Way Of Champions Podcast

He didn’t specialize early. In fact, he didn’t play until high school and scouts were not lining up to sign him for college football, and yet Matt Birk forged a great career and became one of the best Lineman in the NFL? Do you really need to focus on one sport early in your childhood? Matt Birk is proof you don’t.   In this episode, Matt also discusses our infatuation with early talent, the lack of values in sports, and how parents should let kids get out of the game what they want to get out of it. This is a fantastic conversation that proves the important factors of in youth sports are no different than those at the highest levels. From a Super Bowl Champion, to the sandlot player, youth sports is about values, fun, and finding that Rule of One Moment.   Getting in Touch: Website: www.4HG.com   Join us at the Future of Coaching Conference! Future of Coaching Conference Registration Page   About Matthew Robert Birk (born July 23, 1976) is a former American football center. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vi

Become a fly on the wall and listen in as the experts behind the Future Coaching Conference plan out the sessions, discuss what it means to be a great coach, differentiate between resilience, grit, and mental toughness, and much more. Stuart Armstrong hosts from his car while driving the M6, and John, Mark, and Juan join him for an informal yet meaningful chat.     Getting in Touch: Twitter: John - @CTGProjectHQ Stuart - @Stu_Arm Mark - @PDSCoach Juan - @SudCoaching   To get school credit and get discounts: info@Sudmericacoaching.com Members of the Magic Academy get a discount too   Join us at the Future of Coaching Conference! Future of Coaching Conference Registration Page     Show Notes 5:00 How the Future of Coaching Conference came to be 16:00 The principles of coaching shared at the conference are for every coach, every where 23:00 What are Resilient, Robust, Mentally Tough? 33:00 Children need us more than ever now 41:00 What is a great coach? 46:00 Performance is very different from high or elite perf

  It is important the people coaching our children have all the qualities and skills necessary to develop success beyond the game. Who “coaches” our children’s coaches? This week, we continue with this theme of coach development to discuss how vital it is to have someone “coaching the coaches”. Bill Beswick is widely considered one of the best coach trainers in the world and he joins us to share his philosophies and methods.   Bill is recognised as a leader in the field of applied sports psychology and especially renowned for his work with professional elite soccer teams. With an academic background to Masters degree level and experience as Head Coach to England Men’s Basketball Team (Commonwealth Games Gold Medal Winners), Bill was ideally placed to become the first sports psychologist operating fully in English professional soccer. In soccer,  Bill has worked at Derby County, Manchester United, Middlesbrough & Sunderland in the English Premier League and contributes to UEFA Pro Licence award courses for

We often talk on this podcast about theory and research, but this week we are talking about application. We have mentioned many times about the importance of getting a coaching mentor or at least a group of coaches to bounce ideas off of, get advice from, and help us raise our game. What does that feel like? Is it hard? What are the obstacles? What happens when you don't agree? What will your staff say when an outsider steps in?   This week, we talk about all of that, and more, with Alan Keane (@CoachKeane14), Great Britain and England U18 Head Men's Basketball Coach. Alan has been involved with professional and international basketball for the past ten years, as both the England U16 and U18 Head Coach for the European Championships, as well as assistant coach for the Reading Rockets Senior team.  A few years back, Alan had the privilege of being assigned multiple time Way of Champions guest Mark Bennett (@PDSCoach) as a coaching mentor for a year. The journey was an incredible one for Alan, as he worked with

To make real change we need those in a position of influence to support and advance the cause. United Soccer Coaches is the largest coaching membership organization in the world and they have recently committed to changing the coaching culture. Listen to this conversation with Lynn Berling-Manuel.     Show Notes 4:15 The single biggest change in US Soccer since Lynn started her journey 10:45 Whom do we serve in the game? 23:15 Pay to Play and the professionalization of youth sports 26:45 The development of Commitment to Culture 33:45 When parents and coaches collaborate it is a powerful experience 40:15 Lynn talks about what United Soccer Coaches does 51:00 What USC is doing as a leader in diversity and inclusion   Getting in Touch Website: unitedsoccercoaches.org                Unitedsoccercoaches.org/culture Twitter: @UnitedCoaches   About Lynn Berling-Manuel is the Chief Executive Officer of United Soccer Coaches, which was founded in 1941 and until last year was known as the National Soccer Coaches Assoc

