Category: World Class Coaches & Athletes

Diego Moyano is an accomplished former professional tennis player from Argentina. As a USTA coach, he has trained ATP players Tommy Paul and Reilly Opelka, and coached Denis Kudla and Andrea Collarini. Currently, he’s coaching world ranked number 82, South African player Kevin Anderson. We caught up with Diego in the middle of the Vienna Open in October of 2020, while Kevin was on his way to the semi-finals.

Diego joins us in today’s episode to discuss his incredible journey from leaving home at a very early age to set out on his quest for tennis greatness, having nothing and working his way to the top. Hint: It’s all about unlocking your passion for the game!

Take a listen to this episode below, and then connect with Diego via his Instagram, Twitter or Facebook page, as well as his website, diegomoyanohighperformancetennis.com

Isaac Jean-Paul is a Paralympic Track and Field Athlete with a visual impairment who set a world record in the men’s high jump at the 2017 World Para Athletics championship in London. He joins us on this episode of the Sport Fuels Life podcast and shares how he’s cleared the bar on so many of life’s challenges to defy the limitations that most people said would hold him down. Now he’s training at the Olympic Training Center in San Diego, aiming for the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Take a listen below and then come back and let us know what inspired you most about Isaac’s journey!

Jennifer Brady is no stranger to hard work or determination. In fact, she was only five years old when she discovered her passion for tennis in her hometown of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Two decades later, Brady finds herself among the tennis elite and for good reason. Ranked #24 in the world of women’s tennis, Brady played for UCLA before turning pro in 2014, making her Grand Slam Debut at the US Open. Now, just six years later, Brady has gone toe to toe with legendary names, even coming out victorious against Maria Sharapova in 2020. Read on to learn more about this powerhouse player!

How did you discover your passion for tennis?

When I was 5 years old my parents took my twin sister and I to the park near our house in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. We brought racquets and balls with us to the tennis courts there. We just started picking up balls and then hitting them with no clue what we were doing. It just so happened that there was a tennis clinic going on at the time and one of the coaches came up and asked my parents if we wanted to join. I immediately fell in love with the sport and always asked my parents to take me to the courts and so I could play. I’d also hit off the garage door in the basement of our house growing up. Finally my parents made a backboard that I could hit off of, by using a bed sheet!

Who are your sports heroes that inspire you to pursue excellence on the court?

I think Lebron James is one of the greatest athletes of all time. He’s a great sports hero to look up to, having been through many ups and downs and still continuing to achieve greatness. I also love watching Rafael Nadal play tennis. For me, he has the biggest heart and fights for every single point. He is such a great champion of our sport and what he has achieved so far in his career will never be broken!

What is one of the greatest pieces of advice you have ever been given? Who gave you this advice and what did it mean to you at the time you received it?

A coach once told me to work smarter, not harder. I think this made sense to me because while I was always a hard worker I may not have always worked hard at the right things. I began to wonder what this meant and realized I needed to work hard and smart on areas that needed improvement, rather than everything.

How would you say your relationship with your coaches over the course of your career has helped to shape you as an athlete (and in life)?

I have always had a good relationship with all of my coaches growing up. Each coach has given me a different point of view and piece of advice. I have taken each and every piece of advice given to me over the years and have tried to apply it to my life on and off the court. 

What mental tools do you use when you’re under pressure on and off the court? Please describe a time when you had to overcome your mental blocks to go for the W.

I try to stay in the moment and not look ahead or behind. By focusing on being present I was able to win my first WTA title. I was up a break and serving 5-3 in the first set in the finals. I started looking ahead and then dropped a few loose points, which resulted in me becoming a little frustrated and tense. I then quickly reminded myself that I am the one ahead and just need to focus on this point and take it one point at a time. I was able to close out the match in 2 sets and win my first WTA Title!

Can you describe the emotions you feel when you’re preparing to compete in a big match, such as the US Open? Do you have any pre-match rituals that help you to feel confident and powerful before competition? 

When prepping for a big match I usually have a routine I do (which is the same for every match). I have a good warmup and then have a quick chat with my coach to go over the tactics and let out any thoughts or emotions that I may have. Usually this helps me to manage the emotions before a match so I can keep my anxiety levels down. Sometimes I’ll listen to music before the match if I want to really get my mind off of the match and just try to get in a good mindset. 

