Beyond Coaching: An Impactful Coaching Project Podcast

Dr. Rob Ramseyer
  • 5.0 (10)
  • 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. Sep 7

    Podcast Short: Give Sport Its Rightful Place

    What happens when coaches and athletes make sport the center of their identity? In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob Ramseyer talks with Dustin Galyon about giving sport its rightful place. They explore why coaching cannot ultimately be about wins, losses, championships, or individual performance. Sport is a powerful vehicle for developing people, but it should never become the destination. Dustin and Rob discuss the responsibility coaches have to use their platform to help athletes discover an identity that is bigger than sport and a sense of purpose that extends beyond the scoreboard. In This EpisodeWhy coaching has to be about more than winning and losingSport as a vehicle for personal transformationThe danger of allowing sport to become an athlete’s identityWhy an athlete’s worth cannot be determined by performanceThe difference between transactional and transformational coachingHow coaches can intentionally develop the whole personThe responsibility coaches have to model the identity they want athletes to developHelping athletes navigate life beyond their sportHow coaches can pursue excellence and winning without making the scoreboard the source of their identityThe Big TakeawayGive sport its rightful place, and give identity something far greater its rightful place. Coaches can compete intensely, pursue championships, and demand excellence while still recognizing that sport is only one part of an athlete’s life. The goal is not to care less about sport. It is to understand what sport is ultimately for. About Beyond CoachingBeyond Coaching is produced by the Impactful Coaching Project, which focuses on helping coaches better understand and develop the whole person. The podcast explores coaching, leadership, culture, identity, and what it means to coach the 21st-century athlete. LinksBeyond Coaching: https://beyondcoaching.alitu.com Impactful Coaching Project: https://impactfulcoachingproject.com ICP Substack: https://impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com ICP YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Impactfulcoachingproject

  2. Aug 31

    Why Great Culture Needs a Framework | The 3D Journey, Ep. 2

    In Episode 2 of our 3D Journey series, Rob Ramseyer sits down again with 3D Institute CEO Wes Simmons to unpack the framework behind 3D Coaching and why frameworks matter when building culture. Wes explains the difference between allowing culture to grow organically and intentionally architecting the environment you want. They discuss four building blocks of culture — clarity of purpose, alignment of effort, common language, and a shared framework — and why those elements help turn good intentions into repeatable behavior. The conversation then breaks down the three dimensions of coaching: First Dimension: Competence, strategy, skill development, and the physical side of performance. Second Dimension: Mindset, motivation, confidence, emotions, relationships, and team cohesion. Third Dimension: Identity, values, character, significance, purpose, and self-worth. Rob and Wes also discuss why transformational coaching still requires accountability, competence, and trust; how systems can protect coaches during emotional moments; and why a purpose-based identity can create a more sustainable path to performance. They also share practical examples from Friends University, including postgame routines, put-ups, staff spotlights, and the intentional systems coaches can use to reinforce culture over time. This is Episode 2 of the 12-part 3D Journey, leading up to the 3D Culture Summit next summer in St. Joseph, Missouri. Explore 3D for Your Organization Interested in exploring what it could look like to bring the 3D framework into your school, athletic department, organization, or community? Schedule a complimentary Zoom conversation with 3D Institute President/CEO Wes Simmons to learn more, ask questions, and explore what a 3D journey could look like for your organization. Schedule a conversation: https://3dinstitute.com/schedule-appointment/ When completing the form, let them know you heard about 3D through the Impactful Coaching Project Podcast. We’d love to know that Rob and ICP helped make the connection. Learn More 3D Institute: https://3dinstitute.com/shop/ Impactful Coaching Project Newsletter: https://impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com/

  3. Aug 17

    How Athlete Identity Shapes Performance With Ricky Scruggs

    In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob Ramseyer sits down with former professional baseball player and Christian life and performance coach Ricky Scruggs to talk about identity, pressure, competition, and what it means to perform at a high level without allowing results to define you. Ricky shares how his own baseball career exposed the dangers of tying self-worth to performance. The conversation explores why athletes struggle to release results, how approval addiction impacts performance, and why becoming the type of person or team capable of winning matters more than obsessing over the win itself. Rob and Ricky also discuss the role coaches and parents play in helping athletes maintain perspective, why relationships and self-improvement may be better motivators than winning, and how learning to enjoy difficult moments can actually create better performance. In this episode: Separating identity from athletic performanceWhy failure can feel personal when your identity is tied to resultsApproval addiction and the pressure athletes feelSocial media and the growing “spotlight effect”Why relationships and self-improvement drive sustainable performanceBecoming the type of team that wins instead of focusing only on winningLearning to enjoy competition and difficult momentsWhy your opponent deserves your bestFaith, perspective, and the “invisible world” behind performancePractical ways athletes can improve their self-talkCompeting with freedom without losing your competitive edgeRicky is the author of The Champion Within: Overcome Approval Addiction and Compete with Greatness and works with athletes, coaches, executives, and leaders on identity, faith, relationships, and performance. Connect with Ricky Scruggs: Ricky Scruggs — Christian Life & Performance Coaching. www.RickyScruggs.com ricky@rickyscruggs.com Instagram: @Rickyscruggs. Phone (520) 891-0860 Book: The Champion Within: Overcome Approval Addiction and Compete with Greatness Stay Connected with the Impactful Coaching ProjectSubscribe to the Impactful Coaching Project Substack for practical leadership frameworks, research, and insights for coaches, athletic directors, and leaders working to build sustainable excellence. New post every Monday.