What group has the most influential position and platform to impact the lives of our children? Coaches. What are we doing to ensure that group is prepared to coach with purpose and change lives for the better? This week’s guest has an answer for that.   Show Notes 1:45 Ryan’s own journey 8:00 The importance of having a group of colleagues and sharing with them 18:30 We need to show up as parents at our kids’ games, not as fans 29:00 Learning to say you are sorry 45:00 Why do we care so much about winning? 52:00 Some of the Community for Coaches Tools that Ryan offers   Getting in Touch Website: www.communityforcoaches.org                   www.coachingwithpurpose.org Twitter: @CFC_KC Email: Ryan@CommunityforCoaches.org   About A native of Naples, Florida and a four-year member of the Yale University football program, Ryan Krzykowski began his career as a high school teacher/athletic coach in his hometown in 1998. From 1998-2005, Ryan coached football and taught math at Naples High School, and experienced spo

Instead of coaching athletes for today’s outcomes, why not coach them in a way that prepares them to succeed in future seasons too? Teach them what they need to evolve as the game does too.  Join Russel Earnshaw and John Fletcher of the Magic Academy to hear more.   Show Notes 4:15 When you treat people well, the positive results naturally arise 11:00 “My job as a coach is not to make the players hate me” 22:45 The C.A.R.D.S. approach to coaching 34:30 The Magic Academy Card System 56:15 When are the kids most engaged 1:05:00 How do you add a scenario to training   Getting in Touch Website: www.Themagicacademy.co.uk Email: rusty@themagicacademy.co.uk Twitter: @RusselEarnshaw @FletcherRugby @TheMagicAcad Get the Cards - https://www.themagicacademy.co.uk/store/   About John Fletcher I would like to thank my family, friends and the thousands of people who have helped me get to this point. A combination of wonderful people and experiences that have supported and challenged me, mixed in with a variety of crucial y

Does weight lifting stunt growth? At what age should my kid start lifting? Mike Boyle is one of the pioneers in strength training and has worked at all ages and stages of sports. He answers these questions and more in this week’s episode.   Show Notes 7:00 One of the original strength coaches still learning every year 12:30 You need to understand the sports and athletes you assist if you want to make a difference 19:15 Is it worth driving three hours for 30 seconds of actual ball contact? 31:30 Don’t drug the thoroughbreds 42:15 Sometimes the system gives kids results but that doesn’t mean it is the best way 60:00 We tend to highlight the exception and not the rule when evaluating talent     Getting in Touch Find Mike’s Complete Youth Training Program here: www.completeyouthtraining.com Twitter: @MBoyle1959 Instagram: @Michael_Boyle1959   About   Join us at the Future of Coaching Conference! Future of Coaching Conference Registration Page   CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE COURSES:   Warriors, Not Winners - Want to creat

Across the board, youth sports participation rates are dropping and coach retention is extremely low, yet Appleton recreation is seeing an average of 60% increase in participation across its four biggest sports and coach retention is 90%. What are they doing differently?   Show Notes 1:00 Nate’s backstory 12:30 If we are in it for the benefit of the kids, most solutions are obvious 16:00 Nate explains how the cultural change came out of the consistent core values 23:00 Appleton’s Core Value #1: Inclusion 30:00 Core Value #2: Intentional Skill Development 39:00 Core Value #3: Family Balance 44:15 Core Value #4: Promoting Lifelong Enjoyment of Sport 56:00 The data behind Appleton’s success   Getting in Touch Email: nate.baldwin@appleton.org Twitter: @NBaldwin75 Appleton Facebook Page: www.Facebook.com/AppletonParkRec Appleton Instagram: @Appleton_Park_Rec   About Nate Baldwin has been a Recreation Programmer for the City of Appleton Parks & Recreation department since 2014, and has helped lead the revitaliz

Have you ever tried to break a bad habit or create a good one and struggled to get the results to stick? James Clear has solved the problem and shares some of the science behind habits in this podcast and his new book. Listen in now.   Show Notes 8:40 How James Clear became Interested in Habits 12:25 Why the title “Atomic Habits” 20:55 We do not rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems 26:10 The Four Stages of Habits and the Four Laws 45:55 Behaviors that get rewarded get repeated 52:10 Reflection and Review   Getting in Touch Websites: https://jamesclear.com/about                      https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits Twitter: @JamesClear Link to Atomic Habits Book: Atomic Habits on Amazon     About James Clear (We will let James tell you) I uncover the latest scientific research and explain it in a way that you can easily understand and actually use. As I share these science-based ideas for living a better life, I like to showcase the habits and rituals of athletes, artists,

