The Sport Fuels Life Podcast

Building Championship Culture — Lessons from Chris Young

Building Championship Culture — Lessons from Chris Young

Chris Young built his program the right way.

As the former head women's tennis coach at Oklahoma State, he led his team to a National Indoor Championship and a #1 ranking in the country—but what stands out most is how those results were built.

Through culture.
Through accountability.
Through a clear standard of excellence.

In this conversation, Chris shares what it really takes to build a successful program—from the daily habits that shape a team to the environment that allows players to grow and take ownership.

He talks about what coaches emphasize, what they allow, and how consistency over time creates something bigger than wins.

This episode is a great reminder that coaching is about more than performance.

It’s about developing people—and doing things the right way.

Ryan Shazier: From the Steelers to Overcoming Adversity

Ryan Shazier: From the Steelers to Overcoming Adversity

Ohio State Football • Pittsburgh Steelers • NFL Linebacker • Spinal Cord Injury Survivor • Founder, Ryan Shazier Fund

Ryan Shazier’s story isn’t just about adversity — it’s about how you respond to it.

From Ohio State to the Pittsburgh Steelers to a life-changing spinal cord injury, Ryan has experienced both the highest highs and the toughest moments the game can bring. What stands out most is how he’s chosen to respond — with ownership, perspective, and resilience.

He shares a simple but powerful framework:

E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome)

You can’t control every event — but you always control your response. And that response shapes everything.

This episode goes beyond football. It’s about building competitors who can handle adversity, take ownership, and move forward stronger — on and off the field.

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Key Takeaways

• Your response shapes your outcome
• Lean into adversity — don’t avoid it
• Control what you can, every day
• Limit the baggage you carry
• Fall in love with the process

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Play It Forward

Through the Ryan Shazier Fund, Ryan is helping individuals and families navigate life after spinal cord injuries — providing resources, support, and hope.

Learn more:
www.ryanshazierfund.org
Instagram: @ryanshazierfund | @shazier

Coaching Men vs. Women — What It Teaches Us About Every Athlete

Tom Rees, Head Men’s & Women’s Tennis Coach at Georgia Gwinnett College and NAIA National Champion, joins us to share what coaching both sides has taught him about communication, culture, and building trust.

This conversation goes beyond gender — it’s about understanding the athlete in front of you and adapting how you lead.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why buy-in starts with explaining the why

• What culture really looks like when the coach isn’t there

• How positive reinforcement builds confident, high-performing teams

• Why giving athletes a voice changes ownership and effort

• How confidence is built through action, not just mindset

A practical, real-world look at how great coaches connect — and get the best out of their players.

“Culture is what happens when the coach isn’t there.”

Build Competitors: Identity, Simplicity & The Art of Getting Out of the Way

Brian Garber, ATP Tour coach and current coach to Ethan Quinn (World No. 56), joins us for a powerful conversation on what it really takes to develop competitors — not just players.

From becoming a Division II head coach at just 23 to working across the WTA and now the ATP Tour, Brian shares a coaching philosophy built on simplicity, ownership, and trust.

In this episode, we dive into why less instruction often leads to better performance, how to help athletes become decision-makers, and why the best coaches know when to step back and let players figure it out.

You’ll also hear practical takeaways on:

• Simplifying the game for better execution

• Helping athletes diagnose their own mistakes

• Designing practices that actually transfer to competition

• Building players who can think, adjust, and compete on their own

“The more you say, the less they hear. The less you say, the more they start to figure it out.”

Fueling for Performance: Nutrition Strategies Every Coach Should Know

Jennifer Ketterly, Associate Director of Sports Performance at the Duke Sports Sciences Institute and performance nutrition consultant for the Charlotte Hornets, joins us for a practical, science-backed conversation on the three pillars of performance nutrition: fueling, hydration, and recovery.

With more than 25 years of experience across collegiate and professional sport, Jennifer explains why carbohydrates are the non-negotiable fuel for high-intensity sport, how to individualize hydration using sweat rate, and why the **4Rs of recovery—Rehydrate, Refuel, Repair, and Rest—**are critical for sustained performance. She also addresses under-fueling in female athletes, warning signs of RED-S, and simple strategies coaches and athletes can apply immediately.

🎧 Listen to learn how intentional nutrition decisions directly impact performance when it matters most.

Why Coaching Matters: Dr. Jack Groppel on Performance & Recovery

Dr. Jack Groppel joins us for a compelling conversation on performance, recovery, and what makes coaching a truly noble profession.

One of the world’s leading sports psychologists and human performance experts, Jack shares his journey from self-taught athlete to pioneering leader in performance science—and the moment when just 17 words from a mentor changed the trajectory of his life.

