Bound for Greatness

System-Level Leadership & Building Capacity for Innovation | Jamy Thomas & Joe Ursino Athletic Directors don’t struggle because they lack ideas. They struggle because they lack capacity. In this episode of Bound for Greatness , Scott Garvis sits down with Jamy Thomas (Pennsville Memorial HS) and Joe Ursino (Woodstown HS) to break down what system-level leadership actually looks like inside...

System-Level Leadership for Athletic Directors | Building Capacity for Innovation with Jeff Graviett How do elite athletic directors create time to innovate? In this episode of Bound for Greatness , Jeff Graviett, Athletic Director at Notre Dame, shares how system-level leadership transforms high school athletic programs. From implementing revenue-generating digital scoreboards to centralizing sch...

System-Level Leadership & Building Capacity for Innovation | John Woods & Chris Davis What does it really take to innovate inside a modern athletic department? In this episode of Bound for Greatness , Scott Garvis sits down with John Woods (Athletic Director) and Christopher Davis (Assistant Athletic Director) of Libertyville High School to unpack what system-level leadership actually look...

The Brain Is the Game | Neuroscience, Concussion Risk Reduction & Transformational Coaching with Mike Clayton & Pat Marquis What if the key to better performance, safer sports, and stronger leadership isn’t training harder — but training the brain? In this episode of Bound for Greatness , Scott Garvis sits down with Mike Clayton and Pat Marquis, co-founders of Neurotraining Education, to e...

Head Coach of the Head Coaches | Travis Smith on the Future of Athletic Leadership What can high school athletic directors learn from the chaos of modern college athletics? In this episode of Bound for Greatness , Scott Garvis sits down with Travis Smith — founder of Higher Ed Athletics , doctoral researcher, and former Division I administrator — to explore the surprising crossover between college...

In this episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis sits down with Joe Rubino (Special Education & Student Services Director) and Troy Spiker (Athletic Administrator) from Orville City School District (OH) to unpack a game-changing idea: integrating youth sports into the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to identify and support student-athletes’ mental and emotional needs before th...

Paul Delger, writer, mentor, and longtime inspirational speaker, joins Scott Garvis on Bound for Greatness with a message every athlete needs to hear: Keep Your Uniform On. Born with cerebral palsy and shaped by years of bullying, physical challenges, and adversity, Paul shares how faith, resilience, and humor helped him overcome life’s toughest moments and why he now dedicates his life to encoura...

Dr. Andrea Wieland, Olympian, psychologist, & performance strategist, joins Scott Garvis on Bound for Greatness to break down what confidence really is…and how elite performers build it long before the scoreboard ever shows up. After being cut from the U.S. National Team eight times before earning her Olympic dream, Andrea shares the mindset that shaped her entire philosophy: control what you...

What does it take to build a championship program—and an even better culture? In this episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis sits down with legendary Illinois high school soccer coach, teacher, and author Coach Michael Wiggins . With 431 wins , multiple Coach of the Year honors , and a state championship , Wiggins shares the leadership lessons that matter most long after the final whis...

In this special tradition-steeped episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis reunites with leadership powerhouses Todd Gordon, Aaron Stecker, Mike Harrison, and Taylor Chapman for the annual One Word Conversation, a transformative practice rooted in intentional leadership and personal growth. Rather than chasing fleeting New Year's resolutions, these seasoned educators & athletic l...

In this powerful episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis sits down with Tom Bendt , founder of Conversations and Coaching , former athletic director, and seasoned high school coach, to explore how coaching coaches is the next evolution in leadership. From his early days on the basketball court to leading culture change across districts, Tom shares what happens when we stop chasing the s...

In this episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis welcomes Isaac McBroom , Director of Education at the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) a global leader in certifying and developing tennis coaches. As PTR celebrates its 50th anniversary, Isaac shares how the organization is reshaping what it means to be a coach in the modern era. From eight core domains of certification to third-party a...

