Raising Competitors: Equipping Parents to Build Grit, Character and Leaders in Youth Sports and Life

Originally aired in April 2023. In this episode, host Jake Thompson sits down with Randi Corbin, a sports performance and strength & conditioning coach at Hamilton High School. Randi also coaches freshman softball and brings a wealth of experience in developing young athletes both physically and mentally. This conversation dives deep into: How parents can support their young athletes to be str...

Originally aired in April 2023 Mental performance coach Brett Ashley Davis discusses how parents can help their high school athletes make a successful transition to the collegiate level without burning out or quitting. Connect with Brett on Instagram and her website BrettAshleyDavis.com .

Originally aired in March 2023. Mental performance coach & IMG+ consultant Elle' Nelsonjoins the show to discuss resilience, the importance of finding & aligning our values, & how we can create space as parents to help our young athletes grow. Connect with Elle' on social media: on Instagram & LinkedIn .

Originally aired in March 2023. In this episode, Jake Thompson welcomes Amanda Schaefer, founder of Fearless Fast Pitch, to discuss the crucial topics of athlete identity, self-talk, and actionable strategies for parents to help their young athletes develop strong mental skills. Amanda brings her unique perspective as a former athlete, coach, and parent of three young kids. The episode is packed w...

Originally aired in February 2023. In this insightful episode, Jake Thompson welcomes Bella Loomis , a standout former Arizona State University softball player turned coach and sports psychology advocate. Bella shares her journey from elite athlete to mentor, highlighting the mental challenges young competitors face today and offering actionable strategies for parents and coaches to nurture resili...

Originally aired in February 2023. Jake Thompson sits down with Justine Jones, a mental performance coach who works with athletes ranging from middle schoolers to professionals. In this episode, they dive deep into the do’s and don’ts for parents when it comes to building mental toughness in young athletes. Justine shares actionable advice for parents on how to support their kids’ mental growth in...

Originally aired in February 2023. This week’s episode with Klayton Carroll (author of Ready Player Win ) drops a sledgehammer on weak mindsets. Klayton never played hockey growing up, but when the team needed a coach, he laced up and learned to skate. He showed up, sucked, and kept working. Because results don’t care about your background. The only thing that matters? Are you grinding to get bett...

Originally aired in January 2023. Host Jake Thompson sits down with Danielle Orvilla, former college softball athlete, coach, and creator of The DO Method, to explore actionable ways parents and athletes can build resilience, develop a competitive mindset, and handle the pressure that comes with sports and life. Top Actionable Takeaways Let Time Diffuse Emotions: After a game, give your child spac...

Originally aired in June 2020. Intentionality is the key to deep relationships and deep relationships are what make a strong and cohesive team. This week on the Raising Competitors podcast, leadership and team development facilitator Bobby Audley shares ideas for team-building that will last. It doesn’t matter if your team is a group of young athletes, seasoned pros, or employees who work with one...

Originally aired in June 2020. It’s a serious commitment to be a youth sports parent and it can be challenging, at times, to find the best way to support your child through their journey. It takes time, money, and emotional energy to stand on the sidelines and provide healthy motivation at home, while leaving room for your child to grow and learn on their own. This week, author and speaker Alan St...

Originally aired in May 2020 Every person has a body, a heart, and a mind. It’s where these three components come together that the magic happens, says this week’s guest, teacher and coach Lani Silversides. Practicing mindfulness about how we speak with and act around kids can help us set a positive example for them. It can also help them develop a strong skill set and work ethic that will serve t...

Originally aired April 2020. Kids are like sponges. They soak up whatever you say to them, as parents or coaches, and learn how to act and react from the behavior they see modeled for them. That’s why it’s important to be mindful of how you respond. This week, coach Nicole Denes shares tips on supporting the process, rather than focusing on the outcomes, and helping kids build good habits for the...

