Samson Strength Coach Collective

Finding your coaching voice takes time, responsibility, and people who help you grow. For Livi Cranston, that process has happened through early mornings in the weight room, graduate coursework, research, and learning to support athletes with different goals.

On this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Cranston joins Connor Agnew to discuss her development as a graduate assistant in sports performance at Northern Michigan University. She has worked with 17 teams during her time at Northern and currently works with seven. That experience has challenged her to organize her schedule, communicate clearly, and build confidence while continuing to learn.

Across the conversation, Cranston returns to the impact of relationships. Seeing athletes develop and knowing they value her support has been one of the most rewarding parts of her time at Northern Michigan.

Key Takeaways:

• Confidence grows through preparation, responsibility, and repeated coaching experience.

• Seek opportunities in other programs to expand your perspective and learn from different coaches.

• Build relationships around each athlete's goals, including their life beyond sport.

• Organize the spaces between sessions so programming, research, and coursework have a place in the week.

• Protect the habits that help you arrive ready to coach.

• Use mentorship to develop your own voice and keep enjoyment in the work.

Quote:

“Helping the individual athlete in what they need and what they want.”

How do you build consistency across a coaching staff while giving each coach room to be themselves?

On this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Connor sits down with Michael Silbernagel, manager of Sanford Sports Performance, to explore the everyday work of developing coaches and building culture.

Michael traces his career from a graduate assistant position at the University of North Dakota in 2003 through Colorado State and nearly 13 years at the University of Mary. He shares how family priorities, a desire for broader impact, and the realization that he had become comfortable led him to pursue a new challenge at Sanford.

Today, Silby oversees 13 strength and conditioning coaches and works alongside academy and return-to-play staff. Sanford’s approach reaches athletes through partner schools, regional performance facilities, sports academies, and remote programming. Across those environments, his goal is to create a consistent experience while encouraging coaches to bring their own personalities to their work.

That balance requires ongoing development. Silby explains how weekly check-ins and quarterly video reflections help coaches evaluate their presence, teaching, standards, and programming decisions. By reviewing their own sessions before discussing them with others, coaches can take ownership of improvements and approach feedback as an opportunity to grow.

He also introduces a simple exercise: choose three words that describe the coach you want to be, then ask others whether your actions reflect those qualities. It is a reminder that coaching identity depends on what people experience from you every day.

The conversation closes with a challenge to practice the habits you ask of athletes, revisit lessons with the benefit of experience, and seek insight from people outside your professional circle.

Key Takeaways:

• Growth requires an honest look at comfort. Recognizing that you have become comfortable can help you identify when you need a new challenge.
• Consistency can coexist with individuality. Shared terminology and expectations help athletes feel confident across locations while allowing coaches to remain authentic.
• Culture requires ongoing attention. Staff needs, relationships, and environments change, so culture must be actively maintained.
• Make reflection part of coach development. Recorded sessions and structured reviews help coaches connect their intentions with what happens on the floor.
• Define your coaching identity. Choose three qualities you want to embody, then seek honest feedback about whether others see them in your behavior.
• Experience changes how you learn. Revisiting a book, course, or familiar idea can reveal lessons you were not ready to recognize earlier.
• Model the standards you teach. Examine whether your own habits align with the advice you give athletes about sleep, recovery, and personal accountability.
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Quote:

“Culture is dynamic, not static.”

— Michael “Silby” Silbernagel

On the latest edition of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, host Connor Agnew shares the personal experiences and professional reflections behind his decision to leave collegiate strength and conditioning.

Connor opens up about his departure from App State and how personal loss changed the way he thinks about time, family, and career priorities. The decision meant taking a closer look at what matters most to him and how he wants to spend his time.

The conversation also explores Connor’s experience with the changing landscape of college athletics. He reflects on NIL and the transfer portal, particularly how shorter periods with athletes can affect the relationships and long-term development that drew him to coaching.

Throughout the episode, Connor returns to the importance of making an impact. Helping athletes grow, building trust, and being present for family remain central to how he evaluates his next chapter.

For young coaches and those reassessing their own careers, this episode offers a personal perspective on recognizing when priorities change and making a difficult decision with support from the people around you.

Key Takeaways

• Personal loss can change how you evaluate your career, time, and priorities.

• Family deserves a place in conversations about professional goals.

• Meaningful athlete relationships are central to Connor’s passion for coaching.

