The Mental Mettle Podcast
Episodes
172 episodes
EP. 170: "Attack the Process". Building Mental Toughness with Jeremy Clodfelder.
In this episode of the Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with Jeremy Clodfelder, Head Football and Softball Coach at Paris High School, for a powerful conversation about leadership, mental toughness, personal growth, and what ...
Ep. 169: Better Youth Coaching. Better Development. Better Athletes. — Dan Stratford
In this episode of the Mental Mettle Podcast, I sit down with Dan Stratford, owner and partner at Kick It 3v3 Soccer, for a conversation that goes far beyond soccer.Dan and I dig into a problem I think every youth sports co...
Ep. 168: It's Supposed to Be Hard. How to Use Adversity in Athletics to Build Mental Toughness.
What if we stopped trying to protect athletes from adversity and started teaching them how to use it?In this solo episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann takes on one of the most important—and misunderstood—aspect...
Ep. 167: Better Coaches. Better Athletes with Midland AD Courtney Thomsen
Most athletic directors spend countless hours investing in their athletes.But what if the greatest investment you could make in your athletes...is investing in your coaches?In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coac...
Ep. 166: The Principal's Playbook for Building Championship Culture with Metamora's Charlie Zimmerman
What separates good athletic programs from great ones?In this episode, I sit down with Charlie Zimmerman, principal of Metamora Township High School, to discuss what it really takes to build a championship culture. As a former athlete, c...
Ep. 165: "I know I'll be ok" with USA Handball Player Julia Taylor
What gives someone the confidence to say those five words?In this episode of the Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with Team USA Women's Handball athlete Julia Taylor to explore a journey marked by profound loss,...
Ep. 164: Hope is Aggressive with Dr. Brandi Kelly
You've probably heard the saying:"Hope isn't a strategy."There's some truth to that—but I also believe I don't want to be part of any strategy that doesn't include hope.In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast...
Ep. 163: Playing from Identity, Not Approval with Ricky Scruggs
What if the biggest obstacle to peak performance isn't a lack of confidence—but a misplaced identity?In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, I sit down with mental and spiritual performance coach Ricky Scruggs ...
Ep. 162: Six Throws: Years of Preparation, Seconds to Perform with USA thrower Rachel Richeson
What if everything you've worked for came down to just six attempts?That's the reality for Team USA hammer thrower Rachel Richeson. After years of training, sacrifice, and relentless improvement, Olympic dreams and World Championship opp...
Ep. 161: Faith, Ironman, and Stage 4 Cancer: Just Keep Tri-ing with Jim Logan.
What happens when a lifelong endurance athlete is suddenly told he has Stage 4 cancer and may only have months to live?In this episode of the Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with Ironman competitor and author Jim Loga...
Ep. 160: Ryan Davis is not a great coach despite his anxiety; he is a great coach because of it.
In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with Roanoke Benson girls basketball coach Ryan Davis for a powerful conversation about anxiety, expectations, coaching, and vulnerability.Ryan shares his persona...
Ep. 159: Be Willing to Be Bad – From Hoops to Team USA Handball with Katie Timmerman
Most people think mental toughness is just grinding harder at what you’re already good at. This episode is about the opposite: choosing to be a beginner again on purpose.In this conversation, I sit down with USA Team Handball player and ...
Ep. 158: When Lightning Strikes: Responding to Life’s Hardest Hits with Author Scott Lackey.
When life changes in an instant, who you are after matters more than what happened.In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt sits down with Scott Lackey — U.S. Army veteran, former college basketball...
Ep: 157: Full Send: Paralympic Powerlifter Ashley Dyce on Persistence and Progress
In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Matt sits down with Team USA para powerlifter Ashley Dyce, who was born with spina bifida and has fought her way onto the world stage through a decade of relentless commitment.Ashley shares h...
Ep. 156: Raising Superheroes: Megan Gilmore on Mental Health & Well‑Being for Kids
In this episode of The Mental Middle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with Megan Gilmore—founder and executive director of Larksong, certified coach, and author—to talk about how early we should be building mental health an...
Ep. 155: Time on Feet: How Kyle Thompson Uses Adversity to Chase Excellence
Regional Superintendent and ultramarathoner Kyle Thompson joins The Mental Mettle Podcast to break down how “time on feet” in the mountains has reshaped the way he leads, parents, and lives.Kyle is the Regional Superintendent of ROE #11 ...
Ep. 154: Secrets Behind the Third Skill Set: Mental Performance
Unlock the real difference-maker in sports performance: your mind.In this solo episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann reveals the Secrets Behind the Third Skill Set: Mental Performance—the ...
Ep. 153: "Raging Psychopath" to Transformational Coach with Lee Mateer
In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with 24-year coaching veteran and fellow Millikin alum, Coach Lee Mateer of Taylorville High School.By his own words, Lee used to be “the raging psychopath” on th...
Ep 152: "Throwing it into the pole" with Olympian Joe Brown
Today’s episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast is all about what you do after you hit rock bottom, in sport and in life.My guest is Olympian discus thrower Joe Brown (@joethethrower on Instagram)—one of only a handful of Division II...
Ep. 151: Before the Crisis – How Coach Chad Cluver’s Habits Shape Team Adversity Response
Before the crisis hits, your team has already decided how it will respond.In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with IBCA Hall of Fame coach Chad Cluver to unpack how daily habits, st...
EP. 150: Do All Your Labor as Unto the Lord: Faith, Failure, and the Hammer with Olympian Alex Young
On this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Matt sits down with 2020 Olympian and NCAA national champion hammer thrower Alex Young to talk about what it really means to “do all your labor as unto the Lord.”Alex grew up in Lavern...
Ep. 149: Never Done Learning with HOF Coach Pat Ryan
In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with Pat Ryan, Director of High School Relations for Illinois Football and longtime head coach at Metamora High School.📌 About Pat RyanPat Rya...
Ep. 148: Reborn in the Ring: Gabi Jacobs on Walking Away, Coming Back, and Trusting the Process
Team USA discus thrower Gabi Jacobs didn’t start track dreaming of the Olympics. She joined in 7th grade just to hang out with friends, then quietly became a three-time All-American and three-time SEC champion at Mizzou. After a heartbreaking O...
Ep. 147: Fear vs. Faith with Dr. Dave Jones: Beating Toxic Motivators with True Mental Toughness
Former pro hockey player, Air Force veteran, and sport & performance psychologist Dr. Dave Jones joins The Mental Mettle Podcast to unpack the battle between fear and faith—and how “toxic motivators” quietly drive so many athletes and high ...
Ep. 146: Pedaling with a Purpose with USA Track Cyclist McKenna McKee
McKenna McKee is a 16-time National Champion in sprint cycling, she is an Olympic hopeful for Team USA, and she is also in school to become a nurse. She is an impressive young woman and her accomplishments are notable. What makes it...