96. How to Create a Thriving Team Culture with Coach J.P. Nerbun
Laura’s very special guest this week is J.P. Nerbun, founder and co-host of the highly acclaimed sports leadership podcast, Coaching Culture. With an accomplished career as a professional basketball coach spanning over a decade, J.P. Nerbun has become a world-renowned leadership coach, sports consultant, and visionary founder of TOC, a leading global sports-consulting and coaching business.Throughout his career, he and his team have provided personalized coaching and practical resources to hundreds of leaders across various industries, including sports, education, medicine, and business. He is also the acclaimed author of Calling Up: Discovering Your Journey to Transformational Leadership and The Culture System: A Proven Process for Creating an Extraordinary Team Culture. J.P.’s ‘The Culture System Online Training Platform’ launched earlier this year.
Drawing from his unique perspective as a former athlete, J.P. provides actionable guidance tailored for coaches, athletes, and parents alike seeking to elevate their leadership and culture-building skills. He goes on to share his personal journey and rich leadership experience, and offers insights into effective coaching practices, parental involvement, strategies for handling challenging situations, and the keys to achieving success. Together with Laura, J.P. also delves into the critical role of team culture, crafting coaching philosophies, nurturing relationships in youth sports, and addressing abuse in sports with a positive approach. Brimming with a wealth of wisdom on fostering exceptional team cultures and honing leadership abilities in the sports world, the insights discussed by J.P. and Laura here today will undoubtedly ignite your passion to create positive and impactful experiences in the realm of sports and beyond.
Episode Highlights:
Team culture's crucial role
Crafting coaching philosophy
Building relationships in youth sports
J.P.'s transformative journey and experience in culture and leadership
Addressing abuse in sports and coaching with a positive impact
Effective coaching and parental involvement
Handling challenging situations
Keys to success
Quotes:
"If someone is tearing you down as a human being, they criticize your play, that's one thing. But especially to be critical of you as a human being constantly, that you feel less, you feel like you're not worthy... just walk away."]
"I wish I could go back so much and just tell that younger self to, hey, just tell him to stop. Just tell him, this doesn't work for me."
"I'm passionate, so I can be really high, and I can be really low. That used to be my excuse.”
"We want to create an environment that's intrinsically motivated for athletes, where they just want to show up and work hard and have a good attitude because that's who they want to be."
"My job as your coach is not to make you an Olympic gold medalist. My job is to create an atmosphere and an environment where you can become the very best that you can be."
"Your philosophy is like the outline; you allow the players to come in and color it in."
"Share it as an observation, not as a judgment. Be curious, not judgmental."
"The best way to invite change in others is to first change yourself."
"A great leader creates a future that wasn't possible without them."
Links:
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with J.P.:
76. Developing a Competitive Mindset with Sports Psychiatrist Dr. T
Dr. Arman Taghizadeh, aka Dr. T, is a Board Certified Psychiatrist who specializes in sports psychiatry, and today he joins Laura on the podcast to discuss the significance of developing a positive mindset for athletes to become confident competitors. Together, they explore how the mindset of an athlete affects their attitude, perspective, and responses, and review The Confidence Journal, a guided journal that helps athletes develop a positive mindset, move closer to achieving their goals, and grow their confidence along the way. Dr. T also shares his journey into psychiatry, beginning as a former athlete himself, and how he found his passion for building meaningful connections with patients, similar to the relationships built in sports.
He notes that the lack of understanding around mental health challenges in sports motivated him to focus on this area, and he highlights the importance of relatability and understanding in the mental health field. He and Laura also discuss the importance of simplifying life to improve mental health, especially for young athletes and those struggling after the pandemic, and emphasize how focusing on three areas of their lives each day can help individuals identify and achieve small goals that add up over time. The significance of coaches in helping athletes with mental health challenges is also discussed, including the need for them to engage in active listening to create a collaborative approach to problem-solving. Join Laura and Dr. T here today for yet another ‘must listen’ episode of the Pursuit of Gold podcast, and gain valuable insights into the significance of mindset, communication, and collaboration in sports and mental health.
