Drive & Determination with Olympic Champion Leah Amico

John Boruk: [00:00:00] And thanks for joining us on the podcast that focuses on the ever changing world of youth, sports and athletics, how we can do it a little bit better for everybody involved. I'm your host, John Boruk. Thanks for being with us again. We'd love it, as always, if you could subscribe to us on the podcast, you'll be notified every week when a new podcast is posted. It's how we move up the rankings, and if you could give us a review, we would greatly appreciate that as well. And if you've been a regular listener to the podcast, we try a little bit different every single week. Our approach take a different approach from coaches to parents, to administrators, to medical personnel, and my guest today is remarkably accomplished - A three time Olympic gold medalist with USA softball, a two time world champion.

She's in the National Softball Hall of Fame, inducted in 2009, a three time national champion at the University of Arizona, and a three time first team All American on top. If. Isn't impressive in itself. She's also written two books, Works as a TV analyst, does motivational [00:01:00] speaking and has a podcast of her own called The Gold Standard, which we will get into as well.

Leah Amico, thank you so much for joining us. 

Leah Amico: Thank you so much for having me, John. I'm excited to be here. 

John Boruk: Oh, good. Did I squeeze everything in because I know you're probably also a wife and a mom and that, that's part of your daily regimen as well.   

Leah Amico: I was laughing cuz I was thinking yeah, if you add in homeschool mom for 13 years, like that was probably the hardest thing to do out of everything.

John Boruk: Parents know that out there. But tell us a little bit about yourself. Your early years, your childhood. The household in which you were raised and really how you developed into a world class athlete? 

Leah Amico: Yeah. I love sharing this because I feel like it can relate to so many people.

It's one thing when we see superstars out there and it's another one. It's wait, you were just this ordinary kid who just followed this path. Grew up in Southern California, was the first born of three. My parents both moved out from the east coast got married, young. Dad loved baseball [00:02:00] super, just, big fan of baseball but didn't have a lot of support himself from his parents.

And so I was the first born, just super active, very like I the big story, the picture that I put in my mind is writing the, tricycle. Big old hill that they would talk about cuz I just wanted adventure. I wanted to be active. So they got me into softball and soccer at the age of six and I just took to it.

My dad said, that first year that he was working all the time. But people would come to him and be like, Yeah you must really be working with Leah cuz we can tell. And he is No, not at all. And so I was a lefty. So when I was eight they said, Hey, people were like, you should get her pitching.

And so this I think was just huge. My dad, who my parents did not make a lot of money. It was a time where people did not do lessons. Now it's everywhere, on every corner. But we would drive 45 minutes away to go and I think about the sacrifices. My parents, would work multiple jobs to afford something like that, to this one guy [00:03:00] who was working with a couple college pitchers.

And, I think if those are the little things that I feel like, opened up just so many doors. So I just, became very successful and the pitch circle would make all stars. And then when I was 14 years old, got asked by a travel ball team that was something brand new to us. We had no idea and travel ball was just starting to get a little bit bigger.

And when I was 14, our team went and won nationals and I ended up being the winning pitcher. And part of my story was when I was recruited the team came, they said, I can't promise that she's gonna pitch. Over time I earned that spot. And so when I was 14 and won that national championship, I'd say that in my mind and in my parents' mind, cuz nobody in my family had gone to college before.

Soccer was also my other love. Like I really loved it. I was MVP of our league in Southern California, our conference in here in SoCal, but softball would open more doors and so that was the avenue and I really thought softball was the means to the end. That's what got me the college scholarship to play at [00:04:00] Arizona.

John Boruk: And we talked to parents and athletes from basketball and baseball other sports as well. And they all have very supportive parents who are willing to push you along. But what lifelong lessons did your parents lay out for you that you took from them? Because sometimes and I think that's really the common theme no matter what sport you play, is that you have to have a really strong supporting cast. 

Leah Amico: So for sure, that to me, I look back and literally when I stood on that first podium, I had won a couple national championships. My parents were in the stands. It was so awesome. But that first podium I think was when it all clicked. 21 years old and you kinda look back. And so I just think those lessons of this truly sacrificed to me, like that's what I saw lived out. Like we did not have a lot, but when they saw my drive and my passion and they, it became like a family atmosphere.

That's the other thing, just like the power of community [00:05:00] it really became like our social life. It became like most any elite athlete and family, or not even that, just any committed family that plays sports is gonna know. Your vacations end up being tournaments, right? National tournaments, like trips to Arizona, Las Vegas, like all these tournaments.

But I saw that sacrifice that they were willing to make. There were times, my mom probably didn't sleep cuz she was working a second job just to try to make a little extra money so we can even afford to play. And then that community, that, that power of like, when you find the right community, Anything can happen.

That's what happened. We found the right community with the right teammates, with the right coaches, and again, that's what started opening up the door for more success. 

John Boruk: You talked about being a multi-sport athlete your love for soccer, but what was it that really gravitated you towards the game of softball to where you, you really took that and you ran with it?

