Don’t be that guy on a new team. You know the one—shows up late, acts too cool, doesn’t listen, and loses respect before the first game even starts.

In this episode of the Next Season Podcast, I break down 5 brutal mistakes that instantly make you a garbage new teammate—and how to flip them into habits that earn trust, respect and leadership on day one.

Whether you’re a freshman walking into high school or college ball, a transfer adjusting to a new program, or a parent/coach trying to help athletes thrive, this is your survival guide for first impressions.

We’ll hit on:

🚫 Acting too cool for the team

⏰ Blowing off punctuality

🙅 Not being coachable

😑 Killing trust with bad body language

🧠 Forgetting humility and ownership

🔥 Listen now and learn how to stand out the right way and become the teammate every coach, scout, and player wants in their locker room.

00:00 Intro & Episode Highlights

01:33 Freshman Year Transitions & Challenges

03:47 The Neuroscience of First Impressions

04:39 Inversion Thinking & Episode Structure

06:24 Garbage Freshman Step 1: Acting Too Cool

09:32 Garbage Freshman Step 2: Being Late

13:30 Garbage Freshman Step 3: Trying to be the Clown

16:10 Garbage Freshman Step 4: Blaming & Making Excuses

18:46 Garbage Freshman Step 5: Talking Trash About Old Team

21:17 What to Do Instead: 5 Ways to be an Awesome New Guy

22:11 Ideal Freshman Step 1: Keep Your Mouth Shut & Ears Open

23:59 Ideal Freshman Step 2: Look for Work (No Empty Hands)

26:33 Ideal Freshman Step 3: Keep Your World Small

28:22 Ideal Freshman Step 4: Be Coachable & Take Notes

30:05 Ideal Freshman Step 5: Take Care of Your Gear & Your Body (& Your Mind)

32:35 The Ideal Team Player: Hungry, Humble & Smart

33:45 Closing Thoughts & How You Can Help

freshman athletes

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