Episode Highlights:
Dr. T's background as an athlete growing up
The importance of mindset in sports
How your attitude, perspective, and responses come from you and you alone
Developing a competitive mindset
The Confidence Journal and its benefits
The importance of focusing on your own mindset rather than others'
The lack of understanding around mental health challenges faced by athletes
Dr. T’s journey to becoming a psychiatrist
Building ongoing relationships with patients in psychiatry
Working to revolutionize the mental health field
The underserved athletic population in mental health
Simplifying life to improve mental health
Breaking each day down into three areas of focus
Coaches helping athletes with mental health
The importance of knowing your athlete and engaging in active listening
A collaborative approach to problem-solving
Creating a safe and supportive environment for athletes
Empowering athletes to take ownership of their performance
The importance of communication between parents and children
The role family dynamics can play in mental health issues in sports
Caring about athletes as people
Contextualizing the athlete's environment
The need for coaches and parents to recognize and address mental health issues
Quotes:
"Becoming a confident competitor begins and ends with your mindset."
"Through simple guided journaling, your focus and thought process will begin to shift."
"The Confidence Journal will begin to show you the beauty of your journey and just how tangible your goals really are."
"It's one thing to sort of understand psychology and the brain. It's another thing to understand the grit and the determination and the work ethic and the discipline and the sacrifice that comes with really trying to be an elite athlete."
"The competitions and the challenges are just sort of little benchmarks that are part of it. But when we really look at it, the meaningful experience is all the other stuff."
"Simplifying is really important... and even writing it down... starts to build those synapses and those connections, and again, starts to build that confidence."
"Small victories, small achievements, they all add up."
"The best way to win is to have your athlete perform at their best. And the best way to help them perform at their best is to have them be the most confident and motivated and self driven individual."
"I have been so blessed to be under a coach for like 30 years that is one of the best in the world. And he has exemplified all of these things that I've seen in the greatest coaches in the world. And he knows every single one of us on our own level."
"Helping coaches understand the appropriate language and when to use it and how that impacts an athlete is so important because they may say something, intending one thing, but the athlete may be hearing it differently and processing it differently."
“The reality is today's athlete, in a lot of ways, is probably tougher because they're managing so much more and navigating so much more and have more expectations and more pressures, but their brain development is the same.”
"If you give athletes the opportunity, even the younger ones will sort of figure out what works best for them."
"Ask them what they think, what they saw, give them an opportunity, because number one, you get a sense of where their head's at and what they were thinking."
"I want to get to know you as a person, as an athlete, I'm going to ask a lot of different questions."
"I also think you show them that I care about you as a person, not just an athlete."
"It takes a lot of courage to say, ‘I'm struggling and I don't know why.’"
Links:
The Confidence Journal (25% off with coupon code: TOPDOC)
Laura’s Social Media:
Dr. T’s Links:
72. Enjoy the Journey with Olympic Diving Coach Kenny Armstrong
On this episode of the Pursuit of Gold, Laura welcomes her diving coach of thirty years, Kenny Armstrong, to the podcast. Not only is he a two time Olympic diver, but he’s also a coach turned father figure who helps aspiring divers get Division One scholarships and even gold medals. The pair dive into Armstrong’s origin story as well as his ‘out of the box’ training style, and why it works. As a young boy, Kenny began his diving career rather uniquely: diving into a pond. A decade and a half later, he would find himself at the 1972 Olympics, diving in front of a large audience for the first time. It wasn’t until the University of Calgary, however, that he got his start coaching.
Since then, his career earned Kenny a legacy defined by consistency, adaptability, culture, and fun. Like Laura says at the onset of the episode, “A good coach can change the game. A great coach can change your life,” and for so many athletes, Kenny has done just that. Today, he talks about why he loves it all so much, what it is about the sport that gets him excited, and why the athletes’ success is far more important than his own. Reminiscing on ‘offbeat’ diving retreats during which he lost half of his squad, his team’s special comradery, moments of victory with Laura, and practicing sports psychology, he notes that the journey always supersedes the destination to him. He and Laura strongly hold the belief that the two minutes of victory on the podium are too fleeting to hold onto; it’s the moments in between that really matter. So listen to this special conversation to hear about the legend that is Kenny Armstrong and his unique and highly successful career.
The Finer Details of this Episode:
Armstrong’s first dives into a pond
The ‘72 Olympic Games
Reckoning with his international status
Getting his coaching start at the University of Calgary
Creating culture
Why consistency wins
Knowing your people and letting them know you
Winning gold together
Why the journey > the destination
The freedom of diving
Father figure and mentor
Quotes:
“A good coach can change the game. A great coach can change your life. I feel like that describes Kenny in a nutshell.”
“These athletes would want us to continue, which was probably true. I mean, if they had a vote… we'd have been probably still going.”
