Coach Tonya Johnson | Empowering Women in Volleyball

Welcome LSU Women’s Head Volleyball Coach Tonya Johnson to the Max Out Mindset podcast. She has been very successful at all levels of her sport, including as a player and coach. She is in her second year as head Volleyball coach at LSU. It will become apparent in this conversation that Coach has a very high level of emotional intelligence. You will learn how she models the behavior that she wants from her team. There are gems and nuggets galore throughout the podcast. Enjoy!

Order Dr. Widman's new book Max Out Mindset for Volleyball: A Guide For Coaches, Athletes, Teams & Parents To Help You Be In The Best Position To Max Out When It Matters The Most

Phekran Kong (PK) | Grace & Gratitude

Welcome Phekran Kong (PK) from the University of Louisville Volleyball team to the Max Out Mindset Podcast! PK is a 6'3" middle blocker who played a valuable role in her team's historic appearance in the 2022 NCAA Women's Volleyball National Championship.

PK shares why grace and gratitude allow her to stay composed during competition. Having a goldfish memory helps her mind not to dwell in the past but to stay present in the moment. She also shares why her teammates and coaches play a significant role in her success on/off the volleyball court!

Learn more about mindset training with Coach Jess at www.maxoutmindset.com. Follow her on Instagram @max_out_mind_Jess and on Twitter @JessKnecht.

Coach Taras Liskevych | On the Volleyball Mount Rushmore

Please welcome Coach Liskevych, who shares his views on maxing out when it matters the most. He talks about the highs and lows of decades spent coaching and teaching his craft. He has been successful at every level of his sport, including as the head coach of the USWNT. Coach is also the co-founder of the AVCA, so one can fully understand his impact on the world of volleyball. As a co-owner of The Art of Coaching, he has been able to help coaches at all levels of experience be better at their craft as well.

Order Dr. Widman's new book Max Out Mindset for Volleyball at www.maxoutmindset.com A Guide For Coaches, Athletes, Teams & Parents To Help You Be In The Best Position To Max Out When It Matters The Most

Sue Ziegler | Coaching for All the Right Reasons

Coach Ziegler is one of the best ever to coach high school volleyball in the State of Nebraska. She has won State Championships in Track and Field as well as Volleyball. Her team at Lincoln Lutheran recently finished a historical season in which they went undefeated and won back-to-back State Championships. I love her focus on culture and having fun as ingredients that lead to success. There are nuggets galore that Coach shares on what it takes to put a team in the best position to max out in life and sport.

Order Dr. Widman's new book Max Out Mindset for Volleyball at www.maxoutmindset.com  A Guide For Coaches, Athletes, Teams & Parents To Help You Be In The Best Position To Max Out When It Matters The Most

Lindsay Krause | Overcoming Perfectionism

Today we welcome Lindsay Krause to the Max Out Mindset Podcast. Lindsay is a current volleyball student-athlete at the University of Nebraska. She was named to the 2022 Academic All-Big Ten and 2021 Big Ten All-Freshman Team and is an Assistant Coach with Premier Nebraska 16 Gold.

Lindsay was a multi-sport athlete in high school and captured four Nebraska Class B State Volleyball Championships! She shares how mindset training provided successful strategies to own her self-talk to play confident on the court

She shares insight about the importance of mental health and encourages athletes to utilize their resources if they need help. Listen to how she overcomes perfectionism and failure!

Want to learn more about mindset training with Coach Jess? Please visit www.maxoutmindset.com. Follow Coach Jess on Instagram @max_out_mind_Jess and on Twitter @JessKnecht.

Skyler Pierce | Humble Confidence

Skyler Pierce joins the Max Out Mindset podcast! She is a Husker Volleyball Commit ('28) and the #4 ranked prospect in the Class of 2024 by PrepVolleyball.com. She is also the Metro Sports KC Player of the Year/MVP and a member of USAV's NTDP.

She's a fierce multi-sport athlete from Kansas, competing on Dynasty's 17 Black club volleyball team and at Olathe Northwest High School (basketball and volleyball). Her commitment to servant leadership shows in her athletic achievements, academic excellence, and community service. Her humility and focus on the team above herself help this high performer achieve big goals. 

Listen to how she handles the pressure of the national stage, and what commitment looks like to be elite. She shares why mindset training is so vital to improving her confidence.

Want more information on mindset training? Please visit www.maxoutmindset.com. Follow Coach Jess on Instagram @max_out_mindset_jess and Twitter @JessKnecht.

Grace Heaney | Growth Mentality

Today Coach jess interviews  Grace Heaney to the Max Out Mindset Podcast! She is a Purdue Volleyball Commit ('27) and is the #14 ranked prospect in the Class of 2023, by PrepVolleyball.com. 

As a multi-sport athlete, she has found success on high-level teams in Premier Nebraska 18 Gold and Elkhorn North High School (basketball, track & field, and volleyball). Her commitment to bettering herself for the team demanded she steps up in new ways. Grace is committed to changing her body language/attitude to be the best leader. Mindset training, family, and faith keep her grounded as she navigates the pressure as a high-performing athlete.

