On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re doing something a little different as my cohost and I dive into a conversation on culture building and what it really takes to build a program as a head and assistant coach. We also answer questions submitted by our listeners and Rising Coaches members, making this one a practical and interactive discussion. In this episode we discuss how to build culture in an era where rosters are constantly changing, how much of a program’s culture should be modeled by the head and assistant coaches versus enforced within the locker room, and how to set clear expectations for freshmen and first-year players to create role clarity and improve retention. This is a real conversation built around today’s challenges in coaching and leadership, we hope you enjoy.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Chris Richardson, the Head Coach at Wheeling University. Chris has worked his way through the profession with stops including an internship with the Memphis Grizzlies to coaching roles at Arkansas Tech, the University of Charleston, Fairmont State, Delta State, and the University of Central Missouri before taking over at Wheeling. In this episode we discuss how young coaches can find their voice and purpose while working on experienced staffs, what the very first responsibilities were once he accepted the head coaching role at Wheeling, and some key habits every young coach should build early to set themselves up for long-term success.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Mike Rejniak, the GM and Head Coach of the “WE ARE D3” Team in the TBT. Mike’s journey through the Collegiate ranks includes various roles at Springfield College, College of New Jersey, Plymouth State, Amherst College, and Vassar College. He later stepped into head coaching at SUNY New Paltz and now leads WE ARE D3, showcasing Division III talent on the larger stage. In this episode we discuss what he implemented to help his teams’ academic success spike, how building and preparing a TBT roster of D3 All-Americans and pro players differs from building a college roster, and the challenges he faced stepping into his first head coaching role.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Tristan Spurlock, assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania. Tristan began his basketball journey as a player at Virginia before finishing his career at UCF, experiences that still influence his approach to the game. He transitioned into coaching with stops at the University of Iowa and now Penn, learning within strong and established programs. In this episode we discuss the coaching styles that resonated most with him as a player, how young assistants can find their voice on a veteran staff, and the traits that make Coach Fran McCaffery such an impactful leader.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jesse Bopp, the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Florida International University. Coach Bopp has built a wide-ranging career holding various assistant roles at Florida, VCU, Chattanooga, New Mexico State, IMG Academy and time as a head coach at Vermont Academy. Now being at FIU, these experiences have given him a unique perspective across multiple levels of the game. In this episode we discuss what advice he would give young coaches trying to break into recruiting roles, how he evaluates upside versus immediate impact when recruiting and what his early years as a head coach taught him that he couldn’t fully understand at the time.

On today’s episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re welcoming back Glenn Farello, the Head Coach at Paul VI High School. We had such a great conversation the first time around that we had to split it into two parts. In Part Two, we continue diving into Coach Farello’s experiences, insights, and lessons from building one of the most consistent programs in the country.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Glenn Farello, the Head Coach at Paul VI High School and one of the most respected high school coaches in the country. Coach Farello spent seven seasons as an assistant at Eleanor Roosevelt High School before becoming a head coach and later leading the program at Paul VI. He’s been named Coach of the Year 17 times, ranked in the national top 25 for 18 seasons, and has helped develop over 90 college players and five NBA players. In this episode we discuss how to help quieter players communicate better on the floor, creative ways to establish culture as a first-year head coach, and how he vets players to ensure they’re the right fit for his program. Please note, this episode was cut into two parts.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Alexis Gholston, athletic trainer at the University of San Diego. Alexis has worked across both the collegiate and professional levels, with previous stops at Sacramento State, Kansas, Eastern Washington, Missouri, and the Indiana Pacers. In her current role at USD, she plays a key part in helping athletes stay healthy, available, and performing at a high level throughout the season. In this episode we discuss common misconceptions coaches have about load management, how sleep, nutrition, and stress show up physically in players, and how she would structure practice lengths during the early, middle, and late parts of the season.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Colton Houston, Co-Founder of HD Intelligence. Colton spent nine years on staff at Alabama in various roles, gaining valuable experience inside a high-level program before transitioning into the analytics space. Today, he works with teams through HD Intelligence to help coaches better understand the game using data. In this episode we discuss which analytics Colton believes matter most for teams, common mistakes programs make when trying to use data, and how analytics can help coaches design more efficient practices. It’s a practical conversation with real takeaways for coaches at every level.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jack Schoemann, Special Assistant to the Head Coach at Rice University. Jack worked his way up through roles at Cal State Bakersfield, SMU, and Rice, gaining valuable experience behind the scenes at each stop. Now at Rice, he plays an important role supporting the staff and helping keep the program running day to day. In this episode we discuss the responsibilities he handled as a GA, what the Special Assistant to the Head Coach role really looks like on a daily basis, and what young coaches should be doing now if they want to follow a similar path and rise in the ranks.