Way Of Champions Podcast

What will it take for US Soccer to become a World Soccer Power? How can we continue to grow the game at the youth levels while helping to improve at the highest too? This episode, we sit down with Sam Snow to talk about his role with US Youth Soccer and the plan for getting to the next level.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 6:15 The Soccer Boom of the 70s thanks to the NASL 10:15 Positive changes in soccer over the last few decades 17:15 The Art and the Science of Sport – Soccer is more Art 32:15 There is nothing sacred about the number 11 – let them play in less numbers 38:15 John and Sam discuss the player age mandate 42:15 The need for parent engagement in soccer 52:45 Penetration to the grassroots is still a challenge for US Soccer   About Sam Snow Sam recently retired as Coaching Director for US Youth Soccer. It was a post he had held since 2004. His reputation for teaching both players and coaches in a manner that is professional, non-threatening and enjoyable is widely acknowledged and respected through

What if youth sport had a much greater purpose than winning, fitness, socialization, or development? What if sports could break down barriers, change societal obstructions, create opportunities for the better, and even save lives? In this dually heart-warming and heart-breaking episode Nick Gates, Founder of Coaches Across Continents, shares how his company has been serving that higher purpose for 10 years using a ball and a lot of love.   Show Notes 10:40 How Coaches Across Continents Started in a Bus on a Dirt Road 18:25 We’re not a “happy clappy” soccer camp. We discuss real issues. 25:10 Over 30% of their participants are female, which is a high number 34:55 Coaches Across Continents partnerships around the world making a deep impact 37:10 How to get involved with CAC 43:10 How do we define success in youth sport?   About Nick Gates Nick is the Founder and Global Strategist for Coaches Across Continents.  After 18 successful years as a businessman, sports entrepreneur, and Executive for Middlesbrough Foot

The vast majority of youth sports are suffering from catastrophic attrition rates and governing bodies, clubs, and teams are scrambling to keep kids in the game. US Lacrosse is growing by leaps and bounds in comparison. What is the secret formula to engaging and keeping kids have they discovered? Listen to the full podcast to hear the very simple solution to youth sport attrition rates.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 7:45 The “Pracademic” of youth sports 12:15 Why is Lacrosse still growing as a sport 22:45 TJ’s trick for getting veteran coaches to learn at his workshops 34:15 “We’ll miss you” – invest in those who are passionate supporters and get the mission 43:15 How Lacrosse has solved the time on task issue 48:15 The problem with recruiting too early – NCAA recruiting madness   About TJ Buchanan TJ Buchanan was hired by U.S. Lacrosse in 2012 as the content manager for the Coaching Education Program (CEP). In this role, Buchanan handled the development of curriculum, content and other educational tools for

How much of our human performance limits is physical and how much is “in our heads”? According to Alex Hutchinson, the human brain is the next frontier in breaking barriers in performance. We know more about the brain in the last 50 years than we did in the last 500 years combined. Is he right about the brain being the key to breaking new physical barriers? Listen to the full podcast for more.  Show Notes 9:45 We have learned more about the brain in the last 5 years than we did in the prior 500 19:00 You don’t stop because your muscles cannot go, but because your brain stops you 29:30 The difference between mental stop signs and mental warning signs 37:30 The effect of “the team” on performance barriers and pain tolerance 43:00 The most interesting thing Alex discovered while writing Endure About Alex Hutchinson Alex Hutchinson is an author and journalist in Toronto. His latest book, published in February 2018, is an exploration of the science (and mysteries) of endurance. It’s called ENDURE: Mind, Body, an

#64 “I’m just a kid playing a game”: Overcoming adversity, managing disappointment, and building an athlete warrior ethos with USA Volleyball Player Cassidy Lichtman   Imagine playing your entire career with unimaginable pain or working your hardest for four years to fall one spot short of making a lifelong dream come true. Now imagine the kind of warrior ethos required to say “my pain will not control my life and my disappointments will not define me”. This is the amazing journey of Cassidy Lichtman, who ends up as one of the best role models any coach or athlete could have. Listen to the entire podcast to hear her phenomenal story of conquering life.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 5:30 The vast importance of free play 7:15 I’m just a kid playing a game 11:15 Volleyball was her sport, but it wasn’t the only sport 14:15 Great coaches have a collaborative relationship with athletes 18:30 Cassidy moves beyond disappointment before the Rio Olympics 24:45 The hardest thing that ever happened to Cassidy 31:45 On f

