I'm really thankful, honestly, through all of this, as I was when I was pregnant and having a baby. It was like, yeah, I've been an elite athlete. Like I have been prepared for, I feel like, the hard stuff in a lot of ways, especially physically. And so going into this though, the mental aspect, the emotional side of it was obviously one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with.
Closing music Welcome to the Mindset Coach Academy podcast. I'm Lindsey Wilson and I am a high-performance mindset coach, a mom, a former professional athlete, and an entrepreneur. I help coaches and high performers optimize their mindset to improve their coaching, their performance in those with their athletes, and their lives.
Here, you'll learn all about mindset, how to live it, how to teach it and how to sell it. All right, welcome back to the Mindset Coach County podcast. You guys have a very special guest in the house, Brooke Wycoff. Hi, Brooke.
Hi, Linz. Oh my God, this is such a treat. I mean, I love getting people on the podcast anybody. You're obviously a big treat because I've talked to you for a long time. So Brooke and I go way back and I just told her that I was like reaching out to talk.
She's the head coach at Florida State doing all the things for a professional basketball player. So I wanted to talk about like mindset and sports. And then I realized that you've had some mindset issues and challenges lately. If you would, just tell us what's going on in your life right now. And then I have like one million questions.
Speaker 1: Well, first of all, it's so fun to be here. I am obviously just a huge fan of yours, always have been, and just love all the things that you've always done and loved this podcast.
And it's just so good to see you and catch up. But no, what you were just referring to was the fact that I was diagnosed with breast cancer in September of last year and basically spent this entire basketball season dealing with that. So having surgery, going through treatment. And now I'm able to say that I'm on the other side of everything. Obviously there's long-term treatment. But really everything is normal and status quo as it can be. So I'm very thankful. Yeah.
Speaker 2: And I told you it was so embarrassed because we haven't talked in a while. I think the last time we talked, you were in one of my programs. We were doing some life mindset work.
Speaker 1: And we hadn't talked for a while. And then I saw you coaching the end-stage able-term. And I was like, oh, my god, there's Brooke looking fabulous, as usual. And I had no, I must have had it muted or something because I'm sure they talked about it. But I don't know. I heard no's.
Yeah. I had no idea. And then I was like, I don't do a ton of research, especially on people I know. But I was like, you just go see what's going on in Brooke's life before we get on today. And I was like, look at this morning. I was like, oh, shit. Had no idea. Oh, my goodness. It's totally fine. No.
It's not like I was broadcasted. I didn't get it so recent. Yeah. Yeah. It was. It was the worst and best timing, I guess, just depending on how you look at it in terms of it just literally happened right from the beginning of getting together for the basketball season with the team through the end of the season. It was crazy. It was exactly that time period of just the worst part of it, I guess. Yeah.
Speaker 2: And how are you feeling now?
Speaker 1: I feel great. I feel great. Like I got done. Like I had to do some chemo treatment. And so that my last one was at the end of February. So I'm physically back to normal just trying to grow the hair out. This is not my hair.
Speaker 2: Grow my hair out. And yeah. So and all that kind of stuff. Just, you know. But no, I feel really good. OK. So you were always, obviously, you were successful as a player. You were very successful as a coach on many levels for many years. And I'm just so I always think of what we teach from a basketball, stand fighter, sports standpoint is like that's four of these really crucial times in your life. And having been prepared for that big challenge, I always laugh too. As we're older, we have real world stuff. We thought that playing basketball was really hard. Right.
But it does prepare you. So tell me about how or about you're comfortable, like as far as like finding the lump and getting diagnosed and like, you know, you have a daughter, like all that. For me, if you can't even describe what it was like, and maybe even like it through the lens of like being a competitor.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, it's I'm really thankful, honestly, through all of this as I was when I was pregnant and having it. It was like, yeah, I've been an elite athlete. Like I have been prepared for, I feel like, the hard stuff.
