Ep. 156: Raising Superheroes: Megan Gilmore on Mental Health & Well‑Being for Kids

Ep. 156: Raising Superheroes: Megan Gilmore on Mental Health & Well‑Being for Kids

In this episode of The Mental Middle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with Megan Gilmore—founder and executive director of Larksong, certified coach, and author—to talk about how early we should be building mental health and well‑being skills in kids. (Spoiler: much earlier than most people think.) We cover: * Why well‑being and “mental health” for kids should start as early as physical health * How a single caring adult can radically buffer a child from adversity (ACEs vs. PACEs) * The science showing that well‑being education boosts grades, graduation rates, and resilience * Megan’s children’s book that turns brain parts into fun characters kids can understand * “Mind Bandits” (kids’ version of limiting beliefs) and how to help children name and tame them * Larksong’s Superhero Camp: a five‑day experience that teaches kids real tools for stress, emotions, and self‑talk * Why parents and teachers don’t have to be experts to start this work—they just have to start If you’ve ever wondered: “How young is too young for mindset and mental skills?” or “Am I going to mess my kid up if I try this and don’t know what I’m doing?” …this conversation will give you both the why and some concrete how. 🔗 Learn more about Larksong & Superhero Camp Website & Superhero Camp info: www.larkssong.com/superherocamp [https://www.larkssong.com/superherocamp] (Volunteering, sponsoring, and donating options are all there.) 📚 Megan’s Children’s Book Amy Dala and the Answer Amy Dala and the Answer: 9781087933382: Amazon.com: Books [https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Dala-Answer-Megan-Gilmore/dp/1087933382] Resilent Parent's Playbook by Mental Mettle Coaching. resilientparentsplaybook.com Contact Coach Thomann matt@mentalmettlecoach.com

Ep. 155: Time on Feet: How Kyle Thompson Uses Adversity to Chase Excellence

Regional Superintendent and ultramarathoner Kyle Thompson joins The Mental Mettle Podcast to break down how “time on feet” in the mountains has reshaped the way he leads, parents, and lives. Kyle is the Regional Superintendent of ROE #11 in Charleston, Illinois, and a 100-mile finisher who believes deeply in intentional adversity—choosing hard things on purpose so you’re ready for the hard things you don’t choose. In this conversation, we cover: * How a simple question from his kids (“What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?”) completely changed his life * Why he prefers 90-degree runs, 2 a.m. training sessions, and brutal trail conditions * The mental and physical battle of his first 100-miler at Grindstone (106 miles, 35+ hours, cold rain, and massive elevation) * DNFs, disappointment, and what failure in ultrarunning has taught him about leadership * The difference between optional adversity (what you choose) and mandatory adversity (what life throws at you) * How trail running and ultras have made him a calmer, more resilient leader and parent We also dig into the work Kyle has done with Mental Mettle Coaching: * Why he brought me in to do an 8-session group coaching series with his ROE #11 team * How that coaching helped his staff with self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and vulnerability * The culture shift that happens when a team feels genuinely invested in, not just managed * Why he actively promotes my professional development and coaching to superintendents and schools across his region If you’re an educator, coach, or leader who: * Wants to build real resilience (not just talk about “grit”) * Is curious how endurance training and leadership intersect * Is looking for PD that actually focuses on the adults in the room, not another buzzword program …this episode will give you a clear picture of what intentional adversity looks like in real life—and how it can transform both your work and your life. ——— WORK WITH MENTAL METTLE COACHING → Group coaching & PD for schools, districts, and teams → Coaching for educators, leaders, and coaches who want to build real mental mettle matt@mentalmettlecoach.com www.mentalmettlecoach.com Listen, share, and if this resonated, consider passing it along to a leader or educator who needs to hear it.

Ep. 154: Secrets Behind the Third Skill Set: Mental Performance

Unlock the real difference-maker in sports performance: your mind. In this solo episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann reveals the Secrets Behind the Third Skill Set: Mental Performance—the hidden skill set that separates average athletes from consistent peak performers. You already train skills and strength. But if you’re not training your mindset on purpose, you’re leaving a huge part of your potential on the table. In this episode, Coach Thomann breaks down exactly how he coaches mental performance for athletes and why it works: What the “third skill set” is—and why most athletes never train it How neuroplasticity lets you literally rewire your brain for confidence and composure The two keys to lasting mindset change: Recognition + Repetition How to stop wasting energy on uncontrollables and dominate what you can control The ACE Framework (Attitude, Communication, Effort) that athletes write on bags, bats, cleats, and guns (for competitive shooters) How to change your self-talk from brutal and negative to a powerful inner coach Why “positive toughness” and gratitude beat fake positivity and empty slogans How values work explains burnout, frustration, and losing the joy in your sport What an actual mental performance coaching session looks like with real athletes How these mental skills transfer to life: school, relationships, adversity, and career Coach Thomann also shares his personal story—battling cancer, a stroke, PTSD, and panic attacks—and how the same mental skills for athletes he now teaches helped him rebuild his own mindset and life. 🔊 This episode is for you if you’re a… * Athlete who chokes under pressure, overthinks, or struggles with confidence * Parent who sees your kid spiraling mentally and doesn’t know how to help * Coach who keeps saying “be more mentally tough” but doesn’t have a system to train it You’ll walk away with a clear picture of what mental performance training is, how it works, and why mastering the third skill set can completely change how you compete and how you handle adversity. 🔗 Free Resource for Parents: Check out Coach Thomann’s free course, The Resilient Parent’s Playbook, to learn how to support your athlete’s mindset at home without accidentally feeding anxiety or negativity.  www.resilientparentsplaybook.com 📩 Interested in Mental Performance Coaching? Coach Thomann works with individual athletes, teams, and schools. To inquire about coaching or PD for coaches, reach out at: matt@mentalmettlecoach.com www.mentalmettlecoach.com Listen to more episodes of The Mental Mettle Podcast for tools, stories, and strategies to help athletes forge real resilience and confidence—on and off the field.