• Connor reflects on how NIL and the transfer portal have affected his experience of athlete development and relationship building.

• Career decisions require honesty about what gives your work purpose.

• Support from colleagues and family can help you navigate a difficult transition.

Quote

“My passion is making an impact, not just winning.”

— Connor Agnew

On the latest edition of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, we sit down with Dr. Faith Brown to explore her journey from collegiate athlete to strength and conditioning coach and the role of sports science in everyday coaching.

Faith reflects on the experiences that shaped her career, including a near-fatal car accident and the demands of pursuing a PhD while working full-time. Her story highlights the persistence required to keep learning while managing the responsibilities of coaching.

The conversation also explores how research and load monitoring can inform training. Faith discusses evaluating new information, adapting as the field evolves, and translating data into practical insights for coaching staffs. She emphasizes making those insights small and digestible so coaches can understand and apply them.

For coaches looking to strengthen the connection between research and practice, this episode offers perspective on education, communication, and continued professional growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Persistence matters. Faith describes consistently showing up as an essential part of her journey.

• Research should inform practice. Consider how findings apply to the athletes and training environment in front of you.

• Load monitoring requires interpretation. Collecting information is one step; understanding what it means for training is another.

• Communication shapes how data gets used. Share clear, digestible insights that help coaches make decisions.

• Professional growth extends beyond training knowledge. Education and leadership development also deserve attention.

• Keep adapting. New research and technologies create opportunities to reassess and improve coaching practices.

  Quote:

“It's about how you communicate and make small, digestible insights.”— Dr. Faith Brown

High-performance environments depend on coaches who can interpret information, communicate clearly, and work together to support athletes.

On the latest edition of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Asa Britt, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Long Island Nets, shares his journey through college internships and into professional basketball. He reflects on the transition to the NBA G League and the experiences that shaped his approach to coaching.

Asa discusses how data and technology inform practice and game preparation, alongside the relationships that help coaches understand and support their athletes. Honesty and transparency are central to that process, allowing coaches to build trust as they guide athlete development.

The conversation also explores athlete health and return to play, including collaboration with physical therapists, athletic trainers, and the broader performance staff. Asa highlights the importance of working together across disciplines to support athlete success.

Key Takeaways

• Data and technology help inform decisions about preparation and athlete development.

• Honest, transparent communication helps build trust with athletes.

• Moving from college to professional basketball requires adapting to a different coaching environment.

• Athlete development and return to play benefit from collaboration across performance and sports medicine teams.

• Physical therapists, athletic trainers, and strength coaches each bring valuable perspectives to rehabilitation.

• Career growth involves learning from new roles, environments, and relationships.

  Quote:

“Be honest and transparent with athletes.”— Asa Britt

A coaching career across collegiate athletics, the NFL, and the tactical sector offers plenty of opportunities to rethink how you work with people. For Jess Langvardt, those experiences reinforced the importance of relationships, communication, and remaining open to new ideas.

On the latest edition of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Jess shares his journey through strength and conditioning and the lessons he carried from one environment to the next. He discusses how coaching approaches must adapt to the people being trained, their needs, and the expectations of each setting.

Jess also explores the connection between trust and athlete ownership. Understanding an athlete’s perspective, communicating clearly, and being honest about your own experiences can help build the credibility needed to encourage greater responsibility for development.

The conversation closes with a focus on continuous education. Jess explains the value of learning from different perspectives, connecting ideas across experiences, and surrounding yourself with people who push you to keep growing.

Key Takeaways:

• Relationships matter at every level. Working effectively with people requires communication, understanding, and consistent attention to trust.

• Adapt your approach to the environment. Collegiate, NFL, and tactical settings present different needs that should inform coaching decisions.

• Build ownership through trust. Encourage athletes to take responsibility for their development through clear communication and a shared understanding of the process.

• Keep learning throughout your career. Exposure to new ideas and different perspectives can improve how you approach coaching challenges.

• Be open about your experiences. Sharing lessons from setbacks and failures can strengthen credibility and connection.

• Choose people who challenge you to grow. Seek out colleagues and mentors who expand your thinking and encourage continued education.

  Featured Quote:

“Surround yourself with people who push you to learn.” — Jess Langvardt

What does it take to lead a strength and conditioning staff while giving every team a strong athlete experience? Claire Quebedeaux joins Connor to reflect on her journey through athletic training and strength coaching to her director role at Ohio State University.

