Coach Craig Kolek , a former NCAA volleyball coach who has transitioned to a mental performance coach joins the show emphasizing body language, focus, and self-talk. He highlights the importance of athletes' ability to bounce back from mistakes quickly and maintain present-moment focus. Craig's approach has evolved, now seeking athlete input before coaching. He stresses the significance of goal setting, routines, and intrinsic motivation. Craig advises parents to model composure and let athletes learn from their mistakes. He also discusses the need for athletes to play multiple sports and manage social media to avoid distractions. Craig's philosophy is rooted in building trust and leadership through values and communication.

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I am joined by 11-time Ironman champion, Author of An Unlikely Champion, motivational speaker and cystic fibrosis advocate Lisa Bentley to explore what it really means to compete with heart. Lisa walks me through her journey from a self-described “chubby little girl” who was told she’d never be an athlete, to becoming one of the world’s premier endurance racers. She shares how discovering her cystic fibrosis in university reshaped her perspective, and how she turned that adversity into a superpower and a source of purpose for others. We dig into the mental side of high performance—self‑talk in the darkest miles, problem‑solving under pressure, building an ‘asset list,’ and using visualization to prepare for race day. Lisa also opens up about retirement, identity beyond sport, the importance of community, and why doing “the thing you don’t want to do” is often exactly what you need. It’s a powerful conversation about resilience, joy, and choosing to show up fully in everyday life.

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In this episode, we are joined by Michael Huber, a mental performance coach specializing in youth sports.

The episode provides a deep dive into the mental side of youth athletics, Huber shares his transition from business consulting to sports psychology, driven by his own experiences as a youth coach and a former player who struggled with the "mental game."

Key themes include:

• The Intentional Parent

• Identity Foreclosure

• The "Professionalization" of Youth Sports

• Practical Tools

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