Smalls' Talk

Tom is joined by University of Michigan Athletic Counselor Ardran Carr, M.Ed., LLPC to discuss the need for preventive care in student athlete mental health. Ardran discusses his journey from former student athlete to being a licensed professional in the field of psychology. Tom and Ardran also dive into the impact NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has had on collegiate athletes, the need for athletic departments to invest in mental health resources, as well as balancing empathy and honesty as a counselor.

Tom is joined by Farshad Sarrafi, co-founder and owner of Beyond Built Training to discuss the importance of understanding people, and the similarities between coaching and owning businesses. They touch on the challenges of working with athletes and the need for context in training. Also discussed is the importance of building relationships, understanding the needs of athletes, and the role of proper technique and full range of motion in training. 04:06 - The Importance of Being a Student and Teacher

09:10 - Understanding People and Building Relationships

12:27 - Coaching Professional Athletes vs. Lifestyle Clients

14:02 - Balancing Off-Season and In-Season Training

20:16 - The Importance of Context in Training

24:33 - Vertical Integration in Training

27:35 - The Value of Proper Technique and Full Range of Motion

31:30 - The Importance of Health for Athletes

32:05 - Emphasizing Movement Quality

34:06 - The Relationship Between Weight Room Performance and Sports Performance

36:56 - Navigating Social Media and Imposter Syndrome

38:18 - The Value of Personal Growth in Content Creation

40:31 - The Importance of Building a Community

49:56 - The Fulfillment of Impacting Lives

51:22 - Hot Take: Emphasizing Training Through a Full Range of Motion

Instagram: @farshadsarrafi

After a month hiatus, Smalls' Talk is back and Tom is joined by Mental Performance Coach Siana Sylvester to discuss the keys to building successful habits! Siana and Tom also discuss the growth that comes from suffering and leaning into uncertainty.

03:49 - Working with Coaches

07:42 - Working with Parents

09:58 - Educating Coaches and Parents

15:25 - Time Management and Prioritization

33:18 - Why People Quit New Year's Resolutions

34:00 - Setting Goals and Creating a Plan

38:00 - The Importance of Mindfulness

43:00 - Overcoming Setbacks and All-or-Nothing Thinking

51:00 - The Transfer Portal and Embracing Adversity

58:00 - Choosing Growth and Persistence

Tom is joined by two of his favorite athletes, Meghan (UAlbany) and Jillian Huerter (Rutgers) to discuss their experiences playing at the collegiate level. The group discusses the challenges of being apart but still supporting each other, adjusting to the speed and physicality of college basketball, and the importance of taking constructive criticism. They also talk about the influence of their brothers' (Thomas and Kevin) basketball careers, their biggest supporters, and what it was like watching their Kevin get drafted in the 2018 NBA Draft.

03:26 - Being Apart but Supporting Each Other

08:25 - Adjusting to College Basketball

11:28 - Taking Constructive Criticism

14:06 - The Speed and Physicality of College Basketball

19:22 - Learning from Brothers' Basketball Careers

22:30 - Biggest Supporters

27:38 - Watching Kevin Get Drafted

34:42 - Dealing with Academic and Athletic Pressures

46:21 - Challenges of Joining a New Team

Host Tom Smalley is joined by Ex-MLB Player Chad Pinder to discuss his journey with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) while he navigated his career as an MLB Player. Tom and Chad discuss living with OCD, the challenges it presents, and the importance of staying with the maintenance of treatment. They also explore the impact of OCD on parenting and relationships, as well as Chad's decision to step away from the game and the importance of finding identity beyond sports.

1:03 – The Joys and Challenges of Dad Life

02:27 – The Grind of Professional Sports

03:55 – The Length of the Baseball Season

09:19 – Choosing Virginia Tech and Playing College Baseball

10:22 – Realizing the Possibility of Going Pro

112:18 – Gaining Confidence in Making it to the Big Leagues

16:34 – The Importance of Enjoying the Game and the Journey

22:13 – The Importance of Being Present and Accepting Roles

26:35 – Chad's Pinder's Experience with OCD

32:08 – Maintaining Mental Health and Being Present

39:34 – OCD and its Impact on Baseball Career

Host Tom Smalley is joined by John Armistead, former dual sport collegiate athlete turned Co-Founder of the Athletes Together app. John discusses the development of the Athletes Together app, an all-in-one mental health app for student athletes. John also shares his personal journey of starting the app with a co-founder and the process of transitioning from playing lacrosse to football at USC. The conversation delves into the stigma of toxic masculinity in sports and the need for athletes to seek help and show vulnerability. John shares his positive experience at USC, where mental health was addressed and resources were made available to the team.

