Unit3d w/ B1G Team at Indiana University

In this episode of the United with Big Team at Indiana University podcast, host Josh Jackson sits down with NFL linebacker Divine Deablo to discuss his journey from college football to the professional league. Deablo shares insights about his early days at Virginia Tech, the challenges he faced during his transition to the NFL, and the importance of work ethic and trust in building a successful career. He reflects on the injuries he has endured, the mental resilience required to overcome them, and how he has learned to focus on his personal growth and the support of his teammates. The conversation also touches on the significance of maintaining a positive mindset and the impact of social media on mental health for athletes.

Summary In this episode, host Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt sits down with Clinical Sport Psychologist Dr. Jacob Cooper to explore a range of topics, including the importance of cultivating mental wellness in athletics, the unique challenges faced by male athletes, and the innovative mental health and mental performance protocols implemented within a university football team and beyond. Dr. Cooper shares insights from his extensive background in sport psychology, emphasizing the need for emotional intelligence and the integration of mental skills training into athletic performance. The discussion also touches on the impact of community and leadership in times of crisis. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Mental Health in Sports 04:26 Dr. Cooper's Journey in Sports Psychology 06:43 The Injury Clinic: A New Approach 09:55 Building Trust with Coaches and Athletes 12:34 The Importance of Visibility and Credibility 16:36 Cultural Humility in Sports Psychology 21:18 Breaking Down Barriers to Help-Seeking 24:46 Modeling Emotional Intelligence in Athletics 25:47 Introduction to Emotional Intelligence in Sports 26:31 Working with High-Performance Teams 28:00 Integrating Physiological Metrics in Training 30:36 The Role of Visualization in High-Stress Situations 33:21 Community Resilience During Crisis 37:00 Leadership and Its Impact on Team Dynamics 42:30 Reflections on Loss and Community Strength Guest Bio Dr. Jacob Cooper is the Associate Athletic Director of Sport Psychology and Mental Wellness at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. He has worked with athletes at the Olympic, Professional, and Division-1 levels over the course of his career. Dr. Cooper has worked with athletes and staff throughout the NFL, NASCAR, NHL, MLB, NBA, MLS, and PGA. With a unique background and training in the areas of occupational and industrial psychology, culture building, leadership training, and military psychology, he has provided performance optimization for military personnel prior to their deployments as well as counseling for veterans transitioning back to civilian life throughout Western North Carolina, Indiana, and Boston.

Hilinski’s Hope brings you Unit3d - a podcast where sport psychologists and mental health professionals team up to hold conversations for student athletes on mental health. Many of us share common concerns, these discussions are a reminder that we are not alone, but unit3d in this world together. Welcome to the Hilinski’s Hope, mind, spirit, and performance playbook. If you have any questions or topics you would like for us to discuss, please email us at info@hilinskishope.org. Unit3d is hosted by Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt, licensed sport psychologist, and his PhD Students at Indiana University.

In this Jay-Z homage titled episode, Unit3d listeners meet Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt and his dynamic crew of 12 elite PhD students from Indiana University—the B1G Team. These Hoosiers are taking over the mic and rebooting Unit3d in 2026 as “Unit3d w/ B1G Team at Indiana University.” The podcast will continue its mission to educate, entertain, and inform, focusing on the mental health and wellbeing of student-athletes while exploring the complexities of their experiences and the role of sports psychology. With a diverse group of hosts bringing unique perspectives and research interests, future episodes will dive deep into topics that matter most to athletes and those who support them. This 258th episode gives listeners an inside look at the new team, a preview of upcoming themes, and a taste of what’s to come in this exciting relaunch. Enjoy the introduction—and get ready for the next era of Unit3d!

On this episode of Unit3d, Ryan sits down with collegiate Running Back, Albert Kunickis III. They talk about their faith, their ACL connection, the adversity they’ve faced throughout their lives, and the power of perspective. Albert entered the world without a right hand or forearm. This “Beast” has an incredible can-do attitude and has never played the victim. His story is inspiring! Take a listen.

Ryan “Hilly” and Northwestern University Running Back, Cam Porter “CPO”, dive deep into self-reflection. Through injury and recovery, the teammates talk about their friendship and their struggles to stay true to their identities outside of sport along with the importance of being your authentic self, on and off the field. They remind us to be the best versions of ourselves, be you; everyone else is taken.