Claire discusses hiring with intention, helping coaches learn from one another, and creating a supportive staff culture. She also explains why leadership requires actions that match your words, especially when priorities shift or challenges arise. For young coaches, she offers a reminder that an internship is an opportunity to show how you work, learn, and build relationships.

Key Takeaways:

• Treat internships as opportunities to earn trust and demonstrate your approach to coaching.

• Set high standards across teams so athletes receive a consistent experience.

• Build relationships and a staff environment where people can learn from one another.

• Match leadership decisions and daily actions to the standards you communicate.

• Pay attention to facility details that affect athletes and staff.

• Keep adapting as your responsibilities and organization change.

Athlete buy-in is not created by a training program alone. It is earned through trust, consistent communication, and a genuine investment in each athlete.

In this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Isaiah Myers shares his journey from collegiate wrestler to strength and conditioning coach. He reflects on his experiences at West Liberty, Mississippi State, Cincinnati, and Glenville State, along with the challenges of completing demanding internships and moving across multiple states.

Isaiah explains how uncomfortable situations helped him develop perseverance and adaptability throughout his career. He also discusses how coaches can earn athlete trust by building meaningful relationships, following up consistently, and using performance data to connect an athlete’s effort with measurable progress.

Key Takeaways:

• Athlete buy-in begins with genuine relationships and trust.

• Coaches must consistently demonstrate that they care about their athletes.

• Following up with athletes can strengthen communication and accountability.

• Performance data can help athletes recognize the results of their effort.

• Coaches should explain why progress is happening, not simply present the numbers.

• Challenging internships can develop perseverance and adaptability.

• Uncomfortable career experiences often create valuable opportunities for growth.

• Coaches must continue learning and adjusting throughout their careers.

  Quote:

“This is happening because you put the work in.” — Isaiah Myers

There is no substitute for experience, but the best coaches know how to combine experience with education, adaptability, and a willingness to keep learning.

In this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Jacob Banegas shares the path that took him from a multi-sport athlete to coaching and eventually building Built Sports Performance. Along the way, Jacob faced transfers, the disruption of COVID-19, career uncertainty, and the challenges that come with starting a sports performance business.

Jacob discusses how those experiences shaped his approach to coaching and leadership. He also breaks down the importance of continuing education, simplifying sports science for athletes and parents, developing trust with clients, and knowing when to step back and recalibrate when things don't go according to plan.

Key Takeaways

• Persistence and adaptability are critical when navigating setbacks in coaching and business.

• Education provides coaches with a foundation, but experience teaches lessons that cannot be replicated in a classroom.

• Coaches need to simplify complex training concepts to build trust with athletes, parents, and clients.

• Long-term athletic development should take priority over chasing short-term results.

• Networking and mentorship can create opportunities throughout a coaching career.

• Building a sports performance business requires resilience, communication, and a willingness to continually adapt.

  Quote

"You can't cheat experience, experience is education." — Jacob Banegas

Building a successful career in sports performance requires more than understanding sets, reps, and data. It requires the ability to communicate, build relationships, remain accountable, and understand the purpose behind your work.

In this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Kevin Deitz, Assistant Sports Performance Coach at the University of Cincinnati, shares his career journey and the experiences that have shaped his approach to coaching.

Kevin discusses his work with load management, particularly within sports like soccer, and explains the importance of continuing to learn while developing both broad and specialized knowledge. He also breaks down the core pillars of his coaching philosophy, including intent, accountability, respect, and human connection.

The conversation also explores professionalism in strength and conditioning, the influence of social media and technology on coaching culture, and the importance of creating a life outside the profession. For young coaches, Kevin emphasizes networking, communication, continuous learning, and finding a purpose that leads to long-term happiness.

Key Takeaways:

• Approach training and coaching decisions with clear intent.

• Accountability demonstrates respect for athletes, coaches, and colleagues.

• Load management requires continuous learning and an understanding of each sport's demands.

• Coaches can benefit from developing broad knowledge while building expertise in specific areas.

• Networking and cold outreach can create valuable relationships and career opportunities.

• Professionalism extends beyond technical coaching knowledge to communication and interpersonal skills.

• Coaches should lead by example in both professional and social environments.

• Maintaining interests outside of coaching can support long-term work-life balance.

• Young coaches should focus on relationships, continuous education, purpose, and happiness.

  Quote:

“Intent with what you do is crucial.”— Kevin Deitz