Captains & Coaches Podcast

Why are today's most skilled athletes struggling to play together?

In this conversation, mental performance coach Vinny Malts [@coachvinnymalts]—known as "the player whisperer" for his work with NHL, ECHL, and elite youth hockey players—breaks down the hidden crisis in team sports: we're creating individual wizards who can't think collectively.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The mental effort paradox: Why today's athletes are working harder than ever but appearing to try less
• High standards, high love: The critical element most sports parents are missing (and how it's damaging their kids)
• The collective intelligence gap: Why analytics and skills coaches are making teams slower, not faster
• Tone, Target, Timing: Vinny's three-part framework for peer-to-peer feedback that actually works
• Chaos before order: Why great leaders let the mess happen first instead of forcing structure
• The diner menu effect: How too much information is paralyzing decision-making on the field

This conversation challenges the entire individual development model that's dominated youth sports for the past decade. Vinny reveals why the "backyard ball" mentality isn't just nostalgic—it's neurologically superior for team performance.

Whether you're coaching high school athletes, managing club teams, or navigating the pressure-cooker of competitive youth sports as a parent, this episode will fundamentally shift how you think about player development, team chemistry, and what it actually means to lead.

The game hasn't changed. But the players have. And if we don't adapt our approach, we're going to lose the very spirit that makes team sports transformational.

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com  

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

Teenage athletes will fail. That’s not the problem. The problem is when failure becomes identity.

In this episode, Coach Tex breaks down the four types of failure every teen must learn to navigate—calibration, climb, consequences, and circumstances—and explains how to coach athletes to see mistakes as feedback instead of personal judgment. You’ll learn how to give athletes language, structure, and perspective so “I failed” never turns into “I am a failure,” and effort, confidence, and ownership can actually grow.

Perfect for coaches, parents, and leaders who want tougher, more resilient athletes—without yelling, shaming, or lowering standards.

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

JL Reppert, Head Men's Lacrosse Coach at Holy Cross and Marine Corps veteran, joins Tex to explore the leadership principles that shape championship programs and transformational coaching.  

JL breaks down the critical distinction between "setting the example" versus "leading by example"—and why one actually gets people to follow while the other leaves you walking alone.  

The conversation dives deep into practical leadership challenges every coach faces: being respected versus being liked, treating people fairly without treating them equally, and shifting from activity to achievement in player development.   

JL challenges the "lax bro" stereotype while offering a research-backed approach to social-emotional learning through athletics. Whether you're coaching youth sports or leading at the collegiate level, this episode delivers actionable insights on moral authority, accountability, and creating team culture that transcends the game.  

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com  

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train 

#LeadershipDevelopment #CoachingPhilosophy #LacrosseCoaching #TeamCulture #MilitaryLeadership #StudentAthletes #SportsLeadership #CollegeCoaching #TransformationalCoaching #CharacterDevelopment #NavyLacrosse #HolyCrossLacrosse #JesuitEducation #MarineCorpsLeadership #CoachEducation

Championship teams aren’t built on ego or metrics—they’re built on coachability. In this episode of the Captains & Coaches Podcast, Tex breaks down why self-awareness and humility are the real competitive advantages in sport and life. 

You’ll learn how level-setting on skill set, accepting feedback, and choosing humility under pressure unlock faster improvement, stronger team chemistry, and long-term leadership growth—for team leaders.

Key Takeaways:

• Coachability wins championships—self-awareness and humility matter more than talent or metrics.
• Level set on skill set to accept feedback, adjust faster, and improve under pressure.
• Humility is accuracy, not shame—see yourself clearly without tearing yourself down.
• Pride separates teams; humility unites them and builds trust, chemistry, and leadership.
• The right attitude turns reps into results—do the work, accept correction, and keep getting 1% better.

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#Coachability #AthleteLeadership #SportsLeadership #MentalPerformance #CoachingDevelopment #SelfAwareness #TeamCulture #AthleteMindset #LeadershipThroughSport #CaptainsAndCoaches

Coach Loren Landow, Head of Football Performance at the University of Notre Dame, joins Tex to share his approach to speed, culture and leadership development for the Fighting Irish. 

Coach Landow shares his approach to teaching agility, acceleration & transitions, why he makes freshmen train in tennis shoes instead of cleats, and how he builds a culture where "if not now, then when?" isn't just a saying—it's a standard.

Learn Notre Dame Football's Golden Standard—the three pillars of Challenge Everything, Unit Strength, and Competitive Spirit—and why consistency in leadership is the hardest skill to master.

Key Takeaways:

• Why consistency is a superpower and how it builds trust with athletes
• The transition assessment that exposes movement inefficiencies
• How to make every athlete faster (and why "you're born with it" is a lazy excuse)
• Leadership lessons: repeating yourself without getting sick of your own voice
• Training philosophy for developing efficient movers across 113 athletes
• Managing dual-sport athletes competing at the highest level

Whether you're coaching high school athletes or leading a performance team, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom on movement, leadership, and building a culture of excellence.