Leah Amico: I really think it comes down to opportunity. I'm a big [00:06:00] believer in chasing opportunity, saying yes to opportunity. I've seen that play out throughout my post softball life as well. When I say yes, even though, sometimes I'm not sure why I said yes. So for me, it was when that team came to me and said, Hey, Do you guys wanna do this?

And that again, that was a big commitment for my parents cuz that was, gonna mean more travel and more money and more time. And, our practices were not very close to where we lived. And so there was this kind of commitment and they said yes to opportunity. So for me personally, my parents were super involved.

There was also a time, a couple years, when an older team came and tried to get me to play up a level, and I really remember this being just a stressful time, but I wanted to stay with my friends. And it just ended up being I stayed with my heart, my gut, and ended up being the right decision to stay with this group that kind of had solidified around me as my teammates.

And so yeah, so I would say softball just [00:07:00] started really giving me more opportunities. I did play a little bit of select soccer, but realistically you just couldn't play both, obviously. And so eventually softball because we went to that nationals quicker. I think had I played on the soccer team that maybe played at that national level, who knows, it might have been a whole different story for me, but because I got to nationals was right around that time.

I was deciding which one I was gonna go all in on and then just play high school sports for the other.

John Boruk: You bring up something very interesting and it does apply across all measures of whatever sport your child plays is you get to that fork in the road, and we always are trying to reach and acquire that dangling carrot. And you said you could have gone one or two ways. You could have either played up a level or you could have stayed on a. Where you had relationships, you had acquaintances and people that you felt comfortable with, and that was the direction that you went. It wasn't necessarily let's con, let's [00:08:00] continue to if, if I can play at a higher age level, let's go that route. Because the important thing was, and I think that you probably realized that it was about you being comfortable and it was about you having fun with people that you enjoyed playing the game. 

Leah Amico: I'm gonna tell you that year it was my 16 and under year and I had to make that decision. And it was hard because again, they, the older team was trying to act like I wasn't gonna get recruited if I did this.

And they started putting the pressure on that alone should have been enough for us to see, wait a second, who What coach that really wants the best for you is gonna talk to you like that? And yeah, it really was. And I'll never forget, honestly, you saying that right now. I just pictured in my.

Seen at the hotel having the best time ever in winning that national tournament. And actually that is when I got seen by the University of Arizona assistant coach. And our team went, came from a loss actually through the losers packet. We ended up winning, beating a team that everyone expected to win.

And and again, I was, one of the star [00:09:00] pitchers on that team and one of the top hitters. And literally that's what led to it. So it's so cool to see the very thing that I was being told would be taken from me actually ended up playing. So much better than if I had made that switch. So you go back to that gut and yeah, your why.

And for us it was more important and I 100% know that was a difference maker in the positive direction. 

John Boruk: When you take a look at your resume, you were part of a team that I think truly put. Women's softball on the map women's sports. And there's typically think about the US Women's National Soccer Team Mia Ham, and that, that shootout everybody that was involved in sports remembers.

And there's also, typically one person who identifies with that team, Jenny Finch was the one with, the US Women's National Softball Team. But the strength of that team was just so good and You were a big part of that, but what made that, that, that group and that team so [00:10:00] special to win three Olympic gold medalists and two world championships.

Leah Amico: Yeah, it was, that was my third Olympics when Jenny Finch had come onto our team and that was that young crowd that was coming up. Jessica know the cat and Natasha Wall, just really superstars As our game had grown and now this desire to be in the Olympics was birthed by so many because they could actually see it.

Now we had already been into Olympics. But I would say it was a combination of Coach Candra being named the head coach because Ralph Fra was our coach prior. And although he had a ton of success in women's ball for a long time, he they had always won. And so he really didn't have a lot of change happening.

So although we had elite players, I don't know that our preparation was as. Great as it could be, and that's why the 2004 team just jumped a whole nother level. We went nine and oh, we scored 51 runs. We only gave up one run, but it was the over preparation that year. I would say like we did everything because the Olympics prior.[00:11:00] 

Although half of them were not a part of that, we had lost three games and Japan was undefeated until the finals and we ended up scratching out a win and finding our way back and we won. But Candra, when he took over, he just got to work and his motto to us was, We don't wanna go to the Olympics and just win.

We want to dominate. And Jenny Finch, was that athlete who had just gotten out of college and. So much media following the media just started exploding in women's sports around that time as well. Softball, like you said, soccer, mea ham, softball took a little bit longer to catch on, but with Jenny and with, just the success of our team, that's where it all exploded.

John Boruk: In fact, I think I read you had a string of, was it 112 straight wins? At one point and, which is remarkable. I don't care what sport you're playing. And I know that men's basketball and the international stage was dominant for a long period of time, but for 112 games, how does a team stay motivated that [00:12:00] long?

