Steps

In this conversation, Steve and Monica Strohschein explore the multifaceted journey of life, reflecting on personal growth, the importance of empathy, and the challenges faced in sports, particularly volleyball. They discuss the impact of mental health on athletes, the significance of coaching philosophies, and the joy found in playing grass volleyball. The conversation emphasizes the need for understanding and support in both personal and athletic endeavors, highlighting the diverse experiences that shape individuals. In this engaging conversation, Monica discusses her journey in volleyball, the challenges of training on different surfaces, and the creation of her volleyball brand, Folgen. She emphasizes the importance of community, personal growth, and strategic partnerships in building a successful business. Monica shares her insights on the dynamics of volleyball training, the significance of understanding her target audience, and the lessons learned from challenges faced in her entrepreneurial journey. The discussion highlights the need for trust, emotional connection, and the value of creating a supportive community around a shared passion for volleyball.

Todays episode of Steps explores the theme of purpose and balancing personal and professional responsibilities. Mitch Sadowsky discusses how his purpose is his family and providing a better life for them. He grapples with the challenge of being away from his family to work and finding a balance between his calling as a strength coach and being present for his children. Steve shares his own experience as a father and the importance of setting an example for his kids while articulating the greater calling on his life. The conversation also touches on the topics of career progression, self-reflection, and taking calculated risks. Mitch shares his journey of making major life and career changes, including moving to different locations and starting a new business. He emphasizes the importance of taking risks and being open to opportunities, even if they seem scary or uncertain. Mitch also highlights the value of having the right people around you, both in personal relationships and in business, to fill in the gaps and support your growth. He encourages self-awareness and understanding your strengths and weaknesses, as well as being willing to ask for help when needed. In this final part of the conversation, Mitch and Steve discuss the importance of self-awareness, embracing adversity, and focusing on core values. They emphasize the need to have a clear vision and goals, take risks, and surround yourself with like-minded individuals. He shares the concept of 'burning the boats' and committing fully to your plan A without a plan B. We also touch on the joys and challenges of parenting and the importance of enjoying every moment of the journey.You can find Mitch on the following platforms:InstagramAertas Performance InstagramX

Colin Jonov, founder of Athletic Fortitude, shares his journey as a former athlete and how he has learned to cope with injuries and setbacks. He emphasizes the importance of channeling negative emotions into positive energy and developing a dynamic identity. Colin discusses the role of fear and other people's opinions in shaping our mindset and how he has used an alter ego to overcome challenges. He also explores the balance between gratitude for past achievements and the desire for continued growth. Colin's insights highlight the power of mindset and self-discovery in navigating life's challenges. Colin Jonov discusses the concept of free will and the power of choice in influencing our lives. He emphasizes the importance of consciously making choices and taking intentional actions to create influence and positive change. The conversation also adds that while chaos theory and faith may suggest that everything happens for a reason, we still have free will and the ability to make choices that shape our lives. They discuss the idea that the only way out of difficult situations is to go through them and that we are our own hope. Colin shares that he found this concept through psychologists and emphasizes the importance of working through obstacles and taking responsibility for our own lives.

Today's guest on Steps is Carly Wopat (INSTAGRAM) Carly is currently a Professional beach volleyball athlete who got her start on the indoor side of the game. In our chat we discuss her journey from an early age and her recruitment to Stanford. While at Stanford Carly suffered the loss of her twin sister, Sam. We talk about this moment in her life and how it affected her, along with how it has shaped her view on how she lives her life. We also dig in on the transition from Indoor to beach volleyball and how the dream of being a firefighter became a goal that became her reality. A quick note, during this episode we speak on the topic of suicide. f you need assistance, please find resources below. Emergency: 911 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1- 800-799-7233 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) National Hopeline Network: 1-800-SUICIDE (800-784-2433) Crisis Text Line: Text "DESERVE" TO 741-741 Self-Harm Hotline: 1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288) American Association of Poison Control Centers: 1-800-222-1222 National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependency Hope Line: 1-800-622-2255If you like what we are doing on Steps, please Rate, Follow and Subscribe. Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