“Well, I finally found out that I could be competitive on an international level. I did pretty well in Nationals and in the Olympic trials. Finally, I think the year of 1980, I beat Greg in his home pool.”
“Everybody says we have to separate politics and sports, but it's impossible. You can't do it.”
“You have to have a culture. Like it's one thing for me to tell somebody how to win a gold medal. It's another thing if they get to train with somebody that is doing that.”
“People seem to say about all the greats from different sports that these coaches knew each one of their athletes so well individually, how to push their buttons, or how to back off– and they had to back off.”
“This whole culmination of your life has to be about more than two minutes standing on the podium.”
“So don't lose the fun in sport. That's what brings kids, and when they get too serious about it, that takes the fun away. So you've got to be obviously serious, or you're not going to make it, but you have to also be very careful with that.”
Links:
Grab the Black Friday Catalog!
Laura’s Social Media:
71. How to be Champion Minded with Allistair McCaw
In this week’s episode, Laura welcomes Allistair McCaw, a best-selling author and speaker who is recognized as one of the world's foremost figures in leadership, team culture, and mindset. Throughout his 30-year-long career, Allistair has worked with some of the most successful athletes and organizations in the world, from Olympians and Paralympians to World Champion Athletes and Grand Slam Champions. He’s also a 29-time marathon finisher and a former five-time world championship competitor in the sport of triathlon. Today, Allistair is committed to his lifelong purpose of teaching, inspiring, and motivating others to be champion minded and achieve their full potential.
In this episode of the Pursuit of Gold podcast, Laura and Allistair dive deep into the growth mindset of professional athletes. Allistair begins by discussing the biggest struggles that athletes face today and explains the key difference between choice and sacrifice. As he nicely puts it, when you’re passionate about something, it’s not a sacrifice; it’s a choice. Then, Allistair goes on to explain the importance of learning to deal with failure and overcoming perfectionism as an athlete. Being a perfectionist won’t get you far in sports, but embracing failure will. Next, Laura and Allistair talk about the power of vision, the importance of developing self-leadership, and the differences between excellence and success. If you want to learn more about being champion minded, make sure you tune into this episode to hear what Allistair has to say.
Episode Highlights:
Allistair’s background
The biggest struggles that athletes face today
Choice vs. sacrifice
Embracing failure and overcoming perfectionism
The inspiration behind Champion Minded
The importance of vision for professional athletes
The differences between team sports and individual sports
The importance of developing leadership skills
Why authenticity is key for coaches
Excellence vs. success
The power of the growth mindset
Quotes:
“We all know that progress is different for every single athlete. Sometimes you'll have spurts of growth, sometimes, you'll have spurts of confidence, which helps, and so on and so forth. But we're all on a different journey. ”
“Nobody can make you hungry. No one can give you a passion. No one can tell you to enjoy it more. That really comes from within.”
“You're not always going to feel like a million dollars. You're not always going to jump out of bed in the morning and can't wait to go to practice. It's impossible, no matter how dedicated or passionate you are. So for me, it was that vision or that purpose of wanting to be a champion one day, wanting to be the best I could be - that's what got me through those tougher days. ”
“It has to come from within. You can't make somebody passionate. You can't make somebody do something that they don't necessarily want to do.”
“You can't lead others if you're not leading yourself effectively.”
“I believe that great coaches, great leaders are more about excellence than about success.”
“Enjoy it; that's the most important thing. And I know that's very hard when you're in the middle of it, and especially when things aren't going well, but the journey is the most important thing about it.”
“All the hard work, no matter what level you get to, no matter what your destiny is, it will never go unused; it will always be worthwhile because these are qualities that you learn in sports that will help you afterward in your relationships and in business and corporate, whatever direction you go into.”
Links:
Grab the Black Friday Catalog!
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Allistair:
70. Striving for Balance with Olympic Champion Dominique Moceanu
Joining Laura today is Dominique Moceanu, the youngest Olympic gold medalist in US gymnastics history and youngest senior US national all-around champion in history. Dominique was a member of the first US women's gymnastics team to win Olympic gold in 1996, commonly referred to as the ‘Magnificent Seven’ by the media. A nine-time US national team member as well as back-to-back junior and senior all-around national champion, Dominique has been inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame with her 1996 teammates. But, as life would have it, all that glitter isn’t gold. Even though Dominique made history as a young athlete and achieved astonishing results in her career, that success came with a heavy price. From a toxic sports environment to abusive coaching methods, there were a lot of things happening behind the scenes while Dominique and her teammates were winning medals and making gymnastics history.