Because sometimes you almost, you need to face some adversity along the way. A loss, sometimes it, it helps more than a string of wins. But to be that dominant and be that motivated, where did that come? 

Leah Amico: We did have some close games, but you're right. And actually that was leading into the 2000 Olympics. It was 110. We won our first two games in the 2000 Olympics. It was my second Olympics, and then that's, we lost three straight games and three in a row. So we went from the 110 wins winning streak to losing streak. USA softball had never lost three games in a row, let alone at the Olympics.

And so when you talk about that motivation, honestly, it's the gold standard. That's what I talk about is the gold standard, like the expectation. And that's what I loved about playing for Team usa. I played at Arizona. Kendra lifted our expectations every single day. We won national championships. We won when we are not expected to win.

We won when we were expected to win, like we formed and built and our gold was getting better. And play for the name on the front, right? [00:13:00] USA, Arizona. Like it. Who are you playing for? And that's the standard our can. I know this is Arizona, going back to that. But what I learned from him was, hey, we never play to our opponent's ability.

We're gonna judge every single game when we get done, did we play the best game we were possible? Not just did we win, not who do we beat, he said, I was more worried about you when you guys played lower level teams than when you played the best team out there. Cause you knew, you can get into that mind challenge.

So USA Softball, when I got to that level, it literally the expectation was built. We had athletes. My first Olympics, 18 years old, was our youngest three in college. I was in college, and then our oldest was a 34 year old shortstop Dot Richardson, Dr. Dot and so literally like this. And it was everything and everything we did, every approach, we had, every practice, every workout, we did this. There was literally the vision of stand on the gold medal podium.

At least in me individually, and I know it for a fact with my teammates, and that was our motivation, was the end goal, [00:14:00] stand on the podium and having the national anthem played for us. 

John Boruk: Yeah, That's tremendous. Yeah. I also think the popularity has helped the sport overall, and it can be credited to the team's success.

And now if you look at the college scene for about, there was about a 25 year period from about I guess 1988 to 2011, where the PAC 10, which you played at Arizona, was a part of, just absolutely dominated the college softball scene. But since then, over the past decade it has really shifted.

Oklahoma's won, I think four of the last six championships. The SEC has become a dominant conference. If you were to, if I was to ask somebody randomly how many Division one softball programs do you think there are? I, the number I would've come up with is, it was, would be a hundred, 150.

There's almost 300 now division one softball division one softball colleges across the country. And it really speaks to how it is exploded since 2000. And the fact [00:15:00] that there's now this shift, and I look, Arizona's had their success. You have to at least appreciate and like the fact that we're seeing more colleges in different parts of the country that are now winning championships.

Leah Amico: It's definitely grown through the years, and you're right, SEC was just coming on towards the end of my career, getting new programs. Everything was growing. We were the first team to get a million dollars stadium my freshman year. They won the national championship where it literally played on a worst field than most high schools play on.

It's just crazy to think about where they started and where they came. But you're right. I love the parody across the entire country. I love the fact that it's just grown and more opportunities have been out there for athletes to shine on that stage to play. Top colleges and Oklahoma, I think right now is really the UCLA, Arizona team out there.

Right now I don't know they're gonna be really hard to beat UCLA. Before I got to Arizona that was the stronghold. They were the team to beat. They were the [00:16:00] ones that had the dynasty. Then Arizona, my years, we really came on strong and hot and a few years after me being there. And then now, right now, we hadn't seen the team dominate like any, like those two teams until Oklahoma.

They're right now that, But I agree with you. Yes. It's been so great for the sport and so great for female athletes, not just in softball, but all sports because you're seeing the same thing transpire across the country in all sports. 

John Boruk: Yeah. And but do you see, cuz you do talk TV commentating I believe for the College World Series.

So when you look at athletes now as opposed to say 20, 25, 30 years ago, are they that much better because there's so much more to choose from. There's so many more camps, there's so many more teams. I talked to parents and sometimes they treat the sport of softball like it's a nine, 10 month season.

But it, from my recollection, it was just a Pac 10 sport at the time. I knew that when [00:17:00] softball season came around, it was gonna be Arizona, ucla. Now that's not the case. And I think when you watch the game it’s the athleticism. It's just so much greater.  

Leah Amico: Yeah, I would say the depth.

I do get to call games. I actually do less than one radio at the Women's College World Series, and for a lot of years, for 13 years, I would do regionals with ESPN. And so it's really fun to call the game at that point in the season because it's the best teams that have advanced that you've had all season to prepare and now you're really, you're culminating and building up and just being, okay.

Who are the best teams out there? And so here's what I would say. A couple things. I would say I believe there's a lot more depth in that case. Yes. I would say there, I think there's more athletes to choose from that, can play a role. In the past, I would say you always could have put probably two teams on the field for USA softball and still went and had a great shot at winning that gold.

