In this episode, they are joined by Ryan Lavarnway, a former MLB player with an incredible career including winning a World Series with the Boston Red Sox and representing Team Israel at the 2020 Olympics. Ryan shares his incredible journey getting to the big leagues - notably, where he was sent up and down from the big leagues 26 times.  Ryan’s mindset was shaped by the use of interrogative self-talk. Specifically he eloquently explains how four questions were the key to his success:  ...

Welcome to another episode of the "Beyond the X's and O's" podcast, your go-to destination for discussions on mindset and leadership within the world of sports. In this episode, hosts Dr. Cassidy Preston and Chris DiPiero take a unique turn as they welcome Scott Oakman, a seasoned referee with almost a thousand games under his belt and the Executive Director of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), the world's largest minor hockey league. Here's a brief overview of what to expect in this...

Welcome to the "Beyond the X's and O's" podcast, where we delve into the world of sports, focusing on mindset and leadership. In this episode, your hosts, Dr. Cassidy Preston and Chris DiPiero, welcome a special guest, Luca Gianinazzi, a 30-year-old head coach of a professional hockey team in Switzerland, Hockey Club Lugano, which competes in the Swiss National League. Luca's unique perspective on coaching and leadership is a fascinating look into the new era of coaching in the world of...

In this episode, Cassidy interviews David Gucciardi, a prospect of the Washington Capitals. He discusses the work he has done on his mindset through his junior and college hockey career thus far. Here's a glimpse of what you can expect in this engaging episode: Developing His Emotional Regulation:  David discusses his transition from a player where his emotions would get the best of him to someone who has learned to stay even keel. Staying Connected to the Love of the Game: David shares...

In this episode, we have a captivating conversation with Steve Spott, a long-time friend of Chris DiPiero and a respected figure in the hockey world. Steve's extensive hockey journey, from playing junior hockey to coaching in the NHL, provides a rich backdrop for our discussion. Here's a sneak peek of what you can expect: Authentic Communication: Learn the importance of clear and authentic communication in coaching, as well as the crucial role it plays in player development. Embracing...

In this episode, we sit down with Mike McKenzie, General Manager of the Kitchener Rangers and a former St. Michael's Buzzers - where he was part of the championship team with Cassidy and Chris. Mike shares his wealth of experience, highlighting both the timeless principles and modern challenges of hockey. Here’s what you can look forward to: The Essentials Remain: Discover how some fundamentals of the game, like going to the net, battling, and contact, have remained unchanged despite the...

In this episode, we have an engaging conversation with Louie Caporusso, a former St. Michael's Buzzers - where he was part of the championship team with Cassidy and Chris. Louie shares his journey as a professional hockey player and provides valuable insights for athletes, coaches, and parents. Here's what you can expect: Embracing Embarrassment: Louie talks about how healthy it can be to experience embarrassment and how it can lead to personal growth. The Beginner's Mindset: Discover...

In this episode, we're joined by a returning guest, Trevor Large, the head coach of Canisius College's hockey team. Trevor shares how he led his team to their first-ever NCAA tournament this past season. Here's a glimpse of what's in store: A Different Coaching Approach: Discover how Trevor has embraced a unique coaching philosophy focused on building culture, accountability, and trust. Mindset First: Learn about Trevor's radical shift away from obsessing over results and how he...

Jerry Lynch and John O’Sullivan are leadership, performance, and team culture specialists. Jerry and John co-host the Way of Champions Podcast, as well as the Way of Champions Transformational Leadership Conference, and both are national advisory board members of the Positive Coaching Alliance. Together they brought their extensive experiences together to write the book: the Champion Teammate.  In today's episode, John joined us back on the podcast to dive into the book. Here's what you’ll...

Domenic DiVincentiis is a prospect for the Winnipeg Jets, who currently plays for the North Bay Battalion. Over the past four years, he’s worked with Dr. Cassidy Preston to help give him a mental edge on and off the ice as he continues to climb the ranks. In this interview Dom discusses how he has personalized his mental game to work for him. He shares insights into his mindset and the lessons he learned that helped him earn the OHL goalie of the year and sign his entry level deal with the...

The hit Apple TV series Ted Lasso is a masterclass in going Beyond the X’s and O’s. So we invited Dan Arel to join us and breakdown our biggest lessons and takeaways from the show. Dan Arel has been coaching youth hockey for nearly a decade and is the Director of Coach & Player Development for the San Diego Oilers. In 2020, he was named The San Diego Gulls Foundation Coach of the Year. Arel is also a regular contributing writer to The Coaches Site, focusing on player development through...

This assertion may be a little over the top - but Chris De Piero and I (Dr. Cassidy Preston) strongly feel it is warranted to say that the leaders of sport are failing. This episode of BXO’s is a follow-up to the ‘Is Hockey Broken?’ episode we recently did - which doesn’t just apply to hockey.  Although the episode received a lot of support, it was also criticized by many - which drove us to double down and create this episode.  People can and will disagree with us - we welcome those that...

