Beyond Coaching: An Impactful Coaching Project Podcast

Dr. Rob Ramseyer
  • 5.0 (9)
  • SPORTS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Beyond Coaching, a podcast from the Impactful Coaching Project, explores coaching and leading the 21st century athlete. The importance of the coach being a positive impact on their student-athletes hasn’t changed but the strategies for connecting with them has changed. This podcast interviews coaching and sport leaders about holistic coaching and the lessons they have learned over time. Beyond Coaching is podcast developed by the Impactful Coaching Project.

  1. 6D AGO

    Youth Sports, Parents, and Fixing a Broken System (Part 2 with Shaun Reid)

    Rob continues his conversation with coach and youth-sport observer Shaun Reid, moving from diagnosing what’s broken to exploring practical solutions. Shaun argues the core issue in youth sports is a lack of parent education. Most parents don’t know what healthy support looks like, which leads to over-involvement, pressure, and confusion. Topics covered include how parents unintentionally make things harder for their kids, what healthy involvement looks like, why youth coaching has almost no barrier to entry, how to navigate pay-to-play without burnout, what the U.S. can learn from countries like Norway, and why the youth-sport dropout rate (around 70 percent by age 13) continues to rise. Shaun closes with rapid-fire reflections on formative books, failure, coaching success, and how his faith has shaped his life. Shaun can be reached at sfrsales76@gmail.com. About the Impactful Coaching Project The Impactful Coaching Project exists to help coaches lead with competence, care, and constancy through research-backed frameworks, practical tools, and ongoing conversations about holistic coaching. Listen and explore ICP resources: impactfulcoachingproject.com impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com

    35 min

  2. JAN 27

    Podcast Short: Clean and Dirty Fuel

    In this conversation, Rob and Dustin explore the difference between clean and dirty motivation—why both forms drive behavior, why one is healthier, and how they show up in coaching, leadership, and athlete development. The discussion draws from a story on The Knowledge Project podcast and connects it to real experiences inside locker rooms, practice environments, and the broader youth-sport ecosystem. The episode challenges coaches to examine what fuels them, how that fuel shapes their leadership, and how to help athletes move from external validation to internal clarity, purpose, and ownership. Key Themes 1. Clean vs. Dirty Motivation • Clean motivation: mission-driven, value-aligned, sustainable • Dirty motivation: chip-on-the-shoulder, prove-them-wrong, short-term adrenaline • Dirty fuel can win games—but rarely builds lasting joy, culture, or impact 2. How Dirty Motivation Shows Up • Creating imaginary critics or “haters” to spark emotion • Heightened volatility in decision-making and relationships • Misalignment with what today’s athletes actually respond to • Athletes quickly see through inauthentic motivational tactics 3. How Clean Motivation Shows Up • Strengthens trust, relationships, and identity beyond sport • Better aligned with holistic coaching and the whole-person model • Requires intentionality because it lacks the emotional spike dirty fuel brings 4. Athlete Identity, Family Pressure, and Motivation Drift • ICP research shows family is a top motivator for college athletes • When athletes detach identity from outcome, performance can improve—or decline • Many athletes discover they were competing more for their parents than themselves 5. The Coach’s Role • Authenticity is mandatory—modern athletes sense inconsistency immediately • Coaches shape whether athletes use their motivation in healthy ways • Clear roles, communication, and purpose are essential to sustaining clean fuel • Winning doesn’t automatically convert motivation—it often amplifies pressure Featured Quotes • “Dirty motivation works—until it doesn’t.” • “If you’re manufacturing haters, you’re building on sand.” • “Clean fuel builds people. Dirty fuel burns them.” Learn More & Explore ICP ResourcesImpactful Coaching Project Website https://impactfulcoachingproject.com ICP Substack (Articles, Show Notes, Research, Updates) https://impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com BooksCoaching and Leading the 21st Century Athlete Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGLP9PP5 Athletic Department Leadership and Developing Coaches Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGM3VZ3J

    17 min

  3. JAN 12

    Youth Sports Is a System: The Kid in the Middle (Shaun Reid Part 1)

    In Part 1 of Rob’s conversation with Shaun Reid, they diagnose what’s gone sideways in youth sports. Shaun—originally from Wales and a longtime soccer coach—breaks down why the youth sports “system” has drifted from child-centered development toward a pay-to-play business model. Rob and Shaun discuss dropout rates, parent pressure, over-trusting underqualified coaches, and the way “selling a dream” can hijack the purpose of youth sports. Part 2 will focus on solutions. In this episode, we cover:Shaun’s background and why he sees youth sports differentlyWhy youth sports has become a “system” with predictable outcomesThe integrity gap: when the business model replaces the kid as the priorityThe impact of parent identity, comparison culture, and social mediaHow young coaches can become “experts” to parents—and spread bad informationThe “selling the dream” problem: promises that don’t match realityWhy Rob believes it’s not just individual coaches—it’s the structure around themWhy this conversation is split into two parts, and what’s coming nextKey takeawayIf youth sports is producing rising dropout rates and decreasing participation, it’s not an accident. It’s the result of incentives and expectations that put adults—often unintentionally—ahead of the child. Next episode (Part 2)Rob and Shaun shift from diagnosis to solutions: practical guidance for parents, realistic development for coaches, and ways to reduce harm inside a pay-to-play reality.

