Forged Youth | Legacy Within

Producer: Mariel Nichole
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Forged Youth: Legacy Within What if the conversations you needed most as a teen athlete were finally being had, openly, honestly, and with purpose? Forged Youth: Legacy Within is the podcast that equips youth athletes (ages 12–24), their parents, and coaches with the mental tools, emotional resilience, and life insight to rise above the noise and grow into strong, intentional human beings. Each episode features real, raw conversations with professional athletes, CEOs, and cultural leaders sharing what they wish they knew when they were younger. We unpack topics like mental grit, overcoming adversity, identity beyond sport, and building a life of purpose, even when things fall apart. Hosted by former elite athlete and mental health advocate Mariel Nichole Anderson, this podcast is your companion through the messy middle of chasing big dreams, and becoming someone even bigger in the process. Because you weren’t born to just survive sport. You were made to be forged by it.

  1. Ep. 33 - How Better Warm-Ups Create Better Athletes with Rett Larson

    2D AGO

    Ep. 33 - How Better Warm-Ups Create Better Athletes with Rett Larson

    Send a text What if the most important part of practice isn’t the drill…  but the first 10 minutes? In this episode, Mariel sits down with Rett Larson, an elite international strength and conditioning coach and the creator of the No Zombies training philosophy. Together, they challenge one of the most unquestioned traditions in youth and high-performance sport: the way athletes warm up. Rett shares why traditional warm-ups often create boredom, disengagement, and burnout, and how replacing mindless repetition with creativity, competition, and problem-solving can dramatically improve both performance and joy. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why traditional warm-ups are a missed opportunity for athlete developmentHow warm-ups can build speed, coordination, adaptability, and resilienceWhy fun and high performance are not opposites, they work togetherHow exposing athletes to failure on purpose builds confidence and bounce-back abilityThe difference between necessary repetition and mindless repetitionHow gamification and unpredictability increase effort and buy-inWhy practices that look “messy” often produce better long-term athletesHow parents and coaches can protect an athlete’s love for the gameThis episode is a must-listen for:  ✔️ Coaches who want better energy, effort, and engagement  ✔️ Parents concerned about burnout and loss of joy  ✔️ Athletes who feel bored, over-coached, or mentally drained by training Warm-ups aren’t just preparation for practice. They’re preparation for how athletes think, move, compete, and respond to adversity. About Rett:  Rett Larson is in his 5th year as the strength coach for the German Women’s Volleyball Team. Before his time in Germany, he spent seven years in China, first as Project Manager for EXOS-China, working with several Chinese Olympic teams in their preparation for the 2012 London Games, and later with the Chinese National Women’s Volleyball Team, which won both the 2015 World Cup and Gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Following the Olympic gold medal, Rett worked for two years as the strength coach for the Netherlands Women’s Volleyball Team before joining Team Germany. Prior to his international work, Rett spent 10 years with Velocity Sports Performance, where he became the Director of Coaching at their headquarters in California. Rett is the creator of the No Zombies training philosophy, which strives to make training more stimulating, engaging, and developmentally beneficial for athletes. Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support! Check out Rett's NoZombies Warm-up Video Library Follow Rett on:  Facebook Linkedin Instagram Support the show

    49 min
  2. Ep. 32 - Raising Confident Athletes in a Results-Obsessed World with Nate Last

