The Mental Cast

Episode 053 | A Conversation with Coach Gabe of Coquí Volleyball | June 2026 In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle sits down with Coach Gabe, founder of Coquí Volleyball Club, for a candid conversation about coaching, athlete development, and the realities of building a volleyball club in today's youth sports environment. Gabe shares his journey from growing up in Puerto Rico, where v...

Episode 052 | You’re Not Supposed to Be Sure | April 2026 In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle takes on the pressure athletes and parents feel to make the “right” decision in youth sports. From tryouts to team selection, people search for certainty in a system that simply does not provide enough information to be sure. Dan breaks down why this happens and shifts the focus to what act...

Episode 051 | The State of MY Universe (2025) | December 2025 In this special year-end episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle steps away from the usual structure to offer a deeply personal reflection on 2025. Rather than teaching a skill or breaking down a framework, this episode serves as a State of the Universe check-in, part annual review, part integrity audit, and part honest reckoning wit...

Episode 050 | Stop Calling Them Soft Skills | December 2025 In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle challenges the common belief that sports automatically teach confidence, resilience, accountability, and leadership. While sports expose athletes to pressure, failure, and feedback, Dan explains why exposure alone does not equal development. Dan breaks down why calling these abilities “so...

Episode 049 | Buyer’s Remorse | December 2025 In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle explores buyer’s remorse in youth sports, a feeling that often surfaces after tryouts, team changes, and when the excitement of a new environment fades. Athletes, parents, and coaches begin questioning whether the switch they made was the right one. Dan explains why these decisions are often made under...

Episode 048 | The B Word | December 2025 In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle explores the complicated and often misunderstood use of the word bully in youth sports. Are young athletes truly experiencing bullying in more situations, or have we started labeling every uncomfortable moment as something harmful? Dan breaks down the growing confusion between bullying and accountability, l...

Episode 047 | A Conversation with Coach Nicole - Life Pivots, Coaching Philosophy, and Embracing Growth | June 2025 In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle interviews the inspiring Coach Nicole from USA Volleyball. Nicole shares her unique journey through multiple careers, ultimately dedicating her life to coaching volleyball. Despite facing imposter syndrome, Nicole speaks about her “f...

Episode 046 | Athlete Apathy - Rethinking Motivation in Youth Sports | June 2025 In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle tackles one of the most debated topics in today’s coaching circles: athlete apathy. Are today’s young athletes truly apathetic, or are coaches failing to ignite their spark? Dan dives into an engaging conversation that challenges the common misconceptions about today’...

Episode 045 | Honor The Past Without Being Trapped By It | May 30, 2025 Welcome to this enlightening episode of The MentalCast, where host Dan Mickle explores the complex relationship between tradition and progress in sports and coaching. As athletes and coaches strive to honor time-tested customs while adapting to the evolving needs of modern sports, this episode asks a critical question: does tr...

pisode 044 | We Have Lost Our Damn Minds | March 21, 2025 Welcome to The MentalCast, hosted by Dan Mickle and supported by Soul Performance Academy. In this episode, Dan shares an unscripted rant about the chaotic and often unhealthy state of youth sports today. He dives into the financial burdens placed on families, the unrealistic expectations heaped on young athletes, and the increasingly out-o...

Episode 043 | A Conversation with Summer Montabone | February 26, 2025 In this enlightening episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle sits down with Summer Montabone, retired pro athlete and performance mindset coach, for an inspiring conversation about empowerment, leadership, and the mental side of sports. They dive into important discussions around empowering girls through sports, addressing t...

Episode 042 | Building Confidence for Success | January 2025 Confidence is more than just belief; it is a skill that can be trained, honed, and protected. In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle explores the key elements of building true, lasting confidence, from preparation and visualization to setting achievable goals. You will learn how to bounce back from setbacks, foster a growth m...

Episode 041 | Last Time You Had Fune | June 2024 We all experience moments of joy and happiness — but when was the last time you truly had fun? The kind of fun where you lost track of time, laughed until it hurt, or experienced a moment that changed your life. In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle explores how our lives — and especially the lives of young athletes — have become so pac...

