The Post Game Podcast #69 JJ Schwarz: Don't Listen to Yourself, Speak to Yourself - Confidence, Identity, and the Mental Game
JJ Schwarz is a College World Series Champion at The University of Florida, former minor leaguer with the Oakland A’s, and currently studying to obtain a sports psychology degree from Barry University.
He shares the highs and lows of his baseball journey—from hitting four home runs in a single game to battling injuries and rediscovering his identity beyond stats.
What You’ll Hear In This Episode:
- The story behind JJ’s legendary 4-HR game vs. Stetson
- Winning the 2017 College World Series
- How JJ discovered the mental game and why it changed everything
- Why quitting is contagious
- Blending faith, identity, and performance
- Mental tools every athlete should know
- The power of positive self-talk and awareness of negative thoughts
- The business side of baseball and its hidden pressures
- JJ’s mission in youth baseball and sports psychology
Advice he wishes he had when he was younger
Timestamps:
(0:00) –Intro to JJ
(3:50) – Lessons from his dad’s 12 years in the minors
(5:50) – Final outs of the national title game
(7:05) – Durability, consistency, and staying in the lineup
(8:50) – Why he enjoyed fall baseball
(10:30) – The story behind the 4-HR game
(13:00) – Chasing that peak performance again
(15:15) – Starting his mental skills journey
(16:30) – 2017 CWS vs. other Omaha appearances
(17:40) – Florida’s coaching culture
(20:10) – The business side of pro baseball
(21:10) – Playing through injury
(24:20) – “Quitting is contagious”
(26:50) – Pursuing sports psychology
(30:50) – Confidence built on character, not stats
(33:15) – Practical mental skills for athletes
(35:00) – Managing negative self-talk
(36:00) – One cook in the kitchen mindset
(37:30) – Common barriers to seeing a sports psychologist
(40:00) – Youth sports and long-term development
(42:00) – NIL and the current college athletics landscape
(46:30) – What he’d tell his younger self
(48:45) – His mission and message moving forward
Links:
The Post Game Podcast:
Email me: joe.poduslenko@gmail.com
Intro Audio Credit: