In this episode of Mindclickers, we sit down with Dr. Mitchell Nicholson - Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Esports researcher, and former Australian National Hockey Team Athlete to break down the future of Esports performance and research.

Mitch completed his PhD at Queensland University of Technology, exploring the physiological demands of competitive esports, mental health, cognitive fatigue, and how structured exercise can transform long-term player wellbeing. His mission is to build the first evidence-based physical activity guidelines for esports athletes.

In this episode of Mindclickers, I’m joined by Radu “Radu C” Casapu, the current top-ranked geoguessr player globally and champion 2025 Americas Major.

As a pre 2025 World Cup insight, we unpack his rise to the top, dissecting the mindset, tactics, and consistency behind his success including strategies like journalling, flow states, and risk management. Radu also shares how he navigates high-pressure duels, optimizes his practice routines, and stays mentally resilient in competitive play.

Whether you're an aspiring Duelist, GeoGuessr fan, or performance mindset enthusiast, you’ll find powerful insights in every minute.

Timestamps 0:50 – Intro into Radu’s Journey

2:40 – Winning a School Geography Competition

5:30 – Balancing Expectations as a Player

6:20 – Mindset Changes Since the 1st World Cup

8:00 – How the GeoGuessr Community Helps Each Other Improve

10:40 – Sharing Knowledge Without Losing Advantage

11:10 – Is GeoGuessr a Mental Sport or Strategy Game?

11:45 – The Importance of Hedging Guesses

12:50 – No-Move vs Move Playstyles

14:10 – Dealing with RNG in GeoGuessr

15:50 – Mindset Before a Game

18:10 – Using Music for Focus & Repetition

19:15 – Visualisation & Reflecting on Games 2

20:10 – Rarely Making the Same Mistake Twice

20:40 – What Practice Looks Like for Radu

24:00 – A Methodical Approach to Games

24:20 – Memory Palace & Journaling

25:45 – Colour Coding Maps for Memory

26:50 – Screen Recording & Self-Review

29:10 – Studying Opponents’ Games

31:00 – Allocating Time to Learning

32:30 – Handling Emotions After a Bad Guess

34:20 – Balancing Risk vs Reward in Guesses

35:15 – Insta-Lock Strategy Explained

37:05 – Should Players Have a Coach Timeout?

38:50 – Insights from America’s Major Finals

40:25 – Developing Flow State in Competition

41:10 – Building Confidence for the World Championship

41:50 – Competing in Andorra

44:00 – Caffeine, Coffee & Energy Drinks

45:45 – Exercise & Walks for Performance

46:50 – Monitor Settings for GeoGuessr

48:30 – Placebo Effects in Esports

49:25 – The Future of Competitive GeoGuessr

52:15 – Pick/Ban System in GeoGuessr

53:50 – Insights on NMPZ (No Move, Pan, Zoom) Mode

56:45 – Organisations in GeoGuessr Esports

59:00 – Rapid Fire Questions (Deep Dive)

1:15:20 – Reddit Community Questions

1:21:00 – Advice for Players & Final Words ❤️

In this episode of Mindclickers, I’m joined by ProjectBloom, one of the biggest voices in the world of GeoGuessr Esports. We dive into Bloom’s journey from player to caster, his reflections on the first GeoGuessr World Cup, and what it takes to prepare for LAN events. Bloom shares insights on the evolving GeoGuessr meta, the differences between EU and NA playstyles, and the challenges of casting under pressure.

0:50 – Intro

1:15 – Bloom's journey so far, the origin of Geoguessr Esports

7:20 – Gotta get Bloom ft Rainbolt

8:00 – Feeling of having a pivotal impact on Geoguessr Esports

9:05 – First World Cup reflection

10:10 – First LAN setting – Will players perform the same as online?

15:00 – Preparation for a LAN environment

16:10 – Monitor in Geoguessr settings

18:00 – Previously couldn’t use own mouse and keyboard

19:30 – Going into first cast from a commentator perspective

23:50 – Playing the role of an esports caster

25:00 – Breaking down a cast – Stats and information

26:30 – Freezing during a cast/stage

31:35 – Underlying anxiety prior to a cast?

33:35 – Casting in different game modes

36:00 – Updating metas as a caster

36:45 – Secret study

37:30 – Regional differences – EU vs NA

41:45 – LAN formats – different order = different results?

45:45 – Insight into different systems in other games

48:10 – Favourite country to cast

50:40 – Is there an end towards metas?

53:20 – Country that you'd want on Geoguessr?

54:40 – What does the future of Geoguessr look like – Orgs?

1:01:20 – Sustainable to do Geoguessr full-time?

1:04:00 – Rapid fire questions

1:10:45 – Final advice for Geoguessr up-and-comers

Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/projectbloom

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ProjectBloomtv

X - https://x.com/ProjectBloomtv

Dexter is one of Australia’s most accomplished CS IGLs, taking his journey from OCE to the biggest stages in EU. In this episode we dive into his mindset, leadership, tilt management, and the behind-the-scenes grind of pro CS. We cover everything from the struggles of qualifying for LANs in OCE, joining MOUZ, building confidence as an IGL, handling tilt, and the mental preparation that separates pros from the rest. Whether you’re a Counter-Strike fan, an aspiring pro, or just curious about Esports leadership, this episode is packed with insights.

🔗 Follow dexter

X - https://x.com/dextersJOURNEY

Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/dextersjourney

🎙 Follow Mindclickers:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lachpark

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0mlpbWJOoIpoHbhhag9fQz

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindclickers/id1532347131

Website - https://www.mindclickers.com/

Keywords: CS2 IGL, Counter-Strike esports, Dexter CS2, OCE to EU journey, tilt management in esports, esports coaching & performance.

In this episode of Mindclickers, I’m joined by zi8gzag, one of the top professional Geoguessr players in the world. We dive deep into his competitive journey, strategies for staying sharp, the mental game behind Geoguessr, and how he manages both competition and content creation. From memory palaces to tilt management, and from scrimming against the best to pushing the meta, this episode is packed with valuable insights for gamers, competitors, and anyone fascinated by geography esports.

Timestamps / Topics Covered

0:00 Intro

1:20 Journey into GeoGuessr and how Zi8gzag got into it

4:15 The change that made him want to push higher

6:10 Pathway to competition

8:20 GeoGuessr as a tournament organiser

12:20 Scrimming against players globally

14:50 GeoGuessr is factual

15:15 Barrier to entry

18:10 Internalised pressure from an individual perspective

21:00 Visual acquisition in GeoGuessr

23:00 External profession example

24:10 Memory palaces and memorisation techniques (phone codes)

25:30 New memory technique for US

28:00 Learn a country then trade with others

30:05 Post game reflection process

33:10 Dealing with burnout

38:00 Managing tilt

41:30 LBP tilt reflection and stopping negative reflections

44:20 Having a coach or someone to chat to during a timeout

47:00 Considering external performance factors (sleep, nutrition, exercise)

52:10 Putting the pressure on – valid strategy?

54:00 Instalock tactic backfiring

56:20 Moving vs Not moving

59:00 Content creation mindset – experience with negativity

1:03:40 Getting obsessed with analytics

1:06:20 Rapid Fire Questions

1:18:30 Final advice

🔗 Follow zi8gzag:

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@UCqcxR9B59H4DT1e6hg1Smiw

Twitch – https://www.twitch.tv/zi8gzag

🎙 Follow Mindclickers:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lachpark

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0mlpbWJOoIpoHbhhag9fQz

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindclickers/id1532347131

Website - https://www.mindclickers.com/

In this episode of Mindclickers, I’m joined by Jacqui Louder, one of Australia’s most respected sport and performance psychologists, currently working with Collingwood Football Club (AFL) and Melbourne Storm (NRL). With decades of experience in elite sports, Jacqui brings deep insight into the mental side of performance, behaviour change, team culture, and athlete identity.

We explore what it’s like to support players at the highest level, how to deal with setbacks, ego, pressure from social media, and the psychology behind building winning teams. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or simply passionate about performance, this episode is packed with takeaways.

🗂️ Topics Covered

0:00 Intro

1:10 Jacqui's introduction to high performance

6:00 First experiences supporting athletes with no prior psych help

8:22 Multidisciplinary team involvement

9:20 Resistance to psychological support and behaviour change

11:20 Team connection in traditional sports

13:00 Team vs individualised performance plans

14:30 Dealing with personal losses in sport

17:00 Expectations and being results-focused

18:30 Overcoming underdog mindset

20:20 Performance mindset: can’t lose what you don’t have

21:00 Staying present in the moment

23:00 Placebos and belief systems in performance

25:40 Performing in front of crowds

27:00 Controlling the controllables

28:45 Navigating social media as a professional athlete

32:00 Managing ego in elite environments

32:45 Identity challenges around injury and retirement

34:30 Separating professional from personal identity

36:00 Team culture and personality trait dynamics

39:00 Two-way communication and growth

41:00 Avoiding the "yeah but" mindset

42:00 Receiving compliments with purpose

43:20 Feedback styles and effectiveness

45:30 Promoting athlete self-assessment

47:00 “What did I do wrong? Nothing.”