In this candid discussion, Jack explains why elite coaching goes far beyond technical instruction. He breaks down the critical relationship between stress and recovery, explores the psychology of competitive excellence, and shares insights gained from decades of working with world-class athletes.

This episode dives into mental resilience, performance under pressure, and what truly separates good coaches from great ones. Jack also shares lessons from his upcoming memoir, Mountains Within, offering perspective from both his professional success and personal journey.

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, parent, or leader, this conversation will challenge how you think about performance—and remind you why coaching matters.

The Miracle League: When the Game Includes Everyone, Miracles Happen

The Miracle League: When the Game Includes Everyone, Miracles Happen

The Miracle League is more than baseball — it’s a movement rewriting what’s possible.

What started with one field in Georgia has grown into 345+ communities worldwide, giving every child, regardless of ability, the chance to play. Through a powerful buddy system, players with disabilities are paired with peers, breaking barriers and building lifelong friendships.

“We’re not segregating that population like they’ve been their entire life… that bond is being built off the baseball field.”

In this episode, you’ll hear inspiring stories — like Lauren’s, who was born blind with brittle bone disease and found freedom through baseball:

“If I could play the game of baseball… I could do anything in this world.”

Tune in to learn how the Miracle League is transforming communities, one swing at a time — and why two new leagues are launching every month to keep the momentum going.

"I'll Find a Way or Make One": Dana Mathewson's Story of Grit and Greatness

"I'll Find a Way or Make One": Dana Mathewson's Story of Grit and Greatness

Champion wheelchair tennis player Dana Mathewson shares her remarkable journey from diagnosis with transverse myelitis at age 10 to becoming America's most accomplished wheelchair tennis player. With candid humor, Dana discusses her initial reluctance toward adaptive sports and how her mother's persistence led her to the court. Her impressive career includes reaching World No. 7 in singles, World No. 4 in doubles, and becoming the first American wheelchair tennis player to win a Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

Dana reveals the competitive spirit and "bulldog mentality" that fueled her success, along with cherished memories from the Paralympic Games. Now navigating retirement—a transition she describes as an athlete's "first death"—Dana is embracing new roles in coaching and philanthropy while discovering her identity beyond competition.

Her guiding philosophy, "I'll find a way or make one," has applications far beyond tennis, offering listeners powerful insights on resilience, problem-solving, and finding your path when life presents unexpected challenges.

Fear Is a Passenger, Not the Driver: Jenn Drummond’s World Record Climb

Fear Is a Passenger, Not the Driver: Jenn Drummond’s World Record Climb

In 2018, Jen Drummond survived a car crash that should have ended her life. Instead, it sparked a world-record journey that would redefine what’s possible—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

In this episode, Jen shares how that near-death experience became her “line in the sand” moment, propelling her from business owner and mom of seven to the first woman to climb the Seven Second Summits—the second-highest (and often most technical) peaks on every continent. And she didn’t stop at seven—she climbed nine mountains to account for global boundary disputes.

From transforming her home into a training facility to preparing for death on a freezing Canadian glacier, Jen’s story is one of resilience, mindset, and purpose. She opens up about training during Zoom calls, balancing family with ambition, and learning that progress isn’t linear—it’s acclimatized.

“You don’t get rid of fear,” she says. “But you don’t have to let it drive the car.”

If you’re an athlete, coach, or anyone chasing a big goal, this conversation is packed with inspiration, mindset shifts, and hard-earned wisdom.

Listen now to discover how fear became a passenger—and purpose took the wheel.

The Champion's Mindset: USTA's Dr. Larry Lauer on Mental Performance

The Champion's Mindset: USTA's Dr. Larry Lauer on Mental Performance

The difference between good and great in tennis often comes down to mental skills. Dr. Larry Lauer, Director of Mental Performance for the USTA, has revolutionized how players approach the psychological side of the sport.

"How you do what you do is way more important than the outcome," Lauer emphasizes. "You can't really get the outcome without the process."

As the USTA's first full-time mental skills specialist since 2013, Lauer has witnessed the stigma around mental training diminish significantly. Today's players increasingly recognize mental skills as essential components of athletic development.

His approach centers on collaboration between mental coaches and tennis coaches, creating consistent messaging for players. Effective coaching balances challenge with support: "When you get after a kid... you don't make it personal. You make it about the behavior, never about them as a person."

Lauer champions integrating character development into daily training. Mental skills like resilience, focus, and discipline aren't just performance enhancers but valuable life tools. "If you're resilient and tough-minded, super professional... these character things... need to be part of your training every day."  

Tune in to hear Dr. Lauer break down what it really takes to develop mentally tough, high-performing athletes — and how coaches can lead the way.