In this episode of Untapped Stories, we sit down with Obi Emegano — a former college/pro hooper - for a powerful conversation about mentorship, adaptability, and what it really takes to keep leveling up as an athlete.

Before Obi was averaging 23 points per game in college and building a successful pro career, he was just an 11-year-old soccer player. His path didn’t change because of a highlight moment or sudden breakout — it changed because one coach saw something in him, believed in his potential, and took the time to invest in his development. That moment became a turning point.

The conversation centers on a truth that shows up again and again in elite athletic journeys: the right coach, at the right time, can completely alter an athlete’s trajectory — and sometimes their entire life.

Obi shares how, as he climbed each level of basketball, he began to notice a consistent pattern. Every time he moved up, his role changed — and with it came discomfort, uncertainty, and the need to rebuild from scratch. In high school, he played as a big man. In college, he had to transition into a guard. Later, in the pros, he went from being a defensive specialist to becoming his team’s leading scorer — and eventually the 7th leading scorer in the nation.

Instead of resisting those shifts, Obi leaned into them.

One of his most important lessons for young athletes is simple but often overlooked: excel in the role you’re given. Advancement doesn’t usually come from demanding more responsibility before you’ve earned it. It comes from mastering what’s in front of you — even when it feels smaller than your ambitions.

A major theme of the episode is mentorship. Obi emphasizes that when you look at nearly any elite athlete’s journey, there’s almost always a coach or mentor who played a pivotal role behind the scenes. But not all mentors are created equal. His advice is to choose wisely:

- Have they already achieved what you’re working toward?

- Do they genuinely have your best interests at heart?

- Are they invested in your growth — not just your results?

If the answer is yes, be a sponge. Absorb everything you can. Success leaves clues, and learning from people who’ve already walked the path you’re on can dramatically shorten the learning curve. Their mistakes become your lessons. Their journey becomes your roadmap.

Throughout the episode, Obi reinforces that talent alone rarely carries athletes as far as they hope. What separates those who stall from those who sustain long careers is adaptability, humility, and the willingness to grow through changing roles — guided by the right people.

This episode is a must-listen for athletes navigating transitions, parents thinking deeply about long-term development, and coaches who understand that belief, guidance, and trust can be just as impactful as any drill or workout.

🎙️ Untapped Stories is presented by ⁠https://athletesuntapped.com/⁠ - the nation’s leading platform for private sports coaching. We connect families with elite, vetted coaches who help athletes grow through strong fundamentals, smart habits, and positive training environments.

👉 Listen weekly on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and follow us on Instagram for highlights and full episodes: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/athletesuntapped/

Shaun Gerardo on Using Basketball as an Outlet, Shooting/Dribbling Tips, Mental Toughness, and More!

In this episode of Untapped Stories, we sit down with Shaun Gerardo — Athletes Untapped’s 2025 Coach of the Year — for a powerful conversation about basketball, resilience, and how the right kind of coaching can shape athletes far beyond the court.

For Shaun, basketball was never just a game. Early in his life, it became an outlet — a place to channel emotion, escape difficult circumstances, and build structure when everything else felt uncertain. Over time, the lessons he learned through the sport opened doors, created opportunity, and ultimately became the foundation for the coach he is today. His story is a reminder of something we see every day at Athletes Untapped: sports have the power to change lives when they’re taught the right way.

A central theme of the conversation is growth through challenge. Shaun explains why real development doesn’t happen in comfort — and why shielding athletes from struggle often does more harm than good. He introduces the concept of “pain trials,” controlled moments of difficulty built intentionally into training. These aren’t about breaking kids down or pushing them too far. Instead, they’re about creating a safe environment where athletes can struggle, adapt, and discover what they’re truly capable of.

When athletes experience discomfort in a supportive setting, Shaun believes they build something far more valuable than skill alone: confidence, resilience, and self-belief. Learning how to respond when things get hard prepares them not just for competition, but for life.

We also dive into the critical relationship between parents and coaches. Shaun shares why alignment matters — and how the right kind of “encouraging pressure” helps athletes push past perceived limits without fear. When coaches and parents work together, athletes feel supported, challenged, and understood. That balance, he explains, is where long-term development thrives.

