Joanne McCallie | Former D1 Head Women's Basketball Coach & Author | "You Can't Sell Your Soul as a Coach"

Joanne “Coach P” McCallie stands as one of the most accomplished coaches in women’s college basketball history. 

Over 28 seasons as a Division I head coach at Maine, Michigan State, and Duke, she became the only coach ever to win Coach of the Year honors in four different conferences (five times in total). She ammassed 646 career wins as a head coach which ranks her in the top 100 all-time for women's basketball coaches. She led teams to three national championship game appearances (one as a head coach and two as an assistant). Along the way, she built a reputation as one of the most decorated and resilient leaders in the sport.

In this conversation, Coach P discusses the importance of self-leadership in coaching, the need for leaders to model healthy habits, and the courage to seek therapy in high-pressure environments. She reflects on her evolution from a dogmatic to a transformational coaching style, shaped by mentors like Coach K and Tom Izzo, and talks candidly about balancing personal and professional life without “selling your soul.”

We also discuss her work beyond the sidelines, from advocating for brain health and breaking the stigma around mental illness, to writing her bestselling book Secret Warrior and her debut novel Stellar Rising.

Whether you’re a coach, a leader, or someone striving to “win without losing yourself,” this episode offers insight and inspiration you won’t want to miss.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:

[4:15] — Actions Speak Louder Than Words

[7:47] — Normalizing Brain Health

[18:14] — Don't Delegate Relationships

[25:43] — Lessons from Tom Izzo and Coach K

[37:12] — Winning Without Losing Your Soul

[47:13] — Developing as a Leader & Mentorship

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