Coaching the Athletic Mind

In episode 37 of Coaching the Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver concludes a three-part series with coach and sports parent Mike Dickerson, shifting from past and present youth sports topics to actionable tools for building the youth mental game. Mike explains that he measures a successful season by whether players had fun and felt safe to be their best, emphasizing that perfection is unattainable a...

In episode 36 of the Coaching the Athletic Mind podcast, host Megan Weaver continues part two of a three-part series with longtime coach and sports parent Mike Dickerson, noting a shout-out to the West Genny baseball team’s first state title. They discuss coaching and raising male versus female athletes, including how boys often struggle more with listening, impulsiveness, and processing emotions...

In episode 35 of Coaching the Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver interviews longtime coach and sports parent Mike Dickerson about the mental game and how youth sports have changed. Dickerson shares how baseball became his safe space growing up in a broken home, helping him redefine himself and learn life lessons through adversity. He describes a pivotal coaching moment that shifted his pitching mind...

In episode 34 of the Coaching the Athletic Mind podcast, host Megan Weaver interviews her dad about his 20-year coaching background and compares coaching youth softball in the 1990s/2000s with today's players Megan now coaches. They discuss his laid-back, encouraging coaching style; strong feeder programs and facilities in Madison; the intensity shift from JV to varsity; Megan’s junior-year b...

Megan Weaver opens episode 33 of Coaching the Athletic Mind by focusing on the mental challenge of sitting the bench, noting many athletes now tie not playing to decreased self-worth. Drawing from her experience making varsity but sitting much of junior year, she explains how staying engaged, practicing, and supporting the team helped her continue to later college and international play. Weaver ou...

In episode 32 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver shares a key concept from Dr. Nate Zinser’s The Confident Mind by making regular confidence deposits through a written top-10 highlight reel. She explains that many athletes focus on mistakes as withdrawals, so they need to document their greatest moments in sport (and parents can do the same in other areas), capturing sensory details...

In episode 31 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver shares lessons from Dr. Becky’s Good Inside interviews with pro athletes Russell Wilson, Jordan Chiles, and Tony Finau on handling failure and adversity. Weaver explains that sports like golf and softball create long gaps between plays where athletes can spiral on mistakes, so routines and preparation matter, along with triggers to reg...

In episode 30 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver participates in Podcastathon, a global initiative where podcasters raise awareness for charities, by featuring Morgan’s Message, a nonprofit focused on normalizing mental health conversations among athletes. Megan interviews Kat, Morgan’s Message co-founder and former Duke lacrosse teammate of Morgan Rogers, who heartbreakingly died by...

Episode 29 continues a discussion on imposter syndrome and focuses on how social media can harm confidence through “compare and despair,” especially when algorithms serve highlight reels of top performers. The conversation emphasizes being intentional about who you follow, choosing content that genuinely motivates you, and setting boundaries like a daily timer to prevent endless scrolling. It also...

In episode 28 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver discusses imposter syndrome—feeling like a fraud despite evidence of success—and how it affects athletes and professionals. She notes that even elite performers, like an Olympic pitcher at UCLA, experience it, and explains how one mistake can trigger thoughts like “I don’t belong here.” Megan and guest Breana Field connect imposter syn...

In episode 27 of Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver shares insights on overcoming mental barriers to enhance athletic performance. She emphasizes the impact of self-critical thoughts and emotional resilience, drawing from her experiences coaching Division 1 athletes. Weaver outlines practical strategies for athletes to separate their self-worth from their athletic performance an...

In episode 26 of the 'Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast', host Megan Weaver guides listeners into 2026 with a focus on building resilience in athletes. She discusses her new tools and increased interest in presentations on mental performance. Megan emphasizes resilience as the key trait for athletes, explaining its significance using Roger Federer's career and his attitude towards...

