In this episode of the Unit3d podcast, 1st Year PhD student RJ Russell sits down with former high school track teammate and current Mental Performance Expert for the Army Keith Miller. They discuss their journey from small-town roots to leading teams to state championships, emphasizing the role of sacrifice and discipline in achieving greatness. The conversation highlights the importance of intentional culture and self-awareness in building unbreakable team bonds. They share personal stories of overcoming cultural challenges and the influence of a visionary coach, offering insights into the mindset needed to silence outside noise and stay true to one's purpose. The episode also explores practical strategies for cultivating a supportive environment, balancing competitiveness with camaraderie, and mastering mental toughness. Keith underscores the significance of values-driven leadership and the relentless pursuit of excellence, making this episode a must-listen for athletes, coaches, and anyone striving for success. 

In this episode of the Unit3d Podcast, PhD student Madeline Koch sits down with professional volleyball athlete Brooke Mosher for a conversation that traces their paths from hometown athletes to Big Ten competitors—and now to Brooke’s continued career with the Omaha Supernovas.

Together, they dive into questions that many people often wonder:

• What does it look like to go through the Transfer Portal?
• What does playing professionally in the U.S. look like during a league’s early seasons?
• How influential is the coach-athlete relationship in helping someone reach their full potential?

Follow along as Madeline and Brooke explore challenges of major transitions, the significance of support, the value of having a well-rounded life, and realities of both the Transfer Portal and the draft process.

n this episode of the United with BigTeam at Indiana University podcast, host Eli Friedman, a 5th Year PhD Candidate, engages in a deep conversation with Dr. Troy Moles, Director of Counseling and Sports Psychology at Indiana University Athletics. They explore Dr. Moles' journey to becoming a sports psychologist, and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy in facilitating change and the power of humility as a clinician. The discussion also touches on the cultural shifts within Indiana athletics, the significance of assessment in sports psychology, and the myths surrounding the field. Dr. Moles emphasizes the importance of focusing on what is best for the student athlete, highlighting the need for humility and hard work in the profession.

In this episode of the Unit3d podcast, Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt sits down with Rae Ann Inge to get an in-depth and behind-the-scenes perspective from a Coach’s Wife in the hectic world of NCAA Division 1 Power 4 college football. William Inge is currently an assistant football coach at University of Tennessee, and Rae Ann shares a range of logistic, emotional, and psychological impacts that are associated with supporting her family, her husband, and his players across their moves to ten different teams/cities/coaching jobs. We touch on the impact that these multiple (and often unpredictable) moves have on her, on her family's well-being, and on coach mental health, in addition to sharing the creative and compromising strategies they have had to adopt to make it all work. All coaches with families will learn something from this episode, and fans will emerge with more empathy for everything that coaches’ families go through in this process. 

Additionally, as Rae Ann discusses her role as a Sport Mom, she shares some heart-warming and hilarious youth sport stories that illustrate the relationship-building and memory-generating dynamics that sport can optimally provide. Athletes, coaches, and parents will be able to connect to the stories she tells--without a ‘you had to be there feel’--due to her engaging story-telling style, the transcendent nature of youth sport, and the commonalities that sport parents face as they work to support their children's athletic development. Finally, we talk about how these roles collide, as her children evolve from youth athletes into Division 1 college athletes, in addition to touching on her extensive above-and-beyond efforts to support her dozens and dozens of college linebacker children that Coach Inge coaches and who Rae Ann adopts in her special calling as a “Players-Coach’s Wife”. 

In this episode of the Unit3d podcast, Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt sits down with Rae Ann Inge to get an in-depth and behind-the-scenes perspective from a Coach’s Wife in the hectic world of NCAA Division 1 Power 4 college football. William Inge is currently an assistant football coach at University of Tennessee, and Rae Ann shares a range of logistic, emotional, and psychological impacts that are associated with supporting her family, her husband, and his players across their moves to ten different teams/cities/coaching jobs. We touch on the impact that these multiple (and often unpredictable) moves have on her, on her family's well-being, and on coach mental health, in addition to sharing the creative and compromising strategies they have had to adopt to make it all work. All coaches with families will learn something from this episode, and fans will emerge with more empathy for everything that coaches’ families go through in this process. 

Additionally, as Rae Ann discusses her role as a Sport Mom, she shares some heart-warming and hilarious youth sport stories that illustrate the relationship-building and memory-generating dynamics that sport can optimally provide. Athletes, coaches, and parents will be able to connect to the stories she tells--without a ‘you had to be there feel’--due to her engaging story-telling style, the transcendent nature of youth sport, and the commonalities that sport parents face as they work to support their children's athletic development. Finally, we talk about how these roles collide, as her children evolve from youth athletes into Division 1 college athletes, in addition to touching on her extensive above-and-beyond efforts to support her dozens and dozens of college linebacker children that Coach Inge coaches and who Rae Ann adopts in her special calling as a “Players-Coach’s Wife”. 

