In this episode of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Kyle Stull and coaches Cory Reynolds, Dylan Gautreaux, and Chris Pike dive in for a real, practical conversation on one thing that quietly drives performance (or wrecks it): confidence.

This podcast breaks down why confidence isn’t just a trait you “have” or “don’t have”—it’s a moment-to-moment choice, built through daily process, reflection, and the ability to compete when things get uncomfortable. The guys dig into the fine line between confidence and cockiness, why some players get labeled “cocky” when they’re actually just secure in their preparation, and how work ethic and humility separate swagger from ego.

You’ll also hear actionable coaching and parenting insights on:

• Why pen-to-paper journaling and reflection accelerates learning (and confidence)
• How to reframe nerves as your body’s free, legal performance enhancer
• Why we should embrace the slump—because it builds the mindset you’ll need later
• The power of controllables (missions over goals) and “output over outcome”
• How to help athletes stop playing “not to mess up” and start playing to compete
• Flow state (“the zone”), mindfulness, and simple ways to refocus mid-game

If you coach, parent, or play this game, this episode will change how you see confidence—and give you tools to build it on purpose.

✅ Like, Share, and Subscribe for more mental performance tools, coaching conversations, and baseball mindset training.

📘 Want the full system Kyle references in this episode?
Grab the Second Edition Competing with Confidence Course Manual + Athlete Workbook—built to help players develop lasting confidence through daily drills, guided prompts, missions, and a repeatable mental skills process.

🛒 Purchase the Second Edition Competing with Confidence Course Manual + Athlete Workbook HERE.

Drop a comment below:
What’s the biggest confidence-killer you see in players—and what’s helped most to build it back?

In this episode of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Kyle Stull and coaches Cory Reynolds, Dylan Gautreaux, and Chris Pike dive in for a real, practical conversation on one thing that quietly drives performance (or wrecks it): confidence.

This podcast breaks down why confidence isn’t just a trait you “have” or “don’t have”—it’s a moment-to-moment choice, built through daily process, reflection, and the ability to compete when things get uncomfortable. The guys dig into the fine line between confidence and cockiness, why some players get labeled “cocky” when they’re actually just secure in their preparation, and how work ethic and humility separate swagger from ego.

You’ll also hear actionable coaching and parenting insights on:

• Why pen-to-paper journaling and reflection accelerates learning (and confidence)
• How to reframe nerves as your body’s free, legal performance enhancer
• Why we should embrace the slump—because it builds the mindset you’ll need later
• The power of controllables (missions over goals) and “output over outcome”
• How to help athletes stop playing “not to mess up” and start playing to compete
• Flow state (“the zone”), mindfulness, and simple ways to refocus mid-game

If you coach, parent, or play this game, this episode will change how you see confidence—and give you tools to build it on purpose.

✅ Like, Share, and Subscribe for more mental performance tools, coaching conversations, and baseball mindset training.

📘 Want the full system Kyle references in this episode?
Grab the Second Edition Competing with Confidence Course Manual + Athlete Workbook—built to help players develop lasting confidence through daily drills, guided prompts, missions, and a repeatable mental skills process.

🛒 Purchase the Second Edition Competing with Confidence Course Manual + Athlete Workbook HERE.

Drop a comment below:
What’s the biggest confidence-killer you see in players—and what’s helped most to build it back?

In youth baseball, the biggest difference-maker often isn’t velocity, exit velo, or perfect mechanics—it's whether a player is allowed to think, compete, and become himself.

In this episode of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Kyle Stull and coaches Dylan Gautreaux and Chris Pike are joined by coaches Scott Martin and guest coach Cory Reynolds for a real conversation about what actually develops players—and what quietly drives them out of the game.

Cory shares how a high school coaching environment with unclear expectations and “my way or the bench” decision-making killed his love for baseball, and how he eventually rediscovered the game through the kind of coaching culture every kid deserves: one built on trust, autonomy, and standards.

✅ Developing a player vs. shaping an identity
Why kids shouldn’t be molded into “robots,” and how limiting autonomy can erase confidence and passion.

