The Next Season Podcast

Kevin Kuhn
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Baseball
  • Updated Weekly

Being an athlete today is hard. Talent isn't enough. I know because I’ve been there—fighting through failure, struggling with mindset, and ultimately walking away, despite the talent. That’s exactly why I coach mindset and mental skills for baseball players who want more. It’s about more than just playing well—it’s about optimizing habits, leveling up your confidence, and building the grit to thrive both on and off the field. Backed by neuroscience and combining the grit of sports with the precision of executive coaching, I’m bringing real, hard-earned lessons to athletes like you. Together, we’ll crush performance anxiety, build mental toughness and hit peak focus. My style? It’s raw, real and gritty. No fluff—just straight-up truth with a dose of fun to keep it fresh. At Next Season, we process the past, perform in the present and prepare for the future…whatever is NEXT.

  1. Jul 6

    046 - Highly Processed Relationships

    You watch what you eat. You count your reps. You measure your sleep. But are you tracking your relationships? Are you monitoring who's in your circle? Are they real? Or are they - like the junk food you try to avoid - highly processed? This may just be a huge blind spot in your performance. Relationships are fuel. Some of them are high octane. Some of them are crap. And just like your diet, you don't always feel the effects immediately. But over a season, a year, a career — it adds up. You either look back and realize the people around you made you better. Or they didn't. In this episode, I break down the concept of highly processed relationships — what they are, how to spot them, and what to do about it without blowing up your entire social circle. 3 red flags you're in a highly processed relationshipWhy isolation isn't discipline — and what the science says3 steps to build real onesWhy the most fulfilled and balanced athletes are often the ones with the right relationship circles DM or comment VALUES on Instagram and I'll send you the free worksheet that goes with this episode. 👉 Learn more about 1:1 Coaching for active athletes and ATLAS athletes at nextseasonathletes.com 00:00 Intro & Highlights 01:00 The Performance Variable Nobody Talks About 03:00 Clean Out the Fridge — Or Fast Forever? 04:00 Why You Can't Go It Alone 05:30 Red Flag #1: Comfortable With Lower Standards 07:00 Red Flag #2: You Leave Feeling Smaller 09:30 Red Flag #3: It Only Works On Their Terms 11:00 Step 1: Stop Cleaning Out the Fridge 13:00 Step 2: If the Circle Doesn't Exist, Build It 14:00 Courage Is the Entry Point 16:00 Step 3: Fuel or Filler? 18:00 Fill Your Life With Real Ones

    046 - Highly Processed Relationships

  2. Jun 15

    045 - How to Get Recruited the Right Way

    Most players think they know what gets them recruited. They're often wrong. Adam Schlenoff has sat in every seat this game offers. D1 college player. High school teacher. 15 years as Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Johns Hopkins — multiple College World Series appearances, D3 offensive records, a national championship game. He's evaluated thousands of players. He knows exactly what separates the guys who make it from the guys who don't — and it's not what most players or parents think. In this episode: What coaches are really reading before you take a swingWhy your stats open the door but your character earns the invitationWhat great teammates actually doWhat it felt like to walk away from a 30-year run in the game Now he's building something new — recruiting consulting, showcases, and a youth baseball organization built around the thing most of the industry skips: honest evaluation and real human connection. If you're a player, a parent, or a coach — this one's for you. Find Adam & Get Involved: Recruiting Consulting: Jeff Burton Consulting Showcases & Youth Baseball: schlenoffbaseball.com Charm City Clippers: Baltimore Clippers, MCBL Follow Adam: @Mr_Schlen   👉 Learn more about 1:1 Coaching for active athletes and ATLAS athletes at nextseasonathletes.com   00:00 Intro & Highlights 01:29 Welcoming Adam Schlenoff 02:53 Roots In Education & Influence on Coaching 05:28 Trust in the Locker Room 06:48 Early Sports Journey 10:17 Multi Sport Debate & Nuance 13:58 Realities Of College Baseball 20:17 When The Game Ends 22:02 The Beautiful Game 25:03 Coaching Breakthrough Years 29:50 Building Trust and Culture 32:35 Coaching Philosophy on Failure 38:56 Recruiting Puzzle Pieces 43:56 Stats Open the Door, Character Gets You In 47:45 Next Chapter & New Challenges 51:16 How to Connect, Support & Join Adam

    045 - How to Get Recruited the Right Way

  3. May 18

    044 – Johnny Martin Returns (pt. 2 of 2)

