Advertise on podcast: Contacts Coaching Podcast

On the Contacts Coaching Podcast, host interviews James O’Brien, regional director of the Florida Coaches Coalition and girls flag football coach at Western High School in Broward County. O’Brien shares his path from playing football (including walking on at the University of Miami in 1995) to working in software, converting to Christianity, and moving into teaching and coaching in 2007 to impact younger people. He explains Florida’s severe underpayment of coaches, high turnover, and the Coalition’s legislative effort that helped pass SB538, which removed barriers preventing booster clubs from funding coaches; implementation is now county-by-county. The conversation also covers head coaching challenges beyond X’s and O’s—culture, accountability, managing parents and bureaucracy, adapting systems to available talent, building team bonding, and coaching people first while using football as a tool. 00:00 Meet Coach James 00:43 From Player to Teacher 02:18 Florida Coaches Coalition 05:26 California Pay Comparison 08:06 Minimum Wage Proposal 10:09 Resources and Momentum 11:12 Coaching Reality Check 12:38 Building an Offense 13:45 Switch to Flag Football 15:04 Culture Over Xs and Os 16:41 Managing Parents and Paperwork 18:15 Adversity as a Coach 19:10 Consistency and Standards 19:49 Culture Over Corners 20:27 Season Flies By 21:09 Compete With Yourself 22:22 Walk On Mindset 23:44 Stealing From Other Sports 26:03 Bonding Builds Champions 28:48 Coach Stress And Growth 33:45 Evolving The System 34:59 Love People First 37:59 Practice As Sanctuary 38:45 Final Thanks And Wrap

The episode features the Contacts Coaching Podcast host interviewing retired athletic director and podcast host Dr. Jake Von Scherrer about his path from growing up in Oregon and playing small-college football/track to a 41-year career in education, coaching, and athletic administration, including launching athletics at the Harker School in San Jose and later serving in Florida, where he and his wife finished their careers and retired six years ago. Von Scherrer explains how his COVID-era Florida association presidency led to Zoom webinars, then podcasting, and ultimately his book, The Athletic Director’s Toolbox. Key takeaways he wishes he had earlier include better listening, building relationships, and networking, plus practical strategies for handling parent concerns by calling quickly, partnering with parents, and relying on clear policies. He discusses coaching development, student-athlete leadership teams at Maclay School, small-school roster realities, and changing his view on year-round sports when it’s driven by the student’s passion. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:22 Jake’s Coaching Journey 02:08 Building Harker Athletics 03:09 Roots in Oregon 03:59 Podcast and Book Origins 08:52 Top Tools for ADs 11:54 Listening and Empathy 14:26 Handling Parent Conflicts 18:27 Relationship Building 22:16 Student Athlete Leadership 25:32 Networking Elevator Pitch 27:15 Networking in Action 28:49 Building Your Bench 29:42 Building Staff Pipelines 30:53 Delegating Modern AD Roles 31:29 Creating Event Support Positions 32:44 Networking as an Outsider 33:54 Career Stops and Setbacks 37:13 Mentors and Saying Yes 41:04 Small School Football Realities 46:00 Managing Multi Sport Athletes 48:05 Leading With Service 51:43 Changing Minds on Specialization 54:10 Supporting Tough Family Choices 55:44 Closing and Contact Info  [email protected] 305-218-1325

