WYC 070 – Youth Baseball - Rod Huff - Building championship teams

Rod Huff is a successful business executive with 30 years experience in the operations and administration area. He began his baseball coaching experience as an assistant coach when his son, Austin, was five years old. His first head coaching experience began in 1995 when his company, Sparrow Records, sponsored his 7- and 8-year-old coach-pitch team. That year, as a first-year coach, his team, nicknamed the Birds, went 15-2. That season ushered in somewhat of a dynasty in his Brentwood, Tennessee, community, where he is known as one of the winningest coaches ever in the local league. His nine-year record as a head coach includes five league championships and four runner-up titles. Huff took his operational and administrative executive abilities to the ball field and came up with a winning formula of organization, feedback, and motivation, which had parents and players alike asking to be drafted by him every year. He shared this system in his book, titled Coaching Made Easier: How to Successfully Manage Your Youth Baseball Team—A Step-by-Step Guide to a Rewarding Season.

WYC 069 - Wrestling With Character - Robert Murphy - Developmental stages at The Passion Academy

Robert Murphy works in sales by day, and has started a booming wrestling program by night.  Robert was a collegiate champion in wrestling, and has combined his knowledge with his passion to help kids to form Wrestling With Character - a program that provides young athletes the opportunity to grow as individuals by experiencing life lessons through the martial art of wrestling in conjunction with their Six Pillars of Character Curriculum.

WYC 068 – Player Development - Stuart Armstrong - The Talent Equation

Stuart does player development for England Rugby by day and shares stuff with the world about talent development by night. Stuart worked in coaching golf for 10 years and invented a game called Try Golf, and over the past 4-5 years has been involved in developing talent pathways with many athletes, including Olympic athletes and the players at England Rugby.

WYC 067 – Leadership Development - Adam Bradley - Lead 'Em Up

Adam Bradley is an expert in leadership & character development speaking and training coaches all over the country. He is the founder of Leademup - Lead 'Em Up is a turn-key sports leadership and character program designed to equip coaches with the tools to implement a dynamic leadership program. They provide coaches the season-long curriculum and teaching materials to lead their team every week through a powerful 30-minute session. The Lead 'Em Up curriculum includes teaching lessons, engaging team assignments, week-long player exercises and fun interactive game dynamics from their friends at Game On Nation.

Adam also currently serves as a Leadership Coach for various sports teams in the Baltimore/Washington area, and is the co-host of the nationally recognized Hardwood Hustle podcast.

WYC 066 – CONCUSSION - Emily Cohen and Janis Meredith - Roundtable on the movie Concussion and how it relates to youth football and other youth sports

What does the movie Concussion mean to youth sports coaches and parents? Listen in as youth sports' thought leaders Emily Cohen from Teamsnap and Janis Meredith from JBMThinks.com join Craig in a roundtable discussion on the movie and its implications to youth sports.

WYC 065 – Youth Football - Jason Hahnstadt - Getting Players to Commit to Each Other

Jason Hahnstadt is the creator of The Pro Style Spread Offense website, blog and podcasts. Jason reached out to me after to listening to JJ Lawson on podcast episode 46 and let me know how much he liked JJ teaching offensive linemen to go hit somebody instead of block somebody. Jason has been a passionate football coach since 1999, and in 2014, he began writing about offensive football strategy. In this time, he has coached in many different programs and have seen many different styles of offensive football. From his experiences, he created a complete offensive system called the Pro Style Spread Offense. It sounds complicated, but it really isn't. It is just everything he knows that really works. It is simple to understand and can be installed with any level of team. He has created an eClinic with all the details on how to install this system with your team. Jason also has coached pretty much every sport under the sun so he has great coaching experiences to share.

Make sure you listen to the 4th quarter – because Coach Hahnstadt shares a huge idea on a creative way to get kids to buy into each other and commit to each other before doing team sprints- I’ve never heard this idea before and it’s awesome. I hope you enjoy all his insights and stories!

WYC 064 – Martial Arts World Champion - Melody Shuman - Developmental Stages by Age

Well I hope you’re ready to kick some butt this week with martial arts world champion Melody Shuman. I met Melody through a mutual friend in Kevin Jans, who actually featured the WYC podcast in his TEDx talk, which is very cool in itself, thank you Kevin. Kevins kids are taking martial arts, and he told me about this awesome instructor who is running the gym where they’re at. Melody is a martial arts world champion. She started and ran a successful chain of martial arts schools, then re-invented her entire business and has created a booming business teaching martial arts, and teaching others how to start their own schools.

The huge ideas I took from this episode involve teaching kids appropriately according to their developmental stage and age, and Melody has done the research and done an incredible job in defining these stages. I hope you enjoy her insights and stories!

WYC 063 – Youth Soccer - Willie Cromack - Creating Better People, Better Players via 'Go Play Better'

I’m pumped to share this episode with you with the founder of Play Better - Wilie Cromack - Willie’s story is so cool - he is a former collegiate soccer player who left the game after college to run the family bike shop. During his time at the shop he became heavily involved in charity bike rides, raising money and awareness for everything from cancer to education to the homeless. He noticed something about the participants in his charity rides. They were motivated by a higher purpose that gave them the energy and motivation to complete daunting rides. They focused on a purpose much higher than winning the race, such as raising money by completing a feat of endurance and perseverance. Most importantly, simply by completing their goal, they won! Then Willie thought “why can’t we do this with my youth soccer team?” Thus Play Better was born.

