Beyond Coaching: An Impactful Coaching Project Podcast

In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob talks with David Durand about what is actually limiting today’s athletes and why it is rarely talent. David explains how modern athletes are dealing with more pressure and less preparation, largely driven by social media and unrealistic expectations. That combination shows up in performance when athletes get stuck in their head and struggle to carry practice...

Every generation says the next one is soft. Rob's dad said it. Dustin's dad said it. Now coaches are saying it about the athletes in their gyms right now. But before we accept the premise, it's worth asking a harder question: what if they're not softer at all? What if they're just more aware, more informed, and asking better questions than we're ready to answer? In this episode, Rob and Dustin tak...

What separates a program people remember forever from one they forget the moment they graduate? Dr. Hunter Taylor has spent his career chasing that question — first as a basketball coach, then as a researcher embedded inside a high school football program, and now as a professor running coaching fellowships across three states. In this conversation, Rob and Hunter dig into the idea of "thick insti...

In this episode of Beyond Coaching , I sit down with Chad Carlson , professor at Hope College, longtime coach, and co-founder of Sport Faith Life. Chad studies sport for a living, but he still lives in the same tension every coach feels — the pull between competition, character, and keeping the right perspective when the stakes feel high. We talk about why coaches carry so much cultural influence,...

In this Podcast Short, Dustin and Rob explore trust. When trust is high, a coach can misspeak, show emotion, or even put his foot in his mouth—and players give the benefit of the doubt. When trust is low, even neutral comments are filtered negatively. Every word becomes suspect. Every interaction becomes evidence. The difference isn’t charisma. It isn’t quoting John Wooden. It’s the daily work of...

In this episode of Beyond Coaching , Rob sits down with two guests who live at the intersection of faith, sport, and formation: Matt Moberg – professional artist and chaplain for the Minnesota Timberwolves Mike Jaderston – Dean of Campus Ministries at Friends University and third-generation coach’s kid. The conversation starts with Matt’s unusual path to becoming an NBA chaplain and why he begins...

In this short episode of Beyond Coaching , Rob and Dustin sit in a tension that every competitive leader feels but few articulate clearly. Winning matters. It always has. The time, preparation, and emotional investment are real. Losses still sting—even years removed from the sideline. Rob admits that as an Athletic Director, he still goes home frustrated after tough losses. Caring deeply about out...

In this episode, Bruce Brown returns to discuss one of his most countercultural ideas: Positive Conditioning . Most coaches were conditioned the way they condition. Running is often used as punishment. Effort is demanded through anger. Mistakes are followed by sprints. But Bruce challenges that entire framework. What if conditioning wasn’t something athletes dreaded? What if it became a privilege?...

Dr. Lisa Riegel joins Rob Ramseyer to translate neuroscience into practical coaching leadership. She explains why behavior is the intersection of biology and context , how athletes’ (and coaches’) perceptions are shaped unconsciously , and why teams under stress often lose access to their best decision-making. The conversation moves from brain science to culture-building: psychological safety, pro...

This episode breaks down why hard conversations often go poorly in coaching and how to handle them with clarity, calm, and consistency. Rob and Dustin outline a simple, repeatable framework that works with today’s athletes and staff. Key Ideas • The 10–90 Rule: The first 10% of a hard conversation determines 90% of the outcome. How you start matters most. • Why these conversations matter: Most ath...

In this episode of Beyond Coaching , Rob sits down with Russell Smelley—NAIA Hall of Fame coach, longtime Westmont College faculty member and coach, and one of the most thoughtful voices in collegiate coaching—to explore what it really means to coach people, not just train athletes. Russell shares stories from nearly five decades in coaching, including his journey from proving himself through wins...

Rob continues his conversation with coach and youth-sport observer Shaun Reid, moving from diagnosing what’s broken to exploring practical solutions. Shaun argues the core issue in youth sports is a lack of parent education. Most parents don’t know what healthy support looks like, which leads to over-involvement, pressure, and confusion. Topics covered include how parents unintentionally make thin...

In this conversation, Rob and Dustin explore the difference between clean and dirty motivation—why both forms drive behavior, why one is healthier, and how they show up in coaching, leadership, and athlete development. The discussion draws from a story on The Knowledge Project podcast and connects it to real experiences inside locker rooms, practice environments, and the broader youth-sport ecosys...