When you’re training for an important match, what part of your workout and training process do you believe gives you an edge on your competition? How do you develop deeper endurance and speed?

When training for a match I tend to spend more time on specific patterns and tactics the day before/day of. I think most tennis players have a very similar routine when it comes to the competition phase. Usually we taper down and do less in the gym and on court to be fresh for the matches. I will usually do quicker, more explosive exercises in the gym, and more point play practice on the court to prepare. 

Are you doing anything different to prepare for this year’s US Open knowing that due to the pandemic, there will be no fans watching? And from your perspective, how does having no spectators change the atmosphere for competition?

My preparation for this year’s US Open was the same with or without fans. I think having no fans helped me, since there was nothing else to focus on but myself and the match. There were no distractions which made it similar to a practice where no one is watching but your team and the opponents team.

Congratulations on such a fantastic finish at the US Open! What is your biggest takeaway from your experience this year, and how do you think this year’s tournament will impact your approach to the game moving forward?

This year was such a great result for me by reaching the semi-finals. I am absolutely thrilled to have made my first semi-finals in a Grand Slam, especially my home Grand Slam. I want to take this experience and apply it to each and every tournament I play in. I take a lot of confidence from this result and a lot of confirmation in myself from the hard work I have been doing and will continue to do. 

With such a strong finish in this year’s US Open, how do you approach goal-setting and moving forward with your game to help you continue on the upward path?

I’m happy that I have the experience of what it feels like to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam. I definitely walked away from the US Open extremely proud but also hungry for more! I will reset my goals with my team and continue to work hard and improve each and every day on and off the court. 

Coming down from such intense play these past few weeks has had to be a challenge. What do you do to keep yourself centered and grounded once the match is over?

During the US Open there are a lot of emotions, but since it is a Grand Slam it seems to be more mentally draining because it takes place over two weeks. I love to watch the tennis matches once I get back to the hotel, so I usually turn on the live tennis and then have dinner with my coach/other American players. I am a very easy going person and have always been very humble. I try not to get too high on wins and too low on loses. I think in order to be successful in this sport you have to learn to manage your expectations and emotions, and that is definitely a work in progress!

Please share a story of how sports has positively impacted your life.

Tennis has impacted me both on and off the tennis court in many positive ways. For example, playing tennis has given me many opportunities to travel the world. I have been able to experience a ton of different countries and their cultures. I’ve been able to travel to Qatar and ride a camel, I’ve seen the world’s tallest building in Dubai, I’ve visited the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and I even went to the Great Wall in China. Without playing this sport I would not have been able to experience all of these things!

Jennifer Brady knows what it means to play like a champion, and you can too! Thanks to Asics Tennis for your great partnership! Make sure to create an account with Sports Fuels Life and claim your free Champion’s Guide Playbook digital download!

ATP tennis coach Craig Boynton joins us in this episode of the Sport Fuels Life podcast, where he shares his coaching strategy for player evaluation as well as his top 5 tips for becoming a successful coach and mentor to your players.

Craig shares his perspective on how the answers to these important questions can aid coaches when evaluating their player or team’s performance: 

Are your athletes exhibiting confidence? 

Are they self-driven? 

Are they resilient, problem-solvers? 

What is their foundational upbringing–where are they coming from?

He also deep dives into his 5 stages of coaching:

1. Build Trust
2. Develop Structure
3. Accountability: Coach to player
4. Accountability: Player to self
5. Management

Take a listen to this insightful episode packed full of wisdom and inspiration below!

And be sure to subscribe to the show on iTunes and leave us a review to help us spread the word about the Sport Fuels Life podcast!

Commitment matters. After Tim started playing tennis exclusively at age 12, he marked off the days on his calendar when he practiced at least two hours (usually longer). Since he didn’t have access to indoor courts, he spent rainy days hitting balls against the wall of an indoor gym. He practiced four years in a row without missing a day.

We recently caught up with Nick Gwiazdowski, a North Carolina State graduate and wrestler who won back-to-back national championships in 2014-15.

