Episode Ep 249 July 8, 2026 58 min 36s

Kali Heivilin: Embrace who you are when you play the game

From When The Cleats Come Off Ashley Burkhardt

Pro softball player and Alabama standout Kali Heivilin joins the show for an honest conversation about the journey it took to finally play her freest, most confident softball during her senior season at Alabama, where she earned All-Region and All-SEC honors. We dive into the mindset shifts that transformed her approach at the plate, her thoughts on swing mechanics and how she talks to young athletes about hitting to get the most out of them, and what it was like playing for legendary Alabama coach Patrick Murphy. This episode is packed with insights for players to find their confidence, parents on how to best support your athlete, and coaches looking to learn how your athlete is thinking during tough moments.

🔗 Follow Kali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kali_heivilin

and the Florida Vibe here - https://www.vibesoftball.com/

You’ll learn:

What her first recruiting call on September 1st of her junior year was like
Why she never regrets being a 3 sport athlete (plus a power lifter) in high school
How she didn’t let being from a cold state stop her from pursuing her collegiate dreams
How the “not care” mindset is exactly what she needed to get out of a funk at the plate
Her favorite story of MUDITA at Alabama and what it was like playing for HOF Coach (and previous guest!) Patrick Murphy
How she teaches her lessons the Kinesiology and mechanics of the swing without making it complicated
Her message to her biggest fan, her Dad to thank him for his time and effort spent on her game

Watch this interview (and more!) on YouTube! - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmey7_LOSN8tSia6gcWqtIzTTyTDpOodr

If you liked this episode, check these out, too:

Ep. 146 - Patrick Murphy: Building leaders and a championship mindset - https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a3d2afbb-4a22-4c85-9ebe-90f384d2e3e7/

Ep. 230 - Gray Robertson: The voice of Alabama Softball - https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8a812f33-ce44-4f81-93d3-18bb54b3ad90/

Ep. 187 - Hitting Mentality Do’s and Don’ts - https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c1bfa430-8c02-415c-a43a-74798ed8ddac/

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