Captains & Coaches Podcast

What if the most powerful coaching tool you have isn’t your program, your system, or your intensity — but your expectations ? In this episode, I break down the Pygmalion Effect and explain how the beliefs coaches hold — often unconsciously — shape athlete confidence, identity, and performance.  We’ll explore how expectations show up in daily coaching behaviors, why athletes rise (or stall) ac...

What if the key to handling criticism isn't thicker skin—but a clearer sense of who you are? In this episode, I sit down with Army Ranger veteran and combat sports coach Roman Mori for a raw conversation about dealing with hate—both the kind that comes from keyboard warriors and the kind that whispers in your own head right before you step into the arena. Roman doesn't sugarcoat it. He's been ther...

John Wooden said it best. Without intentional guidance, athletics can reinforce the wrong traits just as easily as the right ones. In this episode, we explore the coach's critical role as the architect of morality in sport. Drawing on sport psychology research, wisdom from legendary coaches like John Wooden and Pat Riley, and the good book—"A good name is more desirable than great riches"—we break...

Ever wonder what it takes to coach at one of college lacrosse's most storied programs? In this episode, Notre Dame Lacrosse Defensive Coordinator, Ryan Wellner shares what makes the Fighting Irish elite—and it's not what you think. Here's what you'll discover: Learning from Legends: The game-changing advice Ryan received from Jack Moran (the winningest high school coach in history) and Tommy Gill...

Today's athletes aren’t motivated, led, or developed the same way you were—and if you’ve ever felt like your coaching isn’t landing the way it used to, this episode is your wake-up call. We break down exactly why modern athletes shut down, why old-school methods no longer work, and how you can evolve into the kind of coach today's generation actually responds to. You'll get to listen to the first...

What does it take to build a championship program when there's nothing there? In this episode, Tex sits down with Coach Lindsey Munday, who's done one of the rarest things in coaching – built winning lacrosse programs from absolute zero not once, but twice. As a player, she helped Northwestern grow from a brand-new program to back-to-back national champions in just four years. Now, as head coach o...

Stepping into an established program as a new coach? You're about to clash with teenagers who have their own "set ways" of doing things—and not all of them are productive. In this episode, Tex McQuilkin breaks down the counterintuitive truth that coaches who avoid setting firm boundaries aren't creating freedom for their athletes; they're creating insecurity and fear. Drawing from 17 years of coac...

Youth sports are hemorrhaging athletes at age 12—and the system that's supposed to develop them is actually driving them away.  In this episode, Dr. David Yeager, psychology professor at UT Austin and author of 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People , breaks down exactly what's broken and how coaches can fix it. Order 10 to 25: Science of Motivating Young People Book Now! - https://...

"Sports don't teach lessons—coaches do." Captains & Coaches Founder Tex McQuilkin recently joined Mikki O'Neil on the Purpose After Sports Podcast to reflect on his journey from captain to coach. In this compelling conversation, Tex shares his superhero origin story—how rejection from high school football coaches accidentally sparked a movement when he and nine teammates started a lacrosse tea...

The title reflects their journey. Two coaches who've always operated outside the traditional establishment and finding belonging with those who saw the world differently. They became chosen family through the trenches—staying gold even as seasons changed and forced them to grow up.   In this episode, Tex and Luke dive into the psychology of identity—who you are versus who others expect you to...

In sports, laughter isn’t a distraction — it’s a bonding mechanism. In this episode of Captains & Coaches , Tex McQuilkin dives into the art and science of banter — the playful trash talk, inside jokes, and honest jabs that transform teammates into brothers and sisters in arms. Tex explores how banter becomes the most fun way to deliver candor . Listeners will learn why the best teams master t...

What if the most powerful leadership tool isn't a system or strategy—but the depth of connection you create first? In this episode, Tex travels to Indiana to reconnect with Luke Summers, a longtime friend and collaborator who's been there through the trenches of building training systems, coaching armies of coaches, and navigating the messy, beautiful reality of life transitions. This isn't just a...

