On this episode of Thinklete, Derek Shunk sits down with Emma Lapierre, an Accredited Social Worker specializing in athlete mental health, to explore the unique mental pressures athletes face—especially neurodivergent athletes navigating performance, perfectionism, emotional regulation, and burnout.

Emma shares both professional insight and personal experience as a former athlete, offering practical guidance for parents and coaches supporting neurodivergent kids in sports. Derek also opens up about real challenges he’s faced as a parent of a neurodivergent athlete, leading to an honest conversation about pressure, confidence, coaching environments, and building sustainable mental strength.

If you're a parent, coach, or athlete trying to balance competition, confidence, and mental health, this episode provides practical strategies and a powerful reminder: success in sport starts with understanding how each athlete’s brain works.

About Emma LapierreEmma Lapierre is an Accredited Social Worker with a background in mental health and sport social work. She supports young athletes and their families as they navigate performance pressure, confidence challenges, and the emotional ups and downs that come with competitive sport. Drawing on both professional training and lived experience, Emma has a strong interest in supporting neurodivergent athletes to identify their strengths and thrive in sport.

Learn more about Emma:🌐 www.rysewellbeing.com.au📧 [email protected]
📱 Instagram:@mindfultherapistem@rysewellbeing

On almost every team, there are young athletes who want to succeed. They look capable. They understand the game. They care. But something isn’t clicking.They’re inconsistent. They overreact. They miss instructions. And too often, they get labeled lazy, unfocused, or "uncoachable".But what if the issue isn’t effort? What if it’s processing??In this episode, Derek sits down with Dr. Timothy Baghurst and Dr. Christopher Stanley, co-authors of Reach Every Athlete, to explore how coaches can better support athletes with hidden disabilities and neurodivergent conditions — including ADHD, autism spectrum differences, learning disabilities, processing challenges, and more.This conversation challenges the one-size-fits-all coaching model and reframes breakdowns in performance as understanding gaps — not discipline failures.This episode is not about lowering standards. It’s about coaching with more precision.Because when you understand how an athlete processes the world, you don’t reduce expectations — you remove unnecessary barriers.If you’re a parent, volunteer coach, high school coach, or athletic director, this is a must-listen conversation.🎙️ About Out Guests:Dr. Christopher Stanley is a sport and performance psychology professor and coach specializing in athlete development and neurodivergence in sport. He co-authored Reach Every Athlete, helping coaches better support athletes with hidden disabilities and processing differences.

Learn more about Dr. Stanley ➡️ https://www.uws.edu/faculty/byname/ch...Dr. Timothy Baghurst is Director of FSU COACH at Florida State University and a leading scholar in athletic coaching education. He co-authored Reach Every Athlete, focusing on practical strategies to help coaches create more effective, inclusive environments.Learn more about Dr. Baghurst ➡️ https://www.timbaghurst.com/📕 Purchase their book, 'Reach Every Athlete' ➡️ https://www.amazon.com/Reach-Every-At...

Every parent says they just want what’s best for their kid.But in youth sports, that line gets blurry fast.When does support turn into pressure?When does coaching cross into control?And how do you raise a competitive athlete without damaging the relationship?In this episode of Thinklete, Derek sits down with Ben Cecchini, author of Full-Time Parent… Part-Time Coach, to unpack the real challenges parent-coaches face today.This conversation dives into:How to be caring, fun, and fair in youth sportsThe difference between intention and impact in communicationWhy the post-game car ride matters more than you thinkPraising the process vs. praising performanceTeaching grit without yellingUsing breathwork and emotional regulation as a coachLetting go of ego in youth sportsRaising resilient athletes without burnoutBen shares practical tools for balancing competitiveness with connection — and why your primary job is always to be a parent first.If you’re coaching your child…If you’ve ever left a game frustrated…If you care about long-term development more than trophies…This episode is for you.📚 Learn More from Ben Cecchini ⬇️📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/givengrow.co/?hl=en🌱 Give & Grow:https://www.giveandgrow.co📘 Full-Time Parent… Part-Time Coach: A Practical Guide for How to Be a Caring, Fun, and Fair Youth Sports Coachhttps://www.amazon.ae/Full-Time-Parent-Part-Time-Coach-Practical/dp/0578706458

Talent gets you noticed. Character keeps you in the room.

