The Gametime Guru

Athletes train their bodies every day, but how often do they train their minds?

In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I sit down with Tyra Rickman, former collegiate basketball player, counselor, coach, and founder of Rickman Health and Wellness, to talk about one of the most important topics in sports today: athlete mental health.

Tyra played college basketball at the College of Idaho, coached high school athletes here in the Treasure Valley, and now works directly with athletes on the mental health side of performance. In this conversation, we talk about the pressure young athletes face, the transition from high school to college sports, athletic identity, anxiety, depression, confidence, emotional regulation, and the tools athletes need to handle life both on and off the court.

One of the biggest themes in this episode is identity. So many athletes define themselves only by the sport they play. But what happens when they get injured? What happens when they do not play as much as they expected? What happens when the season ends, the jersey comes off, or life hits hard?

Tyra explains why athletes need to understand who they are outside of sports and how that foundation can help them build real confidence, resilience, and emotional strength.

We also talk about practical mental skills athletes can use, including daily check-ins, learning how to name emotions, understanding where stress shows up in the body, building a mental health plan, and treating the mental game the same way athletes treat physical training.

This episode is not just for athletes. It is also for parents, coaches, trainers, counselors, and anyone who works with young competitors. Tyra shares great insight on how coaches can better support their players, why listening matters, how to help athletes compartmentalize emotions, and why coaches also need to take care of their own mental health during the season.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why athlete mental health matters
• The pressure young athletes face today
• How athletic identity affects confidence
• The transition from high school sports to college athletics
• Why athletes need to know who they are outside of their sport
• Anxiety, depression, and emotional regulation in athletes
• How to build mental skills the same way you build physical skills
• Why daily check-ins can help athletes manage stress
• How coaches can better support athletes as humans
• Why coaches need mental health tools too
• The importance of creating a plan for mental performance
• How Rickman Health and Wellness supports athletes and teams

Tyra also shares how she works with athletes through Rickman Health and Wellness, including mental health programs, athlete-focused support, team talks, and virtual options for athletes outside of Idaho.

Learn more about Tyra Rickman and Rickman Health and Wellness here:

https://rickmanhw.com

Follow Rickman Health and Wellness on social media:

@RickmanHW

If you are an athlete, parent, coach, or someone who cares about the future of sports, this conversation is an important reminder that athletes are humans first.

Make sure to subscribe to The Gametime Guru Podcast for more conversations that help you see sports through a different lens.

What can soccer teach us about becoming better leaders?

In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I sit down with Winsor Jenkins, author, leadership development coach, and expert in collaborative leadership, team development, and organizational development.

Winsor has spent decades helping leaders and teams grow, and in this conversation, we dive into why so many organizations struggle with collaboration, communication, trust, delegation, and leadership mindset.

Winsor is the author of The Collaborator and Game of Teams, two books that use soccer as a metaphor for leadership and teamwork. We talk about why soccer is such a powerful model for modern business, especially in a world where teams need to adapt quickly, move together, trust one another, and perform without waiting for constant direction from the top.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why collaborative leadership matters in today's workplace
• How soccer can teach us about teamwork, trust, and adaptability
• The difference between command-and-control leadership and collaborative leadership
• Why leadership is more about mindset than skill set
• How leaders can avoid becoming the bottleneck for their teams
• Why even "A players" still need coaching and development
• The importance of delegation, self-awareness, and trust
• What business teams can learn from "keeping their shape"
• Why grit and persistence matter in sports, business, and leadership

This conversation is a great reminder that sports are bigger than the game. Whether you are leading a team in business, coaching athletes, managing people, or trying to grow personally, there are powerful lessons we can take from the way great teams operate.

Learn more about Winsor Jenkins, his books, blog, and leadership development work here:

https://winsorjenkins.com/

Sponsored by Grit Sticks

This episode is brought to you by Grit Sticks, the perfect protein-packed snack for athletes, coaches, busy parents, business owners, and anyone who needs clean fuel on the go.

The Gametime Guru audience understands the value of preparation, discipline, toughness, and doing things the right way. That is exactly why Grit Sticks are such a strong fit for this community. They are made with 100% American beef, packed with 14-15 grams of protein, and made with zero MSG, no hormones, and no nitrates.

