In this episode, Eli Hallak sits down with Jasmine Haas, founder of BrainWaves Performance and Director of Mental Performance for Lakeside Aquatic Club, to discuss the growing role of mental performance in athletics. Jasmine shares her journey working with swimmers, divers, and military populations, and emphasizes the importance of proper certification to remain present on deck and embedded with athletes. The conversation highlights the bravery of young athletes in being vulnerable about their mental wellness, the value of integrating mental performance training into youth sports, and the process of building structured programs for student athletes. They also address the dangers of assumptions and the responsibility coaches have to fully understand the demands they place on their athletes.

BrainWaves Performance

Lakeside Aquatic Club

In this episode, Eli Hallak sits down with Erick Chen to discuss the global opportunities within athletic training and the path it takes to reach them. Eric reflects on his professional journey from the junior college setting to Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, emphasizing the importance of being willing to work where opportunities exist and mastering the fundamentals along the way. They explore his role in helping build clinical infrastructure in China, the level of detail required in multinational care environments, and how organizations like the Asia-Pacific Athletic Trainers’ Society are expanding the profession beyond borders.

In this episode, Eli Hallak and cohost Joel Doerning sit down with Dr. Douglas Kalman to break down the role of nutrition in both health and performance. They discuss how biases and outside influences can shape an athlete’s understanding of nutrition, and why it’s important to view food and hydration as fuel based on the demands of different sports and positions. The conversation also highlights the difference between eating for general health and eating for performance, while emphasizing the need to recognize misinformation and rely on evidence-based practices.

International Society of Sports Nutrition

National Library of Medicine: ISSN PubMed