In Episode 20, Renee Lopez, former college coach (17 year veteran at all levels of college), former NCAA Compliance Director, leadership trainer, and author of Looking for a Full Ride: An Insider’s Recruiting Guide, talks with Phil about synergy vs. energy vampires, her “no complaining” rule, the importance of CIA, effectively facing adversity, making the most out of brokenness, measuring success, mentorship, and how to develop a healthy team. Specifically, Renee discusses:

• Her story and how she developed her passion for soccer and leadership (2:10)
• How Renee believes we can help others flourish by examining life and leadership through soccer (6:17)
• The concept of Kaizen and the exponential effect and synergy when individuals on a team all work to improve themselves (9:05)
• The synergy of healthy teamwork vs. the effect of negativity and “energy vampires”
• Her “no complaining” rule and the concept of CIA, and what they have to do with leadership (14:12)
• What researching 65 college coaches and athletic directors taught her (18:04)
• Facing adversity effectively by changing our attitude and perspective, and how that can help us through difficult times (21:31)
• How we can make the best out of broken situations, and possibly create better things because of the brokenness (25:16)
• How she measures success as a soccer and/or organizational coach (30:55)
• Critical components of a healthy team and tools Renee uses to equip a team to be healthy (33:58)
• Why goal setting is critical to success and how can leaders increase their chances of reaching their goals when they are developing and setting their goals (39:11)
• The importance of mentorship and surrounding ourselves with people smarter than us (45:13)
• The why and what of Renee’s book, Looking for a Full Ride (46:39)
• How she uses what she has learned through soccer in her family and other areas of life (52:23)
• Renee’s book recommendations (54:53)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Renee’s website – lookingforafullride.com
• Renee’s email – [email protected]
• Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/X1IENduS_i4
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Looking for a Full Ride, by Renee Lopez
• The Power of Positive Leadership, by Jon Gordon
• The Power of a Positive Team, by Jon Gordon
• The Energy Bus, by Jon Gordon
• Leading with a Limp, by Dan Allender
• The Holy Bible

In Episode 19, Brad Miller, Founder of Soccer Resilience, Clinical Psychologist, and former Wake Forest soccer player, talks with Phil about the four pillars of soccer resilience, how we can address anxiety and depression in sports, resetting and retraining our brains, fixed vs. growth mindsets, and whether we actually do play like we practice. Specifically, Brad discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, sports psychology, and leadership (2:11)
• The four pillars of soccer resilience (8:59)
• Anxiety and depression in sports and beyond (17:08)
• Why it’s important to know that “it’s not a you issue, it’s a brain issue,” and what that means (22:14)
• Resetting and retraining our brain, and what that looks like in practice (26:13)
• The concept of “what you celebrate, you practice,” and how it relates to the mindfulness conversation (38:03)
• Fixed vs. Growth mindset and what it has to do with soccer (46:02)
• Is it really true that you play like you practice? (58:01)
• Can we recreate the stress and pressure of a penalty kick in training? (1:01:26)
• How Brad has used the principles from soccer in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (1:05:03)
• Brad’s book recommendations (1:09:11)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Soccer Resilience website – soccerresilience.com
• Soccer Resilience YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUQEXctanLbfHYfTNfSOUig
• Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/KYVQLmQCah4
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Phil on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Mindset, by Carol Dweck
• Switch on Your Brain, by Caroline Leaf
• Start With Why, by Simon Sinek
• “Start with Why” TED Talk -- https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en
• Think Orphan Podcast episode with Caroline Leaf -- https://thinkorphan.com/2020/10/27/episode-156-recast-caroline-leaf-switch-on-your-brain/
• The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg
• Atomic Habits, by James Clear
• Grit, by Angela Duckworth
• David and Goliath, by Malcolm Gladwell

