

Way of Champions Podcast
John O'Sullivan
The Way of Champions Podcast is hosted by Dr. Jerry Lynch and John O'Sullivan, team culture and performance specialists. Each week we connect you with the top minds in sports, coaching, leadership, and building championship programs so you can take your athletes and teams to the next level.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 27, 2024 • 60min
#409 Angelo Gingerelli on How to Compete, Win and Thrive as a College Athlete
Angelo Gingerelli (@mr5thround) is the Strength Coach at Seton Hall University and NJ State Director of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He recently published his second book The Next Four Years: Compete, Win & Thrive in College Sports. Gingerelli has been a collegiate strength coach for over 20 years and the book focuses on all aspects of the student-athlete experience from physically preparing for freshman year (weight room proficiency, conditioning tests, work capacity, etc.) to new issues in athletics like NIL and The Transfer Portal. The book is a great resource for aspiring college athletes and covers everything necessary to "compete, win & thrive" from the day they sign their National Letter of Intent until their first training session on campus. So many athletes sign that letter and then show up unprepared for life as a collegiate athlete; Gingerelli will show you how NOT to let that happen. Connect with him at Angelo.Gingerelli@gmail.com. PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS! Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Stanford Lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Many of these coaches are also getting THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT so their team parents can be part of a successful culture. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you? We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. NEW WOC MASTERMIND AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS SOLD OUT! Our 2025 Mastermind and Certification Program is sold out, but we do have a waitlist as well as a collection of coaches who are interested in being part of our next cohort. If you want to take a deeper dive then ever offered before into your coaching and personal development, or work within your school or club improving coaching or transforming the culture, or you want to hit the road as a speaker and presenter working with teams and youth sports organizations, we will give you the tools and support to do so. We are collecting names who are interested at this moment in joining the waitlist or being the first to know when we offer another program, you can do so by clicking here and adding your name and email to the list. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports. Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs. There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs. So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don't have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called "Coaching Mastery," usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences

5 snips
Dec 20, 2024 • 1h 10min
#408 Marginal Gains are Dead with Mehdi Kordi, Olympic and World Champion Cycling Coach
Mehdi Kordi, an Olympic and World Champion cycling coach with a PhD in training optimization, shares insights from his unique journey into coaching elite athletes. He argues that marginal gains are often overrated and emphasizes the importance of focusing on significant factors that drive performance. The conversation delves into building trust in coaching, the emotional dynamics of athlete relationships, and the critical role of recovery in sports. Kordi also discusses transforming training for female cyclists and fostering positive team dynamics, all while encouraging joy in sports.

Dec 13, 2024 • 1h 23min
#407 Anson Dorrance Pt. 2: Another NCAA Title, the New UNC Coaching Regime, and the Importance of Love in Your Coaching
Anson Dorrance, a 22-time NCAA champion coach from the University of North Carolina Women's Soccer, shares insights post another national victory. He discusses the transition to a new coaching staff and the emotional dynamics of leadership. The importance of love in coaching is a focal point, highlighting how emotional connections enhance team performance. Dorrance reflects on vulnerability in leadership and its role in building a cohesive team culture, making the case that affection is key to achieving unexpected successes.

Dec 6, 2024 • 1h 24min
The Secrets of a Successful Halftime Talk with Eamon Devlin, Founder of Minute9
Eamon Devlin, the founder of Minute9 and a consultant in elite sports communication, shares his insights on effective halftime talks. He reveals how coaches often miss players' needs for rest and emotional reset during breaks. Eamon discusses strategies for concise communication, player autonomy, and fostering a calming atmosphere to minimize stress. He emphasizes character development over immediate results, suggesting that supportive team dynamics and structured halftime protocols can significantly enhance performance and resilience.

