you can't fool you podcast

Rockne O'Leary
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Education for Kids
  • Updated Biweekly

The podcast aims to empower high school and college students, especially athletes, with practical advice, inspiration, and resources. By focusing on health, wellness, personal growth, and lifestyle, the podcast will be an educational platform where students can learn valuable skills and insights to help them succeed both on and off the field.

  1. 4d ago

    The Simple Training Approach That Builds Better Athletes

    How should you build a strength and conditioning program for high school athletes when you may have 30 minutes, 30 athletes, different strength levels, limited equipment, and a different training environment from one team to the next? You still have to make the session count. In this episode of the You Can't Fool You Podcast, I break down the simple training approach I use with high school athletes, and why effective youth strength training starts with getting the basics right. As the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator at Garnet Valley, I work with athletes across different sports, backgrounds, and experience levels. With our new weight room finally open, I wanted to walk through how I think about programming when a team steps into the gym. What Determines a High School Strength Program? Before I choose a single exercise, I want to know three things: How many athletes am I training? What space and equipment do I have? How much time do I have with them? Training 8 basketball players is different from training 30+ cross-country athletes. Equipment access changes what you can do. 30 minutes instead of 60 means every exercise has to earn its place. The goal isn't fitting in as many exercises as possible — it's choosing what gives athletes the greatest return on the time you have. That's where good S&C starts. How I Structure a 30-Minute Workout Using our girls basketball program as an example: with 30 minutes, the session has to move. We start with pogo variations, A-skips, and running drills, progressing into jumping and explosive work. From there, primary strength exercises — a squat paired with a pulling movement one day, a trap bar deadlift with a half-kneeling overhead press another. We finish with split squat holds, push-ups, side lunges, or farmer's carries. There's a structure behind those choices. The exercises need to serve the athlete and the purpose of the session. Build a Balanced Program, Not a Random Workout With athletes twice a week, I want sessions covering the major qualities and movement patterns they need: explosive work (sprints, jumps, throws), upper-body pushing and pulling, hip- and knee-dominant lower-body work, bilateral and unilateral movement. Strength, speed, power, movement quality — developed without overcomplicating things. The individual exercises can change. The principles don't. That's the distinction that matters when coaching teams — enough structure to know where you're going, enough flexibility to adjust to what's in front of you. Keep Youth Strength Training Simple The biggest mistake we make with high school athletes is assuming complicated means effective. Most have a low training age — they may have lifted before, followed a few workouts online — but haven't trained consistently enough to need advanced programming. That's an opportunity. Build the base first. Teach them to squat, push, pull, hinge, choose an appropriate weight, and move well before progressively challenging themselves. Simple doesn't mean easy — it means putting attention where it matters. How Hard Should They Train? I introduce athletes to RPE and reps in reserve. If we're doing 8 reps, I might have an athlete choose a weight they could do for 9-10, stopping at 8 — teaching them to understand effort instead of blindly picking a weight. I don't just want athletes following instructions in front of me. I want them learning how to train. Different Athletes Need Different Coaching A football or lacrosse team usually has more weight-room experience than a cross-country team. That changes how complex I'm willing to make a session. With our cross-country team, we kept session one simple — squats, push-ups, split squat holds — but still used it to teach technique and what productive training should feel like. Training age, sport, and athlete all shape the program. The Real Goal My goal walking into a room of high school athletes is to educate them enough that they could eventually train with confidence on their own. At the end of a session: did you learn something today? If you walked into a gym alone, would you know what to do? If that starts becoming yes, that's a win. We're not just getting athletes through today's workout — we're building knowledge they keep using after they leave. A Good Program Is More Than a List of Exercises A program succeeds not because it has the perfect exercise list, but because it's a sequence of decisions — each one with a reason behind it. You have to be willing to adjust as athletes, equipment, space, and time change. Good coaching means understanding the principles well enough to adapt without losing the purpose of the session. Build the base. Teach the athlete. Train with purpose. If you're looking for a coach to run your team's S&C, or want to exchange ideas on programming and athlete development — reach out. I'm always open to the conversation. Follow Rockne O'Leary: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rockne-o-leary-81a25270 Facebook: facebook.com/rockne.oleary Substack: substack.com/@rockneoleary YouTube: youtube.com/@youcantfoolyou Instagram: instagram.com/rockoleary #youcantfoolyou #StrengthAndConditioningCoach #HighSchoolAthletes #YouthStrengthTraining #SportsPerformance #AthleteDevelopment