Justin interviews Coach Bill Taylor, former NAIA and Division I cross country/track coach and author of a sports conflict management book. Taylor recounts becoming a runner in high school, starting a college program from scratch at Northwest University, winning an NAIA national championship after learning to refocus from results to process, then moving to Belmont and later transforming Lipscomb with 11 conference titles and culture-building initiatives. A major team conflict at Lipscomb—and administrative missteps that escalated it—led him to earn a master’s in conflict management and write a shorter, practical book to fill the sports-specific resource gap. He outlines five core tools: managing emotion, effective communication and active listening, identifying “below the line” interests, creating win-win solutions, and building trust through follow-through, plus the value of clear conflict policies and avoiding email/text for personal issues. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:46 Bill Taylor Coaching Origin Story 02:03 Starting a College Program 02:45 Chasing and Winning Nationals 03:09 Division I Leap to Lipscomb 04:14 Team Conflict Sparks New Path 06:18 COVID Pivot and Writing Book 09:32 Lessons From Early Head Coaching 11:18 Process Over Results Mindset 16:01 Assistant Coach Perspective 17:59 Building Athlete Belief 21:28 Why Conflict Matters 24:00 Avoiding Conflict Backfires 29:33 Introducing Conflict Tools 30:18 Rewriting the Book 30:46 Skill One Emotion Control 34:51 Skill Two Better Communication 35:14 Listening and Nonverbal Cues 38:02 Avoiding Text and Email 40:33 Skill Three Below the Line 44:52 Skill Four Creative Win Win 48:46 Skill Five Trust Follow Through 51:29 Relationships and Team Culture 54:42 Changing Mind and Conflict Policy 57:40 Where to Find the Book 58:35 Final Thanks and Wrap https://www.sportsconflictlab.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sports_conflict_lab/ https://x.com/Sports_Conflict https://www.amazon.ca/Managing-Sports-Conflict-Bill-Taylor/dp/B0G2ZJT4Q5

In this episode, derivatives trader and first-time author Jeff Everson discusses his debut novel, The Glue Guy, and how his experience as a Division III backup offensive lineman at Middlebury shaped the book’s themes of unseen contributions, team roles, and pure love of competition. He explains why he wrote a hockey-centered story despite not playing hockey, how concepts like the secondary assist and locker-room “unofficial hierarchies” reveal invisible value, and why bus rides and locker-room time build culture more than the spotlight moments. Everson connects trading-desk dynamics to athletics—competition, preparation, analytics, and teammate support—while stressing that analytics provide a map but humans still drive outcomes. He also shares a mindset shift: being indispensable isn’t the highest virtue; building systems that work without you is. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:31 Sports to Trading Journey 03:14 Middlebury and Team Roles 07:11 Why Write Hockey 09:08 Secondary Assist Metaphor 12:54 Bus Rides Build Culture 16:39 Locker Room Hierarchy 20:13 Trading Desk Locker Room 22:36 Analytics for Coaches 28:26 Measuring Intangibles 31:50 Empowering the Glue Guy 34:27 Making the Book Accessible 37:11 Changed Mind on Indispensable 39:30 Wrap Up and Where to Buy

On the Contacts Coaching Podcast, host interviews Justin Beck, assistant coach at UC San Diego, about his path from growing up around baseball with his father Bob Beck, to playing at San José State, transferring to UCSD, and moving into coaching at UCSD, Cal Poly Pomona, and back to UCSD. Beck describes the difficult transition from coaching former teammates, lessons learned from playing for his dad, and how modern tools like True Media and PitchCom have changed positioning, scouting, and in-game communication. He discusses how shifting, increased pitching “stuff,” and approach changes affect hitting, why coaches must develop every player on the roster, and how they create live reps for non-starters. Beck critiques the youth sports travel/showcase economy, urges multi-sport participation and downtime, and explains how UCSD evaluates recruits’ intangibles and character. He closes with how he challenges his own beliefs, including rethinking fastball-focused hitting. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:18 Justin Beck Origin Story 01:32 College Stops and Coaching Path 04:37 Player to Coach Whiplash 08:32 Should New Coaches Leave 11:21 Playing for Dad Lessons 16:13 Shifts and Positioning Analytics 18:55 PitchCom and Dugout Rules 23:37 Modern Hitting and Strikeouts 27:56 Coaching Values Across Programs 31:18 Staying Game Ready 32:23 Live Reps After Weekends 33:48 Sandlot Culture Checks 34:38 Youth Sports Money Trap 40:08 Play Multiple Sports 46:18 Exposure Before Ready 50:52 Showcase Metrics Noise 53:37 Recruiting Intangibles 57:29 Outlets Beyond Baseball 59:00 Changing Your Mind