What do you say to your athlete in the car ride to and from the game? What is the message during games, especially in those tense moments of high pressure? What we say to our children, becomes their inner voice. Listen in for Dr. Jim Taylor’s advice on creating successful youth athletes.   Show Notes 8:05 From a nervous athlete to a Sport Psychologist – Jim’s beginnings 15:45 How much has sports changed over the years? 23:15 For all those athletes that make it, so many more were left behind on the path 27:30 The Pillars of Success 35:30 Obstacles to Success 46:15 Outcomes mean nothing at a young age 53:00 What are the messages in youth sports we give our children   Getting in Touch Website: www.DrJimTaylor.com Twitter: @DrJimTaylor Facebook: Dr. Jim Taylor Buy the Book: Raising Young Athletes   About Dr. Jim Taylor Jim Taylor, PhD, is internationally recognized for his work in the psychology of sport and parenting. He has worked with junior elite, collegiate, Olympic, and professional athletes for more than t

Great cultures abound as examples of sporting success. The key is to build your own, using the success clues left by others as your guide. In this episode, Damien Hughes outlines the clues left by Barcelona and other great sports cultures so we can begin to develop a culture of success with our teams.   Show Notes 10:15 What lead Damien to explore the Barcelona culture 19:00 Soft versus hard skills and their impact on performance 25:45 The 5 types of cultures 38:30 Pep’s process for turning things around at Barcelona 50:00 Cultural architects and cultural assassins 1:03:15 Success leaves clues 1:09:30 Getting in touch with Damien   Getting in Touch Website: http://www.liquidthinker.com/ Twitter: @LiquidThinker   Join us at the Future of Coaching Conference! Future of Coaching Conference Registration Page   CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE COURSES: Warriors, Not Winners - Want to create gritty, resilient athletes who succeed beyond the game?  Purchase Warriors, Not Winners now!   Transformational Coaching - Take your Coac

Sports are as much a learning journey as for us as it is for the athletes we coach. We MUST be willing to learn from those around us and evolve for the sake of those we lead. In this episode, John shares the three greatest lessons he has learned over the last 80 shows.   Show Notes 11:05 Kris Van Der Haegan “Who is in front of me” 39:30 Mark Upton “The value of games-based learning” 1:05:00 Mark Bennett “The Rule of 3”   Getting in Touch Kris Van Der Haegen –                   Twitter: @KrisVDHaegen                   Website: www.icoachkidseu.com Mark Upton –                   Twitter: @Uppy01                   Website: www.myfastestmile.com Mark Bennett –                   Twitter: @PDSCoach                   Website: www.PDSCoach.com   Join us at the Future of Coaching Conference! Future of Coaching Conference Registration Page   CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE COURSES: Warriors, Not Winners - Want to create gritty, resilient athletes who succeed beyond the game? Purchase Warriors, Not Winners now!   Transformat

What are we saying and doing that can be the inner voice driving athletes to make dangerous decisions regarding nutrition and their bodies? What can we do to recognize and prevent these issues before it’s too late? Tune in to this difficult and important discussion now.   Show Notes 10:35 Dr. Bennet’s daily work with athletes 16:20 Background and research on eating disorders in athletes 20:20 Eating disorders exist in men too, and we have to be willing to talk about it 22:50 Causes of eating disorders in sports 30:35 Athletes need to listen to their bodies to choose how to eat 34:50 Do not attach guilt to anything you eat 40:05 How can coaches be mindful of our words and actions 42:20 What are warning signs we should see 49:20 Dr. Bennett’s final advice for coaches   About Dr. Bennett Kate Bennett, PsyD, is the founder and director of Athlete Insight, PC. Her professional career began at Indiana University, where she earned a BS in Kinesiology and Athletic Training. Feeling compelled to help athletes on a psy

#79 The Power of Influence: A Fireside Chat with John and Jerry about how coaches, parents and teammates can impact their teams in a positive way   What is influence, why is it never neutral, and how can we be more intentional about positively influencing our athletes? Join the Fireside Chat with Jerry and John now to find out more!   Show Notes 11:30 Joy should be the first core value of sports 15:15 What is influence 26:00 The influence of Coach Pete Carrol 40:15 What does teammate to teammate influence look like? 53:15 The key to creating a sustained success in a culture 61:45 “the Brennan Story” – How to best influence your athlete child   Find out more about the Future of Coaching Conference: The Future of Coaching - January 2019   Getting in Touch Website: www.wayofchampions.com Website: www.changingthegameproject.com Email: wayofchampions@gmail.com  john@changingthegameproject.com   CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE COURSES:   Warriors, Not Winners - Want to create gritty, resilient athletes who succeed beyond the

