Episode 137: Making football the best part of a kid's day with State Champion Coach Garrett Mueller

Winning is great, but making football the best part of a kid’s day might be an even bigger victory.

In Episode 137 of The Mental Mettle Podcast, Coach Matt Thomann sits down with State Champion Coach Garrett Mueller, head football coach at Stewartville High School in Minnesota, to explore how a major shift in philosophy reshaped his program and his players’ experience of the game. Over 18 years of coaching (15 at Stewartville, 8 as head coach), Mueller has led his team to a 70–14 record, two state championships, and a 30-game win streak—while intentionally moving away from the traditional grind model of football.​

From grind culture to joyful, sprint-based football

Mueller shares why he stepped back from old-school, punishment-heavy conditioning and adopted Feed the Cats and sprint-based football, a change that impacted both performance and player wellbeing. By shortening practices, emphasizing high-intensity work, and treating football as the best part of a kid’s day instead of a daily beatdown, his staff saw players run faster, recover better, and actually look forward to practice. This episode highlights how joy, mental health, and recovery can coexist with a championship standard on the field.​

Culture, family, and avoiding burnout

The conversation also dives into coaching alongside his Hall of Fame father, now on staff with him, and what it means to coach his own sons in a healthy way. Mueller explains why Stewartville intentionally avoids pushing early tackle football, how they think about youth burnout, and what he does when success dips to re-center on core principles instead of panicking. A key tool he shares is the “Hunt the Good Stuff” mindset, training players to deliberately look for positives and build resilient confidence day after day.​

If you are a coach, parent, or athlete who believes there has to be a better way than endless conditioning, punishments, and grind culture, Episode 137 will give you a clear, proven alternative for building both performance and mental strength. Subscribe to The Mental Mettle Podcast and start forging your 100% Mettle today, and to learn more or schedule a free coaching session with Coach Thomann, visit mentalmettlelifecoaching.com or email coachthomann@gmail.com.