Feed the Cats Podcast

Coach Tony Holler
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Running

When Tony Holler’s name is mentioned, SPEED is the subject… maximum velocity sprinting. Tony Holler is a track coach, most recently the head coach at Plainfield North H.S. Tony retired from teaching chemistry after 38 years in the classroom and has 44 years of coaching experience (football, basketball, and track). Tony Holler is a member of Illinois Track & Field Hall of Fame and Co-director of Track Football Consortium along with Chris Korfist. Holler created the revolutionary "Feed the Cats" in 1999.Tony Holler is the son of 47-year high school and college basketball coach Don Holler. Tony is the father of four, including two successful coaches, Alec Holler (Edwardsville H.S.) and Quinn Holler (Andrew H.S.). Tony Holler has diversified his “Feed the Cats'' message for all sports and the classroom. Tony has consulted with the New York Yankees who started feeding the cats in their 2022 spring training. He’s also consulted with college lacrosse (Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Penn, Arizona State, and Northwestern). Princeton made the NCAA Final Four in 2022 for the first time in 18 years with the battle cry of “Feed the Tigers''. Hundreds of high school football teams now use a FTC approach (also known as “Sprint-Based Football”). At least 12 states have football teams who have won state championships by prioritizing speed over conditioning. Tony also has a Sprint-Based Football Podcast. Tony Holler has presented his content in 30 different states. In addition, he’s done multiple presentations in England, Ireland, and France. Tony is also a frequent presenter at football and lacrosse clinics. In the past year, he's delivered two presentations on "Coaching the Classroom" for teachers. Tony has done several Feed the Cats Seminars which include nine hours of instruction over a 24-hour period. FTC Seminars are usually a one-man clinic. Tony Holler’s Feed the Cats DVD was the #1 best-seller for Championship Production for ALL SPORTS in 2018. It has been the #1 best-seller from 2018 to 2025 in the track and field category. Holler’s most recent content can be found at CoachTube, where he is #2 in sales, all sports, all time. Tony Holler was named as a “Prime Nine Speaker” by Glazier Football Clinics. 

  1. 1d ago

    EP22: Stop Training to Get Tired: Train for SPEED & POWER with Brian Kula

    What if speed training—not conditioning, grinding, or simply getting tired—should be the foundation of athletic development? In this episode of Feed the Cats, we sit down with elite speed and performance coach Brian Kula to discuss speed development, maximal outputs, power, athleticism, and what it really takes to build high-performance athletes. Brian has trained some of the world's best athletes, including NFL superstar Christian McCaffrey, and we dive into why developing speed was such a priority for Christian—and why speed should be a priority for athletes at every level. We discuss: - Why speed development should be the foundation of athletic training - How speed training can make athletes faster, stronger, and healthier - Why sprint-based football teams can outperform teams focused heavily on conditioning - The connection between speed and long-term health - Why maximal outputs are more valuable than simply making athletes tired - The importance of adequate rest and recovery for high-performance training - Eccentric training and force absorption - Brian Kula's Bounce Fire series - How athletes can improve their ability to produce and absorb force - Why constantly training tired can make athletes slower and more sluggish - The role of sprinting, power, and maximal output in athletic development - How coaches can rethink traditional conditioning and training methods The goal isn't to see how exhausted you can make an athlete. The goal is to develop athletes who can produce high levels of speed, power, and force—and recover well enough to do it again. If you're an athlete, coach, strength coach, or anyone interested in speed training, sprinting, athletic performance, and high-performance training, this episode is packed with ideas worth considering. Follow Feed the Cats for more conversations about speed, athletic development, coaching, and high performance. #SpeedTraining #SpeedDevelopment #AthleticPerformance #FeedTheCats #BrianKula

  2. Aug 11

    EP21: The Speed Revolution Changing High School Football with Coach Cale Sanders

    What happens when a high school football program stops training like everyone else and puts speed first? Learn more about the Feed the Cats Academy powered by Universal Speed Rating: https://feedthecatsacademy.com/ In this episode of Feed the Cats, we sit down with Coach Cale Sanders of Carlsbad High School in New Mexico to talk about the transformation of his football program after adopting a sprint-based, speed-first approach to training. Carlsbad enrolled in the Feed the Cats Academy powered by Universal Speed Rating, giving their coaches a way to regularly test and track speed, jumping ability, power, and other performance metrics. Those results create an overall performance score that allows athletes to measure their progress against teammates and other athletes in programs participating in the Academy. But the biggest changes aren't just happening on the testing numbers. Coach Sanders shares how this approach has helped his athletes become faster, healthier, and more explosive, while reducing the emphasis on traditional conditioning and the constant grind that can leave athletes fatigued and more susceptible to injury. And the results on the field have followed. Carlsbad has seen major improvements in athlete performance, fewer injuries, and more success—including the program's first playoff win in 16 years last season. Now, the program enters the upcoming season highly ranked and looking to build on that momentum. In this conversation, we discuss: • Why Carlsbad made the shift to sprint-based football • The philosophy behind putting speed before conditioning • How regularly testing speed and power changes the way athletes train • Why training athletes to perform at a higher level may be more effective than simply doing more work • The impact on injuries and athlete health • How Carlsbad's athletes have improved their top-end speed • The connection between speed development and winning football games • What other high school coaches can learn from Carlsbad's transformation • Why the traditional approach to football conditioning may be changing Could a speed-first approach be the future of high school football? #FeedTheCats #FootballTraining #SpeedTraining #HighSchoolFootball #SprintTraining #FootballSpeed #FootballConditioning #AthleteDevelopment

