Coaching Culture

McKenzie Ridgely joins the hosts to discuss her successful first season as a varsity head coach, focusing on the implementation of culture systems and resources from TOC (The Coaches' Community). She highlights the importance of "working on the front end"—establishing clear expectations, systems, and communication with players and parents before the season starts. Key topics covered include the structure and impact of her initial parent meeting, the process for selecting captains and forming a leadership council, using player development plans, and strategies for communicating playing time decisions and handling late-season pressure.

Get your copy of the TOC Leadership Journal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/94...Join us on the 2026 TOC Leadership Retreat! https://www.thriveoncoaching.ie/retreatsSubscribe to the TOC Newsletter: https://tocculture.com/culture-toolbox

As we close out the year, JP, Nate, and Betsy dive deep into the internal "operating system" of leadership. While many leaders focus on external strategy, this episode explores the internal beliefs and thought habits that often hold us back from our next level of growth. The team discusses how to shift from acting out of old patterns to acting out of conscious choice, offering practical tools for grounding yourself in high-pressure moments. To wrap up the year, the hosts also share their favorite books, shows, and movies of 2025, ranging from leadership deep-dives to high-octane racing dramas.Get your copy of the TOC Leadership Journal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/947M5Z4J7SCQNJoin us on the 2026 TOC Leadership Retreat! https://www.thriveoncoaching.ie/retreatsSubscribe to the TOC Newsletter: https://tocculture.com/culture-toolbox

Are you stuck in a cycle of "push, push, push" but feeling like you’re hitting a ceiling in your growth? Often, the barriers to our progress aren't our external habits, but the deep-seated belief systems and thought habits that drive our every move.

In this episode, JP Nerbun, Nate Sanderson, and Betsy Butterick pull back the curtain on the "Operating Systems" of successful leaders. They dive deep into the five most common limiting beliefs that keep coaches and leaders stuck—from the trap of tying self-worth to productivity to the paralyzing need for certainty before taking action.  

Whether you are a veteran coach or an emerging leader, this conversation will challenge you to stop merely "doing" and start examining the mindsets that define your success.  

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Subscribe to the TOC Newsletter: https://tocculture.com/culture-toolbox

This second part of the conversation with former Division I coach and Executive Leadership Coach Angel Elderkin delves into the specific challenges coaches face in their leadership roles, how to translate values into action, and the profound lessons learned from her mentor, Pat Summitt. Angel shares her current focus on helping coaches navigate "wartime" performance and why she chose to leave college athletics to embark on her own "inner work."

Schedule a free discovery call with Angel 👉https://calendar.app.google/fFSKUFN8W...Angel's Substack 👉 https://substack.com/@angelelderkinJoin TOC Coach Community for FREE! 👉 https://www.skool.com/toccoach/aboutGet the notes to this episode 👉 https://www.tocculture.com/newsletter

This episode features a conversation with Angel Elderkin, a former Division I women's basketball coach who has transitioned into the executive coaching space. She shares profound reflections from her 24-year career in college athletics, emphasizing that the platform of sport was secondary to the relationships and people she was grateful for.

The discussion centers on the shift from a coach-driven agenda to fostering athlete ownership, the challenges of external validation, and the critical role of self-awareness and self-compassion in effective leadership.

Schedule a free discovery call with Angel 👉https://calendar.app.google/fFSKUFN8WteA5esD6

Angel's Substack 👉 https://substack.com/@angelelderkin

Join TOC Coach Community for FREE! 👉 https://www.skool.com/toccoach/about

Get the notes to this episode 👉 https://www.tocculture.com/newsletter

This episode, featuring hosts J.P. Nerbun, Nate Sanderson, and Betsy Buttrick, tackles the significant challenge of leading other adults in a coaching context, whether as a head coach, athletic director, or club administrator.

The conversation begins with an anecdote about Washington Commanders' Head Coach Dan Quinn, who started his tenure by having every staff member, including himself, deliver a personal PowerPoint presentation about their life to build a strong "coach culture". The hosts discuss the common barriers that prevent leaders from effectively leading their adult staff, such as fear of conflict, the limited pool of willing coaches (volunteers), and the assumption that adults "should know better".

A central theme is the difficulty of holding coaches accountable to a set standard, an issue that often stems from the leader's own discomfort with confrontation (conflict aversion) and a lack of established processes for staff development and accountability. The discussion shifts from the mindset of being a "manager" with power over others to being a "leader" who works with their staff to co-create and uphold a shared culture. The episode concludes with practical advice and tools for leaders to intentionally lead their staff, emphasizing that coaches, like athletes, want to be led and supported.

• Sign up for the weekly newsletter https://www.tocculture.com/newsletter.

• Join TOC Coach for FREE! https://www.skool.com/toccoach/about

• Link to schedule a call for the free Coaching Culture Audit and to inquire about group pricing for TOC Coach. https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/toccoachdiscovery

Betsy Buttrick: https://betsybutterick.com/

Previous Relevant Episodes (Links): Links to episodes which also discuss leading coaches and building culture.