47:40 Timeout strategies during performance

49:00 The five types of 1-minute breaks

52:00 Recognising and preventing burnout

53:50 “Manage your moments, or they’ll manage you.”

55:00 Advice for the next generation of athletes

58:00 “Delayed doesn’t mean denied.”

🔗 Jacqui Louder Socials

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-louder-74680a4a/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacquilouder/?hl=en

📱 Follow Mindclickers

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Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/mindclickers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindclickers

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mindclickers

🎙️ Season 6, Episode 8 – Christian "TrAiDoS" Staedtter

This week on Mindclickers, I’m joined by Christian Staedtter - lecturer, and high-performance researcher with experience across 70+ LAN events since 2011, Christian brings a rare mix of academic insight and practical understanding of elite gaming environments.

We unpack psychological and environmental factors that influence performance, including team culture, sound, risk-taking, huddles, leadership, and even how things like air quality might affect gameplay.

🧠 Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro

• 01:10 – Christian’s journey

• 04:50 – PhD insight and driving motivator

• 07:10 – Individualisation in esports

• 07:50 – Team culture, environment, and managing expectations

• 11:30 – Social media impact on players

• 14:00 – Streamers and pros during COVID

• 15:10 – Playing in personal environments

• 17:10 – Crowd pressure and Christian’s LAN insights

• 20:00 – Old-school LANs and playing in booths

• 22:00 – Playing with sound vs no sound

• 25:00 – Sound desensitisation

• 26:00 – Impact of music on performance

• 28:40 – Placebos in esports

• 31:20 – Team huddles

• 33:10 – Real-life huddle example

• 36:00 – Ego in esports

• 41:30 – Using personality tests in recruitment

• 44:00 – Leadership in teams

• 46:00 – Cultural and gender differences in risk-taking

• 51:00 – Expanding on risk-taking

• 54:00 – Using data in esports

• 56:00 – VOD review accessibility

• 58:30 – Christian’s current research

• 1:06:00 – Upcoming research projects

• 1:10:00 – Analytical thinking styles

• 1:15:00 – Visualisation and mental rehearsal

• 1:18:00 – Communication strategies

• 1:20:00 – Environmental factors like air pollution

• 1:25:00 – Encouraging contribution to esports research

• 1:25:00 – Final thoughts and socials

📲 Connect with Christian

Website: https://www.christian-staedter.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianstaedter

X (Twitter): https://x.com/TrAiDoS

Research: https://www.emerald.com/tpm/article/doi/10.1108/TPM-09-2024-0109/1256464/Taking-aim-at-research-on-esports-teams-a

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindclickers/id1532347131?ls=1

The FUSE Cup - Esports in Schools | Mindclickers Season 6, Episode 5

In this episode of Mindclickers, I’m joined by Daniel Aivaliotis-Martinez, the founder of The FUSE Cup, an international interschool Esports competition that promotes digital wellbeing, inclusion, and positive gaming behaviours among students.

With over 18 years of experience in education and digital innovation, Dan shares how The FUSE Cup is helping reshape the role of gaming in schools across Australia and Asia. From building programs that support neurodiverse students, to tackling issues like loot boxes and screen time, this episode offers a powerful insight into how Esports and gaming can be used to educate, engage, and empower the next generation.

🎙️ Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 - Intro

• 01:32 - Introduction to Dan and the creation of The FUSE Cup

• 05:40 - School expansion roadmap

• 08:30 - How do schools fund esports programs?

• 12:00 - Educating students about loot boxes and game mechanics

• 13:00 - Physical and cognitive benefits of gaming

• 15:10 - Games played in The FUSE Cup

• 17:30 - Age ratings and game selection

• 19:00 - VR and gamification in education

• 22:30 - Setting up and hosting events

• 25:00 - Increasing girls' participation in esports

• 27:40 - Helping kids manage losing

• 29:00 - Encouraging participation and inclusion

• 30:40 - Esports pathways: high school to university

• 33:40 - How to go pro in esports - the tricky answer

• 37:30 - Competitive exposure for students

• 40:00 - Parental perspectives on gaming

• 49:00 - Positive social impact for neurodiverse students

• 51:20 - Final thoughts and advice from Dan

🔗 Follow Mindclickers & Stay Connected

🌐 Website – https://www.mindclickers.com

🎧 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0mlpbWJ...

🍎 Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

▶️ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@Mindclickers

🐦 Twitter/X – https://twitter.com/mindclickers

📧 Email – contact@mindclickers.com

🔗 Connect with Dan Aivaliotis-Martinez & The FUSE Cup

🌐 The FUSE Cup Website – https://www.thefusecup.com

💼 Dan's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmartinezfuse