X Factor: Unlocking Potential in Sports

"I want you all to take the word success. I want you to throw it away and I want you to replace it with significance." Matt Rogers, Founder of Significant Coaching & Recruiting, joins the EXACT X-Factor Podcast to share his boots-on-the-ground perspective after decades as a college head coach, life mentor, and recruiting advisor. With extensive experience helping student-athletes, pa...

"Everybody is not a trainer. Everybody's not a good trainer. You need to know who you trust to train your athlete and build that true work ethic." Garry "G" Murray, Talent Scout for the All State Game and prominent youth football leader in New York's Capital District, joins the EXACT X-Factor Podcast to share his firsthand recruiting perspective. As a former D1 athlete...

"A shape of a person doesn't define them. Most institutions say, 'If you're going to come in here and score points for me, I want you.' I don't care for that, because for me, recruiting is about more than just being able to score points." Daniel "Coach K" Laikona, Head Women's Volleyball Coach at Phoenix College and coach at Arizona Storm Elite, joins th...

"They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Coach Peter Davila, Defensive Coordinator at Keiser University and the 2025 AFCA NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year, joins the EXACT X-Factor Podcast to share his boots-on-the-ground perspective from coaching across all levels of college and NFL football. As the Keiser Coach and X1 Football Camp Lead who helped guid...

"You may find two or three new homes in the transfer portal. You know what you won't find then? Friends. People to stand up in your wedding. Brothers that want to elevate you and care about your success." Al Brisack, Associate VP of Athletic Development and winningest head baseball coach in Edgewood University history, joins the EXACT X-Factor Podcast to share his boots-on-the-ground...

"Me coaching at the high school level I saw what the middle school groups was missing when they came in to us. So I really just honed in on the fundamentals of what it takes to win a football game." In this episode, host Simon Clemens sits down with Coach Jordan Keitt, Head Coach at Mendenhall Middle School, Assistant Coach at Page High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Talent Sc...

"I was one of those athletes that did not take school seriously, and I had the talent. Now with NIL involved, you think a coach is going to pay for your scholarship and you're magically going to turn around and study? It's not going to happen." In this episode, host Simon Clemens sits down with Coach Dennis Reaves Jr., Tight Ends Coach at George Washington High School in Danville, Virginia, and Ta...

"If you start in a coach's doghouse, you might not ever get out of that." In this episode, Kip Yoshimura—Girls 18-1 Head Coach for 951 Elite and a veteran former NCAA Division I and Division III head coach—joins the podcast to share priceless insights from his decades of experience on both sides of the recruiting desk. Kip breaks down the fast-paced reality of fall college sports, the key differen...

"Right now, us as coaches, we got to really put our egos away and save these kids." In this powerful conversation, host Simon Clements sits down with Michael Hendricks, a veteran coach of 22 years and Talent Scout for the All State Game, who is on a relentless mission to uncover overlooked talent across New York City and transform young lives through football. Coach Hendricks opens up about the ra...

"We don't have a kid problem, we got an adult problem!" In this episode, host Simon Clemens sits down with Kyle Ochs, President of Team Indiana Football and a veteran leadership performance coach. With over a decade of experience spearheading one of the Midwest's most respected youth programs and coaching across virtually every level of the game, Kyle brings a boots-on-the-ground perspective on cl...

"At this point, I wouldn't recruit any one of you. We're not here to pick up after you. We're not your mom and dad. This is being a man, picking up after yourself, and learning how to take care of yourself." That uncompromising standard of accountability and leadership is exactly what Tyler Card brings to the table. As a Director of Talent for the All-State Game and the Head Football Coach at Gree...

"The real world will take no pause to crush our dreams and our hopes later on, so why are we going to crush them when they're in sixth, seventh, or eighth grade? Let them believe a little longer, let them have hope a little longer." That philosophy of radical honesty and unwavering belief is exactly why Brad Johnson, the Director of Talent for the state of Wisconsin, has completely revolutionized...

"All young kids that start playing youth sports, 70% of the kids stop by age 13." In this episode, we sit down with Neil Anderson, an engineer turned sports tech pioneer and the CEO and Founder of SkillShark. Neil has revolutionized the youth athletic landscape by replacing the chaotic pen-and-paper trial system with an objective, data-driven framework that eliminates evaluator bias and...

