Thrive On Challenge Blog

In our latest #CoachingCulture episode, we’re bringing you a friend of the pod and someone who has influenced Nate and myself’s formation as coaches, John O’Sullivan from Changing the Game Project. Get the weekly podcast coaching notes by going to thriveonchallenge.com and subscribing to the weekly newsletter! Top three reasons athletes play: - Positive Coaching - Positive Team Dynamics - Trying Hard (Good Practice/Game Environments) You’re not missing the magic practice. If you continually focus on building the relationship up with the parents and keep them in the loop and work hard to notice when a kid is making improvement or struggle, the relationship will more likely than not, be positive. It’s easy to see parents’ involvement as a problem instead of an opportunity to help both the kid and the team culture. Advice for Coaches when you’re trying to build trust in your athletes and their parents: - First, understand trust and what it looks like Ken Blanchard’s ABCDE’s on Trust - Ability - Being Be

In our latest #CoachingCulture episode, Nate and I are taking a look back at Nate's season and how his team overcame the challenges that came with it. Get the weekly podcast coaching notes by going to thriveonchallenge.com and subscribing to the weekly newsletter! Nate shares how he dealt with the struggle of having athletes quit and what approach he took regarding the rest of the team, emotionally and tactically. When you have players leaving the team, it is important to have your captains or leaders on the team share why they stayed and reaffirm that frustrations with yourself and coach are valid, but how important it is to stick with it. The struggle of learning how to win. - Change the mindset from results focus to process focused - Pay attention to the details - Set small, details goals in practice - Drill down to the behaviors that will make you better Setting goals and drilling in the details gives your athletes the confidence to take their game to the next level. What’s the best thing added to

In our latest #CoachingCulture episode, Nate and I finish up our conversation with Mark Bennett on the leisure versus performance athlete. Get the weekly podcast coaching notes by going to thriveonchallenge.com and subscribing to the weekly newsletter! Performance Athlete: Not doing what you want to do, doing what you need to do to the best of your ability to achieve what you have said is your desired outcome. Leisure: Only do the stuff they like when nobody is watching. When someone is watching them they will do the things expected of them. Still pursues excellence in the practice. Mark shares how to effectively coach the leisure athlete and help them become the best athlete they possibly can be. Instead of being pushy and trying to get them to become someone they’re not, as coaches it is our job to show them their potential and allow them to reach it themselves. When you have a mix between performance and leisure: Ask leisure: What can we do to help performance athletes and still enjoy our experien

In our latest episode Nate and I talk about the dreaded subject of end of the year banquets and how to leverage this to build team unity and culture. Get the weekly podcast coaching notes by going to thriveonchallenge.com and subscribing to the weekly newsletter! What activities can we do at our banquet that add meaning to the season and allow parents and athletes to appreciate that at the end of the year? - Limit the amount you talk as a coach - Allow your athletes and assistant coaches to give out the awards - Have your athletes give reasons why other players deserve certain awards. What is it that you really want people to take away from your speech? Highlight the fact that as a coach, you know that every one of your players is going to go through something during this year, but the benefit of being a part of YOUR program is that you all will go through it together and you will come out better on the other side of it. Embrace the end of year banquet. Create an experience that is full of meaning. W

In our latest #CoachingCulture episode, Nate and I are bringing you part 3 continuing our conversation with Mark Bennett on the Rule of 3. Get the weekly podcast coaching notes by going to thriveonchallenge.com and subscribing to the weekly newsletter! Rule of 3 Rule 1: Self (Behavior 1st, than technical and tactical) - Am I managing my state? - Am I in excellence? Rule 2: Player - Reaching out to have a positive impact on that player. - Effective communication is only effective if it has the desired impact. Rule 3: Coach -Coach steps in because no 2 has stepped in to work with 1. Or they have stepped in but 1 still isn’t changing. Teach your athletes how to give and receive feedback well. Set up a time to formally give permission to intervene. The formal permission process allows your athletes the freedom to grow in that way. Follow Mark Bennett on Twitter @pdscoach We'd love to hear from you! Twitter: @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.c

