Way of Champions Podcast

How much of our human performance limits is physical and how much is "in our heads"? According to Alex Hutchinson, the human brain is the next frontier in breaking barriers in performance. We know more about the brain in the last 50 years than we did in the last 500 years combined. Is he right about the brain being the key to breaking new physical barriers? Listen to the full podcast for more.  Sh...

#64 "I'm just a kid playing a game": Overcoming adversity, managing disappointment, and building an athlete warrior ethos with USA Volleyball Player Cassidy Lichtman   Imagine playing your entire career with unimaginable pain or working your hardest for four years to fall one spot short of making a lifelong dream come true. Now imagine the kind of warrior ethos required to say "my pain will not co...

We often discuss what it takes to be a great leader, but the flip side is a willingness to be led. Great athletes, and even great coaches are always eager to learn and be led by others. Are you the kind of athlete willing to listen to others and put in the work? Listen to the rest of our podcast with Paul Kapsalis to hear more of his story.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 10:45 On being the 35thman...

#62"What is your team's why?" How outcomes are both purpose and process driven with Middlebury College AD Erin Quinn   What if your team was outcome-aware, but process and purpose-driven? What kind of results would you get if there was an undeniable and shared purpose and everyone was focused on the process of being their very best every day? To hear about great outcome-aware, purpose and process-...

"I screwed that up." Imagine asking a member of the Navy Seals what makes a great leader, and that it is the answer you receive. One of the toughest people on the planet showing vulnerability, failure, and weakness. According to Daniel Coyle, this ability to find weakness is what makes great teams strong. This is a must listen podcast for anyone who works with teams. Hear more about what it takes...

 When it comes to setting up classrooms for children, we get it. Everything in the school, including the restrooms, are kid sized, because we understand they are not adult-sized. Why do we continue to insist on full-size fields, big equipment, and adult rules when it comes to youth sports? If you agree with Dr. Norris in the video clip, listen in to the entire episode for more great insights.   En...

Nancy Stevens wrote one short sentence on the locker room mirror prior to the start of the 2017 season. She then repeated that season before her UConn Field Hockey team won the National Championship. One short sentence that empowered them, loosened them up, gave them confidence. What did she write?   Show Notes 6:20 How Nancy got started down the coaching path 11:50 Your team WILL have a culture,...

Did you ever just want to quit doing what you are doing? How do you handle someone who sabotages your work? How do you help athletes learn without lecturing all the time? What are your thoughts on coaching licenses?   Coach Reed and John tackle these Frequently Asked Questions and more in our most recent podcast.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 1:30 What are some of the best leadership traits? 4:50...

Enjoy the show!   If we coached robots, we could simply drill skills until the robots performed them to perfection, but we coach human beings. Way more goes into coaching people than simple drills and skills. Jean Cote shares what it means to be a Transformational Coach in our latest episode.  Show Notes 1:30 What got Jean into the Deliberate Play research realm 9:30 If we were coaching robots, we...

  Are you one of THOSE sports parents? All too often, we lump sports parents into one large category based on the behaviors of a few. Skye Eddy Bruce joins us to explain that not all parents are that way and the key to creating a better sports experience may be found with engaging parents more effectively.   Enjoy the show!   Show Notes 6:20 Soccer Parenting is the PTA of Youth Soccer 9:00 When a...

What would it be like to coach some of the greatest tennis players of all time before they become the icons they are today? Tune in to our latest podcast to hear Dick Gould's stories about these iconic players and more from over 50 years with Stanford Tennis.   Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes   Show Notes 2:15 Are fun and competitiveness mutually exclusive in sports? 10:30 Grea...

Are we robbing our kids of valuable self-directed executive function when we solve everything for them and don't let them make mistakes? This is a valuable life skill needed to succeed in college and beyond. Listen in as Jessica Lahey explains on the newest podcast.  Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes Show Notes 7:10 Education is not about attendance and tests, are we missing the...

When a program, both men's and women's teams, wins 16 National Championships in 18 seasons, we should take notice. When those programs are also sought after by parents because they create excellent men and women in the process, there is something we can all learn from them. Find out what Professor Zigarelli discovered about the Messiah Method.   Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes...