✅ Coach ego vs. player IQ
How over-controlling coaching creates fear-based baseball—and why rewarding smart decisions (even when you didn’t call them) changes everything.

✅ The “highway & shoulders” coaching model
Give players freedom to make decisions… while keeping them within clear boundaries that protect the team and the moment.

✅ Letting catchers call games (and why it matters)
A simple shift that builds pitcher-catcher relationships, improves baseball IQ, and creates true ownership.

✅ “Output over outcome”
A powerful reframe for hitters (and all players): you can’t control results, but you can control process, intent, and effort.

✅ The 4 Pillars of Trust every coach should build
Sincerity. Reliability. Competence. Care.
When players trust you, they stop playing scared—and start competing freely.

✅ Player-led teams + accountability tools
How a “players council” can protect culture, improve communication, and address issues coaches never hear in real time.

✅ The dinner table factor
How parent messaging can reinforce coaching—or undo it completely—and what coaches can do to set expectations early.

If you coach youth baseball (or you’re a parent trying to choose the right environment), this conversation is a blueprint for building a culture where kids develop skills and identity: confident, aggressive, resilient competitors who love the game.

Drop a comment: What’s one thing a coach did (good or bad) that changed your relationship with baseball?

Youth baseball doesn’t just need better swings and cleaner footwork—it needs stronger minds.

In this episode of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Kyle Stull and Coach Dylan sit down with Cameron “Coach Cam” Monger, former professional baseball player (10 years) and certified mental coach, to break down what most teams miss: how to train mental performance the same way we train mechanics.

Coach Cam shares what he learned during his pro career—especially the realization that the mental side was the “1% edge” that separates talent from consistent performance—and how he now builds mentally tougher athletes through his youth program at Cover All Bases.

• How to actually implement mental performance in youth practice (not just talk about it)
• Why “Relax and breathe” doesn’t work unless you teach breathing properly
• A simple pre-practice routine: eyes closed + 2 minutes of breathing + intention setting
• Why coaches must be consistent in messaging (practice, pregame, postgame, and in-game)
• The performance equation Coach Cam uses with players: P = A – I
  • Performance = Ability – Interferences
  • Ability rises over time, but interferences spike up/down—this is where mindset training matters
• How to handle slumps, frustration, and “crash outs” without tying identity to results
• A practical coaching rule: Praise in public, correct in private—and why tone matters with kids
• The impact of technology and measurables (exit velo, radar culture) on development and confidence
• The #1 mental skill Coach Cam would teach youth players: emotional awareness/intelligence
• “Active mindfulness” ideas kids will actually do:
  • Count steps from class to class
  • Practice mindful eating (texture, flavor, attention control)
  • Try mindful showers (sensory focus + awareness of wandering thoughts)
• Why confidence isn’t a personality trait—it’s a trainable skill built through preparation and controllables

You don’t “wait” for mental skills until high school. You install them early, accept imperfect execution, and stack reps—just like bunting, throwing mechanics, and fielding work.

If you coach, parent, or play, this conversation will give you a practical, repeatable framework to build athletes who compete with composure—especially when the game gets tight.

Subscribe for more episodes on mindset, performance psychology, and coaching tools that translate directly to the field.

00:00 Intro + Coach Cam background
06:07 Practice integration: breathing + intentions
10:19 Confidence as a skill + consistency matters
16:09 Routines, approaches, and “reset” strategies
19:39 P = A – I (Ability vs Interferences)
25:40 Coaching language that protects confidence
29:31 Technology, measurables, and development traps
34:39 Identity vs results: anchors that hold up under pressure
50:13 Teaching emotional awareness + “active mindfulness” drills

What does real grit look like in youth baseball—and how do you actually develop it?

In this episode of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Kyle Stull and Coaches Dylan Gautreaux and Chris Pike sit down with elite youth baseball coach Scott Martin (Wildcatters Baseball, North Texas) for an unfiltered, deeply practical conversation on grit, culture, standards, and long-term athlete development.

Scott Martin has coached 120+ youth teams across baseball, football, and basketball, played college baseball, and brings a rare blend of high standards, intentional culture-building, and genuine care for athletes. This conversation goes far beyond drills and wins—it dives into how coaching youth baseball can (and should) prepare kids for failure, adversity, accountability, and life beyond sports.