370: Onboarding Coaches https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ARjMZN3Ru88rCjmmhVZwm?si=ccc5riIlSUyliKoYZtG3qQ 

185: Creating Staff Alignment https://open.spotify.com/episode/48zsWR7DD5L1kbd6SPy3ph?si=0bWQoOH0Q5agKGZwEROz1A

84: Getting the Most out of your Coaches https://open.spotify.com/episode/7JVZN3005xmE6KE2QQvh5M?si=mUhi25rTSj2UM1GXFVw56g 

Part 2 of the conversation with Shane Sowden, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Briarcrest College, focuses on his commitment to deep, transformational relationships with his athletes, moving beyond a purely transactional coaching style. He discusses the importance of caring candor and brutal honesty with his players, even when it's difficult.A major theme is the value of investing time in players off the court to build genuine connections, which he finds improves performance on the court as a high "return on investment". This includes one-on-ones, asking non-basketball questions, sharing his own story as a college athlete, and creating unique team environments.Finally, Sowden reflects on the advice he'd give his younger self, emphasizing that a coach's worth doesn't come from the scoreboard. True success is measured by the impact on a player's life at ages 35, 40, and 45—living out the program's values as a spouse, parent, and community leader.Join TOC COACH: https://www.skool.com/toccoach/aboutSubscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.tocculture.com/newsletter

Coach Shane Sowden reflects on his team's amazing season and shares that the most significant part wasn't the "storybook ending," but the individual stories of self-sacrifice and putting the team first that created the foundation for success. He contrasts his sense of fulfillment and meaning with the "emptiness" often felt after reaching the pinnacle of achievement.The core of the discussion centers on a pivotal turning point two and a half years prior, during a difficult season, where Sowden realized he needed to be his authentic self as a coach. Sowden also shares how embracing vulnerability and a collaborative approach—including asking players for their input on strategy and their perception of him at his best (which was when he was confident) —helped him connect with his team and fostered an environment of trust. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of self-leadership and consistency in modeling values for players, especially during difficult times.Join TOC COACH: https://www.skool.com/toccoach/aboutSubscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.tocculture.com/newsletter

Is "belonging" enough for today's athlete? According to the coaches at The Coaching Culture Podcast, the answer is a resounding No.In this complex and highly relevant episode, hosts J.P. Nerbun, Nate Sanderson, and Betsy Butterick dive into the crucial difference between a player feeling like they simply belong (fitting in culturally) and feeling like they matter (being essential to the team's success).   We unpack the toughest challenge coaches face: managing multi-tiered rosters (Freshman, JV, Varsity) and moving players between levels. This is where culture, development, and winning all collide.   You will learn:Why the desire to feel you matter is now greater than the desire to feel you belong.   How to shift your language from "sending players down" to creating a culture of intentional development.   A brilliant team activity (Playing Time Case Studies) to expose your athletes to the complexity of your coaching decisions.   How to empower your team leaders (captains) to "coach the transition" for new and promoted players.   Where the coach's responsibility ends and the athlete's responsibility for their own drive and development begins.   Stop focusing only on who plays and start focusing on how everyone contributes. This episode is essential listening for any coach, parent, or leader dealing with the daily realities of team dynamics and playing time.➡️ Get the full notes & resources from this episode: https://www.tocculture.com/newsletter➡️ Ready for a better culture? Join the community: https://www.skool.com/toccoach/about

➡️ Gaping Void Article: https://www.gapingvoid.com/why-does-mattering-matter/

➡️ Betsy Butterick's Website: https://betsybutterick.com/

Ready to transform your team culture from the inside out?

In Part 2 of our deep dive into coaching, we sit down with executive coach Zafer Achi to unlock the developmental secrets behind high-performing teams. Forget the surface-level talk about team building; Zafer offers a fresh, advanced perspective on the four universal team challenges: Trust, Conflict, Accountability, and Failure.

This isn't just theory—it's a coaching masterclass on how to move your team from being "subject to" their old habits to gaining the perspective (the "object" view) needed for genuine growth and success. Whether you're a sports coach, CEO, or team manager, you'll walk away with a richer understanding of the human dynamics that truly drive performance.

🔥 Episode Highlights: What You'll Learn

Trust is Not What You Think It Is: Discover why "trust" is a complex, multi-layered concept and how your team members' differing personal definitions (is it about reliability? is it about openness?) can create friction or synergy. Learn the crucial conversation you must have to build a unified foundation.

The Law of Three in Conflict: Stop oscillating between easy agreement and outright fighting. Zafer introduces the concept of the Reconciling Force—the higher possibility that transcends simple opposition—to turn team disagreements into opportunities for collective growth and invention.

The Three Faces of Accountability: Are your team's metrics killing its spirit? Find out why the highest form of accountability isn't hitting numbers, but embracing "continuous experimentation and learning," especially in volatile environments. Learn how to choose the right definition for the right task.

The Right Kind of Wrong: In the arena of failure, where most teams lose, you'll learn to distinguish between blameworthy mistakes (negligence) and praiseworthy failures (pushing the growth edge). Zafer explains why, for a team to truly improve, falling down must be an intrinsic part of the process.

The Joy Factor: Ultimately, Zafer shares his most important purpose: bringing joy, fluidity, and playfulness into the team experience, transforming the time spent at work or on the field into something truly life-giving.

Don't just run plays—develop people. Listen now and start building a team capable of navigating complexity, not just winning the next game.

Find more from Zafer Achi at Cultivating Leadership: https://www.cultivatingleadership.com/team-member/zafer-achi