    Part 1 was the warmup. Part 2 is game time. Johnny leads us through a live values exercise — step by step — that will challenge you to do more than name what matters. It will ask you what you're actually willing to lose to keep it. Real values have to be clear, tested, and behavioral. If they don't cost you anything, they're just words. Athletes, ATLAS athletes, coaches — this one's for all of you. Notebook out. 👉 Learn more about 1:1 Coaching for active athletes and ATLAS athletes at nextseasonathletes.com 00:00 Intro & Highlights 01:45 Real vs Processed Relationships 02:36 Discipline in What We Consume 04:31 The Dichotomy of Discipline & Mental Health 06:35 Athletes & Veterans Transition 08:03 Mindset as the Separator 10:54 Underdog Beliefs & Environment 11:52 Values Exercise Framework 15:12 Choose Five Values 15:38 Turn Values Into Behaviors 16:19 Run a Values Audit 18:44 The Cost of Values 20:59 Work Without Recognition 23:22 Revisit Values Over Time 25:50 Coaching Without Judgment 27:27 Closing Thoughts & Gratitude

    044 – Johnny Martin Returns (pt. 2 of 2)

  4. Apr 27

    044 – Johnny Martin Returns (pt. 1 of 2)

    Johnny Martin is back. When it comes to coaching high performers, Johnny is a legend. You don't need notoriety and fame to make an impact - and Johnny has impacted elite athletes, veterans and business leaders for years. If you haven't heard Episode 026, go there first. This conversation picks up where that one left off — and it gets real from the first sentence. In Part 1, we get into curiosity as a performance tool, what real confidence actually looks like, how the best coaches show up the same in every room, and the three questions Johnny uses with every high performer navigating transition. This one is for athletes, coaches, and anyone who wants to perform at a higher level — in sport or in life. Subscribe and hit the notification bell so you're ready for part 2. Trust me, you won't want to miss it. 👉 Learn more about 1:1 Coaching for active athletes and ATLAS athletes at nextseasonathletes.com 00:00 Intro & Highlights 01:19 Coaching Active Athletes & ATLAS Athletes 03:10 The Identity of Athletes at Turning Points 06:15 Missing the Game & Radical Ownership Shift 07:37 Time Boundaries & Showing Up 10:07 Curiosity & Three Non-negotiables 12:57 Rapid Fire Warmup 17:38 Success Goes Beyond You 19:13 Curiosity About Real Ones vs Imposters 22:13 Curiosity About Authenticity (& Three Authenticity Pillars) 25:12 Character at Home 27:03 Curiosity About Alter Egos & Control 28:10 Curiosity & Coaching High Performers 30:47 Curiosity & Social Media 33:30 Closing Thoughts, Prep for Part Two, Support & Gratitude

    044 – Johnny Martin Returns (pt. 1 of 2)

  5. Mar 30

    043 – Let Go to Move Forward

    There's a moment every athlete knows. You're in a funk, you're slumping, you're losing confidence, you're not performing like you used to — and instead of moving forward, you grip tighter. To the stats. To the reputation. To the player you remember being. To the past. That grip feels like effort — doing the work you're supposed to do. But what if it's actually a trap? When your identity is anchored to a past version of yourself, your brain treats the gap between then and now as a threat — and it shifts from performance mode into survival mode. Tight muscles. Overthinking. Playing not to fail instead of playing to win. You're not broken. Your brain is responding normally, but that doesn't mean it's what's best in these situations. It's trying to keep you safe, but it's holding you back. This episode is about learning to put down the old version — not because it didn't matter, but because you can't build who you need to become if both hands are gripping so tight to who you were. 👉 Learn more about 1:1 Coaching for active athletes and ATLAS athletes at nextseasonathletes.com 00:00 Intro & Highlights 01:19 Spring Reset & Quitting 03:44 High School Identity 05:44 College Reality Check 07:23 Winter Break Quit 08:24 Mental Highlight Reel 10:35 Brain Threat Response 13:02 Letting Go Science 15:54 Reset Routines Cues 19:28 Build New Identity 22:49 Reinvent To Last 24:38 Closing Thoughts, Assessments, Support & Gratitude

    043 – Let Go to Move Forward

  6. Mar 3

    042 – Suffering & Self-Reliance for Athletes

    We don’t feel suffering or pain because of life's challenges. As an athlete, you may not be struggling because of the pressure and the competition. We struggle because we try to avoid that suffering. We try to avoid the pain. We try to stay clear of the challenges.  We resist. In this episode, I break down suffering, self-reliance, pressure, grit, and resilience - and what they actually mean in real life. Drawing from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay Self-Reliance and powerful conversations with Tony Robbins, Alex Hormozi, Chris Williamson and Arthur Brooks, we talk about:  Why pressure builds identity Why confidence comes after courage Why avoiding discomfort weakens you And how suffering can shape you instead of crush you If you’re in a hard season - on the field or after sport - this one’s for you. 👉 Learn more about 1:1 Coaching for active athletes and ATLAS athletes at nextseasonathletes.com

    042 – Suffering & Self-Reliance for Athletes

  7. Feb 11

    041 - Who Are You When Your Game Ends?