Play Better is an online giving platform that can be run through a simple phone app. Teams create a team page that handles all the administration of charitable receipts, collects reward donations and allows supporters to leave comments or compliments for players or the team. As Cromack says, “It’s like a benevolent team Facebook page!” Willie shares a lot of great ideas about building a culture with Play Better, as well as many coaching huge ideas-   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 062 – Youth Soccer - Reed Maltbie - Whats your Echo: Coaching Beyond the Game

Todays guest is a TEDx speaker, he just signed on to work with John O’Sullivan at Changing the Game Project, he has been a soccer coach for over 26 years and he is the Executive Director of the STARS soccer club in Cincinnati – he is Coach Reed Maltbie, they call him Coach Reed – and he dropped some coaching bombs today – in the 2nd quarter he teaches us about scaffolding and the 4T model for coaching, and later in the 2nd quarter where he talks about how to reduce stress by reducing constraints.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 061 – Mental Toughness - James Leath and Will Drumright talk Sports Psychology at the AASP

We’re switching the format up a bit for today’s show – as the Association for Applied Sport Psychology National meeting was a few weeks ago – I’ve asked 2 guests who attended the meeting to share with us some of the hot topics. One guest you’ll recognize, James Leath, from epiosdes 31 and 50, and the other guest is friend and colleague of mine, Will Drumright. I’m also privileged to be in a mastermind with both of these guys – they share a bunch of huge ideas – so I hope you enjoy their insights and stories!

WYC 060 – Youth Soccer - Creed Larrucea - The only rule you need and PCA's ELM tree of success

Creed Larrucea is a physical therapist in Sacramento, California by day, and a stud youth soccer coach by night.  He coaches youth teams and the local high school team. He is married and has 2 daughters ages 12 and 10.

Two of the huge ideas I took from Creed’s interview were both in the 3rd quarter – the first was the one (and only) rule you need to have for your team. The 2nd was an effort-based scoring system to let the kids know how they are performing, specifically with regards to effort. I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 059 – Youth Basketball - Drew Maddux - Manhood Mondays at CPA and Elite Hoops Basketball

I am fired up to bring you today’s guest – Coach Drew Maddux. I had the opportunity to hear Coach Maddux speak a few weeks ago at a leadership summit and was energized by his message and was furiously taking notes the entire time. Coach Maddux grew up playing basketball and was a four year starter at Vanderbilt and earned many SEC accolades. He is now the coach at Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville Tennessee, where he has led them to unprecedented success including multiple state championships. He also is a director for Elite Hoops Basketball which runs camps and 3-on-3 leagues throughout the south. But more important than his basketball playing and coaching accolades are the life lessons he is pouring into the kids he coaches.

One huge idea I took from Coach Maddux was in the 1st quarter when he shares how to establish a winning culture. Another huge idea was in the 3rd quarter when Coach Maddux discussed how he doesn’t have cuts on his teams and other teambuilding concepts. I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 058 – Youth Softball - Valeri Garcia- Growth Mindset

Today’s guest is Valeri Garcia. Coach Garcia is a Program Advisor at UC Davis’s Student Academic Success Center, where she conducts workshops based on Mindset, the book by Stanford University Psychology Professor and PCA National Advisory Board Member Carol Dweck, which emphasizes individual growth through effort, rather than reliance upon talent.  Valeri was honored with the Positive Coaches Alliance Double-Goal Coach Award in 2013.

One huge idea I took from Valeri was in the 2nd quarter when she shares a unique way for you to be able to walk in the shoes of the kids you coach to understand how it feels to be taught by you. Another huge idea was also in the 2nd quarter when she shares 2 great games you can play with your kids to teach fundamentals and practice pressure situations at the same time. I hope you enjoy her insights and stories!

WYC 057 – Youth Hockey - Warren Nye - Mental Fitness: Mind over Sport

Today’s guest is Warren Nye. Warren has been coaching youth sports for over 30 years, mostly hockey teams from the youth level through junior national teams in which he has won the national championship in Canada.  Coach Nye is a student of the mental aspect of the game, and over the last few years he has launched 'Mind over Sport'- which is a passion of Coach Nye’s to work with people and companies as their peak performance life coach. 

One huge idea I took from Warren was in the 2nd quarter when he talks about how to train your mind and go beyond mental toughness to mental fitness. Another huge idea was in the 3rd quarter when he discusses breaking your goals for your team into 2 or more mini-seasons. I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 056 – Sport Sampling - Steve Boyle - Life is 2 Short for Just 1 Sport

Today’s guest is Steve Boyle.  Steve is one of the leaders in the sport sampling iniatitive – in 2008 he and his wife Kerry founded a program called 241 Sports which allows kids to sample many different sports over a short period – this program was recently recognized by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play as 1 of 8 model programs in the United States.

One huge idea I took from Steve was in the 1^st quarter when he talks about it being OK to be both a parent and a coach on the field with your own kid. Another huge idea was in the 3^rd quarter when he discusses over 3,000 post-season letters from his players that he has collected.  And in the 4^th quarter Steve probably shared one of the most insightful perspectives I have heard about how to approach winning. I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 055 – Youth Soccer - Jill Kochanek - PCA Coach of the Year and Communicating without talking

Today’s guest is Jill Kochanek.  Jill has been a teacher and girls soccer coach at Oldfields School in Baltimore for 3 years. She was 1 of 25 award winners for the Positive Coaches Alliance Double-Goal Coach Award for 2015. Jill has been involved with and traveled to Nicaragua with the 'Soccer without Borders' program.  Jill also just completed her first Ironman Triathlon, and She is now studying for her PHD in Sports Psychology at the University of Minnesota.