Todays guest on Steps is Anna Rantala. Anna is a professional beach volleyball player who hails from Finland. She is one of many athletes who end up making their way to the United States each year to attend a university while participating in athletics. In our conversation we discuss her journey with this including all the highs and lows that can be associated with moving to a new country at the age of 18. From there her story only gets better as she transitions to a new sport, kind of, and how this transition has led her to experience some of the biggest challenges in her life on and off the court. Without spoiling too much of our interview, you are gonna wanna hear how she pulled herself out of a very negative place and found herself on the podium and her journey there. This is a great conversation with an even better human. I'm grateful that Anna chose to share her story with me and the world & I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!Anna Rantala Links:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/annarantala/Email - anna.rantala@hotmail.comThe Inner Athlete Podcast - anchor.fm/theinnerathleteIf you like what we are doing on Steps, please Rate, Follow and Subscribe.Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

Jeremy Roueche is a man immersed in the world of music. Jeremy is a DJ, yes I said it, a DJ. He has been responsible for playing music at some of the most important venues and events on the planet. If you've ever been to an LA Lakers game, the Olympic Beach Volleyball matches, NCAA Women's Volleyball Final 4 or FUDS (IYKYK) you may have heard DJ Roueche crafting the mood and the vibe with the beats that he mixes together. In addition to DJ'ing Jeremy is an accomplished and amazing music producer who is just one half of The Suicide Doors. The story for Jeremy begins on the East Coast and we dive in on how he found his way to the West Coast and ended up creating the life that he now is so proud to live. I'm grateful that Jeremy chose to share his story with me and the world & I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!LINKS:Jeremy Roueche Links - LINKS: https://linktr.ee/DJRouecheIf you like what we are doing on Steps, please Rate, Follow and Subscribe.Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

Sydney Moore is one of the most inspiring guests that we had the honor of talking with on Steps. We discuss everything from Sydney's youth journey and her love of basketball to what made her decide to quit playing a sport that she grew up loving and picked up a new sport that she had no experience with. Along this journey she began to understand the power of manifestation along with challenges in her own mental health. Now Sydney uses the power of her journey to advocate and mentor in the realm of females in sports and Title IX. This is not the end of Sydney's story, we actually believe that this may be just the beginning. Below you will find links to see what Sydney is up to and to connect with VIS (Voice in Sport) to help their mission to bring more visibility to women and to elevate their voice.LINKS:Sydney Moore Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ssydney.mmoore/VIS Website (Voice In Sport) - https://www.voiceinsport.com/VIS Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/voiceinsport/If you like what we are doing on Steps, please Rate, Follow and Subscribe.Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

On this episode of Baby Steps, I give my thoughts on O.P.P. - Other Peoples Perceptions (of us). We as people and a society spend so much time on what people. think about us as opposed to becoming clear on what it is and how we want to live our lives. This is something that even myself struggle with at times. People like Gary Vee speak about this subject all the time and it's something that I believe that all of us could learn from and work toward improving on. Rather than putting pressure on others and ourselves to chase likes, validation and pats on the back, Let's work on living our best lives on our terms and possibly through offering ourselves some Grace along the way.Please let me know your thoughts on this over on Twitter or Instagram. Remember, the journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step, just keep moving forward.If you like what we are doing on Steps, please Rate, Follow and Subscribe.Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

This is the 1st episode of something i've initially called, Baby Steps. There are so many things that come up in my interviews that could be talked about through a different lens. That's what I'm going to do with Baby Steps, chat about real things and give my personal thoughts and anecdotes along the way. The goal is for them to be short, digestible and hopefully thought provoking. In this episode, I speak about how it's OK to not be OK along with some of my learnings and experiences with therapy. This is not meant to be advice, more my experiences and the lens at which i'm looking through things. I hope that you enjoy this. Please let me know your thoughts on this over on Twitter or Instagram. Remember, the journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step, just keep moving forward.If you like what we are doing on Steps, please Rate, Follow and Subscribe.Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

