The Reformed Sports Project Podcast

David Epstein is the two-time New York Times Best-Selling author of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World and The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance. He is currently an investigative journalist for ProPublica and is widely considered a thought leader in debunking the infamous 10,000 Hour Rule. Epstein joins Nick to discuss his evidence-based theory on the importance of avoiding early specialization and why physical literacy, sampling period, and match quality should be commonplace in every youth sports stakeholder's vocabulary. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clemson University Head Football Coach Dabo Swinney is one of the biggest names in all of college sports. Under his tenure, the Clemson Football program has won two National Championships and seven ACC titles. Coach Swinney joins Nick to discuss why adversity creates growth, how champions are made behind-the-scenes, and why he is committed to coaching with love. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack Leggett's legendary coaching career spans almost three decades, most notably leading the Clemson Baseball program to six College World Series births. He was named ACC Coach of the Year three times and was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2014. A Reformed Sports Project Advisory Board Member, Coach Leggett joins Nick to discuss the value of building relationships through sports and the important role of respect in competing, coaching, and learning. The duo also explores Coach Leggett's career path from three-sport high school athlete to becoming one of the most successful college baseball coaches of all time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sami Ward joined the Texas Tech University Softball program as Head Coach in 2020 after being named WCC Coach of the Year three times for transforming Loyola Marymount University into a softball powerhouse on the west coast. Coach Ward joins Nick to discuss the keys to amateur development, what coaches and parents should prioritize with their kids, and why we shouldn't equate success with winning in youth sports. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

College GameDay host David Pollack is a former NFL and collegiate football player whose extraordinary success at the University of Georgia earned him a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame. Pollack joins Nick to discuss how his experiences as a youth sports parent and coach as well as his time as a high-level athlete led him to become an outspoken proponent for rethinking today's youth sports culture. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan Burroughs is one of the most decorated wrestlers in American history. A 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist and five-time World Champion, Burroughs has won 25 gold medals across international, national, and collegiate competitions throughout his storied career. Burroughs joins Nick to discuss key elements of youth sports - the importance of balancing challenges with support, the value of participation trophies, and how he approaches youth sports as a father. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most successful coaches in all of sports, Anson Dorrance has led the University of North Carolina Women's Soccer program to 21 NCAA Championships and has been named NCAA Women's Soccer Coach of the Year seven times. He has coached some of the most accomplished American soccer stars of all-time and also served as Head Coach for the US Women's National Team for eight years, winning the Women's World Cup in 1991. Coach Dorrance joins Nick to discuss the core elements that the UNC Women's Soccer program implements to cultivate consistent success at the collegiate level and how those priorities should change when it comes to coaching youth sports. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hall of Fame Basketball Coach Jim Calhoun is widely considered one of the greatest college coaches of all-time. He led the UConn Men's Basketball team to three NCAA Championships and won more than 900 games over his collegiate coaching tenure. Coach Calhoun joins Nick to discuss building team culture, the value of learning competitiveness through pursuing interdisciplinary skills, and his "win the day" mentality. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lindsey Munday joined the University of Southern California Women's Lacrosse program as head coach in 2011 and led the Women of Troy to their first Pac-12 Championship in 2019. Prior to USC, Coach Munday won five NCAA Championships with Northwestern University (two as a player and three as a coach) and two World Titles with Team USA while earning All-World recognition as an attacker. Coach Munday joins Nick to discuss the benefits of being a multi-sport athlete, how she views players’ roles within a team, and her advice on playing sports in college. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former University of North Carolina Head Baseball Coach Mike Fox is one of the most highly-regarded college baseball coaches of all-time, leading the Tar Heels to seven College World Series appearances over 22 seasons. Coach Fox joins Nick to discuss mental health, early recruiting, and competitiveness in youth sports. The two also explore their similar experiences as DIII National Champions and reminisce on their shared time at North Carolina Wesleyan, when Nick played for Coach Fox. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Head Football Coach at Anna Maria College, Dan Mulrooney was named the 2021 ECFC Coach of the Year after leading the team to their first conference championship and NCAA playoff berth in program history. Signing on as head coach in 2016, he quickly transformed the school's struggling football program into a DIII powerhouse. Coach Mulrooney joins Nick to discuss his coaching philosophy, the integral roles culture and fit play into a team's success, and the benefits of competing with (and learning from) the best. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heading into his 11th season as the Head Wrestling Coach at UNC Pembroke, Othello "O.T." Johnson is one of the most successful head coaches in the program's history. Under his stewardship, 22 Pembroke wrestlers have qualified for NCAA Championships while 20 wrestlers have also been named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team. Coach Johnson joins Nick to discuss his experience growing up with unstructured play and using sports to build confidence. He also shares his insights on the importance of athletes putting in the work and holding themselves accountable. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently named Big South Women's Soccer Coach of the Year, Samar Azem led the 2021 Campbell University Camels to their first Big South regular season title. Prior to becoming Campbell's Head Coach in 2017, she held many coaching positions at various collegiate and development levels and was a standout goalkeeper for the Campbell Camels in the early 2000s. A Nigerian-born and raised athlete, Coach Azem joins Nick to discuss her unique perspective on the American youth sports culture, the "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality, and the value of enjoying the process. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jon Gordon is a best-selling author and highly-regarded keynote speaker who focuses on leadership, teamwork, and culture. He consults numerous Fortune 500 companies, professional and college sports teams, school districts, hospitals, and non-profits, and his books and principles have been featured by many broadcast networks, magazines, and other publications. Jon joins Nick to discuss the consequences of parents' egos, the importance of kids having fun, and the ultimate purpose of youth sports. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former MLB pitcher Billy Wagner closed for the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox, and Braves during his 15-year Major League career. "Billy the Kid" is a seven-time All-Star and currently on the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Now the Head Baseball Coach for Miller School of Albemarle in Virginia, Coach Wagner joins Nick to discuss his journey from DIII to the MLB, share advice for players and parents, and explore what it means to be competitive. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jennifer Patrick-Swift has turned the NC State Softball team into a top ACC contender since joining the program as Head Coach in 2018. Prior to NC State, she coached at the mid-major DI, DII, and DIII levels, earning numerous awards and accolades over the years. Coach Patrick-Swift joins Nick to discuss parents’ role in youth sports today, her experience as a DIII player, and her recruiting philosophy as a coach in a Power Five conference. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hall of Fame swim coach Bob Bowman is one of the best-known and most successful swim coaches of all-time. Coach Bowman served as the primary coach for 28-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps, was the 2016 USA Olympic Swim Team Head Coach, and currently leads the Arizona State University Swim Program. Coach Bowman joins Nick to discuss the transformative power of sports on kids’ development, the importance of mental health, and how he applied his coaching philosophy to help guide Phelps’s historic career. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frank Martin is approaching his 10th season as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach for the University of South Carolina. He led the Gamecocks to the NCAA Final Four in 2017 and earned four NCAA Tournament bids in his previous head coaching role with Kansas State. Coach Martin joins Nick to discuss youth sports and adversity as well as the important role parents and coaches play in supporting children’s development through sports. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the biggest names in college baseball, Tim Corbin has transformed the Vanderbilt University Baseball program into a powerhouse over the last 20 seasons. He’s won two NCAA Championships and several national coaching awards. Coach Corbin joins Nick to discuss youth sports, including the ‘D1 or bust’ mentality, early sport specialization, and how versatility can be a huge differentiator in his recruiting process. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Restoring healthy balance and perspective in all areas of sport, through education and advocacy Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.