In a lot of ways, especially physically. And and so going into this, though, the mental aspect, the emotional side of it was obviously one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with, just, you know, yes, finding the lump. And then hearing the news, it's cancerous. You have cancer, basically. And then just kind of the there's like a waiting period where they tell you that, you know, the the the results of them testing the lump has come back. It's cancer, but you don't really know how bad the cancer is. You don't know what any of the plan is. You there's a waiting period before you actually like sit down with the surgeon.
It's a couple of weeks. And and so in that time period, as you can imagine, yeah, being a mom, like you're just thinking the absolute worst. You're just like looking at everything through the lens of basically death, you know, like it just becomes such a reality.
And and and so it creates a ton of perspective. But going through it, you know, absolutely sucks. Just and then it is it was the hardest, the perspective of being a parent, being a mom and just looking at my daughter and being like, OK, is she going to have a mom next year? You know, like, am I going to be here?
I have no idea. And so, you know, but but still having to just push through that, not letting the circumstances of life as we did in sports, you know, like what's going on the moment can't just crush you and make you just crawl and hide hide under your, you know, crawl in bed, hide under your sheets and and and, you know, just cry. It's like you got to keep moving forward as we do as parents as well. So once I got the plan and once I understood, OK, this isn't, you know, imminent death is not part of the equation, but we have to take care of it now.
Then the athlete side of me really kicked in of like, OK, you know, tackling this, we have a plan. This is this is how, you know, I physically need to respond. This is how I'm going to push through. This is my schedule, my basketball schedule that I have.
I'm going to do no matter what, you know. Yeah, we got games to play. That really that really helps me just kind of compartmentalize, you know, just having games, you know, practice to prepare and opponents to prepare for.
Really, really helped me, you know, just just push through and and kind of, you know, keep going. So I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful for everything that prepared me for this this moment. And I'm also thankful for the journey of the cancer, you know. I mean, I learned so much, felt so loved and supported and gosh, I mean, just there's a silver lining in every injury I've ever had.
You know, I tore both my ACLs. And I totally during and after the fact, realize all these silver linings so thankful for how I grew. And it's the exact same thing going through this.
It's like the people you meet, the relationships you build, the things you learn about yourself, the way your perspective changes. I'm all I'm very thankful for it. So, you know, and here I am. We'll see. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Oh my God. I just I love that perspective. I mean, also in those those few weeks, I mean, I think that's like, oh my God. Yeah. I just imagine how challenging that is. Yeah. And like looking at your little girl and how old is Avery now?
Speaker 1: She's 10. She's 10. So yeah, right at that point where it's like, man, like if this happens now, I mean, anytime you lose a parent, you know, but it's just it's like at that crucial moment of like, she's really becoming herself.
Yeah. And but at the same time, it's no idea really what I was going through. You know, it was hard to kind of explain to her without completely scaring the crap out of her. So, you know, that's that's something that will continue to deal with down the road. She kind of gets perspective on what that all was and what it all means. We'll see how she processes all of it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a lot. It's a big burden for you to try to figure out when you're also dealing with your own. Yeah. Emotion about it.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. It's just like, yeah, okay, I'm going to be okay. And she was like, you're going to be okay, right? And yeah, I'm going to be good. Okay, we're good.
Speaker 2: But I'm sure you had bad days where she had to see you really sick and not feeling not super mom. Looking at your mom, not feeling like it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah. And honestly, the hardest part for her was when I had to, when I started to lose my hair and I just shaved my head. And she liked to not want to see me like that, you know, it was and I told her, you know, I was like, okay, like, I did this, I had a wig on, you know, at the time and she's like, oh, you know, I like your wig, whatever.
But then it was like, hey, well, I'm going to take it off because I'm not going to be in the house with a wig on 24 seven. And she's like, no, no, no, you know, she did not want to see me like that. And so, but I mean, it was only a matter of like minutes, like it was just kind of like a slow, like she wanted to see me from far away, like a pink dye. I mean, it sounds ridiculous, but like I was like in the doorway and then she's like, okay. And then I came closer and she like touched my hair and then she was okay or touched my head. And she was kind of okay with it. So that was that was interesting. It was just like she didn't want to that was like the the visual like confirmation that something's not right. Otherwise, it was just kind of like this abstract concept of like, oh, mama's surgery. Oh, there's something going on, but she looks okay. She seems okay. Yeah. Um, That bald head was kind of like the, you
Speaker 2: know, it just it was a little bit of trick for me too when I look at the mirror. What was that like for you? I mean, you always had such beautiful long hair. Like that's been that's Brooke, right? Yeah, like how is that for you? Like, I mean, obviously your heart is the most important thing.