Gary DeFranco is a Television Executive Producer for The Ultimate Fighter & Street Outlaws. Additionally, Gary is the President of Max Glow Media, MMA and Records! Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio Gary has seen so much in his years on this earth. From FBI raids to performing on stage with Bone Thugs & Harmony to Interviewing the best fighters in the world, Gary has a life's story that is worth sharing. Currently living in Las Vegas, NV, we also dig in on how he made his way out to Vegas and what moment set him on that path toward the bright lights and big city. As we say in the intro, the journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step, you will want to tune in to hear the steps this Cleveland native has taken. LINKS: Gary DeFranco Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gary_defranco147/ Website - https://maxglowmedia.com/ Max Glow Music YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl6aaF0NXyM8-AgJWf7SpqAIf you like what we are doing on Steps, please Rate, Follow and Subscribe.Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

Our conversation today is with Sean Huiet. Sean is the Head Volleyball Coach at Texas State University. Sean took over as head coach of the Bobcat volleyball program in 2020 after spending 14 seasons as the assistant/associate head coach. In two seasons at the helm of the program, Sean has accumulated a 51-21 overall record. Originally hailing from Cincinnati, Sean eventually left the Midwest after spending time at Indiana State and Bowling Green State University and found his way to San Marcos, Texas 16 years ago and never left. We discuss Seans journey in coaching and in life and some of the crossroads that he has encountered which are integral in bringing him to the place he is right now. This conversation is loaded with real conversation and inspiration. We hope that you love it as much as we loved recording it. LINKS:Sean Huiet Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/shuiet8/Sean's TED Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/sean_huiet_adoption_and_difference_our_family_s_storyMy Fav pic of Sean & His Son - https://www.instagram.com/p/CBPGuPfBM92Wo-Go5yM1TkIMBg0vwDlZOpsJHY0/If you like what we are doing on Steps, please head over to either Apple podcasts or Spotify Podcasts and Rate, Follow and Subscribe.Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

Our guest today is Lucy Crivelli. Lucy has a passion for content creation, social media marketing, community events, and pushing industries forward. Lucy is Mexican-born, Los Angeles raised. She came to the US at age 3, fighting through adversities any female minority faces living in underprivileged communities. Lucy's family is everything to her, she has worked hard to get a degree, and prove that women like her can create space in rooms that were not built for them. As a creative, Lucy has worked leading projects with brands like adidas, Reebok, & many more. Currently, Lucy is the Head of Socials for a sneaker gaming app called Aglet, in her role with Aglet she has made it a priority to represent Latina's in tech + sneakers. As a freelance photographer + marketing consultant Lucy has helped Spanish-speaking business owners, including her parents, find the right resources not only to remain open but help their business succeed online.Quick Disclaimer – Lucy and I talk a bit about crypto currency and the NFT space. None of our conversation is financial advice. Please seek professional investment advice and do your own researchLINKS:Lucy Crivelli Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lucycrivelli/Lucy Crivelli Twitter - https://twitter.com/lucycrivelliAglet App Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agletapp/Aglet App Twitter - https://twitter.com/AgletAppAglet App Discord - https://discord.gg/2BY2Q9rkTomorrow Isn't Promised - https://www.tomorrowisntpromised.us/NFT Communities I spoke about – NOT FINANCIAL ADVICEHigh Society Twitter – https://twitter.com/highsocietynftsHigh Society Discord – https://discord.gg/highsocietyJungle Cats Twitter – https://twitter.com/JungleCatsIOJungle Cats Discord - https://discord.gg/HSYV6nvtIf you like what we are doing on Steps, please head over to either Apple podcasts or Spotify Podcasts and Rate, Follow and Subscribe.Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