We often discuss what it takes to be a great leader, but the flip side is a willingness to be led. Great athletes, and even great coaches are always eager to learn and be led by others. Are you the kind of athlete willing to listen to others and put in the work? Listen to the rest of our podcast with Paul Kapsalis to hear more of his story.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 10:45 On being the 35thman on a 35-man roster 14:30 Give credit for leaders but also take credit for willing to be lead 24:00 “You need piano players and piano carriers” 32:00 Paul’s story of leaving the program better than when he arrived 43:15 The Leadership Code   About Paul Kapsalis Paul Kapsalis his author of To Chase a Dream and The Leadership Code. He enjoys his role as a motivational speaker, sales representative in the apparel industry, former soccer specialty retail business owner and volunteer youth soccer coach. In working with people of all ages, Paul inspires them to reach for their goals every day. In addition, Paul is a Youth

#62“What is your team's why?” How outcomes are both purpose and process driven with Middlebury College AD Erin Quinn   What if your team was outcome-aware, but process and purpose-driven? What kind of results would you get if there was an undeniable and shared purpose and everyone was focused on the process of being their very best every day? To hear about great outcome-aware, purpose and process-driven teams, listen to our latest podcast.   Enjoy the show!             Show Notes 6:35 What makes Middlebury a great program (Jerry Lynch) 16:15 “It is good to be outcome aware but purpose and process-driven” 35:30 The next frontiers in sports are the mind and the spirit 43:15 How does Erin define quality coaching and what does he look for when hiring 48:45 Every interview, every recruiting talk, every season should begin with one question 56:45 A National Championship without a strong purpose is hollow 1:05:15 “Ask me again in 20 years”…on whether I do well as a coach   About Erin Quinn Erin Quinn is now in his 1

“I screwed that up.” Imagine asking a member of the Navy Seals what makes a great leader, and that it is the answer you receive. One of the toughest people on the planet showing vulnerability, failure, and weakness. According to Daniel Coyle, this ability to find weakness is what makes great teams strong. This is a must listen podcast for anyone who works with teams. Hear more about what it takes to build great cultures.     Show Notes 2:00 How a little girl and a tennis ball sparked The Culture Code 9:30 Greg Popovich’s does two things: he tells you the truth and he loves you to death 12:00 Pound the Rock 18:30 What is safety and why do great cultures need to have it? 27:00 The four most important words a leader can say 37:00 Culture is fully within our control 44:30 The myth of cultural fit?   About Daniel Coyle Daniel Coyle is the New York Times bestselling author of The Talent Code, The Little Book of Talent, The Secret Race (co-authored with Tyler Hamilton), Hardball: A Season in Projects, and other book

 When it comes to setting up classrooms for children, we get it. Everything in the school, including the restrooms, are kid sized, because we understand they are not adult-sized. Why do we continue to insist on full-size fields, big equipment, and adult rules when it comes to youth sports? If you agree with Dr. Norris in the video clip, listen in to the entire episode for more great insights.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 5:55 Stephen found many athletes vying for the Olympics were not actually prepared for the elite level 16:40 Coaches have total control over the environment they create and MUST pay attention to the psychosocial aspects of sport 28:40 Growth and development doesn’t care about competition 39:25 Three critical words for youth sport: people, programs, and places in order of importance 47:10 Kids love to compete, adults love to compare 52:25 What is the one thing you would change in youth sports? 56:25 How to connect with Stephen     About Stephen Norris Originally from England, Norris was the

Nancy Stevens wrote one short sentence on the locker room mirror prior to the start of the 2017 season. She then repeated that season before her UConn Field Hockey team won the National Championship. One short sentence that empowered them, loosened them up, gave them confidence. What did she write?   Show Notes 6:20 How Nancy got started down the coaching path 11:50 Your team WILL have a culture, be proactive in shaping it 17:20 How do you recruit those inherent character traits? 27:35 Have we created athletes who care more about getting than giving? 32:55 The harder you try to win, the harder it is to get there 50:20 Once you achieve success, how do you sustain it? 58:35 You have to work with both sides of the brain    About Nancy Stevens Three-time national champion University of Connecticut field hockey coach Nancy Stevens and the word success are synonymous. Having completed her 28th season at Connecticut and her 39th overall as a head coach, Stevens has firmly secured the tradition of UConn field hockey

