Sport Coach Education

In this episode, Liz talks with Wes Yourth, Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer at the University of the Pacific. Wes shares his unconventional journey from collegiate baseball player to coach to Division I athletics administrator, reflecting on the mentors, setbacks, and leadership experiences that shaped his philosophy of coaching and athlete development. The conversation explor...

In Episode 13, Liz talks with Michelle Davidson, a longtime swim coach, lifeguard, teacher, and mentor whose life in the water stretches from the Jersey Shore to the English Channel. Michelle shares her background as a scholarship swimmer, longtime lifeguard, and coach who has spent decades teaching, training, and competing across swimming and lifesaving. She reflects on the difference between tea...

In Episode 12, Liz talks mountain bike coaching with Stephanie Beritsky, a certified mountain bike instructor, NICA coach, and former REI instructor, to compare three common training pathways: PMBIA, BICP, and NICA’s in-house coach training. They unpack the real differences in how each system prepares instructors/coaches, especially the tradeoff between classroom/testing vs. on-trail learning, and...

In Episode 11, Liz talks with Marshall Milbrath—former cross country coach, teacher, exercise physiology grad, and PhD-trained coach educator—about what actually drives athlete improvement and coach development. Marshall shares how he chased every learning opportunity he could find (including USA Track & Field coach education), why buy-in and consistency often beat the “perfect plan,” and his...

In Episode 10, Liz talks with Dr. Peter McGahey (West Virginia University and U.S. Soccer coach development) for a big-picture conversation on learning, growth, and what makes coaching truly transformative. Peter breaks down the U.S. Soccer licensing pathway, what it means to develop coach educators (not just coaches), and why the next frontier is learning science, communication, and relationships...

In Episode 9, Liz talks with Gregory Rubendall—a lifelong soccer coach, former physical education teacher, and soccer coach educator—about what it really means to build better learning environments in the sport. They dig into how coaches can create sessions that keep players engaged, how communication and culture shape development, and why coach education has to be practical (especially for volunt...

In this conversation, Kyla Lupo, a USA Triathlon Level 2 coach, about how she’s built a truly welcoming team ( www.gobig.life ) for beginners—and for athletes who often don’t feel safe or seen in traditional endurance spaces. We talk community-first coaching (including a race-day “tailgate” vibe), body acceptance, coaching trans and para athletes, and why mental health and reflective practice belo...

In episode seven, Liz sits down with Eric “Doc” Brand—her middle school teacher from the 1990s—who has spent 37 years in public education and about 40 years coaching athletes across sports. Eric shares how his coaching has evolved into a more intentional, player-centered approach: starting practice with quotes and intentions, experimenting with a constraint-led approach, and asking athletes to nam...

In episode 6, Liz catches up with longtime friend and former Reebok NYC colleague Rick Prince, founder of United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA). Rick shares his journey from junior national team cyclist and collegiate runner to personal trainer, corporate fitness director, and ultimately creator of a science-based education company for endurance coaches. Together they dig into how UESCA...

In this bonus episode, Liz and Sharon Kriz keep the conversation going after Episode 5 and dive into memory lane—back to their days on the Rutgers Women’s Crew team. They also swap stories from their trip to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where they volunteered at the rowing events. With tons of old rowing photos on screen, this is a great one to watch on video.

In this episode, Liz gets a little giggly with her former Rutgers Women’s Crew teammate, Sharon Kriz. The two share stories from their days as clueless walk-ons who worked their way into the varsity boat and eventually sat together in the 7 and 8 seats their senior year. Sharon went on to compete on the U.S. National Team and has spent more than twenty years coaching youth rowing. She shares a wea...

This week we hear from former English professional footballer Ash Allanson. Ash has an undergraduate degree and PhD in coaching from the University of Hull and has brought his expertise to Ohio University, where he is now a professor of coaching. Listen to Ash and Liz discuss approaches to effective coaching, how coaches are also teachers, and why different athletes need different approaches. They...

In episode three, Hannah Bleikamp shares what it’s really like to be an HS athletic director and why her degree in coaching may serve her even better than a traditional athletic administration degree. Along with Liz, Hannah is also pursuing her PhD in Sport Management, and together they talk about how she “coaches her coaches,” the village it takes to support a successful athletic program, and the...

In episode 2, we hear from Desmond Bouteiller, a coach with Team Alberta Baseball, where he was named the 2022 Baseball Alberta Coach Developer of the Year. Desmond is also a Certified Learning Facilitator for Baseball Canada and the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC). We will be discussing the Canadian National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), which the CAC manages and delivers, providing...

In our debut episode, Liz talks with swim coach and PhD candidate Stephanie Barnes about her journey from age-group swimmer to college coach, Auburn staff member, and year-round coach in San Antonio. Listen as they explore what separates teaching lessons from truly coaching, how to balance fun with high standards, and why Stephanie believes coaching is a profession worth studying—not just somethin...

Welcome to Sport Coach Education , the podcast that explores how coaches learn, grow, and develop. Hosted by Liz Byham — former Division I athlete, public school teacher, and Ph. D. student researching coach education — the show dives into the systems that shape coaching in the U.S. Each week, Liz talks with coaches, educators, and leaders to unpack what coach education really looks like today: fr...