In this episode of Untapped Stories, we sit down with Gabriel Deieno - one of the world’s top mental performance coaches - to break down what truly drives long-term success in athletes, both on and off the field.

At a time when athletes and parents obsess over training plans, strength programs, recovery routines, and nutrition, Gabriel shares a refreshingly simple - yet powerful truth: the biggest indicator of sustained high performance is enjoyment.

The athletes who reach elite levels and stay there for years aren’t just the ones who work the hardest. They’re the ones who genuinely love the game. It doesn’t feel like a chore. It doesn’t feel like pressure. It feels like something they’re excited to show up for every day.

Gabriel explains how burnout often has less to do with workload and more to do with losing that sense of fun and intrinsic motivation. When sports become all about expectations, rankings, and outcomes, athletes can quietly disconnect from the joy that first got them started. Over time, that mental drain shows up in performance, confidence, and even desire to keep playing.

From there, the conversation shifts into one of the most common struggles athletes face: practicing hard, having talent, and performing well in training — but not seeing it translate into games.

Gabriel breaks down why this happens so often and points to a key mindset shift. Many athletes unknowingly tie their confidence to outcomes they can’t fully control — like scoring, winning, or avoiding mistakes. When those don’t go perfectly (which they rarely do), frustration and self-doubt take over.

Instead, he encourages athletes to anchor their focus on controllables:

- Effort and intensity

- Communication with teammates

- Body language and composure

- Playing aggressively and trusting their preparation

One of the biggest takeaways is that mental performance isn’t about being “tough” all the time or never feeling nerves. It’s about understanding your mindset, training it just like your body, and building habits that allow you to perform freely under pressure.

This episode is a must-listen for athletes who feel stuck in games despite working hard in practice, parents who want to keep the joy alive in youth sports, and coaches who understand that mindset is often the separator at higher levels.

🎙️ Untapped Stories is presented by https://athletesuntapped.com/ — the nation’s leading platform for private sports coaching. We connect families with elite, vetted coaches who help athletes grow through strong fundamentals, smart habits, and positive training environments.

👉 Listen weekly on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and follow us on Instagram for highlights and full episodes: https://www.instagram.com/athletesuntapped/

In this episode of Untapped Stories, we sit down with Obi Emegano — a former college/pro hooper - for a powerful conversation about mentorship, adaptability, and what it really takes to keep leveling up as an athlete.

Before Obi was averaging 23 points per game in college and building a successful pro career, he was just an 11-year-old soccer player. His path didn’t change because of a highlight moment or sudden breakout — it changed because one coach saw something in him, believed in his potential, and took the time to invest in his development. That moment became a turning point.

The conversation centers on a truth that shows up again and again in elite athletic journeys: the right coach, at the right time, can completely alter an athlete’s trajectory — and sometimes their entire life.

Obi shares how, as he climbed each level of basketball, he began to notice a consistent pattern. Every time he moved up, his role changed — and with it came discomfort, uncertainty, and the need to rebuild from scratch. In high school, he played as a big man. In college, he had to transition into a guard. Later, in the pros, he went from being a defensive specialist to becoming his team’s leading scorer — and eventually the 7th leading scorer in the nation.

Instead of resisting those shifts, Obi leaned into them.

One of his most important lessons for young athletes is simple but often overlooked: excel in the role you’re given. Advancement doesn’t usually come from demanding more responsibility before you’ve earned it. It comes from mastering what’s in front of you — even when it feels smaller than your ambitions.

A major theme of the episode is mentorship. Obi emphasizes that when you look at nearly any elite athlete’s journey, there’s almost always a coach or mentor who played a pivotal role behind the scenes. But not all mentors are created equal. His advice is to choose wisely:

- Have they already achieved what you’re working toward?

- Do they genuinely have your best interests at heart?

- Are they invested in your growth — not just your results?