    14 min

  4. 12/23/2025

    Best of 2025

    This Best of 2025 episode brings together the most listened-to and most shared conversations from Beyond Coaching this year. Each segment tackles a reality coaches deal with every day: how to build culture when not everyone plays, how to develop leaders through failure, and how to handle stress without trying to eliminate it. You’ll hear from Brent Hobson, Jim McNeal, and Mitch Hull—three coaches and leaders working in very different environments, but wrestling with the same leadership challenges. Different settings. Same issues. Leadership, pressure, failure, and building programs that last. Episode Highlights Brent Hobson – Value Beyond Playing TimeNot everyone plays—but everyone still shapes the culture. Brent Hobson, longtime head coach of Friends University Women’s Soccer, explains how he intentionally builds value for athletes who may never see the field, including why the only award in his office has nothing to do with wins or goals. This is what team-first culture looks like in practice. Topics include: Building value beyond the lineupThe Garland Award and why it mattersCoaching honesty without lowering standardsWhat’s actually changed—and hasn’t—with today’s athletes Jim McNeal – Failure as a Leadership ToolJim McNeal, retired Navy Reserve Rear Admiral and leadership mentor at the U.S. Naval Academy, explains why the Academy is intentionally designed to make high achievers fail—and why that matters. Failure isn’t accidental. It’s part of the training. Topics include: The Naval Academy as a leadership laboratoryWhy leaders are judged on how they lead people, not just resultsHelping high achievers learn to fail safelyShifting from external success to internal standards Mitch Hull – Stress, Pressure, and the ProcessWe spend a lot of time trying to remove stress from sport. Research suggests that approach often backfires. Mitch Hull explains why stress itself isn’t the problem, why perception matters more than pressure, and how coaches reduce stress by focusing on habits, preparation, and daily execution—not the scoreboard. Topics include: Why “stress is bad” is the wrong messageReframing pressure as preparationProcess-over-outcome coachingHelping athletes perform when it matters most Beyond Coaching is produced by the Impactful Coaching Project, an initiative focused on helping coaches lead the whole person—not just the performer. The Impactful Coaching Project exists to support coaches at every level as they navigate leadership, culture, pressure, and the realities of coaching today’s athletes. Through podcasts, writing, research, and coach education, ICP emphasizes practical leadership, honest conversations, and systems of care that help teams perform and people grow. Learn more at impactfulcoachingproject.com

    31 min

  5. 12/18/2025

    Podcast Short: Systems, Feedback, and Culture That Stick

    In this Beyond Coaching Podcast Short, the conversation centers on a simple but often neglected truth: care doesn’t happen by accident—it has to be planned. The discussion explores how coaches can create intentional platforms for honest, constructive dialogue with players. When athletes are given the right setting, clear expectations, and healthy boundaries, most are fair, thoughtful, and invested in making the program better—not tearing it down. The episode also highlights the enduring power of small, personal gestures. A handwritten note. A name written in ink. A quiet moment of affirmation without an audience. These practices still matter—and they still work. Beyond individual actions, the conversation zooms out to culture. The stories a team tells—about gratitude, care, and looking out for one another—shape identity far more than win-loss records. What gets noticed, named, and repeated becomes who the team is. The bottom line is clear: if care isn’t built into weekly rhythms, practice plans, and systems, it will get crowded out by scouting reports, recruiting, and schedules. Coaches who want it to last have to plan for it. Key themes: Creating healthy structures for player feedbackWhy most athletes are fair when given the right environmentThe lasting impact of handwritten notes and personal affirmationUsing stories to reinforce team values and cultureWhy care must be scheduled—or it disappearsListen to Beyond Coaching: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-coaching-an-impactful-coaching-project-podcast/id1711128150Spotify: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-coaching-an-impactful-coaching-project-podcast/id1711128150Learn more about the Impactful Coaching Project at: https://impactfulcoachingproject.com