In Episode 18, Rob Burns, Founder/Int’l Director of Missional Links-Wales, former youth player at Wolves, and former youth coach, talks with Phil about the effect of a toxic coach on the team, his “head, heart, hands” philosophy, how he applies soccer in his marriage and parenting, the importance of supporters in your life, the importance of a learning posture, and living lives of integrity and humility. Specifically, Rob discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership (1:51)
• How a toxic team environment caused by his coach led to him losing a love for the game, and how he got the love back (5:33)
• What we need to make sure we’re doing as coaches to avoid toxic environments (7:28)
• The “Head, Heart, Hands” philosophy, and how it plays out in soccer and other areas of life (10:04)
• Principles from the beautiful game that he used in his parenting (18:20)
• The importance of supporters in our lives and the disappearance of home-field advantage during COVID (24:04)
• Raising young adults and adults to live lives of integrity, and how it differs from raising younger children (26:19)
• Creating an environment where there is a freedom to fail and, simultaneously, a culture of taking responsibility for your actions (35:26)
• The importance of teamwork (37:47)
• His love story with his bride and how he uses lessons learned from soccer in his marriage and other areas of life (39:23)
• Giving leaders time to develop and implement their culture (47:04)
• Rob’s video and book recommendations (49:24)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Missional Links-Wales website -- https://www.missionallinkswales.org.uk
• Uncut Video of the Episode –https://youtu.be/Lr3u4BKJ6Ks
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Phil on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• How Soccer Explains the World, by Franklin Foer
• A Matter of Life and Death: The History of Football in 100 Quotes, by Jim White
• Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success (Netflix)
• All or Nothing: Manchester City (Amazon Prime)
• All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur (Amazon Prime)
• Sunderland ‘Til I Die (Netflix)
• Leeds: Take Us Home (Amazon Prime)

In Episode 17, Phil and Paul talk about their favorite moments and key takeaways from the first half of Season 2, the power of mentorship, recruiting, setting clear expectations, problems with communicating via text, and living out our mission, vision, and values. More specifically, our hosts discuss:

• A rundown of the great interviews, themes, and key takeaways from the first half of Season 2 (2:14)
• The importance of letting our players and employees see leaders in their life outside the game (6:20)
• Living out your mission, vision, and values (8:39)
• Mentoring in our leadership and in our organizations (10:17)
• Paul’s thoughts on recruiting, including the limitations of video and some not-so-obvious things he looks for (19:34)
• How the recruiting conversation applies to organizations outside of soccer (25:21)
• Their thoughts on the Michelle Lenard episode, particularly the “cutthroat” game and the need for communication of clear expectations (27:11)
• A great story showing the problems with communicating via text and other technology (33:27)
• The importance of humility and owning mistakes in leadership at all levels (35:54)
• Setting and adhering to appropriate boundaries in our leadership (37:04)
• Thoughts on the Toriono Davis episode, and the use of DISC in mentorship and the game of soccer (39:26)
• A couple recommendations from Paul and Phil (48:24)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut video of the episode -- https://youtu.be/HmVfXZwIfD8
• For more information on DISC and implementing it into your program, email Phil – [email protected]
• “Ted Lasso” – Apple TV+
• Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream, by David Platt
• Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, James Kerr
• “The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix) -- https://www.netflix.com/title/80234304

In Episode 16, Toriono Davis, Professional Scout in US and Europe, Connector, and Entrepreneur, talks with Phil about the ins and outs of the DISC Model of Human Behavior, how he uses it to connect deeply and quickly with his players and clubs, and help them reach their potential, the power and importance of mentorship, and why you might want to give your recruits a DISC assessment before signing or hiring them. Specifically, Toriono discusses:

• His story, how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership, and how a guy who didn’t even like soccer as a kid ended up working as a professional scout (3:05)
• What the DISC Model of Human Behavior is, why it is important to you and your teams, and how he uses it to help the clubs and players with whom he works to reach their potential (9:46)
• Why and how we need to tailor our approaches to our different team members based on their personalities (17:33)
• How leaders of soccer team/club and all other organizations can use the DISC to maximize their results more efficiently (25:53)
• How the DISC can help players and their parents understand each other better, help families, and help disenfranchised people as well (31:14)
• Whether certain personality types fit certain positions in soccer, other implications of personality assessments in the context of the game, and why coaches and employers may want to give their recruits personality assessments (37:58)
• The importance of understanding a player’s/employee’s motivation, hunger, and passion in your leadership of him or her (52:45)
• The importance of mentorship (which is throughout the interview) and Toriono’s book recommendations (58:08)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode –https://youtu.be/a5g9F3k7t5g
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Toriono’s LinkedIn Profile -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/fc-omega-disc/
• Toriono’s Website – FC-Omega.com
• Toriono’s Phone Number – 866-234-9864
• Questions about DISC and how you can learn more about it – email Phil at [email protected]
• “The Last Dance” documentary – ESPN+
• Mastering a Slight Edge, by Jeff Olson
• “Ted Lasso” – TV show on AppleTV+