One post. One bad decision. One moment of poor judgment frozen in time and saved for eternity on social media. That is all it takes to alter your future trajectory as a youth athlete. In this episode Scott Fitch shares stories of athletes who should have "paused before they posted" and much more.   Show Notes 1:15 Scott’s development journey as a late bloomer and finding the right fit for you 7:30 Balancing coaching public high school and a national team 12:00 How coaches must adapt and evolve as players and environments change 19:00 Coaches need to connect with players in their realm and must be smart with social media 27:00 How Scott got into USA Basketball coaching 40:00 The qualities of USA Basketball players 46:30 Pause before you post – the importance of using social media the right way 56:15 Scott’s parting thoughts for parents 58:15 Finding Scott   Getting in Touch Website: www.FitchTalks.com   About Scott Scott Fitch is the Boys Basketball coach at Fairport High School in New York and assistant coach

What would it look like if all your athletes were able to acknowledge, resolve, and let go of emotions and feelings during games? If they could choose the right behaviors, even in moments of high pressure because they were able to understand and forgive their own feelings and thoughts and not get stuck in negative patterns? Dr. Amy Saltzman shares with us the concept of mindfulness so we can help our athletes achieve peak performance and not let thoughts, feelings, and that little voice slow them down.   Show Notes 5:45 When this journey started for Amy 7:45 The definition of mindfulness 9:15 Flow: Effortless joy in a chosen activity 13:45 Simple methods for beginning to develop mindfulness 21:00 The best way to work with a team is to include coaches in the process 27:45 The benefits of mindfulness 41:45 Mindfulness aids us in recovering from mistakes 48:45 Practicing mindfulness tomorrow with your athletes 54:15 Amy has a gift for our listeners   Getting in Touch Website: www.stillquietplace.com Facebook: Am

This is a first for WOC! Coaching Expert Mark Bennett returns to expound on his Rule of 3 and teach us how to develop independent, self-aware, and accountable athletes at all levels of the game. Queue this one up and listen on your way to work today!   Other Interviews with Mark – Mark’s First Appearance on Way of Champions: Episode 31: Listen to Episode 31 here Another Great Interview with Mark on Coach Reed’s Coaching Code Podcast: Listen to TCC Episode 17 here Mark’s Conversation with Stu Armstrong:  A Conversation with My Mentor: The Talent Equation   Show Notes 8:55 A quick introduction to what Mark does 19:55 The non-negotiables of a good training session 26:10 Mark Bennett’s Rule of 3 30:25 Working with athletes to define what is acceptable, unacceptable, and excellent 39:40 How can teammates effectively hold each other accountable 53:25 The element of when to step in is critical to athlete success 66:10 What else can these tools do for coaches and players 1:08:40 Getting in Touch with Mark Bennett   G

People talk about “old school” when it comes to coaching and athlete performance. The problem is most of us have the wrong perspective. “Old school” is not strength and conditioning in a vacuum with no functional movement. “Old School” is not running laps until you puke. “Old School”, as defined by Joe, Tony, and Rick, has to do with how wellness was treated in the beginning: holistic, all-encompassing, focused on better movement and healthy people. Listen to this episode to hear how LTAD Playground is bringing back real “old school”.   Show Notes 6:45 How Joe, Tony, and Rick got into LTAD 14:00 LTAD is NOT strength and conditioning. It is more holistic. 22:30 What can parents look for as red flags when watching their children move 30:45 Incorporating other games into your sport training 39:00 What we need are multi-sport clubs 49:15 Why Joe, Rick, Tony began doing LTAD Summits and what the format is 62:00 The need for a “wellness movement” and the marketing problem we have with youth sports 1:08:45 Contactin

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to coach the likes of Christian Pulisic when he was a youngster, or to take a team of 16-year-olds to South America to play in adverse conditions? Have you thought about how life-changing it would be to coach War Heroes at the World Paralympic Games? Don’t miss this episode where Anthony shares the stories of his coaching legacy.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 7:00 Anthony’s journey as a coach 13:15 Anthony’s thoughts on US player development 32:45 My legacy is their legacy 41:00 What it’s like coaching the Paralympic team 50:45 What are the common characteristics of great athletes 57:30 Anthony started Soccer Specific to solve his own problems 62:00 The addition of mentors to Soccer Specific 1:08:00 What frustrates Anthony the most   Connect with Anthony and Soccer Specific Website: www.soccerspecific.com Email: Anthony.Latronica@SoccerSpecific.com   About Anthony For the past 18 years, Anthony Latronica has worked with some of the finest young people both at the