In episode 25 of the Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver celebrates a year of producing the podcast, expressing pride in her consistency and determination. She reflects on overcoming her inner critic and emphasizes the importance of life coaching in achieving her goals. Megan recaps various episodes from the past year, covering topics like handling coach criticism, building menta...

In episode 24 of the Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver continues her conversation with Modified West Genesee Girls soccer team coach, Kelly Slate.  The episode highlights the critical role of coaches as safety nets for middle school girls, explaining the distinction between performance-based confidence and deep-rooted self-confidence. Kelly shares her observations on the evolvi...

In episode 23 of the 'Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast,' host Megan Weaver interviews Kelly Slate, a seasoned soccer coach for Camillus Middle School. Kelly discusses her extensive background in soccer from childhood through college despite multiple ACL injuries. The conversation delves into the challenges and rewards of coaching seventh and eighth graders, emphasizing the importance o...

In episode 22 of the 'Coaching The Athletic Mind' podcast, host Megan Weaver discusses the importance of managing athletes' concerns about others' opinions.  Megan emphasizes how athletes often struggle with the desire to be liked by their teammates, which can distract them from their game. She introduces several mental tools to help athletes cope with negative comments and sel...

In episode 21 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver celebrates reaching 1,000 podcast downloads ahead of her goal and discusses the primary topic: 'Suffering is Optional in Sports.' Megan elaborates on how athletes can overcome their inner critics and mental barriers without succumbing to unnecessary emotional suffering. She stresses the importance of embracing mistakes as par...

In episode 20 of Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver interviews Sarah Hernan about her 11-year-old son, Joey's experience in the Coaching the Athletic Mind program. Joey, who was struggling with self-confidence and performance anxiety in lacrosse, started the program to improve his mental game. Sarah discusses the initial skepticism, the importance of starting mental coachin...

In Episode 19 of 'Coaching the Athletic Mind' podcast, hosted by Megan Weaver, the main topic is the distinction between confidence and self-confidence in sports. Megan then delves into the differences between confidence, which is task-specific, and self-confidence, which is a broader trust in one's abilities. Megan argues that self-confidence is essential for developing actual conf...

In episode 18 of 'Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver discusses the importance of athletes learning to effectively communicate with their coaches. She emphasizes that this skill is critical for personal and team growth, not just in sports but in various aspects of life. She offers practical advice on preparing for these conversations, including maintaining curiosity, practic...

In this 17th episode of 'Coaching The Athletic Mind' podcast, host Megan Weaver concludes her interview with Cara Martin, a former pitcher for Binghamton University and current travel team and College coach, who shares her remarkable journey from a two-year break in softball to pitching for a Division I school. Cara recounts a memorable game against Arizona State and discusses the import...

In episode 16 of Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver interviews Cara Martin, a standout athlete and pitching coach, who shares her remarkable journey in collegiate softball. Cara discusses her experiences transitioning from Rhode Island University to Binghamton University, her two-year hiatus from softball due to mental health challenges, and the impact of coaching on her athleti...

In Episode 15 of the 'Coaching the Athletic Mind' podcast, Coach Megan Weaver delves into the topic of performing under pressure in sports. She recounts a conversation with a young adult soccer player who struggles to make plays under pressure and offers insights into analyzing and improving performance. Megan stresses the importance of distinguishing between facts and self-judgment, und...

In episode 14 of Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast, Megan aims to demonstrate how to set and achieve athletic goals by interviewing her daughter, Cora, who is preparing for soccer tryouts. They discuss Cora's main goal of making the modified soccer team and break it down into mini goals: running to improve stamina, enhancing ball handling skills, and improving shooting accuracy. Megan advise...

In this episode of "Coaching The Athletic Mind," host Megan Weaver interviews three former student-athletes—Anna, Makayla, and Mackenzie—who successfully completed her program. These young women, all high school athletes (Anna, Makayla and Mackenzie, seniors), discuss the mental challenges they faced in sports, such as self-doubt, fear of failure, and losing their love for the game. Maka...