Way Of Champions Podcast

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we talk with hockey coach Damian DiGulian and volleyball coach Bryan McDermand in a discussion about how to return to sport. Not only do we dive into returning to play, but we also all about college recruiting, saving kids from getting burned out, and what youth sports could be as a result of the pandemic. Damian DiGiulian returns to Saint Michael's for his ninth season as the men's ice hockey head coach in 2020-21. DiGiulian, who has also coached in the USA Hockey development system, is just the third head coach since the program was elevated to varsity status for the 1982-83 season. Click here for more information on Coach DiGiulian. Bryan McDermand has been coaching volleyball for over 15 years. On top of being a former collegiate indoor player/Open-level beach player, Bryan coached junior college, NCAA Division III, and NCAA Division I. Also, Bryan has coached juniors club full time and juniors in Beach Volleyball for the last  7 years. Visit his website at https

We are so excited to announce the release of the audiobook version of Every Moment Matters: How the World's Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams. To celebrate the release, over the next few weeks we will be sharing with you select chapters from the book and offering you the opportunity as a podcast listener to get 60% off the regular price of the book by ordering through this link: www.ChangingTheGameProject.com/audiobook.  In this excerpt from Part II of Every Moment Matters, we speak about "How I Coach." Once you have done the inner work, it is important to make sure you are following the latest and greatest research on learning, skill acquisition, and athlete development, as there is a lot of misinformation out there. The goal of Part II of the book is to teach you to be the architect of a phenomenal learning environment, and we will share lessons from some of the top people in the world in practice design and building skill. "Context is not noise," says Andrew Wilson from Leeds

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Anthony Hudson, US Soccer U20 National Team Coach. We dive in to the ups and downs of being a professional coach, the importance of evolving as a coach, and what the most important thing a new coach should do when they take over a team.  Anthony has years of experience coaching and managing teams, including time at the helm of the New Zealand and Bahrain senior National Teams. With New Zealand, Hudson became the youngest ever head coach at the FIFA Confederations Cup after leading the All Whites to the 2016 OFC Nations Cup. Hudson holds a UEFA Pro License and most recently managed the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer. As a player, Hudson came up through the academy of Premier League club West Ham United and played there as well as at Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen. In 2006, he started as a player-coach with the Wilmington Hammerheads in the former USL Second Division, launching his transition to the touchline. His first head coach position came with the

We are so excited to announce the release of the audiobook version of Every Moment Matters: How the World's Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams. To celebrate the release, over the next few weeks we will be sharing with you select chapters from the book and offering you the opportunity as a podcast listener to get 60% off the regular price of the book by ordering through this link: www.ChangingTheGameProject.com/audiobook.  This week we dive into Part I of the book, "Why I Coach." You will hear the book's introduction, plus the intro to Part I and Lesson 3: "The Goal is to Win; the Purpose is Something Much Deeper." In it, John shares how programs such as UNC Women's Soccer (winner of 22 national championships) and Messiah College Men's and Women's Soccer (winners of 16 national titles since 2000) play for a much higher purpose than "did we win." He also shares examples of youth programs that have achieved excellence on the field by focusing on a higher purpose off the field.   Fo

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Leadership Expert Tim Kight. Tim founded Focus 3 in the mid-80’s in Southern California, a life-long student of elite performance with the passion and drive to help organizations achieve their goals. In his college days, Tim transferred from Ohio State to UCLA while running Track. It was at UCLA that he witnessed John Wooden win his 9th and 10th national championship. An experience that instilled a great curiosity in Tim as to what distinguishes elite performers from average performers. A question he’s pursued answering ever since that moment. The answer for Tim was curated through observing and documenting the mindset and behavior patterns of elite performers. What was discovered was that elite performers think and behave differently because they’ve adopted a system.    We cover a lot of Tim’s incredible material, including how leaders create culture, how to recognize a leader, and a discussion about the leadership crisis the world is facing right now. You

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome surfing champion Lakey Peterson. Lakey won the junior nationals at 14 and qualified for the World Surf League at 16. She is an incredible role model for young athletes and share many great wisdom nuggets during our time together. We dive into the inclusiveness of the surfing community, being an intentional female role model, and overcoming fear.  Highlights from the Podcast: The book Lakey brings with to every competition  How to keep the balance of enjoying surfing and competing  What Lakey does to focus and stay in the moment Using keywords written on her hand to stay in the right mindset The story of how Lakey got into surfing Winning the junior nationals at 14 and qualifying for the WSL at 16 Learning to get better from losing Training the mental and physical for peak performance  Being an intentional role model for young girls Defining and overcoming fear  The use of meditation to increase performance  Building trust between coa