  3. Jul 11

    EP20: The Leadership Secrets Behind 70 Straight Wins & 5 State Championships with Steve Jones

    Steve Jones was one of the most successful high school football coaches in America, leading Kimberly High School to 70 consecutive wins, five state championships, and a remarkable 129-9 record. But as you'll hear in this conversation, sustained success isn't about X's and O's—it's about building a championship culture through intentional leadership. - Link to The Twin Thieves - https://amzn.to/4f4kymA In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, Steve shares the leadership principles that helped transform athletes into leaders and teams into champions. Whether you're a coach, teacher, business leader, entrepreneur, or parent, these lessons will help you build stronger relationships, create buy-in, and develop a culture where people thrive. In this episode: - The leadership secrets behind 70 straight wins - How to build a championship culture - Creating trust and accountability within a team - Developing leaders at every level - Coaching beyond wins and losses - Leadership lessons that apply to sports, business, and life 🎙️ About Steve Jones Steve Jones is a leadership coach, keynote speaker, consultant, and best-selling author. As head football coach at Kimberly High School (WI), he led his program to a 129-9 record, 70 consecutive victories, and five state championships. Today, he works with Fortune 500 companies, professional sports organizations, and leaders around the world to help build connected, resilient, high-performing cultures. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBPj3-_eDe-42EpKhMt4B7Q/join

  4. May 29

    EP19: How to Develop Athletic Kids: Speed Training, Movement Skills & Multi-Sport Athletes with Jeremy Frisch

    How do you develop athletic kids in today’s youth sports environment? In this episode, Jeremy Frisch joins the podcast to discuss youth speed training, movement skill development, multi-sport athletes, and long-term athletic development. Find more from Jeremy here:  - https://www.instagram.com/jeremy_frisch17 - https://x.com/JeremyFrisch Jeremy specializes in youth athletic development, strength & conditioning, and the Speed Demons program, helping young athletes build athleticism through movement, play, skill development, and smart training practices. We discuss why movement skills and physical literacy should come before early specialization, how multi-sport athletes often develop broader athletic abilities, and why gamification of practice and training can be one of the most effective ways to improve learning, speed, coordination, and athletic performance. In this episode, we cover: - How to develop athletic kids - Youth speed training principles - Movement skills and physical literacy - Multi-sport athletes and athletic development - The problem with early sports specialization - Gamification in practice and sports training - Strength and conditioning for young athletes - Building speed, coordination, and athleticism - Coaching youth athletes for long-term development Whether you’re a coach, parent, trainer, PE teacher, or sports performance professional, this conversation offers practical insights into developing faster, more skilled, and more athletic young athletes. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBPj3-_eDe-42EpKhMt4B7Q/join

  5. May 17

    EP18: Can You Teach Speed? Breaking the Biggest Myth in Sports with Dr. Dillon Martinez

    What if speed isn’t genetic… and can actually be taught? In this episode, we sit down with Dillon Martinez, author of Breaking The Speed Barrier, to discuss the science and coaching methods behind real speed development. - Link to Dillon's book: https://amzn.to/3P4OPc8 We dive into why most coaches struggle to teach speed effectively, the biggest mistakes in traditional conditioning programs, and how elite coaches develop faster athletes through proper sprint mechanics, teaching progressions, and evidence-based training. Topics include: - The “7 UPs” of sprint mechanics - The Three T’s of speed training - Maximum velocity development - Teaching acceleration and change of direction - Multi-sport athlete programming - Recovery and injury prevention - Why speed is a skill — not just genetics Dr. Martinez also shares insights from the largest research study ever conducted on speed coaching pedagogy and explains what separates great speed coaches from average ones. If you’re a coach, athlete, parent, or sports performance enthusiast, this episode will completely change how you think about speed training.

