What happens when a young woman with no intention of ever coaching ends up becoming one of the most respected voices in women's basketball? You get Coach Niya Butts, and this week she's pulling back the curtain on all of it.

From winning back-to-back NCAA Championships at Tennessee under the legendary Pat Summit, to taking the lessons she learned in Knoxville and building something of her own at the University of Arizona for 8 seasons, Coach Butts has lived the full coaching journey. And she's here to talk about every part of it, the highs, the hard days, and everything in between.

This week Coach Alphonza Kee and Coach Scott Bollwage sit down with Niya for a conversation that goes way beyond basketball. She breaks down what it truly means to be a coach in today's world, not just someone who draws up plays, but a mentor, a counselor, a life coach, and a constant presence in the lives of young people who are still figuring out who they are. She talks about why some coaches resist those roles and why she simply cannot function any other way.

She also shares the powerful moment that pulled her INTO coaching in the first place, a group of players whose passion for the game was so infectious that every time she stepped on the floor with them, she felt a pull she couldn't ignore. And she reflects on something every coach needs to hear, that the impact you make may not show up right away. Sometimes you're long gone before your players truly understand what you gave them.

Coach Butts also brings the wisdom of Pat Summit to life, sharing the "Definite Dozens" principles that shaped her as a player and continue to guide her as a coach, a leader, and a person. Discipline yourself so no one else has to. Change is a must. Words to live by.

This is an episode about legacy, purpose, and what it really means to pour yourself into other people. Don't miss it.

New episodes of Life on the Road: A Coach's Journey drop every Thursday. Subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a coach who needs to hear it today.

In this episode of Life on the Road: A Coach's Journey, hosts Alphonza Kee and Scott Bollwage sit down with Head Coach Rob Jones of Norfolk State University, one of the most accomplished coaches in HBCU basketball history.

Coach Jones brings 251 wins, 5 MEAC Regular Season Titles, 3 MEAC Tournament Championships, 3 MEAC Coach of the Year awards, and a 2024 CIT National Championship to the conversation. But behind every stat is a story that most people have never heard.

Coach Jones opens up about growing up in Queens, NY and carving his own path in the coaching world without the benefit of a famous coaching tree or built-in network. He shares how Championship Production basketball videos became his film room, his classroom, and his foundation, and how that hunger to self-educate fueled everything that followed.

We go deep on what it truly means to coach at every level, from JV and freshman ball to AAU to Division I, and the journey from interim head coach to full-time head coach in 2014. Coach Jones also takes us inside the story of his very first recruit, a player nobody else believed in, where Norfolk State was the only program willing to offer him a scholarship, and what it was like coaching his own former teammates.

This is a masterclass in self-made coaching, sustained excellence, and the kind of leadership that turns programs into legacies.

Whether you're a first-year JV coach trying to find your footing or a veteran looking to reconnect with why you started, this episode is for you.

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What does it take to go from graduate assistant to national champion in less than a decade?

Coach Easton Bazzoli, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Gannon University, sits down with Alphonza Kee and Scott Bollwage on Life on the Road, to tell the complete story of one of the most remarkable rises in college basketball history.

Bazzoli's journey did not start with a head coaching offer or a guaranteed path to the top. It started at Union University in 2017 as a graduate assistant, thrown right into the fire from day one, learning the game from the ground up, doing the grunt work, and soaking up every lesson he could from the coaches around him. He was promoted to a full assistant position in 2018 and spent years building his foundation the right way, one practice, one film session, and one recruit at a time.

When he arrived at Gannon University in 2024 as an assistant under Coach Jordan Fee, he walked into a program that had just completed the biggest single season turnaround in NCAA history, going from 3 wins to 32 wins in one year. That culture of winning every game, competing every day, and holding each other to the highest standard was already in place. And Bazzoli was right there in the middle of it, watching it all unfold and contributing to every step of that climb.

Then everything changed on April 2, 2024, when Coach Fee resigned to take an assistant position at Florida Atlantic. Bazzoli was named head coach the same day. No lengthy search. No transition period. Just a phone call and a new title on a program coming off one of the greatest seasons in Division II history.

Most coaches would have cracked under that pressure. Bazzoli went 0-2 to start his first season. The doubt crept in. The imposter syndrome that every young coach knows all too well started asking its familiar questions. Do I have what it takes? Am I ready for this? But instead of panicking, Bazzoli did what great coaches do. He reflected. He leaned on the personal experiences that shaped him. He called on the lessons of the mentors who had poured into him throughout his career. And then he went to work.