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Olympic and World Cup Champion Christie Rampon and Dr. Kristine Keane. Christie and Dr. Keane wrote a book called Be All In: Raising Kids for Success in Sports and Life. During our conversation, we dive into defining trust as a coach, why many parents find it difficult to understand athlete burnout, and what parents can do to help their kids cope with circumstances on their team. Christie Rampone A mother of two girls, Pearce Rampone played in five FIFA World Cups and four different Olympic Games. The two-time FIFA World Cup champion and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist recorded 311 caps for the U.S. Women’s National Team, which is the second most of any single player in international soccer history (men or women). Affectionately known as Captain America, she also captained the U.S. Women’s National Team on a record 113 occasions. Visit her website at https://christiepearce.com/ and connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Dr. Kristine Keane Dr

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Steve Morris, author of What Size Balls Do I Need?: A Roadmap for Survival In The Dizzying World of Youth Sports. During our conversation, we dive into the myth of maximizing a young athletes potential, how we can create better experiences for our young athletes, and the one thing most division one athletes regret most about their youth sport experience. Coach Steve encourages parents to enjoy their kids’ brief 10-year window in youth sports, a goal best accomplished by dialing down the pressure and tempering their expectations. Only a fraction of high school athletes play sports at the college level, and far fewer go on to play professionally. The most dynamic statistic is the number of life-long friendships created among teammates. Learn more at https://www.whatsizeballs.com/. Steve’s Website www.whatsizeballs.com Amazon link to Steve’s book What Size Balls Do I Need? Highlights from the Podcast: How Steve ended up writing What Size Balls Do I Need? Does

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Nick Levett, Head of Coaching for UK Coaching and an expert in talent development. Prior to his current position, he spend eight years at the Football Association as Talent Identification Manager. After years of trying to get him on the podcast, we finally connected with Nick to record this amazing discussion! We dive into how to support our athletes while at the same time being demanding, why coaches should try to learn new skills outside of their sport, and why it is important to help athletes make great memories.  Nick’s blog http://riversofthinking.com/ Nick on Twitter https://twitter.com/nlevett Highlights from the Podcast: Nick explains not what he does, but how he spends his time (and why there is a difference) What can coaches learn from studying coaching techniques from coaches in other sports?  Why Nick disagrees with one of the most popular quotes from John Wooden Coaches, do you know the hopes and dreams of your kids? Be nice to kids,

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast John and Jerry welcome Michael Murphy, author of Golf in the Kingdom. This is a little bit different of a conversation than we normally have on here, but well worth your time. Jerry and Michael go way back and Jerry credit Micheal as being a huge influence on Jerry’s work. We dive into a great conversation about what it is like for coaches and athletes to see the big picture and what it is like to be an astronauts of inner space. Michael Murphy is Co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of the Esalen Institute, and directs the Institute’s think tank operations through its Center for Theory & Research (CTR). He is also the author of four novels: Golf in the Kingdom, The Kingdom of Shivas Irons, Jacob Atabet, and An End to Ordinary History. Highlights from the Podcast: Michael shares how a trip to India changed his life What do muggles and wizards have to do with sport psychology? What does it mean to "see the field from above"? What does spirituality

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Martin St Louis, a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. What if we were all really good at getting better? Take out your notepad and something to write with and get ready or some great insight on becoming a tremendous athlete from a hockey player who the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most gentlemanly player. About Martin St Louis St. Louis played over 1,000 games and scored 1,000 points in an NHL career that began with the Calgary Flames in 1998 and ended with the New York Rangers in 2015. St. Louis is best remembered for having played with the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2000 until being traded to the Rangers in 2014. He also briefly played with HC Lausanne of the Swiss National League A. He was a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup championship team in 2004. St. Louis was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018; his first year of eligibility. Highlights from the Podcast: What drove Martin to work hard and get into the NHL

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Robert Weintraub, author of The Divine Miss Marble: A Life of Tennis, Fame, and Mystery. In The Divine Miss Marble, Robert traveled the country to uncover her fascinating story. And the more he learned about her, the more her mysteries and contradictions deepened. Alice was a powerful woman who knew her worth, demanding equal pay to men decades earlier than other female athletes; yet she was held in sway by a domineering, highly successful coach with whom she had a volatile relationship. She was renowned for her California style, and had a brilliant mind and the guts to overcome a lifetime of physical trauma. For the first time here, we come closer than ever before to the truths of this unforgettable life, and somehow it’s a story even more extraordinary than everything we already know about the divine Alice Marble. About Robert Weintraub Robert Weintraub lives in Decatur, Georgia, but he grew up in the large shadow cast by Yankee Stadium, in Rye, New York,

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Bo Hanson, 4x Olympian and 3x Olympic Medalist. We talk about using failure in childhood as fuel to success in adulthood, setting goals and defining values with teammates, and why a lack of role clarity leads to a bad culture. Bo Hanson’s career within the sport and the business sector spans over 20 years, delivering leadership, management and coach development. In addition to his own athletic career comprising of four Olympic appearances and including three Olympic medals, Bo has worked for many years with coaches and athletes from over 40 different sports across the globe. Bo’s ability to improve the coaching strategies and performance of his clients has resulted in over 18 national championships, Olympic medals and pro team premierships in the last five years alone. Long-standing working relationships and consistent high-quality feedback from his clients are testimony to his ability to understand, connect, design and deliver exceptional work. Highlights