  2. Sep 25

    The Truth About NIL Money & Why College Athletes Are Going Broke | Dr. Cal Quigley

    The Truth About NIL Money & Why College Athletes Are Going Broke | Dr. Cal Quigley College athletes are making real money through NIL deals, but getting paid and knowing how to manage that money are two completely different things. Some student-athletes are earning hundreds of thousands, even millions, through their name, image, and likeness (NIL) while they’re still learning how to budget, invest, save, and make financial decisions. So what happens to all that NIL money? In this episode of the You Can’t Fool You Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Cal Quigley, professor at TCU, investment strategist, entrepreneur, former Air Force service member, and mentor to college athletes. We talk about NIL money, college athletes getting paid, financial literacy, investing, the transfer portal, gambling, generational wealth, identity, and life after sports. How NIL Is Changing College Sports NIL has changed what it means to be a college athlete. College football and basketball players can make significant money before ever becoming professional athletes, while athletes in other college sports are finding smaller NIL opportunities of their own. We talk about how NIL deals work, why athletes are moving through the transfer portal, and how money is changing some of the decisions college athletes make about where they play and how long they stay in school. There are more financial opportunities for college athletes than there used to be. That also means there are more decisions to get right. Why Financial Literacy Matters for College Athletes Giving a 19 or 20-year-old a large NIL check doesn’t automatically teach them what to do with it. Cal works directly with student-athletes and their families on financial literacy, budgeting, investing, building portfolios, and creating generational wealth. One of his biggest lessons is to start investing early. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Build the habit, understand where your money is going, and learn how your money works instead of handing every financial decision to somebody else. The Financial Mistakes Athletes Make We also talk about the habits that can make NIL money disappear. Gambling is one of them. Cal shares his own experience with gambling and why he talks openly about it with athletes. We also discuss spending, lack of financial education, and what can happen when athletes make significant money without having the right people or financial habits around them. Your NIL opportunity may only last a few years. What you do with the money can last much longer. NIL Money, the Transfer Portal and Life After College Sports The college football transfer portal and NIL have given athletes more freedom to pursue playing opportunities and better financial opportunities. But eventually college sports end. I know what it’s like to attach a lot of your identity to being a football player. When football ended for me, I had to figure out who I was without the game. Cal experienced a similar identity transition after leaving the military. Whether you make $500 from NIL or millions of dollars, there will eventually be a life beyond your sport. Invest in Yourself While You Have the Opportunity Cal gives three lessons he wishes more young athletes would understand earlier: start investing, think about what you can build with your money, and invest in yourself physically and mentally. NIL can give college athletes a financial head start that previous generations never had. But the check is only the opportunity. You still have to decide what you’re going to do with it. Follow Rockne O’Leary:  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockne-o-leary-81a25270/   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rockne.oleary     ✍️ Substack: https://substack.com/@rockneoleary/    📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@youcantfoolyou    📱Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockoleary/  #youcantfoolyou #NIL #NILDeals #CollegeAthletes #CollegeSports #FinancialLiteracy #StudentAthletes

  3. Sep 18

    How do you become the best version of yourself when life keeps testing you?