In this episode of the Pursuit of Gold podcast, Dominique opens up about her emotional and challenging journey. First, she tells us about the impact of the abusive sports environment on young athletes and the toll that it takes on their mental health. Then, she walks us through all the events that were leading up to the Olympics, as well as the hardships she endured after the competition. When Dominique finally decided to speak up about her experiences, everything changed for her. She was abandoned by the community and had to find another way to make a living. Fast forward a few years, and she’s now a New York Times best-selling author and an advocate for athletes' rights and protection. Tune into this episode to hear all about her mission to make sports safer for future generations of athletes.
Episode Highlights:
Dominique’s gymnastics journey
The mental toll of a toxic sports environment
The emotional and challenging lead-up to the Olympics
Discovering your identity as a professional athlete
Finding the right path post-Olympics
The incredible power of telling your truth
The devastating reality of standing up for yourself
The importance of trust and support in a community
The sacrifice of speaking up and the consequences of not speaking up
Teaching young athletes to communicate
Creating a safe and positive sports culture
Quotes:
“Everything went from bright and encouraging and nurturing to all of a sudden, a huge shift of the gym is cold, its environment is stressful. You're constantly humiliated and berated and trying to do things out of fear rather than out of nurture and love. ”
“You can't be in the right mindset to pull the best out of yourself when you're terrified.”
“I'm lucky that I made it as far as I did with that kind of intensity. Most teenagers would break. Most teenagers would not be able to handle it.”
“You know it's wrong, but you can't articulate why. And you're supposed to have the adults advocate for you. ”
“The mindset with everything going on, it wasn't the place I needed to be to probably be even my best, but it was good enough for gold.”
“This is not who I am; it's what I do. And I love what I do, and I'm passionate about what I do. But you can't let it become who you are.”
“Can you live with yourself if you don't do the right thing?”
“That's what I kept saying to the women who came to me; it's wrong. You have to report it.”
“It is a personal choice. At the end of the day, you have to be okay with the consequences, and they're not always pretty.”
Pursuit of Gold Podcast is brought to you by Kaatsu Global
Links:
Get Your Freebie: ‘Five Ways to Stay Focused in a Competition’
Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Dominique:
60. It's Only Gymnastics with Olympic Gold Medalist Coach Cecile Landi
You may know today’s guest, Cecile Landi, as Simone Biles’ coach or for coaching multiple gymnasts to Olympic medals, World Championship titles, and numerous full-ride scholarships to D1 schools. What you might not know is that Cecile was an Olympian herself; she claims to have been a late-bloomer, but once she made the French Senior National Gymnastics team at fifteen, there was no stopping her. Cecile competed at three European Championships, three World Championships, and the 1996 Olympic Games. She’s always up for a challenge and constantly wants to be pushed to the next level in everything she does, yet manages to maintain her calm throughout it all. Today, she walks us through her journey from gymnast to coach and how she and her husband Laurent make an unstoppable coaching duo. She also discusses the difficult time during the Tokyo Olympics last summer and the beautiful silver lining that came from it.
Cecile starts the episode with her story of growing up in gymnastics, telling her parents at age seven that she wanted to be an Olympian, and getting invited to the National Team Training Center at age nine. She discusses her transition from not being the hardest worker to deciding she wanted to be pushed to be better and how that let her break through to the Senior National Gymnastics Team. Cecile then gives an insight into her competitive experience, describing her favorite memories of going to her first World Championships and to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, before moving on to describe how she decided to continue with gymnastics at the club level following her Olympics experience. She follows that up with the story of how she got into coaching and moved to the US, how she and Laurent balance their professional partnership and their marriage, and their journey to coaching at the elite level, a journey that brought them an amazing opportunity. Cecile and Laurent were on a break from coaching and in the process of buying their own gym when they got a remarkable offer—to coach record-breaking gymnast Simone Biles at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Cecile discusses how the couple couldn’t turn down the opportunity, how she coped with the pressure of training a superstar, and the impact of the pandemic on their preparations. She also goes into detail about what happened when Simone began experiencing the twisties, including how they dealt with the fallout and put together a beam routine that would win Simone and Team USA a bronze medal. And finally, Cecile discusses her latest success, winning level ten in Texas, and gives her trademark advice to other coaches—be there for your athletes and remember that it’s only gymnastics and the sun will rise tomorrow.