• What grit really is (and what it is not), including insights from Angela Duckworth’s grit research
• How to build a culture of effort, accountability, and emotional control in young athletes
• Why clear standards matter more than motivation speeches
• How to coach kids to live in the “performance middle”—not too high, not too low
• The difference between developing gritty players vs. merely selecting them
• Why process-driven programs outperform ring-chasing teams long term
• How honesty, trust, and consistency create buy-in from both players and parents
• Why baseball is one of the best training grounds for real-life resilience
• How to challenge kids without becoming the coach who drives them away from the sport

This episode is especially valuable for:

• Youth baseball coaches (8U–14U and beyond)
• Parents navigating competitive youth sports
• Coaches interested in mental performance, grit, and long-term development
• Anyone who believes sports should build better humans, not just better athletes

Scott doesn’t shy away from calling youth sports culture out—whether it’s soft accountability or prioritizing short-term wins over long-term growth. His philosophy is clear: love kids deeply, coach them honestly, and prepare them for a world that won’t lower the bar.

If you care about grit, toughness, culture, and doing youth sports the right way, this is a must-watch conversation.

What does it take to stick with baseball when you’re undersized, overlooked, cut, or “behind” everyone else?

In this episode of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Kyle Stull, Coach Dylan Gautreaux, and Coach Chris Pike sit down with Andy Pendleton to unpack a development journey that every player, parent, and youth coach needs to hear—from being a 4th-string catcher and equipment manager to finding a path on the mound, earning college opportunities, and eventually coaching a group of kids from 10U all the way into college (including a drafted player).

This is a candid, practical conversation about what actually develops ballplayers over time:

• Why late growth spurts change everything—and why youth evaluations often miss future studs
• The real issue behind pitching + catching (hint: it’s not just “arm safety,” it’s workload and preparation)
• How overuse and year-round schedules quietly derail athletes across sports
• Why kids should play multiple positions and multiple sports (and how that translates directly to high school tryouts)
• Coaching strategies that build “grit” without crushing confidence—plus how to handle emotions after failure
• The parent/coach communication reality: timing, expectations, and the “24-hour rule” after games

If you coach youth baseball (or parent a player), this episode will challenge the “win-now” mindset and give you a more sustainable framework: develop the athlete, protect the body, grow the competitor, and keep the love of the game alive.

Subscribe for more conversations on performance psychology, athlete development, and practical coaching that actually transfers to the field.

Topics include: youth baseball development, late bloomers, high school tryouts, specialization, arm care, workload management, multi-sport benefits, mental toughness, and building culture.

Youth baseball is expensive. Parents are stressed. Coaches are stretched thin. And everyone is chasing tournaments like they’re the only development path.

In this Christmas Eve special edition of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Stull and Coach Dylan Gautreaux respond directly to a parent's comment and tackle a topic that keeps surfacing: misaligned expectations in youth baseball. Not to blame parents, but to reframe what “ROI” should really mean at 9U–13U: player development, resilience, and long-term growth.

Coach Dylan breaks down the reality behind the “money grab” narrative, the true costs of running teams and facilities, and why many coaches are actually operating at a loss. Then the conversation shifts to what really moves the needle: fundamentals, mindful repetition, solo practice, and learning to love the process over results.

• Why the “tournament every weekend” culture is a societal issue, not just a parent or coach issue
• How comparison + social media + FOMO drive families into nonstop travel ball
• The hard truth: tournaments can build experience, but they don’t replace development
• Why “playing more” (tournaments) often means getting fewer quality reps (and sometimes getting worse)
• What parents should expect instead: a development plan, communication, and a clear process
• The real economics: practice fees, facility overhead, travel, and why many coaches “make negative money”
• How great coaches build autonomy: video feedback, at-home work, and skill acquisition outside team time
• A key mindset shift (with a Mookie Betts reference): love the process, don’t chase outcomes
• Why learning to fail—and normalize failure—is essential in a sport built on failure

If you’re a parent navigating travel ball, a coach trying to protect development time, or an athlete wanting to level up, this one will challenge how you think about tournaments, training, and what “support” really looks like.

