When The Cleats Come Off

Throughout my not only 8 years of coaching college and youth athletes but also learning from some of the best coaches and parents in the game, here are 5 things I’ve learned that should definitely be avoided when it comes to helping your athlete reach her potential. One of these MIGHT ruffle some feathers!   Check out the BRAND NEW WTCCO Gear! - https://ashley-b-training.myshopify.com/     Follow...

Who would have thought there’s a proven playbook that can help you be the best and most confident version of you on the field?! Well, crazy enough there is and Dr. Amber Selking spills all 8 PROVEN “plays” that can help with building confidence, managing your emotions and be a PEAK performer when your best is needed. (This is an episode I guarantee you’ll be listening to more than once!)   Check o...

What if we look at building a good team culture as building the PEOPLE on our team BEFORE their skills? There are few high school coaches dominating the competitive high school game as much as Beth Zachary and crazy enough, championships are NOT a top priority for her. I’m excited to get our first high school coach on the podcast this week sharing a bit of how she builds a championship culture and...

Wrapping up season 2 with a weekly workshop with my Academy members about being where your feet are and leaning into where you are right now. Whether you’re in a great season or a not-so-great one, you have the power inside you to make the most of where you are right now!   Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/p9fi-BxXczo      Learn more about the Virtual Hitting Academy and get $15 of...

This is a special episode. Today, I’m giving you an inside look and sharing snippets of 6 HUGE topics that guest speakers have recently spoken to my Virtual Hitting Academy members about that are sooooo important in our game to know (in order of appearance):  Joe Moroney: How to become a more dominant hitter through journaling Kendall Burton: The key to overcoming self doubt and adversity Chris Va...

Finding our focus is hard, especially when we’re performing in a big moment. This week, let’s dive into the brain and an analogy to help us find more clarity when we play which will, in turn, maximize our success when the pressure is high.   Join the Virtual Hitting Academy Waitlist - https://www.ashleybtraining.com/waitlist     Winning the Mental Game: A Playbook for Building Championship Mindset...

This 2022 Oklahoma Softball Team has won 4 National Championships in the past 6 years, 5 in the past decade and are arguably the greatest team in the history of college softball. I want to spend some time breaking down 10 reasons WHY I believe this historical team was so dominant and what we can learn from them   Follow Oklahoma Softball on Twitter - https://twitter.com/OU_Softball   See when our...

19 years of school counseling, playing a collegiate sport and now parenting two teenage athletes herself has taught today’s guest, Holly Hensley, MANY places in sport where we could do better for our athletes. She went viral on Facebook for sharing a few of her answers as to why she believes stress and mental health issues are at an all time high, and what we can start doing about it.   Tap here t...

It’s the best time of the year! The Women’s College World Series is here and here’s a breakdown of 5 ways you can watch and GROW YOUR GAME at the same time whether you’re a coach, a player or a parent!    Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/SZ--zbXTiLA     Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ashleybtraining/     Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://www.ashleybtra...

Greatness is inconvenient. After talking in last week’s episode with best-selling author/speaker Kevin DeShazo about leadership, the power of optimism, relationships and good communication, this week he dives deeper into developing good habits and what it takes to make your goals happen for you, especially when adversity hits. Greatness takes time, and developing processes that will set us up for...

The greats are obsessed with the process. I’m THRILLED to have, Kevin DeShazo, a really cool dad who happens to also be a best-selling author, speaker, podcaster and a huge mentor of mine on the podcast this week talking all things leadership, trust, optimism, building a championship culture, and the importance of creating good habits to set ourselves up for continued success. Consistency is key,...

After working for one of the largest brands in the world at Nike, Chelsea has learned the crucial steps of authentic branding and is now teaching players, represented by her co-founded company Players Collxctive, how to build THEIR brands on social and beyond and get deals with high level brands like Louisville Slugger, Adidas, Reebok, New Balance, Pepsi and more. In this episode, Chelsea talks ab...

