What does it take to build a championship program when there's nothing there?

In this episode, Tex sits down with Coach Lindsey Munday, who's done one of the rarest things in coaching – built winning lacrosse programs from absolute zero not once, but twice. As a player, she helped Northwestern grow from a brand-new program to back-to-back national champions in just four years. Now, as head coach of USC Women's Lacrosse and the USA Women's Lacrosse team preparing for the 2028 Olympics, she's doing it all over again.

Lindsey brings a unique perspective to leadership, having experienced it at every level – team captain, 10-year Team USA veteran, and a head coach who took the job at just 26 years old with nothing but vision and belief.

What You'll Learn:

• The First Game Strategy – Why Lindsey scheduled the #1 team in the country for USC's very first game, and how tracking progress against the best became a tangible measure of growth
• Building Buy-In From Nothing – How to get athletes to commit to a vision when there are no wins, no history, and no proof it will work
• The Captain Selection Process – USC's application-based voting system that creates honest conversations about leadership gaps and builds self-awareness across the entire roster
• Olympic-Level Leadership – What it takes to build team cohesion with just 12 athletes scattered across the country, competing in a brand-new format of the game
• Skill vs. Style – How to balance creative expression and athletic freedom with fundamental soundness and team structure

This conversation is packed with practical insights on building culture, developing leaders, and preparing athletes for life beyond the game.

Connect with Coach Lindsey Munday: Instagram: @lindsaymunday USC Women's Lacrosse: @usctrojanslax

Whether you're building a program from scratch, developing young leaders, or just trying to create better buy-in from your team, this episode gives you the blueprint.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Stepping into an established program as a new coach? You're about to clash with teenagers who have their own "set ways" of doing things—and not all of them are productive. In this episode, Tex McQuilkin breaks down the counterintuitive truth that coaches who avoid setting firm boundaries aren't creating freedom for their athletes; they're creating insecurity and fear.

Drawing from 17 years of coaching experience across multiple programs, Tex explores why teenagers naturally resist authority, how past experiences with unhealthy boundaries shape their behavior, and what it takes to establish rules that actually stick.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The two types of boundaries every coach must enforce: non-negotiable moral boundaries (respect, trust, honesty) and personal safety/health boundaries (the rules that keep athletes physically and mentally healthy)
• Why the "paradox of freedom" means athletes who can "do whatever they want" are actually the ones most likely to push back and act out—they're searching for structure
• The critical importance of consistency—and why inconsistent enforcement teaches athletes to manipulate around the rules
• Real stories from the field: the team captain who skipped warm-ups, the cursing rule that builds impulse control, and why stick placement matters more than you think

The Bottom Line: The more time you spend correcting behaviors and fighting resistance, the less time you have developing skills and winning games. But establishing boundaries requires courage—the courage to stand firm when teenagers test you, to be consistent when it's uncomfortable, and to prioritize their long-term character development over short-term ease.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Dr. Yeager isn't just a researcher—he's in the trenches coaching his kids' baseball and basketball teams, and he's spent his career studying how adults can actually reach and motivate young athletes. In this conversation, we're tackling the hard truths about travel ball, the "joysticking" problem that's robbing kids of development, and why the enforcer and protector coaching mindsets are failing our athletes.

What You'll Learn:

• Why hockey is seeing a 20% decline in 12-14 year olds despite increased youth participation
• The three coaching mindsets and why only one actually works
• How U.S. Soccer turned around their development system (and why other sports haven't followed)
• The "Neurobiological Incompetence Model" and why we're wrong about teenage brains
• Chip Engelland's trust-building approach with NBA players (and how to apply it to your team)
• Why "wise feedback" beats the compliment sandwich every time
• How to reframe stress so athletes thrive under pressure instead of avoiding it
• The self-transcendent purpose approach that makes delayed gratification actually work

Dr. Yeager's work with the FUSE program is changing how teachers communicate with students across Texas, and his insights on coaching will change how you show up for your athletes. If you've ever wondered why kids fall out of love with sports or how to create an environment where they actually want to work hard, this episode is for you.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

"Sports don't teach lessons—coaches do."

Captains & Coaches Founder Tex McQuilkin recently joined Mikki O'Neil on the Purpose After Sports Podcast to reflect on his journey from captain to coach. In this compelling conversation, Tex shares his superhero origin story—how rejection from high school football coaches accidentally sparked a movement when he and nine teammates started a lacrosse team in football-obsessed Katy, Texas. 

From breaking his leg eight days before his first college game to accidentally injuring an athlete as a novice coach, Tex reveals every pivotal moment that shaped his transformational approach to leadership development. Now a global presenter who's trained tip of the spear operators and coached across 16 countries, Tex continues empowering athletes and coaches to lead with authenticity, purpose, and connection over perfection.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

The title reflects their journey. Two coaches who've always operated outside the traditional establishment and finding belonging with those who saw the world differently. They became chosen family through the trenches—staying gold even as seasons changed and forced them to grow up.  

In this episode, Tex and Luke dive into the psychology of identity—who you are versus who others expect you to be. They explore empathy as the foundation of coaching, the danger of labels and stereotypes, and why understanding someone's perspective changes everything. Luke breaks down practical tools for building self-awareness, filtering criticism, and teaching athletes to find their swagger regardless of external noise.  

This conversation is about bridging divides, breaking faulty feedback loops, and staying true to your code even when the world tries to define you differently.

