In this episode with our first guest ever, Nick Del Bianco, we discuss a number of helpful tips, tricks, and strategies to stay healthy, play longer, lift heavier, sleep better, and even hit harder. Nick specializes in athlete holistic wellness with an emphasis on longevity and availability.

The goal of this episode is to continue to do our part in breaking the stigma around mental health – especially in athletes. We wanted to share our journey with mental health, how it has affected us, and how to create a safe space for those important people around you.

In this episode we discuss tips and tricks on how to stay present in stressful situations, how to reset after errors, and how to deal with nerves. We also discuss the power of gratitude and the role that willpower plays in performance.

We got an overwhelming number of questions so THANK YOU!!! We promise we will answer all of them. If we don't answer it in this episode that means we are using your question to shape the conversation of future episodes. Stay tuned.

1:38 How do you stop comparing yourself to others around you/on your own team?

7:08 Do you guys ever compare yourself to each other? Or how do you manage to not compare yourself?

9:38 What athlete have you played with that would be the best/ swaggiest men's league guy?

11:26 How do you get the “swoosh/checkmark” back when you feel you’ve plateaued?

14:36 Who’s the better basketball player between you guys?!

15:31 If you were on death row, what would your final meal be?

16:58 17U boys team working on vision of the block and decision making on offense. What training was most successful to develop this skill for each of you, and what goes through your head between reception and attack?

22:46 What was the mindset that’s instilled in you all that separates you guys from other volleyball family’s? How come all of you are so successful but other brothers/sisters aren’t, can you distill what that is?

26:28 What was it like playing with your brother(s)? Was there a different dynamic in your “family” or “teammate” relationship?

32:43 My highschool team is struggling to find a groove and win games. We are all pretty decent individually and have good team chemistry but we find ourselves in ruts where we can’t pass, set or hit well against teams that are definitely not as good as we are. I was wondering if any of you guys can relate or if you guys had advice for getting out of situations like these.

37:13 What is the driving force to keep playing? The love of the game? The grind? The money/monetary benefits? The awards? Because it’s what you know?

41:25 Mathias, would you like to play in Polish PlusLiga? Have you had any offers from this league so far?

42:12 Jesse, How do you feel about being such a model and someone we look up to, especially for younger people and the new generation of volleyball players.

44:00 What was it like to play setter and outside. How do you handle the transition and which position do you like playing more?

46:54 Mathias, how are you so good at setting, passing, and hitting. You’re just as a good of a setter as a hitter. I know players that can play 2 positions but NOT at YOUR level. Especially at the national level. How do you do that?

48:08 Considering that all three of you guys were from the same high school, and I think Jackson Howe too. Did y'all destroy teams so easily? And did you guys win provincials?

46:54 Mathias, how are you so good at setting, passing, and hitting. You’re just as a good of a setter as a hitter. I know players that can play 2 positions but NOT at YOUR level. Especially at the national level. How do you do that?

50:13 To me, you guys had the GREATEST college men's volleyball team of all time in the 2021-2022 season. Do you guys think that year you guys were the greatest Mens college volleyball team to ever assemble? And if you guys had one more season together with that team, would you guys win the Canada West Championship, the U Sports Championship, or both?

53:44 Jesse, being that you're 6'9, would you ever play middle?

In this episode we talk all about teammates, accountability, and love languages. We discuss the difference between being a friend and a teammate, how to lead by example, and attempt to tackle the question of how to make those around you better.

In this episode we talk about getting recruited, how to stand out, moving away from home, and the individuality of each program. We also discuss how to deal with the stress of choosing a post-secondary institution and best practices for reaching out and building connections with coaches.

In our second episode, we talk about learning and habits. We explore two different schools of thought – how to stress your mind and body just the right amount to ensure maximum success – and the science behind creating a new habit.

In our first episode, we talk all-things goal setting. How to achieve long term goals and how to productively and effectively stay on track as a team throughout the course of long and bumpy seasons.