Another major focus of the episode is strength training and longevity. Shaun is clear: if athletes want to play at a high level, strength training cannot be optional. The goal isn’t just jumping higher or moving faster — it’s staying healthy through long seasons, preventing injuries, and building a body that can withstand years of competition. Ignoring strength work early may not show immediate consequences, but eventually, it catches up. For athletes who want both performance and a long career, it has to be part of the plan.

Throughout the conversation, Shaun’s philosophy comes back to one idea: basketball — and sports in general — are vehicles for building better humans. Wins matter. Skill matters. But character, habits, and resilience last far longer than any stat line.

In this episode, we cover:

- How basketball became a life-changing outlet for Shaun

- Why controlled struggle is essential for real athlete development

- What “pain trials” are and how they build confidence and resilience

- The importance of alignment between parents and coaches

- How encouraging pressure helps athletes grow without burnout

- Why strength training is critical for performance and longevity

- Lessons athletes can carry from sports into everyday life

At Athletes Untapped, we believe youth sports should build confident, resilient athletes who love the game — not fear it. Shaun Gerardo embodies that mission through the way he teaches, challenges, and supports the athletes he works with every day.

🎙️ Untapped Stories is presented by https://athletesuntapped.com - the nation’s leading platform for private sports coaching. We connect families with elite, vetted coaches to help athletes grow through great instruction, strong habits, and positive sports experiences.

👉 Listen weekly on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and follow us on Instagram for highlights and full episodes: https://www.instagram.com/athletesuntapped/

In this episode of Untapped Stories, we sit down with Sarah Bixby - a sports dietitian who works closely with young athletes and families navigating one of the most misunderstood parts of development: fueling.

The conversation starts with a common assumption Sarah sees every day — that supplements are the shortcut to better performance. Protein powders, creatine, pre-workouts… many young athletes are taking them without fully understanding what’s in them, whether they’re safe, or if they’re even necessary. Sarah explains that for the vast majority of youth athletes, supplements aren’t the answer. Real food is. With the right planning and consistency, young athletes can get everything they need through proper meals — without the added risk.

From there, the discussion turns to a bigger (and more surprising) issue: most young athletes are under-fueled — and they don’t realize it.

Sarah shares an eye-opening example from her work, explaining that a hard-training 15–17 year old male athlete can need up to 5,000 calories per day. It’s not a hard rule, and every athlete is different — but the number stops people in their tracks. When you consider daily practices, games, travel teams, tournaments, lifting, conditioning… and the fact that these athletes are still growing, the energy demand adds up fast.

Many athletes feel constantly tired, struggle to recover, or hit performance plateaus — not because they’re lazy or under-trained, but because they’re simply not eating enough. Sarah emphasizes that food isn’t just fuel for workouts. It’s fuel for growth, development, focus, and long-term health. When athletes consistently under-eat, they’re unintentionally putting a ceiling on their potential.

A major theme of the episode is intentional fueling — understanding what your body needs at different stages and being proactive instead of reactive. Sarah breaks down why skipping meals, grazing without structure, or relying on “quick fixes” can quietly derail progress. Proper nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require awareness, preparation, and support from parents and coaches.

Throughout the conversation, Sarah shares practical takeaways for athletes and families:

- Why real food should come before supplements

- How growth + training dramatically increase calorie needs

- Signs an athlete may be under-fueled

- Why consistency matters more than perfection

- Athletes shouldn't be hands-off with their own nutrition

One of the biggest takeaways from the episode is that nutrition isn’t about extremes or rigid rules. It’s about building habits that support an athlete’s full life — practices, games, school, growth, and recovery. When athletes learn to fuel properly early, they don’t just perform better now — they set themselves up for longevity in sport and beyond.

This episode is a must-listen for athletes who want more energy and better recovery, parents trying to support healthy development, and coaches who understand that training doesn’t stop when practice ends.

🎙️ Untapped Stories is presented by https://athletesuntapped.com/ - the nation’s leading platform for private sports coaching. We connect families with elite, vetted coaches who help athletes grow through strong fundamentals, smart habits, and positive training environments.

👉 Listen weekly on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and follow us on Instagram for highlights and full episodes: https://www.instagram.com/athletesuntapped/