It’s time to reduce the stigma around mental health. For mental health awareness month, I wanted to share a few resources that can help you and your athlete navigate this part of the game that doesn’t get enough attention.   Episodes Mentioned/Resources   Dr. Chris Carr - Green Bay Packers Director of Performance Psychology: Building Mental Toughness - https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HNjESlTarC1...

Owning who we are is a MUST if we want to be great at anything. Coach Ashley Carter, current University of Washington Volunteer Assistant and Founder of LeadHERShip Athletics, shares the story of how one basketball coach inspired and changed the way she looked at herself and her game, the power of off-days and how to make the most of them, why comparison is being looked at the wrong way and so muc...

You can’t compete at your best without knowing who you are and this week, Notre Dame Softball Alum Gessica (Hufnagle) Garber is talking about how she uses and teaches art to express her emotions, why pushing back pain doesn’t work and simple creative ways you can work through hard things.    Follow Gessica and her work on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ghuffy/     Watch this interview on Yo...

One of the greatest compliments I ever received was from an umpire who told me I always played the game the right way. Today, I’m hoping to give him and every other brave umpire out there the respect they don’t always receive.   Follow for more on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ashleybtraining/     Parts 1&2 with Sue Enquist:   Part 1 - Softball is more than just a game with Hall Of Fame Co...

Dad’s back on the show answering some of YOUR questions like: “How do you find the right coach?”,  “When do I know when is the right time to let go of coaching my daughter?” and “How can I best support her and her dreams?”. And of course you’ll find out who the favorite Burkhardt child is ;)   Check out the first episode with my dad here - https://ashleybtraining.podbean.com/e/scott-burkhardt-what...

A LOT of you have asked for this interview and it’s here! This week, my dad and I are sitting down talking about our journey through the game together, his experience coaching me before and even in travel ball, HIS version of my softball timeline, and more. My dad is one of my biggest fans, and I’m excited for you to learn why I’m one of his!    Check out Ashley B Training on YouTube - https://www...

I recently did a LIVE Q&A where I asked YOU what questions you wanted more insight on, so today, I’m answering questions like: “How do I create a bond with new teammates? How do I deal with pressure from my coaches and teammates?, How do I know which drills to do in my swing?”, and more!   Learn more on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ashleybtraining/     14-Day Goal-Smasher Course - https:/...

Believe it or not, there was a time I didn’t love softball. Here’s the story and how I was able to find myself and the love I have for the game again.   Learn more on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ashleybtraining/     14-Day Goal-Smasher Course - https://ashley-burkhardt-training.mykajabi.com/offers/GTbUzZdm/checkout     www.ashleybtraining.com     Episodes referred to in this episode:   H...

This week, learn from Team Italy’s Erika Piancastelli how she became the amazing hitter that she is, what her Olympic journey was like while also having a mom who competed in the Olympics, what her favorite hitting drills are, why she believes in manifesting your own destiny and so much more!   Follow Erika on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/urka_20/     Learn more about RISR here - https://...

This week, learn strategies of how to get out of feeling “stuck”, what to do when under high stress, the importance of celebrating failure and how simple mindfulness practices can enhance your performance with former softball player turned high performance coach, Katie Cheadle! If you’re looking to lean into your best self, this episode is a great place to start!   Learn more about Katie and her w...

In this episode I’m giving you 5 reasons why you should be watching softball and what to start looking out for so you can learn from the players and coaches and grow your game even more!   Follow me on Instagram for updates on college softball! - https://www.instagram.com/ashleybtraining/   Episodes referred to in this episode:   Kristina Burkhardt: Her “Last Dance” in college softball - https://a...

My middle sis has entered the chat! Learn a bit of us growing up in the game, her love of the outfield, some of her recruiting story, how she has overcome breaking BOTH her hands, and what she’s thinking about going into her final collegiate season! Get ready for some laughs, some tears and some fun!   Follow Kristina on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kristina_burkhardt/     Watch this Inte...

It’s time we talk about the topic NO ONE is talking about…and that’s baserunning! Learn in this episode how to be more aggressive, make smarter decisions and WHEN a good time is to take risks so your team can score more runs this season!    Watch this episode on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDLzo-4ijAI&t=1224s     Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ashleybtraining/    ...