In this episode of the Unit3d podcast, doctoral student and BigTeam member, Katy Johnson, is joined by Dr. Jesse Michel, a renowned expert in sport and performance psychology. Katy and Jesse delve into the complex topic of the yips, exploring their own experiences with it, its impact on athletes, the stigma surrounding it, and strategies for overcoming it. Jesse shares his personal experiences and insights from working with elite athletes, offering valuable advice for athletes, coaches, parents, and teammates on how to support those affected by the yips across all sports.

Dr. Jesse Michel is a Sport and Performance Psychology professional within the Deloitte Performance Psychology program. Over the last 20 years, he has had the privilege of providing mental training services to MLB and NBA MVPs, CEOs, World Series champions, US Soldiers, Olympians, and NCAA champions. Jesse is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant via the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.

In this episode of the United with Big Team at Indiana University podcast, host Josh Jackson sits down with NFL linebacker Divine Deablo to discuss his journey from college football to the professional league. Deablo shares insights about his early days at Virginia Tech, the challenges he faced during his transition to the NFL, and the importance of work ethic and trust in building a successful career. He reflects on the injuries he has endured, the mental resilience required to overcome them, and how he has learned to focus on his personal growth and the support of his teammates. The conversation also touches on the significance of maintaining a positive mindset and the impact of social media on mental health for athletes.

Summary

In this first episode of Unit3d w/BigTeam at Indiana University, Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt sits down with a fellow former collegiate football player, Clinical Sport Psychologist Dr. Jacob Cooper. Together, Jesse and Jacob explore a range of topics, ranging from football to masculinity to oxytocin to Oracles. This engaging episode will give viewers insights into comprehensive masculinity, clinical techniques to maximize men’s ability to perform and to connect, applications to military and NASCAR spaces, as well as a cameo appearance from a prophet who gives his predictions on the CFP Championship game AND the Super Bowl! It is a fun and informative conversation between two meathead doctors who model and care about men’s mental heath, on the football field and beyond.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Mental Health in Sports

04:26 Dr. Cooper's Journey in Sports Psychology

06:43 The Injury Clinic: A New Approach

09:55 Building Trust with Coaches and Athletes

12:34 The Importance of Visibility and Credibility

16:36 Cultural Humility in Sports Psychology

21:18 Breaking Down Barriers to Help-Seeking

24:46 Modeling Emotional Intelligence in Athletics

25:47 Introduction to Emotional Intelligence in Sports

26:31 Working with High-Performance Teams

28:00 Integrating Physiological Metrics in Training

30:36 The Role of Visualization in High-Stress Situations

33:21 Community Resilience During Crisis

37:00 Leadership and Its Impact on Team Dynamics

42:30 Reflections on Loss and Community Strength

Guest Bio

Dr. Jacob Cooper is the Associate Athletic Director of Sport Psychology and Mental Wellness at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. He has worked with athletes at the Olympic, Professional, and Division-1 levels over the course of his career. Dr. Cooper has worked with athletes and staff throughout the NFL, NASCAR, NHL, MLB, NBA, MLS, and PGA. With a unique background and training in the areas of occupational and industrial psychology, culture building, leadership training, and military psychology, he has provided performance optimization for military personnel prior to their deployments as well as counseling for veterans transitioning back to civilian life throughout Western North Carolina, Indiana, and Boston.

Hilinski’s Hope brings you Unit3d - a podcast where sport psychologists and mental health professionals team up to hold conversations for student athletes on mental health. Many of us share common concerns, these discussions are a reminder that we are not alone, but unit3d in this world together. Welcome to the Hilinski’s Hope, mind, spirit, and performance playbook. If you have any questions or topics you would like for us to discuss, please email us at [email protected]. Unit3d is hosted by Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt, licensed sport psychologist, and his PhD Students at Indiana University.

In this Jay-Z homage titled episode, Unit3d listeners meet Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt and his dynamic crew of 12 elite PhD students from Indiana University—the B1G Team. These Hoosiers are taking over the mic and rebooting Unit3d in 2026 as “Unit3d w/ B1G Team at Indiana University.”

The podcast will continue its mission to educate, entertain, and inform, focusing on the mental health and wellbeing of student-athletes while exploring the complexities of their experiences and the role of sports psychology. With a diverse group of hosts bringing unique perspectives and research interests, future episodes will dive deep into topics that matter most to athletes and those who support them.

This 258th episode gives listeners an inside look at the new team, a preview of upcoming themes, and a taste of what’s to come in this exciting relaunch. Enjoy the introduction—and get ready for the next era of Unit3d!