Charge Forward Coaching

About Charge Forward Coaching

What if the key to unlocking your athletic potential wasn’t just about improving your skills, but strengthening your mind? At Charge Forward Coaching, we believe that mental toughness is the secret weapon every elite athlete needs to excel. In this podcast, we explore how athletes can develop the focus, resilience, and mindset necessary to perform at their best, whether you're a high school athlete facing intense competition or a college athlete aiming for the next level. We explore essential topics such as mental resilience, providing techniques for overcoming self-doubt and building mental endurance. We also tackle performance anxiety, offering strategies to manage stress and stay focused under pressure. Throughout the show, we focus on mindset mastery, sharing tools to stay motivated, handle setbacks, and maintain peak performance. James Blasco offers expert advice on cultivating a champion's mindset for long-term success, helping athletes gain the mental clarity needed to perform at their highest level. With expert guidance from James Blasco, each episode empowers athletes with actionable strategies they can apply immediately, enabling them to sharpen their focus, handle adversity, and perform under pressure. James’s coaching approach fosters a supportive and empowering environment, where athletes are encouraged to push beyond their comfort zones, embrace challenges, and unlock their full potential. In the world of elite sports, success goes far beyond physical ability—it’s about mastering the mental challenges that arise during competition and ensuring they are prepared to rise to the occasion when it matters most. In addition to James’s insights, each episode features interviews with top athletes, coaches, and mental performance experts. These guests share their own stories, experiences, and strategies for achieving success in highly competitive environments. Through these conversations, listeners will gain diverse perspectives on how mental toughness plays a pivotal role in their journeys to excellence. Whether it’s learning from a former professional athlete about overcoming personal obstacles, or hearing a coach’s tips for developing a high-performance team mindset, these interviews will offer valuable knowledge and inspiration for athletes of all levels. Join us on this journey to improve your concentration, boost your confidence, and develop the mindset necessary to reach new heights in your athletic career. Start listening today and begin charging forward toward your goals with mental clarity and strength. About the Host: James Blasco is a CTA Certified Coach, and a Certified Functional Mental Toughness and Resilience coach based in Ormond Beach, Florida, with a rich background in sales, media, and entrepreneurship. Throughout his career, James has excelled in sales and sales coaching for some of the largest media companies, owned three successful businesses, and worked in media relations in the NFL. His diverse experiences have equipped him with a deep understanding of leadership, communication, and the drive needed to achieve success. James is also trained specifically to coach to all aspects of mental toughness and resilience. Having received coaching and mentoring throughout his personal and professional life, James recognizes the profound impact of genuine, constructive, and meaningful guidance. He understands the passion required to pursue a goal, as well as the challenges of doubt, fear, and the need for perseverance. James’s coaching philosophy is rooted in compassion and results, focusing on helping clients uncover their goals, develop actionable plans, and persist through obstacles. Resources: Website: www.chargeforwardcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chargeforwardcoaching/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChargeForwardCoaching/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChargeForwardCoaching

Publisher

James Blasco

Category

health & fitness · health & fitness · sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Aug 2024