In this powerful episode of the Thinklete Podcast, Derek sits down with former NFL defensive back, Vernon Kearney, to talk about what truly separates elite athletes from the rest, neurodivergent or not.

After playing at Lane College and spending time with the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cleveland Browns, Coach Vern transitioned from professional football to purpose-driven impact. Today, he’s the founder of Peak Performance Outreach, where he develops speed, strength, and agility — but more importantly, discipline, emotional regulation, accountability, and mental toughness in young athletes.

This conversation goes far beyond drills and combine prep.

Coach Vern shares:

• Why coachability is the #1 trait of elite athletes

• How to build grit without breaking a child’s confidence

• Why emotional kids don’t need to be silenced — they need to be guided

• The importance of learning how to lose

• How mental training (yes, even chess) shapes game-day performance

• What parents and coaches can do if they don’t have access to elite training

• Why discipline, order, and structure create freedom

Derek also shares personal insight from having his own son train under Coach Vern — and the transformation that happens when physical training is paired with intentional mental development.

Whether you’re a parent of a neurodivergent athlete, a coach trying to build stronger character in your players, or someone who believes success is built long before the spotlight — this episode will challenge and inspire you.

Because in the end, it’s not about the hill.
It’s about who you become running it.

Check Out Coach Vern's Peak Performance Outreach:

https://www.peakperformanceoutreach.com/

www.instagram.com/peakperformanceath_

On this episode of Thinklete, Derek Shunk sits down with John O’Sullivan, internationally recognized TEDx speaker, youth sports expert, and founder of the Changing the Game Project, an organization dedicated to helping parents and coaches create environments where young athletes can thrive.

John is the author of three #1 bestselling books — Changing the Game, Every Moment Matters, and Champion Teammate — and host of the Way of Champions Podcast, one of the top-rated podcasts in the world for coaches.

A former collegiate and professional soccer player with more than 20 years of coaching experience at the youth, high school, and college levels, John has consulted with organizations including the US Olympic Committee, US Soccer, USA Football, USA Swimming, USA Lacrosse, Ireland Rugby, and Aussie Rules Football. He also serves on the National Advisory Boards for the Positive Coaching Alliance and the National Association for Physical Literacy.

In this conversation, Derek and John discuss how modern youth sports have shifted toward pressure, early specialization, and adult agendas—and what parents and coaches can do to create environments where kids develop confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love of sports.

Topics include:

• Why youth sports should prioritize development over results• The dangers of early specialization and year-round competition• How parents influence their child’s sports experience• Why great coaching is built on relationships, not just tactics• How to help young athletes develop resilience and confidence

The biggest takeaway: sports should develop better people, not just better players.

🎙️ Follow John at instagram.com/ctgprojecthq✔️ Check out his website: https://changingthegameproject.com/

In this episode of the Thinklete Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Ross Greene, author of The Explosive Child and Lost at School, to challenge everything we’ve been taught about discipline, behavior, and defiance.

Dr. Greene’s core belief is simple—and disruptive: kids do well if they can. When they don’t, the issue isn’t motivation or attitude—it’s unmet skills and unsolved problems.

This conversation covers:

• Why behavior is a signal, not the problem

• Why punishment and rewards fail to build skills

• How environment shapes regulation and resilience

• The power of collaborative problem solving over control

• What parents and coaches can do when kids keep struggling

This episode is for parents, coaches, and educators who feel stuck in power struggles—and are ready for a better way to help kids grow without lowering expectations.

🎧 Listen, rethink discipline, and start solving the right problems.