Two huge ideas I took from Jill were in the 2^nd quarter where she shares about how to communicate without talking, and ways to build self confidence in young athletes. I hope you enjoy her insights and stories!

WYC 054 – Youth Soccer - Chris Stricker - Changing the Culture and Winning 2 State titles

Today’s guest is Chris Stricker.  This is a really fun interview because Chris and I have actually have known each other since our college days at Ohio State.  Chris has gone on from there to leave Texas powerhouse Coppell high school to 17 straight years in the playoffs and won the Texas 5A championship twice, including most recently this past year.  Chris is constantly giving back to the game and has several very successful summer camps he runs as well..

One huge idea I took from Chris was in the 1st quarter when he shares the 4 pillars he built his program around. Another huge idea Chris shared was in the 2nd half when he talked about the importance of having your best players be your hardest workers. I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 053 – Youth Baseball - Al Ainsworth - Coach Defense first

Today’s guest is Al Ainsworth.  Al reached out to me because he shares the same passion that I do – which is helping coaches and parents do sports the right way. Al is a teacher, an author, and a coach with over 16 years of experience – he recently combined all of this into the first of a series of 5 sports books titled ‘Coach Dave.’ 

One huge idea I took from Al was in the 2nd quarter when he talks about how to encourage the kids to make big ugly mistakes. Another huge idea was in the 4th quarter when he talks about a strategic time to teach defense.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 052 – Youth Lacrosse - John Doss - Committing to your Dream

Today’s guest is John Doss.  John is entering his first year as the the Brownsburg Lacrosse High School Head Coach after 2 years as the 7th/8th grade coach.  John played collegiate lacrosse as a goalie at San Jose State University, where he was a West Coast Lacrosse League All-Star 3 times.  Coach Doss also played 3 years of post-collegiate lacrosse with San Francisco Lacrosse Club and still remains active as a player today.  John is married, lives in Indianapolis and is a supply chain sales manager.

One huge idea I took from John was in the 3rd quarter where he shares a unique way to build comradery and leadership on your teams.  Another huge idea was in the 4th quarter where he discusses how to use the bench as a teaching tool not as a punishment.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 051 – Youth Softball - Jenn Starkey from FastPitch Fit talks confidence, teaching players to go not stop, and the MVP Leadership Academy

Today’s guest is Jenn Starkey.  Jenn came as a referral from our recent guest Stacie Mahoe, as they have worked together on the book Jenn is publishing, titled ‘A League of Your Own’ , which is a book all about what it means to be a leader in your own life.  Jenn is a fastpitch softball guru, has a bunch of great material and videos on Fastpitch Fit.  She also has created a leadership program for youth athletes called the MVP Leadership Academy.

One huge idea I took from Jenn was in the 2nd quarter where she shares a great way to speed up learning and buy-in when teaching new skills.  Another huge idea was in the 2nd quarter where she shares 7 confidence hacks to use as a coach.   I hope you enjoy her insights and stories!

WYC 050 – Special 50th Episode Guest - James Leath talks Mental Toughness, Travel Sports Alternatives, and Coaching

For our 50th episode - we invited back our first repeat guest on The Winning Youth Coaching Podcast, James Leath.  James' first interview on the show, WYC Episode 31, was a huge hit and is the #1 downloaded episode all-time on the show.

We switched up the format for this episode and had listeners submit questions on mental toughness - listen in as James provides great new insights on mental toughness.

Questions submitted that James answers:

People talk about being mentally tough, but what does it mean?

Who are some current athletes who display mental toughness?

What compelled you to go into youth sports psychology, and how is it different from adult sport psychology?

How come some kids seem to be more tough than others? Are you born with mental toughness?

What is a mistake recovery routine?

Questions James asks Craig:

In your show notes you highlight 1 or 2 Huge Ideas you take from each guest- tell me about a few of the hugest ideas that stick out to you

What's a book you have read about sports that you would recommend?

You talk about alternatives to travel sports a lot - why is that so important to you and why are you so passionate about it?

WYC 049 – Youth Softball - Stacie Mahoe talks leadership involving action not position

Today’s guest is Stacie Mahoe.  Stacie was a referral from my good friend Janis Meredith from jbmthinks.com and the Positive Parenting Tribe.  Stacie has been involved in the game of fastpitch softball since the age of 9 and is the Founded AllAboutFastpitch.com in 2004. Stacie also served as the Chief Marketing Officer at SoftballPerformance.com for a few years. Her perspectives on the game as a former player, current coach, and current softball parent provide unique insight on various softball issues.

While physical ability and athleticism are necessary to play the game, Stacie believes that the right mindset and attitude separate the good from the great and also help you succeed, not only on the diamond, but in life as well. While Stacie enjoys helping players improve their overall fitness and softball skill, far more rewarding is the opportunity to help young ladies become champions in life . Oh and did I mention – Stacie wears the supermom cape – with 8 kids of her own.

One huge idea I took from Stacie was in the 2nd quarter where she discusses how to get kids to excel by focusing on the small picture instead of the big picture.  Another huge idea was in the 3rd quarter where she shares how to know when to punish the whole team vs just an individual.   I hope you enjoy her insights and stories!

