Way of Champions Podcast

Dr. Michael Gervais (@MichaelGervais) is one of the world’s top high-performance psychologists and leading experts on the relationship between the mind and human performance. Dr. Gervais has spent his career being called on by the best of the best across the worlds of business, sport, the arts, and science when they need to achieve the extraordinary. T0day we discuss his brand new book The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying About What People Think if You.  Dr. Gervais is also the founder and host of the Finding Mastery Podcast, the co-creator of the Performance Science Institute at USC, and his work has been featured by NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, ESPN, NFL Network, Red Bull TV, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Outside Magazine, WIRED, ESPN Magazine and more. Among his notable work, he has trained over 50,000 Microsoft employees, helped Red Bull Athlete Felix Baumgartner manage his mind and body under pressure for his record-setting skydive from 128,000 feet. As a sport psychology consultant, he was a member of the Seattle Seahawks team for 9 seasons, including two back-to-back Super Bowl appearances (winning in 2014). His primary objective was to assist Head Coach, Pete Carroll, to build a mindset-based culture. He has also worked across three Summer Olympic Games (Tokyo, Rio, London) and two winter Olympics as a high-performance psychologist supporting Team USA, helping athletes win 30+ medals.  Follow his work and connect at www.FindingMastery.com.  PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS SOON TO GET THEM BY THE HOLIDAYS!: Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Stanford Lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next?  Please click here and grab yourself a copy of The Champion Teammate today.   Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This week’s podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs.  There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams.  Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you’ve been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don’t have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called “Coaching Mastery,” usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences.

Maureen Monte, author of "Win Like a Girl" and a Gallup-certified StrengthsFinder expert, discusses empowering female athletes. She shares insights on overcoming confidence crises unique to women in sports, emphasizing the importance of emotional connections in coaching. Monte redefines winning by promoting kindness and self-compassion over mere results. She explores the role of parents and the significance of open communication in supporting young athletes. Additionally, she stresses the need for measuring confidence in female athletes to foster personal growth.

J.P. Nerbun (@jopnerbun) is a bestselling author, leadership coach, and founder of TOC Culture Consulting, a leading global sports-consulting and leadership coaching business. His mission is to support leaders and their teams to achieve their full potential through 1:1 coaching, consulting, and community. Nerbun's impressive scope spans across sports, education, healthcare, and business, with a proven track record of guiding leaders at esteemed institutions such as Stanford University, Harvard University, University of Texas, the USGA, PWC, and Chick-Fil-A.  In 2019, he published his first book, Calling Up: Discovering Your Journey to Transformational Leadership, which has received critical acclaim. In 2022, he published The Culture System: A Proven Process for Creating an Extraordinary Team Culture, a groundbreaking book offering a framework for developing team culture. In 2023, he launched The Culture System Online Training Platform, which has been praised for being one of the most applicable online coach educations available.  His podcast, Coaching Culture, is one of the top sports leadership podcasts globally.  His brand new book which we discuss today is called The Sports Parent Solution: Transforming Parents from Obstacles to Allies. It is a unique book as it is a guide for coaches to engage with parents, and a great toolkit for helping them become a part of your team culture.  Email: jpnerbun@tocculture.com Website: tocculture.com PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS SOON TO GET THEM BY THE HOLIDAYS!: Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Stanford Lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next?  Please click here and grab yourself a copy of The Champion Teammate today.   Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This week’s podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs.  There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams.  Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you’ve been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don’t have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called “Coaching Mastery,” usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences.  

This week we welcome George Mumford, author, psychologist and Mindfulness & Elite Performance Expert. Named Phil Jackson’s ‘Secret Weapon’ to winning eight NBA Championships, George’s passion is teaching mindfulness to high profile sports, business and academic teams alike; from the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, to senior global executives and systems. John and Jerry dive in with George on his new book Unblocked, and how to develop inner strength and grwo through adversity. George has helped elite performers such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant find their greatness, and he can help you find yours.  You can connect with George on Twitter or on his website at georgemumford.com. Be sure to also check out his bestselling book, The Mindful Athlete. PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS SOON TO GET THEM BY THE HOLIDAYS!: Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next?  Please click here and grab yourself a copy of The Champion Teammate today.   Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This week’s podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs.  There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams.  Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you’ve been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don’t have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called “Coaching Mastery,” usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences.

Dr. Lauren McHenry is a certified mental performance consultant through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology and national certified counselor. As a former Team USA and professional athlete, Lauren understands the pressures, expectations, and emotional highs and lows in the world of elite and collegiate sport. She is the founder of McHenry Mental Performance, LLC and Thriving Through BeingTM. As a consultant, Lauren serves athletes, sport parents, coaches, and sport organizations across the country to optimize performance without compromising well-being. Lauren created Thriving Through BeingTM to help coaches thrive through quality relationships with athletes, colleagues, and parents with an evidence-based, easy-to-access course that offers practical and immediately applicable strategies. Lauren’s work—much of which informs the Thriving Through BeingTM course—has been published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology and the Routledge Handbook of Mental Health in Elite Sport. In today's episode, we speak about person centered coaching and the importance of unconditional regard, whihc fosters connection and trust by helping athletes that the coach is there for them no matter what.  Connect with Dr Lauren McHenry: Website: https://www.mchenrymentalperformance.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lauren-mchenry/ Instagram: @mchenrymentalperformance College Coach Credentialing: https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/college-coach-credentialing/   PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS SOON TO GET THEM BY THE HOLIDAYS!: Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next?  Please click here and grab yourself a copy of The Champion Teammate today.   Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This week’s podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs.  There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams.  Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you’ve been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don’t have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called “Coaching Mastery,” usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences.

