Episode #17 In today's episode, I interview one of my former student-athletes Mark Finkevych. He came to the US after winning a Future Leaders Exchange Program of over 10,000 applicants from Ukraine.

After putting in the work on the court and a successful High School tennis session his exchange program was cut short by the COVID Pandemic and he was asked to fly back home. A few years later, his country would be invaded by Russia where he would be asked to stay and protect his nation and his family relocated to a safe place.

Mark is a tremendous worker and has so many valuable lessons to teach the listeners based on his experience. We walk through his BTB Journey and his words of wisdom will inspire you all.

Episode #16: In today's BTB Short, we talk about "Fear" Life can be unpredictable, and there is a lot going on in the world. Feelings of fear and worry are perfectly natural. However, worrying constantly or excessively about what ‘may’ happen can get you stuck in a cycle of harmful thoughts and behaviors. We talk about some examples of fear both personally and in moments as a coach that will resonate with each and every one of you.

Breathing is one way to overcome Fear and create alignment to help stay present each and every day. At the end of the episode, I walk you through a quick breathing exercise you can use daily to shatter Fear and stay on track to achieve your goals.

Overcoming Adversity: My Journey with Spinal Tumors and Triumph in TennisIn Episode 17 of the BTB Project, Kollman Gearhart, a former athlete and motivational coach, shares his inspiring journey of overcoming significant adversity. As a college senior playing tennis, Coleman's life took a dramatic turn when a back injury led to the discovery of a schwannoma tumor in his spine. In this heartfelt episode, he details the physical and emotional challenges he faced, including undergoing a life-altering surgery and learning to walk again. Despite enduring significant pain and setbacks, Coleman's determination and innovative use of a two-handled tennis racket allowed him to continue his passion for tennis. He also touches upon his transition to coaching and shares how his struggles have enabled him to inspire and help others. This episode is a testament to resilience, illustrating how personal trials can be transformed into empowering life experiences.00:00 Introduction to Episode 1500:29 The Life-Changing Diagnosis03:36 The Tumor and Its Impact12:18 The Surgery and Recovery22:00 Challenges and Triumphs in Grad School26:50 Coaching and Continued Health Struggles33:43 The Two-Handled Tennis Racket46:02 Reflections and Lessons Learned51:28 Conclusion and Motivation

Schwannoma Research

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schwannoma/cdc-20352974

Two Handeled Tennis Racket

http://www.naturaltennis.com/

Win Your Morning, Win Your Day: Essential Morning Routine Traits | BTB Project Ep. 14In Episode 14 of the BTB Project, Kollman Gearhart delves into the critical importance of owning your morning to set yourself up for daily success. Drawing from a Via360.com article and incorporating insights from Hal Elrod's 'Morning Miracle,' Coleman outlines six essential traits for a powerful morning routine: silence, affirmations, visualization, journaling, reading, and exercise. Through personal anecdotes and scientific backing, this episode aims to provide listeners with actionable tools to optimize their mornings and, by extension, their entire day. Tune in to be motivated and learn how to implement these habits to transform your life.00:00 Introduction to Episode 1400:20 The Power of Owning Your Morning02:41 Benefits of a Morning Routine10:33 Six Essential Traits for a Successful Morning17:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Morning Miracle

https://miraclemorning.com/

Episode #13 On today's episode, I interview the great Kellen Damico, we talk through his junior tennis career and important lessons learned along the way. His story will inspire you and encourage you to go after anything you want in life. Here is a list of what we discussed on the Podcast:

Kellen is the holder of one of the most impressive junior tennis resumes in Colorado history, Kellen captured the 2006 Wimbledon Junior Championship boys’ doubles title (Nate Schnugg), and was a finalist that same year at the Australian Open Junior Championships (Schnugg). In 2007, he advanced to the French Open Junior boys’ singles semifinals and was also a finalist in doubles (Jonathan Eysseric). Kellen competed in the main draw in men’s doubles at the US Open in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, he captured the boys’ doubles title (Schnugg) at the USTA Boys’ 18 National Championships in Kalamazoo, MI. In ITF world rankings, Kellen reached a ranking high of No. 1 in doubles and No. 5 in singles during his junior career. At the University of Texas, Kellen was a 2008 doubles All-American and named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team (No. 1 doubles w/ Ed Corrie). In 2010, he won the Big 12 Championship crown at No. 2 doubles (Ed Corrie).

At the University of Texas:

2008 ITA All-American (doubles)
2010 Big 12 champion, No. 2 doubles (with Ed Corrie)
2008 NCAA All-Tournament Team (No. 1 doubles with Ed Corrie)
2008 All-Big 12 (singles and doubles)

Record
Singles: 73-39
Doubles: 69-28
Dual-Match Singles: 48-27

Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame 2017

Episode #12 is my first BTB short Podcast!

These episodes are focused on weekly motivation on topics in 15 minutes or less. I really wanted to start a podcast 13 years ago and every part of me found a way to talk my way out of starting.

Ideally, 85% of your problems should be solved ASAP! I didn't realize that until I saw how indecision made matters worse in life.

One of my greatest podcast mentors is Ed Mylatt and he says "Most problems and obstacles in life are caused by INDECISION. Instead of taking MASSIVE ACTION toward what they want in life, most people become stagnant and frozen in the face of a challenge and NEVER make a decision."

In today's episode, If you want to eliminate problems from your life, the #1 system you need to adopt is becoming a DECISIVE person, who moves with CERTAINTY and takes MASSIVE ACTION. This system will obliterate 85% of your problems immediately!