We’re bringing you Part 2 of our conversation with Mark Bennett on how performance is a behavior, not an outcome. Get the weekly podcast coaching notes by going to thriveonchallenge.com and subscribing to the weekly newsletter! The sequence to effective outcomes in behavior first, then performance, then outcome. As a team, it’s important to come up with non-negotiables. What are the one of two things that if done well, would maximize your performance? Ask your athletes to look into the past and notice what elements were in play during their performance excellence. - Name the underpinning element - Think and reflect on past experiences - Define what they look like - Choose the element that had the greatest impact - Name it and work on that element as a team Examples of Non-negotiables: ACE - Attitude - Communicate - Effort UAE- (Unacceptable , Acceptable, Exceptional) When you start an interaction between a new group of players, first set the parameters down. Follow Mark Bennett on Twitter @pdscoac

In today’s episode, Nate and I discuss sideline behavior. JP shares his transformation in coaching and his understanding of what sideline behavior should be like. How do you recognize what your sideline behavior is like now? - Put a camera and mic on yourself, record how you act during a game, and then go back and watch that footage - ask yourself if your words are making the team better or making the team worse Are you an obstacle, or are you a source for growth? - Ask your players what it’s like to be coached by you Know what you value as a coach. You have to be able to model what you value and react to circumstances in that way instead of reacting emotionally. What are you teaching your kids in moments of triumph and moments of struggle? You cannot be a transformation coach when you operate with you use anger and fear as a motivator. Empower a few of your assistants and players to tell you when you are flying off the handle or handling a situation poorly. Get the weekly podcast coaching notes by g

In today's episode, I am super excited to bring Mark Bennett to the Coaching Culture podcast, talking about coaching systems and how to effectively run them. Mark has been leading others for over 30 years, starting out serving in the British Army as an instructor and since then, he has worked in English Basketball, English Soccer, and English Rugby, as well as the Cleveland Indians and Oklahoma City Thunder in the US. Mark begs a very important questions, "How aware are the coaches of what they're doing and what they're not?" and "What support mechanisms are in place to raise awareness to a coach of what they're doing and then support them in that change?" - He suggests that coaches film themselves and go back and look through how they reacted to and coached up their athletes- - The aim of a great coach should be to make themselves redundant - Coaching vs. Instructing As a coach, you are investing in the human being, not just "your athlete" because it is the human being that makes the decisions and has th

JP and Nate beg a very common question we have as coaches, “How do I get my players to accept and embrace their role on the team?” The first step in this process is making sure that every player on the team knows each job and the importance of each role in overall team success. How to help an athlete understand their role: - Have the “ladder conversation” - Discuss the overall strategy of the game before the day of the game - Have you athletes explain what they are most looking forward to in their job and what they think will be really hard about their job - Vulnerability allows your athletes to realize they are not the only one who feels pressure in their role - It is critical to have ongoing conversations with your players about their role How do you approach promotions and playing time? - Athletes have to prove to their current boss that they are ready for the next level - Give them 2 or 3 measurable commitments Find us on social: @JPNerbun @NatenSanderson Download the podcast Coaching Notes here: htt

Coach Kurt Hines joins us today on the podcast sharing some of his favorite and most successful culture building lessons. As a coach, it’s important to be authentic with our players, and even more important than that, focusing on our why and reevaluating our driving factor for coaching athletes every day. Coach makes the distinction between fear and respect and gives us examples of what to do and what not to do! As a coach, how do you start a great culture? • People, people, people!! • Love people and they aren’t part of an agenda for your own success. What should you do in your 1st Coach Staff Meeting? • Share your “Why” • What do you want to hold on to from the previous culture? How do you connect with your athletes? • Intentionally teach and use the word “love”. • Be mindful of your ACTIONS. (Actions affect their perception of your more than your words!!) • Communicate that our love is not dependent on their ability. Possibly one of the most important takeaways, which will drive yo

