Coach Talk: Conversations with Coaches and Sports Professionals

In this episode of Coach Talk , we speak with Adam Gary, head women’s golf coach at Western Kentucky University, about his transition from professional golfer to NCAA Division I coach. Gary reflects on the lessons he has learned during 13 years of leading the program, including how to build a strong team culture, recruit athletes who fit the program, provide effective feedback, and support the dev...

In this episode of Coach Talk , Tim Baghurst talks with Dr. Dennis Scanlon, Distinguished Professor of Health Policy and Administration and Faculty Athletics Representative at Penn State University. The conversation covers youth sport commercialization, rising costs, early specialization, parent expectations, NIL, the transfer portal, revenue sharing, and the changing role of college athletics. Dr...

In this episode, we discuss how kinesiology programs can be designed more intentionally by working backward from job data, professional expectations, and workforce needs. Rather than beginning with existing courses or traditional degree structures, this 10-step approach starts with the careers students are preparing to enter and then identifies the knowledge, skills, credentials, experiences, and...

In this episode, we dive into the recent qualitative study by Timothy Baghurst, Simon Quick, and Adrian Griffin, which explores the professional journeys of 11 minority assistant coaches in the National Basketball Association. Moving beyond standard league statistics, this discussion centers on the "counter-stories" and lived experiences of these coaches as they navigate the high-pressur...

In this episode of Coach Talk , host Dr. Timothy Baghurst sits down with veteran coach and educator Ben Waldrop to explore the realities of coaching in today’s educational and athletic landscape. Drawing on more than two decades of experience across high school, youth, and collegiate sport, Waldrop reflects on his journey from player to coach, and ultimately to mentor and leader within his communi...

In this episode of Coach Talk , host Tim Baghurst chats with mental performance consultant Tariqo Satterfield to explore the deeper dimensions of athlete development beyond performance metrics. Drawing on over two decades in education and his work with athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels, Satterfield introduces a faith-based, wraparound approach to mental performance ....

In this episode of Coach Talk , performance coach Benjamin Smith talks about the hidden struggles many high performers face behind outward success. Smith shares his personal journey from experiencing performance anxiety as a high school quarterback to helping athletes and leaders develop the inner tools needed to handle pressure, align with their values, and perform with greater clarity and purpos...

In this episode of Coach Talk Live , high school swim coach Jenn Gosline shares her experiences of coaching at the same school for over 20 years. Originally from New York, Jenn explains how joining a swim team after moving to Florida became her "saving grace" during high school. She reflects on starting her career feeling untrained and unprepared, even being told by her athletic director...

High school basketball coach Kevin Sutton shares his journey through college and high school coaching, detailing the challenges and joys of the job. He discusses the realities of being a coach who can be fired at any time and how it impacts the family. He shares some of the strategies he has used to build programs and explains why he ultimately chose high school coaching over college.

Omar shares his coaching journey in soccer, explaining what he does on a daily basis, what he's learned coaching at different professional levels, and how he balances winning with development.

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Ramjit from the Florida Coaches Coalition joins us to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing high school sports today: the lack of fair pay for coaches. We dig into the realities of coaching in Florida, why so many talented leaders are leaving the state, and what can be done to create real change. From personal stories to policy issues, this conversation highlights...

Author Henry Abbott discusses his book "Ballistic" and shares his knowledge about injury prevention. He discusses several topics, including the importance of hip mobility, how to jump and land correctly, why shoes are not as helpful as we might think, and what we can do to ensure mobility throughout our lifespan.

Renee Saunders shares her experiences as a volleyball coach in high school. She discusses sports specialization, how she evaluates a season with exit interviews, how she works with parents, how she balances club vs. high school sports, the challenges of coaching, and offers advice for other coaches.

Yolanda shares her coaching journey and explains how she built a successful program and why she left it to begin again. She shares the challenges of coaching along with its joys. Last, she shares advice for other coaches seeking to improve their skills.

Nassim shares how and why she left her executive job to become a mental performance coach. She explains what she does and how she helps athletes and coaches improve their craft, explaining the benefits of breathwork, visualization, and positive affirmation. Last, she provides advice for coaches.

Vanessa Fuchs shares her journey from collegiate AD to CEO. We discussed the landscape of women in the coaching profession, how WeCOACH is helping to support this challenge, the benefits of professional development, and advice for coaches.

Simon shares his coaching journey and explains some similarities and differences between coaching in the United Kingdom and the United States. We discuss various topics, including volunteer coaches, the need for proper coach remuneration, coach education and development (and lack thereof), and the importance of self-promotion.

Dan Talbot shares his coaching and leadership journey, which has led him to serve as the Polk County, FL, Athletic Director. He shares his experiences across several coaching and leadership topics, getting into the weeds on several issues, including the challenges of recruiting, retaining, and training coaches in FL schools.

Noah shares his experiences coaching in New York City. He discusses some of the challenges associated with school and club sports, juggling the two, developing players, and the role of certification and training in coaching.

Adam shares his coaching experiences coaching in North Dakota and beyond. He discusses the challenges of coaching teams that rarely win, how he establishes culture, works with parents, deals with criticism, and shares how important being a good listener is as a coach.

Simon shares his experiences in coaching volleyball, which has allowed him to travel the world. However, he also shares some of the realities of coaching, particularly the challenges associated with coaching volleyball, a less popular and funded sport in the United Kingdom. In particular, he discusses the lack of funding for the sport and why he's an unpaid coach for a national team. Last, he offe...

Tessa describes her coaching journey before discussing various topics, including coach education and development, working with multisport athletes, her values and how they relate to winning, the challenge of fundraising, and advice for other coaches.

Justin details his coaching journey and discusses in detail how he has built his coaching network of contacts and its importance. He discusses his coaching education, his duties as an assistant coach, how he recruits, and offers advice to others in his position.

Director of Education Programs for United Soccer Coaches Dave Simeone shares his background before delving into topics such as coach education in soccer, salaries and stipends, cost of training, challenges with the administration and development of soccer in the US, and advice for coaches.

James shares his coaching journey and discusses a number of coaching and coach development topics. He discusses the standards of coaching education, why coaches aren't being paid more, how coach education can improve, the value of self-observation, and offers advice for others.