Speaker 1: It was hard. I mean, because I had I had a double mastectomy and even that was not as traumatic as losing my hair. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, it was it and still I mean, it's it's starting to grow back now a little bit. So it's a little bit. I don't even know if it's a little bit better, but just like every time I see myself in the mirror without my hair, it's just like, like that was the hardest part and people told me like, you know, that that was normal because I'm just like, I didn't even really, I did care obviously to have the mastectomy. I mean, obviously, but it was I was kind of like, you know, yeah, whatever I can but but this visual like very jarring reminder of yeah, like not having hair was was mentally tough. And so, um, gosh, yeah, another thing of just like being like how, you know, vein I am or just like kind of like, but also at the same time, it just brings back it really makes you think like, yeah, I have cancer, you know, I'm a cancer patient that because that's what we imagine and and not really bringing that reality over and over again. I think for me and for my daughter was was tough. Yeah.
Speaker 2: And so how'd you handle that? I mean, I know how you'd handle it with your daughter, but for yourself personally, I mean, you're young and hot and like your hair is a part of you like you are though, like and I just imagine that that like obviously in the grand scheme of things, you know, it's what you got to do to stay alive, but like how did you what were the things that like actual things that you did to try to manage your mind around that?
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I think it was I think that it was in the moment those moments where I was able really to finally just be like, yeah, this sucks, you know, like allowing myself to just look in the mirror and just be like this sucks the most of the other moments you're trying to be you know, strong or push through something, you know, and but in those moments, um that was the time where just, you know, the reality of it and just allowing yourself to just be like it sucks. The other thing though that what what I did start to appreciate was when I would see pictures of myself or video of myself just around, you know, as we're going through the season with my hair with I was like, wow, I never I was like, wow, I looked really good. Whereas if if I always you're we're always so critical of ourselves, you know, like and just like but I was able to appreciate just seeing myself instead of being critical seeing myself because it was me. It was my real hair and I was just like, man, like I was just I appreciated it and that was that was nice to be able to do. Um because like I said, I would every time, you know, I usually see pictures.
I'm like, gosh, I wish my hair were longer or oh, you know, like oh, I look so pale or oh, and you know, but whatever that facial expression I'm making um, so that yeah, I was like, okay, you know, just like wow, I appreciate that picture and and you know, um, I was I'm grateful for it. So yeah health, man. Yeah It's crazy health health age like all these things are kind of like coming, you know, I'm I'm I'm a little I mean, I'm gosh, how much older am I than you? It's Several years, I think But it's just like oh, I just got back from the eye doctor because you know I can't see close up. I'm at that point, you know, like I'm like all these things are kind of you know, hitting me these these like age physically, you know aging things and it just it does it's it makes you um Just really self reflect a lot and and and But just appreciate a lot of things as well. So And appreciate being alive I'll take the old age stuff Yeah, wow, what a perspective.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean we are that age where it's like there's just little things It's and then you get hit with this big big thing. Yeah Yes, yeah So tell me about the physical side and in particular like how you mentally I mean we talked about the hair but like just how you were feeling and of course you were coaching and I mean, I was also thinking too like well, I want to hear I want to I answer that question Then I have other things that I want to talk about but I don't know about that
Speaker 1: All the things um, well, I never I never felt sick from the actual cancer You know, it was like there was a lump and I obviously felt fine. Um, but what made me sick was the chemo um, so but but I I'm pretty quickly after um, you know After they biopsied it and and about a month and a half later I had the the double mastectomy and so that's a major surgery, but um It's something that again having had major surgeries having had two knee surgeries and whatever else like I was like Gosh, I feel physically My entire body feels fine except my chest area, you know, I'm walking fine.
