Guest Interview: How To Combine Mental and Physical Training with Keenan Curry Jr.

Please welcome Keenan Curry Jr. to today’s episode of The Mindset Coach Academy Podcast! 

I met Keenan when he joined one of my first Mindset Coach Certification cohorts! Keenan has coached nearly every level of basketball and has his Masters in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. From college coaching, to his work as a recruiting coordinator, to managing summer camps, and doing elite student athlete development, Keenan has tons of real-world experience that influences his coaching today. 

With a lifetime in sports, Keenan has a deep level of knowledge and wisdom which has helped him tremendously as he’s built a business from the ground up. 

Today, Keenan is the founder and lead player development coach for FEED Your Game Academy. This program offers basketball player development and mentorship to athletes of all ages. Keenan believes that what works for one athlete won’t necessarily work for another; so he takes a customized approach to coaching with emphasis on the mental game. 

In this episode, Keenan shares his approach to mental training, which he believes has helped to set him apart from other skills coaches in Oaklahoma, what he means when he shouts “Jungle mentality!”, why he believes “You have the answer already within yourself”, and why parents and community are a huge part of his philosophy as a coach.

It was so fun to catch up with Keenan and hear about how he’s used his MCA Certification to help him build a thriving business. This guy is a FORCE.

Enjoy the episode! 

Follow Keenan Curry Jr.

Website: www.feedyourgameacademy.com

Instagram: @feed_yourgame  & @keenancurryjr

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Mistake Ritual Magic Workshop: When your athletes turn the ball over, dribble it off their foot, strike out, or miss a penalty kick, do they have the tools to bounce back? Teach your athletes to recover from failure in the moment with The Mistake Ritual Magic Workshop.

If you are interested in becoming a Certified Mindset Coach like Keenan:

• Download our free e-book: The Ultimate Mindset Coaching Toolkit will help you land and train your very first client! This is the perfect way to get a real taste for what it’s like to be a mindset coach. www.positiveperformancetraining.com/ultimate-mindset-coaching-toolkit
• Join The Mindset Coach Academy Certification: This is the same program Kennan went through. Learn more and sign up for our waitlist to be the first to know when enrollment opens next! www.positiveperformancetraining.com/MCACertification

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Here’s a glance at this episode:

[0:28] Keenan introduces himself with a brief overview of his work at Feed Your Game Academy. He also explains why he joined The Mindset Coach Academy after nearly 10 years of college coaching.

[4:11] Keenan talks about most “fun” skill he highlights with athletes and how he balances athlete training, business development, and parenthood.

[11:15] Drawing from a recent conversation with a parent, Keenan explains how exactly he would work with a new athlete client struggling with the mental game - starting with the initial conversation. 

[14:35] In a step-by-step explanation, Keenan describes how he uses visualization to help teams, athletes of every level, and injured athletes who want to improve on the sidelines.

[17:55] Keenan uses a seasonal approach to coaching, focusing on skills like visualization, pre-competition rituals, mistake rituals, positive (and negative) self-talk, etc.

[22:55] Involving parents is a HUGE part of athletes being successful. Keenan details his post-game protocol for parents and athletes that both reinforces his training and leads to better family communication.

[26:45] Lindsey asks Keenan, “What sets you apart from the other basketball skills trainers in Oaklahoma?” Keenan shares how his phrase “Jungle mentality” has taken off in his community.

[31:10] When parents call in, Keenan tells them, “There is nothing wrong with your kid.” Lindsey and Keenan discuss how this one statement has a huge ripple effect.

[34:51] As coaches and trainers, we go straight to “The sexy stuff” (as Keenan puts it). Keenan explains how your inner beliefs manifest in your reality. He shares the advice he gave an athlete recently who was struggling to mentally recover from a bad game.

[37:18] Wrapping up the episode, Lindsey asks five rappid fire questions. Keenan talks about his obsession with Kobe Bryant, his upcoming app, and what’s next for him!

 

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