International Coaches Club

Liran Zamir
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International Coaches Club features International Coaches who crossed borders to chase their passion and make it in the U.S. Each episode explores the journey, mindset, and drive it takes to turn challenges into opportunities and build lasting impact on and off the court. Hosted by Liran Zamir, an international volleyball coach with extensive experience in the US (George Mason University, Santa Monica College, Alabama State University, USA NTDP)

Episodes

  1. Ep. 9 Alma Kovaci Lee – Army Volleyball: More Than Wins, A Platform to Inspire

    12H AGO

    Ep. 9 Alma Kovaci Lee – Army Volleyball: More Than Wins, A Platform to Inspire

    This episode is about leadership and how to use coaching as a platform to inspire young athletes. In this episode, I host Alma Kovaci Lee, the longtime head volleyball coach at Army West Point and one of the most respected leaders in college volleyball.Alma’s journey began in Albania before bringing her career to the United States, where she became a standout player at Temple University and later played professionally while representing the Albanian National Team. Those experiences shaped the perspective she now brings into coaching at one of the most unique leadership institutions in the world.Coaching at West Point requires far more than teaching volleyball. Alma shares what it means to develop leaders in an environment built on discipline, accountability, service, and character. She speaks about building culture, earning trust, and helping athletes grow through adversity while balancing the demands that come with representing something bigger than themselves.Over the course of her career, Alma has built Army Volleyball into one of the premier programs in the Patriot League while becoming the winningest coach in program history. More importantly, she has built a reputation for developing strong people and athletes.Alma is a coach whose story reflects perseverance, humility, and leadership at the highest level.Welcome to the Club.🎧 Listen here:▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InternationalCoachesClub🛜 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2gSvhZ4hPjNXEv4jizYhSm🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-coaches-club/id1852331462📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/international_coaches_club/

    1h 9m
  2. Ep. 8 Ashleigh Van Vliet - Idaho State Basketball: A "Simple" Journey Done Exceptionally Well

    APR 10

    Ep. 8 Ashleigh Van Vliet - Idaho State Basketball: A "Simple" Journey Done Exceptionally Well

    This is the story of WHY I started this podcast, for the coaches who want to think outside the box and re-route to the US. In this episode, I host Ashleigh Van Vliet, a Maltese basketball player who returned to her alma mater as a coach after a journey spans continents, cultures, and every level of the game.Ashleigh’s story begins in Australia and continues through the U.S. college system at Idaho State, where she became one of the program’s most accomplished players. From there, her career expanded across Europe, with her playing professionally in multiple countries and representing the Maltese national team for over a decade. Those experiences didn’t just shape her as a player, they built the global perspective she now brings into coaching.Transitioning from a long professional career into coaching is not simple. Ashleigh shares what it takes to step away from competing and step into leading, and how her time overseas influenced the way she develops players today. She speaks about accountability, culture, and what it really means to connect with athletes who are navigating their own paths.Ashleigh is a coach who has lived the full journey and now uses it to build the next generation of players in the US.Welcome to the Club.

    54 min
  3. Ep. 7 Peter Bristotte – Sports Science Expert: Developing Complete Athletes (Live Episode)

    MAR 26

    Ep. 7 Peter Bristotte – Sports Science Expert: Developing Complete Athletes (Live Episode)

    Great coaches often blend science into their development strategy. In this (live!) episode, I host Peter Bristotte, a Brazilian volleyball coach and club director whose career spans athlete development and sports science.Peter grew up in Campinas, Brazil, one of the world’s strongest volleyball environments, and has spent decades developing athletes at multiple levels of the game. Throughout his coaching career, he has helped guide young players to professional careers, youth national teams, and colleges in the United States.Peter holds multiple graduate degrees in areas such as volleyball training, sports physiology, and nutrition. In this conversation, we explore the science behind athlete development and the balance between fundamentals and strategy. Peter explains why great teams are built on disciplined training habits and an understanding of situational game that demands constant decision-making.We also talk about his work developing youth athletes and building competitive programs, including his role as Club Director at Loudoun Elite Volleyball in Virginia, where he continues to mentor young players and coaches while shaping the next generation of athletes, and about his book "Rise above the net."Peter’s career is a reminder that coaching excellence is not just about winning matches, building athletes, systems, and passing knowledge forward.Welcome to the Club.