Usually When you have an injury from basketball, you're not walking. You're you're hurting, you know, it's like um, so I could function. I just needed to be careful, but I I really wanted to um, I really what we had just literally started like our exhibition games and I I just felt like that was a crucial moment Like I wanted to be I have an amazing staff But I just didn't want to be away from the team and I spent like as we're just getting going with this new group We had six new players And so I felt good enough to be able to like come back and slowly but surely start to coach and use my arms and things Like that. So I missed one exhibition game um, and then I started chemo right after christmas So basically through conference play january and february I was doing chemo treatments every three weeks and that that was hard in a sense of um, you know, you get Some side effects from chemo. I didn't have the worst type of chemo.
There's like what they call the red devil Which just basically almost kills you. Um in and of itself I didn't thank god have to do that, but I had all the effects of losing your hair and um, you know, just feeling Gross my immune system was super low. So I caught anything that was there to catch. Um, I got it Strep throw like major like gi stuff. I just all this random stuff but again having um, you know having like Just two games a week and preparing and having things other things to do. You just I was able to You know pretty much push through. Um, my chemo sessions were on days off from practice. So you know, I didn't have to miss practice to get chemo and um And so it was you know, it wasn't great.
It wasn't ideal. I didn't feel amazing all the time But I had the energy to do the job um, and and and so Um, you know just and and again it went fast because the season goes fast and you're kind of just going with it So how did you balance like?
Speaker 2: um We're very similar in our drive. I think it's our athlete mindset But like I find myself when things are hard like getting into more of like a work like work is like the safe place, right?
The place where you're like, I know what to expect. I know these results not that you can promise results But like you kind of know what you're doing and this is where you feel most competent And also like how do you use it as in a healthy way? Yeah, and then also mange make sure that like You're having the time to be sad or you're having the Naps or whatever it else. Yeah mentally or physically or emotionally like how did you balance that in the middle of the season and not just go like full Brook
Speaker 1: Workaholic Yeah, it was actually kind of liberating in that sense where it was like my my body Would force me to kind of take those breaks. Um, and just being able to just consciously know like hey like, um, You know listen your body slow down for a second um, and and this is okay and All the work and all the things They're fine. You know like it's it was actually kind of a built in um Thing where it was it just they they they went hand in hand really well Whereas the work and the routine and the pushing through and doing all the things and I got this I can do it helped me Um, mentally and emotionally But the physical side of the treatment and everything just helped also was just like a hard like hey you got to slow down here and You you can't do the work right now and it's it's okay. You know, this is more important and you got to take care of yourself You got to make sure that You're taking care of yourself right now so that you'll be okay tomorrow, you know like because it could it was kind of like a Something that if you don't really take care of yourself and not you know It could just like snowball and you're just be down for the count. So um, it and and honestly like I was like Going through the season and like Coaching and it just really calmed me down in terms of like winning and losing You know, I was just like, you know what? We're gonna play this game.
The girls are gonna do their very best. We've done what we as a staff like again I had the energy to do it like I was I for the most part, you know, and it's like We've prepared we've done it Yeah, and if it doesn't work out if we don't if we lose the game, it's like Don't let you know. Yeah exactly like it's exactly so that was nice too that was that was um, you know Freeing in a lot of ways too to have that kind of baseline, you know, just that in the background perspective wise I mean you I
Speaker 2: think you know your profession is like so go go go. It's like it just It invites that sort of mentality and those types of people and I'm interested on I mean you kind of touched on it But like moving forward when you're when you do feel back to your normal self How do you think that this experience will inform and you're a head coach? I mean you have a lot of influence on the entire culture of your staff and your program Like do you think about the ways that this experience will inform the way that you handle things in the future?
