XLR8 Sports Performance - Mike Draheim
November 7, 2025
I met Mike Draheim when taking my grandkids to this 'Sports Conditioning' gym, I was intrigued to say the least. Coach Mike Is an amazing trainer, coach, and businessman. I heartily endorse his conditioning, it works and is worth every penny.
See for yourself:
https://xlr8foxvalley.com/
What To Expect at XLR8 Sports Training: It’s a science-based training solution that delivers real on-the-field results for athletes looking to improve their athleticism. From sprint speed, acceleration, agility, foot speed, strength, endurance, recovery, or getting back into the game after injury or time off, we can design a personal program to help you achieve your goals. We are not the one size that fits all program. Our programs focus on the individual’s needs and goals.
For our XLR8 Speed Training we typically start with the athlete’s running mechanics and posture to make sure the arm and leg swing are in line to minimize wasted movement and deceleration while running. We also work on agility and overall body strength to increase their deceleration while running. We also work on agility and overall body strength to increase their athleticism. We train in small groups, but each appointment is scheduled so we know who is coming in to ensure each athlete is getting the workout they specifically need.
“Health, Wealth & Happiness” is a compelling theme because it connects the three areas people care most about in life. To be elite and optimize your performance: Train your Body : nutrition, sleep, physical Train your Craft : acquire knowledge Train your Mind : mindfulness, stay in present Health Matters Topic Examples Preventive healthcare Nutrition and healthy eating Exercise and fitness Sleep optimization Stress management: increase cortisol levels, inflammation… Mental health Key Question: "What's one health habit listeners can begin this week that will have the greatest impact over the next year?" – sleep! Performance living: Performance = skill minus interference; Listen-Learn-Heal Your Tactics: T ake time for yourself and lead a peaceful life A lways eat healthy, exercise, and sleep C ontinually self improve and remain coachable T reasure family and friends I choose the day I have C ontrol disappointments and respond positively S mile and laugh Building Wealth Topic Examples Personal finance fundamentals: earn vs spend! Retirement planning: pre-tax dollars investment and larger future return Healthcare costs and financial planning: healthcare more and more expensive… Financial wellness Key Question: "What is one financial decision people should make today that their future self will thank them for?" – make inventory of your assets and liabilities! Prepare is key… The Happiness Factor Topic Examples Purpose and meaning Gratitude practices Relationships Resilience and mindset Work-life integration Personal growth Key Question: "What daily practice contributes most to long-term happiness?" Refirement zone vs retirement: what is your purpose/meaning of life? What brings you joy? Wonder Drug (Drs. Trzeciak & Mazzarelli): 7 scientifically proven ways that serving others is the best medicine for yourself!! Start Small : 16 minutes Rx; give, help, care, and connect more; kind acts, compassion, and selfless service for others Be Thankful : write/send thank you notes as appreciation Be Purposeful : being part of something larger than yourself that can make a difference for others; what can I do to make your day a little better? Find Common Ground : children, sunset, cry, etc See It : see it to feel it Elevate : gravitate toward people who do kind things for others and are happy about it, and you’ll boost your own happiness Know Your Power : using your time, talent, and treasure to serve others; strengthen relationships; decrease chronic stress and systemic inflammation and boost immune system; hope matters and belief in recovery matters The Connection Between Health, Wealth & Happiness Pause, understand the why? Discussion Points Transitions in life How physical health impacts earning potential Financial stress and mental health Purpose-driven living and overall wellness Creating balance in all three areas Key Takeaway: Health creates the energy. Wealth creates the opportunity. Happiness gives it meaning. Transitions cause stress (from high school to college to job to …; pursuing success, achievement, ego-defined self, financial reward, titles, ...): Stress = pushing past one’s perceived limits and then allowing for recovery Stress, anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, debt => impediments to success Expectations to perform, be perfect, be tough… Social media and perfect life… Keep climbing the ladder (each rung closer to success)… Resilience and Well-Being = Balance… Resilience = acquired ability to recover , adapt , and grow from stress Resiliency and well-being by managing stress with coping and self-care skills ? Time management Healthy sleep, eating, exercise habits Learning opportunities to build resilience… Building blocks to success => Turn obstacles into opportunities… Kindness, compassion, love, and respect (for yourself and others) => healthy relationships “You are powerful. Being empathetic, compassionate, grateful, caring, and kind are human being’s greatest strengths.” Weekly Challenge Give one simple action in each area: Health: Walk 20 minutes daily, sleep patterns Wealth: Save $25 this week Happiness: Write down three things you're grateful for