"I played over so many players who were much more talented than I was just based on my intensity." That level of relentless drive is exactly what sets elite athletes apart, a philosophy heavily championed by Jack Shields, the co-founder and director of Gulf United FC. Operating out of Dubai, Jack has successfully built a powerhouse academy that serves as a direct bridge for young players...

"I grew up playing baseball and honestly thought that’s what I was going to do for a living, until I was told my services were no longer required." That pivotal moment launched the entrepreneurial journey of Keith English, the Director of SkillMasters and Snap Soccer, who is now revolutionizing the youth sports industry. With a background in building systems-driven companies in lead gene...

"I wasn't cut out to be a dentist; I had selected one of five: doctor, dentist, lawyer, engineer, or failure." That moment of "ethnic pressure" and a failed chemistry class was the catalyst that led TJ Kostecky to a legendary 40-year coaching career. As the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Bard College and a renowned leadership educator, TJ has spent decades proving that the most powerful tool a leader...

Julianne Sitch, Head Women's Soccer Coach, who joins the X-Factor Podcast to pull back the curtain on the high-stakes world of modern college athletics. As a coach who has navigated the transition from professional play to leading a collegiate program, Sitch brings a unique perspective on the grit required to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. In this episode, we dive deep into the...

"I've crossed kids off my list because of how they treated their parents in the parking lot or how they acted during a warm-up, coaches are watching everything, not just the game." In this essential episode of the X-Factor Podcast, we are joined by Erica Hanson, a former college soccer coach with extensive experience in the recruitment landscape. Coach Hanson pulls back the curtain o...

"I was told I was too small, too slow, and that I’d never make it, but the only person who can truly define your limit is you." In this powerful episode of the X-Factor Podcast, we sit down with Coach Bruce Capers, a veteran basketball coach and mentor who has built a career on the "underdog mentality." From being overlooked as a prospect to leading Aiken Technical College to state championships a...

"Coaches do not develop players. Only players can develop players, and the sooner they accept that, the more they will improve". In this episode of the X-Factor Podcast, we are joined by the legendary Dr. Jay Martin, the winningest men’s soccer coach in NCAA history. With over 48 years of experience at Ohio Wesleyan University, Dr. Martin has redefined what it means to lead a championship program....

“Working on the wrong thing won’t get you to the right place—it’s just going to get you more tired.” Joining us to bridge the gap between hard work and actual results is Trey Mourning, the Founder of Coach Kama and creator of the Varsity Performance System. A former professional basketball player and Georgetown University standout with a Master’s in Sports Management, Trey brings a rare perspectiv...

Even skilled coaches, people who have been doing this for many years, struggle with the 'big middle'—they get it wrong when predicting which freshmen will become All-Americans or even starters on their own teams. Joining us to bridge the gap between intuition and evidence is Jon Nichols, the Co-Founder & Director of Analytics of DSA Labs. A former Division I dual-sport athlete at the U...

Most athletes and parents show up to their first college recruiting camp nervous and overwhelmed by the unknown. Will the coaches actually watch? What happens during the combine? In this episode, host Shannon Sitch sits down with Coach Shannon Currier to go behind the scenes of an EXACT Camp. They reveal the exact itinerary—from the crucial "elevator pitch" to the post-lunch recruiting p...

Are you falling into the "Recruiting Black Hole"? There is so much bad advice out there about what it takes to play at the next level. We brought together over 80 years of coaching experience to give you the map. Featuring J Craft (Associate Head Coach, Pacific University), Shannon Currier (Head Coach, Delano HS), and Cameron Andersen (Head Coach, Burley HS), this panel reveals the hard...

Stop guessing how to build mental toughness. If you are a parent or athlete frustrated by performance anxiety when the pressure is on, this episode is for you. We sit down with Dr. Ralph Tarter (NIH-Funded Behavioral Researcher and EXACT Sports Original Founder) to map out the exact neuroscience behind elite decision-making on the field. ⏱️ Chapters: 0:00 - The Mental Performance Problem 2:15 - Me...