Speaker 1: Yeah, um, I I want it honestly, it's so easy that to Just kind of put it in the past and just kind of be like well, I got through that and Get right jump, you know, just be swept up in how crazy this business is and and and not let it inform anything moving forward. I do know though, one thing that because I didn't have the normal time or energy this year to really invest in, we missed out this year as a team on really, really digging into culture relationships. And I was blessed in the sense that I had a team that was all nice girls. We didn't have very much drama. There weren't fires I had to put out because of cultural things or relationship things with our team, but we didn't go there with getting into it and building what we needed to build foundationally to be our best basketball players and team. And after the season ended, everyone, the players and all of us staff, we really self-reflecting.
It came out in several different ways. It was just like, if we had worked, if we had put more effort in instead of just kind of sitting back and be like, we're good, everything's okay on the surface. But we're all kind of just out here doing it, especially the players, they were just kind of like coexisting, we felt like we could have maybe had a little bit more success. We still had a really good year.
It was okay, it was just okay. But that energy, that commitment that like to, the relational side, the culture, just in terms of confronting the hard things, really digging in when it's like going to that place that you have to go as a team to be united enough to be, that's gonna push you in those moments where you really need to, where your talent stops and you've gotta be together to move forward. Like that was missing. And that was the one thing that I feel like, okay, I just didn't have the energy to drive it and it needed to really be the one driving it. And so I'm drawing on that experience and knowing that that's gotta be my priority, my energy has to be for that. And I'm excited about that. I won't just speak it, like making sure we're ready tactically for the next game we've worked on and really dug in to all that.
Speaker 2: It's so interesting, Brooke, because you know what, and so many of these productivity books, they're talking about like your zone of genius, right? And like, I imagine, sounds like what you're saying is like, you had to step away and people have to pick up the slack on like, let's call it like the X's and O's, but like broadly, right? Like the minutiae, the logistics, that you rely on a lot of people to do a lot of that stuff.
You're making travel arrangements, for example. But like for you, your zone of genius as a head coach really is those relationship pieces. And that's, it sounds like you're recognizing how important that really is when you're not in your top of your game. And that's gonna inform your coaching moving forward.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's the most important. I go back to that, like, and two seasons ago, you know, the one before this past one, we, I did all of that. We got, we dug in and like, and we built that from day one. And we still had issues, not saying we didn't, but it was there and we knew it. We were united and it pushed us through a lot of things. And, but this past year, you know, it was something that again, like I took for granted a little bit and was just, again, we have a good group of people, but it just reminded me, that's where my energy has gotta go. And it is the most important foundational thing for a team, especially a team of college kids, I believe.
Speaker 2: And so that, what does that look like? That looks like people coming into your office a lot and talking about their lives and their struggles. And like, I mean, really, like from a like actual, like day to day standpoint, is that, and you talking to people after practice and like all the, yeah, all that.
Speaker 1: It's that, it's me, obviously, yes, building the relationships with the players, but it's me driving the, or getting the buy-in for them to build relationships with each other. And finding the ways, and really driving that every day, where either it's me or somebody else are finding the ways that's going to help them do that. And it's not just telling them like, oh, you know, let's just sending them to go, have a team meal together.
You know, hey, go team build and have a meal. It doesn't work that way. It's too easy for them to just be on their phones or just get through it and just go, you know. There's too much out there just pulling them that they just, they can just get through something, check it off and be done.
You really have to find different ways and creative ways to help them understand why they need it, you know, why this is important, and then how we're gonna do it. And it's just basically starting with getting to know each other, you know, not everything about each other. And also, it's not about being best buddies. It's not that we're all best friends. It's not, you know, like, that's not what we're trying to build. We're trying to get to a place where when, when you're putting in the work, the blood, sweat and tears that you do at this level, like for this sport, you put in so much. You can't do that and not be connected to the person next to you that's doing it too. And you guys need each other on the court.
You just, you can't. So that's really my biggest job is just to make that, to say this is our priority, period. If you're gonna be in this program, this is what we're working on. And we say, I use the term that what we're doing every day is we're getting closer and better as a team every day. And so much flows from that. So it does, it starts with me building relationships with them so they know my heart and then it's me helping to facilitate that with them for them together.
Speaker 2: Whenever I watch you coach, I think about how much fun it would be to play for. I imagine your players are just like, oh my God, I get to play for Brooke.
