Way of Champions Podcast

Did you know only 1 in 5 youth coaches are properly trained in motivational techniques and only 1 and 3 are properly trained in skills and tactics? The big reason for this fact is the myth that volunteers can't or don't want to be trained. In this episode, Tom Farrey, of The Aspen Institute's Project Play, discusses how untrained coaches lead to the decline in youth sport participation, how vital this participation is to the viability of our communities, and some simple opportunities to get more trained coaches. Listen in to hear more from Tom. Bio Tom Farrey leads the Sports & Society Program, whose mission is to convene leaders, facilitate dialogue and inspire solutions that help sport serve the public interest. With the support of the Aspen Institute, he founded the program in 2011 and in April 2013 launched Project Play, a multi-year, multi-stage effort that provides the thought leadership for sport to build healthy communities, starting with universal access to an early positive experience in sports. Farrey is also a veteran journalist whose work has been recognized as among the nation’'s best and most innovative. With ESPN, his television stories have won the 2014 Alfred I. duPont/Columbia University Award, 2013 Edward R. Murrow Award, two Emmy Awards. His reports have appeared on Outside the Lines, SportsCenter, E:60, ABC’s World News Tonight, Good Morning America and This Week with George Stephanopolous. He was the first ESPN reporter to conceptualize and deliver cross-platform enterprise reports, and two years before that, in 1996, he joined the editorial team that built the website that later became ESPN.com. At both the Aspen Institute and ESPN, he has explored the connections between sport and the largest themes in society – education, globalization, technology, race, and ethics, among others. He is seen as a thought leader on topics including youth and college sports. He is author of Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children (2008, ESPN Books), an investigation of modern youth sports used as a text on many college campuses. Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes Show Notes 5:15 How Project Play was born 9:30 Can sport be managed from the top down 13:45 50% of parents on a soccer sideline feel the emotion of anger 22:00 Is there a community that is "getting it right" in youth sports 25:45 Project Play in your community: Baltimore as a model for increasing sport participation 36:45 The missed opportunity to get more coaches in youth sport Get in Touch Website: www.projectplay.us Twitter: @AspenInstSports @TomFarrey Get the Report: Sport For All Play For Life If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out and leave a review on iTunes. How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad Launch Apple's Podcast app. Tap the Search tab. Enter the name Way of Champions. Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the album art for the Way of Champions podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Thanks so much, every review helps us to spread this message!

What can sport coaches learn from a former British Commando? A better way to deliver content, ensure learning has occurred, and empower players to own their learning process. In this episode, Mark explains how coaches can more effectively shape behaviors, which will lead to better learning outcomes. Bio Mark has been training, coaching & mentoring individuals and teams since the early 90s. He joined the British Army in 1983. Mark passed the world famous Commando course in 1990 and while posted with the British Commandos experienced the stresses of operations during the first Iraq Conflict. While serving with 29 Commando Regiment as the senior instructor, running the Commando Training Wing, Mark was the first person to initiate structural change to the way soldiers were trained for the commando course. His work in this field culminated in the design of the Performance Development Systems; a holistic and robust approach to maximize real world performance for organizations, coaches and athletes. Following several years of running, designing and quality controlling "train the trainer" courses for the Military, Mark turned down promotion in order to leave the forces to commit to working on PDS full time. He has spent over 25 years researching and developing effective learning and adherence systems to help coaches and trainers maximize the performance of the individuals and teams they are working with. In 2006 Mark was awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE) by her Majesty the Queen for his work in developing the system. Mark believes in a "practitioner" based approach. He soon identified that many theories that may look good on paper or in controlled environments are not so effective in the "real world". PDS is all about providing a positive sustainable performance impact on the "shop floor". Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes Show Notes 6:15 His back story 10:45 Performance is a behavior not an outcome 20:30 Coaching isn't as easy as downloading information like the matrix 22:00 Acceptable, Unacceptable, Exceptional 31:15 A great coach develops self-reliance within the team 34:15 Athlete first, athlete last in communication during training. 44:15 How coaches can "check for learning" 49:00 What is effective communication 55:45 Mark's definition of excellence Get in Touch Website: www.pdscoach.com Twitter: @PDScoach Podcast with Stu Armstrong: A Conversation with My Mentor: The Talent Equation If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out and leave a review on iTunes. How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad Launch Apple's Podcast app. Tap the Search tab. Enter the name Way of Champions. Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the album art for the Way of Champions podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Thanks so much, every review helps us to spread this message!