WYC 048 – Youth Sports - Rich Clayton talks eliminating the pressure of mistakes

Today’s guest is Rich Clayton.  Rich was a referral from my friend James Leath, who killed it on episode 31 talking mental peak performance.  Rich has been coaching, teaching, and an athletic director for the last 16 years in California.  He lost both his parents at a pretty early age, so coaches were a huge influence on his life.  He grew up playing football, basketball, and baseball, and played Jr. College football.  Rich is currently transitioning from a larger school district in California to a newer one - and he is excited about starting all over and developing new systems.

One huge idea I took from Rich was in the 2nd quarter where he discusses how to get kids excited about failing.  Another huge idea was in the 4th quarter where he shares the best way to get kids and parents to listen to you.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

Tags: Athlete, Baseball, Basketball, Coach, Coaching, Dad, Daughter,  ESPN, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, cheerleading, Lacrosse, Mlb, Mom, NBA, NFL, Parenting, Soccer, Softball, Son, Sports, swimming, Volleyball, Winning, Winning Youth Coaching, Winning Youth Football, Youth, youth coaching, youth sports, sports, podcast, podcasts, youth sports podcast, coaching podcast, sports podcast, peak performance, The Inner Game of Tennis, The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance, W. Timothy Gallwey, Pete Carroll, pca, positive coaching alliance, positive coaching, coaching your own kid, dad coach, mom coach, coaching your own child, coaching your own kid, nays, national alliance youth sports, sports specialization, mental toughness, mental toughness kids, Rich Lawson, Sharif Williams, Bill Belichick, The Education of a Coach, James Leath, Carol Dweck, Mindset 

WYC 047 – Youth Sports - Kevin Kennedy talks how to tap into pre-game nerves as an energy source

Today’s guest is Kevin Kennedy.  I met Kevin when he reached out to me because he shares a similar passion for kids having awesome sports experiences, and we now are in a mastermind group together.  Kevin is a personal trainer and runs a gymnastics gym in Paramus, NJ called Kids U.  Kevin played many sports growing up, including being a collegiate wrestler and one year of JV collegiate basketball.  He also kick-boxed after college.  Kevin has a passion for youth sports and coaching the kids the right way.

One huge idea I took from Kevin was in the 2nd quarter where he discusses getting kids to say ‘I can do that’ when teaching them. Another huge idea was in the 3rd quarter where he shares how to switch pre-game nerves from being a bad thing into being something to get excited about.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 046 – Youth Football - JJ Lawson from CoachSomebody.com talks how Attitude reflects Leadership and establishing a Warrior Society

Today’s guest is JJ Lawson.  JJ is a kitchen designer by day, and youth sports coach every other waking hour.  He has been coaching youth sports for 20 years, in which he has coached football, softball, volleyball, baseball, track, and wrestling.  JJ started a coaching community at coachsomebody.com - which has a blog, videos, and forums for coaches to learn from each other. 

One huge idea I took from JJ was in the 2nd quarter where he discusses teaching kids in 3 step progressions. Another huge idea was in the 3rd quarter where he talks about the importance of setting mini-goals that are realistic.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 045 – Youth Baseball - Mark Linden from BaseballPositive.com talks practice planning and the pace that kids learn

Today’s guest is Mark Linden, the Director of Baseball Positive.  Mark has spent his life being involved in baseball – he played growing up, was drafted 3 times and spent 2 years in the minor leagues.  He has been a radio color commentator, and he coached eight seasons at the collegiate level.  

This lifetime of baseball experience, including the past seven years working exclusively at the 12U level with kids and their coaches, has led to the development of a comprehensive training and development program that is age appropriate and proven effective for kids, which has culminated with his work at Baseball Positive. 

One huge idea I took from Mark was in the 2nd quarter where he shares how he organizes his practices. Another huge idea was also in the 2nd quarter where he talks to parents who feel they might not know enough about a sport to coach it.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 044 – Youth Football - Joe Daniel talks keeping things simple so that your kids build confidence- confident kids play fast- fast kids win games

Today’s episode is one of those I just know is going to be one of the favorites – if you listened to episode 17 with Shane Sams – another favorite of mine – you heard Shane tell a really funny story shared with him by Joe Daniel  from JoeDanielFootball.com – so I looked up Joe and today we get to hear great stories and ideas from him Joe has been coaching football for 13 years, and in 2009 launched a blog and website for football coaches – that site has taken off, to the point it became his full-time job in 2012 – and it has continued to grow with videos, blogs, and over 120 podcast episodes.

One huge idea I took from Joe was in the 2^nd quarter where he shares a key to teaching skills to kids. Another huge idea was in the 4^th quarter in his parting advice on how to build confident kids who win.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 043 – What a Sports Coach can learn from a Band Director - Cameron Gish talks Harnessing Enthusiasm and Creating a Vision

I’m really excited about today’s guest – because it’s out of the ordinary and unique – today, instead of interviewing a youth sports coach – we’re interviewing Cameron Gish – who is a middle school band director.  I got the vision for interviewing him when my family moved to Franklin Tennessee last Spring – and we attended a band performance which my niece and 2 of my nephews were in – and several things stuck out to me – The precision with which the band did everything was very impressive.  But the biggest thing was seeing the passion that Cameron had for this band – and how contagious that was within the band members.  Then I was shocked to hear that a band at this middle school hadn’t existed 2 years ago and Cameron had started it from the ground up.  Needless to say, in this performance I watched Cameron’s school, Hillsboro Middle School - earn ‘grand champion’ honors.  Cameron has created a vision for this group of kids, and the awesome culture he creates has led to the band exploding and growing bigger and more popular each of his 4 years at Hillsboro.