  4. Aug 3

    3D Journey: Who Is Wes Simmons and What Is 3D

    Welcome to the 3D Journey, Episode 1 of 12. In the first episode of our 12-part series with the 3D Institute, Rob Ramseyer sits down with 3D Institute CEO Wes Simmons to discuss the experiences that shaped his approach to coaching, leadership, and coach development. Wes shares how two transformational coaches influenced his life, including legendary Missouri coach Vin Bonuchi and his college football coach at Northwest Missouri State Mel Tjeerdsma. Those relationships showed him what a healthy, demanding, and life-giving team culture could look like. That experience eventually led Wes to create the Coaches Circle, an early online professional-development platform for coaches. After encountering Dr. Jeff Duke and the 3D framework in 2009, Wes recognized the structure that had been missing from his work. That relationship eventually helped lead to the official launch of the 3D Institute in 2014. Rob and Wes also discuss why technical knowledge is necessary but insufficient for sustained coaching success. Coaches must understand their sport, but they must also know how to develop the mindset, relationships, identity, purpose, and character of the people they lead. In This EpisodeWhy every athlete deserves at least one 3D coachHow Wes’s high school and college coaches shaped his lifeWhy the United States has historically lacked a consistent system for coach developmentThe challenge of learning from influential coaches without copying their personalitiesHow the Coaches Circle became the foundation for the 3D InstituteWes’s first encounter with Dr. Jeff Duke and the 3D frameworkThe difference between success and significanceWhy leaders cannot guide people into places they have never personally exploredThe three dimensions of coaching: skills, mindset, and identityHow coaches influence values whether they intend to or notWhy modern leadership requires a shift from power to influenceHow coaches cultivate motivation, confidence, emotional regulation, team cohesion, and purposeThe vision for the 3D Culture Summit 2027 in St. Joseph, MissouriThe Three DimensionsFirst Dimension: Skills and Strategy The technical knowledge, tactics, physical training, and execution required to perform at a high level. Second Dimension: Mindset and Relationships Motivation, confidence, emotions, communication, team cohesion, goal setting, and psychological safety. Third Dimension: Identity and Purpose Character, values, significance, self-worth, purpose, and the deeper beliefs that drive behavior. The strongest coaches work intentionally in all three dimensions. Featured Quote“Every kid deserves at least one 3D coach in their life.” Learn More About the 3D Institute The 3D Institute helps coaches and leaders build cultures that develop skills, strengthen mindsets, and shape identity and purpose. Explore 3D Institute courses and resources: https://3dinstitute.com/3d-journey-trial/ Make sure to mention Impactful Coaching Project if you enroll! Subscribe to the ICP NewsletterEvery Monday, the Impactful Coaching Project shares practical leadership frameworks, research, and resources for coaches, athletic directors, and leaders working to build sustainable excellence. Subscribe free: https://impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com

  5. Jul 27

    Coach-Player-Parent Communication: Building Trust Through Difficult Conversations

    Strong programs are built on more than strategy—they're built on trust. In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob and Dustin explore one of the most challenging aspects of leadership in sports: communication between coaches, athletes, and parents. The conversation begins with the foundation of coach-player relationships, emphasizing that trust isn't created in emotional conversations but through consistent, everyday actions. When coaches and athletes do what they say they will do, difficult conversations about playing time, performance, and expectations become opportunities to strengthen relationships instead of damaging them. The discussion then expands to one of the most complex dynamics in modern athletics: parents. Rather than viewing parents as adversaries, Rob argues that coaches should recognize parents as important partners while also understanding that parents naturally respond through the lens of what their child shares with them. Healthy communication requires transparency, appropriate boundaries, and involving athletes in conversations whenever possible. The episode also tackles an often-overlooked reality: most coaches receive little or no training on handling difficult conversations. From hiring practices and role-playing tough situations to teaching emotional regulation and humility, Rob and Dustin discuss why communication skills deserve as much attention as X's and O's. Finally, they offer practical strategies for creating communication systems that prevent problems before they begin, including regular one-on-one meetings, intentional check-ins, active listening, and the power of admitting mistakes. Great leadership isn't about having every answer—it's about creating an environment where honest conversations become a source of trust rather than conflict. Key TakeawaysTrust is built through consistent actions before difficult conversations ever happen.Playing time conversations should never surprise either the coach or the athlete.Parents should be viewed as partners, not opponents, while maintaining healthy boundaries.One-on-one meetings are one of the most effective tools for preventing conflict.Open-door policies are not enough—coaches must intentionally create opportunities for communication.Difficult conversations, when handled well, increase both trust and leadership authority.Humility and the willingness to apologize often strengthen credibility rather than weaken it.Great coaching requires communication systems, not just good intentions.ResourcesImpactful Coaching Project: Leading and Coaching the 21st Century AthleteAthletic Department Leadership and Developing CoachesListen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-coaching-an-impactful-coaching-project-podcast/id1711128150 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4XZrfisl0lv82qFPtfipVz?si=1c035e7eb7074f4a YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@robramseyer646

