CWB: Coaching While Black

In the season finale of Coaching While Black, Alecia and Armond take stock of where the healing-centered sport movement stands - and where it's headed. Sports-based youth development had its moment in the sun. Now, healing-centered sport and coaching are earning their place in the conversation, and the momentum is only building. In this episode, two expert coaches reflect on what it means to show...

As healing-centered sport experts, Alecia and Armond discuss the practicality of implementing healing-centered coaching as middle and high school coaches. The two battle in the hot takes, arguing over whether a coach should make kids do what they say vs meeting the athletes where they're at. "How are they going to learn to persevere if I don't put them through it?!" vs "Fear sparks compliance - no...

CHJS spends a lot of time telling coaches that sport heals kids — but in Episode 3, they let a kid say it himself. Leo, 13, joins Armond and Alecia not as a guest celebrity but as an athlete with real opinions about what makes sport feel safe or unsafe, connecting or isolating, healing or harmful. The conversation is refreshingly unscripted: the hosts ask, Leo answers, and when his experience comp...

Hollywood has spent decades showing us what coaching looks like. But how much of it is actually great? Armond and Alecia break down movie coaches - Mr. Miyagi, Coach Carter, Ted Lasso, Herman Boone - using the healing-centered sport framework to separate what works from what causes harm. They debate whether tough love builds character or breaks kids, why redemption arcs work on screen but fail rea...

Sport has always been more than a game. But too often, coaches are told to "stick to sports" or kids are asked to "leave it at the field door." Armond Richards and Alecia Ivery push back on both: true healing-centered sport only works when kids feel seen, safe, and welcome to bring their full selves. In this episode, they get into what that actually looks like when times are hard, from ICE raids a...

Coaching While Black is back for Season 4, and Armond Richards and Alecia Ivery are coming to you live from Super Bowl Radio Row (again!). This season they're getting into it: ICE raids and it's impact on youth sports, what Hollywood gets wrong about coaching, and whether sport actually heals kids' mental health (yes, we go straight to the source with a 13-year-old guest).  Subscribe and save the...

We've reached the season 3 finale of CWB! In this episode, Armond Richards and Anthony Andino dig into how coaches can support young athletes beyond the game. They break down what it means to create a team culture where kids feel safe, supported, and prepared for life both in and outside the sport. Just as importantly, they discuss why coaches need to care for their own mental health and serve as...

Why do so many girls stop playing sports, and what can we do to change that? In this special Women's History Month episode of Coaching While Black , Armond Richards and Alecia Ivery explore how to keep girls engaged in sports and build truly inclusive spaces in athletics. Alecia shares her perspective as a girls' basketball coach, while Armond reflects on his role as a girl dad and what it means f...

Coaching Gen Z is a whole new game, and in this episode of Coaching While Black, we're tackling it head-on. Hosts Armond Richards and Alecia Ivery dive into the challenges and strategies of coaching Gen Z athletes in today's social media-driven world. With over a decade of experience coaching middle schoolers, Alecia shares insights on how social media, technology, and changing communication style...

In this special episode of Coaching While Black, we're taking a moment to thank our friends at Players Coalition. Because of our partnership, we're here on Radio Row hosting Season Three! Their commitment to justice, equity, and access in sport is changing the game for athletes at every level.   Players Coalition is using its platform to drive real systemic change, focusing on four key areas: poli...

Sports have always been bigger than the game. In this episode, Pharlone Toussaint sits down with Tori Holloway and Trimaine Davis from Players Coalition to talk about how sports can drive social justice, youth development, and community change. They break down why 70% of kids stop playing sports by age 13, how increasing costs and privatization are shutting young athletes out, and what it will tak...

We're kicking off Season 3 of Coaching While Black with a powerful conversation on the real barriers Black coaches face—especially in the NFL. In this episode, hosts Anthony Andino and Alecia Ivery break down the "qualification myth" and how Black coaches are often held to higher standards while being given fewer opportunities.   From personal experiences to systemic challenges, we explore why Bla...