    5 min

  6. 12/09/2025

    Brent Hobson on Coaching with Honesty, Adaptability, and the Modern Athlete

    Rob sits down with Brent Hobson, longtime Friends University women’s soccer coach. Brent became a head coach at 24 and has spent nearly a decade shaping a program built on clarity, honest feedback, and team-first culture. They dig into what it actually takes to coach Gen Z, how to lead players who aren’t getting the role they hoped for, and why self-evaluation is one of the most underrated tools in a coach’s toolkit. Key ThemesCoaching a Generation Under Constant PressureBrent sees today’s athletes as more visible, more individualized, and more influenced by social media. Instead of complaining about the shift, he explains how coaches can adapt and still build connected teams. Valuing Every AthleteBrent created the Garland Award, named after a former player who rarely played but shaped the program through character and commitment. It’s the only award displayed in his office—and a reminder that contribution isn’t limited to playing time. Honest Conversations About Role and RealityWhether it’s the athlete who won’t play much or the athlete upset about their role, Brent leans toward clarity over comfort. He outlines how to help players understand how they can still impact the team—and why these conversations require coaches, captains, and teammates working together. How 3D Coaching Changed His ApproachInitially skeptical, Brent now credits the 3D framework with helping him slow down, reflect, and rethink his relationship-building as a coach. It gave him a needed “renewal” in how he leads. What Administrators Need to HearEvaluations shouldn’t be a hunt for mistakes. Brent urges ADs to look at the whole athlete experience and share what’s going well—not just what needs work. Rapid-Fire HighlightsBook recommendation: Shoe Dog by Phil KnightFailure that shaped him: The challenging 2020 COVID seasonDefinition of success: Lasting relationships with players and alumniBest golf score: 73 at Cherry OaksNew habit: Listening more—to players, colleagues, and his kidsListen on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-coaching-an-impactful-coaching-project-podcast/id1711128150 Spotify: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-coaching-an-impactful-coaching-project-podcast/id1711128150 More resources at impactfulcoachingproject.com

    33 min

  7. 11/24/2025

    Coaching Today’s Athlete: Adapting Leadership for a Changing Generation with Suzanne Unruh

    Rob sits down with longtime softball coach Suzanne Unruh to unpack how coaching has changed over the past decade—and why today’s athletes require a different kind of leadership. Suze shares how she evolved from a win-driven, blunt young coach to a purpose-focused mentor, emphasizing emotional intelligence, individualized coaching, and building identity beyond the game. The conversation highlights how showcase culture has impacted competitiveness, the importance of connection off the field, and why faith and relational trust have become central to her coaching philosophy. For anyone leading this generation—on the field or beyond—it’s a timely, honest look at what it takes to coach well today. Key Themes: Coaching evolution: Suze reflects on how her approach has shifted from winning at all costs to leading with purpose, patience, and trust.Showcase culture and shifting motivation: Today’s athletes often come from environments where exposure matters more than winning. Coaches must reframe the meaning of competition and team success.Individualized leadership: Modern athletes expect relational coaching. Knowing how each athlete wants to be coached is key to earning buy-in.Mental health and emotional awareness: Athletes today are more open about emotions. Coaches need emotional discipline and active presence, especially in high-pressure moments.Rebuilding identity: When athletes don’t get the role they want, identity can crack. Coaches play a central role in helping athletes understand their value beyond the lineup.Relational trust: Off-field connection strengthens on-field performance. Suze shares practical ways she invests in athletes as whole people.Faith and long-term impact: Suze views coaching as ministry and mentorship—emphasizing purpose, relationships, and post-college connection as her deepest success markers.Notable Moments: 01:10 – Suze on early coaching: “I was good, so I thought I’d just make them good”  03:20 – Becoming a head coach at age 22, unexpectedly  07:55 – Mistakes made early on—blunt honesty without relational context  12:40 – Comparing JUCO and four-year athletes: mindset, priorities, and approach  16:13 – The showcase era and its impact on competitiveness and team dynamics  18:20 – Athletes say they love competition—but do they mean it?  20:14 – The rise of emotional transparency in today’s athlete  22:30 – How Suze keeps the bottom 10 on the roster valued and engaged  24:00 – Building identity outside the game to prepare for post-athletic life  27:42 – The cost of showing visible stress on the field  29:10 – What Suze wants it to feel like to be coached by her  32:45 – A coaching failure that almost made her quit—and what pulled her back  36:00 – Rapid fire: books, mistakes, success, and favorite coaches Books mentioned: Tony Dungy’s leadership books, Pat Summitt’s coaching philosophy Practical Takeaways: Rebuild the team-first mindset. In the showcase era, many athletes arrive focused on visibility, not competition. Reframe the value of team success and shared goals.Coach the individual. Modern athletes need coaching tailored to how they receive feedback. One-size-fits-all approaches don’t work.Establish identity beyond the sport. When roles change or playing time decreases, identity gaps can become emotional gaps. Use relationship to fill them.Manage your presence. Your emotional regulation sets the tone. Athletes quickly absorb your body language and energy.Value the whole roster. The culture often depends more on how the “non-stars” are treated than how the stars perform.Lead with relationship. Know their story. Trust and influence grow when athletes feel seen beyond the field.Keep faith at the center (if it aligns with your context). For Suze, purpose flows from faith—and that purpose informs how she coaches, leads, and supports her athletes long-term.Notable Quotes: Suzanne Unruh  “They need to know I know how they want to be coached—and how not to coach them.”  “Being told you’re appreciated and you have a purpose is one of the most important things an athlete needs today.” Connect with the Impactful Coaching Project:  X: @ICP_Project  Instagram: @impactful_coaching_project  LinkedIn: Impactful Coaching Project

