Coaching the Athletic Mind
This podcast teaches you how to improve your mental performance whether you're an athlete, parent or coach. You'll learn how to quiet your inner critic so you can excel on the field!
Episodes
43 episodes
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast Episode 43 - Book Review: Grit - The Power of Passion & Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Megan Weaver hosts Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast and shares takeaways from Angela Duckworth’s book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, explaining grit as passion plus perseverance for long-term goals. Using West Point’s “Beast Bar...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast Episode 42 - Being the "BEST"
In episode 42 of Coaching the Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver shares updates about her kids then addresses a common athlete mindset: “I just want to be the best.” Weaver explains that this goal can motivate extra effort, but often becomes harm...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Podcast #41 - Embracing New Sports in College: Anna's Journey from Softball to Rugby
In episode 41 of Coaching the Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver interviews Siena College student Anna about stepping outside comfort zones in college. Anna, a former high school softball player who put heavy pressure on herself and struggled wit...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 40 - Navigating Tough Decisions
In episode 40 of Coaching the Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver reflects on the mental load coaches carry, and describes her own worry during travel-ball tryout season as players chose other teams. She then teaches decision paralysis using a coa...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 39 - Post-Season Mindset: Reflect, Reset, Recharge
Podcast host Megan Weaver recaps the end of her softball season, noting burnout after coaching about 61 games while parenting three kids. She confesses a tech mistake: a great guest interview was lost when a Zoom recording auto-deleted after 30...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 38 - How to Pitch Mental Performance to Your Athlete
Podcast host Megan Weaver discusses how parents can introduce teenage athletes to mental performance coaching, noting that teens often resist or can’t explain what happens in sessions beyond one-word answers even though parents later see behavi...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 37 - Winning Beyond the Stats with Mike Dickerson Part 3
In episode 37 of Coaching the Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver concludes a three-part series with coach and sports parent Mike Dickerson, shifting from past and present youth sports topics to actionable tools for building the youth mental game....
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 36 - Coaching and Raising Male vs Female Athletes with Mike Dickerson Part 2
In episode 36 of the Coaching the Athletic Mind podcast, host Megan Weaver continues part two of a three-part series with longtime coach and sports parent Mike Dickerson, noting a shout-out to the West Genny baseball team’s first state title. T...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 35 - Stepping on the field: Finding Your Safe Space and Team Mindset with Mike Dickerson (Part 1)
In episode 35 of Coaching the Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver interviews longtime coach and sports parent Mike Dickerson about the mental game and how youth sports have changed. Dickerson shares how baseball became his safe space growing up in...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 34 - Generational Wisdom: Coaching Kids in the 90's to Now
In episode 34 of the Coaching the Athletic Mind podcast, host Megan Weaver interviews her dad about his 20-year coaching background and compares coaching youth softball in the 1990s/2000s with today's players Megan now coaches. They discuss his...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 33 - Sitting the Bench: How to Handle it....
Megan Weaver opens episode 33 of Coaching the Athletic Mind by focusing on the mental challenge of sitting the bench, noting many athletes now tie not playing to decreased self-worth. Drawing from her experience making varsity but sitting much ...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 32 - Highlight Reels: Building Confidence in Your Athletic Mind
In episode 32 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver shares a key concept from Dr. Nate Zinser’s The Confident Mind by making regular confidence deposits through a written top-10 highlight reel. She explains that many athletes focus o...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 31: Unlock your Athletic Potential: Lessons from the Pros
In episode 31 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver shares lessons from Dr. Becky’s Good Inside interviews with pro athletes Russell Wilson, Jordan Chiles, and Tony Finau on handling failure and adversity. Weaver explains that sports...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode #30 - Podcastathon 2026 Special: Highlighting Morgan's Message
In episode 30 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver participates in Podcastathon, a global initiative where podcasters raise awareness for charities, by featuring Morgan’s Message, a nonprofit focused on normalizing mental health con...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 29 - Navigating Social Media for Athletes with Breana Field
Episode 29 continues a discussion on imposter syndrome and focuses on how social media can harm confidence through “compare and despair,” especially when algorithms serve highlight reels of top performers. The conversation emphasizes being inte...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 28 - Navigating Imposter Syndrome in Business and in Sports with Breana Field (Part 1)
In episode 28 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver discusses imposter syndrome—feeling like a fraud despite evidence of success—and how it affects athletes and professionals. She notes that even elite performers, like an Olympic pit...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 27 - Why Athletes Hold Themselves Back.
In episode 27 of Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver shares insights on overcoming mental barriers to enhance athletic performance. She emphasizes the impact of self-critical thoughts and emotional resilience, drawing from...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 26 Embracing Resilience in 2026: from Setbacks to Success in Sports
In episode 26 of the 'Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast', host Megan Weaver guides listeners into 2026 with a focus on building resilience in athletes. She discusses her new tools and increased interest in presentations on mental performance. ...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast Episode 25 - Betting on Yourself!!
In episode 25 of the Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver celebrates a year of producing the podcast, expressing pride in her consistency and determination. She reflects on overcoming her inner critic and emphasizes the importa...
Coaching the Athletic Mind - Episode 24 - Coach Kelly Slate's insight on Prioritizing Person over Player in Preteen Athletes (Part 2)
In episode 24 of the Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver continues her conversation with Modified West Genesee Girls soccer team coach, Kelly Slate. The episode highlights the critical role of coaches as safety nets for ...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Episode 23: Coaching Middle School Athletes: Insight from Modified Soccer Coach, Kelly Slate (Part 1)
In episode 23 of the 'Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast,' host Megan Weaver interviews Kelly Slate, a seasoned soccer coach for Camillus Middle School. Kelly discusses her extensive background in soccer from childhood through college despite m...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast Episode 22 - Toxic Teammates
In episode 22 of the 'Coaching The Athletic Mind' podcast, host Megan Weaver discusses the importance of managing athletes' concerns about others' opinions. Megan emphasizes how athletes often struggle with the desire to be liked by their...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast Episode 21 - Suffering is Optional in your Sport.
In episode 21 of Coaching The Athletic Mind, host Megan Weaver celebrates reaching 1,000 podcast downloads ahead of her goal and discusses the primary topic: 'Suffering is Optional in Sports.' Megan elaborates on how athletes can overcome their...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast Episode # 20 - When "Shake it off" & "You've got this" don't work anymore a Mom's perspective during her Child's Mental Performance Journey
In episode 20 of Coaching The Athletic Mind Podcast, host Megan Weaver interviews Sarah Hernan about her 11-year-old son, Joey's experience in the Coaching the Athletic Mind program. Joey, who was struggling with self-confidence and performance...
Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast Episode 19 - Confidence vs Self Confidence
In Episode 19 of 'Coaching the Athletic Mind' podcast, hosted by Megan Weaver, the main topic is the distinction between confidence and self-confidence in sports. Megan then delves into the differences between confidence, which is task-specific...