Champions Mojo for Masters Swimmers

We are all leaders, whether we know it or not. What kind of leader are you? Are you an eager leader? A target maker? A confidence carrier? Or all of them? In this episode Kelly and Maria explore 10 personas that great leaders emulate.

This is a deeper dive on this topic from Kelly’s book Take Your Mark, LEAD! 10 Ways to Lead Yourself and Others like a Champion and she and Maria discuss the traits of each one in this episode. Learn ways to be a more effective leader for yourself and others.

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com

10 Leader Personas

Sourced from Kelly Palace’s best-selling book Take Your Mark, LEAD! 10 Ways to Lead Yourself and Others like a Champion

Eager Leader

Target Maker

Vibrant Visionary

Discipline Developer

Passionate Persister

Habit Hacker

Peak Performer

Confidence Carrier

Reflective Thinker

Success Celebrator

Episode Topics and Mentions

Take Your Mark, LEAD! 10 Ways to Lead Yourself and Others like a Champion by Kelly Palace

Personas 

Pfizer

General George S. Patton

Perfection paralysis

Vision boards

Benefits of taking cold showers

COVID-19 vaccination

The V Foundation for Cancer

Jim Valvano

Dan Plesac

New York Yankees

Billie Jean King

Playboy Magazine

Lewis Pugh

Dave Marsh

Matt Biondi

Breast cancer survivors

Takeaways

Maria

Reflective thinking is a vital part of effective leadership because it helps you learn from the past, and gain confidence due to what you have already accomplished. 

Kelly

Tapping into the persona of a Passionate Persister is important, taking into account what really should be persisted on and what should be released. 

“How do you go from where you are to where you wanna be? I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal. And you have to be willing to work for it.” -- Jim Valvano

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

When the pressure to perform becomes overwhelming, mental burnout, severe anxiety, and self-doubt can push an athlete to the absolute limit. How do you navigate the darkest moments of mental illness, rebuild your inner resilience, and still return to the highest levels of competitive swimming?

In this episode, professional swimmer and Olympic hopeful Maddie Banic opens up about her personal journey from the brink of suicide to breaking records and advocating for athlete mental health. Maddie shares the daily coping strategies, boundary-setting tools, and mindset shifts she used to reclaim her life and speed in the water.

Inside this episode, you’ll discover:

• Breaking the Isolation of Athlete Anxiety: Why high performers often hide mental health struggles behind race results—and how to identify the warning signs early.
• The Mental Recovery Toolkit: The practical self-care rituals, boundary practices, and coping frameworks Maddie uses to stay grounded during high-stress competition cycles.
• Rebuilding Confidence from Ground Zero: How to step back onto the starting blocks with purpose, joy, and emotional safety after severe burnout or crisis.
• Advocating for Yourself and Others: How Maddie transitioned her lived experience into mental health advocacy to help other athletes navigate pressure and survive their hardest battles.

Madeline “Maddy” Banic is a 9-time SEC conference champion and NCAA champion who graduated from the University of Tennessee. Specializing in sprint fly and free, she swims professionally. Her first year as a professional swimmer with the International Swimming League, Maddy was a member of the L.A. Current and then switched to the Energy Standard Team where she had a breakout 2020 season. 

Maddy had tough times during her time in college. After years of fighting anxiety and depression, she came to a very low point and contemplated suicide. She left school to receive treatment and came back with a zest for life and swimming. She went on to be voted captain of her team and win the NCAA in the 200 medley relay her senior year. Maddy is now an advocate for mental health awareness, hoping to help others avoid the despair she endured.