On the Contacts Coaching Podcast, coach John Seavey discusses his path from playing basketball to becoming a student manager at the University of Arizona under Sean Miller, a pivotal experience that led him into coaching, then staying as a GA to earn his master’s degree. He followed associate head coach Joe Pasternack to UC Santa Barbara (2017–2022), where he learned organizational discipline, relationship-building, fundraising, and navigating institutional politics after a long-tenured coach. Seavey then moved to Cal State Monterey Bay under Isaac Williams, gaining major on-court growth by running the defense, learning communication, tactical adjustments, and roster construction through mistakes and mentorship. He joined DJ Broome at Cal Poly Humboldt, completed a strong first season, and was promoted to associate head coach, emphasizing identity, community investment, process-driven improvement, effort evaluation, and guiding players to answers through questions. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:30 John Seavey Coaching Origin 01:14 Student Manager Pathway 02:40 Arizona to Santa Barbara Move 03:09 Monterey Bay Learning Curve 04:32 Humboldt Transition and Promotion 05:33 Manager Versus Ops Restrictions 08:00 Following a Legend at UCSB 11:16 Politics and Admin Relationships 14:36 Humboldt Relationship Blueprint 16:21 Mistakes That Built a Coach 20:04 Defense Coordinator by Fire 22:47 Letting Assistants Own Schemes 25:46 Roster Construction and Fit 29:04 Recruiting Pipelines and Trends 31:46 Beyond Basketball Differences 32:22 Arizona Pro Mindset 33:50 UCSB Building a Program 35:04 Division II Reality Check 35:39 Carryover Coaching Lessons 40:20 Community Investment Culture 42:05 Fundraising Relentless Yes 46:51 Sustaining Winning Identity 52:33 Process Over Scoreboard 56:16 Measuring Effort on Film 59:31 Guide Players to Answers 01:02:40 Patience and Long Game 01:05:15 Closing Coastline Banter

On the Contacts Coaching Podcast, host interviews Jeffrey Dixon, athletic director at River Valley High School outside Pittsburgh, about his path from an average high school athlete to teacher, multi-sport coach, and AD since 2021 amid a district merger and rebrand. Dixon explains how River Valley built an indoor track program without its own facility, traveling to college sites while indoor remains PTFCA-sponsored rather than PIAA-sanctioned due to limited venues. They discuss the shift away from volunteering in coaching, strategies for staffing shortages through alumni and cross-sport hires, and communication systems that build accountability. Dixon shares culture lessons he’s borrowed from other coaches, ways to reduce subjectivity with data and video, concerns about specialization and burnout, the value of multi-sport participation, and how his mindset has evolved from chasing wins to prioritizing relationships and learning from failure. Substack: https://gdthead.substack.com/ 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:50 Coach Dixon’s Coaching Journey 04:34 Building an Indoor Track Program 08:29 District Merger and School Landscape 11:35 Football Culture and Small-School Numbers 14:19 Volunteering vs Paid Coaching Today 20:01 Creative Staffing and Recruiting Helpers 22:13 Stealing Great Ideas From Other Coaches 26:00 Inbox Rules and Boundaries 27:39 Email Text Call Hierarchy 29:33 Overcommunicating With Parents 31:10 One Platform for Everything 32:09 Culture Builders in Programs 35:19 Making Subjective Sports Fair 39:38 Specialization and Travel Ball 48:48 Multi Sport and Real Development 50:49 Handling Insults as a Leader 53:16 Changing Minds on Winning 57:28 Wrap Up and Next Projects Twitter: @RVTFXCCoach Substack: @geoffdixon185810 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-dixon-caa-b69655245 Podcast Instagram: @exchangezonepodcast

On the Contacts Coaching Podcast, Butte College head women’s basketball coach Phillip Thomas Jr. shares his journey from Fairfield High (class of 2007) through multiple college stops (Delta/CRC, Florida International, Humboldt State, Whittier) and into coaching via AAU and high school before roles with Team Kidd, Academy of Art, and ultimately becoming Butte’s head coach (year three). He explains early head-coaching surprises at the JUCO level—administration, travel, eligibility, housing, and constant roster volatility—and how he now recruits by selling Chico as a college town while pulling talent from states and Canada. Thomas discusses learning from mentors like Chico State’s Coach Fogel and Rob Bishop, building a coaching network, and defining culture through accountability, punctuality, study hall, energy, and life lessons. He critiques youth/AAU development gaps, emphasizes fundamentals and “reps,” and describes coaching with authenticity over ego while prioritizing relationships and growth beyond basketball. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:23 Coach Journey Begins 01:29 Switch to Coaching Women 02:26 Landing at Butte College 03:08 Career Timeline Breakdown 04:39 Team Kidd Origins 05:25 Head Coach Reality Check 07:41 Planning for Chaos 09:32 Recruiting to Chico 11:17 Mentors at Butte 13:20 Building Coaching Network 15:52 Defining Program Culture 22:17 Life Lessons and Buzzwords 23:06 Family Concept in Sports 24:24 Accountability With Care 25:57 Players Leave And Return 26:42 Using Your Own Journey 30:08 I Had My Turn 32:33 Learning Beyond Basketball 37:30 Clubs Versus Schools 40:08 Fixing Youth Development 44:09 Teaching From Scratch 48:50 Coaching Authentically 51:02 Power Of Hello 52:06 Final Reflections

