Leaders in Sport

How would you describe a powerful leader? What qualities must a transformational leader have? We all have that one leader we look up to and want to emulate. The people at Design for Sport seem to have found the best leader they could ask for in Jordan Bokser. If you don't know Jordan that well, this is your opportunity to understand who he really is and how he became the person he is now. So liste...

Today, we’re joined by Joey Bergles, a seasoned Strength and Conditioning Coach. The Director of Strength & Conditioning at JJ Pearce High School in Richardson, TX, with a passion for true long-term athletic development. He offers in-person training in Dallas, Texas, and provides remote coaching, programming, and consulting to athletes, parents, and coaches worldwide. Tune into today’s episode...

Today we’re joined by Thomas Mauriello, a power-lifting athlete and coach who has a broken back to thank for his success. Founder and head coach of Frontier Performance, Tom helps athletes unlock their full potential with structured training and nutrition.  Tune into today’s episode for Tom’s eureka moment when he realized his passion for sports performance and his journey getting to where he...

Roger Nahas is a lifelong entrepreneur, a 23-year fitness industry veteran, a real estate investor, and a real estate agent. He escaped the rat race of the fitness industry, and today, he’s sharing how you can too!  Tune into today’s episode to dive into all things finance. He talks about investing in your future, how to enter the real estate market if you feel like it’s impossible and how to...

Today, we’re joined by Sam Davis, with over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry. Her career has seen many pivots. She now specializes in high ticket coaching, building online communities, and breaking free from the hourly rate. In today’s episode, Sam reveals how she would start building a community in 2023 from zero.  Tune in to learn more about the pivotal points in her career an...

Today, we’re joined by Akshay Nanavati, AKA Fearvana. Ex-marine and recovered alcoholic gave his life a new purpose by facing his fears head-on. In the process, he learned how to harness fear and use it as a driver to achieve an incredible life.   Tune in today to learn how to leverage fear and use it to create the life of your dreams. This episode is for athletes, entrepreneurs, coaches...

Josh Sutchar, Co-Founder of TrainHeroic and ex-NCAA football player, joins us today. We’re grateful to connect with people like Josh with a shared vision of elevating the health & fitness industry.   Tune in to today’s episode of Leaders in Sport to learn more about the TrainHeroic story and their vision for the future. Josh talks about his athletic career, how he came to understand...

Steve Englehart brings 19 years of D1 strength & conditioning experience to today’s episode. Now the Director of Strength Conditioning at the University of Colorado, he knows what it takes to lead a team and successfully run a top-tier program.  Tune in to talk shop, true leadership, how to stand out as an individual in an S&C program, recovery hacks for travel, and much more.  ...

Melissa opens up about her life-altering diagnosis and how it changed her life FOR THE BETTER. In today’s episode, she shares her transition from a paramedic to a holistic practitioner obsessed with root cause healing. Now a Sports Nutrition Specialist at Designs for Sport, Melissa helps coaches and athletes all over rewire their behavior to achieve optimal health and, in turn, optimal performance...

This one’s for entrepreneurs. Andrew’s learned from every heavy hitter in our industry. Preston Greene, David Lawrence, and Ben Prentiss, to name a few. Along the way, he’s watched more than 5 commercial leases slip through the cracks.  Tune in for his take on the power of owning who you truly are and how to step into it with confidence. Hint: it has to do with letting go of comparison. ...

Victoria reveals the three easiest ways to get started AND improve your existing strategy on social media. She shares the experiences that set her apart from other social media specialists, along with the biggest mistakes businesses are currently making online.  Tune in to today’s episode with a notepad and pen for social media advice from inside the DFS team!  More about Victoria: Brand...

Former athlete turned human performance-obsessed business owner David Labentowicz is a personal trainer based out of Ottawa, ON. He’s busy nailing the basics and walking the talk out of his facility, Point One, located in the East End of Ottawa. Only after diving deep into the science of health, longevity, and performance has he learned that everything we need to thrive is already here. He talks u...

From breaking into military base weight rooms to being the Director of Sports Performance for the University of Houston Men’s Basketball, Alan Bishop shares the big wins, big losses, and everything in between on today’s episode of Leaders in Sport. A true family man, Alan shares his outlook on ‘hustle culture’ and how to show up in the weight room and AT HOME.  Tune in to learn how to prepare...