Episode Topics and Mentions

CG Sports Network

University of Tennessee

NCAA

ISL, International Swimming League

L.A. Current

Energy Standard Team Elite

Anxiety

Suicide

Mental health awareness

Therapy

Weakness

Toxic traits

Cognitive distortions

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, by David D. Burns

Feeling Great: The Revolutionary New Treatment for Depression and Anxiety, by David D. Burns

CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

DBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Knoxville, Tennessee

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 “in the moment” exercise

Depression and Anxiety Toolkit

The Hidden Opponent organization

Sarah Sordjstrom

Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, TN

Takeaways

Maria

Decide to use life’s challenges as things you can use to grow as a person.

Kelly

Use the 5,4,3,2,1 “in the moment” exercise to ground yourself and be really present in the moment to keep anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed at bay.

“Put yourself first. Whatever you have to do. Talk to someone, go seek help. It’s okay to put your life on hold to put yourself first. There is only one of you and you only get this one life.”. -- Madeline Banic

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

What does it actually take to lead yourself when health scares, career shifts, or sudden life crises knock you off course? Why does the athlete or professional who isn't physically the strongest still manage to rise to the top and take the gold?

​In this special episode, co-host Maria Parker turns the mic around to interview former NCAA Division I Head Coach, Pfizer leader, and author Kelly Palace. Together, they break down the core personal leadership tools inside Kelly’s book, Take Your Mark, LEAD! 10 Ways to Lead Yourself and Others Like a Champion. Drawing from life-altering adversity—including surviving breast cancer, severe health setbacks, 9/11 in New York City, and coaching elite collegiate athletes—Kelly shares practical frameworks to regain control, build unshakeable grit, and show up with authentic confidence.

​Inside this episode, you’ll discover:

• ​The Unlikely Champion Advantage: Why raw talent alone doesn't win—and the specific mental tools that allow underdogs to outperform the competition.
• ​Leading Yourself Through Major Life Crises: How to maintain daily purpose, resilience, and focus when dealing with sudden health battles or unexpected career upheavals.
• ​Olympic Coaching Wisdom for Everyday Life: Practical mindset strategies from legendary mentors like Bob Bowman and Jack Bauerle that you can apply immediately in business, sports, and family life.
• ​Authenticity Over Perfection: Why vulnerability and honest self-assessment build stronger influence than trying to look bulletproof.
• ​The 10 Action Steps: How to shift from feeling stuck or overwhelmed to building your own personal leadership toolbox.

• ​Get Kelly’s Book on Amazon: Take Your Mark, LEAD! 10 Ways to Lead Yourself and Others Like a Champion

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Hard work can often make up for a deficit of time, or even raw talent. Two-swim-sport Olympian Jordan Willimovsky joins the show to talk with Kelly and Maria about how his work ethic keeps him at the height of his career, as he prepares for his second Olympic showing in open water and pool swimming in the summer of 2021.

Sign up for your free consultation on health, leadership and life coaching with Kelly or Maria at ChampionsMojo.com/cm-coaching.

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

Jordan Wilimovsky is a world-renowned distance swimmer for both open water and the 1500 meters freestyle, in the pool. In 2016, Jordan became the first American to qualify for the Olympic Games in two separate swimming sports -- the 10K open water and the 1500 meter pool swim. Representing the U.S., Jordan had an outstanding performance at the 2016 Olympic Games finishing just outside of the medals, in 4th place. Jordan has already qualified for the current 2021 US Olympic Team in the 10K open water event. And when the U.S. holds its Olympic trials this June, Jordan will again try to make history by making the Olympic team as a two-swim-sport athlete. Jordan is a member of the CG Sports Network.

Episode Topics and Mentions

CG Sports Network

Open water swimming

2016 Olympics

Roller derby

Tour de France

Drafting

Jarrod Poort

Hannah Moore

Ashley Twichell

Pro surfing

Northwestern University

Depression and Anxiety Toolkit

Takeaways

Maria

1. Confidence comes from preparation and experience. 

Kelly

1. Remember that you will likely not be great at something the first time -- you might even fail. But just keep at it, anyway.