Episode Title: Feeding the Coaches Who Feed the Kids With Nate Albaugh, Founder of Coach ED In this powerful episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis is joined by Nathan Albaugh , founder of Coach ED , a trailblazing professional development platform dedicated to athletic directors and coaches. Nate shares how growing up as a coach’s kid and navigating his own journey from pre-med studen...

What happens when silence on the sidelines becomes louder than the voices that should matter most? In this powerful episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis sits down with Matt Coleman , Athletic Director at American Leadership Academy – Gilbert North, to tackle one of the most pressing and misunderstood issues in education-based athletics: "sideline silence." This is the momen...

What happens when a school leader dares to lead with heart, courage, and an unwavering belief in every child's potential? In this powerful episode, host Scott Garvis welcomes Jayme Braida , Principal at Columbus Elementary and newly named Iowa’s Elementary Principal of the Year. Jayme shares her deeply personal leadership journey from overcoming childhood adversity to shaping school culture ar...

In this compelling episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis is joined by leadership strategist and founder of Certantum Strategies, Greg Caprara , to unpack the overlooked challenges faced by mid-level leaders in high-stakes environments. Drawing from his upcoming book, Surviving Your CEO: How to Decode, Navigate, and Build Influence in the Chaos of Leadership , Greg shares a powerful ro...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Bound for Greatness , Emmy-nominated news anchor, TEDx speaker, and author Catherine Bosley joins host Scott Garvis to deliver a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and digital responsibility. After a single moment captured on video turned her life upside down, Catherine didn’t hide—she rebuilt, refocused, and rose to national prominence as a voic...

In this powerful episode, host Scott Garvis sits down with Michael Lang, the dynamic Athletic Director at Wendell Green School in Chicago, to explore the critical—but often overlooked—role of middle school athletics in shaping future leaders. With decades of experience mentoring students and coaches alike, Michael shares how sports at the middle school level can build confidence, compassion, accou...

What happens when faith, purpose, and strategic leadership collide? In this episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis sits down with Keith Wahl , Athletic Director at Valor Christian High School , to explore how he’s reshaping high school athletics through intentional leadership, faith integration, and a commitment to holistic coach and athlete development. Keith shares how he’s using fai...

Changing Lives Episode: Confidence with Zach Michel Presented by Bound In this powerful episode of the Changing Lives 36-part workshop series, host Scott Garvis sits down with Zach Michel , Athletic Director at Fairless Schools, to explore the game-changing role of confidence in student-athletes, coaches, and educational leaders. From growing up in a sports-centered household in Stark County, Ohio...

Welcome back to another episode of Bound for Greatness , the podcast where we bring you inspiring stories, innovative leadership, and the voices defining what it means to be great in education-based athletics. I’m your host, Scott Garvis . Today’s guest is someone whose work is transforming the emotional landscape of high school sports. Emilio Parga is the founder of The Solace Tree , a nationally...

In this powerful episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis sits down with Scott Stevens , the Athletic Director at Cascade High School in Indiana and board member of the IIAAA. Leading a full athletic department without an assistant or secretary, Scott exemplifies what it means to innovate through adversity and lead with heart. Stevens shares how he's transformed challenges into oppor...

In this powerful episode of Bound for Greatness , host Scott Garvis reunites with longtime colleague & coaching collaborator Coach Bill Liley , now the head basketball coach at Sumner High School . From his roots coaching under the legendary Ed Pepple at Mercer Island, to championship runs at King's High School and culture shifts at Newton and Eastside Catholic, Coach Liley shares a masterclas...

What happens when a veteran athletic director reflects on nearly 30 years of leading school communities, from rural gyms to high-performance stadiums in multi-high school districts? In this powerful episode, host Scott Garvis sits down with Kevin Simmerman , Athletic Director at Blue Valley West High School, to explore the hidden curriculum of education-based athletics. Kevin shares his inspiring...

In this heartfelt and powerful episode, host Scott Jarvis sits down with longtime friend and legendary AD Brent Buttjer —recently retired from Dallas Center-Grimes and now serving as the IHSADA Mentor Coordinator —for an authentic conversation about the real DNA of an athletic director. With nearly two decades of leadership in education-based athletics, Brent reflects on the highs, the hard lesson...