    FEB 3

    Ep. 32 - Raising Confident Athletes in a Results-Obsessed World with Nate Last

    Send us a text What if the biggest thing holding young athletes back isn’t effort, talent, or motivation, but where their attention lives? In this episode, Mariel sits down with Nathan Last, founder of Mental Grit, to unpack the mental skills that create better athletes and stronger humans. Nate shares how discovering sports psychology completely changed the trajectory of his life, and why presence is the foundation of mental toughness. In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why most goal-setting creates stress, anxiety, and burnout in youth athletesHow being stuck in the future or the past pulls athletes out of performanceWhy the body can’t tell the difference between imagination and reality, and how this backfires when athletes only dream instead of executeThe difference between what athletes need to focus on vs. what spectators and coaches focus onHow coaches can measure values and behaviours, not just stats and outcomesHow parents unintentionally steal confidence by “protecting” their kidsWhy struggle, failure, and hard conversations are essential for building self-beliefMental toughness isn’t something you achieve one day, it’s something you practice in the moment, every day. Nate is the CEO of a premier mental performance training firm, dedicated to helping individuals, teams, and organizations unlock their highest potential. With over a decade of experience in performance psychology, leadership development, and organizational transformation, he now specializes in creating customized strategies that drive measurable results for teen athletes and their families. As a contributing author of the Amazon Best Seller, Deliberate Discomfort, and a former Chief Engagement Officer at Mission 6 Zero, I’ve seen firsthand how a focus on mindset, culture, and people operations can revolutionize outcomes whether on the athletic field, battlefield, school house or in the boardroom. Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support! Check out Mental Grit Consulting Programs  Follow Nate on: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Support the show

    1 hr
  3. Ep. 31 - Visualization That Actually Works: How Elite Athletes Train Their Mind Q&A with Mariel and Jordan

    JAN 27

    Ep. 31 - Visualization That Actually Works: How Elite Athletes Train Their Mind Q&A with Mariel and Jordan

    Send us a text Visualization is one of the most misunderstood and underused tools in youth sports. In this episode, Jordan Owens and Mariel Anderson break down what visualization actually is, why vision boards are just the starting point, and how elite athletes use mental reps to build confidence, consistency, and game-day readiness. You’ll learn: Why your brain can’t tell the difference between imagination and realityThe 3 S’s of Visualization: Skills, Senses, and StrugglesHow detailed visualization builds muscle memory and performance, even when you’re not physically trainingHow to prepare for pressure, mistakes, and adversity before they happenSimple tools athletes can use to calm nerves, channel excitement, and focus (including the “psychological sigh”)How parents and coaches can model calm, confident energy during tryouts and competitionWhether you’re a youth athlete looking to perform with confidence, or a parent or coach wanting to support mental development the right way, this episode gives you practical, repeatable tools you can start using today. Train your mind. Build your grit. Forge your legacy. Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support! Support the show Support the show

    21 min
  4. Ep. 30 - Carrying the Weight of the Dream: James McGee’s Story

    JAN 20

    Ep. 30 - Carrying the Weight of the Dream: James McGee’s Story

    Send us a text In this episode, we sit down with former professional tennis player James McGee for a conversation about life inside elite sport and what comes after it. James shares his journey from growing up in Dublin as Ireland’s top junior player, to competing for over a decade on the ATP Tour and appearing in 14 Grand Slam events. Beyond the milestones, he speaks honestly about the less visible realities of professional tennis: long stretches away from home, financial pressure, injury, and the psychological weight of chasing a dream in a sport where success is narrowly defined. The conversation explores how injury forced James to confront identity beyond performance, how studying psychology shaped his understanding of himself and others, and what it means to transition out of professional sport when competition has been central to your sense of self for most of your life. We also discuss James’s current work mentoring underserved youth through the Inspiring Children Foundation, and how the lessons learned through elite sport now inform his approach to leadership, mental health, and long-term development. This episode is a thoughtful look at ambition, resilience, and what it means to build a meaningful life beyond results. James McGee is a former professional tennis player from Castleknock, Dublin 15, Ireland. He began playing tennis at the age of seven at Castleknock Lawn Tennis Club, where he developed a lifelong passion for the sport and spent his formative years training daily. As a junior, McGee rose to become the No. 1 ranked player in Ireland and captured the national Under-16 title at Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club. While attending Belvedere College, he won the school championships multiple years in a row, before relocating to Barcelona to pursue his professional tennis career. An early injury setback sidelined him for nearly two years. He later moved to the United States to compete at the collegiate level, playing two seasons for North Carolina State University while majoring in psychology, leading the team to its first-ever NCAA Elite Eight appearance. McGee spent over a decade competing on the ITF, ATP Challenger, and ATP World Tour circuits, reaching a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 146 in 2015 and serving as Ireland’s top-ranked player for six years. He represented Ireland 15 times in Davis Cup competition and competed in 14 Grand Slam events, qualifying for the main draw of the 2014 US Open. His tour-level wins include victories over Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, and Denis Shapovalov. Following injuries that ultimately led to his retirement, James transitioned into youth mentorship and now serves as Director of the TEAM BRYAN program and the NO QUIT Tennis Academy at the Inspiring Children Foundation in Las Vegas, supporting underserved youth through a holistic approach to development. Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support! Support the show Check out James' Website  Connect with James on: Facebook Linkedin Support the show

