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In this episode of The Champion Within Podcast, host Kate McCauley speaks with Bobbi Caprice, the director of athletics at Penn State Brandywine. They discuss the importance of education for student-athletes, the challenges of choosing the right college, navigating the transfer portal, and the evolution of support for student-athletes, including mental health resources. Bobbi shares insights on what to look for in coaches and the value of involving student-athletes in the hiring process. The conversation emphasizes the balance between athletics and academics, and the aspirations for future success in NCAA competitions.

Takeaways:

Education should always come first for student-athletes. Choosing a college should be based on educational fit, not just athletics. The transfer portal can lead to regret; think carefully before leaving. Mental health resources are essential for student-athletes today. Passion and enthusiasm are crucial traits for coaches. Involving student-athletes in coach selection can provide valuable insights. The landscape of college athletics is evolving positively. Student-athletes face increased pressure to succeed in all areas. Support from local communities is vital for college athletics. Future aspirations include achieving success in NCAA competitions.

CONNECT with Kate McCauley:

IG https://www.instagram.com/the.champion_within

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mccauley-danu

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CONNECT WITH BOBBI CAPRICE

PENN STATE BRANDYWINE ATHLETICS: https://www.psubrandywineathletics.com/

Keywords:

student-athlete, college athletics, mental health, NCAA, transfer portal, coaching, education, Penn State Brandywine, athlete recruitment, sports management

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In this conversation, Kate McCauley discusses the mental performance challenges athletes face before competitions, emphasizing the importance of regulating nervous energy and creating a calm environment. She provides practical techniques for coaches to help their teams manage anxiety and perform at their best, including guided visualization and breathing exercises. The conversation highlights the significance of mental preparation in sports and the role of coaches in modeling calmness for their athletes.

Takeaways:

The moments before competition are filled with chaos and nervous energy.
Athletes often doubt themselves and feel overwhelmed before performances.
Coaches need to regulate the environment to help athletes focus.
Mental performance techniques should be practiced well before competition day.
Calmness in coaches can influence the team's performance positively.
Guided visualization can help athletes prepare mentally for competition.
Breathing exercises are essential for calming nerves before performances.
Trusting one's training is crucial for athletes during competitions.
Practicing mental techniques regularly can improve performance outcomes.
Coaches should model calmness and provide a supportive environment for their teams.

Chapters

00:00 Preparing for Cheer Nationals and overcoming Negative talk
04:16 Mental Performance: The Key to Success for cheerleaders
07:56 Calming Techniques: Regulating Nerves Before Cheer Performance
10:21 Guided Visualization for Cheer Coaches and athletes: Preparing the Mind for Competition
12:52 Champion Within Outro .mp3

COACHES COPY AND PASTE BELOW: I want you to look at this as an experiment. You don't have to be perfect. We're going to breathe and calm down our body. We're going to inhale through our nose and exhale out through our mouth. Let's start breathing. Big inhale in through our nose and blow all of the air exhaling out through your mouth. Keep doing that inhaling and exhaling as you listen to my voice in through your nose and out through your mouth. If you feel comfortable, you can close your eyes, continuing to breathe. Now I want you to just focus on your feet in your shoes. Your feet on the floor. Keep breathing deep in and breathe it out. Feel that floor beneath you. You are here… right now. The noise around you doesn't matter. Breathe in and out. Nobody gets to decide how you perform…. Not the noise…. Just picture the first count. The noise around you doesn't matter…. Focus on your breath in and out. You get to decide how you perform. You are in control of your body and your mind. I want you to picture the first count sharp and intentional. Picture moving together, not rushed, not hesitant. If something isn't perfect, see the reset immediately and confidently. No panic, no pause, just see it. See the ending. See yourself finishing strong, connected as a team. Say to yourself in your mind: “I am ready. I trust my training. I trust my team.” Breathe that in and out. “I am ready. I trust my training. I trust my team.” …………. “I am ready. I trust my training. I trust my team.” Focus on your breath one more time with a big inhale and exhale. Now open your eyes and LET’S GO!!!!!! Coaches, want you to put this into practice with your team. Let them practice this like a science experiment. Do this at practice. Do this when you're at the hotel. Do this the night before, the morning of. It doesn't take long. Do it on the warm-up mat. Do it when you notice some panic. It is going to make a big difference in the way you show up.

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Kate McCauley and Jon Giesbrecht discuss mental toughness and performance techniques, focusing on how athletes can manage pressure and improve their game through mental readiness and breath work.

Keywords: mental toughness, performance techniques, breath work, athlete management, pressure management

Takeaways: Mental readiness is key to performance. Breathwork helps regulate emotions. Trust building is essential for athletes. Integrating mental practices into routines is beneficial. Small mental shifts lead to big performance changes. Mental techniques can be simple yet effective. Athletes need recovery windows during games. Mental performance impacts overall life quality. Coaches should incorporate mental training. Mental toughness is a continuous journey.

Book a mindset training team workshop, school assembly or speaking engagement: https://shop.danunow.com/s/appointments

CONNECT with Kate McCauley: IG https://www.instagram.com/the.champion_within

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mccauley-danu

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Kate McCauley's website https://www.kate-mccauley.com

CONNECT with Jon Giesbrecht:

https://www.instagram.com/playfreebball/

Skool community: https://www.skool.com/playfreebball/about

Free Your Mind: Journal on Amazon: https://a.co/d/j278ILU

In this episode, Kate McCauley emphasizes the importance of mental toughness in sports, drawing insights from the Indiana Hoosiers' coaching strategies. She discusses how mental performance training is integrated into the athletes' daily routines, reinforcing their skills and keeping them grounded during high-pressure situations. McCauley highlights the significance of focusing on small, specific moments in games, which helps athletes respond reliably rather than emotionally when it matters most. She also shares practical advice for coaches on how to communicate effectively with their teams, particularly in avoiding distractions from external noise, which she refers to as 'rat poisoning.'

Throughout the conversation, McCauley stresses that true championship cultures are built on consistent training and accountability rather than hype or external validation. She encourages coaches and athletes alike to focus on their internal standards and the process of preparation, reminding them that success comes from deep training and mental discipline. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to reflect on the influences they allow into their lives and to prioritize their mental fortitude in pursuit of excellence.

Keywords: mental toughness, coaching strategies, Indiana Hoosiers, sports psychology, athlete performance, championship culture, rat poisoning, focus, accountability, training

Book a mindset training team workshop, school assembly or speaking engagement: https://shop.danunow.com/s/appointments

CONNECT with Kate McCauley:

IG https://www.instagram.com/the.champion_within

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mccauley-danu

Book a Mindset Training Appointment: https://shop.danunow.com

Kate McCauley's website https://www.kate-mccauley.com

Book a mindset training team workshop, school assembly or speaking engagement: https://shop.danunow.com/s/appointments

Youth sports are supposed to build confidence, resilience, and be fun, but for many kids, they’ve become a source of stress and burnout. In this episode, I sit down with journalist and author Harvey Araton to unpack what’s gone wrong in the youth sports industry and what we can do to fix it. We explore how sports culture has shifted over the years, what today’s youth athletes are really up against, and how parents can support healthy athlete development without adding more pressure.

You’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of how to protect your child’s mental health and keep the true benefits of sports front and center.

Guest: Harvey Araton is a journalist and author whose latest book focuses on the state of youth sports. Drawing on his extensive experience as a sports journalist, he brings a deep, informed perspective on how youth sports have evolved, where the system is failing kids, and what needs to change to better support families and young athletes.

In This Episode: We start by looking at how youth sports have changed over the years from local, community-based teams to a high-pressure, high-cost machine that often mirrors professional sports. Harvey and I talk about how this shift impacts kids, families, and coaches, and what gets lost when winning, rankings, and exposure become more important than development, fun, and growth.

Resources: Grab your copy of Harvey Araton’s new book The Goal of The Game on youth sports (mentioned in this episode).

IG https://www.instagram.com/the.champion_within

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mccauley-danu

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Kate McCauley's website https://www.kate-mccauley.com

https://www.harveyaraton.com/ https://www.instagram.com/harveyjaraton/ https://www.facebook.com/harvey.araton

If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe wherever you listen so you don’t miss future episodes on youth sports, parenting, and performance. Share this episode with another parent, coach, or youth athlete who might be feeling the weight of today’s sports culture and could use a fresh, healthier perspective.

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In this episode, Kate McCauley discusses the importance of mental health awareness in sports, focusing on Philadelphia Eagle, Lane Johnson's candid admission of his struggles with anxiety and depression. She emphasizes the need for athletes to speak up about their mental health challenges, especially during injury recovery, and introduces practical techniques for building mental resilience, such as breathing exercises.

Takeaways: Lane Johnson's openness about his anxiety disorder is groundbreaking. Many athletes feel ashamed to discuss their mental health. Mental health struggles are common among injured athletes. Coaches and teammates play a crucial role in supporting athletes. Breathing techniques can help manage performance anxiety. The 'rule of thirds' applies to mental toughness training. Athletes need permission to express their feelings. Communication is key in addressing mental health issues. Support systems are vital for athletes dealing with anxiety. Mental toughness training can enhance overall performance.

Book a mindset training team workshop, school assembly or speaking engagement: https://shop.danunow.com/s/appointments

CONNECT with Kate McCauley:

IG https://www.instagram.com/the.champion_within

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mccauley-danu

Book a Mindset Training Appointment: https://shop.danunow.com

Kate McCauley's website https://www.kate-mccauley.com

Book a mindset training team workshop, school assembly or speaking engagement: https://shop.danunow.com/s/appointments

In this episode, Kate McCauley emphasizes the critical role of mental toughness and training in achieving success, particularly for athletes. She introduces her CHAMP framework, which focuses on building confidence, establishing habits, maintaining a positive attitude, utilizing mental imagery, and understanding one's purpose. The conversation sets the stage for Season 8, highlighting upcoming interviews with top performers who understand that talent alone is not enough for sustained success.

Keywords: mental toughness, mental training, CHAMP framework, visualization, purpose, athlete mindset, confidence, habits, performance, coaching

Book a mindset training team workshop, school assembly or speaking engagement: https://shop.danunow.com/s/appointments

CONNECT with Kate McCauley:

IG https://www.instagram.com/the.champion_within

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mccauley-danu

Book a Mindset Training Appointment: https://shop.danunow.com

Kate McCauley's website https://www.kate-mccauley.com

In this final episode of the Holiday Mindset Survival Series, host Kate McCauley reflects on the journey of self-improvement over the past six weeks. She emphasizes the importance of living as if you are already the champion you aspire to be, rather than waiting for a new year to make resolutions. The episode introduces the Champ framework, which includes confidence, habits, attitude, mental imagery, and purpose, as essential tools for personal growth. McCauley encourages listeners to understand their 'why' to build resilience and continue progressing in their lives.

Book a mindset training team workshop, school assembly or speaking engagement: https://shop.danunow.com/s/appointments

CONNECT with Kate McCauley:

IG https://www.instagram.com/the.champion_within

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mccauley-danu

Book a Mindset Training Appointment: https://shop.danunow.com

Kate McCauley's website https://www.kate-mccauley.com

Keywords:

Holiday Mindset, Self-Improvement, Champ Framework, Resilience, Personal Growth, Mental Imagery, Purpose, Attitude, Habits, Confidence