03:01 The Need for Mental Health Resources in College Athletics

04:04 Challenges of Accessing Mental Health Resources

05:24 Building the Athletes Together App

12:00 Taking Risks and Overcoming Challenges

17:15 Providing Resources and Solutions for Mental Health

18:07 The Growing Mental Health Crisis

21:36 Playing Lacrosse at the University of Richmond

25:23 Transitioning to Play Football at USC

27:48 The Transfer Process and Persistence

28:04 Seeking Opportunities and Convincing Coaches

31:23 Mental Health Challenges and Imposter Syndrome

36:58 Taking a Preventive Approach to Mental Health

40:32 Toxic Masculinity and Seeking Help in Sports

44:02 Awareness of Mental Health at USC

47:34 Coach's Support and Caring for Players' Well-being

Instagram: @johnarmistead

John is a former two sport division 1 athlete, where he played lacrosse at University of Richmond and football at USC. He’s now using his athletic experiences and battles with mental health to fuel his startup company, AthletesTogether. The mobile app is designed for student-athletes to find mental wellness through a variety of features to directly address the needs of student-athletes

Host Tom Smalley is joined by Team USA Olympic Weightlifter Brandon Victorian fresh off of the Pan-American games. Tom and Brandon discuss what it has been like competing against the best, and how his mindset has evolved as the competition has become more elite. Brandon also talks about pre-competition anxiety, and how he likes to get the crowd engaged during weightlifting meets.

About Brandon:

In 2014, Brandon made a significant move to Fort Worth to pursue studies at TCU. Graduating in 2018 with an electrical engineering degree, he promptly commenced his career. Around 2017/2018, Brandon delved into CrossFit, adopting the workout style alongside conventional gym routines. This continued until 2020, just before the onset of COVID, when he found his current coach. Under his guidance, Brandon trained for about 8 months and entered his inaugural local competition in Oct. 2020, securing a commendable 3rd place.

Brandon committed to sustained training and embraced competitive weightlifting as an 81kg lifter. The dedication paid off when he not only won his first state meet but also earned the coveted title of overall best lifter in 2021. Nationals in the same year saw Brandon clinch 3rd place in the snatch and 5th overall, marking an impressive debut. The AO Finals added another feather to his cap with a 5th place finish.

Building on these accomplishments, Brandon triumphed at the state level in the 81 class in 2022. Internationally, he showcased his prowess at the XL Torneo Int. "Manuel Suárez in Memoriam" Tournament in Cuba, securing a noteworthy 3rd place overall. Nationals in 2022 brought yet another 3rd place finish, and Brandon emerged victorious at AO Finals.

In 2023, Brandon made the strategic move to the 89kg category, winning best lifter at Texas State and securing a 2nd place finish at the Arnold. The zenith of his career thus far transpired at nationals, where he swept gold with his best numbers to date: 152kg/190kg/342kg. Most recently, Brandon participated in the Pan Am Games, concluding with a commendable 7th place finish.

Looking ahead, Brandon is poised to maintain this momentum, harboring aspirations for a world championship bid next year and a rise in the rankings during the 2028 quad.

Tom is joined by Certified Mental Performance Consultant and Owner of Infinity Mental Performance Danielle Lynch to discuss her path into specializing in mental performance as well as becoming a business owner. Danielle explains how being a former collegiate athlete has helped her connect with the athletes she works with. Also discussed is the advice she would give to parents of athletes and how to prevent potential burnout in youth athletes.

About Danielle:

Danielle is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). She has a Master’s degree in Sport Psychology and Motor Behavior from the University of Tennessee and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Siena College. She has worked with youth, high school and collegiate athletes, military personnel, high school and college coaches, and a variety of sport teams. She focuses on helping individuals build and maintain confidence, improve attentional focus, manage performance stress, control emotions, communicate more effectively, develop leadership skills, create team culture and improve cohesion to enhance team performance.