Nov 29, 2024 • 1h 15min
"You Might be the Last Coach with a Chance to Reach that Kid": A Conversation with Terry Steiner, USA Women's Wrestling Head Coach
Coach Terry Steiner is the Head Coach of the USA Women's Wrestling Team. A 2024 inductee into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and a 3x All American wrestler under legendary Iowa coach Dan Gable, he has been coaching Team USA since 2002. In six Olympics, he has coached four gold medalists, three silver medalists and six bronze medalists. In 17 World Championships, Steiner has coached 16 gold medalists, 17 silver medalists and 29 bronze medalists. He has coached five of the six women inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as Distinguished Members. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the U.S. had two gold medalists in the same year for the first time, and doubled the career Olympic gold medals for U.S. women's wrestling from two to four In our talk originally recorded in 2019, we discuss the difference between coaching men and women, how important culture and direct communication is to performance, and how to make a positive influence everyday on every athlete. Terry discusses his own career, the influence of Dan Gable, and the transition from coaching mens collegiate wrestling to the US Women's program. He also shares an increidble story about the difference between an artist and a coach: At the end of the day, an artist can throw their work away, but a coach cannot. Connect with Terry: Website: https://steinerwrestling.com/terry-steiner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-steiner-44558112/ PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS! Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Stanford Lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Many of these coaches are also getting THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT so their team parents can be part of a successful culture. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you? We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. NEW WOC MASTERMIND AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS SOLD OUT! Our 2025 Mastermind and Certification Program is sold out, but we do have a waitlist as well as a collection of coaches who are interested in being part of our next cohort. If you want to take a deeper dive then ever offered before into your coaching and personal development, or work within your school or club improving coaching or transforming the culture, or you want to hit the road as a speaker and presenter working with teams and youth sports organizations, we will give you the tools and support to do so. We are collecting names who are interested at this moment in joining the waitlist or being the first to know when we offer another program, you can do so by clicking here and adding your name and email to the list. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports. Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs. There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs. So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don't have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called "Coaching Mastery," usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences

13 snips
Nov 29, 2024 • 1h 15min
"You Might be the Last Coach with a Chance to Reach that Kid": A Conversation with Terry Steiner, USA Women's Wrestling Head Coach
Terry Steiner, Head Coach of the USA Women's Wrestling Team and 2024 National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, shares incredible insights from his coaching journey. He discusses the differences between coaching men and women and emphasizes the importance of culture and communication. Steiner compares coaching to artistry, stressing that a coach can't simply discard their athletes' growth. He dives into empowering young wrestlers, the significance of personal accountability, and the nuances of team dynamics in wrestling.

41 snips
Nov 19, 2024 • 1h 31min
#404 Doug Lemov, Author of The Coach's Guide to Teaching and Practice Perfect (Replay)
This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we dive into the archives with author Doug Lemov. Doug is the author of the international bestseller Teach Like a Champion, Teach Like a Champion 2..0 and Practice Perfect. He is one of the foremost teacher educators in the world, and recently he has branched into the world of coach education. He now consults with Major League Baseball teams and is an instructor for the US Soccer professional licenses. His most recent book The Coach's Guide to Teaching is a "must read" for any serious coach. In our conversation, John and Doug break down this incredible book, touch on topics such as decision making vs. problem solving, how forgetting is key to learning, performance vs learning, how to give feedback and check for understanding, and so much more. Take out your notebooks and pens and get ready to write, as this one is a doozy. This first aired as episode 206 in 2022 and click here to check out The Coach's Guide to Teaching. You can follow @DougLemov or visit his website https://teachlikeachampion.com/ to learn more. Highlights and great quotes from the this episode: Learning how to give feedback Teaching kids how to be decision makers Do players see because they scan, or scan because they see? How does looking at the phone on game day hurt athlete performance? Does your club have a curriculum and a plan to deliver it? "Starting an activity the phase before the one you are working on" Simplifying how we teach young athletes Reducing the cognitive load on working memory "You can get a lot wrong if you get culture right." How to move kids up and down without kids thinking they are being punished for going down PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS! Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Stanford Lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Many of these coaches are also getting THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT so their team parents can be part of a successful culture. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you? We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. NEW WOC MASTERMIND AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS SOLD OUT! Our 2025 Mastermind and Certification Program is sold out, but we do have a waitlist as well as a collection of coaches who are interested in being part of our next cohort. If you want to take a deeper dive then ever offered before into your coaching and personal development, or work within your school or club improving coaching or transforming the culture, or you want to hit the road as a speaker and presenter working with teams and youth sports organizations, we will give you the tools and support to do so. We are collecting names who are interested at this moment in joining the waitlist or being the first to know when we offer another program, you can do so by clicking here and adding your name and email to the list. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports. Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs. There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs. So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don't have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called "Coaching Mastery," usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences

4 snips
Nov 14, 2024 • 1h 4min
#403 Anson Dorrance on his Retirement as Head Coach of 21x NCAA Champs UNC Women's Soccer, Self Awareness, and Being a Truth Teller to Your Athletes (Part 1)
Anson Dorrance, the legendary former head coach of UNC Women’s Soccer, shares his insights after a remarkable 47-year career with over 1100 wins. He reflects on his decision to retire and the importance of self-awareness in coaching. Dorrance emphasizes understanding personal and team narratives, moving away from excuses. He also discusses the implications of participation trophies on accountability and the need for honest communication in fostering growth. Get ready for invaluable takeaways from a true champion of the game!

