:28) Hannah Berner explains tennis etiquette on Giggly Squad(10:21) Junior tennis as a reality TV show(11:31) Osaka and Cirstea drama at the Aus Open(14:38) Emma Hall and working on the Challengers movie(20:13) Emma as Anna Mueller in Challengers(24:09) Coaching actors in tennis(26:36) Analyzing tennis movies: technique and authenticity(29:42) Tennis slang(34:53) True or false: tennis edition(35:33) Do tennis players have different personalities on and off the court?(36:58) Are tennis players highly superstitious?(38:41) Is tennis the least accessible sport?(42:21) Are parents crazier in tennis or other sports?(45:08) It’s a love-hate relationship(47:56) Are tennis players selfish?(49:19) College tennis dynamics(50:09) Outro

Within sports, many people are asking: is there an inverse relationship between profit and player well-being? To help understand this question, we look at life on the road across different leagues and sports, unpack the NCAA conference realignment chaos, and so much more. We also offer some practical tips to help athletes and teams through stressful periods of their seasons. Tune in to learn about the ever-changing world of sport and its impact.(00:00) Intro(01:14) Anya successfully tried mindfulness!(03:06) North Carolinians vs New Jerseyans (04:19) Topic overview: Player well-being(05:14) Quick recap of episode 3(05:57) Professional soccer (football) schedules(10:39) Sports deciding personal decisions (including Peyton’s wedding date)(11:45) Professional tennis schedules(13:34) Mandatory tournaments for top players(16:31) The grind of lower-tier competitions(18:15) Controversy over match times(19:16) NHL scheduling(22:50) Practice modifications per season(24:08) Traveling in US & Canadian leagues vs other countries(25:43) Family dynamics(28:02) Cons of teams playing on holidays(30:24) NCAA conference realignment (37:22) MLB pitch clock(40:12) Maintaining star athletes’ longevity(41:34) Tennis time clock (relating baseball to tennis)(43:40) WHOOP bands(46:59) General adaptation syndrome(50:06) Periodization and practice (55:19) Finding gratitude in sport(56:17) Outro

This week, we welcome our first guest, Alex Fitzpatrick, to Yips & Giggles! Alex currently competes on the DP World Tour and has had great success since turning pro in 2022, including a tie for 17th at The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. In this episode, we chat about his college days, filming for Netflix, the behind the scenes of professional golf, working with sport psychologists, and of course, Alex's personal run-in with the yips.(00:00) Intro(01:13) Peyton and Alex getting pulled over (NOT arrested)(02:40) Favorite college memory(04:41) Watching Alex play at university(05:20) Alex’s biggest fans at The Open (British Open)(06:53) College vs professional Alex(08:44) Practice schedule in college(09:51) Typical day as a pro(11:34) Beginning professional journey(12:58) The grind to the DP World Tour(15:31) Golf and tennis similarities(17:05) Behind the scenes logistics for players(18:28) Traveling the world(20:04) Dealing with loneliness on tour(22:09) Working with a sport psychologist(23:20) Who makes up Alex’s team?(24:37) Golf coaching dynamic(26:05) Golf vs tennis coaching(27:47) Individual sports and jet lag(29:29) What’s Alex working on? (30:58) Alex gets the yips, too!(34:04) Bonding over the yips(34:51) How Alex’s yips manifested (36:26) Using acceptance to cope with pressure(37:14) Alex’s technique to stay in the present moment(38:01) Finding what works for you (from a psychological perspective)(39:11) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy(39:49) Learning to benefit from psychological training(40:44) Who does Alex like more?(41:28) Alex’s favorite course(42:29) Surviving the downpour at The Open(43:00) Filming for Netflix!(46:43) Krispy Kreme and college nostalgia(50:09) Deciding to stay in collegiate golf(51:34) Why Alex chose Wake Forest(54:21) Enjoy your uni days!(54:59) Co-parenting a stray cat(56:33) World Cup predictions(57:12) Alex is Alistair’s #1 fan(57:44) Alex’s best Scottish accent(58:38) Outro

As we relive the glory days, we wanted to give our listeners a look into the life of a student-athlete - hectic schedules, academic responsibilities, and finding time to be a normal college student every once in a while. Plus, we’ll also be getting into ways to reduce burnout, and we'll talk through a mindfulness routine to start your day with a quiet mind. Tune in for practical techniques and relatable conversations around being a student AND athlete.(0:00) Intro(1:10) Quick recap of last week(2:29) Reminiscing on being a student-athlete(4:00) Episode overview(4:57) Who might find this helpful?(6:43) Freshman year(7:41) Juniors schedule(8:49) In season vs Off season schedule(11:39) Countable hours(13:12) D1 tennis fall and spring schedule(16:10) A week in the life of a student athlete(20:21) Missing classes for matches(22:02) Difference between tennis and other sports(23:52) Collegiate VS pro athletes(24:38) Sacrifices(26:49) Every sport is year-round now!(27:49) Training between seasons(33:36) Habit formation(37:51) Taking advantage of your energy cycles(40:34) Optimizing practices(42:21) Mental breakdowns at practice!(43:55) Practice simulating match times(44:56) Finding a balance(45:28) Impromptu road trips(49:31) Support systems(52:40) Utilizing mindfulness techniques(56:56) Enjoy your time as a student-athlete(59:26) Outro

You've probably heard of the "yips" before, but what does it really mean when athletes suddenly lose the ability to perform? We do a deep dive into this phenomenon - what it is, why it might happen, and how to help it if you're experiencing it. Plus, we share personal stories of how the yips impacted us. Tune in for practical techniques and relatable conversation around the yips and anxiety.Chapters(00:00) Intro(1:25) What are the yips?(3:45) Anya’s yips(4:45) Yips in research(6:00) Our experiences with the yips(6:55) Nervousness vs the yips(7:25) Perfectionism and rumination(8:27) Trauma(9:00) Peyton’s yips(10:00) Flow state vs the yips(10:55) Yips as a junior(12:00) Peyton’s perfectionism(13:10) Anya’s overthinking and perfection tendencies(15:12) Failing to “fix” the yips(15:42) Elite athletes are just like us!(17:18) Anxiety and stressors(18:50) Pre-match anxiety(19:25) State and trait anxiety(20:05) Coping with anxiety(21:50) Consequences of worrying(23:10) Workplace anxiety(24:23) Quick way to help anxiety(25:00) Driving test anxiety(28:15) Playing not to lose vs not to win(29:22) Process and outcome goals(29:58) Motivation spectrum(31:38) How Anya became a national champion(35:42) Techniques to help anxiety and the yips(37:10) Scoreboard watching and focusing on external distractions(39:20) For players: Gaze/quiet eye training(42:33) For coaches: Adversity training(45:40) Give yourself grace and get help!(46:57) Outro