Originally aired in April 2020. Enjoyment is a key part of sticking with sports. Especially for youth athletes, finding happiness and fulfillment in the game is crucial to their motivation to attend practice every day and put in their best work. This week, coach and blogger Erica Suter shares ideas for helping youth athletes take joy in the process because if they care about playing, they’ll keep...

Originally aired in March 2020. Kids aren’t just mini-adults. They think differently, process stimuli differently, and fundamentally understand the world in a different way. That’s why it’s important, as adults, to be careful what you say when you want kids to understand you, and how you say it. This week, James Leath discusses the challenges and rewards of working with young athletes and shares t...

Originally aired in March 2020. Being a successful team means being on the same page. That goes for athletes, parents, and coaches. Everyone needs to have a shared goal in mind and work towards achieving it. This week, former The Colony High School Lady Cougars Coach & Vice President of the Texas High School Girls Coaches Association Colby Davis shares tips for managing the expectations and ab...

Originally aired in February 2020. It can be daunting to find trustworthy support and resources as a player, coach, or parent. This week, fellow podcaster and baseball aficionado Joe Ferraro discusses his Youth Baseball School initiative, which aims to consolidate valuable information in one place for ballplayers and their supporters. It’s a community where you can seek out like-minded people for...

Originally aired in February 2020. Kids are kids, and they need to have fun. Nowadays, there’s a tendency to push kids into picking a particular sport at a young age. There’s the prevailing idea that if a kid isn’t specializing early, they’re falling behind. Southbay FC founder Kelly Gray says in actuality, kids should be doing the opposite. They should be able to try out as many sports as they wa...

Originally aired in September 2019. When you look at your calendar, does it accurately reflect your life priorities? How about the priorities you want to have? This week’s guest, Jon Vroman, looked at his own calendar several years ago and realized that, although he talked about his family as the center of his world, work was taking precedence in his time. That realization inspired him to start Fr...

Originally aired in September 2019. Kip Watson is a former tackle football player with a seminary degree who raised two kids while building a business. Kip helps people discover and improve their beliefs, habits, and tools to achieve success and more than they thought possible. Kip has more than 20 years of experience assisting individuals, teams, coaches, leaders, families, and couples. Today, sh...

Originally aired in August 2019. Priscilla Tallman understands the importance of focus and a growth mindset. She was the SEC Conference Player of the Year during her time playing volleyball at the University of Georgia. She later went on to play for the US National Team. Now, after years as a high school and club coach, Priscilla is a Pac-12 Conference volleyball coach, helping the next generation...

Originally aired in July 2019. Elizabeth McVickers knows what it’s like to play without purpose. The former collegiate athlete is now driven to help others find their purpose on and off of the course and help them succeed. We sat down this week to discuss her “Dear Athlete” letters at Branched Athletics, what “playing with purpose” means, and how her unique collegiate career created this unique op...

Originally aired in July 2019 It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that you have to hit home runs every day in order to become successful. The best hitters in the game aren’t swinging for the fences every time they get to the plate. Just like the best quarterbacks aren’t throwing for the endzone every pass. There’s nothing wrong with chipping away at your goal and your growth with small swings,...

Originally aired in July 2019. Rodney Webb is the head football coach at Rockwall High School in Texas and president of the Texas High School Coaches Association. This week, he shares tips from his nearly 30 years in coaching.

Originally aired July 2019. Former Olympic swimmer Caroline Burckle joins this week's show to discuss her athletic journey and the co-founding of RISE Athletes, a program that partners young athletes with Olympians for mentorship opportunities. Burckle discusses the importance of diversifying their experiences (outside of sports) helps set them on the path to success in the future, as they can...

Originally aired in June 2019. When leaders do their best, everyone’s better for it. That’s a bit of wisdom from this week’s guest, Adam Bradley, who is the founder of Lead ‘Em Up. His company helps coaches develop their athletes into leaders both in sports and everyday life. Leadership is a lifestyle, after all, Bradley says. It can’t just come out in only one aspect of your or your players’ live...