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome back Dr. Wade. Gilbert, an award-winning professor in the department of kinesiology at California State University at Fresno and the author of Coaching Better Every Season: A year-round system for athlete development and program success. We started with an insightful discussion on Zoom fatigue, etiquette and breakout rooms, talked about the idea of disruption and how it impacts team unity, how to manage the uncertainty of players during this time.  Dr. Gilbert holds degrees in physical education, human kinetics, and education and has taught and studied coaching at the University of Ottawa (Canada), UCLA, and Fresno State. He has more than 20 years of experience in conducting applied research with coaches around the world spanning all competitive levels, from youth leagues to the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. He is widely published and is frequently invited to speak at national and international events. Gilbert is a coach education advisor to USA Foo

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, we welcome back Sport Psychology consultant Dr. Rob Bell. Dr. Bell is a Certified Mental Performance Coach of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. We dive into many important topics, including helping our kids overcome hardships, recognizing the big moments that define us, and his new book, Puke & Rally: It's Not About The Setback, It's About The Comeback. Dr. Bell has written six books on Mental Toughness and puts out a sport psychology podcast called 15 Minutes of Mental Toughness. Check out his Amazon page here. 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 professional golf tours. A former university professor D

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, we replay an episode from 2018 with a 36-time NCAA Champion Sport Psychology Consultant and one of the greatest coaches of all time! This is a show you cannot miss! Dr. Jerry Lynch and Anson Dorrance join John this week to talk Dean Smith, John Wooden, Alonzo Stagg, and what it is like to build an unrivaled dynasty through love, connection, and strong character. Anson Dorrance enters his 44th year of service to the University of North Carolina soccer programs in the fall of 2017.  Dorrance, a 1974 Tar Heel alumnus, debuted as the Carolina men’s soccer coach in September of 1977 and then added duties as head coach and founder of the UNC women’s program in September of 1979. A former U.S. Women’s National Team head coach and current University of North Carolina head women’s soccer coach, Anson Dorrance was named the 2016 winner of the prestigious Werner Fricker Builder Award from United States Soccer on January 29, 2016. As U.S. Soccer’s highest honor, the Werner Frick

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, we welcome Chris Snyder and Nadine Dubina from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. We dive into how to put fun back into coaching, how to handle push-back from coaches about coach development, and early sport specialization.    Be sure to check out the Quality Coaching Framework on the Team USA website.    Chris Snyder is the director of coaching education for the United States Olympic Committee. In his current role, Snyder focuses on supporting the USOC sport performance department and Team USA coaches His responsibilities include discovering and providing resources to enhance sport culture and the National Governing Bodies that service sport in the United States. Previously, Snyder served as the manager of coaching education and training for U.S. Lacrosse in Baltimore. He has coached competitive sports for more than 12 years.   Nadine Dubina is the Manager of Coach Development for the United States Olympic Committee. Passionate about people, learning and sport

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, we welcome High Performance Expert, Allon Khakshouri. Allon Khakshouri is a recognized personality in the sports world, and has managed the careers of some of this generation's greatest tennis players, including current world number one Novak Djokovic. We dive into what separates the great players from everyone else, how important intrinsic motivation is for an athlete’s career, and how to add stress to practice to prepare for competition success.   You can follow Allon on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn. Be sure to check out his website http://mentalgameoftennis.com.   Highlights from the Podcast: Allon shares how he got into focusing on the mental side of sports What separates good players from the great players? How important is it to escalate your professionalism as you move through the ranks? Novak Djokovic started his career at 14 with serious physical limitations… how did he became one of the best in the world? What does "Talent needs Traum

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, we welcome David and Keith Mayer, authors of the book Gold Dust: How to Become A More Effective Coach, Quickly: How to become a better communicator. We discuss intentionally evolving as a coach, writing a book with a family member, and why good coaches are great teachers. You can follow David and Keith on Twitter and be sure to check out their Podcast "Gold Dust” or their website golddustmentoring.com.   As two ex-soccer players who represented professional clubs, David and Keith both followed similar paths in their playing careers. They both played in England, and David played in Spain. Both David and Keith had relatively successful college careers in America. David was a two-year captain at a #1 ranked Division 1 school, while Keith captained a winning National Championship team and was named MVP in 1982. They both suffered very similar injuries throughout their careers, both retiring at young ages.   After retiring from playing, both David and Keith started coachi

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, we welcome Skye Eddy Bruce and Seth Taylor. We dive into the youth sports world and discuss the topic of being a great sports parent like how to get parents to listen to what their children want/need, the difference between encouraging and distracting sideline behavior by parents, and creating alignment between clubs so that real positive change can happen.   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. Connect with Skye on LinkedIn or Twitter and at her website SoccerParenting.com.    Seth Taylor is a dynamic new voice in the world of theological thought, addressing difficult topics such as belief, philosophy, mysticism, and the roots of addiction. He holds a M.A. in Theology and Culture from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology in Seattle, Washington, where he lives with