On this episode of The Mental Game Academy Podcast, we welcome Linda Massie, founder of Mental Strides and high-performance hockey coach. Linda dives into the growing challenges athletes face with phones, focus, and pressure, especially in women’s sports. From helping athletes set healthy tech habits to empowering young women to play with confidence and composure, she shares powerful strategies to protect mental energy and unlock peak performance. If you’re an athlete, parent, or coach, this conversation sheds light on the real needs behind the jersey.

Connect with Linda: Instagram @mental_strides
or email lmassiempc@gmail.com.

On this episode of The Mental Game Academy Podcast, we welcome Warren Nye, founder of Mind Over Sport and a seasoned mental performance coach with over 30 years of experience in youth sports, including coaching national championship-winning hockey teams. Warren delves into the critical role of mental fitness in athletic success, emphasizing strategies like visualization, pregame preparation, and overcoming perfectionism. He shares insights on building confidence, managing pressure, and developing a resilient mindset both on and off the field. Whether you're an athlete, coach, or parent, this conversation offers valuable tools to enhance performance and well-being.

Connect with Warren: Instagram @coachnye33
or email coachnye@mindoversport.com
.

In this episode of The Mental Game Academy Podcast, we chat with Satoshi Takano from ReactForge about what athletes truly need to stay ahead—sharper decision-making, faster reactions, and a mindset built for pressure. We dive into the cognitive skills that separate good players from great ones and how mental performance training is changing the game.

Athletes need to recognize patterns faster, react faster and phones aren't helping their cognitive processing. Hockey IQ can go up but only if athletes work on it.

We are excited to announce a partnership between REACT FORGE and MGA.

Thank you Benny and Satoshi for this honour. We are to up their mental game.https://reactforge.com

https://www.nelliganbooks.com/https://www.nelliganbooks.comThe Mental Game Academy Podcast: Featuring Jeff Nelligan

Hosted by Larissa Mills, this episode welcomes Jeff Nelligan, author of Four Lessons from My Three Sons – How You Can Raise Resilient Kids. A well-known voice in American parenting, Jeff shares his no-nonsense approach to building resilience, confidence, and character in young athletes.

With a background in public affairs, military service, and raising three sons who attended the U.S. Naval Academy, Williams College, and West Point, Jeff brings a unique perspective on mental toughness, discipline, and overcoming challenges. Tune in for insightful strategies on developing grit in today's athletes and how modern distractions, like phone use, impact performance and resilience.

In this episode of TEG Talks, hosts Teg Cosgriff and Larissa Mills dive into the controversial topic of team taunting—where’s the line between competitive spirit and unsportsmanlike behaviour? They break down the psychological impact of taunting on athletes, how it affects team dynamics, and why coaches and parents play a crucial role in shaping a respectful sports culture. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on fostering mental toughness without crossing the line.

In this episode of, "The Mental Game Academy" Podcast, host Larissa Mills sits down with Matt Dumouchelle, author of The Hockey Factories series on TheCoachesSite.com. Matt has spent years researching the world’s top hockey development programs, uncovering the tools and strategies that any youth organization can use to create a better experience for their players and families.

Now, in his fifth year as Assistant General Manager of the Leamington Flyers in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, Matt brings a wealth of knowledge on player development, team culture, and what it takes to build a winning program. Tune in as he shares his insights on the mental side of the game and how young athletes can reach their full potential.

If you listen to the end, we discuss what will happen with open borders and how your hockey associations can prepare. But one thing is for sure, it will need to change in coaching education, parent support, and athlete development to succeed in this model.

The Mental Game Academy Podcast: Featuring Mike McGinnis

Hosted by Larissa Mills, this episode welcomes Mike McGinnis, Hockey Alberta’s Manager of Player Development, a Hockey Canada Certified Skill Coach, and the founder of Norcan Hockey. With over a decade of experience developing players and training coaches, Mike shares his insights on skill development, the mental side of the game, and how phone use is impacting young athletes ability to scan.

Scanning is hockey skill and it can be developed in practice. The younger the athlete the weaker this ability for many reasons, too much scrolling, too much sitting around and less multi-sport training.

From mindset training to the evolving challenges in hockey, this episode dives into the tools and strategies needed to help players reach their full potential. Tune in for expert advice and actionable takeaways!

For more tools and drills to improve this skill check out, Norcan Hockey,

Thanks Mike!

The Mental Game Academy Podcast – Featuring Coach Rory and Stephane Vlachos
Hosted by Larissa Mills

In this episode of The Mental Game Academy Podcast, Larissa Mills is joined by two experts dedicated to shaping the next generation of athletes: Coach Rory, owner of RPG Training Systems with over 20 years of coaching experience, and Stephane Vlachos, a Cognitive Performance Coach for MGA and Women’s Volleyball Coach at UWO. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge in mental performance, athletic development, and the challenges facing young athletes today.

The discussion dives into pressing issues, including:

• The impact of social media on disconnection and attention spans.
• How phones are affecting athletic performance both on and off the field.
• Concerns about resiliency, emotional processing, and parenting styles that unintentionally block growth.
• The rise of athletic burnout and underdevelopment in today’s youth.
• Why underqualified physical education teachers and "junk food" information harm athletic progress.

Rory and Stephane also preview the upcoming RPG x MGA events designed to support coaches, parents, and athletes. Coaches can attend the January 9th session at 7 PM, while parents and athletes are invited on January 16th.

Whether you’re a coach, parent, or athlete, this episode offers invaluable insights into how we can address these challenges and empower the next generation to thrive both mentally and physically.

Connect with the guests:

• Rory: admin@rpgtrainingsystems.com | Instagram: @rpgtrainingsystems
• Stephane: stephane@thementalgameacademy.ca | Instagram: @mentalcoachsteph