About Unstoppable Athlete - Mental Resilience for Teen Athletes
Sara and Michelle are experienced volleyball coaches who's mission is to empower teen athletes to unlock their full potential - on and off the court - by cultivating growth mindset, building resilience, mastering sports psychology, regulating their nervous systems and setting meaningful, actionable goals.
We want to share experience and stories from young athletes and ex-pros to help young athletes be UNSTOPPABLE in competition and in life.
#43 - It’s Not About You: Learning to Put the Team First S3.7
What happens when the role your team needs from you isn’t the role you wanted? In this episode, Sara and Michelle tackle one of the harder lessons in youth sport: being a great teammate means learning to think beyond yourself. They explore why working hard doesn’t automatically guarantee a starting position, how athletes can get caught in stories about what they “deserve,” and why individual goals can’t come before what the team is trying to accomplish.
Through real coaching experiences, they discuss helping athletes recognize the value they bring—even when they aren’t the star, aren’t playing their preferred position or are coming off the bench. They also look at what it really means to show up for your team, including when you’re injured, disappointed or not getting exactly what you hoped for.
Ultimately, this episode is about moving from “What am I getting?” to “How can I contribute?” Because you don’t have to be the MVP to be incredibly valuable—and learning to embrace your role, support your teammates and be ready when your opportunity comes is a skill that extends far beyond sport.
Top 3 Takeaways
Get out of your own story and serve the team
Remember that it’s not always about you
Value what you bring even if you’re a role player.
www.unstoppableathlete.ca
What if developing your entire roster actually gives you a better chance of winning? In this episode, Michelle sits down with Fernie volleyball coach Andrea Reed to talk about coaching philosophy, playing time, athlete development and why building depth matters. They explore the value of getting athletes meaningful game experience, developing players in multiple positions, communicating clearly about roles, and finding ways for every athlete to contribute—even when they aren’t part of the traditional “starting six.” Andrea and Michelle also discuss why game experience teaches things practice simply can’t, how different coaches can bring out different strengths in athletes, and why a deep, engaged bench can become one of a team’s greatest assets. It’s a conversation about looking beyond the immediate win to develop confident, adaptable athletes—and stronger teams in the process.
Top 3 Takeaways
Know your athletes and work with their strengths
Players learn more by being in the game and getting to make mistakes
Benches win games
www.unstoppableathlete.ca
30 Sept 2026
#41 - From “I Can’t” to “How Can I?”; Are We Helping Our Kids—or Making Excuses for Them? S3.5
“I don’t have time.” But is time really the problem—or is learning how to manage it part of growing up? In this episode, Sara and Michelle tackle accountability, time management and the temptation we have as parents to make life easier for our kids. From balancing academics, jobs and competitive sport to managing phones, friendships and other distractions, they explore how young athletes can learn to prioritize what matters, use their time effectively and follow through on the commitments they’ve made. They also discuss the difference between supporting our kids and rescuing them, why honest feedback matters, and how effort needs to align with the goals an athlete says they want. The goal isn’t to demand perfection or push every athlete toward the highest level—it’s to help young people move from “I can’t” toward “How can I?” and develop the accountability, self-awareness and problem-solving skills they’ll need far beyond sport.
Top 3 Takeaways
Accountability
Effort vs impact - life skills of prioritisation, time allocation and decision making
What’s fair? Effort matters but so does ability
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
3.7 / 5
3 ratings
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