If the answer is yes, be a sponge. Absorb everything you can. Success leaves clues, and learning from people who’ve already walked the path you’re on can dramatically shorten the learning curve. Their mistakes become your lessons. Their journey becomes your roadmap.

Throughout the episode, Obi reinforces that talent alone rarely carries athletes as far as they hope. What separates those who stall from those who sustain long careers is adaptability, humility, and the willingness to grow through changing roles — guided by the right people.

This episode is a must-listen for athletes navigating transitions, parents thinking deeply about long-term development, and coaches who understand that belief, guidance, and trust can be just as impactful as any drill or workout.

🎙️ Untapped Stories is presented by ⁠https://athletesuntapped.com/⁠ - the nation’s leading platform for private sports coaching. We connect families with elite, vetted coaches who help athletes grow through strong fundamentals, smart habits, and positive training environments.

👉 Listen weekly on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and follow us on Instagram for highlights and full episodes: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/athletesuntapped/

Shaun Gerardo on Using Basketball as an Outlet, Shooting/Dribbling Tips, Mental Toughness, and More!

In this episode of Untapped Stories, we sit down with Shaun Gerardo — Athletes Untapped’s 2025 Coach of the Year — for a powerful conversation about basketball, resilience, and how the right kind of coaching can shape athletes far beyond the court.

For Shaun, basketball was never just a game. Early in his life, it became an outlet — a place to channel emotion, escape difficult circumstances, and build structure when everything else felt uncertain. Over time, the lessons he learned through the sport opened doors, created opportunity, and ultimately became the foundation for the coach he is today. His story is a reminder of something we see every day at Athletes Untapped: sports have the power to change lives when they’re taught the right way.

A central theme of the conversation is growth through challenge. Shaun explains why real development doesn’t happen in comfort — and why shielding athletes from struggle often does more harm than good. He introduces the concept of “pain trials,” controlled moments of difficulty built intentionally into training. These aren’t about breaking kids down or pushing them too far. Instead, they’re about creating a safe environment where athletes can struggle, adapt, and discover what they’re truly capable of.

When athletes experience discomfort in a supportive setting, Shaun believes they build something far more valuable than skill alone: confidence, resilience, and self-belief. Learning how to respond when things get hard prepares them not just for competition, but for life.

We also dive into the critical relationship between parents and coaches. Shaun shares why alignment matters — and how the right kind of “encouraging pressure” helps athletes push past perceived limits without fear. When coaches and parents work together, athletes feel supported, challenged, and understood. That balance, he explains, is where long-term development thrives.

Another major focus of the episode is strength training and longevity. Shaun is clear: if athletes want to play at a high level, strength training cannot be optional. The goal isn’t just jumping higher or moving faster — it’s staying healthy through long seasons, preventing injuries, and building a body that can withstand years of competition. Ignoring strength work early may not show immediate consequences, but eventually, it catches up. For athletes who want both performance and a long career, it has to be part of the plan.

Throughout the conversation, Shaun’s philosophy comes back to one idea: basketball — and sports in general — are vehicles for building better humans. Wins matter. Skill matters. But character, habits, and resilience last far longer than any stat line.

In this episode, we cover:

- How basketball became a life-changing outlet for Shaun

- Why controlled struggle is essential for real athlete development

- What “pain trials” are and how they build confidence and resilience

- The importance of alignment between parents and coaches

- How encouraging pressure helps athletes grow without burnout

- Why strength training is critical for performance and longevity

- Lessons athletes can carry from sports into everyday life

At Athletes Untapped, we believe youth sports should build confident, resilient athletes who love the game — not fear it. Shaun Gerardo embodies that mission through the way he teaches, challenges, and supports the athletes he works with every day.

🎙️ Untapped Stories is presented by https://athletesuntapped.com - the nation’s leading platform for private sports coaching. We connect families with elite, vetted coaches to help athletes grow through great instruction, strong habits, and positive sports experiences.

👉 Listen weekly on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and follow us on Instagram for highlights and full episodes: https://www.instagram.com/athletesuntapped/