The Reformed Sports Project Podcast

University of Virginia Head Baseball Coach Brian O'Connor was named ACC Coach of the Decade by D1Baseball.com for transforming the Cavaliers baseball program into one of the top programs in the country. He led the team to their first NCAA Championship in 2015 and has been recognized as The National Coach of the Year three times. Coach O'Connor joins Nick to discuss the winning mindset fostered fro...

Krista Gerlich is the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Texas Tech University. A national champion and Red Raider standout as a student-athlete, Coach Gerlich returned to her alma mater in 2020, guiding the women's program to their highest conference finish under a first-year coach in the Big 12 era. During her 15-year coaching career, she’s racked up two TABC Coach of the Year awards, three Confer...

One of the most accomplished collegiate wrestlers in history, Bo Nickal is a three-time NCAA Division I National Champion, 2019 Big Ten Athlete of the Year, 2019 Dan Hodge Trophy winner, and two-time Schalles Award winner. He recently announced his transition to MMA and currently competes in the middleweight division of the UFC. Bo joins Nick to discuss how and when he decided to specialize in wre...

Roy Williams is widely considered one of the greatest basketball coaches of all-time. His resume as Head Men’s Basketball Coach spanned more than thirty years between the University of Kansas and the University of North Carolina and boasts three NCAA Division I National Championships, nine Final Four appearances, and over 900 wins, among many other extraordinary accolades. Coach Williams was induc...

Jay Norvell's football resume reaches almost every corner of college and professional football through his time as player and coach. He is currently the Head Football Coach for Colorado State University and has previously spent time in the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and NFL. Coach Norvell joins Nick to discuss the similarities between coaching and teaching and how early sport specialization can hurt...

Seth Pepper is an elite-level sports psychologist, mental performance coach, and former professional athlete. He has developed mental training systems that have helped elite athletes, coaches, business leaders, and art creators. Seth joins Nick to discuss his journey from professional swimming to high-performance mental coaching to youth sports parenting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Steve Magness is a world-renowned expert of health and human performance. He is the author of The Science of Running , co-author of the best-selling Peak Performance and The Passion Paradox , co-creator of the online performance platform The Growth Equation, and previously served as a Division I Head Cross Country coach. Steve joins Nick to discuss how in today's youth sports culture, the push for...

Amanda Stanec, PhD is one of the world's leading experts on the intersection of movement, sports, psychology, and education. With a Masters of Science with an emphasis in Physical Education and Sport Psychology, and a PhD in Kinesiology, Dr. Stanec has published numerous articles, co-authored several book chapters, and worked with many leading American and Canadian sports organizations....

Since joining the University of Tennessee’s Baseball program as head coach in 2017, Tony Vitello has transformed the Volunteers into a national powerhouse. He was named 2021 National Coach of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association after the Volunteers earned a spot in the 2021 College World Series, and he also led this year’s squad to an SEC Championship. Coac...

Lewis Caralla is Head Football Strength and Conditioning Coach for Georgia Tech. Prior to his time with the Yellow Jackets, Coach Caralla led Strength and Conditioning at three other NCAA Division I FBS programs and was named 2018 Strength Coach of the Year by Football Scoop . Coach Caralla joins Nick to discuss the importance of kids learning life lessons on their own during sports and how coache...

Daniel Gallucci is the Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Nurosene, an AI-based technology company that supports mental performance and wellness. He is a former professional soccer player, trained functional neurologist, osteopath, and brain researcher who has worked with all ranges of athletes from elite professionals to youth club participants. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month,...

Cailin Bracken is a collegiate student-athlete who recently received national acclaim for her inspiring and candid article titled "A Letter to College Sports," which implores our society to rethink our current sports culture as it relates to the importance of mental health. In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, Cailin joins Nick to share some of her own experiences and perspective with mental...

University of North Carolina Head Baseball Coach Scott Forbes has helped lead the storied Tar Heels baseball program to seven College World Series appearances, seven ACC division titles, and three ACC Tournament titles during his two decades with the program. Coach Forbes joins Nick to discuss his background and philosophy as a coach, the importance of keeping doors open while exploring opportunit...