Episode Highlights:
Cecile’s experience growing up in gymnastics
Breaking through to the national team
Cecile’s most memorable experiences at the national level
Going to the ’96 Olympics
Choosing to continue in the club world
Becoming a coach
Moving to the US with Laurent
Coaching at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy
How Cecile and Laurent work together and maintain their marriage
Stepping up to coaching elite athletes
Taking a break in 2017
Getting the call from Simone Biles
Coaching Simone and coping with pressure
The impact of the pandemic on training
What happened at the Tokyo Games
Dealing with the fallout of Simone’s decision
Figuring out the medal-winning beam routine
Winning level ten in Texas
Cecile’s advice for other coaches
Quotes:
“I started when I was five. And it was just one club in my city of 40,000 people. And I just started because my sister started. She’s three years older than me. And by the age of nine, doing some little competition, I ended up being invited to the national team training center.”
“I didn’t feel pushed. And I wanted to feel it. So we had a couple of Chinese coaches that were there. And they had the best kids. And I wanted my chance to be there. And most of the people there were like, 'I don’t think you’re going to survive. I don’t think you’re strong enough to do it.' And actually, it helps me. When someone tells me I can’t do it, I’m going to prove to you that I can.”
“When I was younger, I wanted to be a nurse like my mom. And then she told me really early on, 'Don’t do it, it’s too hard, you don’t make money, you work too much.' And I look at her now and say, 'Look what I do. I work way too much. I don’t make a lot of money. And I’m not a nurse.'”
“I have a lot more respect for my coaches and anyone who coaches because it does not get any easier as the years go on. It’s just, it’s a hard job. It’s a hard job. Sometimes, a lot of people think it’s a hobby. It’s more than that. It has to be more than that.”
“Year by year, we just kept working. Kept working with the girls, and they were just learning so fast. And they followed our leads and the process and trusted that we had the best interest for them. And it just worked out.”
“We went back to Dallas, and we looked at each other, we’re like, man, we can’t pass this opportunity. We can always open a gym later. But working with the most talented athlete I’ve ever seen in my life, it’s not going to happen again.”
“The pressure for us was toward her, we didn’t want to disappoint her. We wanted to make sure she got the chance that she deserved. And other than that, I didn’t really care what anyone else was saying. You’re not in my shoes, and I do know that I’m doing the best that I can to help her. And as long as she knows that, then the rest doesn’t matter.”
“The pandemic had been such a mental struggle for everybody, but nobody wanted to talk about it. And I think she was the one who said, ‘Hey, I’m not okay. And it’s okay to not be okay. And I’m struggling.’”
“We started training, and something was said by our national team staff that she took wrong. And her demeanor changed. And I saw that pressure on her shoulders even showing up more, and she was not practicing as well. And that’s when she started having her first case of the twisties on the floor.”
“She looked at me, she looked really good. I was pretty confident that, you know, she was okay. But she said as soon as she stepped into the arena and the lights, something just clicked, and she just lost her confidence in everything, and she started panicking, but didn’t want to say anything, so went for the vault.”
“She said, ‘Those girls, they need a medal, they deserve a medal, and they will get a medal without me. If I compete, we’re done.’”
“In a sport like gymnastics where, like you said, you’re landing on a hard surface, and if you don’t know right side up from upside down, and you land on your head, you break your neck, like this could be it, you know, like, like life-altering, ending.”
“Understanding what she couldn’t do in that moment, to say she couldn’t compete, I feel like was a very impressive thing to do. I’m actually really, really impressed by that choice that she made. I think that was really smart. But it had to be excruciatingly hard.”
“When she hit that dismount, that was just, the relief, like, she did it, she’s safe, she competed the way she wanted to compete. She proved to herself that she could do it, and it’s going to help her on the healing process. For me, that was what was important. It was, I know if she can do this, it’s going to help her.”
“Time will tell what she decides to do. We told her, if you come back again, it has to be for you. Can’t be for us, can’t be for anyone else but yourself. And we’ll be here if you want us to be.”
“Even if it’s an individual sport, they’ve noticed that they only get better if the team is better. And so that’s why, really, we want them to understand, the stronger your team is, the stronger you’re going to be.”
“At the end of the day, you are here for the athletes. They’re not here for you. You’re here for them. It’s your job to figure out how you can help them become their best. And the sun will rise tomorrow. It’s only gymnastics. It’s going to be okay if today is not perfect.”
