Bonnie Tholl and Carol Hutchins: What the elite of the ELITE are doing different

This week on When the Cleats Come Off, I'm joined by two of the most respected leaders in college softball—Michigan Head Coach Bonnie Tholl and legendary Hall of Fame coach Carol Hutchins. Recorded live at Amanda Schaefer's Fearless Warrior Mental Edge Experience just before the 2026 season, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom on leadership, building resilient athletes, creating fearless competitors, and what separates championship programs from everyone else.

We talk about choosing team captains, intentionally practicing failure, coaching athletes through mistakes, one of Hutch's favorite John Wooden quotes, and the adversity that helped Michigan capture the 2025 Big Ten Tournament title. Plus, don't miss the incredible story of Amanda Chidester's journey back to Team USA—it'll leave you inspired.

In this episode, we cover:

Building ownership and self-awareness within a teamWhat makes an effective team captainWhy Michigan consistently develops championship-caliber athletesHow to coach failure without creating fearDeveloping resilient, confident competitorsLeadership lessons from Carol Hutchins and Bonnie ThollAmanda Chidester's remarkable comeback story

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