Now, maybe you could go a little deeper than that, but still, it's funny. It is amazing and I respect so many of these athletes and these stars like Jocelyn Alo. I'm like, yeah, she would be one of the [00:18:00] ones that needs to be on that national team. That level is just elite. But I just, I laugh cuz I'm like, I'd still put our teams against any of these other teams out there because when it comes down to it, we had the pitchers and there's a reason these pitchers stay at the top.

And I don't think we've seen many, like the Lisa Fernandez, or the Michelle Smith, the Jenny Finch's, the Laurie Harin, the Cat Omens, Monica Cat and Monica. The fact that there is, older and they're still the best in the world. That is where we had the elite, and I think that, really USA should remain and they have been winning, the last world championships and they got silver in the last in the last Olympics.

But the key is, Japan also had the other best pitcher and she was the one pitcher that's been able to beat USA softball multiple times and win two Olympics. Yeah I think it's exciting. I do think there's way more [00:19:00] depth and so much more to choose. 

John Boruk: Yeah. So we've talked about softball on the global stage the collegiate level. But what is, when you look at it now, what's the state of girls’ softball at the youth level? Starting out the programs the getting involved because I think when you take a look at it the popularity of softball's taken away from other sports, but you even admitted early on when we were discussing this, that there's so much more available now than there was when you were younger.

Leah Amico: Yeah, and I think a couple things. I think it's good and it's bad. One, it's good because they're playing in so much like you talked about, that they're getting so many reps and anything you do, any athlete that you are, like, the more reps you get, you're going to be better for it. Obviously you wanna have good fundamentals and form, but still, like you've gotta see it in order to do it.

And there's nothing that can replace the challenges and I think that's what made me a great player. Playing here in Southern California against the other best teams and then going to nationals and facing [00:20:00] some different adversity. But ultimately in Southern California, we were challenged all the time.

And so I think, being able to face that and to just continue to grow that way, these athletes are playing so much. The only thing that I would say can be a negative is so many kids are going from, obviously starting in rec ball. Everybody goes to travel ball so early now that I think what happens is you get into that mentality and it's just constant play, play, play.

And what I've heard the last probably 10 years from a lot of college coaches was just that they feel like they need to get so many focus on fundamentals again, because, and then they also said they played so many games that to some kids winning. That big of a deal and Lucy's is that big deal cause it's just another game cuz they played millions of games now, So that's probably the main complaint I've heard is just they've gotten away from fundamentals a lot.

And so some coaches really have to find that out and firm that up when they [00:21:00] get these athletes. And then again, that idea of like really making the game count and playing seven innings. Very few teams play seven innings anymore. And that's a whole other thing of just being able to have that.

And so obviously the elite, those are gonna rise up, they're gonna end up at that college level and they'll change quickly if they struggle in those areas. But, I, I think overall, the fact that they've seen a lot more competition. They've had a lot more reps, they've thrown the ball a lot more often.

They're just coming in that, and then you see also just because there are so many different instructors out there, more athletes are not just coming in with a hitting coach and not just a pitching coach, but now they have a defensive coach, they have a pitch, or they have a strength and conditioning.

We didn't do that stuff back in the day until we got to college. So that stuff has definitely increased the value for these athletes. 

John Boruk: I'm so glad though that you brought up the topic of fundamentals because I'm sifting through some Facebook posts and information and stuff that's out there, and.every now and then [00:22:00] you'll see that coach or a pin or somebody will refer back to fundamentals. And I see now more college softball players are videotaping their swing and they're watching the swing of other elite hitters to see what they're doing well. And I think softball players have better fundamentals involved in, say, baseball players at this particular age.

Because they practice buntng almost taken away out of, completely out of the game of baseball. But it's a very vital integral part of softball. And then when you talk about the fielding aspect how important it is at that youth level to play as many positions as you can don't really pigeonhole yourself into to being a center fielder or, a third baseman but try it all.

Especially at those early ages. 

Leah Amico: Yeah I can't stress that enough. I 100% agree with that. And we would do Jenny Finch camps around [00:23:00] the country and she would bring in myself, Crystal Bustos Mackenzie, Vander, ge a lot of times who caught for Jenny Finch at Arizona. She would do catching, Crystal Buss would do, hitting Tony Maraes, All America, Arizona would do infill, Jenny pitching, and I would do outfield.

I, I got recruited to Arizona as a pitcher. Then I moved to Centerfield. My sophomore year. Coach said, You know what? We need you in the outfield. We expected you to be at first, but we need, your arm is better in the outfield. So I went there for two years, which is what led me to the Olympic team.

And then back to first base my senior year in the Olympics, I played two Olympics in rightfield, my last Olympics at first base. So what you said I agree with, and what I will say is I was so thankful for my 18 and under travel ball coach who. Really getting a lot of athletes to ucla, like I said, was the top team at that time, but I played for him and he saw the bigger picture.

So he, although I was a pitcher and a first baseman and a hitter, He would put us all because he knew how athletic we were [00:24:00] into the outfield and they would teach us how to make a perfect throw. How to, read some of the different balls he would, how to get behind a ball. Those were some little things that helped me so much when I got moved there in college.