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

55 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Oct 2026

   The Power of Mental Toughness & Resilience

   Miss Florida 2026, Alexandra de Roos, joins James to share her remarkable journey from elite ballet training in New York City to overcoming a traumatic brain injury that changed her life. Alexandra opens up about losing her dream career, rebuilding her identity, battling post concussion syndrome, and discovering a new purpose through neuroscience, psychology, and service. She discusses founding The Blue Project, her national advocacy work in brain injury awareness, and the mental toughness it took to compete at Miss Florida and Miss America—where she earned the prestigious Quality of Life Award. This episode dives into resilience, identity, pressure, healing, and the 4 C’s of mental toughness through Alexandra’s powerful story of perseverance and purpose. Key Topics: Alexandra de Roos' background in ballet and psychology The impact of a severe concussion on her life and career Her journey through injury, recovery, and advocacy The four C's of mental toughness: confidence, control, commitment, challenge Her nonprofit, the Blue Project, and brain injury awareness initiatives The role of mindset and resilience in overcoming setbacks Her experience in the Miss Florida and Miss America pageants The importance of purpose and community service in personal growth Sound Bites: "Mental toughness is about resilience and mindset." "Winning the Quality of Life Award was an indescribable moment." "Get comfortable with the uncomfortable to grow." About the Guest: Alexandra de Roos is a brain injury education advocate, nonprofit founder, motivational speaker, and the 90th Anniversary Miss Florida 2026. She is a student in the Judy Genshaft Honors College at the University of South Florida, where she is pursuing a degree in psychology on the pre-medical track with plans to become a neuropsychiatrist specializing in the care of patients with traumatic brain injuries. A lifelong dancer, Alexandra trained at the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York City after moving there at age 14 to pursue a professional ballet career. She also grew up in the Miss America Opportunity, where she discovered her passion for leadership, service, and community impact. At 16, she founded Peace Love Leotards, a nonprofit that has provided more than $50,000 worth of dancewear to aspiring dancers around the world. After a severe traumatic brain injury ended her ballet career in 2021, Alexandra transformed her recovery into a mission of advocacy by founding The Blue Project: Integrating Neuroscience and the Arts Inc., a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to brain injury education, resilience, and the healing power of the arts. Through legislative advocacy, hospital outreach, public speaking, and educational initiatives, she has impacted thousands nationwide while serving on Florida’s Brain Injury Advisory Board and the Brain Injury Association of America’s Speaker’s Bureau. Alexandra is dedicated to advancing brain injury awareness, empowering survivors, and pursuing a future in medicine where she can continue serving the community that forever changed her life. About the Host: James Blasco is a CTA Certified Coach, and a Certified Functional Mental Toughness and Resilience coach, and a Certified Neuroscience Coach based in Ormond Beach, Florida, with a rich background in sales, media, and entrepreneurship. Throughout his career, James has excelled in sales and sales coaching for some of the largest media companies, owned three successful businesses, and worked in media relations in the NFL. His diverse experiences have equipped him with a deep understanding of leadership, communication, and the drive needed to achieve success. James is also trained specifically to coach to all aspects of mental toughness and resilience. Resources: Website: www.chargeforwardcoaching.com LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/chargeforwardcoaching/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChargeForwardCoaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chargeforwardcoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChargeForwardCoaching Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/ChargeForwardCoaching Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/ChargeForwardCoaching The Blue Project:https://www.alexandraderoos.org/theblueproject

2. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Build Mental Toughness One Fist Bump at a Time

   In this episode of Charge Forward Coaching, mental toughness coach James sits down with sports psychologist and youth athlete development expert Dr. Mike Perko, founder of the 500 Fist Bumps movement. Together they explore how a simple tactile gesture — the fist bump — is transforming youth sports culture by building connection, belonging, and mental toughness from the inside out. Dr. Perko breaks down how the 500 Fist Bumps framework directly develops the 4 C's of mental toughness — control, commitment, challenge, and confidence — in young athletes through consistent positive reinforcement and intentional coach-athlete relationships. From the origin story of 500 Fist Bumps to the neuroscience behind connection and tactile gestures, this conversation is packed with actionable coaching strategies for youth sports coaches, parents, and athletic directors looking to build resilient, emotionally regulated, and high-performing young athletes. If you work with youth athletes and want to create a culture of belonging, boost sports performance, and develop mental toughness through positive coaching, this episode is for you. Discover why small gestures create lasting psychological impact, how connection fuels perseverance and commitment, and what the future of community health and youth well-being through sports looks like. Key Takeaways: The origin story of 500 Fist Bumps and the moment Dr. Perko knew this mattered. Why connection is the foundation of every other mental skill. How to practically apply the 500 Fist Bumps approach in practices, games, and classrooms. The neuroscience behind why small gestures create lasting psychological impact. How belonging and mental toughness are more connected than most coaches realize. Simple ways any adult can start using this framework with the young people in their life — starting today. Sound Bites: "His work is life changing for youth athletes" "Creating a culture where everyone understands the rules" "Building connection on purpose improves performance" About the Guest: When Mike Perko was six years old, he nervously stepped onto the ice in Ithaca, NY for his first youth hockey practice — and promptly had an asthma attack. A coach knelt down, put a hand on Mike's chest, and gently talked him back to calm. That moment has shaped his life's work ever since in the belief that human connection is as vital as breathing is to child development. Today, Dr. Perko is an Emeritus Full Professor of Public Health, the award-winning author of How to EAT, LEAP, and SLEEP like a SUPERHERO, and the founder of the non-profit 500 Fist Bumps. A 15-time teaching award winner, he has testified before Congress, delivered over 100 invited talks, and been featured on ESPN Outside the Lines, NPR, The New York Times, and Sports Illustrated. In the spring you'll find him on the sideline in his 47th year of coaching youth sports as Head Women's Lacrosse Coach at Southwest Guilford High School in North Carolina. He and his wife Sarah are the proud parents of Jack, an Army ROTC scholarship student at UNC–Chapel Hill, and Elena, a UNC–Chapel Hill student in the School of Journalism and Media. About the Host: James Blasco is a CTA Certified Coach, and a Certified Functional Mental Toughness and Resilience coach, and a Certified Neuroscience Coach based in Ormond Beach, Florida, with a rich background in sales, media, and entrepreneurship. Throughout his career, James has excelled in sales and sales coaching for some of the largest media companies, owned three successful businesses, and worked in media relations in the NFL. His diverse experiences have equipped him with a deep understanding of leadership, communication, and the drive needed to achieve success. James is also trained specifically to coach to all aspects of mental toughness and resilience. Resources: Website: www.chargeforwardcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chargeforwardcoaching/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChargeForwardCoaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chargeforwardcoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChargeForwardCoaching Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/ChargeForwardCoaching Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ChargeForwardCoaching 500 Fist Bumps: www.500FistBumps.org

