Interested in attending the Clutch Mentality Bootcamp but have some questions? This (10 min) series can help you decide! Ready to join? Head to https://www.mentalsweetspot.com/clutchmentality
Imagine being able to screen your girls before practice to get a true idea of what you're going to get out of them that day? Instead of HOPING you notice the signs. Hoping you don't miss one player among 12-30 players. All so you can get the most out of your limited time with them. And what if that process only took a couple minutes using their phones? Oh and THEN what if each player was immediately given a suggested exercise to boost their mental & emotional state for THIS practice. That's ...
Ever look at your team mid-practice (or mid GAME) and think... Are they ALIVE? There are so many things that drain their energy, then before you know it the energy is gone and you might as well call it a day. And if we're honest, we have those days too! Today's guest not only speaks to this topic - he EXUDES energy and positivity! No joke - he had me standing up in Superwoman pose. You ready to get some fantastic nuggets from a world class athlete, dad, and motivational speaker? Listen in! -----...
In today's episode, we chat with Bootcamp OG Candace Fenton-Brockbader! You're going to find so many moments in this episode you can relate to. She is a GEM!
Coaching is hard. You know what I mean. Not the on-field stuff. It's the attitudes... The lack of competitiveness... The people talking smack about how you're doing things. It can be draining. Honestly, that kind of stuff can make you want to quit. Alicia and I have certainly both considered it. Many times. But what keeps us coming back? What keeps us grounded, confident that we're on the right path, and unshakable despite other people's opinions? Hands down, it's Culture. This is what we want f...
Culture can be complicated. You have to get 12-20+ players on the same page, understanding what it takes to achieve the goals they want. As vital as any coach like you knows culture is... it can be difficult to maintain a positive one with so many culture killers out there. But maintaining a strong, supportive culture is honestly THE most important thing we can do for our teams. Today we discuss the top 3 culture killers we've come across through the years, so you can get ahead of them this seas...
We coaches are contantly looking forward. What's next. Where is there room to improve. What can we do better as a coach? But sometimes the answers are already there for us - if we just take a peek into our recent past. With Alicia on a trip with her daughter's soccer team this week, I was struggling with what to air on the podcast. We've got bootcamp coming up quickly, we have so many lessons we still want to share, but I want to have Alicia here to discuss them... And then it hit me. We already...
As much as we as coaches want to control the situation and do everything in our power to help our girls succeed... T here are some times when we have to realize - it's not about us. Sometimes we have to let go a bit in order to let the TEAM take the reins. And if you've done your job leading up to that point, it's most likely going to turn out even better than you could have imagined. That's what Alicia is talking about today and what YOU can experience once you have your Culture Blueprint in pl...
Have you ever felt at a loss? Scratching your head... maybe even pulling-your-hair-out level... No clue what to do to get them to CARE? You're certainly not alone. Every coach has been in this spot where you can't seem to figure out what to do to fix what's going on. We have a remedy for getting stuck here (ahem - bootcamp!) that I'll share at the end of the episode. But for now, Join in to hear how even this champion, Hall of Fame coach OCCASIONALLY goes through the same thing. ----- We have on...
We've said it before and we'll say it again: just telling them this game is a game of failure DOESN'T make them stop obsessing on their fails. I know you've experienced this! So what is the magic answer? Of course there isn't only one way... but Alicia shares a few great strategies and activities to start training a more positive mindset! ----- Curious where your team stands with mindset? Check out our team assessment to get a quick look at how your team rates on the Cs. Just head to mentalsweet...
Coaching is NOT easy. You of all people know that. There are ups and downs - in both on-field performance AND the emotions - that are easy to get wrapped up in. The best seasons are ones where we as coaches can stay out of that trap and use every lesson to build TRUE belief. That's what we talk about today as I wrap up my second season with LaGrange College softball. ----- True pride (and true BELIEF) don't come from winning alone. They come from the lessons learned and the work put in for somet...
I think we all can agree - it's MUCH easier to see what's going wrong than it is to notice what's going right. Honestly- that's our job as coaches! But we also know how distracting and harmful it can be to performance when we're focusing only on the mistakes. In today's episode, we talk about how we talk about LESSONS and use a daily routine to keep growing and moving forward - even through some ugly losses. ----- Imagine if you could legitimately get your team to grow (even just a little bit) E...
We've all experienced those games when the team we KNOW they're capable of just didn't show up. The energy was off. They were more quiet than usual... maybe tired? Maybe upset about their performance... Just off. But we can't just chock it up to an off day. So what can we do about it? That's what we discuss in today's episode!
There's no doubt about it: Culture is the key to a great season. Even if performance isn't quite there, a strong culture makes it worthwhile. Put the two together? You've helped create an unforgettable few months in your athletes' lives. It can feel like a daunting task sometimes though. There are a LOT of culture killers out there and we coaches already have so much on our plates. Today's guest gives us an amazing tool to be able to stay focused on the main thing. Ready to learn about the cultu...
If you're listening to this episode, you've likely listened to Alicia's past seasons and learned the same thing I have: strong relationships are the secret weapon. We've all had that moment where we realized we missed a KEY piece of information about a player that would have changed the course of their game, season or even career. And most of the time we miss that information because we're stuck in the weeds. And that's normal! We have a LOT to do as coaches. If we want to be our best for our te...