Evan Campbell from The Rectory School in Connecticut discusses his 17-year journey from college tennis player to Dean of Students and interim Director of Secondary School Advising, while also coaching varsity tennis and assisting with varsity hockey. He explains what a junior boarding school is (boarding grades 5–9, with only 11 in the U.S.), how Rectory supports varied student outcomes, and how proximity to neighboring high schools like Pomfret enables shared facilities without being a guaranteed feeder path. Campbell compares coaching in hockey versus tennis, emphasizing the mental demands of individual sports, the value of students playing multiple sports, and how his dean role shaped his coaching through consistency, accountability, and care. He breaks down head vs. assistant coaching responsibilities, humility, role clarity, and concludes with a mindset shift toward intentionally building personal connections with each student-athlete. 00:00 Meet Evan Campbell 00:37 Many Hats at Rectory 01:32 How He Got Here 02:19 What Is Junior Boarding 06:17 Rectory and Pomfret Neighbors 08:47 Coaching Tennis in Winter 09:38 Multi Sport Upbringing 12:09 Pond Hockey Culture 13:35 Dean of Students Reality 14:28 Discipline Through Relationships 18:21 Dean Role Shapes Coaching 21:28 Head vs Assistant Coach 26:36 Assistant Coach Humility 27:22 Multi Sport Coaching Benefits 29:19 Hockey vs Tennis Intensity 32:11 Tennis as Mental Therapy 35:08 Team vs Individual Lessons 35:54 Head vs Assistant Reps 46:20 Building Coaching Staff Roles 48:41 Delegation and Practice Splits 51:48 Changing Minds on Connection 54:47 Final Wrap and Golf Banter

The host interviews Coach Egypt Glover, a 26-year-old new varsity head coach at Creative Connections Arts Academy in North Highlands, California, who shares his path from growing up in South Central LA in a sports-focused family to playing travel basketball, attending Merced College, and gaining early unpaid experience as a student assistant under coach Bill Russell. After high school he built a box-truck logistics business (now a four-vehicle fleet pursuing a fifth), started a security company serving about 11 sites, and purchased a fourplex with plans for transitional housing. Glover explains how research, commitment, passion, and team-building—crediting his wife Lauryn—drove his entrepreneurship, and how networking led to coaching roles from middle school head coach to varsity assistant to JV head coach. He outlines his coaching philosophy emphasizing fundamentals, defense, buy-in, grades/behavior/practice, calm leadership, and winning on and off the court. 00:00 Meet Coach Glover 01:15 South Central Roots 03:12 High School Turning Point 03:57 Entrepreneur Detour 06:04 First Coaching Breaks 08:03 Middle School Culture Build 10:22 Climbing to Varsity 13:43 New Head Coach Mission 14:47 Business Deep Dive 18:01 Trucking to Fleet Growth 20:41 Security Company Scaling 22:21 Real Estate Wealth Play 25:40 Business Mindset Blueprint 29:20 Coaching Pay and Purpose 31:22 Networking Over Job Boards 33:40 High School Sports Boom 34:24 Breaking Into Coaching 35:38 Defining Coaching Greatness 39:53 Head Coach Reality Check 41:23 Building Staff and Culture 45:40 Receiving Feedback Well 49:08 Fall Priorities Fundamentals 52:03 Managing Emotions and Refs 56:39 Identity and Burn Boats 59:47 Changing Minds and Pruning 01:02:38 Closing Thanks and Next Steps