    27 min

  8. 11/10/2025

    Dean Jaderston on Leadership, Faith, and the Long Game

    Rob sits down with longtime coach and mentor Dean Jaderston to unpack the transitions that shaped his career—from Minnesota high schools to college men’s hoops, and eventually to leading women at Friends University. Dean lays out a clear contrast between coaching men and women, why the collective psyche matters on women’s teams, how to move from managing to leading, and what it takes to stay steady in a public, always-on era. Faith, patience, and the willingness to play the long game thread through the whole conversation. Key Themes Transitions that grow you: High school → college; men → women; what Dean “didn’t know he didn’t know” about recruiting and preparation.Coachability & confidence: With men, puncturing overconfidence; with women, raising ceilings and naming their potential.The collective effect: Public praise/critique lands differently on women’s teams—use “we/us” language and handle most individual feedback 1:1.Lead, don’t just manage: Dean’s “one big rule”—you either bless people or curse people; hold to that and cut the bloated rulebook.Faith as framework: Total-release effort as worship; coach the whole person—spiritually, emotionally, psychologically.Reality of the job: Life and coaching are messy; don’t overreact, don’t take it personally, watch actions over words, and keep vision front and center.Listening builds buy-in: Seek first to understand; today’s athletes spot inauthenticity fast.Vision sustains: The Hartman Arena story—nobody believed it early; vision made the work coherent.Notable Moments 00:15 – Why Rob almost changed jobs just to learn from Dean01:36 – High school → college: “I didn’t know what I didn’t know” (recruiting, prep)06:00 – When talent stalls: the cost of being uncoachable06:33 – Men vs. women: confidence gaps and ceilings08:52 – Language shift: use “we/us”; keep praise/critique mostly individual10:49 – Why schemes/X&O often matter more in the women’s game11:58 – Teaching bug: chasing light-bulb moments and durable confidence14:35 – Faith, “audience of One,” and coaching the whole person20:17 – Coaching in the information age: echo chambers and public scrutiny21:18 – From rules to leadership: Dean’s single standard (“bless vs. curse”)23:13 – Adapt the system to the roster you actually have24:04 – Listening as strategy for buy-in26:00 – Hope and vision: conditioning with the end in mind30:26 – Don’t take it personal; judge actions over words31:02 – Playing the long game when your job feels year-to-year33:44 – Embrace the mess; prepare for age-appropriate, inappropriate moments35:25 – Rapid fire: books, failures, definitions of success, habits Rapid-Fire References Books mentioned: Coach K’s leadership book (annual reread); Frosty Westering’s Make the Big Time Where You Are (ethos: maximize what you have, where you are).Podcast: Better Questions by Matt Davis.Definition of success: Help people see and seize their potential—spiritually, academically, emotionally, athletically. Practical Takeaways Shrink the rulebook. Hold a single, culture-defining standard and enforce it consistently.Reframe confidence. With men, calibrate realism; with women, remove ceilings.Mind the locker room dynamics. Public praise/critique has second-order effects on women’s teams—coach individuals individually.Lead with listening. Credibility follows curiosity and presence.Keep vision visible. Name the destination daily so effort has context.Don’t chase validation. If behavior changes, let that be the win. Check out more of our stuff (and sign up to get a free resource) at impactfulcoachingproject.com.

    39 min
See All (68)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Beyond Coaching, a podcast from the Impactful Coaching Project, explores coaching and leading the 21st century athlete. The importance of the coach being a positive impact on their student-athletes hasn’t changed but the strategies for connecting with them has changed. This podcast interviews coaching and sport leaders about holistic coaching and the lessons they have learned over time. Beyond Coaching is podcast developed by the Impactful Coaching Project.

Information

You Might Also Like