Mason Hays, VP of Sports Performance at Elite Performance in Frisco, Texas, joins the show to break down his journey from APEC athlete to training director and now to his role with EPT.

We dive into how to build a coaching identity you’re known for, what it takes to succeed in the private sector, and why great coaches are generalists and elite problem solvers. Mason also gets into removing “trash volume” from your programs and focusing on the work that actually drives the right stimulus based on your goals.

Mason also shares his thoughts on LTAD, common mistakes in youth training, how he balances data with coaching intuition, and how he profiles athletes and tracks key KPIs.

🔗Check out more from Mason👇

Instagram: @mason_perform

The Blueprint Training Team: https://tr.ee/1QsimBTnEG

This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches.

Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success.

👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here].

Chapters

00:00 Intro

04:47 Planting Seeds to Coach as an Athlete

09:01 Building a Coaching Identity

12:24 Making it in the Private Sector

14:46 Being a Master Problem Solver

17:56 Youth High-Performance

27:12 Removing Trash Volume

32:40 Common Misconceptions in Athlete Development

34:53 LTAD Outline

37:00 Balancing Data and Intuition in Training

41:40 Athlete Profiling

46:53 Key Performance Indicators in Training

49:37 Adapting Speed Training to Limited Spaces

51:05 Evolving Coaching Beliefs

54:42 Long-Term Goals and Career Aspirations

01:00:02 Finding Purpose in Coaching