Danielle has extensive experience playing and coaching lacrosse. During her Bachelor’s degree, Danielle played goalie for her NCAA Division I (DI) lacrosse team at Siena College where she was ranked as high as fourth in the country for goalie save percentage during her senior season. She also coached youth, high school, and collegiate lacrosse players in New York State and the University of Tennessee club lacrosse team. In addition to coaching lacrosse, Danielle delivered life skills and mental performance services to students and athletes throughout the Knoxville area. During her time at the University of Tennessee, Danielle assisted NCAA DI student-athletes with academic course work while teaching them valuable strategies (e.g., stress management, time management techniques) in order to improve academic performance. Additionally, Danielle delivered mental performance services to youth soccer clubs, youth basketball programs, club hockey teams, high school golfers, varsity football teams, and Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) cadets.

Host Tom Smalley is joined by former Team USA Olympian turned Professional Boxer Virginia "Ginny" Fuchs to discuss her journey overcoming Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder on her way to competing for Team USA in the Olympics. Also discussed is how Ginny fell into the sport boxing, and what kept her motivated while in treatment.

About Virginia "Ginny" Fuchs:

Ginny Fuchs is an American flyweight boxer from Houston,

Texas. She proudly represented the United States at the 2021

Tokyo Olympics and was the boxing team captain for Team USA.

Ginny holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from LSU and

started boxing in college to stay in shape. After just one year of

training she won her first bout and has dominated boxing

competition ever since. During her amateur career, Ginny was a

3 time U.S. National Champion in 2016, 2017, and 2018. As an

advocate for people challenged by OCD, Ginny was recently

profiled in Oprah's Apple TV documentary "The Me You Can't See".

Instagram: @ginnyfuchsusa

Career Highlights:

2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Champion

2020 Strandja Tournament - 1st

2019 Olympic Trials Champion

2019 Pan American Games - 2nd

2017 Elite Continental Championships - 1st

2017 Strandja Tournament - 1st

2016 US Olympic Team Captain

2016 Olympic Trials Champion

2018 Elite National Championships - 1st

2017 Elite National Championships - 1st

2016 Elite National Championships - 1st

2015 National Golden Gloves - 1st

Host Tom Smalley is joined by his older, better looking brother for a special birthday episode where Tom presents 26 lessons he has learned in 26 years! The two brothers then address the state of Boston sports, and how they would fix the direction of the patriots franchise.

Host Tom Smalley is joined by Team USA Olympic Weightlifter and Clinical Psychologist Brian Reisenauer, Psy.D to discuss how he balances his work in the mental health profession and competing at the highest level as an Olympic Weightlifter. Brian talks about the things he has become more grateful for throughout his life, and how he carries that gratitude into training and competition.

Tom is joined by Lumin Sports executives Ben Gazzola and Blake Bender to discuss the athlete management software that is changing the way athlete wellness data is visualized and interpreted. Ben and Blake give a rundown on how Lumin became what it is today, and how the software is assisting coaches in making sure athletes are more taken care of than ever before. Also discussed is the way Lumin bridges the gap between physical and mental health, as well as the goals the company has as they expand into the United States.

About Lumin Sports:

Founded in 2018 in Adelaide, Australia, Lumin Sports is an Athlete Management Software company focused on giving all decisions makers in the world’s best teams the tools to interpret complex data. The Arc data visualization platform saves admin time, visualises data, improves communication and elevates decision making for coaches, S&C staff, athletes and medical practitioners. Lumin currently serves pro-teams, colleges, high schools, high performance centres and armed forces.

Instagram: @Luminsports

https://luminsports.com/

Tom is joined by his former college roommate and close friend Thomas Huerter Jr. to discuss his playing career, from winning the NY AA state championship with his brother Kevin all the way to playing for 3 different collegiate head coaches. Smalls and Tom discuss the lessons he provides to the athletes he coaches in AAU basketball, and what it was like growing up in a basketball family. Tom provides insight about what it has been like to experience his brother's career in the NBA develop as well as both of his sisters playing high level Division I basketball. Additionally, a special guest call-in from Tom's brother (Kevin Huerter) on who is physically stronger!

About Thomas:

Thomas grew up in Clifton Park, New York, and attended Shenendehowa High School, where he helped his team win the Class AA Basketball NY State Championship in 2015. After Shenendehowa, Thomas did a post graduate year at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut. Thomas would then go on to play for three years at Siena College, finishing his undergraduate degree in that time. Following Siena, Thomas played out his fourth year of eligibility and earned a Master’s Degree at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.