Amanda Visek, PhD, a leading expert on Fun Integration Theory and Associate Professor at The George Washington University, dives into the fascinating world of fun in sports. She reveals that children define fun in 81 unique ways, challenging adult perceptions. The conversation explores how prioritizing enjoyment can combat obesity and dropouts in youth sports. Visek emphasizes the role of coaches and parents in creating positive environments, advocating for a kid-centric approach to enhance engagement and overall sports experiences.

"When I was a child, the vast majority of my sporting activities were in playgrounds and sandlots. Now, the majority of youth sports activities are organized and administered by adults …. The biggest problem in organized youth sports is very simple to explain — too many adults who want to compete through children." — Bob Bigelow, CNN Sunday Morning Bio A standout at University of Pennsylvania under Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Daly, Bob's talent brought him to play for the NBA's Kansas City Kings, Boston Celtics and San Diego Clippers. Since that time, he has conducted hundreds of talks and hosted thousands of clinics around the country to improve how coaches coach kids, and to develop greater skills in young athletes. Bob co-authored the watershed book, Just Let the Kids Play. Bob's key approaches for a better sports experience for children: Design sports programs that meet children's needs, not adults'. Ensure that every child gets meaningful playing time, up until varsity sports. Make sure that coaches and volunteers are trained and qualified to work with young athletes. Limit the number of games to prevent overuse injuries. Encourage participation in multiple sports to prevent burn-out and enhance overall body development. Avoid identifying "elite" players at young ages at the expense of later-bloomers. Don't over-coach from the sidelines — Let the Kids Play! Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes Show Notes 3:00 What was the impetus for Bob's book Just Let the Kids Play 7:00 Should we evaluate and cut kids at younger ages? 13:00 Bob's opinion on predicting future athletic ability at age 10 15:00 The "soccer creep" phenomenon of the 1980s 20:45 Do you need to overschedule your child in every sport under the sun? 25:30 What are the two pieces missing from the backgrounds of our coaches? 34:00 Bob's mission: remove adult egos from youth sport 41:30 We are not out here to produce better athletes Get in Touch Website: www.bob-bigelow.com Email: bob-bigelow@comcast.net If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out and leave a review on iTunes. How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad Launch Apple's Podcast app. Tap the Search tab. Enter the name Way of Champions. Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the album art for the Way of Champions podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Thanks so much, every review helps us to spread this message!

Brett Fischer used to see Tommy John's surgery in 25 to 28 year old athletes. Now he is seeing it in 13 year olds. What has happened to simple joy of the game and playing for fun when we push our athletes so hard they need surgeries at half the age they used to need them? Listen to Brett explain to John what is lacking in youth sports performance, how parents can help young athletes remain healthy and play longer, and how to make it fun and still get the work you need from even the highest-level athletes. Bio Brett is a Licensed Physical Therapist, Certified Athletic Trainer, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Dry Needling provider. He has worked with the University of Florida, New York Jets, PGA & Senior PGA TOUR and the Chicago Cubs. He has served as a consultant with the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers and currently provides sports performance training and rehab to MLB, NFL,NBA,NHL and world ranked tennis players. Brett is also currently the staff Physical Therapist with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals. Brett's expertise has led to national speaking engagements, television, internet and radio appearances and he has been mentioned in periodicals such as ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, USA Today and the New York Times. Brett received the 1997 Training & Conditioning Magazine Professional Athlete's Comeback Player Award/Medical Team for the comeback of future Hall of fame pitcher Randy Johnson. Brett is also the inventor of the most effective and versatile abdominal device sold nationally and internationally, the AB DOLLY. Watch Brett's VIDEO bio. Show Notes 4:30 Are basic movement skills missing in our younger kids? 9:15 30 of 32 first round picks in 2017 NFL draft were multi-sport athletes. 90% of all draftees were. 19:45 Most commons injuries in youth sports that could have prevented 21:45 What can parents be doing with their kids that Brett is doing with his athletes? 27:00 There must be an off season for every sport 35:45 What is missing most in sports performance at all levels? 48:00 The Trick is to have fun with thought behind it Get in Touch Website: FischerInstitute.com Twitter: @Fischer_Inst Instagram: @Fischer_Institute Facebook: @FischerInstituteAZ If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out and leave a review on iTunes. How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad Launch Apple's Podcast app. Tap the Search tab. Enter the name Way of Champions. Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the album art for the Way of Champions podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Thanks so much, every review helps us to spread this message!