    We spend a lot of time talking about mental health, mindset, confidence, stress, anxiety, pressure, and performance, but I think there’s another part of the conversation we need to have: Are we actually developing the skills to handle these challenges when they show up? In this episode of You Can’t Fool You, I talk about becoming the best version of yourself through self-awareness, personal values, journaling, better self-talk, positive role models, and learning how to take control of your response when life gets difficult. Mental Fitness Is Something You Can Train Athletes spend years practicing how to shoot, throw, run, lift, and perform under pressure, but we also need tools for dealing with failure, expectations, fear, stress, comparison, and the moments when we don’t feel like we’re enough. Those skills can be practiced too. Instead of allowing every difficult moment to become part of your identity, you can learn from it, work on your response, and use it as another opportunity to grow. Know Your Values Your values become your compass when life gets hard because they help guide your decisions, behavior, and the way you want to show up. In this episode, I walk you through a simple exercise for identifying your own values by looking at moments when you know you could have handled something differently and asking: How would the best version of me have responded? The gap between what you did and what you know you could have done differently may tell you something important about the values you want to live by. Choose Better Role Models The people you watch and spend time around can influence the person you become. Famous athletes and successful people can give you qualities to admire, but I also believe you need role models you can actually observe in everyday life: coaches, teachers, parents, mentors, and even peers who demonstrate qualities you want to develop in yourself. Don’t just ask who you admire. Ask what you admire about them. Use Journaling to Understand Your Mind Journaling and self-education have been two of the biggest needle movers in my own personal development. Writing gives you an opportunity to slow down, examine your thoughts, question the stories you’re telling yourself, and become more aware of how you respond to what happens around you. If you’ve never journaled before, start with five or ten minutes and write whatever is going through your head without editing it. There’s only one rule I believe matters: What you write has to be true. You can’t fool you. Becoming the Best Version of Yourself Never Ends Personal growth isn’t something you complete. You practice these skills the same way you practice a sport, and over time you become better at understanding yourself, managing your response, keeping your values in front of you, and building a relationship with yourself that you can trust. The goal is not one good day. The goal is who you become. Follow Rockne O’Leary: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockne-o-leary-81a25270/   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rockne.oleary   ✍️ Substack: https://substack.com/@rockneoleary/   📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@youcantfoolyou     📱Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockoleary #youcantfoolyou #PersonalDevelopment #MentalFitness #SelfImprovement #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth Momentous Discount:  Code - RockneO'Leary

  4. Sep 11

    How Men Can Handle Difficult Conversations in Marriage

    Rockne O’Leary talks with divorce mediator Joe Dillon, founder of Equitable Mediation Services, about a seven step negotiation framework designed to help people handle hard conversations more effectively. They break down how the Power Up Method applies not just to marriage, but to friendships, coworkers, family members, and boss conversations too. Joe explains why so many arguments keep looping because the real issue never gets addressed, and he shares practical ways to move conversations toward resolution instead of escalation. Key topics: In this episode, Joe Dillon explains the Power Up Method, his seven step negotiation framework for relationships and conflict resolution. He shares why many arguments come from an “I’ve decided” mindset, where one person assumes a decision was mutual when it really wasn’t. The episode explores the most common conflict buckets in divorce and relationships: kids, spending styles, family decisions, jobs, and career choices. Joe introduces detached engagement, a technique for staying mentally outside the conflict so you can ask better questions and keep your emotions in check. He explains why “what” and “how” questions work better than “why” questions, which often put people on the defensive. The conversation covers deep thinkers, verbal processors, and the “deer in headlights” shutdown response, and how each affects communication. Joe outlines red flags in negotiation, including narcissism, ego, taking without giving, and bad faith bargaining. He contrasts those with green flags like collaborative language, mutual problem solving, and a willingness to exchange value fairly. Joe argues that the most important step is preparing the connection so the other person is actually available and receptive. He shares a real example of using the framework at home to negotiate a $3,300 home gym purchase with his wife. Key framework: Prepare the connection Outline your request Weigh their perspective Express your why Reward with value Use patience Proceed accordingly Sponsor: The Vertigo Centre: www.thevertigocentre.com ROCKNE: rockoleary.com Momentous Discount Link: https://crrnt.app/MOME/VxbnA-Bv Discount Code: RockneO'Leary Joe Dillion: IG: @thejoedillon https://thejoedillon.com/