Thomas is currently a project manager at the Huersch Marketing Group, he helps in various capacities at the Impact Athletic Center in Halfmoon, he is the director of Huerter Basketball Camps, Vice President of the Kevin Huerter Foundation, and is the head coach of the 17U boys team for the Elevate NY Basketball Club.

Tom is joined by olympic weightlifter and national coach Suzy Sanchez to discuss her career as an elite level weightlifter for USAW while navigating a diagnosis of PTSD and MDD. Tom and Suzy chat about the important qualities to look for in coaches, and how she turned her struggle into strength by becoming an advocate for weightlifters with mental health challenges.

Follow Suzy on Instagram: @thesuzysanchez

About Suzy:

A 15 year veteran of the sport of weightlifting, Suzy began her athletic career in 2008 after competing for three years in competitive high school powerlifting in Alvin, TX. After medaling  at the 2009 university nationals Suzy connected with Olympic coach Dr. Kyle Pierce and shortly after moved to Shreveport, LA to train and study full time at LSU Shreveport. While training at LSUS Suzy had the opportunity to represent Team USA at the university level at the 2011 Summer Universiade and the 2012 University World Championships. After medaling at the 2012 University World championship Suzy received an invitation to move to Colorado Springs, CO to train full time at the Olympic Training Center. During her time at the training center Suzy had the opportunity to train under Olympic champion Zygmunt Smalcerz who introduced her to new training methodologies and modalities for sports performance. She qualified and competed at both the 2013 Summer Universiade and the 2014 University World Championships before leaving the training center at the end of 2014. Following her departure from the training center Suzy underwent corrective surgery for a shoulder injury and opened her club Beastmode Barbell in Friendswood, TX while working the 2015 IWF World Championships. Suzy now resides in Colorado Springs, CO and still competes locally in both weightlifting and powerlifting. She is currently a National level coach, USA Weightlifting course instructor, and Category 2 referee, and club director for the Retirement Home weightlifting club. 

- 2009 University silver medalist

University bronze medalist

- 2010 National championship silver medalist 

- 2010 Junior national championship bronze medalist 

- 2010 American open silver medalist

University gold medalist 

- 2011 National championship silver medalist 

- 2011 American open champion

- 2012 University gold medalist

- 2012 National championship silver medalist 

- 2012 University world silver medalist

- 2013 University gold medalist 

- 2013 National championship bronze medalist 

- 2013 American Open bronze medalist

- 2014 University gold medalist 

- 2014 National championship silver medalist

*University American Clean and Jerk Record (2012, 2013, 2014)

After 3 week hiatus, Tom is back and joined by University of Alabama Point Guard Hannah Barber to talk about how she overcame adversity throughout her 5 year collegiate career. Hannah talks about how she reframed her mindset after experiencing life's challenges, and the ways she was able to lead by example on and off the court.

About Hannah Barber:

Hannah was a 5 year point guard for University of Alabama Women’s Basketball program and an integral part in their most recent 2 NCAA Tournament appearances. She received her bachelors degree in Exercise Science and her Masters in Marketing. Hannah was named the 2023 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year, and is now pursuing coaching basketball at the collegiate level.

Instagram: @hdebarber

Tom is joined by former professional hockey player turned mental performance coach Taylor Cook to discuss how to implement an athlete centered coaching model. Also discussed is how to provide useful feedback as a coach, and why mental performance is just as valuable as the physical aspect.

About Taylor:

IG - @taylorbcook_

The Athletic Mind - https://open.spotify.com/show/3mCWuxYHmwi48aXgzo8tSW?si=f4bffa9866fb4a41

Email: taylor@elitehighperformance.com

Brain Training for Athletes Mental Performance Program - https://elitehighperformance.mykajabi.com/pl/21476073

Tom is joined by two former athletes and coaches (Angela Teeple and Melissa Katz) that have joined together to start the ALL IN Apparel brand to empower athletes to share their own personal mental health journeys and bring the conversation of mental health in athletics to the forefront of people's minds. Angela and Melissa talk about why they chose apparel as the product for their company, and what the ALL IN mentality means to each of them. Tom also discusses why he turned down various brand ambassador deals and chose to join the ALL IN team.

https://allinathletes.org

Instagram: @allin.athletes

Ang and Melissa experienced firsthand the impact that mental health can have on athletes, both on and off the field. They’ve teamed up to create ALL IN, a brand focused on promoting mental health awareness and a positive mindset in sports.

