The Exponential Athlete | Sports Performance

Green Berets: What Sports Teams Can Learn from Assessment and Selection | Interview

Dec 6, 2024

CSM Lee Strong, a 27-year Army veteran and Green Beret, and SGM Chuy Almonte, an accomplished Army Special Operations veteran, discuss insights from military selection processes. They explore character traits that define great soldiers and athletes alike, emphasizing resilience and teamwork. The duo highlights the importance of mentorship, integrity, and self-awareness in high-pressure environments. They also draw parallels between military communication dynamics and sports, detailing how effective collaboration can enhance team performance.

01:16:33

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Episode guests

SGM Chuy Almonte

CSM Lee Strong

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Military training systems assess elite soldiers based on character, fitness, and intellect, mirroring elite sports coaching protocols.

The rigorous assessment process in Special Forces focuses on physical, mental, and teamwork challenges to develop capable candidates.

Building a culture of trust and continuous feedback is crucial for enhancing performance and fostering camaraderie in both military and sports environments.

Deep dives

Military Insights on Performance

The podcast delves into how military training, especially in Special Forces, can enhance human performance, paralleling principles observed in elite sports coaching. It highlights that military coaches often use standards and systems to assess both soldiers and athletes, focusing on character, fitness, and intellect as key attributes for success. Examples from military training, such as conducting physical assessments and integrating psychological evaluations, emphasize the importance of resilience and teamwork. These shared values and objectives create a framework for developing high-performing individuals in both military and athletic settings.

Intro

2min

Assessing Potential: Lessons from Special Forces Selection for Athletes

2min

Foundations of Selection: Fitness, Intellect, and Character

2min

Navigating the Selection Process for Special Forces

31min

Core Values: The Foundation of Leadership

22min

Navigating Risk in Training and Assessment

12min

Building Community Through Unique Communication in High-Performance Teams

5min

Some of the most impressive advancements in performance come from our military. Earl Woods taught Tiger very early on the importance of standard operating procedure, and Bob Bowman took his swimmers to train with the military to build resilience.

I went to Camp Mackall in North Carolina to learn from the special forces about the systems they use to assess and select elite performers in the military. I learn about the characteristics of great soldiers, which happen to be many of the same things that make great athletes.

More specifically, I spoke with CSM Lee Strong and SM 'Chuy' Almonte.

CSM Lee Strong is a professional soldier with 27 years in the U.S. Army, 24 of which have been spent in a special operations community as a Special Forces soldier more commonly referred to as the “Green Berets”. He has conducted routine and contingency deployments in 11 countries across 4 continents, and served at every level of command within a Special Forces Operational Group.

SGM Chuy Almonte is also professional Soldier with 28 years experience in the US Army, 24 of which have been in special operations, both as a Support Soldier and a Commando. He has deployed in all corners of the globe - supporting of Joint Combined Exchange Training missions to Asia, combat operations to Afghanistan, Counter Narco-Terrorism missions in South America and Central Asia, and numerous missions throughout the African and European continents.

00:00:00 Intro

00:03:54 What Do You Look for in Soldiers?

00:07:08 ARSOF Attributes

00:11:30 Evaluating Attributes

00:19:24 How to Create Trust and Compassion

00:29:21 Goals for Soldiers

00:32:21 Who Drops Out?

00:37:08 Can You Instill Intrinsic Motivation?

00:40:40 Understanding Core Values

00:49:10 Habits of Successful Soldiers

00:52:50 Feedback and Data

00:58:00 Low Tech vs High Tech Training

01:00:46 Assessment Vs Training

01:03:28 Calculated Risks

01:11:57 Secret Language

Resources:

Core Values Deck: https://amzn.to/3VpnWQ3

ARSOF more info: https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/specialty-careers/special-ops

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The Exponential Athlete | Sports Performance

Green Berets: What Sports Teams Can Learn from Assessment and Selection | Interview

Episode guests