In this episode, Nalani Iosia and I discuss the following, and yes, it is volleyball-related- Starling South Bay Volleyball club, and playing for dad! Club volleyball, where can it take you? College recruitment The Grand Rapids Rise professional volleyball team Nutrition and rest for athletes Leadership Nalani Iosia was born and raised in Southern California and is a professional volleyball player for Major League Volleyball’s Grand Rapids Rise. She has been playing volleyball since she was 5 years old and grew up in a volleyball family, so I’ve been surrounded by the game from an early age. I played club volleyball at the club my parents started, Starlings South Bay, before moving to Mizuno Long Beach, where I played for seven years. Nalani played high school volleyball at Redondo Union, and during my sophomore year, I verbally committed to playing college volleyball at the University of Texas at Austin. She went on to play at Texas from 2020–2022 before transferring to Michigan State University, where I finished my college career from 2022–2024. Her freshman year at Texas, we made it to the National Championship, followed by an Elite Eight appearance my sophomore year. At Michigan State, I earned multiple Defensive Player of the Week awards and was named Defensive Player of the Year my senior year. After college, I was drafted by the Orlando Valkyries and helped the team win the 2025 PVF Championship.
Sarah Granetz is a strength, fitness, and nutrition coach known for her holistic approach to wellness. Her passion is to empower women to achieve their goals in sustainable and realistic ways. She focuses on building knowledge, excitement, and discipline with her clients to ensure that their progress will be maintained long-term. Her training programs are meticulously designed to improve strength, muscle definition and cardiovascular endurance, while her nutrition plans ensure optimal health, sustainability, and top performance. Sarah's commitment to evidence-based practices and her passion for empowering women make her a sought-after expert in the field. She holds an MBA, state records in competitive powerlifting, and diverse experience across wellness disciplines. Topics for discussion with Sarah today are- HRT and TRT, It's not taboo Why advanced women need coaches Your identity is what's keeping you stuck
Donovan Ivory is a professional basketball player currently playing in Europe for CS Valcea 1924 in Romania - Division A . Today's episode features topics such as- Influence of Dad and Brother: The enablers Kaukauna- The community NIL-what's up Journey to D-1--The long and winding road European ball- What's the deal High School Accolades Attended Kaukauna High School...led the Ghosts to the sectional final as a senior...averaged 20.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.8 assists...named first-team all-state Division 2 by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association...honorable mention all-state selection by the Associated Press...Started on Kaukauna's 2018 Division 2 State Championship Team... 2019-20 (Freshman - UMass Lowell) Played in three games for the River Hawks, scoring two points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out one assist...enrolled at Boise State in January...sat out spring semester due to transfer rules... 2020-21 (Sophomore - Boise State) Appeared in three games...made Boise State debut against New Mexico (Dec. 21) ...one assist and one steal at San Jose State (Dec. 31) ...sat out first semester due to NCAA transfer rules after joining the Broncos in January 2020...
Ed Tillett is a proud Michigan State University alumnus (Go Green!). He is the Director of Multicultural Business Programs at Michigan State University's Broad College of Business, and he understands the life-changing impact of access to education and the importance of a welcoming campus community that empowers people to grow, develop, and become their best. Those personal experiences influence how he leads, builds partnerships, and serves others. 1. Leadership isn't a title. It's the ability to create trust, community, direction, and results 2. Belonging and organizational culture are paramount to success, and high-performing organizations unlock excellence by investing in people. 3. Being a leader is about developing talent, building partnerships, and preparing the next generation of leaders. 4. How leaders demonstrate resilience often creates the greatest opportunities.