Has your child experienced bullying in sport? This episode is the tough conversation none of us like to have but we must in order to protect our children. Author and anti-bullying expert, Jen Fraser, shares her own experiences with John and outlines a new kind of sport paradigm that could end bullying. Listen in to find out how to recognize bullying, address it, and protect your children.BioAuthor and teacher, Jennifer Fraser has a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Toronto. Her written work ranges from academic studies to plays and novels and she has taught for over twenty years at the university, college and high-school levels. A passionate educator, her new book Teaching Bullies: Zero Tolerance on the Court or in the Classroom explores what happens when the bully is a teacher or coach. Anti-bullying author and advocate, Barbara Coloroso has said "Fraser's focus on teachers and coaches is a new and important contribution to the field." Show Notes8:30 Do some of the school sport eligibility rules put athletes in danger for bullying?12:00 The Story of why she wrote Teaching Bullies16:45 What does it mean to be a bully? 23:00 Is it motivation or is it humiliation?27:00 50 years of research on the damage of bullying34:00 The issue of victim blaming in youth sports38:00 How can parents protect their kids in the case of possible bullying48:00 Blowing the whistle isn't easy, but we have to stand up for kids Get in TouchWebsite: http://jennifer-fraser.comTwitter: @teachingbulliesBook: Teaching BulliesIf you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out and leave a review on iTunes. How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad Launch Apple's Podcast app.Tap the Search tab.Enter the name Way of Champions.Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right.Tap the album art for the Way of Champions podcast.Tap the Reviews tab.Tap Write a Review at the bottom.Thanks so much, every review helps us to spread this message!

Would you be willing to trade 10 minutes at the start of practice in order to shorten training by an hour and increase your team's learning and development? Many coaches struggle to keep practices short and on task and fear giving up any time to activities like mindfulness training. What Dr. Lynch has discovered, the last few decades working with some of the top collegiate and professional teams, is that mindfulness rituals actually shorten training time and increase performance. If this is being done by the very best, it can be a weapon for any team. Listen in on Dr. Jerry and John as they discuss the miracle of being mindful in sports and creating an investment season for your athletes to better prepare for the regular season. Bio Dr. Lynch has been recognized as one of the top five in his profession nationwide. He has worked with men's and women's basketball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, golf and other sports at the universities of North Carolina, Duke, Maryland, California, Syracuse, Stanford, Harvard and Middlebury and continues to work with several teams and parent groups nationally. Several of his clients have participated in various summer and winter Olympic Games. Most recently, he has established a consultancy with Steve Kerr, head coach of the World Champion Golden State Warriors. In the past 30 years alone, he has been part of 54 Final Four and 36 National Championship at the collegiate and professional levels. Dr. Lynch is a well known and in-demand public speaker at Leadership, Coaching, athletic and corporate conventions, a national presenter of conferences, clinics and workshops for coaches, sports parents and athletes to college and high school. He is dynamic, entertaining, motivating, provocative, and humorous, presenting topics on Peak Performance and the Way of Champions in a practical, easy-to-apply manner. Some of his presentations include Keynote Talks at the New Zealand National Academy of Sport, Der Deutsche Schmerztog in Germany, the National Field Hockey Coaches convention, the Ironman Sports Medicine Conference in Hawaii, the USA Lacrosse National Conventions and the NIKE/China Leadership Summit in Lanai, Hawaii. Dr. Lynch has had extensive media interview coverage such as being an invited guest on CBS, NBC, and PBS national television, the New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Baltimore Sun, Outside Magazine and over 50 national radio broadcasts, podcasts and webinars. Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes Show Notes 5:30 Using an Investment Season To Prepare 14:00 Small Group Accountability and the Why Factor in Teams 17:00 What is Mindfulness and what role does it play in sports? 24:30 "You don't have time to not do mindfulness training" 29:30 Mindfulness can be done at all ages and levels 37:00 Jerry walks us through a simple mindfulness routine for any age athlete 46:30 Mindfulness Rituals are not a punishment. Use them as a tool for success. Get in Touch Website: Way of Champions If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out and leave a review on iTunes. How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad Launch Apple's Podcast app. Tap the Search tab. Enter the name Way of Champions. Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the album art for the Way of Champions podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Thanks so much, every review helps us to spread this message!

