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Psychological Safety: What Is It, Why Do We Need It, and How Do We Get It?

In Episode 53 of The Freshman Foundation® Podcast, my guest Bill Eckstrom and I discussed the concept of psychological safety in the context of athletics. Psychological safety has a number of different definitions in the sport psychology literature. One definition that has been shared is: “A social environment within which individuals take interpersonal risks by …

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My Year-in-Review: 2022

As a mental performance coach, I advocate that my clients reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to build self-awareness. However, my reflective practice has been lackluster this year whether it is reflecting on my client delivery work, my self-care, or the development of a relatively nascent business. I will show myself some self-compassion in …

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The Power of “What If…?”: Envisioning Possibilities, Not Catastrophes

As a clinically-diagnosed anxiety sufferer, the phase “what if” has historically had a very negative connotation to me. In the past, when I have considered a question in my mind that starts with “what if,” it has led to a vision of the most catastrophic outcome possible. Failure. Death. Embarrassment. You name it. However, I …

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What’s the most effective way to coach focus of attention in baseball?

Modern day baseball has become a data analytics laboratory of sorts. Coaches at all levels are utilizing a wide array of data to improve player performance. As a self-proclaimed student of the game, I believe that using data to improve performance is a critical part of the game’s evolution. However, as a mental performance coach, …

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Coaching is emotional: How did I lose control on the field and what did I learn from it?

I recently let my emotions get the best of me while coaching my 8th grade son’s baseball game. I humbly say that it is a rare occurrence that I lose my cool while coaching. However, I am guilty in this instance. It led me to wonder, how do emotions affect coaches and their coaching? My …

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How Can Control Be a Positive Function in the Coaching Equation?

In Episode 37 of The Freshman Foundation Podcast (https://michaelvhuber.com/podcasts/), my guest is Laurence Halsted, who is a two-time Olympian fencer. Laurence spoke about his experiences as a young athlete in England.  He glowingly spoke about his first fencing coach who provided him a great deal of autonomy to explore his sport. This led to a …

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What can a TV character teach us about the coach-athlete relationship?

I don’t watch a lot of television and when I do, I usually rewatch shows that I really enjoy. I know that sounds pretty boring. However, I’m not afraid to admit that’s my style. Friday Night Lights (FNL) is a critically-acclaimed show about a Texas town that is centered around its high school football program. …

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