  6. Mar 18

    EP17: How to Combine Strength + Speed Training for Maximum Performance with Zac Goodman

    In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, I talk with strength and speed coach Zac Goodman about how to properly combine strength training and speed development for maximum performance.  Too many athletes fall into the trap of doing too much—too much volume, too much conditioning, and not enough intent. Zac shares how the most effective programs focus on high intensity, maximum output, and full recovery.  We break down why strength training should mirror speed training principles, and how simplifying your program can actually lead to better results, healthier athletes, and higher performance.  In this episode:  How to combine strength and speed training effectivelyWhy high intensity beats high volumeThe role of rest and recovery in performanceCommon mistakes in the weight roomHow to train athletes to be faster, stronger, and healthierIf you’re a coach or athlete looking to get more out of your training without burning out, this episode will give you a clear framework to follow.

  7. Mar 8

    EP16: How Alec Holler Helped Shape Feed the Cats (From Athlete to Championship Coach)

    In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, I sit down with my son Alec Holler to talk about his journey through sports and coaching. Alec shares his experiences as a high school athlete, his college years, and how those experiences ultimately shaped the coach he is today. Along the way, we discuss how his athletic career influenced the development of the Feed the Cats speed training philosophy. Coach Tony Holler originally began searching for a better training experience for Alec when he was an athlete. That pursuit eventually led to the creation of Feed the Cats — a high-performance approach that prioritizes speed, health, recovery, and joy in training. Today, Alec has become a successful coach in his own right. He has coached the Illinois state record holder in the 110m hurdles and has been part of an incredible run at Edwardsville High School as an assistant track coach, helping the program earn: • 3 Illinois State Championships • 4 State Runner-Up Finishes • 7 Total State Trophies We talk about lessons learned from athletics, the evolution of Feed the Cats, and how the philosophy is applied today to build a championship program year after year. If you're a coach, athlete, or sports parent interested in speed development, high performance training, and building a positive sports culture, this episode is for you.

  8. Feb 13

    E15: The First School to Go ALL IN on Feed The Cats (K–12 Athletic Department Transformation)

    What happens when an entire athletic department decides to prioritize speed, eliminate mindless conditioning, and pursue the disciplined pursuit of less? In this Feed The Cats Podcast episode, Bill Brindley, Tyler Thielges, and Brent Strickland share why Augusta Christian (Georgia) is becoming the first premier K–12 school to implement Feed The Cats principles across all sports and P.E. classes. This isn’t just a football change. This is a complete athletic culture shift. We discuss: - Why they’re eliminating traditional conditioning - The disciplined pursuit of less - Prioritizing speed in all things - High performance practice design - Recording, ranking, and publishing results - Building buy-in across coaches and staff - What it takes to implement Feed The Cats school-wide - The risks, pushback, and long-term vision This could be the first full-scale K–12 implementation of Feed The Cats principles in the country. This episode is for athletic directors, head coaches, PE teachers, and school leaders who believe speed is trainable and culture is intentional. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBPj3-_eDe-42EpKhMt4B7Q/join

See All (22)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

When Tony Holler’s name is mentioned, SPEED is the subject… maximum velocity sprinting. Tony Holler is a track coach, most recently the head coach at Plainfield North H.S. Tony retired from teaching chemistry after 38 years in the classroom and has 44 years of coaching experience (football, basketball, and track). Tony Holler is a member of Illinois Track & Field Hall of Fame and Co-director of Track Football Consortium along with Chris Korfist. Holler created the revolutionary "Feed the Cats" in 1999.Tony Holler is the son of 47-year high school and college basketball coach Don Holler. Tony is the father of four, including two successful coaches, Alec Holler (Edwardsville H.S.) and Quinn Holler (Andrew H.S.). Tony Holler has diversified his “Feed the Cats'' message for all sports and the classroom. Tony has consulted with the New York Yankees who started feeding the cats in their 2022 spring training. He’s also consulted with college lacrosse (Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Penn, Arizona State, and Northwestern). Princeton made the NCAA Final Four in 2022 for the first time in 18 years with the battle cry of “Feed the Tigers''. Hundreds of high school football teams now use a FTC approach (also known as “Sprint-Based Football”). At least 12 states have football teams who have won state championships by prioritizing speed over conditioning. Tony also has a Sprint-Based Football Podcast. Tony Holler has presented his content in 30 different states. In addition, he’s done multiple presentations in England, Ireland, and France. Tony is also a frequent presenter at football and lacrosse clinics. In the past year, he's delivered two presentations on "Coaching the Classroom" for teachers. Tony has done several Feed the Cats Seminars which include nine hours of instruction over a 24-hour period. FTC Seminars are usually a one-man clinic. Tony Holler’s Feed the Cats DVD was the #1 best-seller for Championship Production for ALL SPORTS in 2018. It has been the #1 best-seller from 2018 to 2025 in the track and field category. Holler’s most recent content can be found at CoachTube, where he is #2 in sales, all sports, all time. Tony Holler was named as a “Prime Nine Speaker” by Glazier Football Clinics. 

Information

  • Creator
    Coach Tony Holler
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Feed the Cats Podcast
  • Show Website
    Feed the Cats Podcast

You Might Also Like