Did you ever just want to quit doing what you are doing? How do you handle someone who sabotages your work? How do you help athletes learn without lecturing all the time? What are your thoughts on coaching licenses?   Coach Reed and John tackle these Frequently Asked Questions and more in our most recent podcast.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 1:30 What are some of the best leadership traits? 4:50 Have you ever just wanted to quit and how did you get through it? 9:35 How do you handle someone who openly opposes your style and sabotages you (intentionally or unintentionally) 17:35 How do you help athletes learn without lecturing all the time? 21:05 Who are some of the mentors in your life that have helped you? 25:45 How do you make practices less scripted and involve more decision-making from players? 30:50 How do you approach a sport or coach steeped in traditional methods? 33:35 What do you think of coaching courses and club curriculums? 42:15 How do we make the vision happen? How do we make change? 46:45 Wh

Enjoy the show!  If we coached robots, we could simply drill skills until the robots performed them to perfection, but we coach human beings. Way more goes into coaching people than simple drills and skills. Jean Cote shares what it means to be a Transformational Coach in our latest episode.  Show Notes 1:30 What got Jean into the Deliberate Play research realm 9:30 If we were coaching robots, we could teach just the skills 21:15 What kind of coaching is needed to enhance the 4Cs 28:15 Great coaching is person-centered, not athlete-centered 37:00 Stop coaching 10-year-olds like they are 18 45:15 How to become a more transformational leader today   About Jean Cote Dr. Jean Côté is professor and Director in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University at Kingston (Canada).  His research interests are in the areas of children in sport, coaching, positive youth development, and sport expertise.  Dr. Côté has published more than 130 refereed papers on a variety of sport psychology and coachin

  Are you one of THOSE sports parents? All too often, we lump sports parents into one large category based on the behaviors of a few. Skye Eddy Bruce joins us to explain that not all parents are that way and the key to creating a better sports experience may be found with engaging parents more effectively.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 6:20 Soccer Parenting is the PTA of Youth Soccer 9:00 When a coach should “open the door” and when a coach should “close the door” 14:30 How do coaches establish trust with parents? 26:30 Lessons from The Soccer Parenting Summit 31:45 The four cornerstones of culture 41:30 The fears parents have     About Skye Eddy Bruce Skye Eddy Bruce, a former Collegiate and Youth All-American, Professional Player, Collegiate and Youth Coach and Camp Director, the Soccer Parenting Association aims to educate, engage, support and advocate for youth soccer parents. Skye understands there is a lot of room for growth and improvement in the youth game and believes that parents are the missing li

What would it be like to coach some of the greatest tennis players of all time before they become the icons they are today? Tune in to our latest podcast to hear Dick Gould's stories about these iconic players and more from over 50 years with Stanford Tennis.   Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes   Show Notes 2:15 Are fun and competitiveness mutually exclusive in sports? 10:30 Great programs have standards, not rules 16:45 We have to look at athletes and ask, “What is going to make this person a better person?” 25:15 The best teachers were the ones who made it exciting and had a passion for the topic 37:45 How do you navigate a team that is not cohesive? 47:45 Do your best to find the best in everyone you with whom you work     About Dick Gould Dick Gould is America's best tennis coach. He was the Men's Tennis Coach at Stanford University for 38 years from 1966–2004. His Stanford men's tennis teams won 17 NCAA Men's Tennis Championships, and 50 of his players won All-American honors. He was n

Are we robbing our kids of valuable self-directed executive function when we solve everything for them and don’t let them make mistakes? This is a valuable life skill needed to succeed in college and beyond. Listen in as Jessica Lahey explains on the newest podcast.  Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes Show Notes 7:10 Education is not about attendance and tests, are we missing the best moments for teaching? 14:25 When we are highly directive with kids, they don’t become frustrated. Kids who can’t be frustrated cannot benefit from formative assessment and desirable difficulties 20:55 We remove self-directed executive function and children need this to develop, incredibly important in high school and college 56:25 Caroline Gleich’s Journey to Ski the “Shooting Gallery” About Jessica Lahey Jessica Lahey is a teacher, writer, and mom. She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Atlantic, Vermont Public Radio, and the New York Times and is the author of the New York Timesbest

