We're Just Getting Warmed Up

Warming Up with Educator and Genuinely Good Dude Matt Thompson S01 Ep10

WARMING UP WITH EDUCATOR AND GENUINELY GOOD DUDE MATT THOMPSON S01 EP10 GUEST: MATT THOMPSON “PRESENCE, COMMUNITY, AND THE ANALOG MORNING” EPISODE SUMMARY Longtime friend, educator, and all-around thoughtful human Matt Thompson joins Drew for a conversation that starts with The Big Lebowski and quickly turns into something deeper: how we warm up groups of people to do real work together—and how we warm up ourselves to live a life that actually matches what we say we value. The through-line is simple and strong: when we can find more presence for ourselves, we get better at being in community with others. ABOUT THE GUEST Matt Thompson is an educator, parent, and longtime collaborator of Drew’s. He’s known for his ability to design learning spaces that feel both purposeful and human—where trust, honesty, and real connection support better thinking and better work. Matt brings a facilitation lens shaped by deep practice, strong teammates, and a hard-earned clarity about what matters. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * The movie you quote more than you should (The Big Lebowski) * Why the first moments of a group experience matter so much  * The facilitation “twofer” trap: trying to do connection and content at once * Designing for affect: what you want people to feel in the space * Continuous reciprocal escalating self-disclosure (and why it works) * Naming what’s “in the air” when trust isn’t there yet * Community as an outcome—not a nice bonus * Warm-ups as scaffolds: how protocols shape how we show up later * Starting with story as a low-floor, high-ceiling entry point * Matt’s colon cancer story and the questions it forced into focus * Meditation as a “get my head where my feet are” practice * The tactical power of a consistent space (cushion, window, curtain, repeat) * “Analog morning”: cleaning up digital inputs with the physical newspaper * Midday grounding: sun, rest, feet in the dirt * The one-line takeaway: more presence → better community * (Plus: a repeated PSA) Get your colonoscopy. CONNECT WITH THE SHOW If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a quick rating or comment, and share it with a friend who cares about presence, facilitation, or building community that actually holds up under pressure. Got ideas for future guests or warm-up topics for Season Two? Reach out to Drew at drewschrader @ gmail.com [http://gmail.com]. CREDITS We’re Just Getting Warmed Up is hosted by Drew Schrader. Produced by Margie Schrader. Special thanks to Matt Thompson for warming up with us in this episode. This episode is the Season One finale. Season Two is in the works—send guest/topic/warm-up-question ideas Drew’s way. TAGS Matt Thompson, Drew Schrader, warm-ups, facilitation, group dynamics, psychological safety, vulnerability, self-disclosure, community, storytelling, protocols, morning routine, meditation, mindfulness, presence, analog morning, digital minimalism, newspaper, grounding, touching grass, health, colon cancer, survivorship, transitions, preparation

Warming up with LPGA Tour Champion and Collegiate Golf Coach Martha Nause S01 Ep09

WE’RE JUST GETTING WARMED UP WITH MARTHA NAUSE, S01 EP09 GUEST: MARTHA NAUSE “READY TO GO” Episode Summary Former LPGA Tour player and former Macalester College golf coach Martha Nause joins Drew to talk about what it really means to get “ready to go.” Martha shares the wild story of going from “pretending to be a golf pro” in college to actually qualifying for the LPGA Tour, and how her preparation evolved from simple range time to a deeply intentional physical and mental warm-up. Along the way, she unpacks how pros really use practice rounds, why the mental game matters so much in a sport where nothing happens until you decide to swing, and how she helped college players feel truly ready to compete. The conversation then zooms out to life beyond golf—pickleball, big transitions, nerves, and learning to see “failure” as information instead of a verdict. ---------------------------------------- About the Guest Martha Nause is a former LPGA Tour professional, and former head women’s golf coach at Macalester College. Over more than two decades on tour and many years of college coaching, she’s blended technical expertise with a deep commitment to the mental side of performance, helping players at every level prepare with honesty, intention, and self-compassion—both on and off the course. ---------------------------------------- Episode Highlights * From pretending to be a pro to qualifying for the LPGA Tour * Supportive parents, safety nets, and lowering the pressure * Practice rounds as strategy labs, not scorecards * Building course-specific warm-ups for body and mind * Teaching college golfers what “ready to go” really feels like * Training focus with intentional distractions * Mindfulness, meditation, and managing nerves * Redefining failure and learning from the leaderboard * Bringing tour lessons to pickleball and everyday life ---------------------------------------- Connect with the Show If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a quick rating or comment, and share it with a friend who geeks out on preparation, performance, or the mental game. Got ideas for future guests or warm-up topics? Reach out to Drew at drewschrader @ gmail.com [http://gmail.com]. ---------------------------------------- Credits We’re Just Getting Warmed Up is hosted by Drew Schrader. Produced by Margie Schrader. Special thanks to Martha Nause for warming up with us in this episode. ---------------------------------------- Tags Martha Nause, Drew Schrader, LPGA, golf, college golf, warm-ups, practice rounds, sports psychology, mental game, performance, preparation, meditation, mindfulness, coaching, pickleball, competition, pressure, resilience

