Episode 46: Derek Touchette on Living Through Our Athlete’s Failures
/“Be there, be present, and enjoy it.”
Derek is a Performance Enhancement Specialist, a U.S. Weightlifting Club Coach at Level 1, and a Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach for speed. Derek earned his Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University in Exercise Physiology with a Nutrition minor. He has four years of experience as a Performance Specialist at the IMG Academies, and during his time there he prepared athletes for the NFL combine; worked with NFL, NBA, and MLB veterans, the MLS and WUSA teams, and trained the Under-17 Men’s National Soccer Team. He has had the opportunity to work under Loren Seagrave, one of the most renowned speed and sports performance coaches in the world, and Rana Rieder, one of the top USA track and field coaches. He also has experience advising all types of athletes in the area of nutrition; planning individual meals. Derek is dedicated to the development of his athletes and other fitness enthusiasts, which is evident in the fact that many of the people he has trained are still playing at the professional level and return on a regular basis. Kathy and Derek discuss nurturing confidence, drive, and determination to take it to the next level. He is an open book on how to offer guidance without being “that” parent on the sidelines. Derek speaks from a coaching and parenting perspective to emphasize cultivating curiosity, allowing for freedom to test things out (without over-involvement), and normalizing failure. You’ll want to listen to this episode to learn his five-minute timer technique and gain from Derek’s uplifting and motivating attitude!