And then it was even, they taught me even more. And just exposing athletes. So you saying that is huge? I tell athletes that all the time. Wherever they say, when they say, Hey, can anyone go here for us? And say yes learn it. Because you can hear about it and they can try to tell you, here's what you do if you go there.

But there's nothing like being in that position and trying it out. So I agree with what you said. They need to be versatile. They need to be willing and open because you just never know what door that could open. 

John Boruk: Yeah, we're talking with Leah Amico, a three time Olympic gold medalist softball player with USA Softball, three time national champion at the University of Arizona.

And you've really branched out and used all of your gifts on the athletic field to do so many other things. I said writing a book, public speaking announcing and really [00:25:00] looking at your credentials and your resume. When you do public speak, you. Want people to believe that they can and can conquer career goals if they apply what you call core principles.

So what are those core principles that, that you like to emphasize. 

Leah Amico: Yeah I go off of the gold standard and it's an acronym and G stands for goal setting. And I really believe having that vision for me, and if you talk to a lot of elite professional Olympians, athletes, They'll say they saw themselves, they knew I was gonna be an Olympian.

That's, that was what happened for me. I'm gonna get that college scholarship. So I was in high school, I'm gonna get that college. It's literally, I can see myself there and then you know, I'm gonna get to the Olympics as soon I was 18 years old. I'm gonna be on that team. I have no idea how or what, but I'm going to be on that team.

And it's and then that making the team in that vision of getting to that podium, that's what drives you. So we need to be so clear. So whatever [00:26:00] aspect of life that is, what do. What do I need to achieve? What is my goal? Because I really believe those that clarify what that goal is and what they're going after they have, they're the ones that actually reach it.

Others that are just like, I wanna be successful, and it's not clear. A lot of times those people don't end up anywhere. And and then O is overcoming obstacles. There has to be. That perseverance piece for everybody. For me I failed so many times. You mentioned this earlier, like it was through my failures, I learned a lot about adjustments that needed to be made cuz I needed to make so many different adjustments. When I would start struggling with hitting, I faced the best, I had challenges, I had to make adjustments, and it was through those times that now I just allowed myself to have. So much more wisdom and so much more, so many more tools in the box.

So perseverance strengthens us. It helps grow us and it keeps us going to think I'm not gonna let anything stop us. And a lot of people, again, for fear of failure, fear of what others think they hold back. And when obstacles happen or challenges [00:27:00] arise, That's when they give up. And so I'm really big on that no matter what area of life, business included, how many nos do you take before you get that?

Yes. It's those that don't give up when they hear the nose. And then l is the leadership piece. We need leaders. And when we have the right leaders, the best mentors, coaches we, that's what it takes. Like I'm finding that in different areas of my life, what I was doing, commentating, getting advice from people who had already.

Helped me so much, or writing a book, having somebody who had already done it, gave me wisdom. It's like what gave me that extra push? So leadership is absolutely crucial and really, like we've never arrived. We can always keep going with that. And so keep finding those people who are further that you wanna keep growing from.

And then the last letter is D and it's that dedication and drive. And that to me is just, That extra piece of that's the action part, right? We can have good leaders and they could, I had the best coaches in the world, right? But it wasn't the wisdom they gave to me. It was me applying it, It was me sacrificing, It was me going out every single day and [00:28:00] being consistent and that motivation, that like self motivation from within as well.

That's that drive. And it all collides, like knowing where I wanna. Persevering when it gets hard, having those leaders that are helping you get to that next level and then doing the work like that, showing up, that taking action. I laugh at so many different things I've done and like I said, it's just cuz I've said yes, I'm like, you see so many people that have all these thoughts.

I wanna do this someday. It's just do it, and so that is what I really feel like can help all of us get to the next level. And it's been fun for me to share. Families, friends, other people that I see maybe struggling or they're stuck and I'm like, ‘Here's the deal.’ I just become that reminder, that encouragement and try to give those like pieces of you can put this into action and you can get to that next level.

You just gotta, you just gotta focus on these things. 

John Boruk: So the podcast, as you said, is the gold standard and it's an engram for. The gold G goal setting O, overcoming obstacles, L leadership, D, dedication, and drive. And it's [00:29:00] great. And I'm, the information on there is invaluable. Do you, have you had these conversations with other Olympic gold medalist Olympic champions and what drives them and what have you taken away?

Is there a story or two that you can share with us that maybe was a different path or something that you you've taken from them and you've added it to your repertoire in terms of you put that into a book or you put that into one of your speeches of something that that you've just come across because everybody's got an intriguing story and everybody, whatever their path to success is, it's a little different than everybody else.

Leah Amico: Yeah, I'm actually doing a little bit of a shift this week with the formatting of my podcast. So we've done 18 episodes so far, and it was other pro elite athletes, Olympic athletes, and you're right, like I would talk to them like what was your goal? Did you always know you were gonna be in, a pro athlete or Olympic [00:30:00] athlete?

