Grit and Growth

Control is a word coaches use all the time, usually while looking at the game. Dan Abrahams starts somewhere closer: the athlete’s ability to take control of themselves. A former professional golfer, Dan is now one of the world’s leading sport psychologists, working with Premier League clubs, England Rugby, England Golf, and Aston Martin Formula One. His enthusiasm is unmistakable from the opening...

Winning was never the destination in Chantal Vallée’s research. It was what could happen after transformation took root. In Part Two, Chantal talks about the coaching model behind her book Dare to Win and what happened when she put that research into practice. She explains why culture is something people catch, not something they are simply taught. The conversation also moves into her time with th...

What if the biggest obstacle to growth isn’t failure, but the instinct to protect yourself from it? Chantal Vallée is the head coach of the University of Windsor women’s basketball program, a five-time national champion, and the author of Dare to Win. Yet some of the most interesting moments in this conversation have little to do with winning. They come from the times she got it wrong, the lessons...

In Part Two, JP Nerbun returns to The Culture Captain and the question sitting underneath so much of the book: what happens when achievement keeps asking for more than it gives back? JP talks about the mountain of achievement, why some athletes lose joy in the pursuit, and how success can feel empty when it becomes disconnected from purpose. He also reflects on the role parents and coaches play wh...

J.P. Nerbun returns to Grit and Growth to discuss his new book, The Culture Captain, a guide for young athletes built around a simple idea: leadership starts long before anyone gives you a title. In Part One, JP explains the framework at the heart of the book and why knowing yourself comes before leading others. He reflects on identity and the pursuit of fulfillment, exploring the questions that h...

In part two of our conversation with Olympic coach Rob Fegg, the focus turns to how coaches adapt to the athlete in front of them. Rob reflects on the ego work required to lead today’s athletes well, the limits of authority-based coaching, and why real toughness is built by preparing athletes for imperfect days rather than simply demanding more in the moment.

Rob Fegg has coached luge athletes through five Olympic Games, including stops with Canada, South Korea, and the United States. In part one of our conversation, Rob looks back at how his own difficult exit as an athlete shaped the way he first approached coaching. The conversation moves through the pressure of Olympic timelines, the buy-in he found in South Korea, and the coaching shift that came...

In part two of our conversation with Aaron Wilbur, the discussion turns toward the small moments that shape players over time. Aaron reflects on what young athletes actually carry with them years later, and why so much of it comes from everyday interactions with coaches. Our conversation explores the tension between development and winning. Aaron also discusses how if coaches want certain values t...

Aaron Wilbur is the founder of The Coaches Site, a coach development platform with more than 40,000 members worldwide, and host of the Glass and Out podcast. In part one of our discussion, Aaron reflects on what he’s learned after years of studying some of the top hockey leaders in the world. What seems to matter most to him now has less to do with systems and far more to do with people. Our conve...

Episode 100 brings together some of the most impactful moments from our first 99 conversations. Drawn from nearly one hundred hours with esteemed coaches, pro athletes, and respected leaders, this is a curated collection of pivotal excerpts. Real moments pulled directly from past conversations. They’ve shaped how we think about leadership, how we define success and failure, and what it really mean...

In Part Two, clinical psychologist Dr. Jody Carrington shifts the conversation toward what actually helps in the moments that matter most. She explores the power of acknowledgement and why emotional regulation is something we practice, not perfect. This episode lands on a simple idea that carries weight — learning to “go in” by settling yourself first, then “go out” by showing up for others in a w...

In this Applied episode, Carmen Busse from Carzan Meats breaks down what actually works when it comes to fueling athletes around competition, drawing on her experience building products like beef jerky and snack sticks made with simple ingredients. This one is built for athletes, coaches and parents who are navigating busy schedules and need options that hold up when it matters. This brief Applied...

In Part One, clinical psychologist Dr. Jody Carrington brings her trademark honesty to a conversation about regulation, leadership, and why kids and athletes cannot settle if the adults around them are not settled first. She reflects on what it means to “walk people home” in moments of distress and why it all starts with the big people. This episode explores how connection shapes resilience in a w...

In Part Two with Canadian Olympic basketball stars Katherine and Michelle Plouffe, the conversation moves beyond results and into what was actually happening underneath it all. They talk about the pressure they put on themselves, how much of their identity was tied to performance, and what that started to cost them over time. Along the way, they share how that same perspective carried into buildin...

Canadian Olympic basketball stars Katherine and Michelle Plouffe built their path to elite competition through a level of intensity that started at home and never let up. The sisters share how that mindset was shaped early—through family dynamics, strong coaching, and a drive to improve that kept raising the bar, with moments of humor that still show up between them. They reflect on choosing separ...

In a first for the show, we bring on a guest’s client, as performance specialist Drew DeBiasse is joined by baseball pitcher Joshua Carvalho to walk through their work together. What follows is a clear transformation—greater velocity, more consistent composure when things break down, and a noticeable shift in how Joshua leads and responds to his teammates. This episode brings Drew’s performance fr...

Drew DeBiasse joins us to expose what’s really happening beneath athlete performance—where mental blocks, injuries, and nervous system overload quietly build until something breaks. In Part One, she breaks down the warning signs and explains how regulation, not just skill, determines whether athletes rise or unravel under pressure. This episode sets the stage for Part Two, where her approach is ex...

In Part Two of our conversation with Saskatchewan Roughriders running back and two-time Grey Cup champion AJ Ouellette, the focus shifts from his career to the lessons he’s passing on to the next generation. AJ shares the philosophy behind No Name Athletics, the training gym he founded to help young athletes build strength and confidence before the spotlight arrives. He also opens up about facing...

Two-time Grey Cup champion and Saskatchewan Roughriders running back AJ Ouellette joins Grit and Growth to share the mindset behind his journey through injury, roster cuts, and the grind of professional football. In Part One, he reflects on going from college walk-on to pro starter, explains why young athletes need patience more than attention, and describes the quiet confidence that comes from pr...

In Part Two with Coach Ben Herring, we move from theory to application and explore what it actually takes to build culture that lasts. Ben explains why belonging drives performance and what it means to coach without resentment. Through stories from Japan and reflections on the culture of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team, he shows how connection creates buy-in and allows hard conversations to...

In Part One with Ben Herring, former professional rugby player, international coach, author and podcast host, we explore where culture really starts. We talk about curiosity as a culture additive and the power of simple daily greetings. Ben challenges coaches to shift focus from X’s and O’s to connection, arguing that how you teach matters more than what you teach. If you’re wondering where to beg...

In Part Two, Matt Thomann shifts from defining “mettle” to building it. He argues that hope and gratitude form real toughness under pressure, then leaves you with a question: Are you building for the next win, or for the long haul?

In Part One, Matt Thomann introduces “mettle” as a healthier definition of toughness shaped by lived experience. Matt reflects on how a cancer diagnosis and a subsequent stroke forced him to reconsider what strength really looks like. This conversation explores how growth becomes sustainable when vulnerability replaces bravado and when faith moves from something you say to something you trust.

In Part Two, Connor Emeny moves beyond the decision to chase seven Ironman races and into the lived reality of what that commitment demands. Connor reflects on the moments that tested his resolve and the internal negotiations that surface when motivation fades. This conversation explores what it takes to stay aligned with a long-term pursuit when certainty disappears and commitment has to carry th...

In Part One, Connor Emeny joins us to share how his decision to pursue an Ironman triathlon evolved into an extraordinary goal: completing one on all seven continents. Connor reflects on why setting a goal this demanding matters, and what the physical and mental toll reveals about discipline, identity, and long-term commitment. This episode explores the value of choosing a path that is intentional...