On this episode of Unit3d Ryan talks with University of South Carolina Offensive Lineman, Jakai Moore, about the struggles Jakai has faced during his collegiate career and how he copes with adversity, on and off the field. Jakai sadly lost his wonderful Mom last year, she was such a special person with a heart as big as Jakai! Listen in as these two former teammates share stories and remind us that there isn’t a right or wrong way to cope with hardship and how the support and love from your teammates can make all the difference in overcoming tragedy and navigating difficult times.

Listen in to “Episode 0” as Ryan Hilinski talks about his new role with Unit3d and the path the podcast is taking this fall. Ryan is joined by Mark Hilinski who shares how powerful storytelling has been on their journey with Hilinski’s Hope and how opening up and sharing your struggles can not only save your life but the lives of others too.

Over the past four and a half years, Unit3d has been hosted by Sport Psychologist, Dr. Josie Nicholson. Through 250 plus episodes it's been a place where mental health professionals' team up to hold conversations for student-athletes. These discussions were a reminder that you are never alone, but Unit3d in this world together. The Hilinski's Hope team is very grateful for the love and passion Josie poured into Unit3d; she truly is an amazing person! Together, we decided to take a different approach. Moving forward, student-athlete, H3H cofounder, and Tyler's younger brother, Ryan Hilinski, will host Unit3d. Ryan will bring on other student-athletes to share their stories, their love of sport, as well as their mental health struggles and triumphs. Through these talks we'll discover how we can support each other on our journey. We'll be back with our new format in a few weeks. As always, Forever to 3.

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d podcast will be airing great episodes from the past. Please enjoy your summer, and re-enjoy the episode chosen by Kym Hilinski, Quarterback Conversations featuring Brian Mauer and Ryan Hilinski as the guests. This episode features two amazing men sharing their stories of resilience and love. They both happen to be quarterbacks at SEC schools, but it’s their passion for helping others that bonds them together. Ryan Hilinski and Brian Mauer talk through having overcome dark times and their commitments to reducing the stigma that is a barrier to others seeking help.

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d podcast will be airing great episodes from the past. These episodes have been chosen and are being introduced by students from Indiana University who have participated in a sport psychology class where the Unit3d podcast has been part of a class assignment. Please enjoy your summer, and re-enjoy the episode chosen by Eli Friedman, Positive Vibes. With so much uncertainty and so many obstacles facing us every day, finding a positive approach can be difficult. Using our strengths and focusing on what we can do can help bring balance during difficult times. Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt discusses practical tips for positive psychology to help carry us in to the fall.

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d podcast will be airing great episodes from the past. These episodes have been chosen and are being introduced by students from Indiana University who have participated in a sport psychology class where the Unit3d podcase has been part of a class assignment. Please enjoy your summer, and re-enjoy the episode chosen by Dr. Jesse Steinfeldt, People Care More Than You Know featuring Joe Taylor as the guest. As a football player for the University of Michigan, Joe Taylor knew he had so much going for him. As he was challenged by depression, he realized that no matter how great your life is, depression is an illness that can happen for anyone. He reached out for help and learned that people care more than he realized. His experiences made him stronger, and he encourages others to be courageous in asking for help.

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d podcast will be airing great episodes from the past. Please enjoy your summer, and re-enjoy the episode chosen by Mark Hilinski, Music, the Great Connector. Music is universal; just about everyone has a type of music they love, a favorite song, or soothing sound they prefer. Music and sound has been used in many ways to improve or maintain mental health as well as boost performance. On this episode of Unit3d, Dr. Derek Vigon talks about ways in which music, vibration and sound can enhance mood, soothe anxiety, improve performance and more.

