The Player Development Pod

The 2026 Player Development Summit dates are officially set.

The 2026 Player Development Summit will be held May 29 to May 30 in Detroit at TechTown Detroit, and in this episode I share everything you need to know about what the summit is, why it exists, and why Detroit is the right city for this next chapter.

I break down:

• How the Player Development Summit started and what gap it was created to fill

• What made the first in-person summit in Kansas City feel like community, not a conference

• Why we are taking the summit to Detroit and what makes the city special

• What is new in 2026, including breakout rooms and an upgraded closing experience

• Who this summit is for: professionals in the role, those transitioning into the role, leaders, and partners

• The three pillars of the summit: Grow, Network, Partner

• The topics attendees asked for and what you can expect this year

• Why sponsorship matters and how partners help create the full summit experience

If you are focused on enhancing the athlete experience through holistic and intentional programs and initiatives, I want to see you in Detroit.

BOOK - Get YOUR copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8 

2026 Player Development Summit - https://www.btfprogram.com/pdsummit

2026 Player Development Summit Sponsorship - https://forms.gle/vPucKVKaZmTVcLDq9

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

Alumni relations isn’t broken but it is changing.

In this episode, I close out the 12 Days of Player Development by tackling alumni relations in a portal-happy world. With athletes transferring more than ever, programs are being forced to rethink alumni identity, engagement, and connection.

You’ll hear:

• Why alumni relations still matter deeply

• How to define alumni in today’s landscape

• The importance of short-term but intentional engagement

• What current players must commit to

• How to support graduates immediately after they leave

This episode is for player development professionals, athlete engagement staff, coaches, and administrators navigating the new reality of college sports.

BOOK - Get YOUR copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8 

2026 Player Development Summit - https://www.btfprogram.com/pdsummit

2026 Player Development Summit Sponsorship - https://forms.gle/vPucKVKaZmTVcLDq9

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

Player development can transform your program. Period.

In Day 11 of the 12 Days of Player Development, I break down 8 specific ways player development improves culture, leadership, communication, alignment, and sustainability in sports organizations.

This episode is for:

• Coaches feeling stretched thin

• Athletic directors seeking long-term stability

• Programs tired of constant distractions and turnover

We cover:

• Culture and accountability

• Player-led leadership

• Reducing noise and drama

• Continuity through change

• Coach burnout prevention

• Better information flow

• Whole-building alignment

If you want a program that develops people and elevates performance, this episode is for you.

BOOK - Get YOUR copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8 

2026 Player Development Summit - https://www.btfprogram.com/pdsummit

2026 Player Development Summit Sponsorship - https://forms.gle/vPucKVKaZmTVcLDq9

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

Most sports management students graduate without ever hearing about player development. That is a problem.

In this episode, I explain:

• Why player development is missing from most curricula

• What the role truly looks like day to day

• Who should pursue it and who should not

• The challenges behind the scenes

• Why this role is growing faster than ever

I also share why I wrote The Player Development Guide and how it serves as a blueprint for students, professionals, and departments preparing for the future of sports.

If you care about people more than titles and impact more than credit, this episode is for you.

📩 Speaking and department partnerships
[email protected]

BOOK - Get YOUR copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8 

2026 Player Development Summit - https://www.btfprogram.com/pdsummit

2026 Player Development Summit Sponsorship - https://forms.gle/vPucKVKaZmTVcLDq9

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

International athletes are changing the landscape of college and professional sports.

In this episode of the Player Development Pod, I dive into international athlete development and the skills international student athletes gain through intentional player development.

You will learn:

• Why development must start with the athlete’s future goals

• How shared belonging increases engagement and trust

• Why communication and feedback are non negotiable

• What international athlete growth means for the future of sport

I also reflect on seeing Chu Godrick take the field with the Kansas City Chiefs and why moments like that reinforce the importance of development beyond the field.

BOOK - Get YOUR copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8 

2026 Player Development Summit - https://www.btfprogram.com/pdsummit

2026 Player Development Summit Sponsorship - https://forms.gle/vPucKVKaZmTVcLDq9

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

If you are an assistant in player development and your goal is to become a Director, this episode will give you clarity on what actually matters.

In Day 8 of the 12 Days of Player Development, I walk through what I would focus on if I wanted to go from assistant to director in one year.

This is not about rushing the process.

It is about preparing for the responsibility that comes with leadership.

We talk about:

Why being inside the building is your biggest advantage

How mastering your role creates leverage and trust

What assistants need to understand about organizational structure

How mentorship accelerates readiness

Why thinking like a director before you become one matters

If you are serious about developing people and elevating programs, this conversation will help you evaluate where you are and what to do next.