And so what was fun was hearing so many things that were similar. Like I would listen and go Yep. That's why I was an Olympian. Like I remember Natasha Watley, our shortstop for the Olympic team one of the best players ever continued to play pro for so long in Japan and in the us and she just was in the best.

And she just said, literally, she said, I gained my confidence from my consistency, like all my confidence. From any work that I put in and I was like, 100% that is me. If I did the work, I did not care who I faced. Like it. It was, if I hadn't, then that would've been a different story. Now all of a sudden I'm less confident.

And so the idea of the power of preparation and that's that discipline part, right? That's that dedication, that showing up, like putting in the extra work. I also remember Jessica, And I interviewed, different athletes as well, but I did interview some of my Olympic teammates and Jessica Mendoza, one of, she does a lot with MLB, she's with ESPN.

She, just did the World [00:31:00] Series, like you'd see her everywhere. And she said that she, when she first made our cam, she came out of the scene hot. She is a five two athlete. Jessica is strong. She's fast. She's just awesome. She's passionate. She was saying how we were at the, She was putting so much pressure on herself because she said internally she still struggled with, do I really believe, Do I believe that I deserve to be at this level?

And she had these doubts that were within, but nobody else would know about it and that she was struggling when we went to this Pan Am game. And she literally said she went into this cardboard box like area that you had to go to use the restroom, the middle of the game, and. literally sees this cockroach on the ground, in the middle of this game.

In this field, which we were playing in Dominican. And it was not. It was not very nice. But she literally was like, What has this come to? And she said, I'll never forget it, Leah. She said at that moment, I said, You. Are gonna decide that you either believe and you buy in that you deserve and [00:32:00] you can go do amazing things or you just need to give up now

And so she said, I walked out of there, which is so funny and crazy. I hadn't heard that story before, but it was this like internal, like almost like that imposter syndrome, right? That some people. Do I deserve? Am I really this good? And once she said she bought in, and that is something big when I talk about the goals.

Your belief needs to match your goals because that's what I was like, I really believed, I should be on that team. I remember hearing at the Olympic trial, my first one, and an older athlete could stop off. Finally was in the Olympics, and an older athlete said, okay, stop. This is a chance for all these older athletes who have waited so long.

And I remember being 21 Oh no, I'm gonna prove this wrong. Like I'm 21. I absolutely deserve to be on that team. So there has to be something within, in that belief system, and so many people have limiting beliefs. So those are the things that, So I was just gonna tell you real quick, I, I interviewed all these athletes, but what I am changing, starting this week, and I will still [00:33:00] sometimes feature an athlete and get those tips.

What I'm gonna change it to is I'm gonna be doing short, quick, a five to 15 minute talks to inspire, motivate, to teach, to share truth that are these tools, these things that resonate, that it's man, okay. I sometimes I talk to myself and I beat myself up more than I help myself. And just different things on, mentality and leadership and teamwork that, helped me reach the pinnacle in all the areas like you've talked about and the lessons I've learned.

So that's gonna be a little shift of, how format this week are starting, but I'm excited to, to do that and share more of my wisdom. 

John Boruk: That's great. And that, that's per perfect segue into the next topic that I wanted to get into and something that I is really emphasized in every sport, but it almost seems like it's even more heavily emphasized softball, is that there the need to have a strong mindset and applying the daily discipline needed in being successful and improving performance through mindset.

In fact, there's [00:34:00] a book I saw that talks about the softball player's mindset. I can just tell talking to you. You're locked in. And then I think that's something that, that you probably are really a strong believer in and something that you truly emphasize with, throughout leadership.

But it's that mindset component that we all need to have as we're younger and if we ever want to play past the youth. 

Leah Amico: Yeah, I agree. It is crucial and I'll tell you, it's crucial for anything we do in life. It's crucial in our families, in our marriages, It's crucial in business, it's crucial in life, but it, yeah, I, what I learned as an athlete, I have applied, I literally laugh.

I talk to myself. I realize I'll be doing a workout and I'll be like, Okay, you got this like 10 minutes. I know it's hard, but keep going. And like this, you literally build. And that's what I would do on the field. And here's what I found for myself. Cause I was like, man, I was so hard on myself.

[00:35:00] I but with that I always had an expectation that I could be better. And I think that was something that was very important because I never would settle no matter how good I was. There was always something to improve upon. Now there's that fine line, right between being a perfectionist and because.

You feel like, Oh, I can't measure up like I wanna pull back because now that's uncomfortable and now I don't like when I fell. I hated to fail too. But what I found was even on my worst day, I was, I'm very competitive. So this is another part of mindset, right? Being competitive. I was like, Okay, I might be having a bad day and I'm gonna get on myself for to reach that next level, but I'm still better than you.