One huge idea I took from Cameron was in the 2^nd quarter where he shares a great way to challenge the kids to practice perfectly. Another huge idea was in the 3^rd quarter when he talks about the Sunshine Folder – and be sure to listen to the free giveaway I offer up if you help fill up Cameron’s sunshine folder.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 042 – Changing the Game – John O'Sullivan talks Sports Specialization vs Early Engagers

Today’s guest on the show is John O’Sullivan.  John is the founder of the Changing the Game Project, which he started in 2012 after two decades as a soccer player and coach on the youth, high school, college and professional level.  He is a bestselling author, regular contributor to publications such as the Huffington Post and Soccer America, an internationally known and TEDx speaker.   It is fair to say that John and the Changing the Game Project are very much a role model for my vision for Winning Youth Coaching – our heart and mission are very much in the same place, so I really appreciate him joining us for an interview.

A couple of huge ideas I took from John were in the 2^nd quarter where he talks about specialization in youth sports and shares a study about winning vs fun.   I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC Episode 041 – The 10,000 Hour Rule? – Dr. Michael Cathey talks player development and deliberate practice

Today’s guest on the show is Dr. Michael Cathey. .  Michael is a professor of exercise science and physical education pedagogy at Tennessee Tech University.  He has coached high school football and baseball as well as his kids' teams at the youth level.  Michael did his dissertation studying the 10,000 rule and has written and studied this topic extensively. 

One huge idea I took from Dr. Cathey was in the 3^rd quarter – where he shares a really effective way to discipline kids so they learn. A second huge idea was in the 4^th quarter – where he discusses player development through deep and deliberate practice and what this looks like. I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 040 – Coaching the Mental Game – Dr. Patrick Cohn from Peak Performance Sports talks sports psychology

Today’s guest on the show is Dr. Patrick Cohn. .  Dr. Cohn is a mental training expert who founded Peak Performance Sports. He has experienced firsthand how beliefs, attitudes, and mindsets influence performance as an athlete, coach, and a PhD student of sports psychology. 

The more that Dr. Cohn studied champion athletes and their mindsets, the more he realized that winning attitudes are the key to performing well in competition.

Armed with the know-how needed to build champion athletes, master mental game coach Dr. Cohn has dedicated his mental game coaching business to helping every athlete—whether junior, amateur, or seasoned professional—excel in his or her sport.  His peak performance programs also help coaches, athletic trainers, and even parents of aspiring athletes. 

One huge idea I took from Dr. Cohn was in the 2nd quarter – where he discusses the difference between other-confidence and self-confidence. A second huge idea is when he shares about pre-game tips and how to switch from practice mode to game mode.  I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

First 25 WYC Episode Highlights

Listen to the highlights of all the great coaches' best ideas and stories from the first 25 Winning Youth Coaching Episodes.

WYC 039 - Dr. Michael Phillips talks Long Term Athlete and Coach Development

Today’s guest is Dr. Michael Phillips.  Michael is a professor of exercise science at Tennessee Tech University.  He has coached basketball at all levels - 5th grade AAU, middle school, high school, and 8 years at the collegiate level.  Michael also has studied and presented the concept of LTAD and LTCD - Long Term Athlete Development and Long Term Coach Development - concepts used by the Canadians and British, and being studied by the US Olympic Committee.  Michael is married and has 2 children, a 13 year-old son and 8 year-old daughter.

One huge idea I took from Michael was in the 3rd quarter – where he shares a different way to think about discipline on your team.  A second huge idea was in the 4th quarter – where Michael shares the concept of long term athlete and coach development.  I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 038 - Emily Cohen - from TeamSnap talks sportsmanship and lessons learned from great coaches

Today’s guest is Emily Cohen.  Emily has been a team manager for youth sports teams for over 10 years.  She also is a blogger for TeamSnap, and also hosts a podcast for TeamSnap.  As a youth sports podcast host and blogger, Emily is passionate about sportsmanship, injury prevention, and sideline etiquette. Emily is married and has 2 kids, ages 18 and 15.

One huge idea I took from Emily was in the 3^rd quarter – where she shares a great competition you can use in your practices to encourage the kids to improve their skills outside of practice time.  A 2^nd huge idea was in the 4^th quarter where Emily discusses how to train your athletes to deal with outside pressures and becoming idiot-proof.  I hope you enjoy her insights and stories!

WYC 037 - Ray Lokar - from Basketball4ALL.net and Positive Coaching Alliance talks teaching athletes to focus on WIN-Whats Important Now

Today’s guest is Coach Ray Low Car.  For over 30 years Coach "Lok" has taught basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, football, swimming and track in the San Gabriel Valley at the youth, high school, and college levels and has worked countless camps and clinics during that time for ages 8-18. He coached his children Shawn, Heather, and Brittany throughout their participation in youth and high school sports and they each went on to compete at the college level. Ray enjoyed it so much he is doing it all again  with his young son, Tyler, who he hopes learns all the same life lessons as his older brothers and sisters.  Coach is the Southern California Lead Trainer for the nationally renowned Positive Coaching Alliance, and is the director of Basketball4ALL.net, which provides a variety of lessons, camps, clinics, competitions, and events for the benefit of the Southern California basketball community.