Think about the most significant problem you have right now. What effect is it having on your life? Is it affecting your family life? Is it affecting your work? Your faith? Your finances? Your happiness? Your health? Now imagine what your life would be like if it didn’t exist. Problem GONE!

Make a decision, value your mission and goals, be positive, and understand decisions aren't always perfect but it's much better the no ACTION at all.

Episode #11 Chad Tsuda was a two-time individual champion while attending Fairview High School in 2001 and 2002. He returned as head coach to help bring the Knights their elusive first-team title over powerhouse Cherry Creek High School in 2017. Tsuda, a four-year No. 1 singles player at Fairview, graduated in 2002. Over a dominant high school career, he qualified for the state tournament in each of the four seasons and capped his legacy with back-to-back titles as a junior and senior, losing just one match in the two-year span.

He played collegiately at the University of Colorado, helping lead the Buffs to No. 23 in the nation in doubles and singles as a senior, the highest in school history. After college, he played in Europe before returning to the area to serve as a private instructor and coach with the Knights starting in 2008.

Under Tsuda, Fairview has won the Front Range League tournament title in each of his 12 years at the helm. In 2017, the Knights broke new ground when it won the program’s first state title in history, knocking off stalwart Cherry Creek, who they finished second to the previous six seasons.

While at Fairview, Tsuda taught lessons at Rich’s Tennis School before transitioning to Meadows Swim and Tennis Club, where he also serves as the director of tennis. His story is inspiring and you'll learn the importance of removing the "I" in a team to find true success on and off the court.

Link to CHSAA Tennis Champions Page 2017:

http://chsaanow.com/2017-10-14/5a-boys-state-tennis-chatfields-christian-holmes-fairview-win-titles/

Lesson inquiries

[email protected]

Episode #10 In 2003 I went on a weight journey to help accomplish my goal of playing college tennis. I never knew it would lead to so many lessons learned and more importantly, teaching moments to help me help others as I do today. Obesity currently affects four out of 10 Americans, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While weight and overall health aren’t always connected, obesity is often considered a cause of multiple comorbid and chronic medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, some forms of cancer and heart disease.

Obesity is an epidemic and a meaningful conversation to have, I hope my journey will inspire you to run after any goals you have in your life. Impossible is nothing!

Upscale Attitude Article

https://www.greeleytribune.com/2005/03/03/upscale-attitude/

Forbes Health Article

https://www.forbes.com/health/body/obesity-statistics/

Episode #9 -In today's episode, I interview one of the greatest college coaches of all time. Coach Dick Gould is truly a college tennis coaching legend. As the head men’s tennis coach at Stanford University for 38 years his teams won 17 NCAA team championships and he holds a record of 776 wins and 148 losses. He has coached 10 NCAA singles champions, 7 NCAA doubles champions, 50 All-Americans, and nine players who reached the top 15 in the ATP world singles rankings at hold 72 Grand Slam Championships in singles, doubles, and mixed. He was named the ITA-Wilson "Coach of the Decade" both in the 1980s and the 1990s and was inducted into the USPTA Hall of Fame in 2019.

He's the author of "Anatomy of a Champion" a book that focuses on championship traits shared by over 166 of his former players.

In this podcast Coach Gould discusses his childhood, what makes him tick as a coach, his family, fundraising, and many other lessons he learned along the way. Coach Gould started his Built to Be journey as a coach at Foothills Junior College and found himself back at Standford after a tremendous playing career as the head coach in 1966. He never took the future of the Stanford program for granted. As you will learn through this conversation he worked tirelessly to endow every aspect of Stanford tennis so that future Stanford coaches would never have to worry about the sustainability of the programs. You will be inspired by his story as we walk through his Built to Be journey to become the man he is today. 

https://anatomyofachampion.net/

My 57-Year Stanford Story

https://stanford_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/Feature/DickGould/index.html

EPATT

https://www.epatt.org/board-of-directors

TeachAids Concussion Awareness

https://teachaids.org/updates/tag/dick-gould/

Episode #8 is here, and I couldn't be more honored to share with you the extraordinary Built to Be journey of my beloved mother, Peggy Gearhart. Join me as we delve into her inspiring story, shedding light on the challenges she faced and her unwavering determination to overcome them.

Eighteen years have passed since Peggy's tragic loss to alcohol addiction, a struggle that has unfortunately touched the lives of countless individuals directly or indirectly. Now, more than ever, it's crucial to address the impact of addiction and provide support to those in need. Through sharing her story in its entirety, we hope to shed light on the WHY behind the BTB Project "Helping others."

Prepare to be inspired as you witness Peggy's perseverance in the face of a difficult childhood and her unwavering fighting spirit as she confronted her addiction head-on during her time in rehab. Her story is a testament to the human spirit's resilience and the power of personal transformation.

Join us on this profound journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and healing. Together, we can gain a deeper understanding of addiction's complexities and find inspiration in Peggy's journey to make a positive impact on others.

Tune in now to Episode #8 and be captivated by Peggy's story—a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human soul. Let's come together, support one another, and forge a path of hope and empowerment.

Subscribe to the BTB Project Podcast and let's make a difference together!

❤️ Margaret "Peggy" Gearhart: Triumph over Adversity ❤️

Addiction resources:

Parker Valley Hope Addiction Treatment and Recovery Center

https://valleyhope.org/

Father Martin Ashley Addiction Treatment 

https://www.ashleytreatment.org/