Nick realized his passion for wrestling during his middle school and high school years at Duanesburg High School, under the late Coach Joe Bena. “By the time I was in 8th grade, Coach Bena was a retired teacher and on his second stint as a Varsity wrestling coach. This followed a short-lived retirement after a career of 30+ years and multiple champions at all levels. Coach Bena was a positive influence, a man who encouraged and challenged me. But he always made sure we were having fun and enjoying the hard labors of wrestling. Those years learning the basics of the sport and mastering the high school landscape was a huge positive impact in my life and really cultivated my already strong passion for wrestling.” Gwiazdowski came from an athletic family. His older brother was a great source of inspiration (and healthy competition) as he developed his love for sports.

Nick’s motivation for wrestling runs deep. “I do this because it’s my passion and I love it. I have devoted a lot of time to it, and have discovered these God-given talents that make it possible for me to succeed. I’ve been supported by so many people along the way, most notably my parents, family, coaches, teammates, and amazing fans all encouraging me to do my best. That’s my goal each time I get on the mat. Just give it my best effort.” 

Gwiazdowski says his relationship with his coaches over the course of his career has helped shape him as an athlete in his day-to-day life, but it doesn’t always come easily. “These relationships have evolved throughout my career. What stays constant, and at times is most challenging, is trusting what they are saying in matches and during training. Sometimes what a coach asks of me is challenging, but I know I need to surrender to the process. I think it is important to keep communication open with my coaches so that they know what I am thinking in different positions. At times in the match they can better guide me and help me develop moves I already do or even find new ways to push me in training.”

When it comes to mental toughness, Nick knows the importance of building his self-confidence before a match. “I remember that I’m a highly successful wrestler, and I know I can compete against anyone, I am built for this sport, and that’s it. I trust  instincts that I have developed in training and let it rip! Simplifying the event helps too. I know that this match will not ruin my life if it doesn’t go well, and I will still wake up the next day! I think overall. I aim to simplify the task at hand, knowing that there isn’t a shortcut to where I want to go–or get the win–so it’s going to be hard. That’s guaranteed. The more times you face the pressure, the faster and more successful you will be at operating under it. It’s more instinctual,” he said. 

Training on the mat with focus and attention to detail for the entirety of a practice, exercising discipline in the weightroom (proper form and solid reps) are part of the formula for greatness that gives Nick a competitive edge. “I’m always learning from my peers as well as books and people in other professions who are elite at what they do–whether it’s a new routine, a focus on recovery and sleep, or practicing visualization and mindfulness. Practice is the key to everything, you have to have a certain amount of failures before it will be perfect or competition ready.” 

Giving back and supporting charitable causes is also part of what makes Nick an athlete of both skill and integrity. “In 2019 I began donating platelets and blood to the Red Cross as often as I could (as long as it did not interfere with training or competitions). I ended up donating 15 units of blood/platelets/plasma. This was something that my mother really inspired me to do because I witnessed her doing it regularly over the last few years. It makes such a huge impact on all types of people. My body is healthy, but my time is limited because of my schedule. This is a way I have found to positively impact people, even if I will never meet them.”

Nick believes that sports enhances life, offering people a reason to better themselves from a physical or mental aspect. He says sport can create opportunities in professions and friendships that help support a positive mental space for individuals; “Being involved in sports can transform, influence, and unite so many people–far and wide–bringing various cultures and traditional rivals together.”

We think Gwiazdowski’s perspective on what good may come from the Coronavirus global pandemic is a winning one: “I think people will be more grateful for their ability to go wherever they want, and be with whomever they want. In today’s world, we seem to move so fast that we almost ignore–or give very limited attention to–certain tasks or events. Now in this extremely unique period, we have an abundance of time to check in with the people who matter most and reflect on our personal and professional direction.”
Our Sport Fuels Life team couldn’t agree more. Now is the time to celebrate your incredible teams and coaches. Do you know an amazing athlete or coach that we should feature on our blog? Nominate them here and tell us why they’ve inspired you. And make sure to sign up for our FREE Sport Fuels Life community to experience all the benefits of being a part of Team Connection!