Warming up with Spiritual Leader and UU Minister Mary Ann Macklin S01 Ep08

WE’RE JUST GETTING WARMED UP WITH MARY ANN MACKLIN, S01 EP08 GUEST: REV. MARY ANN MACKLIN “RITUALS, FLOW, AND GETTING OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY” ---------------------------------------- EPISODE SUMMARY Unitarian Universalist minister Rev. Mary Ann Macklin joins Drew to talk about how spiritual leaders actually warm up—before worship, memorials, weddings, and hard conversations. She shares how she navigates rapid role shifts, uses ritual to “get out of her own way,” and treats sermons as learning in public rather than polished pronouncements. Along the way: Gilligan’s Island quotes, Coughlin’s Law from Cocktail, sports stadiums as sacred spaces, music as magic, and Quaker “eldering” as a model for being fully present for someone else’s work. ---------------------------------------- ABOUT THE GUEST Rev. Mary Ann Macklin is a spiritual leader, and interfaith chaplain. She most recently served as Interim Minister at a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Louisville, Kentucky. With deep spiritual roots and a love of music, movement, and embodied practice, she helps communities move through grief, joy, and change with intention and presence on Sundays and far beyond the sanctuary. ---------------------------------------- SOME EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * Warm-Ups for Ministers * Learning in Public, Not Preaching from the Mountaintop * Ritual vs. Rote * Sports as Sacred Space * Flow, Perfectionism, and Getting Out of Your Own Way * Music as Magic * Preparing for Hard Conversations * Quaker Eldering & The Caddy Analogy ---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH THE SHOW * Suggestions for future guests or fields? Comment, email drewschrader [at] gmail [dot] com, or join the Substack for deeper dives and warm-up experiments. * If this episode resonated, like/follow/subscribe and share with a friend who cares about spiritual practice, presence, or how we show up for hard moments. ---------------------------------------- Credits Host: Drew Schrader Guest: Rev. Mary Ann Macklin Producer: Margie Schrader ---------------------------------------- Tags Ministry, Unitarian Universalism, rituals, warm-ups, spiritual practice, sermons, memorial services, weddings, grief, hospital chaplaincy, Quaker, eldering, psychological safety, presence, flow, perfectionism, music in worship, sports rituals, golf, caddies, hard conversations, pastoral care

