I Am Mentally Tough Podcast

In this inspiring episode of I Am Mentally Tough, host Gladine Frasso sits down with Coach Jaye, founder of the Next Level Warriors AAU basketball program, to explore what it really takes to build a youth sports program that goes beyond the game. Coach Jaye shares her personal journey from growing up in a small town in Pittsburgh to launching and sustaining a successful basketball organization tha...

In this powerful episode of I Am Mentally Tough , host and Mental Toughness Coach Gladine Frasso is joined by licensed professional counselor Antonio Bolden to explore the transformative role of mindfulness in athletic performance and personal development. Together, they break down what mindfulness really means, how it differs from meditation, and why it’s essential for athletes to practice awaren...

In this insightful episode of I Am Mentally Tough, hosts Coach G (Gladine Frasso) and Coach David Anderson take a closer look at the current state of AAU basketball. They discuss the growing challenges athletes face with commitment, consistency, and the often-missed connection between talent and purposeful training. The conversation explores how complacency can hold young athletes back, why basket...

In this episode of I Am Mentally Tough, host Gladine Frasso welcomes Coach Bianca Campbell for a powerful conversation on the role of mindfulness in sports. Together, they unpack how mindfulness helps athletes stay grounded in the present moment, reach peak performance, and recover from setbacks with greater resilience. Coach Campbell breaks down the true meaning of mindfulness, dispelling common...

In this episode, Coaches Gladine Frasso (Coach G) and David Anderson dive into the current culture of youth sports, with a particular focus on AAU basketball. They discuss the growing trend of athletes frequently switching teams, the challenges of building meaningful connections, and the critical role parents play in their children’s athletic development. The conversation also covers the pressures...

In this episode of I Am Mentally Tough podcast, host Gladine Frasso sits down with basketball skills and development trainer, Coach Dana, to discuss the crucial role of mental skills in an athlete's development. They dive into the impact of social media on young athletes, how it can create unrealistic comparisons, and why selecting a trainer should be based on fit rather than social media popu...

In this episode, Mental Toughness Coach, Gladine Frasso (Coach G.) and WNBA Skills and Development Coach David Anderson dive deep into the critical topic of emotional control in high-pressure situations. Drawing from years of experience coaching athletes at every level—from middle school to the WNBA—they discuss common negative emotions that arise during competition, how these emotions affect perf...

In this episode of I Am Mentally Tough , we tackle an essential and often controversial topic: “Tough Love or Too Far?” As a Mental Toughness coach, I’ve seen firsthand the impact a coach’s approach can have on an athlete’s mindset, performance, and overall well-being. We’ll explore: What tough love truly means in coaching. The fine line between motivating athletes and pushing them too far. The re...

In this episode of the I Am Mentally Tough podcast, we sit down with Aisha Foy, a renowned NIL consultant, to explore the world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for athletes. Aisha shares invaluable insights on how athletes can leverage their personal brand not only for financial gain but also for personal development. She emphasizes the importance of documenting their journey, man...

In this episode of the I Am Mentally Tough podcast, hosts Gladine Frasso (Coach G.) and Coach David Anderson dive into the essential role that role players have in basketball, whether they start on the court or come off the bench. They discuss the importance of embracing one's role, the mental toughness required to handle not getting much playing time, and the influence of parental expectation...

In this episode, Coach G. and Coach David dive deep into a critical topic that hits close to home for the basketball community: the importance of skill development versus playing year-round basketball games. Many players, especially in middle school and high school, are caught in the cycle of playing five seasons of basketball—middle school, AAU, spring league, summer league, and fall ball—without...

In this episode of the I Am Mentally Tough Podcast , Gladine Frasso and Coach David Anderson dive deep into the importance of summer preparation for basketball players. They explore how discipline and mental toughness play a crucial role in determining success during the basketball season. They discuss the concept of "The Harvest Doesn't Lie"—what athletes plant during the summer, wh...