The ultimate goal for coaches like us... The coaches who care most about developing the person THROUGH the sport of softball... Is getting our girls to truly BELIEVE they're capable. That they're capable of of improvement. They're capable of executing what they've practiced. They're capable of bringing their best consistently. But you know as well as I do... this is also the toughest thing to coach sometimes. Today I share a couple more weeks of LaGrange college softball and how we're baking the...
It's that time of year for spring softball! Since us covering Alicia's season has gotten so much great feedback, we've decided to follow my team this year as well! For those who don't know, I'm in year two at LaGrange College. We're a small liberal arts school in Georgia. We're a part of NCAA DIII and the brand new Collegiate Conference of the South. I took over a program with a lot of potential and even more heart. Last season was all about solidifying our culture and who we want to be moving f...
Have you even wondered why your girls are so hard on themselves? Why can't they let things go, even when you're doing everything to convince them they're fine? You don't yell... You tell them you believe in them... Most times nobody else is nearly as upset with the failure as they are. So what's going on?? That's what today's guest will be discussing. What's really going on in those heads of theirs (and maybe ours too!) and what we can do to keep them out of the funk. I know you're chomping at t...
Most coaches WANT to develop strong young women, but not all of them actually know HOW to build those people skills into their training plans. Today's guest does so with everything from challenge drills to leadership council to "softball school." You're definitely going to take some great ideas away from this episode! Listen in on your favorite podcast app or at mentalsweetspot.captivate.fm/...
We get into coaching because we want to help. But you don't get to stay there unless athletes CHOOSE to play for you year in and year out. There will of course be some turnover for various reasons, but on the whole... How many of your girls would choose you again if given the chance? There are a lot of factors that go into it, but if you can create a culture where the player feel ACCEPTED instead of judged? They'll keep choosing to play for you! This is why we do what we do at Mental Sweet Spot ...
We're in the middle of an amazing era of sport where performers are starting to tap into the power of their minds and COACHES get to be a part of that process! And that can sometimes be overwhelming - there are a million topics we could cover. Where do we start & how do we implement it? Today's guest is a game-changer and she's about to share some tips to make mental training PROactive and makes the most impact regardless of how much time you have. She's so great, we hired her as our busines...
I don't brag often, but I think we're going to win BEST GIFT this season. Because today we're joined by one of the most influential coaches in our game - and one of the best humans we've been so fortunate to meet. Coach Candrea is about to share some absolute GOLDEN nuggets of advice that WILL make you a better coach. Someone who gets more out of their players... Makes and impact beyond the field... AND appreciates how special this job is. So WHEN this episode leaves you feeling inspired and exc...
We're definitely coaching a different breed of athlete these days - but that shouldn't come as a surprise. Every generation has their own version of the "kids these days" gripe - it's simply evolution! And that means we need to evolve as coaches too. Actually, let me clarify - we GET to evolve. The even better news? There are strategies you can implement TODAY to help them! That's what today's guest is going to share! P.S. You can follow Lauren on Instagram @performance_reimagined_...
Most of our girls could use an extra dose of confidence. Some seem do be on empty. Which means we as coaches have the amazing opportunity to build them up. And who better to get tips on that a mental game consultant who's primary focus is confidence! Ready for some knowledge bombs? Let's go!
You don't know what you don't know. Which is why coaches who reach the elite levels KEEP seeking out opportunities to learn & grow. And that's how we got to meet today's guest! He has already developed strong programs & sent girls off to play at their dream schools. He was clearly successful before meeting us. And yet... because he's elite... he kept learning & has seen some impressive growth with his girls. Listen in now to hear how this great coach got even better.
It's not magic. But it sure does feel like it when everything clicks and your girls play FEARLESSLY. If you've followed this podcast for a while, you know alicia has a knack for getting her girls to compete hard and not give up. AND. Her girls still clench up when the pressure is on. They're human! So wanna hear how the Mattawan girls dealt with post-season pressure? Listen in now!
You know the line (and if you don't, you're on the bench until you watch A League of Their Own!). But as funny as that scene was, we do NOT live in that world anymore. Not only IS there crying in softball - there's a lot of it. And not just the sensitive athletes or the "mentally weak" ones. Even the toughest, most talented athletes tear up nowadays. Listen in to today's episode for a couple of reasons why. And why it's actually a gift to us as coaches.
Every coach goes into a season with a vision of what they want this team to do this year. Now imagine if your girls could buy into that vision immediately AND perform hot out of the gate? Sound like a long shot? Not for this culture veteran! In today's episode, Alicia shares the first part of her high school season: what they worked on, how they performed, and some crucial insights from her 20+ years of experience. You're gonna want to listen to all three parts of this one... let's do it!
Have you ever had every intention of pushing something off for just a little bit... and then a million things happened and before long it seems like FOREVER has passed? Of course you have... You're a coach! Well... All we can say is thank you for your patience in this almost year hiatus. We were ALWAYS planning on getting back on the mic, but y'know... life. AND! If you don't follow us on social, the big reason for the brake is I'm back in coaching! You'll be listening to the new Head Softball C...
Have you ever watched the World Series (college softball of course) and thought, “That player is super-human” Like there’s no way the rest of us or my girls could ever do that. We put players like today’s guest on a pedestal for good reason, because they are amazing competitors! But really? They got there with a specific skill set. Certain tools in their toolbox that allowed them to bounce back faster, stay confident and perform consistently even against the toughest opponents. That skill set is...