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If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to The Gametime Guru Podcast and leave a review. I appreciate your support as we continue to bring on guests who help us see sports through a different lens.

What does it take to build a winning basketball program?

In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I sit down with Blaine Wright, head coach of the Columbia High School Boys Basketball program in Nampa, Idaho, for a powerful conversation on leadership, culture, accountability, and building something bigger than basketball.

Coach Wright shares how Columbia Basketball has created a culture centered around "oneness," belief, trust, love, and buy-in from players, coaches, parents, and the community. This conversation goes far beyond X's and O's. It is about what real leadership looks like when you care about the people you lead while still holding them to a high standard.

Blaine talks about growing up in Shelley, Idaho, competing as a multi-sport athlete, getting married young, learning responsibility early, and how those experiences helped shape the coach and leader he is today. He also shares what he has learned from winning programs, why leadership is relationships, and why every player matters — including the players who may not get many minutes on the court.

We also dive into the rise of Columbia Boys Basketball, the energy around the program, the power of community support, the "Man in the Arena" award, the importance of selfless leadership, and what it means to build a culture where players truly believe in each other.

If you are a coach, athlete, parent, business leader, teacher, or someone who cares about leadership and team culture, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Coach Blaine Wright helped build a winning culture at Columbia High School
• Why "oneness" has become the heartbeat of Columbia Basketball
• How love and accountability can work together in leadership
• Why winning is a skill that must be taught
• The importance of multi-sport athletes in high school sports
• Why every player needs to feel valued, even if they are not the star
• How business leadership and basketball coaching overlap
• What today's young athletes are facing off the court
• Why selfless leadership matters in sports, business, and life
• What Columbia Basketball is building for the future

This is one of those conversations that reminds us why sports matter. It is not just about wins, trophies, or stat sheets. It is about people, culture, relationships, and helping young athletes become better men.

Subscribe to The Gametime Guru Podcast for more conversations with coaches, athletes, sports figures, and leaders who help us see sports through a different lens.

What does it really mean to train your mind like you train your body?

In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I'm joined by Vera Jo Bustos, also known as Coach VJ, a mental performance coach, keynote speaker, former professional basketball player, and former college basketball coach. Vera Jo brings a powerful perspective on confidence, pressure, performance anxiety, self-talk, and the mental side of sports.

Coach VJ shares her journey from growing up as a multi-sport athlete in Las Vegas, New Mexico, to playing college basketball at Adams State, competing professionally in Greece, coaching at the Division I and Division II levels, and now helping athletes, coaches, executives, and high performers strengthen their mental performance.

We break down the difference between mental health and mental performance, and Vera Jo explains why mental performance is like the weight room for your mind. Just like athletes train their body and their craft, they also have to train their mindset, focus, confidence, resilience, and ability to stay present when pressure hits.

This conversation is especially valuable for athletes, parents of athletes, coaches, and leaders who want to better understand how confidence is built, why self-talk matters, and how to respond when mistakes, nerves, or doubt show up in competition.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How mental performance helps athletes and high performers
• The difference between mental health and mental performance
• Why confidence is something you can train
• How athletes can handle pressure and performance anxiety
• Why butterflies before a game may actually mean you are ready
• The role of self-talk in athletic performance
• What it means to be mentally tough
• Why athletes need to find the right fit at the next level
• How coaches can balance high challenge with high support
• Why the complete athlete trains the body, craft, and mind

Whether you are a youth athlete, high school athlete, college athlete, coach, parent, or business leader, this episode will help you look at performance through a different lens.

Connect with Coach VJ: Mentality Solutions: mentalitysolutions.com Coach VJ Speaking: coachvj.com

Subscribe to The Gametime Guru Podcast for more athlete interviews, coaching conversations, leadership lessons, and sports stories that help you see sports through a different lens.

In this episode of The Gametime Guru, I sit down with Todd Smith, author of Relegated, to break down one of the most fascinating systems in global sports: promotion and relegation in English soccer.

As an American sports fan, I've always been intrigued by the idea that a team can lose its place in the top league based on performance. In the United States, struggling teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS can have bad seasons and still remain in the league. But in English football, the stakes are completely different. If a club finishes at the bottom of the table, it can be relegated to a lower division, losing money, visibility, players, TV revenue, and even part of its identity.