In Episode 15, Michelle Lenard, Head Coach of Dallas Baptist University Women’s Soccer, talks with Phil about how to “steal like an artist,” DBU’s Leadership Council, how her team has used the Enneagram, what the game “Cutthroat” can teach us about leadership, setting and communicating clear expectations, the four H’s, implementing boundaries in our relationships, and servant leadership. Specifically, Michelle discusses:

• Her story, how she developed his passion for soccer, leadership, how she ended up at DBU (1:52)
• How we can “steal like an artist” – that is, some ideas that she has learned from others about coaching, life, and leadership, and how she has modified them for her program (4:35)
• The best leaders she has coached or played with, and what qualities set them apart from the rest (9:43)
• How the Leadership Council on her team develops, empowers, and delegates leadership to captains and other leaders in her program, and how it helps her coaching staff and has taken her program to another level (11:11)
• How she has used personality assessments to help her and her teams understand and work with each other better (16:19)
• The game, “Cutthroat,” how it has helped her develop leadership in her team, and how it translates to other areas of life and leadership (19:55)
• The importance of setting and communicating clear expectations (e.g., job descriptions) in your team members (e.g., coaches, players, employees), and how the 4 H’s have helped her team (24:53)
• How coaching and leadership are all about relationships, and that we simultaneously need to implement appropriate boundaries in those relationships (28:06)
• What she feels is critical for her players to internalize and “become” before they graduate from her program at DBU (30:53)
• How she uses the lessons she has learned through the beautiful game in her marriage, parenting, and other areas of her life, and vice-versa (33:42)
• Michelle’s book recommendations (39:45)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/2A5a3pHG7Ts
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• DBU Women’s Soccer website: https://dbupatriots.com/sports/womens-soccer
• Michelle’s Twitter handle: @MichelleLenard1
• Acton School of Business website: https://www.actonnga.org
• Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, by Austin Kleon
• Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, by Cal Newport
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck
• Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best: Motivational Interviewing in Sports, by Stephen Rollnick, Jonathan Fader, Jeff Breckon, and Theresa B. Moyers
• God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs, by Tim Keller
• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth

In Episode 14, Don Williams, Head of Operations for the Americas for Sports Recruiting USA and former coach at all levels of soccer, talks with Phil about the #1 tool college coaches use to find recruits, how soccer players can find the “right fit,” the recruiting implications of the small world of college and pro soccer, “punching coaches in the nose” with player emails and videos, and real world lessons kids can learn through the recruiting process. Specifically, Don discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and his long journey to SRUSA Soccer (1:31)
• How Don’s work with SRUSA is similar to his work as a coach of soccer teams at all levels (5:19)
• The need for players to have both raw athleticism and passion for the sport to play at the college level and beyond (11:06)
• The importance of soccer players finding the “right fit” and how they can do so (16:00)
• Why creating and knowing your budget is critical in the recruiting process (23:53)
• Selling yourself and not burying the lead in your videos, emails, and other recruiting communications with prospective colleges (and employers) (32:53)
• The importance of “punching someone in the nose” in the recruiting process (37:17)
• How to make videos on a tight budget (40:58)
• Making the kids put in the work with their videos, emails, and other areas of the recruiting process (43:33)
• The small world of college and pro soccer, and how it relates to the world outside the game (44:58)
• The #1 tool that college coaches use to find recruits (49:46)
• What most coaches are looking for when they recruit at tournaments and showcases (55:08)
• Showing the colleges (or employer) that you’ve done your homework on them and that you know why you think it’s the right fit for you (59:44)
• Real world lessons kids can learn during the recruiting process (1:03:50)
• How to grab a coach’s attention in a subject line and email (1:06:56)
• How Don is using lessons learned in soccer in his life outside the game (1:10:22)
• Don’s book recommendations

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/B12pc9XvRTk
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Don’s Twitter handle -- @Don_K_Williams
• SRUSA Website -- https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com
• How Soccer Explains the World, by Franklin Foer
• Inside Out Coaching, by Joe Ehrmann
• 10% Happier, by Dan Harris
• Inside College Soccer Podcast -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-college-soccer/id1480369430