KEY TOPICS:
- Self-discrepancy theory
- Breaking faulty feedback loops created by negative coaching
- The Charles Barkley filter
- Curiosity + skepticism = the most powerful coaching combination
- Body language, swagger, and acting as if
- Parenting lessons that translate to coaching
- Operating outside the establishment and building chosen family through coaching

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train  
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

In sports, laughter isn’t a distraction — it’s a bonding mechanism. In this episode of Captains & Coaches, Tex McQuilkin dives into the art and science of banter — the playful trash talk, inside jokes, and honest jabs that transform teammates into brothers and sisters in arms.

Tex explores how banter becomes the most fun way to deliver candor. Listeners will learn why the best teams master the ball busting balance: pairing humor with humility, honesty with celebration, and competition with connection.

From locker-room roasts that build trust to coaching strategies that use humor to break tension, this episode shows how great leaders use laughter to strengthen culture, emotional armor, and resilience. Because when a team can joke, they can trust — and when they can trust, they can win.

Key Takeaways:

• Why humor and honesty are essential ingredients in high-performing teams
• How to balance banter with celebration to avoid cynicism
• Tools for coaches to use humor to ease tension and build connection
• Ways to test composure and mental toughness through playful trash talk

Laugh as a team, grow as a team.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

What if the most powerful leadership tool isn't a system or strategy—but the depth of connection you create first?

In this episode, Tex travels to Indiana to reconnect with Luke Summers, a longtime friend and collaborator who's been there through the trenches of building training systems, coaching armies of coaches, and navigating the messy, beautiful reality of life transitions. This isn't just a trip down memory lane—it's a reflection on how authentic relationships and self-awareness become the foundation for everything meaningful we build.

Whether you're a coach questioning your path, a leader navigating change, or someone wondering how your battles have prepared you for what's ahead, this episode will challenge you to look inward before you look forward.

Key Topics:

• Self-awareness as the cornerstone of effective leadership
• Building repeatable systems without losing the human element
• Navigating burnout and discovering purpose in new seasons
• The power of long-term friendships in sharpening your edge
• How to protect relationships while building something together

This is Part I of a two-part conversation—because some journeys deserve more than one chapter.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train  
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

"We were either going to win the game or win the fight." - Anthony Mason

That's the crossroads every competitor faces. But here's the paradox: the aggression we think makes us tougher often makes us weaker. The intensity we believe gives us an edge can be the very thing that costs us the game—and something far more valuable.

In this episode we heat up one of sport's most misunderstood dynamics: the difference between coercive aggression and impactful assertiveness.

Most coaches tell athletes to "be more aggressive" or "you gotta want it more." But what if that language is leading us in the wrong direction? What if the fire we're trying to ignite is actually burning down the very character we're trying to build?

Here's what we'll unpack:

✅ The Three Types of Aggression – and why only one of them might be serving your performance

✅ Physical, Verbal, and Emotional Assertiveness – the skills that separate leaders from reactors

✅ The Response Ability Routine – a practical framework for mastering the space between stimulus and response

✅ Real Stories from the Trenches – including how one practice fight revealed everything about leadership and intent

This isn't about playing soft. It's about playing smart. It's about channeling intensity into impact, not destruction. Because the scoreboard will fade, but who you're becoming through sport? That's permanent.

The question isn't whether you compete hard. The question is: what kind of person are you becoming in the process?

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

What if the secret to sustainable nutrition change wasn't more information, but better engagement?  

Jen Broxterman, RD, turned her passion for behavior change psychology into a half-million dollar nutrition practice—without traditional marketing. Her approach? Making healthy eating so fun and simple that clients become her biggest advocates.

In this conversation, we explore the tools that transform nutrition from a chore into a game. You'll discover:

• The Water Balloon Method – A visual tracking system that builds self-awareness without shame or obsession
• Netflix Season 2 – A goal-setting framework that helps teens articulate what they truly want (not what they think they should want)
• Six by Sixteen – Teaching young adults essential cooking skills through social connection
• The Curious Detective – Using motivational interviewing to help athletes solve their own problems 

We tackle the hard stuff: energy drinks wreaking havoc on teenage nervous systems, the protein powder trap, why breakfast remains the ultimate battleground, and how to get parents bought into creating environments that serve their athletes. 

 This episode is for coaches who want to empower rather than prescribe, parents navigating the nutrition chaos of teenage athletics, and anyone who believes that lasting change comes from within—not from another meal plan. 

Your environment saves you. Let's design one that works.  

Jen Resources: Free masterclass + coaching games: https://www.prospernutritioncoaching.com/shownotes
Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

#SportsNutrition #TeenAthletes #BehaviorChange #NutritionCoaching #YouthSports #AthleteDevelopment #MotivationalInterviewing #HealthyTeens #CoachingTools #NutritionForAthletesRetry #teenagers #nutrition

Conflict is inevitable on every team — division isn’t. In this episode we're sharpening one of the most underrated skills of great leaders: navigating tension without tearing the team apart. From locker room blow-ups to sideline disagreements, how you handle conflict will either fracture trust or forge stronger bonds.

We’ll break down the three core goals of healthy conflict resolution, the ground rules every athlete must follow, and the essential mindset shifts captains need to lead hard conversations with respect, humility, and purpose. You’ll also learn how to spot low-esteem warning signs before they derail a season and how to turn heated moments into opportunities for growth and deeper connection.

Whether you’re leading a varsity locker room or building a championship culture from the ground up, this episode gives you the tools to step into conflict with confidence — and come out with a stronger, more united team.

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train
Education - Why They're Not Listening: Coaching the Modern Athlete - http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

#TeamLeadership #ConflictResolution #SportsCulture #CaptainMindset #CoachingTips #TeamBuilding #LockerRoomLeadership #TeamCaptain #AthleteDevelopment #HighSchoolSports #CaptainsAndCoaches