Both huge ideas I took from Keith were in the 2^nd quarter – where he talks about what to measure when teaching kids, and how kids can focus on Whats Important Now to achieve peak mental performance.   Coach Lok also shares some great John Wooden stories in the 4^th quarter. I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 036 - Keith Van Horn -10 Year NBA Veteran talks Coaching Youth Basketball

Today’s guest is keith van horn.  Keith was the ESPN NCAA Player of the Year in 1997, and went on be drafted with the 2nd pick in the NBA draft.  He spent 10 years in the NBA, averaged over 16 points per game, and went to NBA finals with the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks.  He currently serves as the Founder and Executive Director for Colorado Premier Basketball Club which is the largest youth basketball club in the state of Colorado, and works with over 1,000 youth in the communities it serves.  He also serves on the National Advisory Board for the Positive Coaching Alliance.  Keith is married and has 4 kids, ages 11 to 19.

Both huge ideas I took from Keith were in the 2^nd quarter – where he shares a new way of thinking about individualizing goals for player, and some great teaching games you can use in your practice.  I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 035 Brian Brunkow from ZeroOffseason.com talks Football, Concussions, and Coaching kids with Divorced Parents

Today’s guest is Brian Brunkow.  Brian is the founder of ZeroOffseason.com, where he trains wide receivers and blogs about youth sports, concussions, recruiting, and many more topics.  Brian is a divorce attorney and financial planner.  His background in divorce law has given him a unique perspective on the importance of dealing with divorced parents when coaching young athletes.  Brian began coaching his Junior year of High School, and has been coaching football ever since – from the youth level through high school.  He recently was added to the speaker bureau at Glazier Clinics and will be speaking at their Head Coach Academy this spring on "Recruiting Regulations Every High School Head Coach Must Know."

Both huge ideas I took from Brian were in the 2^nd quarter – where he shares 3 great ways to teach children, and 2 keys steps in peak mental performance visualization.  I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 034 Upward Sports President Caz McCaslin talks about Playing with Purpose

Today we welcome Caz McCaslin.  Caz is the founder of Upward Sports.  Established in 1995, Upward Sports is the world’s largest Christian youth sports provider.  Today, approximately half a million players at more than 2,000 churches in 47 states participate in camps, clinics, and leagues through Upward Sports’ Recreation Division.  In 2012, Upward Sports created its Performance Division – Upward Stars – aimed at young athletes wanting to further develop their skills and participate in a higher level of competition. Within the first year, approximately 900 athletes competed on Upward Stars teams.  Caz played multiple sports growing up, coached his own daughters as they grew up – he is married and has 3 grown daughters.

The first huge idea I took from this interview was in the 2^nd quarter – where Caz shares the 360 progression on how to develop and teach children. The 2^nd huge idea was in the 3^rd quarter where he shares the value of discipline.  I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 033 Athlete Development - Olaniyi Sobomehin from Pro Squad Athletics and the New Orleans Saints talks self-confidence and 'Prime-Time'

Olaniyi is the founder of Pro Squad Athletics, which inspires and propels young athletes to their ultimate potential by showing what it takes to be great, providing a plan that works, and the systems, habits, and mindset that greatness requires.  Pro Squad has successfully trained athletes at the youth, high school, college, and professional levels.  Olaniyi played college football at Oregon State and was an All-American his senior year at Portland State and went on to play for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL.  Olaniyi is also a full-time firefighter, and is married and has 5 children, 3 sons and 2 daughters, ranging from ages 11 to a newborn.

The first huge idea I took from this interview was in the 2^nd quarter – where Olaniyi shares the best way to know if you are communicating effectively with your team.  The 2^nd huge idea was also in the 2^nd quarter where he shares a great way to kick off your day with affirmations and Prime-Time. Another passionate guest -  I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 032 Cheerleading – Sean Timmons talks BLT - Believe, Love, Trust; and access to Club Zero

Today we welcome Coach Sean Timmons.  Sean is the Director of All Stars for all Premier Athletics facilities.  Sean cheered at Rutgers University, and was a member of the first open team at World Cup.  Sean has been coaching cheerleading since 1996 - he has coached and choreographed for levels 1-5, and has won numerous State, Regional, and National Titles. Sean has coached at private gyms and simultaneously coached multiple high schools and was the Head Coach of Rutgers University from 2009 until 2014.  Sean has traveled all over the US and Canada teaching camps, choreography, judging, and speaking at conferences.

The first huge idea I took from this interview was in the 2^nd quarter – where Coach shares strategies on how to set up your practices for maximum efficiency  The 2^nd huge idea was in the 4^th quarter where Sean shares a painful lesson he learned about being thorough. Another great interview-  I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 031 Mental Sports Psychology – James Leath talks achieving peak mental performance

Today we welcome Coach James Leath. James is currently getting his masters in mental sports psychology, has coached youth sports for many years, and is a student of all aspects of sports performance.  James started coaching when his 8th grade coach had to leave the team, so James took over and coached his own 8th grade team!  James played college football and played for the Los Angeles Extreme in the XFL.