    In the old myth, Atlas loses a fight and is condemned to carry the sky forever — not for a moment, but for a lifetime. Knees bent. Back hunched. No recognition. No help in sight. That’s what life feels like for a lot of athletes after the game ends. And that’s why I built ATLAS Athletes. This episode marks the official launch of ATLAS — a new coaching program for athletes adjusting to life after sport. Not the pressure of game day, but the quieter, heavier pressure that follows: identity loss, uncertainty, responsibility, and the question nobody prepares you for... “If I’m not an athlete anymore… who am I?” In Episode 041, I break down: why athletes often struggle more after sport than during ithow identity tied to performance becomes a trapwhy grinding harder stops working in real lifeand how ATLAS helps athletes rebuild direction, confidence, and purpose without carrying everything alone This is for ATLAS Athletes — former competitors, transitioning athletes, and high performers who still feel the weight long after the lights go off. The game may be over. Your life isn't. This is the start of your Next Season. 👉 Learn more about ATLAS Athletes at nextseasonathletes.com   00:00 Intro & Attention 00:48 The Myth of Atlas: A Deeper Meaning 02:12 The Pressure and Weight of Life 05:01 Identity Beyond Athletics 08:26 A Mindset Shift 11:06 Announcing: Athletes Adjusting to Life After Sport 16:52 Practical Actions for ATLAS Athletes - 1: Name Your Throughline 19:40 Practical Actions for ATLAS Athletes - 2: Stack Bricks of Evidence for Confidence 20:49 Practical Actions for ATLAS Athletes - 3: Win the Inning 21:50 Wrap-Up & Closing Thoughts

    041 - Who Are You When Your Game Ends?

  8. Feb 2

    040 - Process. Perform. Prepare. (Part 2)

    039 gave you the awareness. 040 gives you the tools. Nothing was “wrong”… but everything felt heavy. I wasn’t injured. I wasn’t unprepared. I wasn’t lazy. I was exhausted because I was carrying too many moments at once. In this episode, I give you simple, practical tools to stop replaying the past, stop worrying about the future, and finally put your energy where it belongs — right here. We build on the Process. Perform. Prepare framework from Episode 39 and break down: How to process the past without carrying itHow to get back into the present when pressure hitsHow to prepare for the future without letting ambition hijack performance You’ll learn why pressure builds, confidence feels fake, and the game speeds up — and how to reset your mind so you can play free again.  This isn’t fluffy motivation. These are tools to get out of your head and back into the moment that actually matters. If you feel mentally tired, tight, distracted, or stuck — this episode is for you. 00:00 Intro & Highlights 01:00 The Weight of the Moments 02:01 Understanding Energy Blocks 03:40 Tools for Processing the Past: Write It & Burn It; Write & Don't Send 08:35 Other Tools for Processing the Past 09:56 Tools for Performing in the Present: Breathing and Power Presence Words 13:37 Tools for Preparing for the Future: Values and Visualization 19:04 Putting Your Energy into the Right Block 20:23 Wrap-Up & Closing Thoughts

    040 - Process. Perform. Prepare. (Part 2)
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About

Being an athlete today is hard. Talent isn't enough. I know because I’ve been there—fighting through failure, struggling with mindset, and ultimately walking away, despite the talent. That’s exactly why I coach mindset and mental skills for baseball players who want more. It’s about more than just playing well—it’s about optimizing habits, leveling up your confidence, and building the grit to thrive both on and off the field. Backed by neuroscience and combining the grit of sports with the precision of executive coaching, I’m bringing real, hard-earned lessons to athletes like you. Together, we’ll crush performance anxiety, build mental toughness and hit peak focus. My style? It’s raw, real and gritty. No fluff—just straight-up truth with a dose of fun to keep it fresh. At Next Season, we process the past, perform in the present and prepare for the future…whatever is NEXT.

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin Kuhn
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved. All content owned exclusively by The Next Season Podcast and Next Season.
  • Show Website
    The Next Season Podcast