I'm still was my competition. Or when I was doing, a workout, it would be. Especially when I got to the Olympic team, I had to do a lot of workouts on my own with nobody watching and nobody knowing if I did it or not. And my workouts, my strength and conditioning, my conditioning out on a field, when everybody [00:36:00] else is hanging out on Christmas Eve, I'll never forget it.

My son I had was a mom on my last Olympic team. He was two years old, and I was like, I gotta get this work in. And I went to the field by myself and did these shuttle runs and I'm telling myself, you have to beat this time because here's the. Nobody else knows, but you wanna stand on that podium and this is what it takes.

And it starts in those little things. How do I talk to myself after a swing? How do I talk to myself? When I'm field balls and as athletes, I'm sure with you talking to all the different people involved in athletics, so much of it is clearing our mind and keeping it simple, right?

And so we want it simple, but we wanna recognize. How do I talk to myself? How do I shift when I start to get, We used to talk about like red light, yellow light, green light, and we would talk at college, our sports psychologist would talk to us. And when you're start to get to yellow, you gotta recognize it so you can get back to green.

Cuz if you don't, pretty soon it's a red light and now you're not. You're gonna be locked up when you go to swing cuz your mind is in such a bad place. And mindset is crucial. [00:37:00] I think, kids need to get their hands on books that talk about it. Heads up. Baseball was one at the time and I know there's other stuff now, but as Olympians, we did the book Heads Up Baseball.

Henry VI was just one of the best sports psychologists. He's passed away since, but he was so wonderful to work with. He works with a lot of MLB players and it really talked a lot about routine. Mindset, understanding, confidence, recognizing where you're at and how to shift your mind. And yeah, it applies to everything.

It's something I still use to this day. 

John Boruk: Yeah, it's tremendous. And I say championships are won when nobody's watching and clearly I think that you hit on that point as well. Now you're, you're obviously, you're a mom. You have three children. Being a parent is completely different because there's a lot of variables involved and there's different mindsets that you have to try to either change or adapt to and figure it out.

Share some, shed some light on some of your parenting [00:38:00] techniques and what you do for your kids. How involved are they in sports and how much has it really grown with, in being a family to get them involved and really to take what you've learned. As a child and as, as you as you became a champion and to instill that in them.

Leah Amico: Yes. So I would, I used to joke cuz I had three boys and they were just crazy when they were little. Now my youngest is 15, so now they're 15, 17, and 21. But when they were young, oh my goodness, they were the hardest kids ever. And I would joke and say what, Yeah, waiting three gold medals is way easier than basic three boys, and. And so it is like I had my hands full now. At first it was funny, we tried him in every sport and he hated them all. He was totally like a creative thinker wants to, loves history, like way different. So we got him, we figured it out like it was by the time he was like eight, we're like, okay, no more sports for him.

He loves to be active, but like no organized sports. He likes creativity. So we're like, fine. So my next one was like, just [00:39:00] so athletic out of the womb, like you. The way he crawled quickly and the way he could get down off of furniture. We were laughing. We're like, Oh yeah, and he's 17. He's my football player now.

I, and then my youngest is four, is 15 and he actually is doing really well. As a sophomore. He ran hurdles last year for his first time. He got into track last year and ended up winning. The count, the. Meet for freshman, sophomore last year here in Southern California in our area, and he played soccer when he was little.

So what I did with my boys, I really tried to expose them to a lot, but I knew because I knew with what I did, it was the fact that my parents gave me opportunity and then supported where I was passionate. I worked with so many softball players in a batting cage where I can. I'm, they're doing this cuz their parents want them to.

That's it. And, but I didn't wanna be that. I wanted to give them opportunities. We made them start a season and finish a season, [00:40:00] but it was like, what do you want to do? So when my son, who, he was my most athletic, my middle one at the time, and he just said, I don't wanna he didn't wanna play baseball anymore after eight years old.

And I was. Okay, I'm not gonna force you, like I'm not gonna have you do it for me. Let's try something else. And it was at 12 when he literally was like please, can I play football? We were making him wait. My husband played high school football in the Boston area and. So we finally agreed because he was just begging us and now it became his love, his passion, his drive.

He wants to play college football. He's, he had a great year this year as his junior year. So it was like finding that love and then us saying, Okay. We're gonna come along and we're gonna support this. Allowing them to get private lessons, taking them to their extra practice, taking them these extra competitions that maybe other parents aren't taking their kids to, like giving our kids every opportunity to enjoy this experience to the at most and thrive in it.

And so as a parent, [00:41:00] there's that part of it, but then I constantly want them to know it's not how you do on the field. We want you to win. We support you. I want you to know that is never your identity because that was a massive thing for me in college to just realize my identity is not found in what I'm doing, but who I am.

And you have those rough days and you start to, you could just go into not a mentally good place. And so I just, I've really tried to just make sure there's that balance there of understanding that, yeah, we love success and it can look different ways, and learn from the loss. But just to have that balanced approach, I think is really something I've tried to like, help with my kids.