    56 min
  5. Ep. 29 - The Human Side of Performance with Will Lee

    JAN 13

    Ep. 29 - The Human Side of Performance with Will Lee

    Send us a text What does it really mean to support athletes as whole humans? In this episode, we’re joined by Will Lee, Registered Clinical Counsellor and Mental Performance Consultant, for a deep and grounded conversation about mental health, identity, culture, and performance. Together, we explore what often goes unseen in sport: the emotional load athletes carry, the pressure to perform, and the long-term impact of how mental health is addressed (or ignored). Will brings a rare blend of clinical experience and performance work, drawing from his decade of work in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, his role in high-performance sport environments, and his lived experience as a first-generation Taiwanese-Canadian. We talk about the difference between mental toughness and emotional suppression, why identity and culture matter in performance spaces, and how parents, coaches, and organizations can create environments that are both high-performing and human. This episode is a powerful reminder that sustainable performance doesn’t come from pushing harder, it comes from understanding deeper. About Will: "I am Registered Clinical Counsellor, Mental Performance Consultant and founder of Strive Counselling. At Strive, I serve as clinical supervisor and director to a wonderful intimate team of registered counsellors, where we help diverse clients address an equally diverse range of challenges - relationships, identity, mental health, trauma, addiction, to name a few. My clinical roots began over the span of a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, where I learned to foster my sense of empathy and compassion for marginalized groups and humanity. As a proud first generation Taiwanese-Canadian, I am also passionate about fostering cultural humility in my practice, and to learn about the story of your culture and its connections with identity and wellness. Currently, I am a member of the Mental Health Network under the Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport; a nationally-led organization comprised of highly-skilled mental health professionals from across Canada. My current notable organizations that I am privileged to be a part of in my role as a mental performance consultant includes The Richmond Olympic Oval (High Performance Program) and FightStory; a non-profit organization advocating for combat sport athletes' mental health and wellness. When I’m not seeing clients, I enjoy an active lifestyle predominantly occupied by practicing martial arts, including Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I also enjoy creative expression through playing the violin with my music group, and I seek tranquility in tending to my freshwater aquariums. I am a proud father of 3 enthusiastic girls, and husband to an unconditionally supportive wife." Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support! Support the show Check out Strive Counselling Connect with Will on: Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Support the show

    1h 4m
  6. Ep. 28 - When Youth Sports Feel Unfair: Focusing on the Controllables with Mariel and Jordan

    JAN 6

    Ep. 28 - When Youth Sports Feel Unfair: Focusing on the Controllables with Mariel and Jordan

    Send us a text What do you do when your athlete feels set up to fail? In this episode, Jordan and Mariel unpack a real post from a hockey mom whose 9-year-old son is stuck on a struggling team and use it as a powerful entry point into one of the most important mindset tools in sport: controllables. Together, they break down the five controllables every athlete (and parent) can focus on when outcomes, coaches, team dynamics, or politics feel out of reach: effort, attitude, self-talk, preparation, and focus. This conversation is equal parts honest, practical, and reassuring with real stories from youth sports, elite athletics, and parenting. If you’ve ever felt frustrated watching your child struggle in a situation they can’t control, this episode will help you shift from helplessness to empowerment, and from pressure to perspective. Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support! Support the show

    34 min
  7. Ep. 27 - When Your Sport Tries to Break You and What You Do Next with Andrea Wieland

    12/30/2025

    Ep. 27 - When Your Sport Tries to Break You and What You Do Next with Andrea Wieland