Recently named Head Football Coach for the University of Connecticut, Jim Mora brings 31 years of coaching experience in both the college ranks and the NFL to the UConn Huskies program. Coach Mora joins Nick to discuss how to instill a culture of excellence through communication, expectations, and discipline. He also shares why he’s attracted to multi-sport athletes, what he’s learned...

Ben Askren is a wrestling and MMA superhero. One of the most dominant college wrestlers in history, Askren became a folk hero during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, before going on to become a multiple-time MMA champion and one of the sport's biggest stars. He founded the Askren Wrestling Academy, one of the premier wrestling programs in the country that regularly churns out champions at all levels. A...

Scott Jackson is the Head Baseball Coach at Liberty University. Named the 2021 ASUN Coach of the Year, Coach Jackson has led his team to set several school records, mentored numerous draft picks, and won multiple championships in his five years in Lynchburg. Coach Jackson joins Nick to discuss why parents should stay out of practice, how youth coaches can encourage kids to keep playing, and why hi...

Head Women's Basketball Coach at Whitman College since 2001, Michelle Ferenz has transformed Whitman Women's Basketball into an elite DIII program. She has been named Northwest Conference Women's Basketball Coach of the Year three times and has led the program to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, including a second place finish in 2014. Coach Ferenz joins Nick to discuss the unique benefits fo...

Peter Carlisle is the Managing Director of Olympics & Action Sports for Octagon. With more than 25 years of experience as an athlete agent, marketer, and advocate, Carlisle has guided Octagon's Olympics & Action Sports division into an industry powerhouse that includes clients such as Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, and Aly Raisman. A Reformed Sports Project Advisory Board Member, Carlisle j...

Andy Partin is widely considered one of the nation's leading figures in travel and showcase baseball. In the early 2000s, Partin founded Impact Baseball and Dirtbag Baseball to provide high school players more exposure opportunities to help them play at the collegiate level. He has pioneered the Dirtbags into one of the top and most recognizable baseball programs in the country. Partin joins Nick...

Head Men's Basketball Coach at Clemson University Brad Brownell currently holds the most wins for a head coach in program history, racking up more than 200 wins over his 11 seasons leading the Tigers. Coach Brownell joins Nick to discuss why he recruits multi-sport athletes, the importance of kids and their parents focusing on "running their own races," and how passionate perseverance is key to lo...

J’den Cox is one of the most successful wrestlers of our time. He’s a two-time World Champion, Olympic bronze medalist, and three-time NCAA Division I National Champion. Cox joins Nick to discuss how mental health has played an integral role in his wrestling career and highlight why it’s crucial that athletes separate their identities from their sports. He also explains how intrinsic love creates...

Manya Puppione is heading into her second season as Head Women's Soccer Coach for George Mason University after leading the Marymount University program and assisting at the University of Maryland. She also saw tremendous success as a player for the U.S. National Team at a variety of age groups from 2002-2008 including winning the 2002 FIFA U-19 World Cup. A Reformed Sports Project Advisory Board...

Jay Johnson recently won his debut game as Head Coach for the LSU Tigers' powerhouse baseball program. Prior to joining LSU, he earned Pac-12 Baseball Coach of the Year honors while leading the Arizona Wildcats to the Pac-12 Championship and a College World Series berth in 2021. Coach Johnson joins Nick to discuss the value of sequential learning, how he teaches his players to be good teammates, a...

Head Coach of the Duke Blue Devil's Wrestling program since 2012, Glen Lanham has led at least two wrestlers to qualify for NCAA Championships in seven of his nine seasons. His program's wrestlers have seen success in the classroom as well, earning numerous NWCA Scholar All-America and All-ACC Academic honors in addition to multiple finishes in the top 25 nationally for team GPA. Coach Lanham join...

Cori Close is currently in her 11th season as the UCLA Women's Head Basketball Coach. She holds the highest winning percentage among the program's coaches with more than 200 wins, and she's led the Bruins to six NCAA Tournament appearances. Coach Close joins Nick to discuss today's misconceptions about discipline, how mental health plays an integral role in sports, and why coaches should focus on...