  5. Sep 4

    Building a High School S&C Program From Scratch

    Rockne O'Leary breaks down his first month as strength and conditioning coordinator at Garnet Valley and explains why he spent so much time meeting with coaches before running sessions. The episode is really about building a schoolwide training culture, not just getting athletes into a weight room.He also lays out his philosophy for in-season training, athlete education, and why consistency, basics, and buy-in matter more than fancy programming. Key topics In this episode, Rockne O'Leary explains what a strength and conditioning coordinator actually does at Garnet Valley: coordinating schedules, supporting coaches, overseeing the new weight room field house, and running sessions when needed.He shares why he made it a priority to speak with nearly every coach before stepping in with athletes, because the goal is to support existing systems rather than replace them.He argues that many public high schools lack a true strength and conditioning structure, which often leaves training inconsistent or overly dependent on whatever individual coaches remember from their own playing days.He makes the case for in-season training, saying athletes should stay in the gym during the season, not just in the offseason, to maintain strength, speed, and availability.He explains the idea of residual training effects, noting that qualities like max speed and max strength need to be refreshed regularly to stay relevant through a long season.He describes the gap he saw at Garnet Valley as not disorganization, but a lack of one cohesive system that funnels all teams toward the same standard of training.He emphasizes education as the foundation of the program - teaching athletes and coaches why they train, not just what to do.He stresses basics first: build the base, respect athletes' low training age, and focus on strength and movement quality before adding more specialized work.He says the hardest part of the job is making sure no athlete falls through the cracks when he cannot be hands-on every day, and he believes culture is the answer.He outlines his three culture pillars for the weight room: show up with a great attitude, do the best you can, and have fun.He shares that the program is using Team Builder so athletes can see programs online, track weights, and keep attendance visible for coaches and accountability.He describes how coach buy-in came from making the process simple, reducing stress for coaches, and giving them one less system to manage.He points to positive early examples, including the girls basketball team and volleyball team, where athletes responded well to the culture and educational approach.He closes by saying the same philosophy he is building at Garnet Valley is the same one he uses with private athletes: coach, educate, and develop, not just count reps.Quotes: "The framework is really education." "The hardest part in the shop is how do you make sure that no kid falls through the cracks." "Show up with a great attitude, do the best you can, and have fun." Rockne O'Leary: rockoleary.com Momentous 10% off use code RockneO'Leary The Vertigo Centre: www.thevertigocentre.com

  6. Aug 28

    Math Fluency, AI, and Why the Basics Still Matter

    Chris Roberts and Rockne O'Leary talk about how fluency in math, music, and software all start with mastering the basics, then building patience, intuition, and abstract thinking on top of that. They also dig into how AI can be a powerful tool for learning and productivity, but only if students first develop the ability to think for themselves. Chris shares why he believes pencil and paper still matter in the early development years, how screens and constant stimulation can weaken attention and delayed gratification, and why his mission is to make math fluency fun, accessible, and free for students and teachers. Key topics Chris Roberts explains the common thread across music education, math education, and software development: fluency in a language, whether musical, mathematical, or technical.He argues that mastering the basics first is not a shortcut, but the foundation for intuition, confidence, and higher-level thinking.Chris describes his framework for performance preparation from How to Make First Chair, including patience, overlearning, and a three-month runway for auditions or performances.The conversation compares math fluency to football practice, where repetitive drills build automaticity before players can execute in real game conditions.Chris says AI should be used as a tool, not a crutch, and warns that students need strong fundamentals to judge, guide, and correct what AI produces.Rockne shares how AI helps him read difficult texts and understand them more deeply, which leads into a discussion of responsible use versus dependency.Chris says early education should still emphasize pencil and paper, handwriting, and books, especially through about fourth or fifth grade, before too much screen-based learning takes over.They discuss how constant screen stimulation, social media, and short-form content can reduce patience, attention span, and the ability to sit still and think.Chris describes classroom changes he observed, including Chromebook distractions, students bypassing restrictions, and the challenge of reaching both multilingual students and remedial learners.He explains his mission to improve multiplication fluency through fun, browser-based tools, including a daily puzzle and a multiplication bee style challenge.Key frameworks: Fluency first, abstraction secondMaster the basics before expecting intuitionUse AI as a tool, not a crutchDelayed gratification builds better thinkersFun and repetition can coexist in serious learningNotable quotes: "There is no shortcut. You have to learn and be patient and let yourself learn this over time.""To get to that higher level abstract thinking, this other stuff has to be automatic.""The more kids that are fluent in math, they're gonna be better thinkers and be able to handle AI instead of be controlled by it."Action items Practice math fluency daily, even in short sessions.Keep pencil and paper in the learning process as long as possible in early grades.Use AI to explain, check, or extend understanding, not to replace thinking.Create more opportunities for delayed gratification through books, puzzles, games, and hands-on work.Make learning fun enough that students want to return to it consistently.The Vertigo Centre: www.thevertigocentre.com Rockne O'Leary: www.rockoleary.com 10% off Momentous use code: RockneO'Leary Chris Roberts:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clr550/ https://whattimeswhat.com/ https://classicmathgames.com/ https://howtomakefirstchair.com/

