Way of Champions Podcast

Lauren Fleshman is one of the most decorated American distance runners of all time, having won five NCAA championships at Stanford and two national championships as a professional. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times and Runner's World . She is the brand strategy advisor for Oiselle, a fitness apparel company for women, and the co-founder of Picky Bars, a natural food company. She is th...

Lauren Fleshman is one of the most decorated American distance runners of all time, having won five NCAA championships at Stanford and two national championships as a professional. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times and Runner's World . She is the brand strategy advisor for Oiselle, a fitness apparel company for women, and the co-founder of Picky Bars, a natural food company. She is th...

Hugh McCutcheon is a native of New Zealand, where he was national team volleyball player. He played on the New Zealand junior and senior national teams from 1988 to 1990 before coming to the US. He soon began an illustrious coaching career, leading the US Men's National Team to Olympic Gold in 2008 in Beijing, and the US Women's National team to silver at the 2012 London Olympics. He then became t...

Ashley Merryman ( www. AshleyMerryman.com ) changes the world's dialogue. She finds the science essential to understanding what makes people tick—what motivates us, what inspires us—from individual quirks to institutional phenomena. Then she explains how to use these insights to transform our lives. The best place to get them is to subscribe to her newly reborn newsletter  www.thesherwoodreport.co...

Ashley Merryman ( www. AshleyMerryman.com ) changes the world's dialogue. She finds the science essential to understanding what makes people tick—what motivates us, what inspires us—from individual quirks to institutional phenomena. Then she explains how to use these insights to transform our lives. The best place to get them is to subscribe to her newly reborn newsletter  www.thesherwoodreport.co...

This week John shares his thoughts after two weeks on the road visiting college teams and conducting some parent and coach workshops on some topics that have come up a lot recently. Quite a few coaches have asked about parent engagement and how to work with those parents who just don't get it, and John shares his ideas around building trust, and making deposits in the trust bank so you can make wi...

Quin Snyder is the former Head Coach of the Utah Jazz of the NBA, stepping aside in June 2022 after eight very successful seasons. Previously he was head coach at Missouri, as well as numerous assistant coaching stints across the NBA, college basketball, and even CSKA Moscow in Russia. Snyder played collegiately under Coach K at Duke University, and was named an Academic All American as a senior....

Quin Snyder is the former Head Coach of the Utah Jazz of the NBA, stepping aside in June 2022 after eight very successful seasons. Previously he was head coach at Missouri, as well as numerous assistant coaching stints across the NBA, college basketball, and even CSKA Moscow in Russia. Snyder played collegiately under Coach K at Duke University, and was named an Academic All American as a senior....

Zach Brandon (@mvp_mindset) serves as the Mental Skills Coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks where he oversees mental performance services for players and staff across all levels of the organization. His focus is on helping players and coaches achieve peak performance consistently, while also increasing their enjoyment and satisfaction in sport and life. Prior to his current role in profession...

Carol "Hutch" Hutchins wrapped up her 38th season at the helm of the University of Michigan softball program in 2022. She was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006. With a career record of 1,707-551-5 over her 39 total seasons as a NCAA head coach, Hutchins is the winningest coach in NCAA softball history. Hutchins' squads have captured one NCAA National Cha...

Carol "Hutch" Hutchins wrapped up her 38th season at the helm of the University of Michigan softball program in 2022. She was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006. With a career record of 1,707-551-5 over her 39 total seasons as a NCAA head coach, Hutchins is the winningest coach in NCAA softball history. Hutchins' squads have captured one NCAA National Cha...

James Leath (@jamesleath) is a mental performance coach, keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and founder of Unleash the Athlete. He is the former Head of Leadership at IMG Academy and currently is a mental performance coach for EXOS. when not traveling the world speaking and presenting He is a long time friend, former co-host and producer of this podcast, and speaker for Changing the Game Proje...

James Leath (@jamesleath) is a mental performance coach, keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and founder of Unleash the Athlete. He is the former Head of Leadership at IMG Academy and currently is a mental performance coach for EXOS. when not traveling the world speaking and presenting He is a long time friend, former co-host and producer of this podcast, and speaker for Changing the Game Proje...