    1h 12m
  4. Ep. 6 Verónica Ribot-Canales – Four Time Olympian: A Global Standard of Excellence

    MAR 12

    Ep. 6 Verónica Ribot-Canales – Four Time Olympian: A Global Standard of Excellence

    In this episode, I host Verónica Ribot-Canales, a four-time Olympian and NCAA diving coach whose career spans the highest levels of international sport and collegiate athletics.Verónica represented Argentina in four Olympic Games, competing on the world’s biggest stage and establishing herself as one of the most accomplished divers in her country’s history. Her journey began in South America and carried her across continents and cultures, shaping not only her athletic identity but the global perspective she now brings to coaching.Transitioning from Olympic athlete to coach is never simple. Verónica opens up about the discipline required to sustain excellence across multiple Olympic cycles, and the mental resilience behind elite performance. She shares how it is to lead athletes when you have lived the pressure yourself.We also explore the interesting sport of diving from both American and international perspectives, as well as the transition between the Olympics and senior competitions, and the development of athletes to reach the same levels.Verónica is an exceptional coach whose experience continues to shape the next generation of athletes.Welcome to the Club.🎧 Listen here:▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/-Zno2CXmnZw🛜 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2gSvhZ4hPjNXEv4jizYhSm🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-coaches-club/id1852331462📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/international_coaches_club/#Olympics #Diving #International #Coaching #NCAA #argentina

    54 min
  5. Ep. 5 Luke Reynolds – Pepperdine Men’s Volleyball: A Global Volleyball Architect

    FEB 26

    Ep. 5 Luke Reynolds – Pepperdine Men’s Volleyball: A Global Volleyball Architect

    In this episode, I host Luke Reynolds, Associate Head Coach for the Pepperdine University men’s volleyball team and one of the most respected international coaches working in the United States today.Luke grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where his passion for volleyball began long before he ever set foot on an NCAA court. After playing collegiately at Brandon University in Canada, Luke embarked on a coaching path that would take him across multiple continents and competitive environments — from professional clubs in Europe to national team programs and now into the heart of U.S. collegiate volleyball.His journey has been anything but easy. Luke opens up about the challenges he faced transitioning from player to coach, adapting to different cultures and professional expectations, and the resilience it took to build a life and career in a sport he now influences on both sides of the Atlantic.Luke’s coaching career spans head coaching roles in Europe’s top leagues, including in Germany’s Bundesliga and Poland’s PlusLiga, as well as significant international work with the Australian National Team before he brought that experience to the U.S. volleyball scene.We also explore big-picture ideas: how volleyball cultures around the world can share knowledge in player development, how the international volleyball community can learn from each other, and what Luke believes American volleyball can evolve into in the coming years.Luke is an exceptional coach with extensive experience across professional, national team, and collegiate levels, and is undoubtedly a future Division I head coaching candidate to watch.Welcome to the Club.#volleyball #international #coaching #Pepperdine #USA

    51 min
  6. Ep 4. Sarah Straton – Sydney 2000 Olympian: The Mindset Behind High Performance

    FEB 12

    Ep 4. Sarah Straton – Sydney 2000 Olympian: The Mindset Behind High Performance

    In this episode, I host Sarah Straton, a Beach Volleyball Olympian who represented Australia at the 2000 Sydney Games, a longtime professional player, a coach, and a mental performance instructor who works with players, coaches, and parents.Sarah shares her journey as an athlete and explains what led her to focus on the mental side of the game. She talks about why passion and love for the sport matter so much, and how, without them, athletes struggle to grow and reach their potential. We discuss the common barriers that hold athletes back and the practical tools Sarah teaches to help them move through those challenges.Sarah competed for Australia on the FIVB World Tour from 1995 to 2000, earning a bronze medal in Osaka in 1996, and then spent a decade playing on the AVP Tour until 2010. She later joined the UCLA Beach Volleyball coaching staff as an assistant in 2014.In 2011, she founded Evergrowing, an organization dedicated to helping parents and coaches create the environment young athletes need to thrive. She now works with families, colleges, and sports organizations and has become a trusted voice at the intersection of high performance and healthy development.Welcome to the Club.🎧 Listen here:▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InternationalCoachesClub🛜 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2gSvhZ4hPjNXEv4jizYhSm🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-coaches-club/id1852331462📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/international_coaches_club/ ​

    1h 3m
  7. Ep. 3 Cesar Benatti - NCAA Finalist: Developing Programs, Developing Coaches