Episode 040 | Where Have I Been? | May 2024 About a year ago, host Dan Mickle quietly stepped away from The MentalCast. At the time, he was not entirely sure why — but a recent conversation and a powerful book helped provide clarity and sparked the return. Before diving into a brand new season, Dan wanted to share this personal reflection on why he left, what brought him back, and what he hopes to...

Episode 039 | Colin C. Thompson | July 2023 Friend of the show Colin C. Thompson returns to The MentalCast for an exciting update to his 2021 appearance — this time with news about his inspiring new “50 at 50” plan. In this motivating conversation, host Dan Mickle and Colin dive into the power of self-improvement, goal setting, and simply getting it done. They explore the mindset behind Colin’s 50...

pisode 038 | Nuerodivergent Athletes | May 2023 This is one of the most challenging and personal episodes that host Dan Mickle has recorded to date. In this episode of The MentalCast, Dan opens up about the self-doubt and reflection that comes with wondering if, at times, he may have failed some of the athletes he coached, including those closest to him. It is time for all of us, as coaches and ed...

Episode 037 | Being a Better Coach - Part 2: Empathy | April 2023 Continuing the five-part Being a Better Coach series, this episode of The MentalCast dives into one of the most critical (and often overlooked) coaching skills: empathy. Host Dan Mickle explores what empathy really means in a coaching context, how it can transform relationships with athletes, and why it is essential for building tru...

Episode 036 | Taking over a successful program | March 2023 Taking over a successful program can be incredibly rewarding — but it also brings unique challenges. In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle explores some of the common issues new coaches face when stepping into an already established and successful team. Dan shares practical tips for making the program your own while still hon...

Episode 035 | Fixing Dan - Part 1 | February 2023 As shared in the Season 4 finale, The MentalCast is kicking off Season 5 with a new focus, host Dan Mickle’s personal journey of self-reflection and growth. In this first installment of the Fixing Dan series, Dan begins exploring the values that matter most to him and how he can do a better job of living them day-to-day. This is a raw, honest look...

Episode 034 | State of the Universe 2022 | December 2022 It is time for the annual recap and roadmap episode of The MentalCast! In this special year-end reflection, host Dan Mickle shares a personal and unscripted look back at 2022 — the challenges, the lessons learned, and the growth that came with it. Dan also offers a candid look ahead, sharing his intentions and plans for 2023, both personally...

Episode 033 | Benefits of Losing | December 2022 Losing sucks…no question about it. But in this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle digs into why losing and failure can actually be some of the most powerful tools for growth. Too often, we slap shallow motivational sayings on the back of t-shirts and leave it at that. Dan challenges us to go deeper: to truly examine how we can use loss and f...

Episode 032 | They Ain't Coachable | November 2022 In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle challenges the common narrative that players today “aren’t coachable.” Maybe the issue is not the players — maybe it is how we, as coaches, are trying to reach them. Dan explores the importance of truly knowing who your players are: beyond their positions or what they contribute on the field. Buil...

Episode 031 | Pump The Brakes | October 2022 Are we headed toward a cliff in the youth sports world? Possibly. Can we avoid it? Absolutely. In this episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle explores the growing concerns in youth sports from burnout to corruption to declining participation. The problem is not one group or issue; it is a systemic challenge that requires everyone at the table: coach...

Episode 030 | A Personal Look at Living in the Grey | September 2022 In this deeply personal episode of The MentalCast, host Dan Mickle returns from a month-long hiatus to open up about his ongoing mental health journey — specifically, what it feels like to live in “the grey.” There is a space between happiness and depression where many people quietly exist, though it is rarely discussed. Thanks t...

Episode 029 | Interview with travel writer, Pam Brant | June 2022 In this episode of The MentalCast, we go back to our roots with a new interview format. Host Dan Mickle sits down with travel writer, blogger, and volleyball super-fan Pam Brant for a wide-ranging conversation about reinvention, resilience, and finding new passions. Pam shares her journey of becoming a travel writer, her experiences...