“If you want to succeed, you have to work incredibly hard for that and plan out your course of action for whatever you are facing.” -- Jordan Wilimovsky

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Almost everything we want comes through other people and the best leaders know this principle: You can’t be a leader without others. Influencing others begins by connecting, and in order to do that, you must take an interest in them. Today’s episode explores Dale Carnegie’s timeless values and principles from his book How to Win Friends and Influence People, with some updated ideas and tips relevant to 2021.

Sign up for your free consultation on health, leadership and life coaching with Kelly or Maria at ChampionsMojo.com/cm-coaching.

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

Tips to Win Friends

• Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.
• Give honest, sincere appreciation.
• Become genuinely interested in other people.
• Smile.
• Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
• Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
• Talk in terms of other people’s interests.
• Make the other person feel important — and do it sincerely.
  
  Tips to Influence People
  
  
• The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
• Show respect for the other person’s opinion. Never say, “you’re wrong.”
• If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
• Begin in a friendly way.
• Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
• Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
• Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires.

Episode Topics and Mentions

Pfizer

Dale Carnegie

How to Win Friends & Influence People

University of South Carolina

Depression and Anxiety Toolkit

Quote of the Week

"Talk to someone about themselves and they’ll listen for hours." -- Dale Carnegie

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Matt Biondi is one of America’s most decorated Olympic swimmers -- but he left the sport 30 years ago due to unhappiness with the status quo. He felt forced to give up his dreams to become a professional swimmer and earned a Masters Degree in Education, teaching math for nearly two decades. 

Today, he has returned to the sport as the founder of the International Swimmers Alliance, where he fights for other swimmers to have the opportunity to go professional and be compensated fairly for what they bring to an increasingly-popular American sport. He joins Kelly and Maria to talk about his motivation, tenacity and desire to right past wrongs for others.

Sign up for your free consultation on health, leadership and life coaching with Kelly or Maria at ChampionsMojo.com/cm-coaching.

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

MORE ABOUT MATT BIONDI

Matt Biondi is an 11-time Olympic medalist and a 14-time world record. Biondi competed in the Summer Olympic Games in 1984, 1988 and 1992, winning eight gold, two silver and one bronze medal. During his career, he set three individual world records in the 50-meter freestyle and four in the 100-meter freestyle. At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Biondi won five gold medals, setting world records in the 50-meter freestyle and three relay events.

Biondi is a member of the international Swimming Hall of Fame and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame and is one of the greatest American swimmers of all time.  Currently, he is working with the International Swimmers Alliance. He’s always been a proponent of swimmers earning money and having a seat at the decision-making table for competitive swimming. 

Episode Topics and Mentions

1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea

International Swimming Hall of Fame

United States Olympic Hall of Fame

International Swimmers Alliance

ISL, International Swimming League

USA Swimming

US Masters Swimming

FINA

IOC, International Olympic Committee

University of Southern California

Stanford University

Anthony Nesty

University of Florida Swimming

Conejo Valley Multisport Masters

Nancy Kirkpatrick-Reno

CVMM Matt Biondi Masters SCY Classic

Introversion

Daniel Goleman - Author

Emotional intelligence

Chuck Wilgus

Dara Torres

Perth

Steffi Graf

Janet Evans

Ray Looze

Takeaways

Maria

1. Emotional intelligence, not just physical strength and talent, is a trait of champions. When you know who you are and believe in what you are doing, you will succeed.
2. Take responsibility for your own life -- ask questions, stand up. Do not just follow the rules or routine set in front of you.

Kelly

1. You can be a leader as either an extrovert or introvert and lead with your own character strengths.
2. You never know when the thing that may have been your biggest disappointment will come full circle and be your calling, or the thing that will bring you greatness later on. 

“We all experience setbacks. It’s such a natural part of achievement.” -- Matt Biondi

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Consuming too much social media and news can be dangerous, taking its toll on happiness and mental health. There are benefits to taking a break from the constant flow of entertainment, information and interruption that we get from our cell phones and other screens. Kelly and Maria cover three common areas in need of a digital detox and 10 tips for accomplishing it for greater happiness.

Sign up for your free consultation on health, leadership and life coaching with Kelly or Maria at ChampionsMojo.com/cm-coaching.

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

Episode Topics and Mentions

Digital detox

Media fast

The Social Dilemma

Lisa Coyne

Dopamine

Andrew Huberman

Stanford University

Circadian rhythm

Melatonin

DSM (diagnostic and statistical manual of Mental Disorders)

Joel Minden

Chico Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy in California

Logan Jones

Depression and Anxiety Toolkit

Social media fast

FOMO, Fear Of Missing Out

Checky app

RISE Athlete Mentoring

3 Areas in Need of a Digital Detox 

Social Media:  The platforms are designed to be addictive and are associated with anxiety, depression, and even physical ailments. Cell phones have also been proven to be addictive. 

News: Evidence strongly indicates that consumption of news with a high negativity content is associated with mental health problems and apathy. 

The Light from Screens: Regulating the good and bad of light exposure from the sun and your computer and/or phone is of paramount importance for sound sleep and overall well being.

10 Tips for a Digital Detox

1. Start a cell phone/digital media fast.  
2. Use an app, like Checky, that tells you how much time you are spending on your phone.
3. Set realistic limits.
4. Do real stuff (work/exercise/fun outdoors) before you check your cell phone, news, social media.
5. Turn off notifications, especially audible ones.
6. Put your phone on silent before meals.
7. Keep your phone in your bedroom or turn it off or put it on silent.
8. Don’t check your phone or social a couple of hours before bed.
9. Remember that withdrawal is a real thing and be prepared for it.
10. Tell people you are trying to get over your social media/news addiction.

"The opportunity to step away from everything and take a break is something that shouldn't be squandered." -- Harper Reed

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Discipline is in the details for two-sport elite athlete Ashley Twichell who has already qualified for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in open-water swimming and will compete in June 2021 for a spot as a 1500-meter pool swimmer on Team USA. She joins the show to share her tips for discipline in the little things, leadership by example and the importance of sleep. 

Sign up for your free consultation on health, leadership and life coaching with Kelly or Maria at ChampionsMojo.com/cm-coaching.

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

MORE ABOUT ASHLEY TWICHELL

Ashley Twichell is a two-sport elite athlete in swimming and open water swimming. Ashley has already qualified for the 2021 US Olympic Team in the open water 10-kilometer race and is currently a real contender to make the 1500-meter freestyle event as well, ranking as the current 2nd fastest American woman behind Katie Ledecky, as of March 2021. If Ashley were to make the Olympic Team in the 1500-meter freestyle, she would be the first American to qualify for these two separate swimming sports in the same Olympic Games. 

Ashley, who is sponsored by TYR, is a two-time world champion in open water. She was a multiple NCAA All-American at Duke University, while posting top academics. While at Duke she rewrote Duke’s record book in the 200 free and up. She is also the 4th-fastest American woman ever in the 1500-meter event behind greats like Katie Ledecky, Kate Ziegler and Janet Evans. 

Episode Topics and Mentions

Open water swimming

Olympic Swimming

2021 Tokyo Olympics

Duke University

TYR

Katie Ledecky

Kate Ziegler 

Janet Evans

2011 US Nationals for open water swimming in Fort Lauderdale

Alex Meyer -- open water swimmer

University of North Carolina

Mission Viejo

Golden Goggle Awards

Haley Anderson

Jordan Wilimovsky

David Heron

San Antonio, Texas

Importance of sleep

Shoulder surgery

Long Beach, California

Portugal

RCP Tiburon Mile

Shanghai, China

Woebot

RISE Athlete Mentoring

Maria 

1. If you have a big goal, and don’t quite make it, you should feel good about what you accomplished.
2. Verbalize your negative thoughts and identify them. Do not internalize them.

Kelly 

1. Don’t compare yourself to others. By doing that, you take your eye off your own goal.
2. Having discipline for the little things is just as important as having discipline for the big things.

“Don’t compare yourself to others. Realize that everyone’s path is different.” -- Ashley Twichell

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

When you are organized with your time and your physical space, your energy is freed up for more cerebral, creative pursuits. Organization can also reduce stress and anxiety, leading to greater harmony at home, at work and beyond. Tune in to hear 10 tips from Kelly and Maria on organizing your life for greater Zen.

Sign up for your free consultation on health, leadership and life coaching with Kelly or Maria at ChampionsMojo.com/cm-coaching.

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

Episode Topics and Mentions

Courtney Shealy Hart

Anxiety

Calendars

Organized closets

Calend.ly

Priorities

Genevieve Parker Hill 

Google’s Keep app

RISE Athlete Mentoring

Tips to Stay Organized

1. If it takes less than five minutes, AND it’s important to you, then do it right away.
2. Put systems in place to stay organized so you can free your mind for other things.
3. Find a place for everything and always put it there -- so you always know where to find everything.
4. Don’t trust your memory. Use calendars and lists so you can trust in them to keep you organized.
5. Streamline and sync calendars and schedules so everyone involved can see them.
6. Ensure that you have clear spaces, physically and in your time, so you have space to be calm and think creatively. 
7. Know your priorities and let that lead your schedules. Start with the thing that is most important - what would disappoint you if it didn’t happen?
8. Helicopter up to make sure your actual life aligns with your priorities. Do this quarterly, at least.
9. Pay someone else to do things that you CAN do, but should spend time doing other things instead. 
10. Simplify things in your life. Let things go -- physical items and even items that consume your time. 

Maria - Use the tools in front of you, technology and otherwise, to support your organization goals.

Kelly - Don’t trust your memory. Use the scheduling and organization tools at your disposal to improve your chance for success.

Quote of the Week

“Getting organized is a sign of self-respect.” -- Gabrielle Bernstein

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

What does it mean to step into your authenticity, despite the risks? Olympic gold medalist and SwimSwam co-founder Mel Stewart returns to the show to talk with Kelly and Maria about his inspiration for swimming -- as a child and today -- and how the trauma of his early life and competitive drive have fed into his motivation, self-care and successes.

Sign up for your free consultation on health, leadership and life coaching with Kelly or Maria at ChampionsMojo.com/cm-coaching.

Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.

MORE ABOUT MEL STEWART

“Gold medal” Mel Stewart is a 1992 Olympic gold medalist in the 200-meter butterfly and co-founder of SwimSwam. Mel has also worked as an Olympic analyst for ABC, NBC, ESPN,  and TBS. Since 2008, Mel has worked with USA Swimming as an ambassador. 

In addition to being an Olympic gold medalist, Mel was a World, American and NCAA record holder. He was a pioneer in becoming a professional swimmer back in 1991, when he turned pro after his junior year of college at the University of Tennessee.

Episode Topics and Mentions

SwimSwam

Mel Stewart’s first interview on Champion’s Mojo

World War I

World War II

Patience

Dryland training

2021 Tokyo Olympics

Competitive drive

Therapy

Yoga

Meditation

Alone time

EMDR (type of therapy)

Matt Biondi

Aaron Piersol

Rowdy Gaines

Heritage USA

Jim Bakker 

Tammy Faye Bakker 

RISE Athlete Mentoring

1. It’s important to confront the trauma before we can experience calm and peace.
2. With patience, hard work can outlast the competition, even when there is rest built in.

1. Find time to just get quiet and tune into your thoughts. 
2. Tapping your authenticity makes you powerful and people cannot ignore what you are doing.

“The beauty of swimming is that it does teach you patience; the beauty of swimming is that you can have what you want, but you’re going to have to take these teeny, tiny baby steps to get there.” -- Mel Stewart

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com