Cindy Bristow | NFCA Hall of Fame Softball Coach | "We can get curious or we can get furious."

Cindy Bristow is one of the most accomplished figures in the sport of softball. A Hall of Fame coach, former NFCA President and pioneer in the growth of the game, Cindy has spent more than three decades shaping softball at every level.

She’s coached collegiately at Arizona State, New Mexico State, Wichita State, and most recently UC Riverside, where her pitchers have set program records and earned numerous awards. In the professional ranks, she led the Florida Wahoos to the WPSL title and was named Coach of the Year.

On the international stage, she helped build USA Softball’s inaugural Olympic gold medal team in 1996, directed Junior Olympic Softball for the ASA and later worked with the International Softball Federation to elevate the game in more than 120 countries. Beyond the dugout, Cindy has authored instructional books and videos, organized countless clinics, and served as a color analyst for ESPN.

In this episode, Cindy shares her perspective on helping players master struggle, how to lead through adversity, teaching athletes to reset by being curious rather than furious, and why empowering players to be their own coach on the field matters so much.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:

[9:36] — Shifting from Arrogance to Humility as a Coach

[12:50] — Helping Players Master Struggle

[16:18] — Getting Curious vs. Furious

[21:58] — Teaching Players to Coach Themselves

[24:25] — Fostering Belief in Players

[30:07] — Defining Confidence

[35:00] — The Knowing-Doing Gap

[41:30] — Making Practice More Game-Like

[47:12] — Leading Amidst Losing

[52:41] — Recharging as a Leader

[1:01:06] — Being a Lifelong Student

[1:09:26] — Advice for Next Generation of Coaches

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