In episode 015, Tom is joined by Brown University Strength and Conditioning Coach Anthony Paiva to talk about how environment can shape an athlete's experience and attitude.   Coach Paiva talks about his decision to open about his sexuality to his athletes and colleagues, and overcoming the anxiety that came with the decision.  Tom and Anthony also talk about how to foster an environment that is motivating and inclusive, the need for diversity in the performance field, and the willingness to have tough conversations around student athlete mental health.

About Coach Anthony Paiva, MS, CSCS, SCCC, USAW:

Anthony Paiva is a strength and conditioning coach for Brown University, currently in his fourth year.  Anthony joined the strength and conditioning staff in 2019 following an internship with the university.

Anthony has a background in a plethora of sports, most notably Jiu-Jitsu in which he trained for over 10 years. He currently competes in Olympic weightlifting in the 81kg weight class. He has spent 9 years in the strength and conditioning industry working in a range of settings from private sector to collegiate.

Anthony currently works with five sports at Brown, Baseball, Softball, Men’s and Women’s Water Polo and Men’s Soccer. He also serves as the Assistant State & Provincial Director for the Rhode Island NSCA Advisory Board, where he aims to provide continuing education for professionals and work to progress the field further.

Anthony graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2018 with a BS in Kinesiology, where he then went on to receive a MS in Exercise Science & Human Performance from Liberty University in 2019.

Tom is joined by Ivan Tchatchouwo (Founder and CEO of The Zone App) to discuss the way his team is addressing student athlete mental health and the preventative care The Zone app is aiming to provide to college campuses everywhere.  Ivan also discusses his background in human performance, and explains his "why" story detailing his own struggles with mental health as a collegiate athlete.  

Twitter/IG: @IvanTchatchuowo

About Ivan:

Ivan is a thoughtful leader and entrepreneur in the field of human performance and wellness. As Founder of The Zone, Ivan has taken on the mission of improving student-athlete wellbeing through mobile technology and data analytics. He has a Masters Degree in Applied Physiology from Columbia University, where he focused on data, wellbeing, and human performance. A former captain of the men’s basketball team at Concordia College, Ivan has been involved in athletics for 20+ years. He is passionate about helping the younger generation achieve wellness and long-term success.

Host Tom Smalley is joined by Professional Rugby player and Collegiate Coach Gianna Solomon to discuss her path to being a strong female leader in sports.  Gianna most recently won a national championship as an Assistant Coach with Dartmouth Women's Rugby, and is currently playing professional rugby in the women's premier league.  Tom and Gianna discuss what needs to change in athletics, how she has cemented herself as more than just a number, and the different types of anxiety coaches and athletes face daily.  You will not want to miss this!

About Gianna:

Gianna Solomon joined the Dartmouth women's rugby staff as an assistant coach in August 2022 and immediately contributed to the teams success as they took home the National Championship this past season.

A former collegiate rugby player, Solomon earned All-America accolades and won a pair of national championships at Penn State. She went on to play professionally in the Women's Premier League. Solomon also served as the head rugby coach at Greenwich Area School District and gained additional coaching experience as an assistant coach for Northeast Rugby Academy and The Rugby Advantage.

Solomon arrives at Dartmouth following her role as a graduate assistant in strength and conditioning at Wagner College, where she worked with women's basketball and several Olympic sports while serving as the head of education for nutrition, hydration and sleep.

Solomon graduated from Penn State in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and received a master's in media management at Wagner in 2022.

Tom is joined by a great friend and mentor Coach Jamion Christian to discuss learning from adversity, creating a team of support, self-reflection in times of struggle, and more!

Follow Jamion on twitter: @JamionChristian

Follow Jamion on Instagram: @Jamion_Christian

As an advisor at Speakeasy Sports, and former head college basketball coach for a decade, Jamion thrives in challenging situations and aims to create a level of camaraderie not just in the locker room, but also in the community. Touting the phrase, “Connection is our gift to the world,” Jamion aims to create a level of transparency with everyone he works with and aligns those around him to reach elite team status, “becoming the best that WE can be while you’re becoming the best YOU can be.” 

