Blades & Behavior

In this episode of Blades & Behavior™️, Dr. Naser sits down with Scott Morrison, Assistant Coach for the Utah Jazz, to discuss maintaining peak performance behind the scenes in professional basketball. They explore the often overlooked role of support staff in high-performance environments and the mental and emotional skills required to consistently operate at an elite level.Scott shares insights from his coaching career, including how support staff build mental resilience, regulate emotions under pressure, and develop habits that support high-performing athletes. The conversation highlights psychological flexibility, learning from mistakes without self-criticism, and the balance between confidence and humility in high-performance roles.Dr. Naser and Scott also discuss how routines evolve throughout an NBA season, how professionals adapt mental preparation from training camp to regular season competition, and how emotional awareness helps staff support athletes while maintaining team dynamics. They also reflect on the unseen contributions of support professionals and the rewarding aspects of working within elite sports organizations.This episode provides a behind-the-scenes perspective on the people and processes that support excellence in professional sports. Whether you work with athletes or operate in another high-performance field, the discussion emphasizes resilience, self-trust, emotional intelligence, and adaptability.Key topics include mental health and habits for support staff, strategies for psychological flexibility and learning from mistakes, the role of confidence and humility in high-performance environments, emotional regulation for supporting athletes and managing team dynamics, evolving routines across an NBA season, and the often unseen impact of support staff.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and the importance of support staff in basketball02:00 Scott Morrison’s background and role with the Utah Jazz03:50 Daily routines and balancing work with family life04:55 Mental health and developing good habits05:45 Psychological flexibility in high-pressure environments07:00 Learning from mistakes without self-criticism08:30 Mistakes vs. part of the game in basketball09:50 Confidence and humility in high performance11:05 Emotional regulation strategies for staff and athletes13:00 Building self-trust as a professional14:00 Self-awareness and trusting your abilities15:50 Challenges and rewards of the support role20:00 Evolving mental readiness strategies across NBA seasons22:00 Training camp vs regular season routines23:50 Understanding support staff contributions26:00 Lessons learned and rewarding aspects of the roleDr. Naser’s links:https://linktr.ee/alicianaserNewsletter:https://doctoralicianaser.beehiiv.com/Disclaimer: Guests appear on the Blades & Behavior™ podcast in their personal capacity and participation does not imply endorsement or affiliation with any team, league, employer, or organization. Content is for informational and discussion purposes only and is not medical, psychological, legal, or professional advice. Always seek guidance from qualified professionals for medical or behavioral health concerns. This podcast is produced by Alicia Naser LLC // The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sports Psychology™️ and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®). All materials are protected under U.S. and international copyright law.

In this episode of Blades & Behavior™️, Dr. Naser sits down with Mike Maresca, manual therapist for the Carolina Hurricanes, to discuss what it takes to support elite athletes behind the scenes. They explore the often overlooked role of support staff in the NHL and the mental skills required to operate in a high performance environment.Dr. Naser and Mike discuss mental resilience, emotional regulation, confidence, and self trust when working closely with professional athletes throughout a demanding season. They also explore how routines evolve during training camp and the regular season, how support staff navigate mistakes and pressure, and the importance of psychological flexibility in professional sports.Key topics include:• Mental health and habits for support staff working with high performers• Psychological flexibility and handling mistakes as part of the game• Confidence, humility, and self trust in high performance roles• Emotional regulation when supporting athletes and team environments• How routines and mental preparation evolve throughout an NHL season• Behind the scenes responsibilities that often go unnoticed• Lessons learned from six seasons supporting NHL athletesTimestamps:00:00 Introduction and the importance of support staff in hockey02:00 Mike Maresca’s background and role with the Carolina Hurricanes03:50 Daily routines and balancing work with family life04:55 Mental health and habit development05:45 Psychological flexibility in high pressure environments07:00 Learning from mistakes without self criticism08:30 Mistakes vs part of the game in hockey09:50 Confidence and humility in high performance11:05 Emotional regulation strategies13:00 Building self trust and confidence14:00 Self awareness and trusting your abilities15:50 Challenges and rewards of professional sports support roles20:00 Mental readiness across six NHL seasons22:00 Routine adjustments during training camp vs season23:50 Misunderstandings about support staff contributions26:00 Lessons learned and rewarding aspects of the roleThis episode highlights the behind the scenes work that supports athletic excellence at the highest level. Whether you work in sports or other high performance environments, the conversation emphasizes resilience, emotional intelligence, and self trust.Dr. Naser’s links:https://linktr.ee/alicianaserNewsletter: https://doctoralicianaser.beehiiv.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/doctoralicianaserTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@alicianaserLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/behavioral-sports-psychology-7147731671646150657/Disclaimer: Guests appear in a personal capacity and participation does not imply endorsement or affiliation with any team, league, or employer. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers and are for informational and discussion purposes only. Content is not intended as medical, psychological, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional for guidance. Blades & Behavior™️ is produced by Alicia Naser LLC // The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sports Psychology™️ and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®). All content is protected under U.S. and international copyright law.