Speaker 1: Like, you played at such a high level, like there's no way they can look at you and be like, well, you don't understand. Like you did everything. You know what, from playing at a high level, to succeeding, to getting injured, to all the things. And it's like, yeah, I just imagine that you're really fun to play for. So I always think when I see you on TV. I can't be too fun to play for them.
They don't get better. Like I got to, and there's that part of me too. Yeah, totally.
You know, like I have to, and that's gotten easier over the years is obviously, it's just like, you know, being able to say like, no, like you will enjoy this experience way more if I'm challenging you and getting the most out of you and asking you to do the things you don't want to do. Yeah. Yeah, so there's a balance. Absolutely.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I imagine that takes a long time, especially when you were an assistant coach for many years where you could probably be a little bit more of that like, friend-y friend to some degree. Yeah, yeah, it changes. Yeah.
Yeah. That's interesting though to like, excited to watch your coaching progression. Like it sounds like that, like you talked about sort of the gifts of cancer, so to speak, or the silver linings. And like, it sounds like that's really one of them. Where you like, now, I'm sure you always prioritize that, but it sounds like it's even more crystal clear that that's like your main job.
Speaker 1: It is. It is. And it's what matters the most, just in anything we do. It's just, it's relational stuff. It's in, and as you well know, like college basketball and sports in general, but like this is just the perfect time for, you know, I just, I grew so much when I was in college, just in terms of who I was figuring that out.
And I had a long way to go after college too, still. But it's just, it's such a, and knowing what we know now, and that's why I love what you're doing, Lindsey. Like, just all this part of it, knowing what we know now that we didn't have necessarily when you and I played, we can just make it that much more of a richer experience and better experience that they're just that much more prepared for life. Through this, through playing this game and having people around them that will help grow them in all the ways, not just becoming a better basketball player. Yeah.
Speaker 2: So they are prepared for the hard things, God forbid, but there's a lot of, there's lots that they're gonna face in their lives. And it is such a crucial time to develop any skills. Okay, I also wanted to ask, like, I was thinking about this ahead of time and I was thinking like, I just have, do you just have a couple more minutes? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Of course. I was thinking about like what you've been through in the last, you know, six months to eight months. And I was thinking about like, probably one of the hardest, what you're doing is one of the hardest jobs and being then physically sick and like the mental and emotional component to it.
And then I was thinking like, it must be one of the hardest jobs to have cancer or really be sick at all. But then I was also like, but also, you have this built in family and community. And, you know, like, so tell me about like that component of like, you have a family, essentially, beyond your immediate family.
Speaker 1: That was one of the, that, okay, so that evolution from knowing that I'm this public figure, so to speak, in Tallahassee, you know? Yep. And that, how to, because it's weird, you know, like when you have this diagnosis, it's like, it's a sign of, you know, you feel like it's a sign of weakness or like, oh, you know, it's embarrassing is not the right word, but it kind of is, it's kind of that like, oh, shameful type of thing where you're kind of like, oh my gosh, like this is not something I want people to know about me, you know? I just, I don't want to have to face this publicly and I'm this, you know, recognizable person, not everywhere, but just in general.
And so that figuring out going from, okay, oh my gosh, I don't want to tell anybody, I don't want anyone to know to then figure out how I'm going to tell everybody. And then, and then now I'm in a place where I've received such an outpouring of support. It's been all positive. It's been all like, I haven't felt, you know, put, like just like, oh, I've got so many people like coming to me and wanting to, you know, just like, it's been all great.
It's all supportive, just people coming out of the woodwork, meeting new people that I never would have met that have just impacted me so much in a short time. And now I'm in an open book. I'm like, you know, I don't care.
I will tell any detail to anybody. That evolution was one of the coolest things about it because yes, it goes back to, we don't need to do anything in isolation. Like it's not what we're built for. The good, the bad, like it's just, you know, if I had, if I could have probably, if I didn't have this job, I would have probably tried to go through it without anybody knowing.