Our guest today is Greg Meade. Greg is the CEO of CROSSNET (think a cross between 4 square & volleyball) and a Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree. Greg hails from the great state of Connecticut which is where he and his co-founders of CROSSNET got their big idea. In our conversation we discuss everything from having the entrepreneurial spirit and how that spirit has helped him keep moving forward through failures that get thrown his way. We also dig a little bit on web3, the metaverse and the NFT space. (DISCLAIMER - neither Greg or I are financial professionals. Additionally, our conversation is NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE. Please do your own research and consult with a financial professional.) Theres a lot that Greg and I cover in less than an hour & I hope that you find at least one thing to take away that helps you move forward today!LINKS:CROSSNET – https://www.crossnetgame.com/Greg Meade TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@greg?lang=enGreg Meade LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/gmeade/Greg Meade Twitter – https://twitter.com/woeismeadeGreg Meade IG - https://www.instagram.com/woeismeade/If you like what we are doing on Steps, please head over to either Apple podcasts or Spotify Podcasts and Rate, Follow and Subscribe.

Our guest today is Amanda Martin. Amanda is a native of Nashville, Tennessee. She played Division 1 soccer at Saint Louis University and is a member of the St Louis Athletics Hall of Fame. From there she spent 8 years as a Division 1 soccer coach before transitioning into the corporate space with Deloitte. From the time that she joined Deloitte until now, Amanda has had a tremendous impact on the lives of so many that have been lucky enough to cross her path. Currently Amanda is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Recruiting Manager for Deloitte and is calling Philadelphia, Pennsylvania home.Please find the following links to connect with Amanda:https://www.instagram.com/amandamart10/https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinamanda1/If you like what we are doing on Steps, please head over to either Apple podcasts or Spotify Podcasts and Rate, Follow and Subscribe.Be sure to let us know who you would like to have on as a guest, someone who's story needs to be told to the world.

Lauren Carlini is a professional indoor volleyball player, and a member of the USA Volleyball Women's National Team. Lauren grew up in Illinois and was a multi-sport athlete until she decided to commit her whole focus on the sport of Volleyball. Her collegiate journey took her to the University of Wisconsin and started off with an extreme high, finding themselves in the National Championship and Lauren earning National Freshman of the Year accolades. Lauren's college journey was one that many can learn from. She encountered bumps In the road and character building moments that have made her the person she is today.From college Lauren transitioned into Professional Volleyball and began training with USA Volleyball's Women's National Team. For the 4 years following her final collegiate competition Lauren had one goal in mind…. The Tokyo Olympics. In our interview we unpack her journey and the result on her quest for Gold. There's so much Gold (pun kind of intended) in this episode and I hope that you enjoy Lauren's vulnerability and candor.Links:https://www.instagram.com/laurencarlini/https://twitter.com/laurencarlini

Dustin Watten (Instagram) is a professional indoor volleyball player, founder of NoEzyBuckets (Instagram) and all-around amazing human being. In our conversation Dustin and I unpack his journey from Long Beach State University into the pros and competing in the gym with USA Volleyball on the Men's National Team.While playing professionally Dustin has evolved both his life and his desire to be of service to others. This spawned the creation of NoEzyBuckets (NEB). NEB is a platform where Dusty aims to train the best athletes in the world in their Mind, Body & Performance. In this episode we discuss what NEB stands for, the mission of NEB and what he continues to bring to life.Links:www.dustywatten.comhttps://www.instagram.com/dustinwatten/https://www.instagram.com/noezybuckets/

Matt Ginipro (Instagram Twitter ) is a husband, a father, a volleyball coach (Appalachian State, Virginia, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech) and beer aficionado (Rotation 6 Instagram). Matt joins Steps to discuss how he recently left the Head Coach role at App State, what happened and why it happened. Matt and Steve openly discuss the culture of coaching, how it can lead to unhappiness and what can happen when when unaddressed. Matt also shares how the death of his brother has affected him and how it's never too late to speak to someone about your mental health and well being..Steve and Matt are not Health Care professionals. If you are in need of assistance, please find resources below.Emergency: 911National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1- 800-799-7233National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)National Hopeline Network: 1-800-SUICIDE (800-784-2433)Crisis Text Line: Text "DESERVE" TO 741-741Lifeline Crisis Chat (Online live messaging): https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/Self-Harm Hotline: 1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288)American Association of Poison Control Centers: 1-800-222-1222National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependency Hope Line: 1-800-622-2255