Nov 14, 2024 • 1h 4min
#403 Anson Dorrance on his Retirement as Head Coach of 21x NCAA Champs UNC Women's Soccer, Self Awareness, and Being a Truth Teller to Your Athletes (Part 1)
Anson Dorrance recently stepped down as Head Coach the University of North Carolina Women's Soccer program. In his career spanning 1979-2024, he won over 1100 games, 21 NCAA Championships, 7x NCAA Coach of the Year awards, 12 ACC Coach of the Year Awards, and even one NCAA Men's Coach of the Year award. He also led the US Women's National Team to the 1991 World Cup Championship. He has published 3 books (Vision of a Champion, The Man Watching, and Training Soccer Champions) and has a wonderful podcast where he interviews the best of the best, the Vision of a Champion Podcast: https://ansondorrancesoccer.com/podcast/ While we spoke today, we all decided this would be a two part interview, so today we recorded part 1. We took a deep dive into his decision to retire as head coach, staying on as the third assistant this season and the new responsibilities it comes with, and then pivoted to self-awareness. His insight into helping players and programs to succeed was incredible, and we dove deep into the importance of getting everyones personal narrative and the team narrative to the truth, to reality, and away from excuses. Even coaches! Get ready to take some notes! THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!! WE ARE LIVE! This book is a great compliment to The Champion Teammate, as your parents are a huge part of your culture. Click here to order now or email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com to inquire about bulk book pricing! Use this Amazon link to order the book PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS! Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Stanford Lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you? We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. NEW WOC MASTERMIND AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS SOLD OUT! Our 2025 Mastermind and Certification Program is sold out, but we do have a waitlist as well as a collection of coaches who are interested in being part of our next cohort. If you want to take a deeper dive then ever offered before into your coaching and personal development, or work within your school or club improving coaching or transforming the culture, or you want to hit the road as a speaker and presenter working with teams and youth sports organizations, we will give you the tools and support to do so. We are collecting names who are interested at this moment in joining the waitlist or being the first to know when we offer another program, you can do so by clicking here and adding your name and email to the list. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports. Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs. There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs. So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don't have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called "Coaching Mastery," usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences

Nov 14, 2024 • 1h 4min
#403 Anson Dorrance on his Retirement as Head Coach of 21x NCAA Champs UNC Women's Soccer, Self Awareness, and Being a Truth Teller to Your Athletes (Part 1)
Anson Dorrance recently stepped down as Head Coach the University of North Carolina Women's Soccer program. In his career spanning 1979-2024, he won over 1100 games, 21 NCAA Championships, 7x NCAA Coach of the Year awards, 12 ACC Coach of the Year Awards, and even one NCAA Men's Coach of the Year award. He also led the US Women's National Team to the 1991 World Cup Championship. He has published 3 books (Vision of a Champion, The Man Watching, and Training Soccer Champions) and has a wonderful podcast where he interviews the best of the best, the Vision of a Champion Podcast: https://ansondorrancesoccer.com/podcast/ While we spoke today, we all decided this would be a two part interview, so today we recorded part 1. We took a deep dive into his decision to retire as head coach, staying on as the third assistant this season and the new responsibilities it comes with, and then pivoted to self-awareness. His insight into helping players and programs to succeed was incredible, and we dove deep into the importance of getting everyones personal narrative and the team narrative to the truth, to reality, and away from excuses. Even coaches! Get ready to take some notes! THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!! WE ARE LIVE! This book is a great compliment to The Champion Teammate, as your parents are a huge part of your culture. Click here to order now or email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com to inquire about bulk book pricing! Use this Amazon link to order the book PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS! Programs such as UNC soccer and lacrosse, Syracuse lacrosse, Stanford Lacrosse, Middlebury College, Colby College, Rutgers University, and many other champions are using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you? We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. NEW WOC MASTERMIND AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS SOLD OUT! Our 2025 Mastermind and Certification Program is sold out, but we do have a waitlist as well as a collection of coaches who are interested in being part of our next cohort. If you want to take a deeper dive then ever offered before into your coaching and personal development, or work within your school or club improving coaching or transforming the culture, or you want to hit the road as a speaker and presenter working with teams and youth sports organizations, we will give you the tools and support to do so. We are collecting names who are interested at this moment in joining the waitlist or being the first to know when we offer another program, you can do so by clicking here and adding your name and email to the list. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports. Sprocket Sports is a new software platform for youth sports clubs. There are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs. So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our most popular online courses, a $300 value. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will have access to never before released and bonus material, including: Downloadable transcripts of our best podcasts, so you don't have to crash your car trying to take notes! A code to get free access to our online course called "Coaching Mastery," usually a $97 course, plus four other courses worth over $100, all yours for free for becoming a patron. Other special bonus opportunities that come up time to time Access to an online community of coaches like you who are dedicated listeners of the podcast, and will be able to answer your questions and share their coaching experiences