During the month of July, the Unit3d podcast will be airing great episodes from the past. These episodes have been chosen and are being introduced by students from Indiana University who have participated in a sport psychology class where the Unit3d podcast has been part of a class assignment. Please enjoy your summer, and re-enjoy the episode chosen by Vinny Lopez, The Magic Portal. Established in 2008, the transfer portal became much more popular when, in 2021, the NCAA passed regulations that allowed athletes in many sports a “one-time transfer” without having to sit out a year. This has opened the portal for many more athletes than before, but it has not been a magic remedy as many had hoped. With so many athletes entering the portal, many are left without a new team. On this episode of Unit3d, Dr. Joey Case talks about the implications of the portal for student athlete mental health as well as how one can navigate the emotional toll of the transfer process.

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d podcast will be airing great episodes from the past. These episodes have been chosen and are being introduced by students from Indiana University who have participated in a sport psychology class where the Unit3d podcase has been part of a class assignment. Please enjoy your summer, and re-enjoy the episode chosen by Madeline Lenzini, Good in a Crisis. We hope a crisis situation is something we will not face, but it is important to prepare as much as we can for the unexpected. It is also helpful to know how to help someone when a crisis pops up. On this episode of Unit3d, Dr. Dylan Firsick discusses various ways to handle a crisis situation, things we can do when the unexpected happens, and ways to help those close to us experiencing an emergency, especially when the emergency is related to one’s mental health.

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d podcast will be airing great episodes from the past. These episodes have been chosen and are being introduced by students from Indiana University who have participated in a sport psychology class where the Unit3d podcast has been part of a class assignment. Please enjoy your summer, and re-enjoy the episode chosen by Eli Davis, Going Pro in Identity. Identity is such a struggle for so many athletes, and many do not know who they are outside of their sport. Identification with sport can come at a cost, especially when athletes start to look for a direction to go in when their sport is done. Even when athletes turn pro in their sport, that professional career will end at some point and athletes then will look to what else they can do. On this episode of Unit3d, Dr. Brad Hambric discusses an array of aspects to an athlete’s identity and how one can go about exploring other areas of identity.

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d podcast will be airing great episodes from the past. These episodes have been chosen and are being introduced by students from Indiana University who have participated in a sport psychology class where the Unit3d podcast has been part of a class assignment. Please enjoy your summer, and re-enjoy the episode chosen by Grace Mangan, Gratitude is My Lifestyle. Gratitude is a practice known to improve mental health as well as performance, but Dr. Kate Bennett proclaims gratitude as a lifestyle she has lived for over 20 years. The path to success, particularly for athletes involves suffering, and gratitude can help us thrive through the difficult times we experience both on that path as well as in our life. In this second part of our 3-part pre-holidays gratitude series, we talk about gratitude coming from the heart, improving our performance, and improving/maintaining our mental health.

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d podcast will be airing great episodes from the past. These episodes have been chosen and are being introduced by students from Indiana University who have participated in a sport psychology class where the Unit3d podcast has been part of a class assignment. Please enjoy your summer, and re-enjoy Don’t Walk Away from Life: Harlee Walker. Growing up with a professional athlete as a father, Harley Walker and her siblings grew up with an idea of what it meant to be. “mentally tough”. When Harley moved across the country to play softball, she began to experience feelings of sadness and emptiness that she couldn’t explain. Hearing the Hilinski's bring their story to the athletes at her school, she was able to realize that it’s OK to not be OK even if you can’t figure it out. On this episode of United, Harley shares her story of reaching out for help and receiving the support she needed.

Caitlin Broadwell is the mental health case manager for Long Beach State University, helping athletes navigate through their career and connect with resources to support them in their journey. Having played volleyball in college and then transitioned to beach volleyball when she transferred for her last year of eligibility, she transitioned from her sport twice and knows how difficult that transition can be for athletes when they hang up the jersey. She has started the podcast Hanging Up The Jersey, giving athletes a platform to talk about transitioning out of sport in hopes that it will not only help athletes share their story, but help athletes transitioning know that there is hope: there is light at the end of that transition tunnel.

With the semester ending we are headed into summer. Summer used to be a break between one school year ending to another one starting, but more and more summer is becoming a time to work out, train, and practice before the season. With less down-time, we have to be intentional about finding ways to relax and ways to recharge. In this episode of Unit3d, four sport psychologists: Dr. Sheriece Sadberry, Dr. Dylan Firsick, Dr. Tess Palmateer, and Dr. Tom Golightly give their perspective on ways to wind down and refresh.