In this episode, JP and Nate ask a key question may coaches face every season: "How can we maintain our players engagement and get them to enjoy the process even when the process becomes mundane?" JP and Nate give their unique look at how they have gotten their players in the past to enjoy the process, whether that be through one-on-one conversations, spicing up the routine, or funny enough, yoga. As a coach, you are equipping your athletes with the idea that through drive and determination, you can finish anything you begin. You won't want to miss this one! Find us on social: @JPNerbun @NatenSanderson Download the podcast Coaching Notes here: https://thriveonchallenge.com/podcasts/ Learn More on mentorship: www.thriveonchallenge.com

Are you a coach centered or a player centered team? In this episode we continue our conversation with VCU Rugby Coach Nick Hill to discuss the benefits of a player centered approach in coaching . Nick shares some practical steps to start to become player centered, that will challenge all of us as coaches! You will walk away with many practical strategies, so don't forget to get the Coaching Notes PDF by going to thriveonchallenge.com and subscribing to the weekly newsletter! Check out more from Nick at nickhillcoaching.com/ We'd love to hear from you by email or on Twitter! @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.com

New program? New season? Or just hitting the reset button on your season? VCU Rugby Coach Nick Hill joins us for the next 2 episodes to discuss some ways he has been able to build player centered cultures across the world at every level! You will walk away with many practical ways to build a stronger foundation, so don't forget to get the Coaching Notes PDF by going to thriveonchallenge.com and subscribing to the weekly newsletter! Check out more from Nick at http://nickhillcoaching.com/ We'd love to hear from you by email or on Twitter! @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.com

In this episode we discuss a variety of books we read throughout the year, what they taught us, and how they have impacted our lives. The coaching PDF notes will provide the names, authors, and key principles from each book. Subscribe to the weekly newsletter at thriveonchallenge.com to get the PDF coaching notes! We'd love to hear from you by email or on Twitter! @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.com

In this episode we discuss J.P.'s book "Calling Up" and the very principle of calling people up versus calling people out. The coaching PDF notes will be a sneak preview of Chapter 1! If you subscribe to the weekly newsletter at thriveonchallenge.com you will also get another very special chapter from the book. Enter a coach to win a free copy of the book: On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram say #thankscoach + tag the coach + tag me @jpnerbun or @thriveonchallenge + #callingup Daily winners until Christmas! @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.com

Great team cultures don't just survive conflict, they grow and thrive in conflict! In the second part of our conversation with Nadia Kyba we discuss the single the most important thing we can do as a leader when conflict arises and the 5 Styles of Conflict Management! Go to nowwhatfacilitation.com for more of Nadia's resources! Let us know your thoughts: @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.com Subscribe to Nadia's Newsletter: https://nowwhatfacilitation.us18.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=397c09c4af44c469506acb228&id=8d4a635ae0

Great team cultures are not exempt from disagreements and conflicts. Great team cultures just choose to embrace the conflict as an opportunity to learn and grow! In this episode we discuss effective conflict management for your team with Nadia Kyba an expert in this field. Go to nowwhatfacilitation.com for more of Nadia's resources! Let us know your thoughts: @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.com Subscribe to Nadia' Newsletter Here: https://nowwhatfacilitation.us18.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=397c09c4af44c469506acb228&id=8d4a635ae0

In this epsiode Nate Sanderson and J.P. Nerbun dive into some of the pitfalls of feedback and some new ways to give feedback that builds character and nurtures the relationship. Subscribe to weekly newsletter at thriveonchallenge.com to get the coaching PDF notes. Let us know your thoughts: @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.com

In this episode we discuss mental training for your team and athletes with world renown mental toughness Coach Dr. Rob Bell. Follow Dr. Rob at @drrobbell and check out his website https://drrobbell.com Subscribe to weekly newsletter at thriveonchallenge.com to get the coaching PDF notes. Let us know your thoughts: @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.com

In this epsiode Nate Sanderson and J.P. Nerbun dive into some unique and nontraditional ways of selecting and developing captains. We discuss how there is a difference between learning about leadership and leading! Subscribe to weekly newsletter at thriveonchallenge.com to get the coaching PDF notes. Let us know your thoughts: @jpnerbun @CoachNSanderson jpnerbun@thriveonchallenge.com Nate_S@BreakthroughBasketball.com