

Why Most Athletes Break - And How We Didn’t | Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes
18 snips Sep 17, 2025
Olympic silver medalists Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson share their intense journey as a beach volleyball duo navigating the pressure of the 2024 Olympics. They discuss the power of radical honesty in building team trust and the role of shared values in achieving alignment. With insights from their legendary coach Marcio Sicoli and moderator David Belasco, they explore emotional resilience, the impact of routines on performance, and how open communication fosters a supportive environment. This chat reveals the mindset that turns challenges into triumph.
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Honesty Creates Performance Trust
- Radical honesty and human connection were central to building trust across the team.
- Marcio and Mike created an environment where vulnerability and support became performance tools.
Shared Values Protect The Partnership
- Shared values and protecting boundaries kept the partnership intact under pressure.
- Brandie and Melissa prioritized being themselves while honoring differences to sustain joy and performance.
Owning Mistakes In Public
- The team openly named and owned mistakes instead of hiding them during the Games.
- That prior practice of honesty made it possible to process errors publicly and move forward quickly.