In Episode 13, Lee Baker, Owner of uScore Soccer and Director of Legacy Soccer Club, talks with Phil about overcoming hardships, knowing and sticking to your “why,” setting and pursuing goals, using soccer as a classroom for life and leadership, modeling ethics and integrity, perspective, mentoring, and sacrificial living. Specifically, Lee discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and his journey to uScore and Legacy Soccer Club (1:48)
• What Lee has learned about leadership through hardships, and how he has grown through difficult experiences (5:56)
• The importance of mission, vision, and values to create clarity in your organization, goal-setting, and really knowing your “why” (12:35)
• How uScore Soccer and Legacy Soccer Club are doing things differently and teaching his players life and leadership lessons through the game in their practices and “classroom” time (17:02)
• How we can teach and model character, ethics, and integrity, and compete at the highest level in our soccer clubs and organizations (23:22)
• How you can address parents and/or players who don’t agree with your organization’s mission, vision, and/or values (28:07)
• The importance of perspective and learning from the best in class, other cultures, and other disciplines (33:22)
• The benefits of mentoring in our organizations (38:46)
• How Lee uses lessons he has learned from the beautiful game in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (40:44)
• A fun conversation about a show that has impacted Lee’s thinking on how soccer explains life and leadership (43:39)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode –https://youtu.be/G2hp8-vAA6A
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• uScore Soccer website -- https://www.uscore-soccer.com
• Legacy Soccer Club website -- https://www.legacysoccer.org
• Ted Lasso (Amazon Prime) -- https://apple.co/3sDe9py

In Episode 12, Phil and our new co-host, Paul Jobson, Head Coach of Baylor Soccer, husband, and father when he’s not co-hosting this show, talk about the highlights in the second half of Season 1, DISC, Enneagram, and other personality tools, self-awareness, playing out of position, servant leadership and the importance of a humble, learning posture. Specifically, our hosts discuss:

• Paul’s excitement to start his newest role (1:23)
• The shaping of culture in an organization (5:23)
• The similarities, differences, and uses of DISC, Enneagram, StrengthsFinder, Myers-Briggs, Berkman, and other personality/human behavior tools (11:40)
• The importance of knowing yourself and your team, and the recruits for your team or organization (18:48)
• Covering for each other when we need to play out of position (24:00)
• Dealing with egotistical or other unhealthy characteristics of players and employees (25:10)
• Characteristics of servant leaders (33:11)
• The importance of a learning posture, discerning which new ideas you should implement into your team, and how to implement those new ideas (37:26)
• Tips from our first season guests that we are working to implement in our lives (45:35)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Video of the Episode -- https://youtu.be/p7m27fw8cbQ
• The Warrior Way information – jobsonsoccer.com
• Take Us Home: Leeds United (Amazon Prime)
• Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, James Kerr

In Episode 11, Mark Pease, Pastor of Hope Church in Bradford, England, and lifelong supporter of Leeds United, talks with Phil about the leadership lessons that we can all learn from Marco Bielsa, Leeds United’s Manager, as he leads a team, shapes the culture of a club, and impacts an entire city. Specifically, Mark discusses:

• His story and how football, Leeds United, and leadership have always been a big part of his life (2:20)
• The history of Leeds United, and the contrast of Leeds United over the past few decades and the club under the leadership of Marco Bielsa (6:28)
• The importance of humility in leadership and how Bielsa models it (11:55)
• How Bielsa has shown at Leeds that a leader can completely transform an organization (16:11)
• How Bielsa has shaped the culture and identity of Leeds United (and has created a freedom within structure) during his short tenure (20:37)
• How Mark has incorporated what he is learning from Bielsa into his own leadership of various organizations (25:55)
• How to get your team and supporters to buy into your culture, mission, and vision, and how Bielsa has done this at Leeds (32:13)
• The importance of hiring the right people to surround you on your leadership team, and what that looks like at Leeds (39:19)
• Why it is critical for leaders to build trust, how leaders can build the trust of their team members, and the amazing things that happen when that trust is built (43:01)
• How Bielsa inspires his team and club, and what we can learn from his style (46:10)
• The importance of a leader preparing the organization for his or her departure (54:16)
• How great leaders can incorporate the good from their predecessor leader and still make the organization their own (1:01:20)
• How Mark incorporates what he has learned from soccer in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (1:03:50)
• What Mark has been reading and watching to help his leadership (1:09:03)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Video of the Episode --https://youtu.be/Ydo8Az2xF_w
• Hope Church website -- https://myhopechurch.online
• Take Us Home: Leeds United (Amazon Prime)
• The Damned United (film about Brian Clough)