Todd Smith experienced this system firsthand while researching his book Relegated. He traveled across the English football pyramid, visiting Premier League stadiums, lower league clubs, small towns, gritty industrial cities, and passionate football communities to understand what relegation really means beyond the scoreboard.

In this conversation, Todd and I talk about how relegation works in English soccer, why promotion and relegation creates real stakes every season, how football clubs impact local economies, and why soccer fandom in England is so deeply connected to identity, history, class, community, and pride.

We also discuss whether relegation could ever work in American sports. Could the NFL, NBA, MLB, or MLS ever adopt a promotion and relegation system? Would American owners ever allow that much financial risk? And what would happen if a major franchise could actually lose its place in the top league?

This episode is perfect for soccer fans, Premier League fans, MLS fans, sports business fans, and anyone interested in the cultural and economic impact of sports around the world.

Make sure to grab a copy of Relegated by Todd Smith and follow his work: Website: toddsmithauthor.com Instagram: @relegatedthebook

Subscribe to The Gametime Guru for more interviews with athletes, coaches, authors, sports figures, and leaders from around the world as I help you see sports through a different lens.

In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I sit down with my good friend Tyler Hoyt, a head high school basketball coach in the Treasure Valley and the owner of Fastbreak Digital Media.

Tyler brings a unique perspective as both a coach and business owner, and we dive into the parallels between sports, business, leadership, setbacks, and personal growth.

We talk about Tyler's journey growing up in Southern California, playing college basketball, getting cut at the junior college level, stepping into coaching, becoming a head coach, and building a marketing agency from the ground up.

Tyler also shares what he has learned about leading players, parents, employees, and clients with humility, grace, accountability, and purpose. We discuss why setbacks do not define you, how to keep going when things get hard, and why remembering your "why" matters in both sports and business.

If you are an athlete, coach, business owner, parent, or leader, this conversation will give you a powerful reminder of why sports are bigger than the game.

Learn more about Tyler Hoyt and Fastbreak Digital Media: fastbreakdigitalmedia.com

Follow The Gametime Guru for more conversations that help you see sports through a different lens.

This episode is brought to you by Fascia Sticks.

As athletes, lifters, runners, coaches, and everyday movers, we all deal with tight spots that are hard to reach. The Fascia Stick Pro is a stainless steel precision tool designed to help target smaller areas like the hands, feet, neck, jaw, temples, and around joints where tension can build up.

It's portable, easy to keep in a gym bag, and can even be chilled in the freezer for cold therapy on those smaller areas. Whether you're training hard, recovering between workouts, coaching all day, or just trying to move and feel better, this is a simple tool worth checking out.

Use my affiliate link for a discount: fasciasticks.com/GAMETIME15

Disclosure: This is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a commission if you purchase through it, at no extra cost to you.

Note: Fascia Sticks products are cosmetic wellness accessories and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition.

In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I sit down with Keegan Keller, the head boys basketball coach at Shelley High School in Idaho, for a conversation about high school basketball coaching, team culture, player development, leadership, and building trust with athletes.

Coach Keller shares how growing up as the son of a high school basketball coach shaped the way he watches the game, studies players, and teaches basketball IQ. We talk about why today's athletes need to spend more time watching basketball, learning from great players, and understanding the small details that help them improve.

We also dive into the reality of being a high school basketball coach beyond the court, including fundraising, travel, summer tournaments, program budgets, parent communication, and creating opportunities for players from all backgrounds.

A big part of this conversation focuses on basketball culture. Coach Keller explains how he builds relationships with his players, creates buy-in, holds athletes accountable, and prepares them for big moments on and off the court.

We also discuss the Shelley Russets basketball program, small-town sports in Idaho, the upcoming season, players to watch, and the leadership lessons that sports can teach in life and business.

If you're a basketball coach, high school athlete, parent, sports fan, or someone who loves conversations about leadership and athlete development, this episode is for you.

This episode is brought to you by Fascia Sticks.

As athletes, lifters, runners, coaches, and everyday movers, we all deal with tight spots that are hard to reach. The Fascia Stick Pro is a stainless steel precision tool designed to help target smaller areas like the hands, feet, neck, jaw, temples, and around joints where tension can build up.