Jamion boasts a successful resume with 10 years of Division I men’s basketball head coach experience. Christian most recently spent three seasons at The George Washington University, leading GW in 2021-22 to its most Atlantic 10 victories since 2016-17. In that season, his team outperformed preseason poll projections by a league-best six spots to earn a seventh place finish.

At Siena (2018-19), which was voted to finish last in the MAAC preseason poll that season, Christian led his team to a tied-for-second-place regular season finish with an 11-7 league record, just one game out of first place. The Saints finished 17-16 overall, a nine-win improvement from the season prior.

Hired to lead his alma mater at the age of 29, Christian led Mount St. Mary’s to two NEC Tournament Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2014 and 2017. He guided the Mount to 101 wins and a winning record in conference play all six seasons, the only school in the conference to achieve that feat. The Mount would finish the season 18-14 overall and an appearance in the NEC tournament final. Concluding the season with a 10 game improvement from the season before. A year later, Christian led the Mount back to the NEC Tournament Championship game, which they won to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

Christian’s fifth season, in 2016-17, yielded the school’s first 20-win season since 1995-96. The Mount captured the NEC regular season and Tournament Championships as Christian was tabbed NEC Coach of the Year. The season was highlighted by a NCAA Tournament First Four victory over New Orleans, marking just the second NCAA Tournament victory in the school’s Division I era. Christian was tabbed both the 2016-17 Jim Phelan Coach of the Year - named after his legendary predecessor whom he played for at the Mount - and CollegeInsider.com's Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year, presented annually to the top Division I minority coach.

​A Mount Alum and four year student athlete for Coach Phelan, Christian's coaching mentors include Jim Phelan, Milan Brown, Bob Johnson, Pat Flannery, Tony Shaver and Shaka Smart.

Tom is joined by CEO and Co-Founder of SEQL Rob de Wolff to discuss equality in athletics, how SEQL is leveling the playing field, and living a life of purpose!

Rob de Wolff is the CEO and Co-Founder of SEQL, a company looking to disrupt amateur athletics by breaking down barriers in the space and pioneering a more equitable future  He attended Virginia Military Institute and 

SEQL is a Sports Social Impact Platform for the 21st-century student athlete backed by strategic VCs, partners and a rapidly growing list of industry leaders including DeAndre Hopkins, Megan Walker, Barry Sanders, Quinn Cook, Ryan Clark and Nancy Lieberman.

Tom is joined by two experienced clinicians (Kristen Mackel and Sarah Farris) to break down common myths surrounding therapy, and how we can normalize treating mental health the same as our physical health.  

About Kristen Mackel, LCSW:

Kristen Mackel, LCSW is the co-founder of The Center for Grit and Growth. For over 15 years, she has provided clinical mental health services to high performing individuals, including NCAA Division 1 athletes, professional athletes, and Olympians. She has expertise treating mood and anxiety disorders, and is listed on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Mental Health registry.

About Sarah Farris, LCPC:

Sarah Farris, LCPC is a licensed therapist in Chicago. She specializes in treating adults with anxiety, OCD and related disorders and has a special interest in mental health and athletics. Sarah’s previous experience includes working in research and university settings. Sarah received a B.S. in Psychology at Roanoke College and an M.A. in Counseling at UTSA. Sarah grew up in New Orleans, LA and began riding horses at the age of 8. She developed a passion for hunter/jumper equestrian sports and during college and graduate school, she worked part-time as a riding instructor and horse trainer. Sarah now enjoys lifting weights and occasionally participates in amateur barbell and kettlebell competitions.

Tom is joined by Elite Performance Coach and Co-Founder of the Future Fitness Training App Joshua Bonhotal to discuss how he left the top of the performance world for a fitness technology startup with unlimited potential.  Joshua talks about taking risks, the skill of showing up each day no matter how challenging it becomes, and how he coped with the anxiety and uncertainty of the future (pun intended).

About Joshua Bonhotal (@jbonhotal):

Josh Bonhotal is a Co-Founder and also VP of Performance for Future, a digital fitness and training startup that aims to revolutionize health and wellness around the world. Prior to his role with Future, Josh held positions as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Chicago Bulls and as associate director of strength and conditioning with Purdue University.  