The two huge ideas I took from this interview are both in the 2^nd quarter – where James shares the secrets on how to truly be effective in teaching children, along with ways to improve your youth practices immediately.  James is the type of student of coaching we can all learn immensely from -  I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 030 Performance Training – Amanda Kephart from Akron General Sports Performance talks getting faster, stronger, and more powerful

Today we welcome Amanda Kephart. Amanda is the Sports Foreman Supervisor at the Akron General Sports Performance center in Northeast Ohio.  Coach Amanda has been training athletes for nearly a decade. She has worked at the Division One level with hundreds of athletes at both the University of Akron and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her energy brings out the best in her athletes and allows them to reach their athletic goals more quickly.  Amanda played basketball in high school, then picked up racquetball in college, where she went on to become a 2-time All-American at Balwin Wallace.

The first HUGE IDEA I took from Amanda is in the 1^st  quarter when she lays out an awesome plan for your warm-up routines. The 2^nd HUGE IDEA I took from her was in the 2^nd quarter where she answers a bunch of tough questions on age-specific work-outs and safety.  Amanda’s passion and knowledge kill it in this interview -  I hope you enjoy!

WYC 029 Performance Training – Scott Jones from AthleteOnFire talks Weekend Warriors to Mount Everest climbers.

Scott runs Athlete On Fire, which is involved with equipping and training athletes all over the world - he also hosts a podcast called Athlete On Fire, in which he has interviewed over 100 top athletes from around the globe.  Athlete On Fire was started to bridge the gap between amazing athletes all over the world and everyday athletes with inspiring stories, resources, and tools.

The first HUGE IDEA I took from him is in the 2^nd  quarter when he talks about where to look for help when teaching skills to kids.  The 2^nd HUGE IDEA I took from him was in the 3^rd quarter where he shares a key way to minimize performance anxiety- I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

WYC 028 Strength & Conditioning – Robert Taylor from SmarterTeamTraining.com talks Doing One Perfect Rep Ten Times

Coach Taylor runs Smarter Team Training, which is involved with equipping and training athletes all over the world - his clients include Super Bowl champions, World Series champions, and players who have been drafted #1 in the NBA draft.

The first HUGE IDEA I took from him is in the 2^nd  quarter when he talks about not burning out kids when teaching them skills.  The 2^nd HUGE IDEA I took from him was in the 4^th quarter where he shares a mental technique of dealing with pressure using a trigger mechanism- I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

Coach Mike Frederick: Mike played 5 years in the NFL, including a Super-Bowl run with the Tennessee Titans, 1 year with the original Cleveland Browns, and 3 years with the Baltimore Ravens. He is now the head football coach at his alma mater, Neshaminy High School in Philadelphia.  Mike also coached for 3 years at the perennial powerhouse The Gillman School in Baltimore, where he got to know Joe Ehrmann, the author of Inside Out coaching.

The first HUGE IDEA I took from him is in the 1^st quarter when he talks about the best time to implement change.  The 2^nd HUGE IDEA I took from him was in the 4^th quarter where he shares the 2 top priorities for a youth sports coach... - I hope you enjoy his insights and stories!

Rich has been coaching high school basketball for 18 years in Crystal Lake High School in Illinois, the last 8 years as head coach. He also is the CEO of BetterBasketball.com - a resource founded by Rick Torbett - for basketball coaches to get training material and videos to help them move from good to great, and the origin of the Read and React Offense.  Rich is also the communications director for the National High School Basketball Coaches Association. 

Craig Haworth, the host of the Winning Youth Coaching Podcast - Turns the microphone around for this special 25th episode - and shares his interview from Dave Westwood's New and Noteworthy Podcast.  Craig discusses coaching youth and what he has learned from interviewing 24 winning youth coaches.

Randy has been a high school basketball coach in Northeast Ohio for the past 31 years and coached over 700 games.  He coached under Bob Huggins at Walsh College in Canton for 3 years.  He then coached varsity basketball at Triway High School in Wooster for 19 years and North Canton Hoover High School for 12 years.  Randy also became friends with John Wooden and got to learn and share stories with Coach.

WYC 023 - Clint Schumacher - Youth Football using Dave Cisar's Winning Youth Football System

Clint is an attorney from Dallas Texas, who has been coaching his 3 boys in flag and tackle football for the past 7 years.  He utilizes Dave Cisar’s Winning Youth Football system – and has created many great ideas as well.    

Kevin is a Girls weight training coach and P.E. teacher at Upson Lee High School in Thomaston, Georgia.  He is the Head Coach of Upson Lee’s Varsity Girls Basketball team.  He has been coaching basketball for over 24 years.  Kevin grew up in San Jose California and played football, basketball, and baseball growing up.

Jason is a Middle School Director at St. Johns Prep in Massachusetts. Jason is a lifetime baseball player, including 4 years at Harvard, where he was captain his Senior year.  He has also been actively involved in training and coaching youth through Winwithinbaseball.com.  He is married and to a wife who coaches Division 1 Field Hockey.

Dave is a business consultant from Pennsylvania.  He recently launched a podcast called the New and Noteworthy Podcast.  He played baseball and football growing up.  He has coached youth baseball over the last 20 years.  He is married and has 1 child - an 8 year-old son.

Rob Elwood is a sports entrepreneur and hosts the podcast ‘Who are you – the Life Lessons of Sports.’  Rob started out as an intern for the Cleveland Indians, and has continued to work in sports throughout his career.  His podcast features interviews of collegiate and professional athletes from around the world, such as Rick Barry from the NBA and Jonathan Ogden from the NFL.   He has coached youth baseball for 15 years.  He is married and has two children, a 5 year-old son and a 2 ½ year-old son.  They live in Annapolis, Maryland.

