Forged Youth | Legacy Within
Forged Youth: Legacy Within
What if the conversations you needed most as a teen athlete were finally being had, openly, honestly, and with purpose?
Forged Youth: Legacy Within is the podcast that equips youth athletes (ages 12–24), their parents, and coaches with the mental tools, emotional resilience, and life insight to rise above the noise and grow into strong, intentional human beings.
Each episode features real, raw conversations with professional athletes, CEOs, and cultural leaders sharing what they wish they knew when they were younger. We unpack topics like mental grit, overcoming adversity, identity beyond sport, and building a life of purpose, even when things fall apart.
Hosted by former elite athlete and mental health advocate Mariel Nichole Anderson, this podcast is your companion through the messy middle of chasing big dreams, and becoming someone even bigger in the process.
Because you weren’t born to just survive sport. You were made to be forged by it.
Episodes
73 episodes
Ep. 23 - Why Mental Performance Isn’t Optional is Daria Albers
In this conversation, Daria Albers opens a window into what true high-level performance really requires. A world-class mental performance coach and former professional fighter, Daria works globally with UFC athletes, Special Operations Forces, ...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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1:11:02
Ep. 22 - How Hard is Too Hard? Q&A with Mariel Anderson and Jordan Owens
In this week's Q&A, Mariel and Jordan dig into one of the most confusing issues facing youth sports today: the blurry line between a firm, well-intentioned coach… and one who crosses into harmful territory.Throughout the epi...
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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34:22
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Ep. 21 - Rethinking How We Raise Athletes with Dr. Joel Kerr
In this episode, Dr. Joel Kerr breaks down what young athletes actually need to thrive and the answers may surprise you. He calls on parents to step into the role of “recovery coach”: creating a safe emotional environment, supporting r...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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59:03
Ep. 20 - How to Keep Going When Everyone Thinks You Can’t with Brett Devloo
In this episode, Mariel sits down with Brett Devloo, a blind skateboarder, sponsored athlete, and living example of what grit really looks like. Brett lost his vision at 16. But instead of giving up the thing he loved most, he got back on his b...
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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49:53
Ep. 19 - Playing at a Lower Level: Q&A with Mariel and Jordan
In this Q&A, Mariel and Jordan break down one of the most common moments in youth sport: when an athlete feels like they’re “too good” for the level they’re training at or feels stuck in an environment that doesn’t match their goals. They s...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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19:44
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Ep 18 - How to Build Athletes Who Win Beyond the Game with Andrew Marshall
In this episode, Mariel sits down with Andrew Marshall, a Certified Master Coach and 3rd-degree Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, to explore the mindset lessons that turn good athletes into exceptional humans. From his early years in baseball and football ...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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1:07:40
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Ep. 17 - The Mindset Behind Mastery with Jim Greendyk
Professional horse trainer and coach Jim Greendyk joins Mariel this week to explore the mindset behind mastery in sport, work, and life. Jim draws from his experience in the world of high-level horsemanship to show how self-awareness, emotional...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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57:27
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Ep. 16 - When to Push, When to Pause: The Balance Every Parent Needs to Get Right with Mariel and Jordan
In this episode, Mariel and Jordan dive into one of the most debated topics in youth sports: should kids focus on one sport or play multiple? Pulling from real-life coaching and parenting experience, they unpack the balance between commitment a...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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33:20
Special Edition: Origin: Uncensored | The Story Behind Forged Youth
Before Forged Youth became a movement, it started as survival.In this raw, unfiltered, and deeply human episode, Mariel Anderson, founder, athlete, and mental resilience coach, shares her origin story for the first time <...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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1:06:47
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Ep. 15 - Rising Strong: Jacko’s Secrets to Grit, Growth, and Greatness
What does it take to bounce back when life (and sport) knocks you down? In this episode, David 'Jacko' joins Mariel to share powerful lessons on resilience, mindset, and confidence. From his own journey through challenges to coaching young athl...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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54:31
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Ep. 14 - Resilience Isn’t Built on Wins: Lessons from Jordan Owens
In this episode, Mariel sits down with Jordan Owens to explore the lessons sport teaches far beyond the rink. From resilience and mental toughness to leadership and building strong relationships, Jordan shares how his hockey journey shaped his ...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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1:09:34
Ep 13 - Stop the Pressure, Start the Support: Parenting in Youth Sport with Jordan Owens