    JAN 29

    Ep. 3 Cesar Benatti - NCAA Finalist: Developing Programs, Developing Coaches

    In this episode, I host Cesar Benatti, Head Coach of Florida Southern College, and one of the most respected international volleyball coaches in the U.S.Cesar built his career across clubs and universities before moving to the United States, where he joined Western Nebraska Community College as an assistant coach. During his time there, the program won a National Championship in 2010.From there, Cesar moved to Cal State Bakersfield, coaching both indoor and beach volleyball. He was part of two Western Athletic Conference championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances (2014 and 2017), and became the winningest coach in CSU Bakersfield Beach Volleyball program history.His success led LMU Head Coach John Mayer to bring him onto the Lions’ staff in 2023. Cesar helped guide the program all the way to the NCAA National Championship match.Along the way, he has also served as a Head Coach in the National Team Development Program, mentored thousands of coaches through clinics, and continues to mentor young coaches as they build their careers.Welcome to the Club.

    1h 1m
  8. Ep. 2 David Blatt - Former Cavs Coach: Lessons From the NBA, EuroLeague, and Beyond

    JAN 15

    Ep. 2 David Blatt - Former Cavs Coach: Lessons From the NBA, EuroLeague, and Beyond

    In this episode, I host David Blatt, a Legendary Basketball Coach who left a mark all over the world as well as in the NBA. David began his coaching career in Israel, and from there, he achieved success in the European club scene as well as with National teams worldwide.In 2014, he was the mind behind the 1st and 2nd Milano Miracles, guiding Maccabi Tel Aviv through one of the greatest underdog runs in EuroLeague history and capturing the title.1st Miracle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnW-Ti9ihLo2nd Miracle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRyxFkOGogIFinal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNLLD3D9RY8The success propelled him to the NBA, where he became head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and took them to the NBA Finals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xle6oUThOD4We explore together the things that make good coaches great ones, and that interpersonal relationships are more important than any trophy, regardless of background, language, or culture. I enjoyed listening to his philosophies and discovered a coach with great humility, down to earth, a true Mench. His achievements include:• EuroLeague championship• NBA Eastern Conference championship• EuroBasket gold and bronze medals• Olympic bronze medal• EuroLeague Coach of the Year• EuroCup championship• Italian League champion and Cup winner• Adriatic League champion• 5× Israeli League champion• 6× Israeli Cup winnerWelcome to the Club.

    1h 2m
  9. Ep. 1 Otavio Souza - BYU Men's Volleyball: Shaping the Program That Shaped Him

    JAN 1

    Ep. 1 Otavio Souza - BYU Men's Volleyball: Shaping the Program That Shaped Him

    In this episode, I host Otavio Souza, Assistant Men’s Volleyball Coach at BYU and one of the most respected international coaches in the United States, shaping the game.Otavio grew up in one of Brazil’s volleyball capitals and eventually made his way to the U.S., where he played middle blocker at BYU before playing professionally in both Brazil and the United States. His path was anything but easy. Otavio opens up about the challenges he faced as an international athlete and coach, the setbacks, and the resilience it took to build a life and career in a country he now proudly calls home.His coaching journey began at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., followed by a Division II program in Missouri. In 2018, he joined Saint Mary’s College in California, and two years later moved to the University of California, Berkeley, before returning to BYU, this time on the coaching staff.We also explore big-picture ideas: how countries can share more knowledge in player development, how the international volleyball community can learn from each other, and what Otavio believes American volleyball can evolve into in the coming years.Otavio is an exceptional coach with deep experience across multiple levels of volleyball in the U.S., and without question, a future Division I head coaching candidate to watch.Welcome to the Club.

    1h 6m

  10. TRAILER

    Welcome to International Coaches Club

    International Coaches Club brings you conversations with coaches who crossed borders to chase their passion and make it in the U.S. Each episode explores the journey, mindset, and drive it takes to turn challenges into opportunities and build lasting impact on and off the court. Hosted by Liran Zamir, an international volleyball coach with extensive experience in the US (Santa Monica College, Alabama State University, George Mason University, USA NTDP)

    27 sec

Trailer

About

International Coaches Club features International Coaches who crossed borders to chase their passion and make it in the U.S. Each episode explores the journey, mindset, and drive it takes to turn challenges into opportunities and build lasting impact on and off the court. Hosted by Liran Zamir, an international volleyball coach with extensive experience in the US (George Mason University, Santa Monica College, Alabama State University, USA NTDP)

Information