Debra Warren is a Registered Dietitian who has been working in food initiatives in Muskegon County since 2012. Her experience includes working with non-profits, school districts, government, health care, and grassroots movements. In addition to Muskegon County, Debra has worked in youth gardens across the country, including Southern California, Chicago, and Alma, MI. Debra is committed to food systems change through an equity lens as well as working alongside individuals related to our personal and social food environments. She attended Muskegon Community College, Grand Valley State University, graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science, and completed her post-grad dietetic internship with Michigan State University. Currently employed by the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District and Trinity Health Muskegon. She lives in the City of Muskegon with her partner Mitch, and their 2 children attend the Muskegon Public Schools two-way immersion program. As a dietitian, Debra spends her summers split between school gardens and the hospital, and she comes home each day to her two young kids. Because of that, the joys, messiness, and challenges of feeding people are never far from her mind-they are part of both her professional work and her personal life. She is especially passionate about helping people build a healthier relationship with food. Whether through Food Connection, Cafeteria Climate, Community Gardens, Food Access, or Universal Meals for All, Debra believes food should bring people together, not make people feel like they are constantly falling short. Summer is a perfect example. Between backyard barbecues, vacations, birthday parties, and having kids home from school, there is often extra pressure to "do food right." Debra works to help people let go of the idea that they have to eat perfectly or be "good enough" and instead find more joy, flexibility, and connection around the table.
Hailey Friestrom, an upcoming Junior at Grand Ledge High School, adds to our conversation as a young person who is learning and maturing into a future star. With Brock Fletcher she has a tremendous mentor, bright future, coach, and uncle! Starter Home or renting, all concepts work in certain circumstances. In this episode, we discuss- What is a starter home How do zoning law changes aid our housing shortage Less expensive construction loans Modular construction Plus, many more ideas from Hailey and Brock on working in the summer.
In this episode, please listen to Craig Stiles of Ameriprise Financial and listen to strategies that can preserve and even grow your money well past our demise. Key words in this episode, Trust Title Big picture items POA (Power of Attorney) Strategies to leave a legacy for our kids
LARRY PFAFF, M.A., Ed.D., LPC Author of Ready, Set, Change: Why Knowing What to Do Isn’t Enough Amazon #1 New Release - Psychology Education and Organizational Change INTERVIEW TOPIC: Why Smart People Stay Stuck (Even When They Know What to Do) After 40 years as a therapist and organizational consultant, Dr. Pfaff heard the same confession thousands of times: "I know what to do. I just don't do it." His book reveals the five stages of psychological readiness that create lasting change—and why most advice only works at one stage. Business/Leadership: Why workplace training fails What companies get wrong about change Matching development to readiness Personal Development: Why resolutions fail | The Contemplation Trap One question that reveals your change stage Mental Health: Why therapists don't apply Stages of Change Matching interventions to client readiness General Interest: Why intelligent people stay stuck The knowing-doing gap Real stories from 21 managers ABOUT DR. PFAFF Larry Pfaff has spent over four decades working with individuals, groups, and organizations in counseling, leadership development, coaching, and organizational consulting. His background includes: ∙ Licensed Professional Counselor since Michigan’s original licensing law in 1990 ∙ 15 years as a Professor of Psychology ∙ Former Dean of Business ∙ Published researcher in leadership and 360-degree feedback assessment ∙ Lifelong member of APA and SIOP ∙ Author of multiple assessment instruments used in organizations ABOUT THE BOOK Ready, Set, Change presents a framework for why people struggle to change even when they know what to do. Based on 40 years of work and a year-long program with 21 managers, it reveals the five stages of psychological readiness and why matching support to stage creates lasting change. CONTACT Larry Pfaff, M.A., Ed.D., LPC 269-370-0083 drlarrypfaff@gmail.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GX32NPPV