Ep. 153: "Raging Psychopath" to Transformational Coach with Lee Mateer

In this episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with 24-year coaching veteran and fellow Millikin alum, Coach Lee Mateer of Taylorville High School. By his own words, Lee used to be “the raging psychopath” on the sideline — yelling, screaming, cursing, and tying his entire identity to wins and losses. He was the classic old school, outcome-obsessed coach who wore misery and grittiness like a badge of honor. Then life hit at home. Lee’s transformation didn’t begin at a clinic or in a playbook. It began with deep personal struggle: watching his daughter enter high school and battle an eating disorder rooted in crippling anxiety. Seeing his own child waste away and suffer shook everything he thought he knew about toughness, mental health, and what today’s kids are actually fighting through. That crisis forced him to confront his ego, his fear, and his entire coaching philosophy. In this conversation, we dig into: * How an old school “tough guy” coach became the self-described “raging psychopath” on the sideline * His daughter’s battle with anxiety and an eating disorder—and how it broke him and opened his eyes * Why that personal struggle became the turning point for his coaching, parenting, and faith * Moving from yelling, fear, and control to connection, standards, and real trust * The three “sins” he sees in all of us: fear, ego, and laziness—and how they show up in coaches * How trauma and past experiences drive emotional volatility in athletes and adults * Building a 17-lesson leadership and character curriculum into his strength program * Getting teenage athletes to honestly reflect on jealousy, fear, and toxic masculinity * Why you can still demand toughness and excellence without being a miserable coach * How faith and Scripture reshaped his definition of success on and off the field If you’ve ever felt burned out, bitter, or trapped in the old school vs new school coaching battle—and especially if something at home has made you question everything—this episode will hit close to home. This conversation is exactly what my Ember to Inferno program is about—helping coaches intentionally develop that third skill set: * Mental skills * Emotional regulation * Response to adversity * Program standards and culture systems Coaches go to clinics every year to sharpen their press, their zone defense, their ball-screen offense. But if you truly believe culture > X’s and O’s, your professional development should reflect that. If you’re thinking, “I love this stuff, but I don’t know how to start,” that’s where I come in. Contact: matt@mentalmettlecoach.com [matt@mentalmettlecoach.com] for a free coaching session with Coach Thomann www.mentalmettlecoach.com [http://www.mentalmettlecoach.com/] mentalmettle | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree [https://linktr.ee/mentalmettle] Sign up here for the FREE Resilient Parents Playbook: www.resilientparentsplaybook.com [http://www.resilientparentsplaybook.com/]

Ep 152: "Throwing it into the pole" with Olympian Joe Brown

Today’s episode of The Mental Mettle Podcast is all about what you do after you hit rock bottom, in sport and in life. My guest is Olympian discus thrower Joe Brown (@joethethrower on Instagram)—one of only a handful of Division II athletes to make it all the way to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Joe is the: * 2019 NCAA Division II national champion in the discus (won on his final attempt) * 4x USATF national qualifier (every year since 2021) * 4th place finisher at the 2023 USA Championships, earning a spot on the Pan American Games team (5th place finish) * Bronze medalist at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials—again, on his final throw in a historic competition, punching his ticket to Paris * Currently ranked 31st in the world and in the top 100 male discus throwers of all time But this conversation is not just a highlight reel. When Joe talks about “throwing it into the pole,” he means it literally—slamming the discus into the metal pole of the cage under massive pressure at the Olympic Trials and nearly knocking himself out of contention. On his very last attempt, with his Olympic dream and his entire career on the line, he had to decide: walk away, or step back into the ring one more time. That moment in the stadium mirrors the rest of his life. Joe opens up about years spent in a destructive loop with alcohol—training hard all week and then erasing it with blackout weekends, drinking alone, using it to numb grief and depression, and “throwing it into the pole” in his own life over and over again. We get into: * The resilience it takes to keep fighting after you fall flat on your face on the biggest stage * The mental framework behind being able to win on your final throw * The discipline required to train in solitude with no coach, no teammates, and no cheerleaders * How he handled doubt, depression, grief, and self-sabotage while still chasing an Olympic dream * The tools he built through construction work with his dad, books, meditation, visualization, and trial and error We also dive into Joe’s “Olympic Decisions” series on Instagram—where he breaks tough moments down into simple but powerful choices (confidence or curiosity, belonging or independence, etc.) and uses those choices to come back from failure instead of being crushed by it. If you’ve ever felt like you keep slamming into the same wall—whether in competition, with alcohol, or in your own patterns—Joe’s story is a blueprint for how to step back into the ring and take one more throw. To learn more about the American Paragons Foundation: americanparagons.org [https://americanparagons.org/] For more information about Mental Mettle Coaching: Sign up here for the FREE Resilient Parents Playbook: www.resilientparentsplaybook.com [http://www.resilientparentsplaybook.com/] Contact: matt@mentalmettlecoach.com [matt@mentalmettlecoach.com] for a free coaching session with Coach Thomann www.mentalmettlecoach.com [http://www.mentalmettlecoach.com/] mentalmettle | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree [https://linktr.ee/mentalmettle]