John Boruk: Do they ever look at you and say, Okay, she's a three time Olympic champion, let me pull out the gold medals and maybe you'll listen to me now? Or do they just look at you as mom as if you're just somebody who you know is gonna give you a motherly advice? So where does the champion decide to impart that wisdom and when does it become just mom?

Leah Amico: Okay. It's pretty funny because my kids, they're [00:42:00] jokester too, and so for a long time, they would literally say, Especially my 17 year old when he was like, just getting into high school, mom, you were an okay athlete. And I'm like, okay, that's good. Try to be as okay as I was

But then what's funny is like some people would go, Oh, when you're not around there bragging about you. But they would definitely never let me see that. No, I'm always mom when I'm with them. It's always mom. But I guess when sometimes they're not around me, then it's okay. She's the champion.

John Boruk: You were a, I believe, a career 428 hitter at the University of Arizona. And there's not very many collegiate athletes that were a lifetime 400 hitter. So you've got the numbers to back you up if they ever want to question that. You just, you pull out some of that information and that should at least get them to perk up.

The podcast is the gold standard. You're a public speaker as well, and I believe you've written a couple books. Take a [00:43:00] minute or two if you want to plug the books that you've written and what's the message. Behind 

Leah Amico: that. Yeah. Leah Amko is my website. L e a h a m i c o.com is my website.

And I have, I, you can see the books on there, they're on Amazon. I did two books. So my faith has been a big part of my journey in college, especially at a teammate who just really impacted me and showed me what it looked like to just live a life fully for God and then play softball with that in mind, trying to bring God glory.

So for a long time at Jenny Finch Camps in the morning on Sundays before we do camp, we'd offer for those that wanted to come early and, have a little chapel Bible study type thing, devotional. And so Jenny would ask me, Leah, would you give the message? And then Jenny would pray and share a little something.

I ended up writing, my first book was called Softball Glory. Story, and it's a 31 day devotional. And it's my, it's my Olympic stories, it's my college softball stories. But then it ties into [00:44:00] this bigger point. It's like we can relate so much of softball to life, right? And so it was like that, okay, we can relate it to faith also.

And so that's what that one is. And then the other one I ended up writing over C it's called Victorious. It's a one year devotional. And you know what, It's just a one day. We were in it just such a time over Covid that I feel like there was just so much. Obviously uncertainty for everyone, a lot of fear, a lot of division.

And I was like, you know what? Like just I'd read something one day and it really impacted me and it was a verse for a day. And what it is the Bible will have a verse like John one verse one chapter one verse one. So I started doing, every single day has a verse that matches. So if it's September 4th it'll be something nine four.

I went through the Bible and found out at first that I really felt like I loved and stood out and had a good meaning. And then I just share like a. Takeaway, and it's called victorious because my heart is just that we would have victory in every aspect of life. That we'd be healthy, we'd be [00:45:00] thriving, we'd be fulfilled, we'd be grounded.

Just like we're so blessed to live in America. I've traveled this world and so that's, those are the two books. I am in the process of writing another book and it will tie in these principles, this gold standard these principles. And so I'm just trying to really solidify like all the stories that I wanna place in there.

But that will be definitely my next my next book will be one that's going to be a little bit more general, and I also have a desire. Talk about us. So I wanna do a softball book as well, because what you and I just talked about I changed so many positions. I, had parents, we didn't have a lot, but then I played for just amazing coaches.

I had teammates that, that's a big part of it. What kind of a teammate are you? I coach a lot of girls. I coached high school for a couple years. I coached the Pro League for one year, and I'll tell you, you can either have a really healthy dynamic in a dugout on a team, or you can have a very unhealthy one.

And leadership comes in [00:46:00] both forms. And so for me, I prided myself on really having good relationships with my teammates and my coaches. And I wanna encourage athletes out there. The power of that, like being selfless and being all about the team above yourself. That and then being that type of leader.

And to me, like I wanna bring in those principles. 

John Boruk: I think that's fantastic and it's, it could be the world of difference between a good team and a championship team. Leah Meko, thank you so much for doing this and coming on. We really appreciate it and there's just so much I think that you've provided and so just a real wealth of wisdom out there that that you've given to a lot of athletes.

Leah Amico: Thank you so much, John. I really appreciate it. I love that you guys are sharing this type of information with people. I know that I talk to parents all the time, people being recruited, like that process. I just know there's so many different things that you guys are hitting on and we need more of it.

We need more encouragement. We need reminders that we're going in the right direction as parents as athletes, it's just good. So thank you so much for having. [00:47:00] 

John Boruk: And we'll leave you with our quote of the podcast. All of us are addicted to tomorrow, but making it happen today is how you improve.

Focus on what you control today. The things that you do today are what will prepare you for the future. That's what you control and that's what will help you in the future. So please subscribe to us wherever you listen. Spotify, Google Apple Podcast. We'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks for listening and we'll hope you join us next time.