Signed & Ready

Teaching lifelong learners is about showing them how to be fascinated instead of frustrated when things don't go their way. This is one of the key takeaways from this action-packed episode. Today's Hall of Fame guest is the University of St Thomas head coach John Tschida. If you have ever wished your players could make adjustments on their own and be their own best coach, you're going to want to t...

Training a team player has taken a back seat to showcasing the individual in today's recruiting culture. Fortunately, the new recruiting age change and travel ball coaches like our Sweet-Spotters are working to shift that culture back to a team focus. Because when it comes down to it, coaches like us want to develop good people . And those people will be much more successful in their life, career...

Wish your girls were more COMPETITIVE?  Michele Smith knows how to develop that fierce mentality! Competitiveness is something we used to think you were born with. "I am competitive." "She's just not that competitive." "My team just doesn't have that kind of drive." What if there were ways you could start building that fire inside of your girls? That's what we chat about today!

We've come a pretty long way in player development, but we can still do more for the skill that's involved in every single action: performance vision.  Think about it... We work on getting stronger, faster, more agile. We improve throwing, hitting and pitching skills. Now more coaches are starting to work on mental skills too! But alllll that work goes in the tank if your athlete isn't seeing...

How to not get caught up in the softball side of things and keep a pulse on everything else our athletes (and we!) are dealing with.

What if you could guarantee your softball instruction was effective each and every time you worked with a student-athlete?   You know at this point in your career… just because you know what you’re talking about, doesn’t guarantee you’ll be able to help a player reach her potential. Great softball instruction is about more than […] The post Softball instruction with a purpose appeared first on Men...

Coaching people is more vital than coaching any other physical skill.   It has always been my opinion that the coaches who focus on coaching people are the ones who make the biggest impact. This philosophy is gaining traction now, which makes me very happy. But we still have a ways to go with figuring […] The post Coaching People Not Players | Jay Miller [INT] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

When brain training becomes as important as pitching, hitting and throwing, you can take your athletes to the next level!   Whether you’re new to the podcast or have been with us for a while, you KNOW we have to train the mental more. Just like we work to get our feet and hands to […] The post Brain Training for Peak Performance | Sam Hale [INT] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

How to get what you want by showing gratitude before you get it Today I am borrowing content that I have found to be very powerful. Now, I’m a believer in goal-setting. You have to know where you want to go before you can start on the right path, right? But it has always bothered […] The post Gratitude Is A Winning Attitude appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

A 4-step process of learning that you really can trust.   Today’s episode is alllll about the process. We talk about it so often, but when you stop to think about it, can you actually define the process? If you can, fantastic! Here’s another idea for you to consider. If not, you’re not alone! We’ve […] The post Trust the Process [MT101] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

5 things to stop doing if you want to build a positive, strong team culture.   Today’s episode flips the script a bit and focuses on what not to do when coaching the mental game. We give lots of tips and advice for what makes a great mind coach, and today is no different. But today […] The post Team Culture No-No’s [MT101] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

Connection is key, it takes effort, and it can become one of the most enjoyable parts of your coaching.   Welcome back as we continue our conversation from last week! Stacie and I just kept talking, so I decided to break it up into two episodes. The focus of this part of our discussion was […] The post Build A Better Connection | Stacie Mahoe [MT101] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

You want to coach the mental game more, but it can feel so overwhelming! Let’s make it simpler.   Today is the first episode of a series on how to coach the mental game. We’ve covered many how-to topics before, but we wanted to circle back around as we launch our new membership and share […] The post How to coach the mental game | Stacie Mahoe [MT101] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

Most coaches pour their hearts and countless hours into developing their athletes. But the real magic happens with intentional coaching.   Today’s guest is the founder of Unleash the Athlete and former Head of Leadership Development for IMG Academy. He has worked with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and is currently a mental performance […] The post Intentional Coaching | James Leath [INT]...

It’s not easy to focus on the positive all the time when you’re constantly trying to raise the bar and get better. That’s what today’s guest learned throughout her career and hopes to pass on to other players! If softball had been in the Olympics the past few cycles, you would have seen today’s guest […] The post How to Focus on the Positive | Katie Cochran [INT] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spo...

Today’s guest is a passionate young woman on a mission to impact lives with her story of resilience. Her honest and relatable delivery of her experiences reminds her audience that there is humor in the challenges we face. By being courageously vulnerable in sharing her biggest heartaches and highest achievements, she hopes others realize that […] The post Resilience Is A Choice | Kendall Burton [I...

The best coaching tips we can give you are all about YOU. If you’ve coached long enough, you know there are a lot of things that are out of your control, but are nonetheless FRUSTRATING. Dealing with parents of players who seem to undermine you and don’t trust that you know what you’re doing. Trying […] The post Coaching Tips for a Smoother Season appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

Coaching reflection for Alicia & Wilma It’s the final episode for our mastermind, so it’s time for a coaching reflection! At the end of the season, every coach should take the time to reflect on what went well and what could have gone better. When you reflect honestly, you can set a clear path for […] The post Coaching Reflection – Mastermind Finale [MSM 7] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

Struggling defensively because they’re afraid to make a mistake Holding players accountable while still being positive When the snowball becomes an AVALANCHE When you feel desperate to “fix it” but don’t know what to do Switching the focus from stress to competition Pressing and trying to control things that are outside of our control COACHING […] The post Stop Trying So Hard to Fix Things [MSM6]...

TJ’s story of how he got into nutrition, fitness and mindset coaching How overwhelm made Reese feel like it put her fire out Why you’re doing the world a disservice when you’re not being you What energy has to do with living a happier life Food and thoughts as FUEL How comments made by others […]

THE PRODUCT OF HARD WORK, DETERMINATION AND DOING ALL YOU CAN FOR THE TEAMMATES YOU LOVE TO PLAY WITH Today’s guest is widely regarded as one of the best softball players in the world. She became a softball household name at the University of Oklahoma. There she became a Two-Time USA Softball Collegiate Softball Player […] The post USA softball and gold medal aspirations | Keilani Ricketts [INT] a...

Helping players deal with failure Getting players to buy into mental training When it’s ok to be a “yeller” Understanding different coaching styles Giving better feedback Switching the perspective on expectations Staying patient as the team continues to improve COACHING RESOURCE | Coaching Personality Quiz Just because you’re having a hard time getting through to […] The post Coaching Styles Shoul...

Today we discuss how to get out of the rut faster by… Dealing with the snowball effect that quickly becomes an avalanche Managing our expectations as coaches so we can stay on track Making minor adjustments to take the momentum back Never stopping coaching – regardless of how bad it feels Simplifying and refocusing on […] The post Stuck in a rut [MSM4] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

Today we discuss how to keep the main thing the main thing by… Lifting the hood for players to see why the coaching staff does certain things – including being hard on them Letting the players share how they prefer to be coached What to do when the team isn’t living their culture Helping players […] The post Keep the main thing the main thing [MSM3] appeared first on Mental Sweet Spot .

There are many theories and studies that explore what makes a good coach. It's tricky because each coach’s style is different. Some are direct and outspoken, while others are more quiet and insightful. Some believe in offense, others in a strong defense. For every trait you can point out in a high-performing coach, it seems you can find the exact opposite in another coach that's just as successful...