3. 

   8 Sept 2026

   Young Athletes & Mental Toughness: What Parents Should Know

   In this episode of the Charge Forward Coaching Podcast, James sits down with Himani Tyagi, strength and conditioning coach and lecturer at Prehab 121 Academy in Pune, India, to explore how young athletes develop mental toughness, confidence, and resilience both on and off the field. Himani shares her journey from cricket player to coach and educator, and explains how Prehab 121 Academy trains athletes across sports like tennis, squash, badminton, table tennis, cricket, and hockey. She also discusses her role in designing the Parent–Athlete Conference, created to help parents ask better questions, understand athlete development, and support their children with science-based guidance. Together, James and Himani break down the 4Cs of mental toughness — control, commitment, challenge, and confidence. Key topics include: • The role of parents and coaches in shaping mental toughness • How autonomy helps athletes make better decisions • Emotional control during competition • Commitment, effort, and intent in training • How culture, personality, and environment shape athlete behavior • The pressures young athletes face in today’s competitive world Sound bites: "Mental toughness is executing skills under pressure" "Autonomy helps athletes make decisions and learn from mistakes" About the Guest: Himani Tyagi is a UKSCA‑Accredited Strength and Conditioning Trainer and CSCTS Instructor at the Prehab 121 Academy of Sports Science in Pune, India—an educational and performance institute focused on developing athletes through science‑driven training, rehabilitation, and coach education. Prehab 121 offers courses in strength and conditioning, sports science, nutrition, injury rehab, and performance methodology, making it one of India’s emerging hubs for athlete and coach development. A former athlete who played cricket and several other sports growing up, Himani brings firsthand experience into her coaching. Today, she helps athletes and active individuals build durable strength, improve movement quality, and reduce injury risk through functional training, mobility development, and prehab strategies designed for long‑term performance and resilience. At Prehab 121 Academy, Himani works with youth athletes, recreational competitors, and individuals returning from injury across sports such as tennis, squash, badminton, table tennis, cricket, and hockey. She is known for her precise coaching style, her ability to break down complex movement patterns, and her commitment to helping athletes move with confidence, power, and longevity. About the Host: James Blasco is a CTA Certified Coach, and a Certified Functional Mental Toughness and Resilience coach, and a Certified Neuroscience Coach based in Ormond Beach, Florida, with a rich background in sales, media, and entrepreneurship. Throughout his career, James has excelled in sales and sales coaching for some of the largest media companies, owned three successful businesses, and worked in media relations in the NFL. His diverse experiences have equipped him with a deep understanding of leadership, communication, and the drive needed to achieve success. James is also trained specifically to coach to all aspects of mental toughness and resilience. Resources: Website: www.chargeforwardcoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chargeforwardcoaching/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChargeForwardCoaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chargeforwardcoaching YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChargeForwardCoaching Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/ChargeForwardCoaching Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ChargeForwardCoaching Prehab 121 Academy: www.prehab121.com

Who has been a guest on Charge Forward Coaching

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Igor Mancebo
• Jason Immekus
• Dr Jarrod Spencer
• Eric Konovalov
• Mark Warburton

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

8,125

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 75 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

92

Social presence

90

YouTube

68

Engagement

32

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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