This is a special episode of the podcast as Stuart and John got to record in person in Bend, Oregon after a 2 day work visit with a little ski adventure on the thrown in. He has been traveling the US speaking at the United Soccer Coaches Convention and working with the coaching staff of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL, and had a few days to spend in Bend before keynoting the Oregon Youth Socc...

This week we are doing something a little different on the podcast. We had a last minute guest cancellation, so this week we decided to discuss one of our recent blog posts that just went a but viral, " How Adults Take the Joy Out of Sports , and How We Can Fix It. " The release of this blog coincided with the drama around the US Men's National Soccer team that gained international headlines when...

Vince Ganzberg is the Director of Coach Education for United Soccer Coaches, the largest soccer coaches association in the world. Ganzberg has earned his US Soccer A-License, United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma, and National Youth License along with a Master's Degree in recreation and sports science from Ohio University. He has honed his craft through his tenure as a United Soccer Coaches Educat...

Vince Ganzberg is the Director of Coach Education for United Soccer Coaches, the largest soccer coaches association in the world. Ganzberg has earned his US Soccer A-License, United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma, and National Youth License along with a Master's Degree in recreation and sports science from Ohio University. He has honed his craft through his tenure as a United Soccer Coaches Educat...

This week we dig into the archives from April 2017, when John sat down with world record holder and 2x Olympic Gold Medalist Ashton Eaton for some timeless advice for athletes of all sports and ages. Ashton Eaton is a retired American decathlete and two-time Olympic champion, who holds the world record in both the decathlon and indoor heptathlon events. Ashton competed for the University of Oregon...

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Leadership Expert Tim Kight (@Focus3team). Tim founded Focus 3 in the mid-80's in Southern California, a life-long student of elite performance with the passion and drive to help organizations achieve their goals. In his college days, Tim transferred from Ohio State to UCLA while running Track. It was at UCLA that he witnessed John Wooden win hi...

This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Leadership Expert Tim Kight (@Focus3team). Tim founded Focus 3 in the mid-80's in Southern California, a life-long student of elite performance with the passion and drive to help organizations achieve their goals. In his college days, Tim transferred from Ohio State to UCLA while running Track. It was at UCLA that he witnessed John Wooden win hi...

Kim Barnes Arico finished her 10th season as the head coach of the University of Michigan Women's basketball team in 2021-22, leading the Maize and Blue to 25 wins and the first NCAA Elite Eight appearance in program history. Throughout her 10-year tenure, she has guided the Wolverines to at least 20 wins in nine seasons, five NCAA Tournament appearances, an NCAA Elite Eight appearance (2022), an...

Kim Barnes Arico finished her 10th season as the head coach of the University of Michigan Women's basketball team in 2021-22, leading the Maize and Blue to 25 wins and the first NCAA Elite Eight appearance in program history. Throughout her 10-year tenure, she has guided the Wolverines to at least 20 wins in nine seasons, five NCAA Tournament appearances, an NCAA Elite Eight appearance (2022), an...

Dr. Joe Baker (@bakerjyorku) is Professor and head of the Lifespan Health and Performance Laboratory in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University, Canada. He is a world-leader in research on talent identification, developing sport expertise, relative age effect, and high performance athlete development and has held visiting researcher/professor positions in the United Kingdom...

Dr. Joe Baker (@bakerjyorku) is Professor and head of the Lifespan Health and Performance Laboratory in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University, Canada. He is a world-leader in research on talent identification, developing sport expertise, relative age effect, and high performance athlete development and has held visiting researcher/professor positions in the United Kingdom...

It is with a heavy heart that we replay this podcast this week, as we lost a truly great family man, leader, and mentor in the space of coaching, leadership and human development, Dr. Greg Dale. He was only 60 years old and left us far too soon, with so much more to give. He was a massive supporter of this podcast, Way of Champions, Changing the Game Project, and many others in the field of sport...