Are tournaments helping your player improve—or just filling the calendar? Drop your experience in the comments.

Subscribe for more conversations on player development, mindset, and modern youth baseball culture.

#youthbaseball #travelbaseball #baseballparents #playerdevelopment #sportspsychology #baseballmindset #coaching #skillacquisition #processoverresults

In Episode 12 of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, we’re joined by Colin Young, Director of Pitching for Canes Southwest, who shares his path from growing up outside Boston to playing Division I baseball at Fordham, and how that experience shaped his approach to player development and coaching.

This conversation tackles the realities of modern recruiting, why physicality and measurable tools are now the gateway to D1 opportunities, and how over-tournament culture can undermine long-term development. We also get into catching trends (including the one-knee stance) and why an automated strike zone could change how the game is played and taught.

• Colin’s journey through high school adversity, a post-grad year, and Division I baseball at Fordham
• Why playing D1 baseball is harder than ever (transfer portal, older rosters, increased competition)
• The biggest separator for D1 recruits: strength, speed, and metrics
• Why D2/D3/NAIA/JUCO can be the best development route for many players
• Catching evolution: one-knee stance, framing, and what may change with automation
• Youth baseball development vs. “playing every weekend”
• Why practice volume, fundamentals, and reps matter more than tournament frequency
• Injury trends: velocity obsession, mechanics, mobility, and training the right way
• The missing piece: kids not playing outside anymore—and how coaches can recreate that athletic development
• Colin’s closing advice: watch the game to learn the game

If your goal is high school and college baseball success, the long-term answer isn’t “more games.” It’s better training, better fundamentals, better strength and mobility, and better expectations—for players and parents.

In this episode of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Kyle Stull joins Coaches Dylan Gautreaux and Chris Pike for a powerful conversation with Mike Hamilton, Director of Canes Southwest. Together, they explore the shifts taking place in youth baseball and the growing pressures young athletes face both on and off the field. Mike shares lessons from decades of coaching and leadership, offering a candid and insightful look at what today’s players need to develop confidence, resilience, and a true love for the game. This episode breaks down: How youth baseball has evolved—and why development must take priority The misconceptions surrounding select baseball Why confidence and mindset matter more than raw ability The crucial role parents play in athlete experience and long-term growth How social media and cultural expectations influence athlete anxiety Why failure, risk-taking, and freedom are essential for development What separates successful, focused athletes from those who struggle If you're a parent, coach, or athlete looking to better understand the modern youth sports landscape, this conversation delivers practical, actionable insight. To learn more about developing confidence, email Dr. Kyle Stull at [email protected] . Get started developing your confidence today with the Competing with Confidence guide: https://kstull.gumroad.com/l/mwopy

Unlock what it really means to compete with confidence in today’s world of youth and travel baseball.

In Episode 10 of Unleashing the Baseball Mindset, Dr. Kyle Stull, Coach Dylan Gautreaux, and Coach Chris Pike dive deep into mindset, motivation, and effort—and how all three shape players on and off the field.

You’ll hear them break down:

• Fixed vs. change mindset (inspired by Carol Dweck) and how a player’s self-talk can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• The hidden impact of comparison, social media, rankings, and “rings culture” in travel ball.
• Why so many kids don’t actually know how to compete—and how coaches and parents can teach it.
• The biology of fear and pressure (heart rate, anxiety, “all eyes on me”) and how repeated exposure can turn panic into poise.
• Practical ways to praise effort over outcomes and build resilient competitors instead of fragile performers.
• Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation: why goals like college ball and pro dreams are great—but love of the game, teammates, and the grind matter more over time.
• How autonomy fuels motivation: letting catchers call their own game, runners read and steal on their own, and players choose what they want to improve.
• The power of writing things down, personal mantras, and intentional mental reps to rewire confidence.
• Why so many former athletes miss the routine, structure, and brotherhood more than the trophies.
• How syncing mental and physical skills is the real key to long-term development.

Whether you’re a player, parent, or coach, this episode will give you language, perspective, and tools to help athletes compete with more confidence, courage, and intention.