Want to learn more about mindset training? Please visit www.maxoutmindset.com. Follow Coach Jess on Instagram @max_out_mindset_jess and on Twitter @JessKnecht.

Jaiden Centeno | Strength in Vulnerability

Former University of Nebraska Omaha libero and Premier Nebraska 16 Gold Assistant Coach, Jaiden Centeno, shares her powerful testimony of how vulnerability and mindset training increased her confidence to max out in the postseason competition.

Jaiden shares how much mental health matters. At 16 years old, she suffered a season-ending hip injury that led her to understand the strength it takes to ask for help. Loneliness, not playing the sport she loved, and questioning when she could compete again impacted her mental health. Listen to how she breaks down the mental health stigma surrounding collegiate athletes and learn why she finally bought into mindset training during her senior season!

Learn more about Coach Jess and Max Out Mindset! Please visit www.maxoutmindset.com. Follow Coach Jess on Instagram @max_out_mind_Jess and on Twitter @JessKnecht

Norah Sis | Fun, Faith and being Fearless

Today we welcome Norah Sis to the Max Out Mindset Podcast. Norah is a current volleyball student-athlete at Creighton University. She was named the 2022 Big East Volleyball Player of the Year, won a Gold Medal at the Pan American Cup with USA Volleyball's U21 Team and was an AVCA Third Team All-American in 2021.

Norah was a multi-sport athlete in high school and chose to pursue her volleyball career in college. She shares the value and importance of mindset training when she needs to improve her confidence on the court. Her commitment and confidence helped her stay composed when it mattered most in some of the NCAA's biggest matches. 

Fun, faith and being fearless are three traits that best describe her! Grab a pen and a piece of paper because she provides key advice for the prospective/current athlete. 

Want to learn more about mindset training with Coach Jess? Please visit www.maxoutmindset.com. Follow Coach Jess on Instagram @max_out_mind_Jess and on Twitter @JessKnecht.

Coach Elise Fulcher | Premier Nebraska 16 Gold Head Coach

Head 16 Gold Coach, Elise Fulcher, from Premier Nebraska Volleyball joins the Max Out Mindset Podcast. She provides valuable insight and experience as a club, high school and former Division 1 volleyball coach!

Elise was also a former collegiate athlete who overcame injuries to find her true passion in the sport. Listen as she shares how adversity and intentional mindset training helped her team max out when it mattered most. Consistency in her training and coaching is an important ingredient in her team's success.

Learn more about mindset training with Coach Jess? Please visit www.maxoutmindset.com. Follow Coach Jess on Instagram @max_out_mind_Jess and on Twitter @JessKnecht.

Lexi Zeiss | 17-year-old World Champion with the Golden State of Mind: Joy, Compassion, Competition & Mindfulness.

The Golden State Warriors have a set of Core Values that guides them. They call it the Golden State of Mind. When I think about Lexi Zeiss, those same four values come to mind. You will never meet a more joyful & compassionate student-athlete. But she is a fierce competitor as well. Over the past couple of years, she has learned to be mindful, which allows her to be present and aware of her thoughts, feeling & emotions. She has gone from a relatively unknown on the National stage at the beginning of 2022 to be a member of the USA Gymnastics National Team that took home the Gold at the World Championships in the Fall of 2022! It’s an incredible journey to this point in her life, but you find out that Lexi is also an incredible person. I hope you enjoy listening to her passion, joy, and wonderful insights on the Max Out Mindset podcast. Lexi Zeiss 2 x U.S. National Team Member USA Gymnastics Worlds Team – 2022 Pan American Championships All Around Silver Medalist - 2022

TKN | Dreaming Big with AVP Beach Team of the Year Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss

It was awesome to bring back Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss to talk about their transition to professional beach volleyball and what makes their partnership tick so well. I always say you must have enough talent to compete for championships, but how well you attack the non-technical aspects of your sport often determines if you and your team can max out when it matters the most. One of the few positive events to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic was the unlikely partnership of Taryn and Kristen while playing for the Beach Volleyball program at LSU. Even though they went undefeated while paired together during their last season at LSU, winning AVCA Beach Pair of the year, their rapid ascent to the top professional ranks in their first full year on the AVP Tour in 2022 has surprised many people. I have known Taryn since her days at Creighton University, where she played indoor volleyball, and have had the pleasure to watch her grow as a person and in her sport, so nothing surprises me with her—and if you know Kristen, she is the engine that drives home excellence. I love talking about growth through adversity, so it should not surprise you that my favorite part of our conversation was their performance struggles during 2022. But that laid the foundation for their next growth level, leading them to be named the AVP Beach Team of the year in 2022!

Coach Russell Brock | The Definition of Being Intentional in Volleyball and Life

Welcome Coach Brock, LSU’s head beach volleyball coach to the Max Out Mindset Podcast. Coach Brock’s 2021-22 team word for the year was Intentional. Part of their success was finding ways to be intentional in all aspects of their lives, which translated to on-court performance. When I think of Coach Brock and why he has been able to be successful in his life and, in particular, in the building of one of the great beach volleyball programs, it is because of his commitment to being intentional as well. You will love many of his insights and there are nuggets galore for anybody who is a high performer trying to get their team or themselves to max out when it matters the most. Follow Dr. Widman @doc_elitemind

Coach Rhonda Revelle | Hall of Fame Coach with a Hall of Fame Mindset

Join me in welcoming Coach Rhonda Revelle to the Max Out Mindset podcast. She is one of the most positive coaches I know, and it was an honor to discuss her career, both the highs and the lows. Her deliberate focus on gratitude and appreciation is reflected in her career as a Hall of Fame coach with a resume of success over several decades. My favorite part of the conversation was discussing the challenges and the growth that surfaced during the adversity over the past couple of years. I loved hearing about her feelings for the most recent team that finished its season in the Spring of 2022. There was genuine love and appreciation for the team and many of the parents/athletes that stood by her during some of her darkest times. It was not surprising to me the vulnerability Coach Revelle demonstrated during our conversation. Her wisdom will help many navigate the challenges of being a high performer, whether in life or sport.

Jordan Thompson | A Pattern of Making History in Volleyball

Please welcome Jordan Thompson to the Max Out Mindset podcast. This is as good of a conversation as I've ever had due to her willingness to share her story in an honest and vulnerable way. She discusses her struggles with imposter syndrome, maintaining composure and her self-talk. She also has wonderful strategies to deal with all of these issues so that she can max out when it matters the most. Her journey is full of making history in her sport, both at the NCAA and Olympic level. She has also had her share of ups and downs that also played out during the Olympic games of 2021 resulting in the first gold medal for volleyball in US history. I was so impressed with Jordan as an athlete and person! Enjoy!

Coach Trish Siedlik | Making History and Evolving Go Hand In Hand

In 2019, entering her 14th season as the Head Coach of Bellevue University Volleyball, she wanted to do things better than ever. She was already a highly successful coach by many measures, but she wanted to be able to give more to her team. Her plan included evolving herself as a coach to model the behaviors she wanted the team to display and build better connections with them. She also wanted to give them more mindset tools to help them stay confident and composed in the biggest moments. It’s always fun to watch this process occur with the normal fits and starts but eventually lead to something really wonderful over time. She shared some incredible insights and was willing to share some of her vulnerabilities on this podcast. In 2021, her team advanced to the NAIA National Tournament quarterfinals for the first time since 2000. There is no question in my mind that her willingness to evolve was part of the equation as to why her team could put themselves in the best position to max out when it mattered the most. Enjoy!

Jess Knecht | The Power of Choice | Elite Mindset Coach

Jess Knecht is a former multi-sport athlete who currently coaches high school and club volleyball. Her coaching style reflects a huge emphasis on mindset training. She has made a tremendous impact over the past few years in her coaching/mentoring role with individual high-performing athletes. She shares many wonderful insights and nuggets about developing and training the whole person. Her take on perfectionism is one of many I loved. We are also so excited that she is bringing her talent, passion, personality, and energy to the Max Out Mindset team.

Coach Katie Tarman | Max Out Through Love, Trust and Mental Toughness

Coach Tarman is a former Division I volleyball player at Kansas State who has been a head coach for Papillion La-Vista South high school for the past three seasons. The title of one of Meatloaf's songs fits her head coaching journey fairly well-Two Out of Three Ain't Bad! We discuss her journey as a former player, including one of her regrets. We discuss the last three seasons which have included two State Championships and how she trains them to max out when it matters the most. Her 2021 team went undefeated, and the success of that team will certainly stand the test of time and go down as one of the best in Nebraska's high school history. You will love her insights and the wonderful nuggets she shares to help high performers max out in life and sport.

Coach Ben and Angie Boldt | Living Their Values On and Off the Court

Today on the Max Out Mindset podcast, I have a husband-and-wife team. Their four years of coaching at Concordia University Volleyball have taken this team to heights never reached, including a couple of Elite Eight finishes the past two years in the NAIA National Tournament. They do a wonderful job of staying process-focused. They do an equally great job of staying true to the team's Core Values. Both of these have helped them this year, more than ever, stay focused on improvement rather than the win-loss record. It paid off in the 2nd half of the fall 2021 season, culminating in a tremendous run in the GPAC Conference Tournament, followed by a deep run in the National Tournament. I always say that one of the key ingredients of great teams is to have complementary roles and crush these roles. The Boldt’s do just that for their “coaching team” with the beneficiary being Concordia Volleyball.

Coach Dani Busboom Kelly | Winning Is Her Middle Name

Today on the podcast is Coach Dani Busboom Kelly. She played volleyball at the University of Nebraska and won a National Championship in 2006. As an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska, she helped them win a National Championship again in 2015! In 2016 she became the head volleyball coach at the University of Louisville and took the program to historic heights reaching the Final 4 in 2021. She was named the 2021 AVCA East Region Coach of the Year. All she does is win!