David ("Dave") Brower is a native of the Lansing area, having graduated from Okemos High School in 1965. He attended MSU, completing his BA in Accounting in June 1969 and his MBA in Finance in December 1970. He was an auditor at the public accounting firm of Ernst & Ernst, Lansing Office, from 1971 - until October 1979, obtaining his Michigan CPA certification in 1973. Mr. Brower held various positions at MSU during his career, which spanned 32 years, retiring at the end of December 2011. In October 1979, Mr. Brower started his career at MSU as Assistant Controller of Student Services and moved to the position of Assistant Controller of Administrative Services in 1982. In 1995 he was promoted to Controller and to Assistant Vice President, CFO and Controller in 2001. In this position, he worked to ensure that MSU operated with the highest degree of financial integrity; that issues affecting the financial health of the university were identified and strategies formulated to deal with those issues; that timely and appropriate financial decisions were made; that University assets were safeguarded; and, that accounting financial policies and procedures were developed and updated as required by state and federal regulations and changes in governmental accounting standards. For several years before his retirement, Mr. Brower's served on a MSU steering committee charged with developing and replacing MSU’s 40-year-old financial system and it’s over 25-year-old Human Resource and Payroll Systems. As a result of this effort, in 2011 MSU implemented the Kuali Open-Source Finance System and the SAP HR/Payroll Systems, which have evolved and are still being used today. Mr. Brower committed several years to assist in conceptual development of "The Kuali Open Source" financial software and was a member of the related Kuali Foundation developing the software. Mr. Brower's involvement in the development of the Kuali Open-Source Financial System was instrumental to its success. Mr. Brower was widely respected by the campus community as an open and inclusive leader. He is a strong advocate for transparency and win-win solutions to problems. In 2009 he was one of the recipients of the MSU Outstanding Supervisor of the Year award. As part of his university outreach activities Mr. Brower represented MSU in numerous areas. He was a board member and officer for the Lansing/Jackson Chapter of the National Association of Accountants for many years. For over 30 years, he was a board member of the University Club of MSU, serving as treasurer or president for many of those years. Upon his retirement, he was made an Emeritus Board Member of the Club. Mr. Brower has been recognized on numerous occasions for his long-time dedication to area community service organizations, including the YMCA Board of Metropolitan Lansing, an organization he became involved with in 1980. He served in various leadership roles for the Y over the years and was awarded the Y’s Volunteer of the Year award in 1985 and 2022. He also served on the Capital Area United Way Board and was awarded their Volunteer of the Year Award in 1999. His volunteer service continues up to the present time. A long-time member of the Peoples Church of East Lansing, he has been a member of the Finance Ministry for the past 25 years, having served as church treasurer for 7 years during that time. After retirement, he served for 12 years as board member and treasurer of Burcham Hill Life Care Community in East Lansing and started volunteering for the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts as a member of their Inner Circle Volunteer support group. At their recent Inner Circle Volunteer Event in May 2026, he received the Wharton Center Directors Award for “for exemplary volunteer service, dedication and friendship.” Mr. Brower was elected as the MSU Retirees Association (MSURA) President for fiscal years (FY) 24-25 and FY 25-26, his second year ending June 30, 2026. He served as the MSURA Treasurer for 10 years prior to being elected president and, was an at-large board member prior to that. He received the MSURA’s Volunteer of the Year Award in 2023 and, for a second time in May 2026. Mr. Brower supports MSU in many ways. He is a major donor whose interests include the MSU Music School, the Wharton Center for Performing Arts, MSU Athletics scholarships, and the MSURA Endowed Scholarship Fund. He was also an early supporter of the MSU Leadership Spartan Scholarship Challenge Fund. In addition, he has long held season tickets for MSU athletics and the Wharton Center. In retirement, he enjoys traveling, movies, reading and attending various events and functions on campus. He also enjoys biking and walking on campus. Since retirement, he has become a big jazz music fan, volunteering at local jazz festivals and enjoying performances by MSU Jazz faculty and students.