When a program, both men’s and women’s teams, wins 16 National Championships in 18 seasons, we should take notice. When those programs are also sought after by parents because they create excellent men and women in the process, there is something we can all learn from them. Find out what Professor Zigarelli discovered about the Messiah Method.   Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes   Show Notes 8:40 There is something to be learned from a program that wins 16 National Championships in 18 seasons 10:25 The one thing that sets apart the Messiah program apart 18:30 The Discipline of “Play to a Standard” 26:10 A higher purpose than winning 34:15 Messiah is looking for the “both/and players” 47:55 Professor Zigarelli’s parting thoughts on Transformational Leadership   About Professor Zigarelli Michael Zigarelli is a Professor of Leadership and Strategy and the former Dean of the Regent University School of Business. His research in the fields of management, practical theology, law, and ethics has a

Has Belgium Football found the secret to International success? In 2009, Belgium was #66 on the FIFA World Rankings. They made a few changes and rocketed to #1 in six short years. What did they change? Belgian FA Director of Coach Education, Kris Van der Haegen, shares their secret on our latest Way of Champions Podcast.     Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes   Show Notes 9:00 Crashing out of the 2000 European Championship was the wake-up call for Belgium 11:10 Creation of the Vision of Youth Development 19:30 The use of “multi-moves” training to prepare children for every sport 22:40 Who is in front me? 28:25 Training sessions must have opponents because the game has opponents 37:40 No standings, no substitutions on the fly, every player must play at least 50% 48:00 The four questions a coach should ask before a session   About Kris van der Haegen Kris van der Haegen is Director of Coach Education for the Royal Belgian Football Association. A former high school teacher who speaks countless

When that "hinge moment" that could change your life comes along, will you be ready? Join Dr. Rob Bell as he talks about hinge moments and those who help us because "No One Gets There Alone". Bio Dr. Rob Bell is a sport psychology coach, author, and speaker and His company DRB & associates is based in Indianapolis. He has written 6 books on Mental Toughness including the best seller Don’t Should on Your Kids: Build Their Mental Toughness. In this episode we will discuss his most recent book is titled: NO ONE Gets There AlONE. Dr. Bell is a Certified Mental Performance Coach of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Since 2006 he’s consulted with hundreds of athletes, coaches, and teams. He also currently serves as a Sport Psychology coach for Indy Eleven pro soccer team, and University of Notre Dame. He has worked with winners on the PGA Tour, an Olympic Silver medalist, ATP Champion, and the 2013 USTA National Champion. He has spoken to Marriott, and Walgreens and has caddied over 20+ events on pr

Are we educating coaches on the skills that really matter? A sport scientist says we teach way too much techincal information and not enough of the softer skills. Bio Wayne Goldsmith has been at the forefront of sports innovation, education and development for over 25 years. His unique "whole of sport" background - having worked across every level and aspect of sport around the world gives New Sport the insights to see the real problems in your sport and help you develop effective and efficient solutions. From USA Swimming to the Wallabies Australian Rugby Union team, from the Triathlon Australia World Championships and Olympic Games team to the North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL team, Wayne's worked with professional football, professional tennis and a wide range of Olympic sports across Australia and around the world   He's helped local junior sporting clubs to improve their coaching programs and been in the locker room and in the coaching box with the Sydney Roosters on NRL Grand Final Day. He's sat on the side

What if, instead of worrying about winning games, we got our athletes to focus first on 'Winning the Day'? If they focused on their very best, working for the greater good of the team, and getting better every day, what kind of transformation would occur? Bio Hall of Fame head coach Cindy Timchal was named the first women's lacrosse coach at the United States Naval Academy on August 5, 2006, and in short order, has laid the foundation for a Navy program that is moving quickly in its quest to become a NCAA Division I power. Timchal, who is entering her 36th year as a head coach, is the NCAA's all-time leader in career wins (491) division I women's college lacrosse. Additionally, her eight national titles are the eighth most by a coach in a women's sport in NCAA history, and the 26th most in all sports, men and women combined. In her 10 seasons at the helm of the Midshipmen program, Navy has accumulated a terrific 155-43 (.783) record, won five Patriot League Championships and has advanced to five NCAA Tourname