In this episode, Mariel introduces a new member of the Forged Youth team: former professional hockey player, Jordan Owens. After a 12-year pro career that took him across North America and Europe (including signing with the New York Rangers and...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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37:05
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Ep. 12 - 'No One Can Beat Me' - Mental Grit, Martial Arts & Representing Team Canada with Mike Blom 🇨🇦
In this powerful and personal episode, Mariel is joined by longtime friend and 5th-degree black belt Mike Blom, a dedicated martial artist and national-level competitor, who’s getting ready to represent Canada at the ITF World Champio...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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52:29
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Ep. 11 - Inside Volleyball Tryouts: Playing Time, Fair Play & Earning Your Spot
🎙️ Inside Volleyball Tryouts: Playing Time, Fair Play & Earning Your SpotIn this special episode, Mariel sits down in person with editor and longtime volleyball coach Kyle to dig deep into the real conversations happe...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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43:52
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Ep. 10 - The Truth About Raising Elite Athletes with Alex Stein
What does it really take to develop an elite athlete and how can parents best support their child’s journey?In this episode, former professional ice hockey coach Alex Stein shares his insights on the fundamentals of high ...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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47:05
Ep. 9 - Thriving Under Pressure with Jelena Janicijevic
What does it take to perform under pressure and actually thrive there? Serbian professional boxer Jelena Janicijevic discovered the power of visualization, mindfulness, and mental training tools that helped her push through fear, overcome setba...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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58:06
Ep. 8 - The Parenting Approach That Fueled Tyler Rorke’s Success with The Rorkes
Behind Canadian National Team cyclist Tyler Rorke’s rise is a foundation built by his parents, not just in early rides to practice, but in the way they navigated disappointment, pressure, and big decisions alongside him. When Tyler was cut from...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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1:04:53
Ep. 7 - From Overbearing to Empowering: Raising Resilient Young Athletes
How do you support your young athlete’s mental toughness without hovering? In this Q&A episode, Mariel and Kyle dig into questions from parents about building resilience, avoiding burnout, and balancing mental and physical training...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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46:11
Ep. 6 - Track, Trust, and Tenacity: Tyler Rorke on Building a Resilient Athletic Mindset
When a setback shut the door on Tyler Rorke’s biggest dream as a youth cyclist, he chose not to walk away, he doubled down. In this episode, Canadian National Team sprinter Tyler joins Mariel to talk about the path that didn’t go as pl...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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51:44
Ep. 5 - How to Train Your Mind Like a Pro with Jon Giesbrecht
In this episode, Mariel sits down with Jon Giesbrecht: Director of Mental Performance for the Vancouver Bandits and self-proclaimed "Basketball Whisperer." Together, they unpack the real meaning of mental training in sport, why breath awareness...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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43:54
Ep. 4 - Mental Training, Recovery Mindsets & Grit: A Candid Q&A with Editor Kyle
In this special Q&A episode of Forged: Youth Legacy Within, Mariel invites editor Kyle Donen out from behind the mic and into the conversation. Both former competitive volleyball players, they reflect on how the landscape of mental...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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56:53
Ep. 3 - Rewriting Fear in Youth Sports with Shawnee Harle, 2X Olympian; former Assistant Coach for Team Canada Basketball
What if fear rather than skill is the biggest thing holding your athlete back? In this powerful episode, legendary Canadian basketball coach and mental toughness trainer Shawnee Harlee joins Mariel to dismantle the culture of fear-based perform...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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49:54
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Ep. 2 - The Champion’s Reframe with Jeff Salzenstein, former top-100 world-ranked tennis player, two-time Stanford All-American, national champion
What if your biggest moment on the world’s stage was undone by a single thought? In this powerful conversation, tennis pro turned performance coach Jeff Salzenstein sits down with Mariel to unpack the mindset traps that sabotage success, even a...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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35:55
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Forged by the Fire
From Volleyball Courts to Life’s Crossroads | Mariel’s Story of Grit and SurvivalWhat if the mental skills you learn in sports could actually save your life? For mental performance coach Mariel Anderson, they did.In t...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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23:21
Season 1 Episode 49: Seth Pepper - Unlocking Your Potential
This is the last episode under our old brand of 'Probably Important Podcast'. We believe this was the perfect transition between a podcast that was geared soley towards the general umbrella of 'mental health' to the new focus of elite athletes ...
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1:04:14