Is the way we coach based upon the latest science, research, and best practices of how children learn? Or is it based upon how we were coached growing up? In this fantastic interview, Dr. Richard Bailey, Head of Research at ICSSPE, separates fact from fiction and discusses some of the common mistakes that he sees coaches of all levels making around the world. He sheds light on what is missing in the coaching profession and the prevailing myths that cause us to approach athletic coaching in the wrong way. He talks about the need for coaching to rely on real science more than it currently does, the fallacy of coach training at the macro level, and what it would take to become a more professional field. He also digs into his research about the dangers of overpraised athletes and the big difference between leaning and training. Hint: it is not about drilling skills, it is about presenting problems. Tune in to hear this smart, humorous, and hard hitting conversation with one of sport's foremost experts. Bio Richard Bailey, the Head of Research at the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education, is a former teacher in Primary and Secondary Schools, teacher trainer, coach and coach educator. He has been a full Professor at Canterbury, Roehampton, Birmingham and Liverpool in the UK and has directed studies that have influenced policy and practice both nationally and internationally. In addition to his position as Writer in Residence at the ICSSPE Executive Office he is an author and blogger. Richard has undertaken funded research in every continent of the world. He has worked with UNESCO as Expert Adviser for Physical Education, the World Health Organization, the European Union, and many similar agencies. He has carried out research on behalf of the English and Scottish governments, numerous educational and sports agencies. He was a contributing consultant for both Nike-led Designed to Move and Active Kids Do Better initiatives, and has directed numerous scientific reviews, including the most comprehensive review ever published on the benefits of physical education and sport (BERA, 2007‐2008), the UK's independent review of player development in sport (sportscoach, 2008‐2009), and the IOC-funded study of the contribution made by Sport in Education (IOC, 2004). Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes Show Notes 5:15 Dr. Bailey's research in sport and it's impact 7:30 There are no good reasons for why we do what we do (inertia is powerful but dangerous) 10:45 Nursing magazines are full of information about science, but coaching magazines are full of ads for equipment 17:45 The coach is vital to all the benefits we prescribe to sports, so we need to prepare the coaches 23:00 Children are NOT mini adults 33:00 Is the 10,000 Hour a myth or science? 37:45 Early childhood performance as an indicator of future success? 41:45 The need for a crystallizing experience in sports for athletes to remain long term 46:00 Physique and size is a ridiculous reason for throwing children out of a sport system 47:30 The need to differentiate between practice and learning 54:00 How drills in rugby break the rules and break the strategy 56:15 Don't ever criticize people, because they'll crumble 1:04:00 What should be in a Coaching 101 course? 1:08:00 Finding Dr. Bailey Get in Touch Twitter: @DrDickB Facebook: Coaching Science Website: www.ICSSPE.org If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out and leave a review on iTunes. How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad Launch Apple's Podcast app. Tap the Search tab. Enter the name Way of Champions. Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the album art for the Way of Champions podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Thanks so much, every review helps us to spread this message!

What would your team look like if you let them shape and drive the culture, and if you loved them first as people before you ever tried to be coach? Would they be more like the bad news bears instead of Barcelona? If you said the bad news bears, you are dead wrong. In this entertaining and thought provoking interview with Tom Bates, we discover that the world's greatest teams believe in love, connectedness and the human component as the most important factors in building great cultures and winning teams. Tune in to hear Tom's fascinating stories from some of the world's most well-known managers and teams and his own beliefs about what makes a great coach, how to build a great culture, and where the future of sport is headed. Bio Tom Bates is Performance Psychology coach and consultant at West Bromwich Albion FC. Over the last ten years he has worked with youth and senior domestic international athletes, coaches, managers and teams helping them to perform under pressure and be at their best when it matters the most. Starting his career at Cambridge United, he moved to AFC Bournemouth and quickly progressed to Birmingham City FC during their years in the English Premier League and Championship before taking up his current role with the Baggies. Tom's work has extended into other professional sports working with GB Basketball, Swimming, Boxing, Rugby, Golf and Fencing. During the summer Olympic games of 2012 he worked select GB athletes to maximise performance under pressure to engage and apply Peak Performance principles based on the Science of Psychology. Tom has appeared in numerous television and radio features nationwide extending his work in psychology to executive business coaching seminars and workshops around the world. During these highly interactive seminars he acts to stimulate and inspire thought provoking leadership skills through focusing exclusively on the 'management of self'. Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes Show Notes 5:00 How he got into performance psychology 8:45 Only the weak need a psychologist" but even the best should be working with one 12:30 You cannot coach in a freezing cold pool 20:30 Tom shares a great practice from La Masia in Barcelona that helps develop their great culture 26:30 Moving from I/You to "We" is a powerful way to deepen the learning and the resiliency of athletes 33:00 Tom's belief in the future of High-Performance Coaching 37:15 The importance of culture in sport 48:30 The very first thing you should do to start a great culture and (maybe the most important) Get in Touch Twitter: @TomBatesCoachng (there is no "I" in coaching) Instagram: @TomBatesCoachng Website: www.tombatescoaching.com His TED Talk: Tom Bates: Imagination: The Power of Creativity If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out and leave a review on iTunes. How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad Launch Apple's Podcast app. Tap the Search tab. Enter the name Way of Champions. Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the album art for the Way of Champions podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Thanks so much, every review helps us to spread this message!