Warming up with Sports Psychologist and Author Dr. Rob Smith S01 Ep07

We’re Just Getting Warmed Up with Dr. Rob Smith, S01 Ep07 Guest: Dr. Rob Smith (performance psychologist, author) — “Shooting Out of Your Mind: Energy, Focus, and the Quiet Reps” Episode Summary Performance psychologist and author Dr. Rob Smith joins Drew to talk about how athletes (and the rest of us) actually prepare to perform. Using basketball shooting as the on-ramp, they dig into energy management, pre-shot and pre-performance routines, and why “focus is really re-focus.” Along the way: Caddyshack one-liners, the Steph Curry warm-up as proprioceptive masterclass, the speed–accuracy tradeoff, and turning free throws into a walking meditation. Rob shares practical tools—goal-setting checklists, breathing, visualization, the “review-revise-refocus” reset—and explains why you shouldn’t try new skills on game day. They also hit writing and presenting warm-ups (leave a sentence unfinished; outline to your “one thing”), and why curiosity beats judgment when you miss short or long. About the Guest Dr. Rob Smith is a performance psychologist, longtime athlete, and black belt martial artist whose work helps teams and performers build durable mental skills. He’s the author of Black Belt for Life and Shooting Out of Your Mind—a workbook-style guide to the mental game of basketball and transferable performance habits. He consults with universities and teams on confidence, concentration, and healthy team culture. Links & References * Dr. Rob’s site (free PDFs, videos, book info): shootingoutofyourmind.com [http://shootingoutofyourmind.com] * Books: Shooting Out of Your Mind; Black Belt for Life (25th-anniversary edition forthcoming) Connect with the Show Suggestions for future guests or fields? Comment, email drewschrader [at] gmail [dot] com, or join the Substack for deeper dives and warm-up experiments. If this episode resonated, like/follow/subscribe and share with a friend who geeks out on coaching, hoops or performance psychology. Credits Host: Drew Schrader Guest: Dr. Rob Smith Producer: Margie Schrader Tags Performance psychology, basketball, shooting, warm-ups, energy management, pre-shot routine, Steph Curry, proprioception, visualization, breathing, focus, refocus, flow, film study, pattern recognition, free throws, walking meditation, writing routine, presenting, team culture, confidence, curiosity over judgment

Warming up with Improv Artist and Educator Jim Ansaldo S01 Ep06

We’re Just Getting Warmed Up with Jim Ansaldo, S01 Ep06 Guest: Jim Ansaldo (educator, improviser, Camp Yes And) — “Playfulness, Permission, and Learning From Mistakes” EPISODE SUMMARY Improviser and educator Jim Ansaldo joins Drew to explore how improv tools create the conditions for real learning—on stage, in classrooms, and in everyday life. They unpack why playfulness is a signal of safety, how to “engineer” mistakes on purpose, and what it means for a group to dysregulate and then re-regulate together. Jim shares practical warm-ups (like Move/Stop) and the core improv habits—listening, accepting, supporting, taking risks, and letting go of mistakes—then connects them to team meetings, PD, and inclusive classrooms. Along the way: a quick history detour to Viola Spolin and Second City, sanctioned mischief at Camp Yes And, the power of contracting and consent, and why warming up yourself (arriving, scanning the room, getting grounded) changes how the whole group shows up. And these are only some of the great nuggets! ABOUT THE GUEST Jim Ansaldo is the creator of Camp Yes And and a longtime educator who blends applied improvisation with teacher learning and inclusive practices for neurodivergent students. His work gives educators hands-on facilitation reps with students, closing the gap between PD theory and classroom reality. Find Jim via: * JimAnsaldo.com * Camp Yes And: yesand.indiana.edu [http://yesand.indiana.edu] * LinkedIn: search “Jim Ansaldo”  * Google: search “Jim Improv Indiana” SOME EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * Warm-ups as Conditions, not Choreography * Make Failure the Feature:  * Yes, And = Accept + Support * From Vibes to Numbers (and Back) * Contracting & Consent * Playfulness Signals Safety * Inclusion Through Discovery LINKS & REFERENCES * Camp Yes And: yesand.indiana.edu [http://yesand.indiana.edu] * Viola Spolin (improv’s roots in games for connection and co-creation) and Second City (improv → sketch pipeline) are discussed for context. * Podcast mentioned: Improv Your Parenting (re: improv and parenting). CONNECT WITH THE SHOW Suggestions for future guests or fields? Comment, email drewschrader [at] gmail [dot] com, or join the Substack for deeper dives and warm-up experiments. If this episode resonated, like/follow/subscribe and share with a friend who cares about teaching, team culture, or creative collaboration. CREDITS Host: Drew Schrader Guest: Jim Ansaldo Producer: Margie Schrader, who apologizes for the choppiness you can hear - we're working on it! TAGS Improv, applied improvisation, education, teacher PD, psychological safety, dysregulation/re-regulation, sanctioned mischief, Camp Yes And, neurodiversity, inclusion, Viola Spolin, Second City, warm-ups, yes-and, contracting, consent, Move/Stop game, learning design, professional development, classroom culture