Like anybody. It took me so long to even tell my family, you know, like for the longest time, my poor husband was the only one that knew, you know, he's the burden. I'm like, we can't tell anybody.
We can't, nobody can know, you know. And so, but then like people wanting to walk through it and support you in the way you need to be supported and just like, just love on you and care about you and reach out. And I think that's what it's like.
Wow. This feels really good. And not in the way of like, oh, cause I'm the center of attention is just feeling like, wow, people really care. And that means so much.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, I know what's thinking about it earlier. It was like, you, like all my friends that are coaches, like you guys always have, especially now, like you always have to think about recruiting and like what it means for the program. And like, you know, and like you always want to just do the positive stuff, right?
Speaker 1: Yes, it's exactly right. I was thinking, and that's the hard part. And it's what we did as basketball players, right? It was like, you see everything through the lens of how is it going to affect my job? You know, like, yes. So recruiting, we're in the middle of trying to sign kids. And I'm like, if I announced that I have cancer, are they just going to, like that'll be the excuse that they don't come to Florida State because, oh, the coach has cancer. So we don't know what, you know, like, yeah, like my, my bosses, like, are they going to be like, no, you can't coach the season, you know, you're not allowed to coach or something, you know, just, all of that, the perspective of the players, are they, are they going to feel like, oh my gosh, like we're not going to be good this season because she's not there or she may not be there. I just felt so responsible for so much because of the job and, and, and did my very best to try and keep everything status quo and very thankful that I could, like again, I had the energy to be able to, to keep it all going. But I just, I never felt any kind of negative anything from anybody like, oh, like any doubt or anything like that. People just support it. And that was, that was such a cool experience.
Speaker 2: I mean, you've always had such a, like a positive outlook, but I'm like curious how you think about, let me, you mentioned, did we talked about like, how you're going to inform your coaching, but just you as a, like as a human, like, how is that, that ability to be vulnerable and talk about it and just feel all that love? Like how do you think that's going to change things in your life moving forward?
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think, I mean, it really did help me in a lot of, you know, just, it just crystallizes so many things, like in relationships, for example, like with my husband, you know, like we've been married since we got married in like 2021. And so it hasn't been that long. And this was really one of the, this was the first time or one of the, you know, the most significant time where it was just like basically like, I saw the reality of what love and marriage and that commitment looks like, you know, when it's the ugly hard stuff.
That was a huge blessing and just being able to see that. And my family and my siblings, like I have five brothers and sisters and every single one of them came down to visit me, brought their kids, like they hadn't done that in years. Like I live, they live in Ohio, I live in Florida.
Like they all took the time and to come just at different points throughout the year to visit me. And like those things, seeing what matters, like, and really being open to seeing that and to stopping and just like allowing myself to be like, wow, this is really cool. And also just again, the hard parts of like, I was telling you, when you're dealing with like, you may die, you know, like the mortality, like the real that hitting you in the face, like being able to be vulnerable about that with certain people in my life, like, whoo, you know, just admitting, I'm scared as hell right now. And there's nothing anyone can say, but just be there, but being able to do that, that was good for me. Because again, we're so used to like, I got this, I got it, we're all good, everything's good, I'm good, pushing through strong. That was good to be able to do that.
Speaker 2: Kind of on that same line, I was talking about this, I think in my newsletter like last month or something, but like the vulnerability of asking for help, like how was that for you? Like I imagine like, I'm just thinking, like the last six to eight months have probably been the time in your life when you, maybe when you had ACL surgery, you needed a lot of help, but like I imagine now with a kid and your responsibilities that there was a lot of you asking for help. And how was that for you?
Speaker 1: Huge and hard still, you know, and just not wanting to, you know, make anybody feel like they had, you know, going out of their way for me or anything like that. It was hard, but so necessary. And again, when I asked or like people were so, they want to help, you know, and it's a blessing for them, when you let them help.