Matthew Kaiser is a graduate of Villanova University School of Law and an emerging force in the sports law world. He first joined the Global Sports Advocates (www.globalsportsadvocates.com) legal team in 2016 as an intern while a student in the International Sports Law Master’s program at the Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economía (ISDE) based in Madrid, Spain. Matt has been a full-time International sports attorney since 2017 and in that time has become an invaluable member of the Global Sports Advocates team. Matt is a member of the Sports Resolutions and International Ice Hockey Federation pro bono panels. A leading voice on sports law issues, he frequently speaks at conferences around the world and has authored numerous articles. He has argued cases in front of the International Court for Arbitration in Sport, numerous sport governing bodies, the World Anti Doping Association, and many others. He has also represented victims of abuse from coaches, and coaches who have been wrongfully accused by a weaponized Safesport system. In today's conversation, we cover anti-doping, Safesport, athlete advocacy, and how coaches can use best practices to protect themselves from false accusations of misconduct. The scariest part of our conversation was one line from Matt: "I would never want to be a coach in this day and age."  PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS SOON TO GET THEM BY THE HOLIDAYS!: Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next?  Please click here and grab yourself a copy of The Champion Teammate today.   Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This week’s podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs.  There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams.  Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you’ve been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don’t have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called “Coaching Mastery,” usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences.

Ben Freakley, sport psychologist and former head of mental performance for the Toronto Blue Jays, discusses supporting players during COVID-19, the difference between praise and affirmation, understanding coaching purpose, and the importance of the mental game in sports and coaching.

Dr. Troy Urdahl has spent his professional career at St. Anthony Village High School (SAVHS), a Twin Cities, Minn. public school.  For the past 16 years Urdahl has been the SAVHS Huskies head baseball coach.  In addition to his head coaching responsibilities, Urdahl has been a social studies teacher, middle school volleyball coach, and is the athletics and activities director for the St. Anthony – New Brighton School District.  Troy later added a Master’s degree in athletic administration from the University of St. Thomas and his Ed.D. from Bethel University where he researched high school athletes’ best and worst experiences in interscholastic sports.  During his coaching tenure, Urdahl has been named the Section Coach of the Year six times and the State Class AA Coach of the Year twice.  In this time, the Huskies have been section champions five times and won two Class AA state titles.  Urdahl has also been a volunteer VFW baseball coach for ten years, earning the 2006 state championship.  In 2008, Urdahl was named to the Litchfield Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame. His new book is called Chasing Influence, and it is a fictional account of a legendary baseball coach and his influence on his community, former players and their families. In our conversation today, we speak about leadership, purpose, creating the right sporting environment, and how we can become more influential coaches, athletes and parents.  Connect with Troy at www.chasing-influence.com.  PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS SOON TO GET THEM BY THE HOLIDAYS!: Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Middlebury College, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS  for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next?  Please click here and grab yourself a copy of The Champion Teammate today.   Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This week’s podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs.  There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams.  Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you’ve been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don’t have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called “Coaching Mastery,” usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences.

Rebecca Rusch, world record endurance athlete, discusses her adventures, ranging from biking the Ho Chi Minh Trail to skiing Mt Kilimanjaro. She emphasizes the transformative power of bicycles, resilience, and setting new goals. The podcast also explores the relationship between personalities and sports, and the benefits of physical activity on mental health.

Major General Scott Clancy served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a tactical helicopter pilot. He taught tactics at the Army Staff college and planned expeditionary operations at all levels of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Before retiring after a 37-year career, he served as the Deputy Commander of the Alaskan NORAD Region and finally as the Director of Operations for all NORAD in Colorado Springs. His new book about the lessons learned in his four decade career is called Developing Coaching Leaders: The Fundamentals and Techniques that Make Leaders Extraordinary. In our discussion today we cover, trust, vulnerability, working with difficult teams and teammates, and so much more. As Clancy states, "To be an extraordinary leader, you need to lead and coach your team to excellence." Connect with Scott Clancy at www.scottclancy.ca or search for his name on YouTube or LinkedIn.  THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE HITS #1 ON AMAZON!: Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Middlebury College, and many other champions are using this book with their athletes. Are you? Now available in both paperback and hardcover, The Champion Teammate is the perfect book for a team read or leadership development. We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next?  Please click here and grab yourself a copy of The Champion Teammate today.   Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books. Thanks everyone. This week’s podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs.  There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams.  Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you’ve been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don’t have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called “Coaching Mastery,” usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences.