The Mental Mettle Podcast

Meet Megan Gilmore, a former athlete, author, and the brains behind Lark's Song. Trust me, she's the go-to for all things athletics, well-being, and coaching—she's been there and done that. But for those who haven't experienced coaching, it might seem a bit too "woo-woo," like some magical stuff that's not practical for everyday progress. Spoiler alert: that&apos...

Not only is Nick Zerby a former Fat Kid he is also a  fellow "tough guy".   He played college football, he does CrossFit, and he hunts, kills, and eats wild game.    He and I get along well, but not for all those reasons.   We get along well because we both understand that toughness goes well beyond what we do physically.   Toughness is a mental state of mind, and it comes from vulnerabi...

Coach Leonard has a great story to tell.   He is all about Faith, Family, and Football, and it shows.     In this episode, we talk about all of those and about how he has organically grown a program that has nine state championships.    Buy a copy of his book here! Victorious! A story of Faith, Family and Football in the Heartland | Victorious Leonards Schedule a free coaching session with Coach T...

Ryan Tompkins has been a part of GCMS basketball since it started.   He was a player when the schools consolidated, and a few years after college he became the head coach.   He is very aware of the legacy he is purposely building, and it shows.   S chedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann https://calendly.com/coachthomann/coachingdemo O rder The Mental Mettle Podcast Gear The Mental Mett...

For over 20 years, Josh Jostes has been the Head Coach of one of the best 2A programs in the State of Illinois, but it didn't start that way.   He took over a program that was failing and everyone knew it.   He built it up by facing issues "head on".    They needed a better weight room, so he built it.   They needed more participation, so built a program kids wanted to be a part of....

Honestly,  all referees are out of your control.    Whether you are a coach, a player, or a parent, it should not be your focus.    For coaches, what percentage of your effort, thoughts, and words go into arguing with an official during a game?    Is that percentage an amount you tolerate from your players?    Some soul-searching questions on this week's episode with the best official I have...

New Year's Resolutions are awful.  They almost always fail.    They are resolute, black and white, binary.   The world is not.    There is room for improvement for everyone this 2024, but it doesn't have to come in the form of a resolution.    Instead, focus on a skill you'd like to acquire in 2024 and start creating it.   I can help.  O rder The Mental Mettle Podcast Gear The Menta...

The only exception is the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but I'm talking about Hollywood-created Christmas Miracles.   They are fake and don't exemplify real change.   At best they are catalysts for change, but more likely they make us believe that a visit from an angel, 3 ghosts, or a group of German terrorists is what we need to bring the family together around Christmas. ...

Rainer Meisterjahn Ph. D. runs Courtex Performance which a company that provides proactive mental coaching to NBA, WNBA, and FIBA basketball players.    The word "proactive" resonated the most with me.    It is not necessarily "fixing" issues, it is more about improving mindset before issues arise.    Order The Mental Mettle Podcast Gear The Mental Mettle Podcast | Official Gea...

Hallie Mitchell is a softball player, a really good softball player.    So good in fact that she was able to leverage her ability to go from a small Illinois High School to Lexington Kentucky where she plays for the Kentucky Wildcats.    It was exactly what she wanted....but it was also extremely hard.    As her coach, I helped Hallie overcome the struggles of being a first-year SEC player.    Hea...

Toxic situations happen.  They happen in families, in the workplace, and in athletics.    Acting like they do not happen does not prepare us for dealing with them.   In this episode, I break down some useful advice for athletes and coaches when facing conflict and toxic situations.   Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann https://calendly.com/coachthomann/coachingdemo Mental Mettle Co...

Communication, communication, and communication.  Those are the three most important factors in success according to Coach Plummer.  He should know, he had a lot of it.    Over 30 years of coaching and over 800 wins as a soccer coach make him a guy worth listening to! Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann https://calendly.com/coachthomann/coachingdemo Mental Mettle Coaching specializ...

Tammy Lott saved my life, at least my life as  I know it.    I met her less than a month after my stroke.    She was tasked with helping me ease my anxiety about my diminished communication skills, no easy task.  She did such a good job that I switched careers and became a coach.     My life would not be what it is without her,  Thanks Tammy! Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann htt...

