Forged Youth | Legacy Within Podcast By Producer: Mariel Nichole cover art

Forged Youth | Legacy Within

Forged Youth | Legacy Within

By: Producer: Mariel Nichole
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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.


© 2025 Forged Youth | Legacy Within
Hygiene & Healthy Living Parenting & Families Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships
Episodes
  • Ep. 2 - The Champion’s Reframe with Jeff Salzenstein
    Jul 8 2025

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    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 at the top. From playing Michael Chang in front of 24,000 fans to battling a 15-year-old slump and rewriting his own mental narrative, Jeff shares the turning points that reshaped his career—and life. You’ll hear about the “Champion’s Poem” that kept him grounded, the surprising advice he gives to athletes about failure, and the emotional story of his brother’s transformation and tragic loss. Whether you're an athlete, coach, or parent, this episode is packed with tools to reframe limiting beliefs, lean into growth, and lead with heart.

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    36 mins
  • Season 2 Ep. 2 TRAILER - American Tennis Pro and High Performance Mindset Coach - Jeff Salzenstein
    Jul 7 2025

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    Just a little tease of an episode you don't want to miss!

    It drops in less than 24 hours!

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    1 min
  • Forged by the Fire
    Jul 2 2025

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    From Volleyball Courts to Life’s Crossroads | Mariel’s Story of Grit and Survival

    What if the mental skills you learn in sports could actually save your life? For mental performance coach Mariel Anderson, they did.

    In this powerful episode, Mariel takes us deep into her journey, from being a homeschooled kid who barely knew how to play sports, to discovering her love for volleyball, rising as a national athlete, and training under a visionary coach who taught her the secrets of mental toughness. But her story doesn’t end with medals and victories.

    A single night at nationals changed everything when Mariel experienced a traumatic assault that derailed her athletic dreams and left her fighting for her identity, her future, and her mental health.

    Hear how the mental tools she learned on the volleyball court became her lifeline through trauma, how she rebuilt her life from zero more than once, and why she’s dedicated her career to helping young athletes develop the grit and resilience to navigate both sport and life’s toughest moments.

    This is not just a story about sports, it’s a raw, honest look at the power of mindset, healing, and forging strength from unimaginable pain.

    Tune in and discover why Forged Youth | Legacy Within exists , and how the same mental skills that make champions on the court can save lives off it.

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    23 mins
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