And really just, you know, knowing that like I had, there were people that were, that did, that dropped whatever to help me. It's certain people and it just, it was the most, you know, one of the biggest blessings again, one of the joys of cancer, just to see that. It's crazy, you know, and to- That's the title of the podcast, the joys of cancer. The joys of cancer, yes, let's write it up. You know, but just seriously, to see that, to live that, to experience that. Again, because we go through life and we're like, I got this, I'm good, I'm good, I got it, I got it.
And you don't get that. Hydroforming. Yeah. And it's just, it's such a blessing. Oh my gosh, the feeling of it and just being like, oh my gosh, I need help. Or it's somebody saying, do you need help? And me saying yes. And just the amazing feeling that both of us had through that was awesome.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so cool, Brooke. I think we could talk about this forever. Okay, I got five, like kind of rapid fire questions that I have guests do sometimes. Okay, you ready? Yeah. Okay, what info are you consuming right now?
Speaker 1: Oh, your podcast. What are you really listening to on Ovinna? I love it. The last one you did on positive psychology, the interview you had on that. No, but that, I am anything that I, along those lines of mindset and mental performance, those in the off season is when I really try to to consume that so I can help my players and help drive that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, okay. You'll have to let me know if you have anything good that's my way. Okay. What are you creating?
Speaker 1: Oh, plans for the summer in terms of where we're going next as a basketball team. So we're working on just research projects, analytical analytics projects, looking at basketball stuff. Just it's a fresh new fun time right now where the kids are away and we're creating for what is next you're gonna look like for our team.
Speaker 2: So cool. So cool. What is one healthy habit that you do daily?
Speaker 1: I write in a prayer journal every, daily, every try, every morning.
Speaker 2: What is your next big leap or next level?
Speaker 1: Gosh, next big leap, next level. I think of everything through the lens of work. I hate that that, that you say that. I do too. It's okay. I want our team to take that next big leap, which means I need to as a coach take that next big leap. And so for us, what that means is getting to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament, sweet 16 elite eight. Yeah. You remember those days.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah. And do you have like that solid idea of who you're gonna become to help them to lead them to that level?
Speaker 1: Yes. And I think what you're working on right now. It is a person that is even more demanding and more just like taking the hard, not rigid, but just like really, really clear on expectations and holding kids to that. And in the heart, in the basketball stuff and in the culture stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 2: That's amazing. Okay. Last one. What is bringing you joy or wonder right now?
Speaker 1: Oh my gosh. Joy and wonder is my daughter just watching her at 10 years old, just the things that she, who she is just watching her be her has been really, really, really fun holding on to every little last moment with her. While she's still in that little, cause how old's your oldest?
Speaker 2: She'll be nine this summer. Okay. Oh my gosh. They're like, I look at her and I'm like, she's like, she's practically, I mean, she's gonna be in my clothes. Like, yes. You know, and it's, it is, it's like, they're like, and they're all playing pretend and doing all the things. So fun. But she's getting so tall.
Speaker 1: Oh my gosh. Yeah. Yeah. That's the joy and wonder is never ending with the kids.
Speaker 2: So cool. And how could people find you?
Speaker 1: Instagram, best day. Yes. Just I am B Wycoff, B-W-Y-C-K-O-F-F on Instagram. And that's really where I kind of live in terms of I just posted my stories and things like that. Also our team, you can follow our team on Seminoles.com.
Speaker 2: Okay. Brooke, this was like amazing on so many levels. I'm so grateful for you. And I've always been such a big fan and to like get to like dissect what you've been through and for you to like share your heart has just been, I know people, I already know this is gonna be like one of people's favorite things. So thank you for taking the time.
Speaker 1: Thank you. It's a huge honor. I thought we were gonna talk, I thought we were gonna talk about like the transfer portal and like the mindset of like the modern athlete. And like those were like, that was in my head. And then I was like, oh no, we're not talking about that.
We're talking about some life stuff here. Oh, I appreciate it. I appreciate it. It's always good for me to talk through this too. So thank you. And it was an honor. I love your podcast and I love everything you do. Oh, I'm such a fan. So thank you.
Speaker 2: You're very welcome, Brooke. Thank you so much. We'll talk soon. Okay, bye Liz. Okay, bye. Bye. Okay, bye.