After three weeks on the road, the Contacts Coaching Podcast returns with Desiree Nunez, a mental health therapist and basketball coach at Eagle Crest High School in the Cherry Creek area near Denver. Nunez shares how coaching was “in her blood” through her Air Force veteran father, how she became a therapist to meet mental health needs in athletics, and how she returned to coaching after COVID—eventually earning head coaching opportunities and winning extensively with freshman teams. She explains practical sports-psychology tools for coaches: normalizing emotions (especially for boys), teaching players to notice and name feelings, locate them in the body, regulate, and then “next play.” She details a three-clap reset, body-language standards, and asking for a sub to reset. The conversation also covers time-management lessons from middle school constraints, combining drills with game-like constraints, and how “challenging” authority through curious questions improves leadership. 00:00 Meet Desiree Nunez 00:39 Coaching Roots 02:33 Therapy Path 03:52 Back to the Bench 05:38 Military Culture Shift 09:25 Sports Psychology Breakthrough 11:46 Feelings and Regulation 17:21 Notice the Emotion 25:09 Halftime and Practice Talks 26:38 Three Clap Reset 31:27 Coaching Boys as Woman 33:05 Coaching Boys as a Woman 34:05 Freshman Program Trust Issues 36:15 Head Coach Reality Check 37:35 45-Minute Practice Crunch 39:49 Zoom Out and Prioritize 43:12 Game-Like Drills and Constraints 48:44 Hack Drills for Weaknesses 54:18 Bring It Back to High School 57:50 Changing Minds on Challenge 01:05:41 Be Willing to Be Cringe 01:09:22 Assistant Coach Courage Wrap-Up

In this special Contacts Coaching Podcast episode, host interviews Gina Lehe, Vice President of Communications at the NCAA, about her path from Stevenson to the University of Arizona, decades in postseason college football (Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, and launching College Football Playoff communications), and joining the NCAA in 2019 just before NIL upheaval, the pandemic, and nonstop crisis communications. Leahy explains how bowl games and CFP operate as separate entities from the NCAA, clarifies that NCAA rules are created by member-driven committees, and describes how a patchwork of state laws and court вмешательства fuels uncertainty around NIL, transfers, and eligibility. She addresses misconceptions like “five and five,” outlines the developing age-based eligibility model, and discusses federal efforts such as the Protect College Sports Act. The conversation also covers House settlement impacts, revenue sharing, protecting Olympic/non-revenue sports, misconceptions in recruiting, and highlights women’s championships—especially women’s gymnastics—as must-see events. 00:00 Podcast Intro Guest 00:32 Gina’s Path to NCAA 02:35 Crisis Comms Era 05:01 How Bowl System Works 07:36 CFP vs NCAA Explained 10:07 NIL Rulemaking Reality 16:00 Patchwork Laws and Congress 18:24 Eligibility Model Update 21:24 Messaging Leaks and Process 30:20 House Settlement Fallout 36:46 Revenue Share and Alston 40:06 Mid Majors And Tiers 41:20 Olympic Sports Sustainability 43:15 Disparity And Expansion 46:07 Accountability And Myths 48:27 Media Literacy And Data 51:23 NIL Recruiting Myths 55:55 D1 Bust Mentality 01:01:08 NCAA Success Means Clarity 01:02:41 Hidden Gem Championships 01:09:04 Leadership Mindset Shifts 01:14:18 Closing Reflections

On the Contacts Coaching Podcast, Justin interviews Kevin Fox, a Salinas native and longtime Midland, Texas resident who serves as character coach for Grant McCasland at Texas Tech. Fox shares his path from UC Davis and early ministry work to building relationships in junior college basketball at Midland College, where he connected with coaches like McCasland, Ross Hodge, and others. They discuss West Texas sports culture, the importance of encouraging multi-sport athletes, and how character coaching works best through organic relationships, clear boundaries, and accountability. Fox addresses how NIL has increased pressure and outside pull on athletes, the value of JUCO coaching experience for today’s roster turnover, and practical ways teams define and measure culture, including tracking “positive touches.” He also reflects on humility, continuous learning, and stepping out from behind the scenes. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 01:06 From Salinas to Midland 01:53 Hoops to Coaching Network 04:38 Character Coach Role 05:15 West Texas Football Culture 07:06 Multi Sport Debate 10:37 Organic Mentorship Model 14:40 NIL Pressures and Protection 17:39 JUCO Mindset at Tech 21:16 Calling to Ministry 25:16 Teaching Faith and Coaching 28:44 Coaching Meets Ministry 30:21 Learning to Say I Don’t Know 31:53 Humility and Adaptation 34:26 Boundaries and Accountability 39:03 Preacher vs Minister 41:15 Coaching Across Levels 47:12 Defining Character Culture 51:12 Changing Minds and Showing Up 53:57 Closing Story and Farewell