"...and it may mean you may never win." What if one of the best basketball coaches in the world told you that doing what you think is best for the culture and the program is more important than winning an NCAA title? Would you be willing to let go of the fallacy of winning for creating a culture that matters? This is exactly what Roy Williams told Jenny Levy in 2012. Jenny took what Roy told her to heart and changed her focus from chasing championships to a culture of connection. Two NCAA Championships later, Jenny my have discovered the real "Way of Champions". Listen in to hear her amazing story and the lessons she learned from some of the greatest coaches of our time. Bio Jenny Levy is third in NCAA Division I history in career wins, a two-time national champion and a two-time National Coach of the Year. She enters 2018 with a career record of 312-109, including 66-30 in ACC play, in 22 seasons. She has led the Tar Heels to nine appearances in the NCAA Tournament semifinals, including six in the last nine years. Her 30 NCAA Tournament wins are fourth in NCAA history. Levy is the fourth coach in women's lacrosse history to win an NCAA championship as a player (with Virginia in 1991) and as a head coach. She is the eighth coach to win multiple NCAA titles. The only head coach in UNC women's lacrosse history and among the collegiate game's most noted figures, Levy built the Tar Heel program from scratch. Levy has guided Carolina to 19 NCAA Tournament bids, nine NCAA Tournament semifinal appearances, three Atlantic Coast Conference titles and the 2013 and 2016 NCAA titles in her 21 seasons. She has been a mainstay on various NCAA, IWLCA and US Lacrosse national committees. She also is a four-time ACC Coach of the Year. She is a 1992 graduate of the University of Virginia with a BA in rhetoric and communications and was a member of the U.S. National Team in 1992-93 and again in 1995. Levy (then known as Jenny Slingluff) played at UVa from 1988-1992. She led the Cavaliers to the 1991 NCAA championship, scoring three goals in the title game and five in the semifinal, leading to her selection as the tournament's Most Outstanding Attacker. A two-time first-team All-America, Levy was named the 1992 NCAA Attacker of the Year. In 2002, she was named one of the top 50 players in ACC history. She married Dan Levy of Baltimore, Md., in June 1998. Dan is a 1993 UNC graduate who played lacrosse at Carolina for four years, starring on the 1991 NCAA championship team. The couple has three children - Ryan (born in Jan. 2002), Alec (born in Sept. 2003) and Kathryn (born in July 2006). Subscribe to the Way of Champions Podcast on iTunes Show Notes 6:00 Jen's Journey began with realizing the curse of knowledge 13:30 "Sustainable Success" happens with family – It isn't the winning, it's the atmosphere 19:00 How "Living up the the History" plays a role in building a champion culture 24:45 You need to recruit people who fit your culture not change to be like the people you recruit 29:30 Jen explains when parents should "step in" with their child's coach 38:45 Creating a champion culture is personal, a process, and takes time 43:30 "You have to be okay doing what is best for the program and it may mean you may NEVER win" 48:00 Jen's advice to young coaches – do this first to transform your career 55:15 Jen explains what will force her to stop coaching… Get in Touch Twitter: @UNCWLAX Instagram: @UNCWLAX Website: www.goheels.com Camps: CarolinaLacrosseCamps.com If you are enjoying our podcast, please help us out and leave a review on iTunes. How to leave an iTunes rating or review for a podcast from your iPhone or iPad Launch Apple's Podcast app. Tap the Search tab. Enter the name Way of Champions. Tap the blue Search key at the bottom right. Tap the album art for the Way of Champions podcast. Tap the Reviews tab. Tap Write a Review at the bottom. Thanks so much, every review helps us to spread this message!