They call him Superior Frakes for a reason. Our newest member of the Sports Advisory Board, Dr. Matt Frakes, joins us today to talk about his journey through academia and into the field. Frakes is a multi-passionate pioneer in the athletics space. As both an RD and CSCS, he is paving the way for bridged communication across all athletic departments. Now the Assistant Athletic Director of Sports Nu...

Sports Nutrition Specialist Ryan Darrow joins us today to talk all things functional medicine and relationship building. And it just so happens that Ryan is a wizard at both. He shares his experience witnessing the birth of Designs for Sport and how we’ve grown to become a recognized name in the world of college athletics. Not to mention his experience owning and operating World Gym in Taiwan for...

David Lawrence is a heart-focused strength coach on a mission. He set out to change the world one personal training package at a time, and he’s doing exactly that. Today, Dave dives into his top values as a father, husband, and business owner that have propelled him to the success he’s earned. Tune in today to learn how MECA grew from just under 20 employees to over 60 and growing in just under 2...

Haisam Rida knows what it's like to be the best in the world at what he does. The Ghanaian submission grappler and black belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor joins us today to share his journey through athletics and how he found martial arts.  Haisam, AKA the Giraffe, walks us through relocating from Africa to Tokyo as a teenager, the competitive landscape, and devoting his young life to train...

“The Man, the Myth, the Legend” Ron Incerta joins us on today’s episode of Leaders in Sport. He shares the trials and tribulations he’s endured over the course of his career to get to where he is today, billing at over USD 350/hour.  Tune into this episode to hear Ron’s story and learn more about the forever-student mindset he embodies.   Follow Ron on  Instagram: @ronnieincerta Web...

Jon McDowell, the co-founder of Train Vive and former Division 1, All-American track athlete, joins us today to remind you that the basics can’t be beaten. Jon works 363 days per year and “vacations” to education events that prioritize his growth as a business owner and a coach. In today’s episode, he reveals his daily schedule for optimization and lets us in on the mindset he embodies to maintain...

Health and wellness enthusiast turned business tycoon Nick Valenta joins us today to talk about all things business, work-life balance, and entrepreneurship. Nick is celebrating the grand opening of Evo Gyms in Dallas this May 2023. In today’s episode, he walks us through the gap he saw in the market and how he created a solution for trainers and fit-pros alike. Tune in to today’s episode to hear...

Tune into today’s episode with Jill Lane, Sports Nutrition Specialist and founder of Fueling Champions. For the past twenty years, Jill has been teaching athletes how to fuel to achieve their goals in and outside of sport. In this episode, Jill takes us through a deep dive into RED-S and the impacts of under-fueling in youth athletes, especially females. She shares her personal journey of being ab...

In this episode, we sit down with Frank Zombo, former American football linebacker, about all things mindset and performance as a professional athlete. We talked about his early days of playing football in high school and the transition to college football and then to the NFL, how to use training to find improvements in your game, and the importance of good sports nutrition.  Frank talked abo...

In this episode, we are joined by the Queen of men’s health, Ali Gilbert. Ali is a two-time Golf Digest Top 50 Golf-Fitness Professional and Trainer and has gained popularity through her unique approach to training. In this conversation, we discuss Ali’s transition after her move to Florida, what got her into working with men’s hormones, and her experience teaming up with various medical professio...

In this episode, we welcome strength coach Andrew Baker. Over the last 7 years in the industry, Andrew has worked with high-level athletes at both the professional and collegiate level, as well as everyday personal training clients looking to make a positive change in their life. Andrew has worked under the tutelage of some industry-leading strength trainers and is sharing his knowledge of effecti...

In today's podcast, we're joined by Dr. Stephanie Estima the founder of Hello Betty, host of the podcast Better! With Dr. Stephanie and #1 Best-Selling Author of The Betty Body. Dr. Estima is a doctor of chiropractic with a special interest in functional neurology, brain metabolism, and the specific application of the ketogenic diet and fasting to female physiology. She recently left her clinical...