Pursuit of Gold Podcast is brought to you by Kaatsu Global.
Links:
Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
Connect with Laura:
Connect with Cecile:
55. Creating Opportunity with 8 time Olympic Medalist Coach Jane Figueiredo
On today’s episode, Jane Figueiredo joins Laura Wilkinson to discuss her long standing career as a one-time Olympian and diving coach for the British and Russian Olympic teams and the University of Houston. Among her many accomplishments, Jane was named the NCAA Diving Coach of the Year four times and has coached a number of international divers, including multiple divers, including Tom Daley, to Olympic medals.
She opens the episode by recounting how she made the leap from her home in Zimbabwe to Houston, as well as her experience of becoming a diving Olympian for team Portugal before becoming a coach. Jane goes on to discuss her coaching career, attributing much of her success in this field to being in the right place at the right time. She also highlights what she learned by working with the Russian Olympic Diving Team, and also by working with Tom Daley. Taking a note from Laura’s book, Jane notes that she has started valuing the importance of mental preparedness more, and encouraging her athletes to focus less on medals, and more on striving to be the best they can. This fascinating interview draws to close with Jane sharing her plans for the future.
Episode Highlights:
Growing up in Zimbabwe
Coaching at University of Houston
Olympian for one year on Portugal’s team
International presence
The importance of being in the right place at the right time
Figueiredo’s time working as a coach for the Russian team
Lessons learned from team Russia
Presently coaching British team
Tom Daley and his strong work ethic and need for planning
How Tom made her a better listener
Tom’s lack of success in Rio
Confidence going into Tokyo
The importance of mental preparedness
Focus on being the best you can be; not gold medals
Jane plans to return to London to prepare for Paris Olympics
Quotes:
“Obviously, I was born and raised in Southern Africa. And we had, believe it or not, a deep history of diving. Most of the divers that ever came out of Zimbabwe, all dove in the States on scholarship.”
“There is certainly an extra drive, because you’ve got to understand, a lot of them… they live with their parents for many years into their adult life. So they don't have the same opportunities that American kids have. So yes, the drive is certainly there to try to better themselves in a different way.”
“My technical knowledge exploded because once I started coaching Vera Ilyina I understood they coached me on twisting technique. Because I would ask a lot of questions.”
“In the US, we never had trials, and nobody used dry land, whereas in the Russian system, it was 80% dry land. And that's where they develop their divers, in dry land. And then the other 20% was, ‘Okay, let's have a look in the pool.’”
“Tom called me and said, ‘Hey Jane, I want to come over and chat with you. Can I come train with you?’ I said, “Sure, you can come.” And– I thought he was coming in two weeks. He said, ‘I'll be there tomorrow morning.’”
“I'm pretty satisfied with my career and the college thing had gone really, really well, and I was okay. I was happy with myself, and then he came along, and I was just like, ‘Oh, my God, this is just, Oh, my God, he's got me.’”
“I'm happy to admit that as an elite coach, we become quite controlling, because we want to try to control all of it. Sure. We want to try to control the mindset, the physicality, the emotion, the private, because all of it contributes to whether you're successful or not. And then I had to really just let some of it go.”
“We talked too much about winning the gold medal, and I think that puts so much pressure and expectation on you. And that when you don't deliver, it's like you go below the surface. It's like the iceberg below the water. And so we decided, I don't want to hear a word about it. Don't let me hear you, in any interview, talk about a gold medal. I don't want to hear about it. Do not say a single word.”
“Life does not go exactly to schedule. So you know, maybe the event gets postponed, maybe you're up there getting ready to do front, four and a half. And they blow the whistle just as you're running because something's fallen in the pool. I said, ‘Tom, I'm going to schedule this out. But the only thing that I want you to always remember is that things can change.’”
Links:
Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
Laura's Social Media:
Jane's Social Media:
31. When the Journey Brings You Full Circle with Olympic Diver and Coach Gabi Chereches
Laura’s longtime friend, Gabi Chereches, joins her for a very special episode this week. Currently a coach at The Woodlands Diving Academy, where he and Laura first met almost 30 years ago, Gabi’s many diving accomplishments include 3 Olympic Games, and 9 NCAA All-American honors. As a coach, he has guided athletes to both Junior and Senior titles and at numerous World Championships, and he was named the 2014 USA Diving Developmental Coach of the Year. Gabi has led an incredible life and he shares his fascinating story with Laura and all of you here today.