BOOK - Get YOUR copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

2026 Player Development Summit - https://www.btfprogram.com/pdsummit

2026 Player Development Summit Sponsorship - https://forms.gle/vPucKVKaZmTVcLDq9

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

Alignment is one of the most overlooked responsibilities in player development.

In this episode of the 12 Days of Player Development, Edward Jones II breaks down how alignment through communication shapes the athlete experience across an entire program.

With so many departments influencing athletes, misalignment can quietly derail culture, trust, and effectiveness. This episode introduces a simple but powerful framework to keep everyone moving in the same direction.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What alignment actually looks like in player development

• Why connection is the foundation of trust

• How to communicate strategically with internal and external stakeholders

• Why collaboration turns departments into teammates

• A real story that shows how collaboration creates buy-in

Whether you work in college athletics, high school sports, professional sports, or are preparing for a player development role, this episode will help you lead with clarity and intention.

BOOK - Get YOUR copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8 

2026 Player Development Summit - https://www.btfprogram.com/pdsummit

2026 Player Development Summit Sponsorship - https://forms.gle/vPucKVKaZmTVcLDq9

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

Most coaches and player development professionals have asked this question:

“How are you doing?”

And most of the time, the answer is the same:

“I’m good.”

In this episode, I break down 11 simple questions that unlock real, meaningful conversations with athletes and help you move beyond surface-level check-ins.

Drawing from my experience as a Director of Player Development at the University of Houston, the University of Kansas, and Baylor University, I share the exact questions I used to build trust, encourage reflection, and guide athletes toward growth.

You’ll also learn the Present → Past → Future question framework, a simple approach that helps athletes:

• Open up emotionally in the moment

• Reflect on experiences and build identity

• Set goals, take accountability, and create vision

Whether you’re a coach, player development professional, administrator, or someone who works closely with athletes, this episode gives you practical tools you can use immediately.

• Why “How are you?” often shuts conversations down

• How to ask better questions that athletes actually answer

• 11 questions that build trust and accountability

• How to use follow-up questions to keep conversations going

• How intentional conversations create long-term impact

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why “How are you?” often shuts conversations down

• How to ask better questions that athletes actually answer

• 11 questions that build trust and accountability

• How to use follow-up questions to keep conversations going

• How intentional conversations create long-term impact

BOOK - Get YOUR copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8 

2026 Player Development Summit - https://www.btfprogram.com/pdsummit

2026 Player Development Summit Sponsorship - https://forms.gle/vPucKVKaZmTVcLDq9

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

Most coaches and player development professionals have asked this question:

“How are you doing?”

And most of the time, the answer is the same:

“I’m good.”

In this episode, I break down 11 simple questions that unlock real, meaningful conversations with athletes and help you move beyond surface-level check-ins.

Drawing from my experience as a Director of Player Development at the University of Houston, the University of Kansas, and Baylor University, I share the exact questions I used to build trust, encourage reflection, and guide athletes toward growth.

You’ll also learn the Present → Past → Future question framework, a simple approach that helps athletes:

• Open up emotionally in the moment

• Reflect on experiences and build identity

• Set goals, take accountability, and create vision

Whether you’re a coach, player development professional, administrator, or someone who works closely with athletes, this episode gives you practical tools you can use immediately.

• Why “How are you?” often shuts conversations down

• How to ask better questions that athletes actually answer

• 11 questions that build trust and accountability

• How to use follow-up questions to keep conversations going

• How intentional conversations create long-term impact

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why “How are you?” often shuts conversations down

• How to ask better questions that athletes actually answer

• 11 questions that build trust and accountability

• How to use follow-up questions to keep conversations going

• How intentional conversations create long-term impact

BOOK - Get YOUR copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8 

2026 Player Development Summit - https://www.btfprogram.com/pdsummit

2026 Player Development Summit Sponsorship - https://forms.gle/vPucKVKaZmTVcLDq9

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

It’s Day 5 of the 12 Days of Player Development.

One of the biggest challenges in player development is getting athletes to show up to programming when it is not mandatory. This episode answers a real question from Jessie Martinez, who works with high school athletes at IMG and attended the 2025 Player Development Summit.

Ed breaks down how he approached non mandatory programming at the collegiate level and shares practical strategies that consistently increased attendance without forcing buy in.

In this episode, you will learn:
• Why programming fails when it is built around staff priorities instead of athlete needs
• How to use language and framing to increase attendance
• Why food, timing, and perceived value matter
• How to involve coaches so attendance becomes cultural
• Why focusing on the middle group of athletes matters more than chasing everyone
• How parents and former players can support engagement

This episode is especially helpful for player development professionals, coaches, administrators, and anyone responsible for off the field programming.

This is part of the 12 Days of Player Development series, where Ed answers real questions with real experience.

As always, go create generational impact. Don’t wait. Create it today.