On the Contacts Coaching Podcast, Justin interviews Jake Van Hofwegen, athletic director and assistant principal at Beaumont High School in Southern California, about his path into athletic administration and why Beaumont became a dream job after roles at Coachella Valley and Colton. Jake explains how the AD/AP structure streamlines discipline, hiring, and decision-making, and how supportive, sports-savvy administrators help. He discusses managing 28 varsity teams and about 1,500 athletes at a 3,500-student school, the need for an assistant AD, and challenges like scheduling games, tryout cuts, and heavy parent involvement. They critique youth sport specialization and travel ball pressures, emphasize coach development and relationship-based feedback, and share initiatives like media days and coach clinics. Jake highlights using AI tools like ChatGPT to improve communication and efficiency. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:28 Name Pronunciation Bit 00:48 Path to Athletic Director 02:43 Dual Role AP and AD 04:21 Why Beaumont Was the Goal 07:01 Not Every Job Is Good 10:29 Following a Local Legend 12:30 Working With Principals 15:14 Managing 3500 Students 18:05 Cuts and Creative Options 21:06 Multi Sport vs Specialization 25:36 Late Bloomer Athlete 26:38 Travel Ball Takes Over 27:15 Program Pillars Growth Tech 29:25 Media Days And Clinics 31:46 Coach Time And Buy In 34:19 Truth Tellers And Trust 39:23 Finding Dissenting Voices 42:02 Parents And Hard Lessons 46:01 Changing Mind On Coaching 52:28 AI Tools For ADs 54:38 Closing Thanks

On the Contacts coaching podcast, consultant and Coach Her Right founder Jerica Williams shares how basketball found her at age 10, her college path from a UCLA scholarship to San Diego State, and becoming a mom her senior year. She traces her move from assistant coaching (including Cal State Northridge) to head coaching at Detroit Country Day, where she rapidly rebuilt a struggling program and reached the Michigan State Final Four, emphasizing the head coach’s total responsibility, staffing to cover blind spots, and her superpowers of empathy and communication while outsourcing offense/X’s and O’s. Williams discusses working with Stephen Curry’s trainer Brandon Payne and later joining Mike Davis at Mississippi Valley State as one of the only active female coaches in men’s basketball, highlighting the value of feminine energy in men’s spaces. She explains starting Make Room For Her/Coach Her Right to amplify girls’ voices, improve coaching, and address safety issues in youth sports, and she describes recently changing her belief that love is possession, reframing it as freedom.00:00 Meet Jerica Williams00:20 Basketball Found Me01:53 From Player to Coach03:48 Head Coach Breakthroughs04:14 Breaking Barriers in Mens Hoops06:15 Nike Role and Talent Pathways08:24 Assistant to Head Coach Shift09:21 Owning the Whole Program12:18 Hiring to Cover Blind Spots14:01 Empathy as Superpower15:54 Outsourcing the Offense17:58 Ego Versus Will to Win24:34 Working with Steph Curry26:08 Underrated Tour Origin Story28:30 Make Room For Her Begins30:39 Her Story Giving Girls a Stage32:16 Why Girls Quit Sports33:09 Safety Behind Not Fun33:23 Building Coach Her Right35:04 Defining Legitimate Safety36:32 Whistleblowing Coach Misconduct42:11 Ask Her Believe Her44:20 Questions Not Commands46:48 Empathy And Seeing Players48:54 Committed To Learning51:00 Make Room For Her Mission54:04 Love Is Freedom Not Possession01:00:02 Closing Reflections