Their conversation tracks Gabi’s life and career from his days growing up in Romania through his remarkably successful diving career and up to the current day where he is proving equally successful as a diving coach. In the process, Gabi shares such details as what his life was like during Romania’s revolution, experiencing great success at an early age, his life changing interview at the Barcelona Games, and his move to live in the USA. Learning to speak English, his differing Olympics experiences, his college years, and how he handles tough or disappointing moments in his life are also discussed. Gabi draws the episode to a close by describing the weirdest time in his life, his coaching career and coming full circle in his life, what success means to him now, and by offering some parting advice for athletes and coaches. Laura and Gabi’s close friendship is fully evident in this heartfelt conversation today, as Gabi reviews his remarkable life, the lessons he has learned throughout, and the wisdom he has to offer us all regarding what is truly important in the arenas of both sports and life.
Episode Highlights:
· Gabi’s start in diving
· Growing up in Romania during the revolution
· Enjoying so much success at such a young age
· The impact of his NBC interview at the Barcelona Olympics
· His move to the USA and his American family
· How Gabi learned to speak English
· His differing Olympic experiences
· His college experience
· Gabi’s third Olympics Games
· Handling disappointment
· The weirdest time of his life
· His start and progression as a coach
· Coming full circle
· Gabi’s current definition of success
· His parting words of wisdom
Quotes:
“I still remember my first jump off the 10 meter…it was scary.”
“Diving is a very scary sport sometimes…if you have that ‘no fear’ it helps a lot.”
“I actually appreciate that I went through that because…now that you reflect back, it makes you a better person.”
“When you have a team like that, it becomes your family.”
“It was such a unique experience…it was awesome…I got spoiled pretty quickly.”
“I was watching ‘Beavis and Butthead’.”
“All you guys were pretty tough on me.”
“We’ll call you out when you’re being a punk, you know, but we’re going to love you no matter what you do, for sure.”
“Going into Atlanta, it felt more like home.”
“Going to Tennessee, it was a no-brainer.”
“Unfortunately, I just did not have a great performance in the 2000 Olympic Games.”
“It’s not just one meet – it’s the journey.”
“We’re just going to keep pulling you back in, too.”
“This is how I’m going to give back.”
“If you guide them through that process, then their journey becomes a little bit better, a little bit more family-type feeling for them.”
“You have to figure it out, how to make them feel ready and right in their mind to approach certain skills and certain dives.”
“I’m very lucky that I’m able to experience this.”
“It’s been a cool ride so far.”
“Let’s learn from each other.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence: https://www.laurawilkinson.com/learn
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lala_the_diver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLauraWilkinson
Learn more about Gabi:
Woodlands Diving Team: Woodlandsdiving.org
10. The secret formula for 20 years of impact with coach Chip Baker
Chip Baker is a fourth generation educator who has been a teacher/coach for 20 years, is the creator of ‘Chip Baker – The Success Chronicles’ and the ‘Chip Baker Character Development Program’, and is a best selling author. His motto is ‘Live. Learn. Serve. Inspire. Go get it.’, and he brings this motivating statement to life in his conversation with Laura today.
Beginning with a look at his own background and the powerful model his family provided for him in terms of service to others, Chip then relates his experiences as he entered the coaching field and the level of mentorship which these positions offered him. He shares the changes he has witnessed as a teacher/coach over the years, explores the qualities that make up a good coach, and reviews his transition from coaching to producing ‘The Success Chronicles’. With great passion and humor he shares some of his formulas for helping people achieve success, his own definition of success, what it takes to become an effective leader, and how to handle times of doubt. Chip’s remarkable warmth, wisdom, and humility shine through in this informative, entertaining and inspiring conversation.
Episode Highlights:
Chip’s background and the example of service that his family provided him
Chip’s early years with coaching
The mentorship side of coaching
The changes and the constants he has seen over the years
What makes a quality coach
Transitioning from coaching to producing ‘The Success Chronicles’
Chip’s formulas for helping people to be successful
His definition of success
Becoming an effective leader
Handling times of doubt
Quotes:
“I have stories upon stories upon the…positive difference that my family members made in the lives of others.”
“If you are open-minded and you work hard and you treat people right…I believe that great things will happen for you.”
“Input equals output.”
“In any situation that we’re placed in, every choice we make either, you know, pushes us forward, or holds us back.”
“I love that it all started with you wanting to give back, wanting to give service.”
“Formulas are the way to help us get through things.”
