Heavy Hitter Sports

Jim Stroesser, founder of Cali Strong, was a transformative leader at Nike, Oakley, Quicksilver, Ralph Lauren and LA Gear. But it was a Converse that Jim earned his reputation as a turnaround expert. We'll learn how Jim overhauled the company, reenergized the brand, exploded sales and sold Converse for three times the purchase price to Nike. Jim's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimstroesser/Cali Strong Website: https://store.cali-strong.com/Cali Strong Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CALIStrongUSA/Cali Strong Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calistrongusa/Cali Strong Twitter: https://twitter.com/CALIStrongUSA

Renowned sports psychologist Dr. Jim Afremow joins the Heavy Hitter Sports show. Jim helps athletes attain peak performance. He’s worked with Olympians, MLB, NBA, WNBA, NHL and NFL players and PGA and LPGA golfers around the globe. Jim and host Mark Hochgesang talk about the power of mindfulness, visualization and positive self-talk. They discuss the chief tenets of stoicism and how they can benefit people in high pressure situations or dark times. Jim also shares what it takes to be a strong and empathic leader, whether that be in the boardroom or on the hardwood like Steve Kerr.If you are looking to raise your game or that of your team, you’ll appreciate the valuable lessons in this episode. But should Crazy Train be a notable psychologist’s power song? Enjoy sports fans. Jim's Books:The Leader's Mind: The Leader's MindThe Young Champion's Mind: The Young Champion's MindThe Champion's Comeback: The Champion's ComebackThe Champion's Mind: The Champion's MindJim's Gold Medal Mind Website: https://goldmedalmind.net/Champions Mind App:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/champions-mind/id1462165196Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.championsmindJim's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-afremow-7826669/

Guest Catherine Beldotti Donlan shares insights from her general management and sales executive career with some of the most ground-breaking companies in sports...Reebok, Ryka, Puma and Converse. She discusses her role as a champion for Women's Sports as a business leader, mentor, investor, coach, parent and collegiate athlete. Catherine and host Mark Hochgesang  talk about her upbringing in Holland and New Zealand, the key role that sports played in her life, her unconventional first job and her work-life management philosophy.  They also have fun diving into Catherine's failed Hollywood dreams, love of Boston sports and her secret desire to be a spy. Enjoy sports fans.https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-beldotti-donlan/Feel free to contact host Mark Hochgesang at mphochgesang@gmail.com. I would like to hear what you think of the show and the topics you would like me to tackle going forward. Thanks for listening. Please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts. And if you like my show, please leave a favorable review. Cheers. 

Guest Rudy Manival provides an insider's look into the Nike product development world. He spent 23 years with the company leading footwear, apparel and product development efforts.Rudy and host Mark Hochgesang discuss Rudy's Parisian upbringing, his tireless quest to one day work for Nike and his exciting Tour de France adventure. Rudy also talks about his relationship with two of soccer's all-time greats, Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo. Enjoy sports fans.Rudy's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudy-manival-6733741/

Host Mark Hochgesang showcases the worst sports moments of 2021. Time Stamped Show Notes00:         Intro2:02:     Costly Beer Tab2:44:     Space Disaster4:06:     Kelly Goes Southern4:57:     Power to the People7:12:     The Exorcist  8:05:     Wembley Woes10:45:   Put Me in Coach12:16:   Tragedy on the Track12:48:   Own It Urban13:59:   Happy New Year!

Host Mark Hochgesang celebrates the top ten sports moments of 2021. And he wraps by sharing his personal Festivus inspired grievance. Cheers to Giannis, Shohei, Simone, Buster, Allyson and Tom Terrific! Boo NCAA & Congress! Enjoy sports fans! Time Stamped Show Notes00:        Intro1.43:    Trojans & Giants3:14:    The Kids are Back3:45:    Hoop Dreams5:34:    Comebacks7:09:    Feeling Fine8:25     Showtime9:33     3-Ball11:03  One Lap to Go11:45  Field of Dreams13:09  Fight On!13:54  The Goat15:22  The Wrap16:45  Festivus Grievance

Host Mark Hochgesang spotlights the inspiring New York Islander fan sing along of The Star-Spangled Banner during  the opening of the brand new UBS arena on Saturday November 20. Enjoy!Check out the video of the event: https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/32676391

Natalie Hummel, co-founder of every kid sports, and Mark agree that every child should be allowed to play sports. Sadly, that's a reality for only 22% of low-income kids. Natalie's non-profit is making a positive impact by paying youth sports registration fees to enable economically challenged families to experience the joy and benefits of organized sports. Mark and Natalie also talk about youth coaching philosophies, the benefits of playing multiple sports, how to become better sport parents and the highs and lows of their own athletic careers. Enjoy sports fans. every kid sports: https://everykidsports.org/Natalie's LInkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliehummel/Good Sports: https://www.goodsports.org/Positive Coaching Alliance: https://positivecoach.org/

Host Mark Hochgesang speaks with Kate Delhagen. Kate is the founder of Oregon Sports Angels and a former Nike colleague of Mark's. Topics range from Jesse Owens, Billie Jean King and Mark Cuban to business start-up investing, the joy of learning and the Great Resignation. Learn how to make a successful career pivot from the master. And enjoy Kate's wit, insight and honest desire to make a positive difference in the world by addressing the underserved. Enjoy! Oregon Sports Angels: https://oregonsportsangels.org/Kate's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-delhagen/

Coaching can make all the difference to young athletes. Host Mark Hochgesang speaks with baseball's unsung hero, James Lowe. 'Coach Ballgame' teaches baseball year-round to 4 to 12 year old boys and girls. His wacky, but highly engaging style makes James a one-of-kind motivator. Today's talk covers the art of storytelling & listening, why failure can be a good thing for kids, the amazing MLB All-Star game in Iowa, the iconic Roberto Clemente, the best managers in the game today, celebrity first crushes and why nicknames can be so important. Enjoy! It's gametime!Coach Ballgame LinksWhat a Ballplayer Does Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFPldIJK4dYWebsite: https://www.coachballgame.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachballgame/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/coachballgameFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachballgame/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-lowe-a58b76190/