Jackson Wasserstrom joins The Coaching Minds Podcast to talk about his journey from Westfield High School to Indiana University football.

After arriving at IU as a walk-on, Jackson spent years earning his way, building his role, and eventually receiving a scholarship. His story is one of faith, discipline, visualization, gratitude, resilience, and betting on yourself when nothing is guaranteed.

In this episode, Ben and Jackson discuss:

• Growing up with a dream of playing college football
• Battling injuries in high school
• Using journaling, prayer, and visualization to build belief
• What it feels like to be a walk-on at the bottom of the depth chart
• Treating every rep like a game rep
• Earning a scholarship at IU
• The culture shift under Coach Cignetti
• Why everything has to be earned every day
• Choosing to stay at IU instead of transferring
• Advice for high school athletes who feel overlooked
• Why gratitude matters in the middle of chasing big goals

Jackson’s story is a powerful reminder that talent matters, but mindset, work ethic, preparation, and belief can carry an athlete further than most people expect.

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

Dr. Chris Carr joins The Coaching Minds Podcast for a powerful conversation on performance psychology, mental health, and the evolution of mental training in sport.

Dr. Carr is the Director of Performance Psychology and Team Behavioral Health Clinician for the Green Bay Packers. Over the course of his career, he has worked with athletes and teams across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, MLS, IndyCar, Olympic sports, and college athletics.

In this episode, Ben and Dr. Carr discuss:

• Why performance psychology and mental health are deeply connected
• The blurry line between performance coaching and therapy
• How the stigma around mental health in sports has changed
• Why mental training needs more science and clearer standards
• How coaches can help athletes handle pressure, failure, and setbacks
• Why process goals matter more than outcome obsession
• What high school coaches should teach first when building the mental game
• Why the best coaches support the person before the player

Dr. Carr also shares practical insight for coaches who want to help athletes build confidence, composure, concentration, routines, emotional regulation, and the ability to reset after mistakes.

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams

Dillon Thieneman’s path from Westfield High School to Purdue, Oregon, and now the NFL was built on more than talent.

In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast, Ben Carnes sits down with Dillon to talk about the mental side of elite performance: growing up in a competitive household, learning from his brothers’ walk-on mentality, handling recruiting noise, preparing with detail, bouncing back from mistakes, and using visualization to “play the game before the game.”

Dillon shares how preparation helped reduce anxiety, why fundamentals still matter at the highest level, what he learned from Oregon’s championship-level culture, and how he handles pressure, criticism, and comparison now that the stage is even bigger.

This conversation is packed with lessons for athletes, coaches, and parents about confidence, coachability, and staying committed to the process.

Are you an ATHLETE looking to take your training to the next level? Check out our website to learn more about 1-on-1 training opportunities:
mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes

Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
mentaltrainingplan.com/teams