We're back with a special Coaching While Black miniseries from Radio Row at the Super Bowl, powered by our partnership with Players Coalition. This season, we're diving deep into the realities of coaching, leadership, and athlete development through a healing-centered lens Join us as we explore the power of sport in creating meaningful change. Follow @PlayersCoalition to stay updated on their nati...

CWB Hosts chat with two-time Gold medalist and current General Manager of Angel City Football Club, Angela Hucles Mangano. Angela chats about her journey as an athlete and a minority owner and leader of the trailblazing women's soccer team. The guys make sure to give Angela her flowers as she serves as a role model for so many young athletes in sport, especially young Black athletes. Angela is the...

With over 20 years of youth sports experience between the CWB hosts, Chris and Anthony return to plant city to discuss their recommendation on how to build a healing-centered sport programs. Chris reflects on his time at the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy and Anthony drops the mic when he mentions joy as a vulnerable emotion for kids. If they agree on one thing, they agree that love i...

Hosts Chris, Armond, and Anthony discuss the demise of youth sports via sport specialization. Though mentioned as a $30-$40 million dollar industry, we now know that youth sports market is now valued at over $35 billion, pitting outcomes against process. Pressure over fun. Chris suggests that grownups reflect and discuss personal goals with their kids on their youth sport experience to help clarif...

In this thought-provoking episode, Chris and Anthony introduce "The LeBron Model," a concept that explores how to support and nurture rising young athletes both on and off the court. Set in a (too) lively, greenhouse-like atmosphere, the hosts dive into the pressing need for increased regulation around Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and the importance of having honest conversations with fam...

In this CWB episode, hosts are joined by a special guest, Coach L.A., a prominent community coach and leader from Inglewood, Los Angeles. They delve into the rising popularity of sports in the LA area and its impact on local communities. Coach L.A. shares her unique experiences and insights on how she has been supporting her community through the power of sports, including her own program, Pass it...

This episode of Coaching While Black talks about parents. Oh, parents. Sport parents, to be exact. Parents - we need to be better at our kid's games. Armond has some advice on how to help, as well as Anthony and Chris who suggest creating opportunities for parents to be involved in a POSITIVE way. Claire talks about how she's that parent that sits off and ignores the other parents because of the n...

Armond takes the reigns in this fourth episode of Coaching While Black, talking about the need for more brain-based education for coaches and, eh hem...all grown ups. The guys talk about regulation as one of the great mental health tools coaches need to practice in order to get the best out of their young people and athletes. Listen to the guys hang out and discuss regulation and other important t...

Armond, Anthony, and Chris reflect on the power of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their environments, already grounded in healing-centered principles, creating a powerful experience for young Black students. Chris, a St. Augustine alum, talks about his love for his time at St. Augs and Armond about his time chatting with students athletes at neighboring Shaw University. A...

Get an inside look at the world of professional and collegiate women's sports with this insightful episode featuring Natalie White, VP of the LA Sparks. Natalie brings decades of experience as a player and coach to her role leading one of the WNBA's top franchises. Natalie discussed her college athletic achievements and how she turned her passion into A10tion, a non-profit providing STEAM opportun...

In the premiere episode of Season Two, the hosts chat with Renata Simril, President and CEO of the LA84 Foundation and Play Equity Fund. Renata shares her personal story and how her own experiences led her to run an inspiring platform and community dedicated to bridging gaps in the play equity movement. As someone who was once that girl in need of more opportunities to play sports, Renata has take...

We're back with season two of Coaching While Black, a podcast of the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport. Hosts Chris Reed, Armond Richards, and Anthony Andino discuss how sport can (and should) be leveraged to help our young people and athletes heal and perform on and off the field. Over ten audio and video episodes, we discuss topics like the importance of community building and regulat...

The hosts Chris, Anthony, and Armond take some time today to reflect on season one of Coaching While Black. They also discuss what they hope for future seasons of CWB and who could serve as potential guests. Learn how the healing-centered sports approach can make sport a vehicle for systemic change. Contact the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport. www.chjs.org Want to chat directly with o...