Listen in as Michael Langlois shares coaching stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth coach.  Michael Langlois is a communications advisor – he has a background in broadcasting, has worked with NHL coaches, and young athletes. Michael, along with his wife Mary-Louise, have co-written several books on coaching youth sports. 

WYC 017 Shane Sams – CoachXO.com – Youth Football

Listen in as Shane Sams shares coaching stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth coach.

Shane Sams is the founder of CoachXO.com, a high-school football defensive coordinator, and the co-founder with his wife of Flippedlifestyle.com. Shane brings a wealth of valuable football experience from coaching at the college and high-school levels. He hosts the podcast ‘The Coach X O Show’ and co-hosts with his wife Jocelyn ‘The Flipped Lifestyle Podcast.’  Alan lives in Corbin, Kentucky with his wife and 2 kids – daughter Anna and son Isaac.

WYC 016 - Alan Stein - Hardwood Hustle Podcast and StrongerTeam.com

Alan Stein is the owner of Stronger Team and the strength & conditioning coach for the nationally renowned, Nike elite DeMatha Catholic High School basketball program. Alan brings a wealth of valuable experience to his training arsenal from over a decade of extensive work with elite high school, college, and NBA players. He also co-hosts the podcast ‘Hardwood Hustle’ with Adam Bradley.  Alan lives in Bethesda, MD with his wife Rebecca, twin sons Luke & Jack (aka ‘The Born Backcourt’), and daughter Lyla.

WYC 015 Brian Beaman – Youth Baseball – Baseball Boys and Bad Words

What does it take to be a winning youth coach? Listen in as Brian Beaman shares coaching stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth coach.

Brian is a sales consultant.  He played high school football, basketball, track, and baseball and also played college basketball for 4 years.  He has coached competitive youth sports for over 20 years.  He is married and has 3 children – all boys: ages 16, 12, and 9.

What does it take to be a winning youth coach? Listen in as Brent Kreid shares coaching stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth coach.

Brent is a school teacher and adminstator.  He played high school football, basketball, and baseball and also played college baseball for 3 years.  He has coached competitive youth sports for over 20 years.  He is married and has 4 children – all boys: ages 18, 15, 13, and 10.

WYC 013 - Swim it Forward -Kent Julian shares his insights and stories around coaching youth swimming teams.

Lance Akridge shares coaching stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth coach.  Lance works for Upward Stars – an affiliate of Upward Sports.  He actively coaches baseball and is constantly recruiting basketball coaches for Upward Stars’ teams.      

WYC 011 Youth Football – Darin Clark – Step up and Coach even if you're not an Expert -  What does it take to be a winning youth coach? Listen in as Darin shares coaching stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth coach.

Darin is a graphic designer, he is married and father of four boys ages 5-14, and has coached a mix of basketball and flag football for the past 19 years.  He also is the founder of  the Father and Son Bowl community event in Franklin, Tennessee – which has grown from a few families in 2006 to over 1,100 players in 2013 - which raised over $38,000 for fatherless children.

WYC 010 - High School and Youth Basketball -Rob Jones, high school basketball coach - shares his insights and stories around coaching youth basketball.

WYC 009 - High School and Youth Football -Jacob Gilbert, high school football coach - shares his insights and stories around coaching youth football.

WYC 008 -Youth Soccer -Dr. Lindsey Blom, sports psychology professor, author, and soccer coach - shares her insights and stories around coaching youth soccer.

WYC 007 Youth Football – Damien Wong-Ken - Life as a Vapor

What does it take to be a winning youth coach? Listen in as Coach Damien Wong-Ken shares coaching stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth coach.

Damien was born in Kingston, Jamaica – then moved to Calgary and grew up in Calgary, Canada.  He is married and father of a 14 year-old girl and 10 year-old son.  Damien is a chef –see him at bluemountainkitchen.com, and does wardrobe design for artists – check it out at aimwide.com.  He has coached high school football and most recently been a head coach of flag football in Franklin, Tennessee.

WYC 006 - Youth baseball - Ken Stuursma from Kings baseball discusses teamwork, building up strong men, and baseball.

Creator of Sports Parenting Survival Guides, and Youth Football and Softball Coach - Janis and Ted share coaching and parenting stories and discuss the journey to becoming a successful youth coach and sports parent.

Janis and Ted Meredith have 3 children: a 26 year-old daughter, a 23 year-old son and a 21 year old daughter. They live in the Fort Meyers area of Florida and Janis has a blog and many great books about being the mom of athletes and a wife of a youth coach.  You can find it at jbmthinks.com.    

What does it take to be a winning youth coach? Listen in as Todd shares coaching stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth coach.

Todd Grosse is married and has 2 children: a 16 year-old son and a 13 year old daughter.  Todd grew up in Michigan and played youth hockey at the highest levels, and still plays today.  

What does it take to be a winning youth coach? Listen in as Luke shares coaching stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth coach.

Luke Dunnuck is married and is father of 6 boys and 1 daughter.  He owns a sports facility in Indianapolis called Sparta.  He also represents products for Advocare health and wellness.

What does it take to be a winning youth coach? Listen in as Diane shares coaching stories and discusses her journey to becoming a successful youth coach.

Diane was an all Big-10 gymnast at The Ohio State University, and has coached 50+ level 10 gymnasts; in 2 years at Solon High School she took the team to state, where they have never been before or since.  She is married to a fellow-Ohio State gymnast and has four children ages 17-22.