Championship programs are not built by eliminating failure. They are built by teaching athletes how to face it, learn from it, and keep competing with confidence.
In this episode of When the Cleats Come Off, Ashley is joined by two of the most respected leaders in college softball: Michigan Head Coach Bonnie Tholl and legendary Hall of Fame coach Carol Hutchins. Recorded live at Amanda Schaefer’s Fearless Warrior Mental Edge Experience just before the 2026 season, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom about leadership, resilience, team ownership, and what separates championship environments from everyone else.
From choosing captains and practicing failure to coaching athletes through mistakes, Bonnie and Hutch share how Michigan has consistently developed confident competitors who are prepared to lead through both success and adversity.
Building Ownership Within a Team
One of the strongest themes in this conversation is the importance of helping athletes take ownership of their development and the team’s culture.
Bonnie and Hutch explain why great programs cannot depend entirely on coaches to set the tone. Athletes must learn how to understand themselves, communicate honestly, uphold shared standards, and take responsibility for the way they contribute to the group.
When players develop that level of self-awareness and ownership, accountability becomes part of the team’s identity rather than something coaches have to constantly enforce.
What Makes an Effective Team Captain
Leadership is about much more than being vocal or wearing a title.
Bonnie and Hutch discuss what they consider when selecting team captains and why the most effective leaders are often the athletes who consistently serve their teammates, model the program’s values, and respond well when circumstances become difficult.
The conversation offers an important reminder that leadership can take different forms. Some athletes lead with their voice, while others lead through preparation, steadiness, empathy, or the standards they demonstrate every day.
Practicing Failure Before It Happens
One of the most valuable ideas in the episode is the importance of intentionally exposing athletes to failure during practice.
Rather than creating controlled environments where everything is designed to go right, Michigan prepares athletes for the frustration, uncertainty, and pressure they will inevitably experience in competition. Practicing failure gives players opportunities to understand their emotional responses, strengthen their reset routines, and learn that mistakes do not have to create fear.
This approach helps athletes become more resilient because adversity no longer feels unfamiliar when it arrives in a game.
Coaching Mistakes Without Creating Fear
How coaches respond to mistakes can significantly shape the confidence of their athletes.
Bonnie and Hutch share how leaders can hold athletes accountable without making them afraid to compete. When mistakes are treated as information rather than evidence that an athlete is incapable, players are more likely to stay aggressive, remain coachable, and continue trusting themselves.
This balance between high standards and psychological safety is one of the qualities that allows championship programs to keep developing fearless competitors.
The Adversity Behind Michigan’s 2025 Big Ten Tournament Title
The conversation also explores the challenges Michigan faced before capturing the 2025 Big Ten Tournament championship.
Bonnie and Hutch reflect on how adversity tested the team’s identity and ultimately revealed the strength of its culture. Rather than allowing difficult moments to divide the group, the athletes leaned on their preparation, leadership, and belief in one another.
Their journey reinforces that resilience is rarely built during the celebration. It is built during the moments when a team must decide how it will respond before the outcome is known.
Leadership Lessons That Last
Carol Hutchins also shares one of her favorite lessons from legendary basketball coach John Wooden, adding another layer to the discussion about preparation, character, and long-term excellence.
Throughout the episode, both coaches make it clear that leadership is not only about helping athletes win games. It is about preparing them to communicate, take ownership, navigate failure, and become stronger people beyond the field.
That commitment to developing the whole athlete has been one of the defining qualities of Michigan Softball for generations.
Amanda Chidester’s Remarkable Comeback
The episode also includes the inspiring story of Amanda Chidester’s journey back to Team USA.
Her path reflects many of the themes discussed throughout the conversation: persistence, self-belief, resilience, and the willingness to keep working even when the road back feels uncertain. It is a powerful example of what can happen when athletes remain connected to their purpose and refuse to let setbacks write the final chapter.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- How to build greater ownership and self-awareness within a team
Helping athletes take responsibility for culture, standards, and growth. - What makes an effective team captain
Leadership rooted in service, consistency, and trust. - Why athletes should intentionally practice failure
Preparing their minds and emotions before adversity arrives in competition. - How coaches can address mistakes without creating fear
Holding high standards while protecting confidence and aggressiveness. - What helped Michigan overcome adversity in 2025
Leaning on culture, leadership, and shared belief during a championship run. - How resilient athletes are developed over time
Building confidence through experience, reflection, and intentional coaching. - What Amanda Chidester’s comeback can teach athletes
Continuing to believe and work when the path forward is difficult.
About
Carol & Bonnie
Bonnie Tholl is the head coach of Michigan Softball and a longtime leader within one of the most respected programs in college athletics. After serving for decades alongside Carol Hutchins, she stepped into the head coaching role with a deep understanding of Michigan’s traditions, standards, and commitment to developing athletes as both competitors and people.
Carol Hutchins is a Hall of Fame coach and one of the most influential leaders in softball history. During her legendary tenure at Michigan, she built a nationally respected program defined by consistency, leadership, competitive excellence, and athlete development. Her impact extends far beyond wins, as generations of players and coaches continue to carry forward the lessons and culture she helped establish.
Together, Bonnie and Hutch offer a rare combination of experience, perspective, and practical wisdom about what it takes to build resilient athletes and championship-caliber teams.