"We were either going to win the game or win the fight." - Anthony Mason That's the crossroads every competitor faces. But here's the paradox: the aggression we think makes us tougher often makes us weaker. The intensity we believe gives us an edge can be the very thing that costs us the game—and something far more valuable. In this episode we heat up one of sport's most misunderstood dynamics: th...

What if the secret to sustainable nutrition change wasn't more information, but better engagement?   Jen Broxterman, RD, turned her passion for behavior change psychology into a half-million dollar nutrition practice—without traditional marketing. Her approach? Making healthy eating so fun and simple that clients become her biggest advocates. In this conversation, we explore the tools that tr...

Conflict is inevitable on every team — division isn’t. In this episode we're sharpening one of the most underrated skills of great leaders: navigating tension without tearing the team apart. From locker room blow-ups to sideline disagreements, how you handle conflict will either fracture trust or forge stronger bonds. We’ll break down the three core goals of healthy conflict resolution, the ground...

Recorded live at the NSCA Conference, this episode features an in-depth conversation with Justin Lima about the art and science of strength coaching, career development, and the mission behind Strength Coach Network. Key Topics Covered: Calling Out Bad Training: Why Justin publicly questions dangerous training practices and how he educates "coaches in the middle" through social media Speaking the...

In this deeply personal episode, host Tex explores how self-image shapes athletic performance and coaching effectiveness—sparked by a painful realization about his own self-deprecating behavior and a recent loss that brought these lessons into sharp focus. Key Topics: Why your performance will never rise higher than your self-image The coach expectation cycle and how first impressions shape outcom...

Squatober is here! In this episode, recorded live at Summer Strong 18, we sit down with Josh Dobbie—marketing leader at Sorinex—to explore a leadership philosophy that challenges everything we've been taught about control, strategy, and development. Josh's journey from college tight end to culture architect reveals a powerful truth: the best leaders don't create something from nothing. They recogn...

Energy doesn't just happen. As coaches and leaders, we have the power to transform practice from a stress-filled obligation into a sanctuary where athletes leave the world behind and unlock their potential. What You'll Discover: - Energy Primers: spark engagement before practice even begins. - Competitive Dynamics: challenges that tap into your athletes' natural drive. - Psychological Anchors: int...

What separates athletes who survive pressure from those who thrive in it? At 5,280 feet, where the air is thin and standards are even higher, Coach Andy Holmes is redefining what it means to develop championship mentality. In this conversation, we explore discipline as a practice of intentional choice—not just following orders, but actively choosing discomfort, choosing growth, choosing to show up...

Explore the profound difference between coaching approaches that enforce compliance versus those that build lasting belief. Drawing from research and personal athletic experience, as Tex reveals how transformational coaches create ripple effects far beyond performance metrics. Transformational coaching operates through four core principles: role modeling authentic leadership, inspiring compelling...

What if everything you thought you knew about leadership was backwards? In this transformative conversation, Logan Gelbrich - founder of Deuce Gym and host of the Hold the Standard podcast - reveals how authentic leadership emerges from process, not position, and why the most powerful thing you can do is take complete ownership of what's within your control. In this episode, you'll discover: Why p...

What if everything you think you know about coaching young athletes is backwards?   In this eye-opening episode of the Captains and Coaches Podcast, host Tex McQuilkin breaks down game-changing insights from Dr. David Jaeger's book "10 to 25" that will revolutionize how you approach leadership and development.   You'll discover: - The hidden "Neurobiological Incompetence Model" that's sa...

What if the difference between breakthrough performance and crushing disappointment isn't talent, training, or even opportunity—but the story you're telling yourself about who you are and what you're capable of? In this transformative conversation, developmental coach Dr. Cara Miller reveals how self-authorship—the fundamental belief that you are the narrator of your own experience—becomes the fou...

Discover the game-changing framework that revolutionized Tex's approach to developing both movement excellence and character. In this transformative episode, learn the powerful four-stage system: Define, Model, Shape, and Reinforce . What You'll Master: Crystal-clear movement instruction that accelerates learning Why modeling matters more than words (leveraging mirror neurons) "Confrontation with...