    Send us a text What happens when the thing you’ve built your identity around suddenly feels uncertain or is taken away altogether? In this episode, Olympian Andrea Wieland joins the conversation to speak honestly about the psychological side of competitive sport that athletes rarely get prepared for: getting cut, feeling overlooked, questioning your worth, and learning how to keep going when confidence takes a hit. Andrea shares her lived experience navigating high-pressure environments, setbacks, and moments where external validation disappeared, forcing her to confront who she was beyond performance. Together, the conversation explores how athletes can rebuild self-trust after disappointment, why resilience isn’t about toughness but adaptability, and how reframing setbacks can become a turning point rather than a breaking point. This episode is a reminder that sport doesn’t just test physical ability, it tests identity, mindset, and emotional regulation. Whether you’re an athlete facing rejection, a parent supporting a child through tough moments, or a coach trying to guide someone through uncertainty, this episode offers grounded insight into how growth actually happens when things don’t go according to plan. Dr. Andrea Wieland is an Olympian, performance psychologist, Founder of Winning Systems Psychology, PC, and former DI national and league championship coach who has guided thousands, from elite athletes to business leaders, toward lasting confidence and transformational performance. Having held leadership roles at institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, IMG Academy, Sensei-Porcupine Creek, and the United States Air Force Academy, she fuses deep systems thinking with powerful self-mastery strategies. Andrea challenges performers to own their identities, redefine success beyond results, and become forces for good in every arena they enter. Her work invites us all to lead with purpose, play with heart, and contribute with courage on the field, in the family, and across humanity. Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support! Check out Dr. Andrea's Mental Health and Performance Services Follow Andrea on: Facebook  Linkedin Support the show

    1h 6m
  8. Ep. 26 - From Survival Mode to Freedom: Why So Many High Performers Never Feel at Ease with Adrien Plavsic

    12/23/2025

    Ep. 26 - From Survival Mode to Freedom: Why So Many High Performers Never Feel at Ease with Adrien Plavsic

    Send us a text From the outside, Adrien Plavsic had everything young athletes dream of: a long NHL career, Olympic success, and years competing at the highest levels of professional hockey. But internally, his experience was very different. In this episode, Adrien opens up about what it was really like to live in constant survival mode while performing at an elite level. He shares how fear quietly drove his training, games, and even recovery, keeping his nervous system stuck on high alert. Despite appearing confident and composed, Adrien describes feeling trapped in his own head, disconnected from the moments he had worked his entire life to reach. Sleepless nights, racing thoughts, and an inability to truly relax turned the dream into something that felt more like a nightmare. Together, this conversation explores the difference between performing from fear versus performing from presence, why so many driven athletes miss their peak experiences, and how over-control can actually block learning, growth, and freedom. Adrien reflects on his journey of rewiring his mind and nervous system, redefining his relationship with pressure, mistakes, self-awareness and why learning how to be, not just do, is essential for sustainable excellence. This episode is a powerful listen for athletes, parents, and coaches who want more than just results who want performance that feels grounded, free, and fully alive. Adrien Plavsic is a former NHL player who spent eight seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks. A second-round draft pick in 1988, he won an Olympic silver medal with Team Canada in 1992 and later played many years in Switzerland’s top professional league. Today, he works as a Certified Mental Performance Coach, helping athletes regulate their nervous systems, reconnect with presence, and build lives rooted in freedom, excellence, and meaning. Join our free 'Forged Youth' Skool group for more parent support! Follow Adrien on:  Facebook  Linkedin  Instagram  Support the show

    1h 3m
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About

Forged Youth: Legacy Within What if the conversations you needed most as a teen athlete were finally being had, openly, honestly, and with purpose? Forged Youth: Legacy Within is the podcast that equips youth athletes (ages 12–24), their parents, and coaches with the mental tools, emotional resilience, and life insight to rise above the noise and grow into strong, intentional human beings. Each episode features real, raw conversations with professional athletes, CEOs, and cultural leaders sharing what they wish they knew when they were younger. We unpack topics like mental grit, overcoming adversity, identity beyond sport, and building a life of purpose, even when things fall apart. Hosted by former elite athlete and mental health advocate Mariel Nichole Anderson, this podcast is your companion through the messy middle of chasing big dreams, and becoming someone even bigger in the process. Because you weren’t born to just survive sport. You were made to be forged by it.

Information

  • Creator
    Producer: Mariel Nichole
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    83
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Forged Youth | Legacy Within
  • Show Website
    Forged Youth | Legacy Within