Link to all of Dr. Naser's Current Offerings, Media, and Client Applications: https://linktr.ee/alicianaser SummaryIn this episode, Dr. Alicia Naser discusses three key behaviors essential for achieving excellence in sport performance: psychological flexibility, mastering the environment, and engaging in objective thinking. She emphasizes the importance of using 'and statements' to foster mental resilience and the need for athletes to focus on facts rather than emotions. The conversation also highlights how creating a supportive environment can enhance performance consistency and confidence among athletes.Takeaways-There are more than three behaviors for excellence, but these are the most common.-Psychological flexibility is crucial for athletes to adapt and perform under pressure.-Engaging in objective thoughts helps athletes focus on facts rather than emotions.-Mastering the environment is essential for consistent performance.-Using 'and statements' can help athletes manage their thoughts effectively.-Confidence is a byproduct of consistent behavior, not the goal itself.-The mind often tells stories that may not reflect reality.-Creating cues in the environment can direct desired behaviors.-Emotions play a significant role in sports but should not dictate performance.-Athletes must learn to separate their emotions from their behaviors.Chapters00:00Understanding Excellence in Sport Performance02:46Key Behavior 1: Psychological Flexibility08:13Introduction to Psychological Flexibility and And Statements18:17Implementing And Statements in Sports and Life18:45Objective vs. Subjective Thinking in Sports25:52The Importance of Seeking Truth in Performance26:00Mastering Your Environment for Performance Excellence28:48The Role of Team Culture vs. Environment32:01Behavior and Performance: The Impact of Environment34:47Cues and Prompts: Enhancing Mental Performance36:33Introduction to Excellence in Sport Performance

Harry Mahesh, Assistant Coach of the AHL Abbotsford Canucks delves into the role of a coach and the strategies used to manage and support players. It explores the challenges of balancing player urgency with growth, identifying skill deficits versus mental blocks, and adapting coaching to individual player needs. The importance of communication and accountability in coaching is also highlighted. The conversation delves into the mental performance and emotional regulation of coaches, highlighting the importance of managing emotions, balancing work and personal life, and understanding the impact of emotional regulation in high-stakes sports.TakeawaysPlayer DevelopmentCoaching Strategies Mental PerformanceEmotional RegulationChapters00:00 Introduction and Role Description07:03 Adapting Coaching to Individual Player Needs12:34 Communication and Accountability in Coaching28:10 The Mental Performance of a Coach40:14 Emotional Regulation in High-Stakes Sportshttps://linktr.ee/alicianaser

The first episode of Blades and Behavior introduces the concept of behavioral sports psychology and its application in understanding behavior in sports. The podcast covers a wide range of topics related to behavioral science in sports and aims to engage a diverse audience interested in optimizing performance and understanding behavior in sports.