Tom is joined by a great friend and mentor Coach Jamion Christian to discuss learning from adversity, creating a team of support, self-reflection in times of struggle, and more!

Follow Jamion on twitter: @JamionChristian

Follow Jamion on Instagram: @Jamion_Christian

As an advisor at Speakeasy Sports, and former head college basketball coach for a decade, Jamion thrives in challenging situations and aims to create a level of camaraderie not just in the locker room, but also in the community. Touting the phrase, “Connection is our gift to the world,” Jamion aims to create a level of transparency with everyone he works with and aligns those around him to reach elite team status, “becoming the best that WE can be while you’re becoming the best YOU can be.” 

Jamion boasts a successful resume with 10 years of Division I men’s basketball head coach experience. Christian most recently spent three seasons at The George Washington University, leading GW in 2021-22 to its most Atlantic 10 victories since 2016-17. In that season, his team outperformed preseason poll projections by a league-best six spots to earn a seventh place finish.

​A Mount Alum and four year student athlete for Coach Phelan, Christian's coaching mentors include Jim Phelan, Milan Brown, Bob Johnson, Pat Flannery, Tony Shaver and Shaka Smart.

Tom is joined by CEO and Co-Founder of SEQL Rob de Wolff to discuss equality in athletics, how SEQL is leveling the playing field, and living a life of purpose!

Rob de Wolff is the CEO and Co-Founder of SEQL, a company looking to disrupt amateur athletics by breaking down barriers in the space and pioneering a more equitable future  He attended Virginia Military Institute and 

SEQL is a Sports Social Impact Platform for the 21st-century student athlete backed by strategic VCs, partners and a rapidly growing list of industry leaders including DeAndre Hopkins, Megan Walker, Barry Sanders, Quinn Cook, Ryan Clark and Nancy Lieberman.

Tom is joined by two experienced clinicians (Kristen Mackel and Sarah Farris) to break down common myths surrounding therapy, and how we can normalize treating mental health the same as our physical health.  

About Kristen Mackel, LCSW:

Kristen Mackel, LCSW is the co-founder of The Center for Grit and Growth. For over 15 years, she has provided clinical mental health services to high performing individuals, including NCAA Division 1 athletes, professional athletes, and Olympians. She has expertise treating mood and anxiety disorders, and is listed on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Mental Health registry.

About Sarah Farris, LCPC:

Sarah Farris, LCPC is a licensed therapist in Chicago. She specializes in treating adults with anxiety, OCD and related disorders and has a special interest in mental health and athletics. Sarah’s previous experience includes working in research and university settings. Sarah received a B.S. in Psychology at Roanoke College and an M.A. in Counseling at UTSA. Sarah grew up in New Orleans, LA and began riding horses at the age of 8. She developed a passion for hunter/jumper equestrian sports and during college and graduate school, she worked part-time as a riding instructor and horse trainer. Sarah now enjoys lifting weights and occasionally participates in amateur barbell and kettlebell competitions.

Tom is joined by Elite Performance Coach and Co-Founder of the Future Fitness Training App Joshua Bonhotal to discuss how he left the top of the performance world for a fitness technology startup with unlimited potential.  Joshua talks about taking risks, the skill of showing up each day no matter how challenging it becomes, and how he coped with the anxiety and uncertainty of the future (pun intended).

About Joshua Bonhotal (@jbonhotal):

Josh Bonhotal is a Co-Founder and also VP of Performance for Future, a digital fitness and training startup that aims to revolutionize health and wellness around the world. Prior to his role with Future, Josh held positions as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Chicago Bulls and as associate director of strength and conditioning with Purdue University.  

Tom is joined by Brittany VanderGroef and Hayley Kmack (two former collegiate athletes) to discuss their experiences navigating body image as collegiate athletes, and the unrealistic standards athletes have to face today.  

About Brittany VanderGroef:

Brittany is currently an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Fordham University in The Bronx, New York. Her previous stops include Iona University and Villanova University. She completed her Master of Science in Exercise & Sport Science from Merrimack College, while holding a Graduate Fellowship position at UMass Lowell. Brittany played Division III softball at Norwich University in Vermont, while getting her undergraduate degree in exercise science.

About Hayley Kmack:

Hayley Kmack played Division I lacrosse at Siena College in Loudonville, NY. During her time with the Saints, she appeared in two MAAC championship games and led the team as a captain in her senior year. Kmack graduated from Siena in 2021 with her BA in Psychology and a Certificate in Community Development. She is now pursuing a Doctorate in School-Community Psychology at Hofstra Univeristy.

Tom is joined by South Dakota Mines Director of Performance Reg Overton to discuss the "macho man" culture in athletics, being authentic as a coach, and how to create an environment that allows athletes to be themselves.

About Reg:

Reginald “Reggie” Overton was named Director of Performance at South Dakota Mines on April 4, 2022 and is in his first year at the institution. Overton has eight years of experience in coaching performance. Prior to being added to the staff at South Dakota Mines, Overton served as the Director of Strength & Conditioning at D’Youville College, beginning in August of 2021. The first opportunity at a head coaching job in performance came with Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a position he held from Sept. 2020-Aug. 2021. Division I experience is no stranger to Overton, as he has 6 years of experience at that level between 7 different institutions. Overton spent time as an Assistant at the University of North Carolina Wilmington with supervision over softball, indoor/beach volleyball, swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, and women’s basketball, serving in that position from Dec. 2018-Aug. 2020. Before being hired at UNCW, Overton was an Strength & Conditioning coach at the University of Buffalo in 2018. Overton played collegiately on the Lehigh University football team from 2007-2008, before playing his final two seasons at Mount Union. Overton has earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science (2012) and a master’s degree in sport management (2019).

Host Tom Smalley is joined by recently retired Professional Tennis Player Kevin Anderson to discuss his journey about overcoming mental health stigma as an elite professional athlete while achieving a #5 ranking worldwide. Tom and Kevin touch on topics such as: the best ways to be a supportive coach, why OCD does NOT help performance, and what he wish he knew about anxiety at the beginning of his career.

Kevin Anderson is a Professional Tennis Player from South Africa.  He achieved a career high ranking of world number 5 and was a 2018 Wimbledon finalist and 2017 US Open finalist. He won 7 ATP singles titles and 1 ATP doubles title and was a 3x all American at University of Illinois. Kevin was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in 2019. He resides in Florida with his wife, 3 year old daughter and two dogs.

Host Tom Smalley is joined by Drexel Men's and Women's Basketball Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Hays to discuss the high performance model he is implementing at Drexel, how to help student athletes build lifelong skills, and treating athletes as human beings first.

Chris Hays joined the Drexel University Strength & Conditioning staff as the new Head S&C Coach for the Men’s & Women’s Basketball programs in May of 2022 after serving the previous four years at Coppin State University in Baltimore, MD. He operated in a similar role as the Director of Basketball Performance since November 2018 before being elevated to the Director of Sports Performance role in his final year.  Prior to Coppin State, Chris served as a Performance Coach for the 2018 NLDS Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in their minor league system. Before his time in LA, Hays served as a Performance Fellow at the University of Louisville, studying under Teena Murray, who has since served as VP of Health & Performance for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. At UofL, he assisted with various sports, while working closely with Women’s Basketball, including future draft picks Asia Durr, Dana Evans, Jazmine Jones, Kylee Shook, and future WNBA champion, Myisha Hines-Allen. Hays earned his Master of Exercise Science from The George Washington University in May 2017, while serving as a graduate assistant under the mentorship of Matt Johnson, since Head S&C for Butler Men’s Basketball.

Host Tom Smalley is joined by former college hooper Dom LeMorta to discuss how mental health challenges nearly took the game of Basketball away from him.

Join them as they discuss topics such as overcoming mental health struggles, finding a place you feel valued, youth athlete burnout, and more!

Host Tom Smalley dives into his personal mental health journey, talks about the stigma he has faced throughout his life, and previews some exciting future episodes.