Has Belgium Football found the secret to International success? In 2009, Belgium was #66 on the FIFA World Rankings. They made a few changes and rocketed to #1 in six short years. What did they change? Belgian FA Director of Coach Education, Kris Van der Haegen, shares their secret on our latest Way of Champions Podcast.     Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes   Show Notes 9:00 Cra...

When that "hinge moment" that could change your life comes along, will you be ready? Join Dr. Rob Bell as he talks about hinge moments and those who help us because "No One Gets There Alone". Bio Dr. Rob Bell is a sport psychology coach, author, and speaker and His company DRB & associates is based in Indianapolis. He has written 6 books on Mental Toughness including the best seller Don't Should o...

Are we educating coaches on the skills that really matter? A sport scientist says we teach way too much techincal information and not enough of the softer skills. Bio Wayne Goldsmith has been at the forefront of sports innovation, education and development for over 25 years. His unique "whole of sport" background - having worked across every level and aspect of sport around the world gives New Spo...

What if, instead of worrying about winning games, we got our athletes to focus first on 'Winning the Day'? If they focused on their very best, working for the greater good of the team, and getting better every day, what kind of transformation would occur? Bio Hall of Fame head coach Cindy Timchal was named the first women's lacrosse coach at the United States Naval Academy on August 5, 2006, and i...

Dr. Williams is Professor and Chair, Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation at University of Utah. Dr. Williams has previously held senior leadership positions in the UK (Head of Life Sciences, Brunel University London) and Australia (Associate Dean for Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney).    His research interests focus on the neural and psychological mechanisms...

 Does culture matter in individual sports? According to 7x NCAA Tennis Champion Coach, Bob Hansen, it matters most. Bio Hansen is now in his seventh season as the head coach of the Middlebury men's tennis team. He came to Middlebury from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he has served as the head men's coach for 30 years. In his first six seasons, he has continued the post-season tra...

#46 How to Run Better practices with Best Selling Author Doug Lemov Bio Doug Lemov is the author of the international bestseller  Teach Like a Champion , and  Teach Like a Champion 2..0.  He is the coauthor with TLAC team colleagues of  Practice Perfect ,  Reading Reconsidered: A Practical Guide to Rigorous Literacy Instruction, and Teach Like a Champion Field Guide 2.0.  In addition to his work s...

A small town in Vermont, with only 3,000 full-time inhabitants has put at least one athlete in the every Olympic games since 1984, including the highest ever finisher in the ski jump from the US. What are they doing to create such elite athletes? The answer has nothing to with facilities or coaches…   Bio Karen Crouse is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where she earned a varsi...

Want to be a fly on the wall for a conversation between a 36-time NCAA Champion Sport Psychology Consultant and one of the greatest coaches of all time? This is a show you cannot miss! Dr. Jerry Lynch and Anson Dorrance join John this week to talk Dean Smith, John Wooden, Alonzo Stagg, and what it is like to build an unrivaled dynasty through love, connection, and strong character,   Bio Anson Dor...

Your child gets that all important phone call offering a spot on the good select sports team in town. You want your child to sample multiple sports, so you ask about managing a two-sport schedule. The coach says, "we are no longer interested". What would you do? Listen in to find out what Steve Boyle did… Bio Steve Boyle is the Chair of The National Association of Physical Literacy (NAPL) Advisory...

  We asked you all to share with us your favorite podcasts from 2017, and we had so many responses that we have decided to divide it up into multiple episodes. In this episode, we share your favorite podcasts from select coaches: UNC National Champion Lacrosse Coach Jenny Levy, USA Volleyball's John Kessel, World Cup and Olympic Champion Tony DiCicco, Unleash the Athlete's James Leath, and our int...

    What would it be like to spend 14 years working alongside and learning from one of the greatest coaches of all time – Johan Cruyff? We asked Todd Beane that question and more in our most recent podcast. Download it now.   Bio Todd graduated from Dartmouth College in 1986 with a B.A. in English Literature. Upon graduation, he was awarded a Rotary Scholarship to attend the University of Sussex i...