It's portable, easy to keep in a gym bag, and can even be chilled in the freezer for cold therapy on those smaller areas. Whether you're training hard, recovering between workouts, coaching all day, or just trying to move and feel better, this is a simple tool worth checking out.

Use my affiliate link for a discount: fasciasticks.com/GAMETIME15

Disclosure: This is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a commission if you purchase through it, at no extra cost to you.

Note: Fascia Sticks products are cosmetic wellness accessories and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition.

What really happens behind the scenes for basketball referees?

In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I sit down with Paul Diasparra, the founder of Crown Refs, to talk about the side of basketball that coaches, players, parents, and fans often misunderstand: officiating.

I'll be honest — those who know me know referees and I have not always seen eye-to-eye. As a former player and now as a coach, I've had my share of frustrations with officials. But that's exactly why this conversation was so valuable.

Paul gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what basketball officials go through before, during, and after games. We talk about how referees prepare, how they study film, how they communicate with coaches, how they handle missed calls, and why the "next play mentality" matters just as much for officials as it does for athletes.

We also get into one of the biggest issues in youth and high school sports today: the shortage of referees. Paul explains why so many officials are leaving the game, how parents and coaches can be better, and why respect, sportsmanship, and emotional intelligence matter if we want to improve the game as a whole.

Paul has built Crown Refs into a powerful training platform and community for officials who want to perfect their craft. From film breakdowns and mentorship to camps and communication training, Crown Refs is helping officials grow and stay connected to the game.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Paul got started in basketball and officiating
• The origin story behind Crown Refs
• Why there is a shortage of youth and high school referees
• How coaches should communicate with officials
• Why respectful questions get better answers
• How referees study film and break down plays
• What officials look for with positioning, whistle timing, and signals
• How referees handle missed calls and move on
• The physical demands of officiating basketball
• Why health, fitness, and nutrition matter for referees
• How officials work together as a crew
• Advice for young referees who want to stay involved in the game
• Where Crown Refs is headed in the future

Whether you are a coach, player, parent, referee, or sports fan, this conversation will help you see the game from a different lens.

Follow Paul and Crown Refs: Instagram: @crownrefs TikTok: @crownrefs YouTube: Crown Refs Patreon: Crown Refs

Make sure to subscribe to The Gametime Guru Podcast for more conversations with athletes, coaches, officials, and sports figures from around the world.

It's not always easy coming back from a major injury, especially when it's something as serious as an Achilles rupture.

In this episode of The Gametime Guru, Shane Larson sits down with Idaho MMA fighter Ariel Frantz to talk about her return to the cage after three surgeries and two years away from the sport. Ariel shares what fight week looks like, the mental and physical grind of cutting weight, how she approaches recovery, and what it takes to get back into competition after a devastating setback.

They also dive into Ariel's background as a Boise State softball player, the parallels between sports and life, balancing a full-time job while training, and the mindset needed to keep pushing forward in the fight game. This is a conversation about resilience, discipline, confidence, and chasing what you love even when the road gets hard.

If you're an athlete, a fight fan, or someone working to come back from adversity, this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Gametime Guru, Shane Larson sits down with Tiffany Deering to talk about one of the biggest challenges facing young athletes and their families today: the recruiting process.

Tiffany shares her journey from playing competitive softball in Southern California to becoming a national champion at the University of Michigan, and how that experience shaped the way she now helps families navigate recruiting. She explains how the process has changed over the years, why today's athletes often feel overwhelmed, and how APS Recruits was built to help simplify the chaos.

Shane and Tiffany also dive into the real pain points families face, including coach communication, social media pressure, highlight videos, camp planning, and the stress of trying to stay organized while still enjoying the sport. They discuss how APS Recruits helps athletes streamline outreach, track engagement, and stay proactive in building relationships with college programs. Tiffany also shares that families can learn more at apsrecruits.com.

This conversation is a valuable listen for softball players, parents, coaches, and anyone trying to better understand what it takes to navigate recruiting in today's sports world. One of the biggest messages from Tiffany is simple: start early, stay consistent, and don't let the process steal the joy of the game.

If you enjoy the episode, be sure to follow The Gametime Guru on your favorite podcast platform and share this with a softball family who could benefit from it.