“Show up…have a great attitude…give your all.”
“It’s not about me.”
Links:
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lala_the_diver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLauraWilkinson
Connect with Chip:
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChipBakerTheSuccessChronicles/featured
Online Store: https://chip-baker-the-success-chronicles.square.site/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chipbakertsc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chipbakertsc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chipbaker19
5. From World Champion Gymnast to World Renowned Coach with Kim Zmeskal
This week, Laura is extremely excited (and geeking out a little bit) as she welcomes one of her childhood heroes, Kim Zmeskal. to the podcast. Kim is a National Champion, World Champion, Olympic Bronze Medalist, and the first American to win the All-Around World Championship title in gymnastics. Currently, she co-owns Texas Dreams Gymnastics with her husband Chris Burdette in Coppell, Texas, and coaches there as well.
Today, Laura talks to Kim about her illustrious career in gymnastics, including the 1991 World Championships, as well as the times that she retired and then returned to the sport. They also delve into her transition into coaching, what she has learned through it, how her coaching style compares to the coaches she had, and her opinion on the top qualities for being a coach. Kim also offers some valuable advice for recognizing and acting upon abuse. As you listen, you will soon discover that Kim has a great deal of wisdom to share not only about gymnastics, but about life as well, proving that she truly deserves the heroic status which Laura has bestowed upon her.
Episode Highlights:
Kim’s gymnastic career and her reflections upon it
1991 World Championships
The times that Kim retired from and returned to gymnastics
Her transition to coaching and what she has learned from it
Comparing how she coaches to how she was coached
Kim’s opinion on the most important qualities in a coach
Her advice regarding recognizing and acting upon abuse
Quotes:
“You’re living through history, and sometimes living through history is not always comfortable.”
“Define before you go into something what is going to make you happy with it.”
“It’s okay to grieve a broken or lost dream, but you can’t stay there.”
“How do I help convince them that they have the tools to do it, is really more what it is.”
“This is both ways, we’re all learning through this.”
“Keep encouraging openness.”
“We are all evolving humans, and I think if we can be there for each other, and own things, that we can do better and be there to inspire people.”
Links:
The Pursuit of Gold homepage: http://thepursuitofgold.com/
Kim’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimZmeskal
Kim’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimzb/
Texas Dreams homepage: http://texasdreams.com/
4. Softball is back on the Olympic schedule and so is Cat Osterman
Laura welcomes three-time National Player of the Year, four-time All-American, and two-time Olympic medalist in softball, Cat Osterman, to the podcast today. Cat is an incredibly successful, multiple record-holding pitcher who is now an Assistant Coach at Texas State, and is coming out of retirement to play for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics next year now that softball has been reinstated.
In this episode, Cat describes her start in softball, her journey to becoming a star at the University of Texas, and her experiences at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. She also shares her standout collegiate career moment, the difference between pro and college ball, and softball’s fluctuating status with the Olympics. Her coaching career, her return to softball, and how she and her team are handling these unusual times are also explored, and she offers some sage advice for up and coming athletes when dealing with adversity such as this pandemic. Cat Osterman is an elite athlete possessing a vast amount of knowledge, skill, and insight regarding both sport and life in general, and you will be educated, informed, and inspired as you listen in on this conversation today.
Episode Highlights:
Cat’s start in softball and her journey to the University of Texas
Cat’s road to the Olympics and her advice for others doing the same
Her first Olympic Games adventure in 2004
Cat’s standout moment from her collegiate career
The difference between pro and college ball
Her second Olympics in 2008
Softball’s changing status with the Olympic Games
The coaching/playing relationship
Cat’s situation when the pandemic struck and how she and her team are navigating it
Her advice to young athletes handling adversity
Quotes:
“That 2004 group was a special group, how we kind of gelled and worked together.”
“When we’re immersed in this sport and it’s what you love to do…you almost do anything to make sure it happens.”
“Keep your eye on your goal, and remember to do your part towards that goal.”
“With team…you also love bronze, because you’re winning the bronze, whereas a silver, you’re losing the gold.”
“Everything we preach to our kids, we have to remember it applies to ourselves as well.”
“In just being a teammate and communication-wise, I think coaching has helped me be a better player more than playing has helped me be a better coach again.”
“Control what you can control.”
Links:
The Pursuit of Gold homepage: http://thepursuitofgold.com/
Cat’s homepage: https://www.catosterman.com/
Cat’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catosterman/