In this episode of the Beyond Coaching podcast, host Rob Ramseyer talks with Jayson Schmidt — a branding consultant for college athletic departments and a former Division II women’s lacrosse head coach — about the realities of leading in today’s sports landscape.

Jayson’s journey took him from corporate marketing into coaching, where he quickly learned that leadership is less about titles and more about intentional relationships. From earning just $5,000 as a part-time assistant to running his own consulting business, Jayson has built his career on understanding people, serving them well, and creating cultures that balance competition with care.

1. Lessons from the Early Coaching Years

Jayson shares what he “didn’t know he didn’t know” when stepping into leadership as a 23-year-old coach. He talks about the difference between thinking you understand servant leadership and truly living it, especially when coaching former teammates.

2. Balancing Relationships and Winning

How do you recruit athletes who not only fit your culture but also bring the competitive edge needed to win? Jayson explains the “80/20 rule” for roster makeup, how to handle strong personalities, and why some of his most meaningful relationships came from players in that 20%.

3. Leading Generation Z

Jayson works daily on recruiting, marketing to, and leading Gen Z student-athletes. He offers insights on what’s similar across generations (youthful skepticism, testing boundaries) and what’s different (shorter attention spans, higher expectations for intentional connection).

4. Building Systems of Care

From setting phone reminders to reach out to athletes, to keeping an open-door policy, to adopting a “double exclamation” text system for urgent needs, Jayson shares practical ways to make players feel seen, valued, and supported.

5. Redefining Toughness in Sports

Drawing from Do Hard Things and his own coaching experience, Jayson breaks down the three pillars of team toughness:

• Psychological safety — an environment where players can mess up without fear of exclusion.
• Opportunities to get better — skilled coaching and intentional development.
• Shared adversity — going through hard things together, on and off the field, and maintaining relationships through them.

• “This isn’t about you. This was never about you.”
• “The moments that create toughness aren’t always on the field; they’re in the hardest moments of life, when people come around you.”

This episode is for:

• Coaches looking to deepen relationships while staying competitive
• Athletic directors seeking cultural alignment in recruiting
• Leaders of Generation Z in athletics, education, or business
• Anyone interested in intentional leadership and team culture

• Connect with Jayson Schmidt: https://www.hellopreseason.com/brandingforathletics
• Book: Who Not How by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy
• Learn more about the Impactful Coaching Project: impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com
• Visit us at: impactfulcoachingproject.com
• Subscribe on Substack: impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com