In this episode of the I Am Mentally Tough podcast, Coach G interviews her dear friend Charlie Smith, a keynote speaker and mental performance coach, about his motto "My Life, My Pen." Charlie shares his personal story of overcoming a violent childhood and substance abuse by taking control of his life's narrative. He discusses his five pillars of personal development, starting with k...

Tajah Muhammad is the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer  of W.I.N.N. Network. She is also a Mindset Performance Coach, Motivational Speaker & Mentor. In this episode Tajah defines what is a growth mindset, the importance of it and how to build a growth mindset. Tajah has over 10+years coaching & mentoring youth, student-athletes, and  corporate clients. She is currently a Doctoral S...

Melissa Boufounos is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist in the Ottawa area. A lifelong athlete, she specialize in sports nutrition and mainly work with teen and adolescent hockey players in her virtual private practice. Her mission is to help the next generation of hockey players optimize their diets and health so they can perform their best on and off the ice and avoid the mistakes she made growin...

In this podcast episode we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Tywanna Smith. She has an extensive and comprehensive background in sports as a retired professional athlete, award-winning sports manager, and award-winning sports researcher. In this episode she discusses the conversations around confidence as it relates to an athlete's transition through and out of sports. She has honed process...

Monique A.J. Smith, is a Leadership Strategist that guides Athletics Departments/Sport Organizations and Individuals who wish to advance in Athletics Administration/Sports Management careers through her company, Seeds of Empowerment LLC. Smith, a Sports Management veteran of 30 plus years, was Adjunct Faculty at Hampton University teaching Sports Management Courses. Spring 2023, Monique published...

In this episode, Coach Ebony Hood (Coach E.), talks about having confidence and how to confidently be your authentic self. She shares her personal stories how she grew her confidence and how she moved on from situations that could've broke her spirit and confidence. She also shares how to be your authentic self. Ebony Hood (38), a DC native, she’s a certified IMPACT Basketball Player Developme...

Coach Dorian Lee, one of the most sought after Professional Skills and Development Basketball Coach shares his 8 Keys to maximizing your young athlete's potential. For nearly 2 decades, Dorian Lee has been considered one of the foremost authorities in basketball player development. Having worked with over 4,500 athletes worldwide. Our clientele represents a who’s who of basketball notables tha...

Dan Rigby is a public school teacher of 14 years and a recently retired wrestling coach. As a coach Dan spent more than 15 years coaching High School wrestling in public schools across Delaware. He has experience in rebuilding teams that had 0 wins before he became involved and also taking the most prominent program in the area and trying to maintain their winning ways. He was voted Delaware Coach...

Micayla McGee, suffered not one but two season ending injuries. Micayla shares her story on how she was able to mentally bounce back from her season ending injuries. Freshman year, she tore her right ACL in a basketball game and two years later she tore her left knee in a basketball game. She shares what were her go-to mental training skills that helped throughout the rehab process and entering he...

In this episode Coach G. and Coach Anderson invite William Carter the Founder of Student Assist and Student Athlete Iyanna Rogers who currently plays for University of Pennsylvania. Student Assist is a non-profit organization created to help students reach athletic and academic success in higher education and is NCAA CERTIFIED. William Carter discusses how AAU Coaches can help their athlete play a...

In today's episode we talk to Danny Ourian on how athletes can effectively handle pressure in their sport.  Danny Ourian, M.A., is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. "Coach Dan"  is currently an Affiliate Faculty member and Placement Coordinator with Holy Names University's Sport and Performance Psychology Department. Dan earned...

Ray Bullock, Sr.  has worked professionally in the ABL, CBA, and USBL. His college experience includes working both men's and women's basketball in Divisions I, II, and III. With may years' experience, Ray is a professed life-long student of the game. As a college assignor, he gave lots of officials their first collegiate experience at the NAIA and Division I level.  Ray Bullock has offi...

Today our guest is Tuck Taylor who is a Mental Performance Specialist and the owner of Nuero Beast. Nuero Beast is a science-based program that is designed to give athletes a competitive advantage by optimizing the way they perceive and process information. Tune in as we talk about mental fatigue and what athletes can do to increase their athletic performance TucK Taylor  Instagram - Neuro Be...