The Golden Knights finished that first season 27-7, winning the PSAC West division title and the PSAC Tournament. Year two brought even more. Bazzoli led Gannon to the 2026 NCAA Division II National Championship, defeating Lander 84-61 in the title game and cementing his place as one of the youngest and most successful coaches in college basketball history. His overall coaching record now stands at an elite 61-10.

But behind the wins and the banners is a real and honest story. The restaurant that forgot the head coach's food order and the survival cheat code every assistant coach needs to know. The weight of taking over a 30 win program at just 30 years old. The quiet moments of doubt that even champions experience. The teammates and mentors who spoke life into him when he needed it most. And the unwavering support of his family who sacrificed alongside him through every early morning, late night, and crossroads moment of this journey.

Coach Bazzoli also opens up about what he looks for in recruiting, why character matters more than talent when building a championship culture, the importance of team chemistry, and how a group that nobody feared walking into the gym became the last team standing at the end of the season.

This is not just a basketball conversation. This is a conversation about belief, resilience, leadership, and what it truly means to trust the process when nobody else sees it coming. Whether you are a coach, a player, a parent, or someone chasing a goal that feels bigger than you right now, this episode is for you.

New episodes every Thursday. Follow Life on the Road, A Coach's Journey on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, and X.

@LifeOnTheRoadPodcast | @CoachAKSB

🎙️🏀 Life On The Road: A Coach's Journey | ft. Bob Szorc, Associate Head Coach, Appalachian State Men's Basketball

Coach Alphonza Kee and Coach Scott Bollwage sit down with Coach Bob Szorc. We go back and watch the Journey of a kid from the Chicago area pick up a whistle, step into a gym, and decide to give his life to the game of basketball. Trust us, this journey is one you do NOT want to miss!

From the Illinois to the heart of Cleveland, Mississippi where he sat down at a restaurant, saw GRITS on the menu, and ordered them with absolutely zero idea what he was about to experience, Coach Szorc's road has been anything but ordinary. Talk about a culture shock! 😂🍽️

But this episode goes WAY deeper than food. Coach Szorc gets real about the self-doubt that creeps in when you first step into coaching, not fully knowing what the job entails, wondering if you belong, and questioning everything. His message? Don't quit. Keep showing up. Because the confidence doesn't come first, the showing up does. Every single day you stay in the fight, you get better, and eventually you look up and realize you've become exactly the coach you always believed you could be. 💪

He also opens up about one of the toughest decisions of his coaching career, closing a chapter he was comfortable in and stepping into a completely uncertain one with no guarantees and no roadmap. Just faith, courage, and a relentless belief in the process.

And then there's the scouting story. 😂 Coach Szorc went to scout a football game, saw the team getting blown out, figured the game was in hand, and left early. That team came all the way back and WON. He missed every single second of it and had to find out from his HEAD COACH the next morning at breakfast. Let's just say, scouting to the end hits a little different after that one! 💀🏈

Through it all, Coach Szorc has built one of the most elite defensive programs in the country at App State. 8 seasons. 133 wins. 76 Sun Belt victories. A '23-24 Sun Belt Championship. A '20-21 NCAA Tournament appearance. 6 straight top 50 national defensive seasons. And a culture built on showing up, competing, and never leaving early! 🏆🔒

This episode is equal parts hilarious, inspiring, and packed with real talk about what it truly takes to build a winning program and a winning life on the road.

Whether you're a coach, a player, an athlete, or just someone who loves a great story about grit, growth, and grits, this one is for YOU!

🎧 New episodes drop every Thursday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms!

📲 Follow us: @CoachAKSB on Instagram & X▶️ Subscribe: @LifeOnTheRoadPodcast on YouTube🐦 Follow Coach Szorc: @Coach_Szorc on X

#LifeOnTheRoad #BobSzorc #AppState #Mountaineers #CoachLife #BasketballPodcast #OvercomingDoubt #NeverQuit #SunBelt

What does it actually take to make it in the coaching world? Coach Grant Leonard is pulling back the curtain and holding NOTHING back.

From working multiple jobs just to stay in the game, to grinding through the camp circuit building relationships one summer at a time, to standing on the sideline of the NCAA Tournament for the FIRST TIME in Queens University history , this is the story nobody tells you about.