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#NotreDameFootball #SpeedTraining #StrengthAndConditioning #FootballPerformance #CoachingPodcast #AthleteDevelopment #SportsPerformance #LeadershipDevelopment #StrengthCoach #CollegeFootball

Most athletes are taught what to do — very few are taught how to think.  

In this episode of Captains & Coaches, we break down how great teams develop athletes who can analyze situations, make adjustments, and lead under pressure.   

Using a coaching-friendly lens on Bloom’s Taxonomy, this episode shows how players move from following instructions to owning the game — and why thinking athletes become the captains everyone trusts when it matters most.

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#AthleteLeadership #CaptainDevelopment #CoachingEducation #SportsLeadership #GameIQ #CoachBetter #MentalPerformance #LeadershipThroughSport #ThinkingAthlete #PlayerLedTeams

LSU Baseball's Head Coach Jay Johnson—a two-time national champion who has built one of college baseball's premier programs. From his humble beginnings transitioning from player to coach at Point Loma Nazarene to leading LSU to back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2025, Coach Johnson shares the leadership principles and developmental philosophies that have shaped his legendary career.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The player-to-coach transition
• The power of mentorship
• "How to Win Awareness"
• Team Over Me
• Development as the driver

Coach Johnson also shares powerful stories from both championship runs—from the emotional roller coaster of the 2023 comeback victory to the process-driven excellence of 2025—and offers practical advice for youth coaches and parents navigating the college recruiting landscape.

Whether you're coaching at the highest level or in your backyard, this episode is packed with transferable wisdom on leadership, culture-building, and what it truly takes to develop people—not just players.

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

Maybe—a simple word drawn from an ancient Chinese parable that challenges how we judge life's wins and losses.

In this episode, you'll hear the story of a farmer whose horse runs away, then returns with seven wild horses, then causes his son to break his leg, which saves him from war. At every turn, the neighbors rush to label each event as disaster or blessing. The farmer? He simply says: "Maybe."

This isn't about indifference or avoiding reality. It's about recognizing that we're often standing too close to the canvas to see the full picture. We don't know the consequences of our misfortunes, and we don't know the consequences of our good fortunes.

For coaches navigating the extremes—the crushing losses, the unexpected wins, the chaos of leading others—this ancient wisdom offers a powerful tool: the ability to feel the ends without letting them define you.

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

We train our athletes' bodies religiously—but what about their minds?

In this episode, I sit down with Shenna Jean [@shennajean], founder of Make One Day Happen, to explore why the mental training gap in athletics is costing our athletes performance, confidence, and long-term well-being. Shenna brings sound visualization, breathwork, and nervous system regulation to everyone from Division I teams to pro athletes to corporate leadership groups—and she's pulling back the curtain on what actually works.

Here's the reality: 90% of Olympians use visualization as a core part of their success, but the rest of the athletic world? They're being told to "just go visualize" without any real training on how to do it. It's like telling someone to get stronger without giving them a program or a barbell.

In this conversation, we cover:

• Thought Defense strategies - Zone defense (gratitude & affirmations) vs Man-to-Man defense (anti-thoughts for specific limiting beliefs)
• Why we're over-meditated and under-visualized - The difference between mindful awareness and conscious creation
• The 90-second emotion rule - How to separate body sensations from the mental narratives we attach to them
• Shame vs Guilt in coaching - Why leading with shame keeps athletes in fight-flight-freeze instead of flow state

This episode is for coaches who want to:

• Give their athletes mental training tools that actually work
• Understand how to regulate their own nervous system so they can lead with composure
• Help athletes build intrinsic motivation instead of performing out of fear
• Create team cohesion faster in the age of transfer portal and NIL

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

You don't have lazy athletes. You have athletes who don't feel ownership over who they're becoming.

In this episode, we break down the exact language progression that transforms teenage effort from something you have to demand into something they generate from within. Using the "I Want → I Am" framework, you'll learn how to guide athletes through seven identity-building stages that turn fragile motivation into unshakable self-leadership.

This isn't about yelling louder or running harder conditioning. It's about understanding that thoughts become reality—and the language we use as coaches either builds athletes who own their effort or creates performers who'll never push beyond our presence. If you want your team to actually give a sh*t this year, start here.

What you'll learn:

• Why modern athletes shut down when coaches use old-school motivation tactics
• The 7-stage identity ladder from "I want" to "I am" (with coaching cues for each)
• How to use writing, vocal awareness, and visualization to anchor commitment
• The difference between confidence-building and outcome-chasing
• Why helping athletes level-set their current skill is more powerful than hype

Language shapes identity. Identity drives behavior. This is how you raise the game.

*NEW* Education - Captains & Coaches course, "Why They're Not Listening - Coaching Today's Athlete": http://listen.captainsandcoaches.com

Training - Old Bull Program - 7 Day Free Trial - https://bit.ly/old-bull-train

#CoachingPhilosophy #AthleteMotivation #YouthSportsCoaching #TeenageAthletes #LeadershipDevelopment #CoachBetter #TransformationalCoaching #SportsCoaching #CoachEducation #TeamCulture #HighSchoolSports #CoachingMindset #AthleteDevelopment #CaptainsAndCoaches #ModernCoaching