Coachable Players

Jon
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship

Coachable Players is hosted by Jon O'Brien a lifelong sports fan and passionate advocate for small businesses.  The qualities that make someone great on the field - humility, discipline, teamwork - are the same ones that build successful careers and thriving companies. In each episode, business owners, professionals and sports coaches will share life lessons that come from being coachable, like how to take feedback, improve under pressure and lead with purpose. 

  1. Marines Corps Leadership & Basketball Culture

    5d ago

    Marines Corps Leadership & Basketball Culture

    The Coachable Players Podcast sits down with Nate Davis, Gettysburg College women's basketball coach and former Marine.  In this interview, Coach Nate shares how his Marine Corps experience shaped his leadership approach as a coach, discussing principles like trust, accountability and mental toughness that translate directly from military service to building championship teams. The discussion explored what makes players "coachable" with Coach Nate emphasizing that coachability is a choice and can be taught through creating a culture where failure is celebrated in practice as part of the learning process. Coach Davis discusses how modern athletes have changed compared to previous generations, particularly noting how parental approaches and social media have created new challenges for developing resilient, coachable players.

    42 min

  2. May 22

    Recruiting for Culture & Developing Players without Scholarships

    In this episode Messiah College Women's Basketball Coach Mike Miller talks about culture building, recruiting and leadership development at this DIII powerhouse. With 40 years of coaching, Coach Miller explains how he looks for three key traits in recruits: skill and athletic ability, work rate and positive personality, with particular emphasis on finding players who want to grow in their faith. He discusses how Messiah focuses on developing well-rounded students rather than just athletes, with a supportive culture built on trust and Christ-centered values. The conversation covered common misconceptions about DIII basketball, including financial aid expectations and the difficulty of the college basketball experience, while highlighting how the program helps develop resilience and leadership skills that transfer to successful adulthood. NOTE: As an indication of how successful this program is under the leadership of Coach Miller, I had to re-record the stats of how many wins and championships the team correctly has since the school's website team can't keep up.

    36 min

  3. May 12

    The Most Teachable Play in Sports - And What It Means for Your Career

    The Coachable Players talks about the James Harrison iconic interception return during the 2009 Super Bowl. This play demonstrates the importance of being coachable in both sports and professional life. Steelers Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau's repeated message about "defense playing offense" throughout the season ultimately led to Harrison's successful return that changed the game's momentum.  This episode emphasizes that the play's success was not just about individual talent but required trust in teammates and preparation from coaching, drawing parallels to how young professionals should value repetitive guidance from mentors and supervisors in their careers. To watch the play click:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEIyUBf0X8E

    11 min

  4. Apr 20

    The Four Agreements Book Review

    This episode breaks down the core ideas from The Four Agreements and connects them to what it really means to be coachable in sports, business, and life. It highlights four simple but powerful principles - being intentional with your words, not taking things personally, avoiding assumptions, and always doing your best - and explains how each one can improve mindset, communication, and performance. The episode focuses on how adopting these habits helps you handle feedback better, stay focused under pressure, and grow faster both on and off the field.

    16 min

  5. Apr 14

    Scott 'Crasher' Braasch: Reaching Young Minds Today

    We’re excited to bring you something a little different—and incredibly impactful. Coachable Players hosted a special livestream interview paired with a live music performance, featuring a former college football player who has built a powerful second act as a gym owner, cheer coach, and musician. Scott 'Crasher' Braasch brought the wisdom about reaching young minds today in coaching plus he sang some good tunes too! This wasn't just a conversation—it was a deep dive into what it really takes to grow, adapt, and stay coachable in today’s world. During this extended interview, we explored: The reality of transitioning from athletics to life beyond the gameThe mindset shifts young people need to succeed todayLessons learned from coaching and mentoring the next generationHonest reflections on failure, growth, and staying coachable And throughout the experience, Crasher performed his own original music. This was a unique opportunity to hear from someone who is not only talking about growth—but living it, leading it, and expressing it through music. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, parent, or young professional, this is a conversation worth your time. We'd love to hear from you about this episode.

    1h 48m

  6. Apr 5

    Bill Swan: The Players You'll Never Forget

    The Coachable Players sits down with Bill Swan, a retired high school basketball coach from Hempfield Area High School in Westmoreland County who coached for 36 years. Bill talks about the players he'll never forget. Bill has coached a lot of basketball and has coached a lot of players. When asked about the players he'll never forget, Bill thought of a few right away, three players who were the third/youngest brothers from different families who demonstrated exceptional coachability and teamwork. He emphasized how these players were selfless, hardworking and easy to coach, often taking the brunt of coaching criticism while maintaining strong relationships with their teammates. Bill shared stories of player development, including how he helped transform a timid point guard through peer leadership, and discussed the importance of teamwork, academics and good character over individual statistics. He noted that despite changes in coaching approaches over his career, the core principles of hard work, sportsmanship and building strong player-coach relationships remained essential for success.

    35 min

  7. Mar 31

    The Coachable Self Assessment

    What separates good people from great teammates and coworkers?  In this episode we introduce the Coachable Self-Assessment Test, designed to help athletes and young professionals better understand their coachability. College coaches and employers aren't just looking for talent - they're looking for individuals who can take feedback, adapt and contribute to a team. You'll hear sample questions from the assessment and learn how your Coachability Score can highlight both your strengths and areas for growth. This tool is especially valuable for young athletes looking to gain self-awareness early, as well as small business owners who want to hire team-oriented individuals who will positively impact company culture. We're currently seeking volunteers to take the self-assessment and provide feedback as part of the pilot phase. If you're ready to better understand yourself - and improve how you show up as a teammate and coworker, this episode is for you.

    7 min

  8. Mar 7

    Coachable People Reflect - Here's How

    This episode of the Coachable Players Podcast focuses on the importance of being coachable and introduces a simple tool called the 3-2-1 Game Journal for athletes and professionals to improve their performance and reflection. I explain that journaling helps athletes focus, retain techniques and enjoy their sport more by processing experiences rather than reacting emotionally.  The 3-2-1 Game Journal framework: Jot down three things you likedWrite two things you learnedList one thing you want to improveThis practice helps athletes reflect, adjust and improve, which translates to other areas of life. I challenge young athletes and professionals to start the habit now of journaling and this will lead to being more coachable and successful both in sports and in life.

    7 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Coachable Players is hosted by Jon O'Brien a lifelong sports fan and passionate advocate for small businesses.  The qualities that make someone great on the field - humility, discipline, teamwork - are the same ones that build successful careers and thriving companies. In each episode, business owners, professionals and sports coaches will share life lessons that come from being coachable, like how to take feedback, improve under pressure and lead with purpose. 

Information

  • Creator
    Jon
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Coachable Players
  • Show Website
    Coachable Players