Tom is joined by Brittany VanderGroef and Hayley Kmack (two former collegiate athletes) to discuss their experiences navigating body image as collegiate athletes, and the unrealistic standards athletes have to face today.  

About Brittany VanderGroef:

Brittany is currently an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Fordham University in The Bronx, New York. Her previous stops include Iona University and Villanova University. She completed her Master of Science in Exercise & Sport Science from Merrimack College, while holding a Graduate Fellowship position at UMass Lowell. Brittany played Division III softball at Norwich University in Vermont, while getting her undergraduate degree in exercise science.

About Hayley Kmack:

Hayley Kmack played Division I lacrosse at Siena College in Loudonville, NY. During her time with the Saints, she appeared in two MAAC championship games and led the team as a captain in her senior year. Kmack graduated from Siena in 2021 with her BA in Psychology and a Certificate in Community Development. She is now pursuing a Doctorate in School-Community Psychology at Hofstra Univeristy.

Tom is joined by South Dakota Mines Director of Performance Reg Overton to discuss the "macho man" culture in athletics, being authentic as a coach, and how to create an environment that allows athletes to be themselves.

About Reg:

Reginald “Reggie” Overton was named Director of Performance at South Dakota Mines on April 4, 2022 and is in his first year at the institution. Overton has eight years of experience in coaching performance. Prior to being added to the staff at South Dakota Mines, Overton served as the Director of Strength & Conditioning at D’Youville College, beginning in August of 2021. The first opportunity at a head coaching job in performance came with Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a position he held from Sept. 2020-Aug. 2021. Division I experience is no stranger to Overton, as he has 6 years of experience at that level between 7 different institutions. Overton spent time as an Assistant at the University of North Carolina Wilmington with supervision over softball, indoor/beach volleyball, swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, and women’s basketball, serving in that position from Dec. 2018-Aug. 2020. Before being hired at UNCW, Overton was an Strength & Conditioning coach at the University of Buffalo in 2018. Overton played collegiately on the Lehigh University football team from 2007-2008, before playing his final two seasons at Mount Union. Overton has earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science (2012) and a master’s degree in sport management (2019).

Host Tom Smalley is joined by recently retired Professional Tennis Player Kevin Anderson to discuss his journey about overcoming mental health stigma as an elite professional athlete while achieving a #5 ranking worldwide. Tom and Kevin touch on topics such as: the best ways to be a supportive coach, why OCD does NOT help performance, and what he wish he knew about anxiety at the beginning of his career.

Kevin Anderson is a Professional Tennis Player from South Africa.  He achieved a career high ranking of world number 5 and was a 2018 Wimbledon finalist and 2017 US Open finalist. He won 7 ATP singles titles and 1 ATP doubles title and was a 3x all American at University of Illinois. Kevin was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in 2019. He resides in Florida with his wife, 3 year old daughter and two dogs.

Host Tom Smalley is joined by Drexel Men's and Women's Basketball Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Hays to discuss the high performance model he is implementing at Drexel, how to help student athletes build lifelong skills, and treating athletes as human beings first.

Chris Hays joined the Drexel University Strength & Conditioning staff as the new Head S&C Coach for the Men’s & Women’s Basketball programs in May of 2022 after serving the previous four years at Coppin State University in Baltimore, MD. He operated in a similar role as the Director of Basketball Performance since November 2018 before being elevated to the Director of Sports Performance role in his final year.  Prior to Coppin State, Chris served as a Performance Coach for the 2018 NLDS Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in their minor league system. Before his time in LA, Hays served as a Performance Fellow at the University of Louisville, studying under Teena Murray, who has since served as VP of Health & Performance for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. At UofL, he assisted with various sports, while working closely with Women’s Basketball, including future draft picks Asia Durr, Dana Evans, Jazmine Jones, Kylee Shook, and future WNBA champion, Myisha Hines-Allen. Hays earned his Master of Exercise Science from The George Washington University in May 2017, while serving as a graduate assistant under the mentorship of Matt Johnson, since Head S&C for Butler Men’s Basketball.

Host Tom Smalley is joined by former college hooper Dom LeMorta to discuss how mental health challenges nearly took the game of Basketball away from him.

Join them as they discuss topics such as overcoming mental health struggles, finding a place you feel valued, youth athlete burnout, and more!

Host Tom Smalley dives into his personal mental health journey, talks about the stigma he has faced throughout his life, and previews some exciting future episodes.