In Part 1 of Rob’s conversation with Shaun Reid , they diagnose what’s gone sideways in youth sports. Shaun—originally from Wales and a longtime soccer coach—breaks down why the youth sports “system” has drifted from child-centered development toward a pay-to-play business model. Rob and Shaun discuss dropout rates, parent pressure, over-trusting underqualified coaches, and the way “selling a drea...

This Best of 2025 episode brings together the most listened-to and most shared conversations from Beyond Coaching this year. Each segment tackles a reality coaches deal with every day: how to build culture when not everyone plays, how to develop leaders through failure, and how to handle stress without trying to eliminate it. You’ll hear from Brent Hobson , Jim McNeal , and Mitch Hull —three coach...

In this Beyond Coaching Podcast Short , the conversation centers on a simple but often neglected truth: care doesn’t happen by accident—it has to be planned. The discussion explores how coaches can create intentional platforms for honest, constructive dialogue with players. When athletes are given the right setting, clear expectations, and healthy boundaries, most are fair, thoughtful, and investe...

Rob sits down with Brent Hobson , longtime Friends University women’s soccer coach. Brent became a head coach at 24 and has spent nearly a decade shaping a program built on clarity, honest feedback, and team-first culture. They dig into what it actually takes to coach Gen Z, how to lead players who aren’t getting the role they hoped for, and why self-evaluation is one of the most underrated tools...

Rob sits down with longtime softball coach Suzanne Unruh to unpack how coaching has changed over the past decade—and why today’s athletes require a different kind of leadership. Suze shares how she evolved from a win-driven, blunt young coach to a purpose-focused mentor, emphasizing emotional intelligence, individualized coaching, and building identity beyond the game. The conversation highlights ...

Rob sits down with longtime coach and mentor Dean Jaderston to unpack the transitions that shaped his career—from Minnesota high schools to college men’s hoops, and eventually to leading women at Friends University. Dean lays out a clear contrast between coaching men and women, why the collective psyche matters on women’s teams, how to move from managing to leading , and what it takes to stay stea...

In this episode, Dustin Galyon shares a real-world coaching moment involving a senior student-athlete who skipped a team workout and responded with uncharacteristic defiance. Instead of reacting with discipline alone, Dustin leaned on years of relationship-building to have a direct, honest conversation—one that ultimately deepened trust and ended with mutual respect. The conversation explores how...

In Part 2, we dig deeper into how the U.S. Naval Academy develops ethical, resilient leaders—and how those same lessons apply to coaching. Jim breaks down the Academy’s leadership lab, the sophomore ethics course, and the “2 for 7” contract that defines a midshipman’s commitment. We also talk about his new book, Crucibles —what inspired it, the diverse organizations studied (from NASA to the Gurkh...

This special Best of September edition of Beyond Coaching brings together some of the most eye-opening and practical conversations we’ve had this month. From the sidelines of youth sports to the leadership labs of the Naval Academy, each guest shared powerful stories and truths that speak directly to the challenges coaches and leaders face every day. We kick things off with Mitch Hull of the 3D In...

In this first half of my conversation with Jim McNeal , we dive deep into what it means to lead, fail, and mentor in one of the toughest leadership pipelines in the world: the U.S. Naval Academy. Jim, a Naval Academy alum turned coach, mentor, and author, shares how he coaches high school and collegiate athletes, why failure is intentionally built into the Academy’s system, and how he guides stude...

“Simple Isn't Easy" Guest: Jamy Bechler – Leadership Consultant, Former Coach & AD, Host of Success Is a Choice Podcast In this episode of Beyond Coaching , Rob sits down with Jamy Bechler—someone who's done it all: NAIA coach, high school AD, college interim AD, and now a full-time leadership consultant working with athletic departments around the country. Together they dive into the realitie...

In this episode, Rob welcomes back Mitch Hull for a honest conversation about how to fix youth sports. They explore the root causes of parent conflict, why playing time dominates every sideline conversation, and what coaches and athletic leaders can actually do to shift the culture. From parent meetings to post-game behavior, Mitch shares practical, field-tested advice on how to create transformat...