Performance anxiety is one of the leading reasons athletes struggle to perform when it matters most.  In this podcast, we want to show you how to break through the limiting beliefs and cultural norms that perpetuate performance anxiety.  This is a follow up to the How to Perform Under Pressure video recently posted.  Here are the main concepts we unpacked to help athletes overcome performance anxiety: Building Up the Context Athletes, coaches, parents, and fans alike often attach too much...

It is a hard yes - hockey is broken. This has a lot more to do with the structure than the people. Most people in hockey have good intentions but it is the structure of the game that does not foster an optimal environment. As a result, destructive behaviours and practices are normalized and repeated at all levels. Can it be fixed? It is less about ‘fixing it’ per-say but rather about getting better. But in order to improve something there needs to be clear measures of what to improve...

Rane Carnegie is a Motivational Speaker, minor hockey coach and the youngest grandchild of the late Hockey Hall of Famer Dr. Herb Carnegie. Rane was a former 1st round draft pick in the 2001 OHL draft. He went on to play semi pro in the AHL, ECHL, CHL and finished his career overseas in Sweden, Finland and France respectively. He has helped keep his grandfather’s legacy alive through the Carnegie Initiative and continuing the Futures Aces Hockey School. Dr. Herb Carnegie broke barriers and...

Mike Snee is the Executive Director of College Hockey, Inc.'s. In this role he guides College Hockey Inc.'s marketing efforts to promote Division I men's college hockey and its work to help grow the number of institutions offering the sport. Snee is also a member of the Board of Directors of both USA Hockey and U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Prior to joining College Hockey Inc. Snee was the Executive Director for Minnesota Hockey. Before joining Minnesota Hockey, Snee spent nine years with...

In this episode we decided to dive into accountability - a crucial component to any team or organization. We believe the standards of what is acceptable behaviour within the sport culture are changing, but without the proper structures of accountability real change will be slow. The shortcomings of Hockey Canada and other national sport organizations are prime examples of the importance of accountability - click here for a recent article that we make mention of in this episode. ...

Lee Elias is a two-time award winning author and has coached at the international, professional, collegiate, and youth levels. He is also the founder of Hockey Wraparound and Game Seven Group. In addition, Lee’s professional experience includes having helped organizations such as the NHL, NBC, Hearst Media, A&E, Madison Square Garden, and several sports organizations. Lee is an acclaimed keynote speaker in both virtual and in person events, and is the co-host of Our Kids Play Hockey, a...

Andrew Cogliano has spent the past 15 seasons in the NHL amassing 1,140 games, of which he had a consecutive streak of 830 games. He recently won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. He previously played for the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks, and Edmonton Oilers (the team who picked him in the 1st Round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft). Championships seem to follow Cogliano, as he has also won internationally representing Canada at the World Junior tournament, winning two...

Joe Birch is the current Chief Operating Officer and Governor for the storied Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. Joe played in the OHL with the Rangers and the London Knights before finishing his playing career at Western University. He then embarked on a coaching career where he was an Assistant Coach with the St. Thomas Stars and had the chance to work with San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture. His next stop was working at the OHL Head Office for 12 years. There he created and...

Cody Royle is the Head Coach of AFL Team Canada, the men’s national team for Australian Rules Football. He was born and raised in Australia, but has lived in Canada for over a decade now. Cody has spent the last number of years researching, interviewing, and writing about leadership, culture, and performance. As a result he is the author of two books on these subjects, Where Others Won’t and The Tough Stuff. In addition he has his own podcast titled, Where Others Won’t, where he has...

Jessica Renney and Paula McQuaid are the co-founds HONE Athletics, are both practicing Psychotherapists, and are Professional Members of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Growing up, Jessica was an avid athlete and her dad coached 13+ years in the NHL. Paula was also an avid athlete and has had the opportunity to work with Hockey Canada as a Mental Performance Consultant with the Women’s U-18 National Team, winning a bronze medal (2018), gold medal (2019) and silver...

Brock McGillis is the first openly gay men’s professional hockey player, public speaker and a leading activist in the LGBTQ2S+ space. McGillis studied communications and sports community at Laurentian University and is certified in EDI from Cornell University. His rare combination of education and lived experience have allowed him to become an influential LGBTQ+ advocate, both in the world of sports and beyond. McGillis is an international speaker and brings his unique experiences to...

Dr. Jean Côté is a professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University, where he served as the Director of the School from 2006-2019. He has published more than 160 refereed papers on a variety of sport psychology and youth sport topics and 50 book chapters. He is currently researching the examination of parents as “consumers” in the youth sport system and the impact of Transformational Coaching on athletes’ development. He has presented his work to both sport...