Coach Feeney is a coach worth listening to.   He skipped his senior year of playing basketball in college to coach in college.   He definitely has a gift, but he also works on his craft.   Over the years he's learned that focusing on mindset and mentality is just as important as physical drills.  No excuses.    Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann https://calendly.com/coachthom...

I love watching Jason Welch coach.  He is a great example of how you can be passionate and positive at the same time.    As the Head Coach of Bloomington Central Catholic he leads young men to be better men and better Christians.  Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann https://calendly.com/coachthomann/coachingdemo Mental Mettle Coaching specializes in providing comprehensive mental p...

In the 90s, Clancy Hall left Texas for basketball in Middle Tennessee.   He played at Lipscomb, met a girl, decided to stick around, and now he's still in Middle Tennessee for basketball.    Along the way he has learned a lot, changed the way he coaches, and now has a solid metric of success he lives by.  Schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann https://calendly.com/coachthomann/co...

Seriously, what else can you say about a guy who picks a goal and sticks with it, regardless of what every other person (and common sense) thinks?    Dre scored 2 points per game in high school, walked on to a D3 school, and saw limited minutes; however, he kept "hustling" til he got an overseas basketball contract.   He then turned that contract into more contracts.  He then turned that...

Gabe is one of the nicest guys you could ever want to meet.    He's a family man, a good friend, a former preschool teacher, and the leader of my men's bible study group.   Seriously a great guy, but he's also a jiu-jitsu black belt that would make you tap out in no time (or at least that's what happens when I roll with him).     Also, he is a former "traditional" ath...

Malik Mims has a passion for helping young hoopers.  He does it from a place of experience and from a place of love.  He is honest with his athletes and makes sure they know the truth about their abilities and their deficiencies.  Make sure your kids have someone in their life like Malik! EPISODE 006| TRAGEDY TO CLARITY W/ MATT THOMANN - YouTube OWN YOUR VOICE, EMPOWER YOUR GAME! Join Coach Thoman...

Rob calls it the "Well".  The place he goes to when things get tough.   The memory of a terrible situation that he has already endured in his life   His "well" is the time he was a mile 90 of a 135-mile run through Death Valley.   His shoes were melting and his feet were covered with blisters.  You might think he is certifiably insane, maybe he is, but you know what he isn&apos...

Henry Domercant was a beast!   At EIU he set the NCAA on fire with his offensive explosions every night, but it didn't happen overnight.  As a college freshman he, begrudgingly, redshirted.   He learned he needed to work on his game and his mindset.  After college, he spent over a decade playing basketball in Europe, constantly honing his game.   His experience and demeanor make him a great p...

 Ali is tough.   800 meters in 2:06 in 100-degree heat tough.    Heading into her senior year at Normal Community High School Ali has already won 3 State Championships in her signature event, the 800 meters.      In this episode, hear how she develops the mental toughness needed to become a U20 USA athlete.    OWN YOUR VOICE, EMPOWER YOUR GAME! Join Coach Thomann for a free webinar on October 22 6...

When Coach Meiss sits on the bench these days he has a lot of roles: head coach, father of a player, and son to one of his assistant coaches.  Yes, 3 generations sit on the bench for each El Paso-Gridley basketball game.   It is an interesting dynamic to be sure..   In this episode hear how Coach Meiss fills all of those roles at the same time while also getting the job done.    Mental Mettle Coac...

If you are a big fish in a little pond, go find a bigger pond.    It doesn't have to be the AAU circuit, but the AAU circuit is a great place to determine how you stack up.    Every summer hundreds of the best junior high and high school players battle it out throughout the U.S.A.    It is great competition, but you have to have the right mindset.   Expect and accept some failure, just make s...

Skyler Bowlin has spent over a decade playing professional basketball in Europe.  He loves it and knows he gets to play a game for a living; however, it isn't everything it's cracked up to be.   it can be a grind and takes a solid mindset to make it happen.    Mental Mettle Coaching specializes in providing comprehensive mental performance coaching services to athletes and teams. In addi...