Dialed & Driven Mentality Podcast
Dialed & Driven Mentality Podcast with hosts Jeff Lerg and Chris Palmer, is a space for athletes, parents, and coaches to see the depths of hockey and the mental hurdles that come with it.
Jeff Lerg has extensive experience as a former player and current coach that propels his knowledge and life advice. Jeff has reached the ultimate pinnacle of what it means to be a successful D1 Collegiate Athlete. Playing at Michigan State University, he has won countless awards and accolades displaying his success. Also, a former professional goalie for 10+ years across the U.S. and Europe, he has had first-hand experience reaching his own goals and helping others achieve theirs.
Chris Palmer, M.A. in Psychology, is a Hockey Mental Performance Coach who trains individuals, coaches, and teams from house leagues to Pro and Amateur in the US, Europe and Canada. He trains “heart, head, and guts,” with a proven process that helps clients maximize mental toughness and motivation to develop a grinding and intense compete level. As a former NCAA runner, x2 All-American, and Nike-sponsored athlete, Chris brings a great deal of knowledge in athletics and the mental performance space to positively impact the lives of athletes all over the world.
Dialed & Driven Mentality Podcast
Owen Bartoszkiewicz: Michigan Tech University Goaltender and the Road That Led Him There
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Welcome to Episode 71 of the Dialed and Driven Mentality Podcast!
In this episode, Jeff Lerg and Natalie Ferenc continue the Goalie Nation series with Michigan Tech University goaltender Owen Bartoszkiewicz.
Owen’s path through college hockey has been anything but ordinary.
From youth hockey in Metro Detroit, to Wichita Falls, Youngstown, the University of Minnesota, a return to junior hockey, Lindenwood University, and now Michigan Tech, Owen shares the unique journey that shaped him both as a goalie and as a person.
Throughout the conversation, Owen opens up about the uncertainty, setbacks, and unexpected turns that came with navigating the modern college hockey landscape. After arriving early at Minnesota, going back to juniors, being de-committed late in the process, and eventually finding the right opportunity at Lindenwood, Owen leaned on a simple but powerful mentality: everything is going to work out.
He reflects on the importance of controlling what you can control, staying grounded through change, and keeping hard work at the core of everything he does.
Now entering his senior season at Michigan Tech, Owen gives listeners an inside look at what it takes to stay composed, keep improving, and continue chasing success through a path filled with adversity, patience, and perseverance.
Episode Highlights:
• Owen’s journey from Metro Detroit youth hockey to Division I college hockey
• How he earned an opportunity at the University of Minnesota as an 18-year-old freshman
• What it was like joining a college team mid-season after the starting goalie signed an NHL contract
• The challenge of going from the University of Minnesota back to junior hockey
• How Owen handled uncertainty, setbacks, and being de-committed late in the recruiting process
• Why he chose Lindenwood and the importance of going where you’re wanted
• The biggest misconception about “going backwards” in development
• How playing games and trusting the process helped him grow
• The differences between Minnesota, Lindenwood, and Michigan Tech from a player experience standpoint
• Why Owen believes “everything is going to work out” when hard work stays at the foundation
• How trust from a coaching staff impacts a goalie’s mentality
• Owen’s no-excuses approach to practices, games, and competition
• The role of outdoor hobbies, golf, fishing, hunting, and other sports in helping him reset mentally
• His goals heading into his senior season at Michigan Tech
• Advice for young goalies navigating change, adversity, and the pressure to rush the process
AND SO MUCH MORE!
If you’re a goalie, athlete, coach, or parent looking to better understand the reality of development, opportunity, and resilience in today’s college hockey world, this episode is packed with valuable lessons on hard work, patience, composure, and trusting your path.
Stay present. Stay dialed. Stay driven.
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