Follow Dr. Ross Greene:

Website: https://livesinthebalance.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livesinthebalance/

Website: https://cpsconnection.com/

Documentary: https://www.thekidswelose.com/

In this episode of the Thinklete Podcast, I sit down with Coach Werther Marciales, founder of Fellowship Jiu-Jitsu in Sarasota, Florida, for a deep, honest conversation about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, neurodivergent athletes, and real-world development beyond wins and medals.

Coach Werther shares his personal journey—from struggling with ADHD as a kid, losing his first 19 wrestling matches, and finding confidence through combat sports—to becoming a coach who prioritizes character, resilience, and emotional growth as much as physical skill.

Together, they explore:

• Why Jiu-Jitsu is uniquely powerful for neurodivergent and neurotypical kids

• How holding all athletes to the same standard builds confidence and fairness

• Teaching kids to handle failure, frustration, and emotional regulation

• The role of respect, discipline, and environment in long-term success

• Why culture matters more than trophies, facilities, or price

• How combat sports help kids develop social skills, confidence, and mental toughness that transfer to school, relationships, and life

This episode is a must-watch for:
✔ Parents of neurodivergent athletes (ADHD, ASD, sensory challenges)
✔ Coaches looking to build strong, fair, development-first programs
✔ Anyone who believes youth sports should prepare kids for life, not just competition

If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s a better alternative to traditional team sports—or what kind of environment truly helps kids thrive—this conversation delivers real answers.

👉 Subscribe for more conversations on youth sports, mental performance, and athlete development
👉 Comment below if Jiu-Jitsu or martial arts has impacted your child’s confidence or growth

⬇️Follow Werther below:

Fellowship Jiu-Jitsu: https://fellowshipjiujitsu.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fellowshipjiujitsusarasota/?hl=en

In this powerful episode of Thinklete, Derek Shunk sits down with Eric Chessen, founder of Autism Fitness, to explore how fitness can become a lifelong skill for neurodivergent athletes—not just a short-term activity.

Eric shares his personal journey from a non-elite sports background to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt, strength coach, and behavior science specialist. Along the way, he explains how his dual background in psychology and strength training led him to develop a groundbreaking, evidence-based approach to fitness for autistic and neurodivergent individuals—one that prioritizes autonomy, trust, structure, and meaningful progress over force or rigid expectations.

This conversation dives deep into:

• Why fitness must be done with athletes, not to them

• How choice, structure, and behavior-specific praise drive motivation and perseverance

• The difference between pain vs. discomfort—and why it matters in coaching

• How parents and coaches can support neurodivergent athletes without lowering standards

• Why repetition, routine, and accountability can be a hidden advantage

• How strength training supports independence, confidence, and quality of life across the lifespan

Whether you’re a parent, coach, educator, or athlete yourself, this episode challenges the way we think about performance, accountability, and success—especially for those who don’t fit the traditional mold.

If you believe mental skills, movement, and environment shape who athletes become long after sports end, this is a must-listen.

🎧 Tune in to hear why fitness isn’t just exercise—it’s a life skill.

Check out Eric's website: https://www.autismfitness.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theautismfitness/?hl=en

In this introductory episode, host Derek Shunk, a former professional baseball player, Division I baseball coach, and Villanova Hall of Fame inductee, shares the story behind Thinklete and the journey that shaped its philosophy. Now a parent navigating life with a neurodivergent child, Derek reflects on the challenges, missteps, and small adjustments that led to meaningful change.

This episode sets the stage for the conversations to come, exploring how mindset, emotion, environment, and sport intersect — and why progress often comes through small wins, not big breakthroughs.

You’ll hear how finding the right environments, rethinking expectations, and staying adaptable can unlock confidence, connection, and growth — both on and off the field.

Future episodes will feature therapists, coaches, athletes, and authors who challenge conventional thinking and share practical perspectives to help parents, coaches, and athletes move forward with more clarity and confidence.

Take what helps. Leave what doesn’t.
Welcome to Thinklete.