  7. Aug 26

    Life Update: Why the real work starts after you get what you want

    This episode is a solo reflection on a simple but overlooked principle: getting the job, relationship, house, or opportunity is not the finish line. Rockne O’Leary argues that the benefits only show up when you fully commit, then keep showing up after the excitement fades.He connects the idea to his own life updates, including his wife Jess’s pregnancy, selling his house, a new strength and conditioning role at Garnet Valley, and the changing rhythm of his men’s group. From there, he breaks down how commitment, preparation, and self-trust work in relationships, money, career, coaching, and personal growth. Key topics The hardest part is often not getting the thing, but handling what comes afterBeing chosen feels good, but it is only the start, not the finish lineFull commitment means no plan B, no exit plan, and no one foot out the doorRelationships require vulnerability before intimacy or real partnership can existMoney works the same way as compound interest - the benefit comes from not touching itCareer and business upside gets diluted when you keep other options warmHalf-committing to coaching or training usually leads to half the resultsHolding his house for years showed the payoff of consistent maintenance and patienceThe culture of goals and hustle often ignores the day after the winSelf-trust is built through evidence, not just mindset, and that evidence comes from follow-throughThe Vertigo Centre:  www.thevertigocentre.com Momentous:  10% off use code: RockneO'Leary Contact: www.rockoleary.com email: rockoleary@maxmuscle.net

  8. Aug 14

    Emily Roper: Pregnancy Shapes Your Baby's Stress Response Before Birth

    In this episode of You Can’t Fool You, Rockne O’Leary sits down with Emily Roper to explore how early physical development, pregnancy, birth, and parenting shape a child’s emotional, neurological, and social development. Emily explains how her work as a neurodevelopmental delay therapist and midwife’s assistant overlaps, and why supporting moms during pregnancy and postpartum can have lifelong effects on children. What You’ll Learn: Why early physical development has a major impact on brain function later in lifeHow pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences can influence a baby’s stress response and developmentThe difference between normal anxiety and more clinically significant patternsWhy attachment in the first months of life matters so muchHow dads can support moms and strengthen family relationships after birthWhat toddlers are really doing when they test limits, melt down, or ignore directionsWhy rough-and-tumble play is important for kids’ developmentKey Topics Covered: Emily’s Path Into Development WorkEmily shares how she “fell into” this field after seeing major changes in her cousin through early development therapy, then experiencing her own anxiety and trichotillomania improvement through the same approach.The Body-Mind ConnectionA big part of Emily’s work focuses on the body’s early reflexes, stress responses, and how those patterns can influence emotional regulation and anxiety later in life.Pregnancy Shapes Baby’s BaselineEmily explains how a baby learns from the mother’s environment in pregnancy — including stress, nutrition, and physical activity — and how that can influence the baby’s nervous system after birth.Recovery After BirthShe breaks down the importance of rest, nutrition, sleep, and realistic expectations in postpartum recovery, emphasizing that healing is deeply individual and often takes much longer than people expect.Attachment and the First Six MonthsEmily discusses secure attachment, why it matters for lifelong mental health, and how responsive caregiving helps babies learn that the world is safe and people are reliable.Parenting ToddlersThe conversation closes with practical parenting insights: how to set limits, mirror emotions, avoid taking behavior personally, and guide children toward regulation without shaming their feelings. Notable Takeaways: Babies and toddlers need both boundaries and emotional attunement.Behavior is not the same as emotion; all emotions are valid, but not all behaviors are.Physical play, movement, and appropriate risk-taking are essential for healthy development.A strong support system during pregnancy and postpartum can strengthen the entire family.Guest Info Emily Roper Podcast: The Early Roots Podcast Website: www.earlyrootstherapy.com/meet-emily Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by The Vertigo Center — helping you find balance when the world won’t stop spinning. Visit: www.thevertigocentre.com Rockne O'Leary: www.rockoleary.com 10% off Momentous – Code RockneO'Leary If you enjoyed this episode If this conversation helped you understand child development, parenting, or postpartum recovery in a new way, share it with a parent, parent-to-be, or anyone supporting young families.

See All (80)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The podcast aims to empower high school and college students, especially athletes, with practical advice, inspiration, and resources. By focusing on health, wellness, personal growth, and lifestyle, the podcast will be an educational platform where students can learn valuable skills and insights to help them succeed both on and off the field.

Information

  • Creator
    Rockne O'Leary
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    80
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 you can't fool you podcast
  • Show Website
    you can't fool you podcast