Coach Leonard takes us through every twist and turn of his 20-year journey. The fork in the road moment where he had to decide between going home or keep fighting. The lessons learned coaching at the lower levels , finding his coaching voice, learning to recruit, and developing players from the ground up. The chaos behind the clipboard that only coaches will truly understand. And yes, we talk about the sweaters. 😂

This isn't just a basketball story. This is a story about determination, sacrifice, and what happens when you refuse to quit on your dream.

Whether you're a coach grinding at the lower levels, an aspiring coach wondering if it's worth it, or just a fan who loves the game , this episode is for YOU.

New episodes of Life on the Road , A Coach's Journey with Coach Alphonza Kee and Coach Scott Bollwage drop every Thursday.

🎧 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

This week, Coach Alphonza Kee & Coach Scott Bollwage tap in with Akeem Miskdeen, assistant coach at Michigan, and this one is all about the journey.

From knowing at an early age he wanted to coach… to starting as a volunteer at Hampton… to grinding his way through stops at Mount Olive, Wingate, Hampton again, Kent State, Florida Atlantic, Florida, Georgia… and now Michigan.

We get into the mindset that separates real coaches, being fully committed to where your feet are, not chasing the next job, but making the job you have the most important one there is.

We also dive into defining moments, the hesitation of leaving Wingate, the advice that changed everything, “never pass on an opportunity,” and what it meant for his journey.

And then… the full circle moment.

Back in his hometown of Chicago, coaching on one of the biggest stages in the game, and being part of something bigger than basketball, seeing the Fab 5 show up and support the next generation at the Final Four.

This episode is about loyalty, growth, sacrifice, and what it really takes to build a career in this game.

If you’re a coach, a player, or chasing something bigger… this one is for you.

Tap in.

🎙️ Life on the Road, A Coach’s Journey
New episodes every Thursday

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This week, Coach Alphonza Kee and Coach Scott Bollwage sit down with Tryston Lawrence and take the journey global.

Tryston began building his coaching foundation through player development; which opened the door for him to get onto the sidelines. His attention to detail in his training created opportunities to train some of the best in the game from Chris Paul and Aliyah Boston.

From there, he didn’t just get comfortable, he leveled up.

At just 27 years old, he became the youngest head coach in Taiwan, and eventually winning a championship in China. Most recently, he stepped into the Unrivaled Basketball League with the Phantom Basketball Club, helping them reach the Championship Game (when they were picked to finish last).

We also dive into his experience in Serbia, breaking down the Belgrade rivalry between Red Star and Partizan, one of the most passionate and high-pressure atmospheres in basketball.

This episode is about growth, risk, and what it really takes to step outside your comfort zone and bet on yourself.

Tap in.

🎙️ Life on the Road, A Coach’s Journey

New episodes every Thursday

Make sure you subscribe, follow and share with someone in the game!

Season 2 is here… and we’re setting the tone right away.

Coach Alphonza Kee and Scott Bollwage kick things off by catching you up on their journeys since Season 1, the grind, the growth, and everything the road has taught them along the way.

We’re also introducing two new segments:

“Hoops Took Me Here, Hoops Took Me There” , the best places and the wildest, most unexpected stops the game has taken you.

“Remember the Time” , real stories every coach has lived through, missed scouting reports, forgotten gear, and those crazy moments on the road and in recruiting that you can laugh about now… but definitely couldn’t then.

New season. New energy. Same game.

Tap in and ride with us.

🎙️ Life on the Road, A Coach’s Journey

On this week's podcast, Alphonza Kee & Scott Bollwage head out to the home of this year's Final Four (virtually), to catch up with the Head Girl's Basketball Coach at

Coach Ramage is also a part of Coach Bollwage's journey as they worked together at Greensboro College. He has a great story of working his way through the coaching ranks all the way up to becoming a head coach at the Division I level to this year coaching his girl's team to a state championship in Arizona.

Enjoy another outstanding episode of "Life on the Road".

On this week's podcast, Alphonza Kee & Scott Bollwage catch up with the Head Coach at Davidson-Davie C.C., Matt Ridge. Coming off another deep run in the NJCAA Division II Tournament, Coach Ridge discusses his early beginnings in the coaching profession as a Student Assistant at UNC, with their JV program to becoming the head coach at Davidson C.C.

With five straight 30+ wins seasons, Coach Ridge has put Davidson-Davie C.C. on the National map and we a grateful to have him share some of the lessons he's learned on his "Life on the Road".

#LifeOnTheRoad #Coaching #Basketball #DavidsonDavieCC