  6. Jul 13

    How Athletes Learn to Handle Failure With Cody Fuqua

    In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob talks with former college and professional baseball player Cody Fuqua about failure, resilience, and the lessons athletes carry into life after sports. Cody shares how his athletic experiences shaped the way he now leads a team and runs a business. The conversation explores why athletes need to struggle, how coaches can help players learn from failure without making every loss feel like a crisis, and why difficult experiences often produce the most valuable growth. Rob and Cody also discuss building trust through consistency, helping people own their development, controlling emotion after losses, and why who you are matters more than what you do.

  7. Jun 29

    Coaching Athletes Who Are Over-Pressured and Under-Prepared With David Durand

    In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob talks with David Durand about what is actually limiting today’s athletes and why it is rarely talent. David explains how modern athletes are dealing with more pressure and less preparation, largely driven by social media and unrealistic expectations. That combination shows up in performance when athletes get stuck in their head and struggle to carry practice into games. The conversation centers on a simple framework. Athletes operate in three modes called connection, action, and shutdown. What often looks like laziness or poor attitude is usually dysregulation. When coaches understand these states, they can respond more effectively instead of making the situation worse. They also walk through practical tools using the BET method, which focuses on breath, eyes, and touch. These give coaches a way to help athletes regain control of their brain and body in real time. A consistent theme is self awareness. Coaches are not just managing athletes. They are managing themselves. If they do not address their own pressure and identity, it shows up in how they lead. This episode is a straightforward look at how coaching has changed and what actually works now. Key Topics Why athletes struggle mentally more than ever The three modes of connection, action, and shutdown Misreading effort, attitude, and body language Simple tools to regulate performance Coaching beyond Xs and Os Resources Bet On It A Psychological Approach to Coaching Gen Z and Beyond (available on Amazon) Website: realdevelopment.org david@realdevelopment.org Substack: https://daviddurand.substack.com/ About the Impactful Coaching ProjectThe Impactful Coaching Project exists to help coaches win while developing the whole athlete. It is built on the foundation of competence, care, and consistency and provides practical tools and frameworks for coaching in today’s environment. You can find more at impactfulcoachingproject.com. You can receive a free weekly newsletter by signing up at impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com where we share weekly insights, tools, and ideas for coaches who want to lead at a higher level.

  8. Jun 15

    Are Today's Athletes Soft, Or Just More Aware?

    Every generation says the next one is soft. Rob's dad said it. Dustin's dad said it. Now coaches are saying it about the athletes in their gyms right now. But before we accept the premise, it's worth asking a harder question: what if they're not softer at all? What if they're just more aware, more informed, and asking better questions than we're ready to answer? In this episode, Rob and Dustin take on the lazy version of the "today's athletes are soft" conversation and push toward something more useful — what coaches actually need to do differently when the people in front of them have more access, more options, and more questions than any generation before them. Topics Why "they're soft" is usually the wrong diagnosis — and what coaches miss when they stop thereThe difference between questions and questioning — and why Rob took it personally for yearsWhat COVID and social media actually broke (hint: it wasn't toughness — it was conflict resolution)How parents haven't really changed, but their access hasWhy coaches need to redefine toughness before they can teach it — Dustin's shift from calling out soft plays to catching tough onesThe Steve Magness two-part definition of team toughness: psychological safety + a real path to getting betterWhy the best marketer wins online, and what that means for how coaches teach their craft nowThe honest follow-up question: how much time are coaches spending on the 1% of 1% who bail? One Line Worth Thinking About "I don't think I've ever been harder on my guys from a practice, from a communication, from an accountability standpoint. And yet I don't think I've ever received more." — Dustin Galyon For The Coach Listening Three questions to take into your next staff meeting or solo drive home: When was the last time you trained conflict resolution like you train any other skill?What does tough actually look like in your program — and have you ever told your athletes specifically?Are you catching the tough plays, or only flagging the soft ones? About the Impactful Coaching Project The Impactful Coaching Project develops coaches who coach the whole person. Built on the Three C's — Competence, Care, Constancy — ICP is the thought leader in coaching the 21st century athlete. Substack: impactfulcoachingproject.substack.comPodcast: beyondcoaching.alitu.comBeyond Coaching is produced by ICP with the support of Friends University.

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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.

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