Jeff Brink is perhaps the most enthusiastic teacher coach we have ever had on the podcast. From the moment we hit record, we were treated to story after story about what makes this man tick. A passionate and energetic history teacher, Brink inspires students with his boundless charisma and storytelling prowess. He created and planned his own class on Military History and uses metaphors and historical episodes to teach life lessons to his players and students. Henry Johnson, a black soldier during WW 1 who saved countess lives in a foxhole by fending off 25 Germans on his own, is one such story he shared with us.  Just a few days ago, Brink made the decision to come back home and coach at his hometown school: New Middletown Springfield.  Brink led Springfield to a district championship in the early 2000s before coaching at Salem and then coming to Hudson...and he dreams of making a state run to Dayton with his alma mater. If he does, it certain the bus will make a few pitstops on the way down to enlighten his players on the significance of a few Ohio historical markers.  Buckle up for Coach Brink!

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Mike Bluey was raised in the tradition-rich area of western PA near Erie. After his high school playing career, a random phone call to Kennedy Catholic changed the trajectory of his career as legendary coach Joe Votino took him for the week and offered him a job as an assistant while still in college at YSU.  Instead of the military, he was headed to the hardwood and the bench.  Along the way, he met Mike Fuline and became a head coach at Springfield and Tallmadge after roles as an assistant at Rootstown, Jackson and Mount Union.  Eventually, he landed at Hoover and just finished an incredible year...turning a 1-5 start into a Regional berth. Mike's teams reflect his personality: disciplined, regimented and resilient.  We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.

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B.J. Sanderson grew up in the basketball rich community of the Triway Titans, wearing purple and dreaming big hoop dreams. Today, he is a titan in his own right as a much heralded coach at Norton High School. Sanderson led the Panthers to their first district championship in 31 years and was one step away from the school's first district championship since 1951.  Influenced by his father, his coaches Randy Montgomery and Keith Snoddy and by his loyal wife, BJ has navigated the highs and lows of the teaching and coaching profession.  Now with three daughters of his own, this 3rd grade teacher and head varsity boys coach shares his journey of improvement and success.  Listen to this podcast if YOU want to build a program the right way!

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Matt Goul has spent 20 years honing his craft of journalism, writing and storytelling so that he can capture moments of joys forever.  Now a cornerstone of the northeast Ohio sports scene with cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer, Goul's tremendous work ethic and grit started early. As a 240lb freshmen, Goul stuck with football after a freshmen basketball season that he cherished. He then served as the cameraman for both the boys and girls basketball programs at Oberlin and fell in love with capturing the scene from behind the lens.  This parlayed itself into a journalism major at Kent State University and twenty-some years later coaches and players measure themselves by earning a spot in his top 25 poll and coverage.  Although he is just one man, Gould does a yeoman's effort to cast a wide net and cover as many quality football and basketball games as possible.  As coaches, we thank him for his ability to write, film and capture the moments that we all cherish so much.  In his first job in PA, Goul transformed his physical self as well with a daily regimen of lifting and running--eventually trimming down to his current 170 pound frame.  Even on bicep day, Goul's steno pad rests firmly in place while the southpaw films and writes like a maestro. Enjoy this episode! 

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Kelly Kennedy climbed the coaching ladder faster than her wildest dreams could ever imagine.  Going from a Division III assistant to the NCAA Div. 1 bench at power conference schools led to her lifelong dream of becoming a  head coach when Mike Thomas offered her a chance to become the University of Akron head coach. But, her dream soon became a nightmare when four years later she was fired by the new AD after the losses piled up. Thinking herself a failure for many years, Kennedy explores the negative self talk, emotional baggage of our youths and empty promises of money and career.  When she found her true head coach, God, after being inspired at a business conference...she decided to pen this book to help coaches and professionals evaluate where they find their worth.  Kelly's three daughters and husband Todd live in Akron, OH now and I have the pleasure of teaching the talented, intelligent and joyful oldest daughter Molly.  Through listening, I think you will find  that Kelly Kennedy is certainly not a failure---she a winner in every way.  It is ok to lose, but it's not okay to listen to our insecurities that lie to us each day. 

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The ultimate teacher in life is a Mom, a spouse, a friend and a coach's wife. Amy is all of these and more. She commands respect with her diligent attention to the details of life. Her pride and joy, without a doubt, are her kids: Allie, Austin, Abby and Andrew. She and her sister, Emily, share a special bond as well. In this episode, which will only be aired for a few days, Amy's cousins, sister, kids, husband [me], aunts, uncles, Dad and extended family members reflect on how Amy has impacted their lives. She demanded no surprise parties, no big events, no Chippendales jumping out of a cake, et cetera for her 50th...but she never said "no podcasts."  So, enjoy these reflections on Amy.  I hope she knows how loved she is!

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Kevin Furtado may just be the most intriguing guest we've had on the podcast thus far. A 30-year veteran with well over 400 wins, Furtado grew up in California and attended summer basketball camp (as an 8-year-old via metro bus) with the inventor of the flex offense [Carrol Williams] at Santa Clara University. When they treated him like somebody, he fell in love with game. Fast-forward many years and Furtado has branded himself as a turnaround expert who takes programs with no tradition and turns them into winners by using his system and core values.  Word pictures like "Row the Boat" and "oar" and "compass" and "tree" guide his verbal cues and shed light on a few nuggets you will certainly learn from this podcast. Furtado also hosts his own podcast and has produced over 225 episodes. His website championshipvision.org also is a wealth of basketball clinics and ideas.  Enjoy this episode. It is one of our favorites.

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Chris Hamilton and his parents drifted across more states than an Oklahoma tumbleweed, but his most recent landing spot at Nebraska Wesleyan with head coach Dale Wellman feels like home. With Wellman's acumen, humor and tutelage, Hamilton continues to soak in various lessons and wisdom as he perfects the craft of coaching.  The son of an Air Force clinical psychologist father and a Presbyterian  minister mother, Hamilton was shown an incredible example of partnership, love and adaptability from his parents.  He uses that wisdom to influence the lives he impacts in coaching.  Making each moment more than basketball and meeting players where they are define two key characteristics of Hamilton...but he also shares the unique perspective of his coaching tree in Nathan Davis[Bucknell Head Coach], Josh Merkel [Randolph Macon Head Coach] Jamion Christian [George Washington Head Coach] and Dale Wellman.  We hope you enjoy the lessons of the 3-2 zone and the basketball nuggets as well.

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Dave Close, owner of over 500 wins on the sidelines of the high school basketball world, went from the driveways of Stow as a youth to the sideline of Stow High where he has spent a lifetime impacting lives.  Coaching his Stow teams to two Final Fours, national rankings and numerous regional appearance would seem to be his claim to fame. But, it's not.  A faith-filled, caring man, Close considered being a minister before his college coach Paul Patterson at Taylor University steered him toward the ministry of coaching.  A commitment to forming young boys into men ensued, and Close is one of the best at mixing love of players with accountability and rigor.  Often misunderstood perhaps or even stereotyped as "old-school," Close has adapted and changed in more ways than most contemporary coaches: offensive systems, practices, drills, communication, game management and defensive schemes. But one thing has never changed--his relentless pursuit of excellence, his will to never give anything but his best to his players, and his strong faith and family oriented love of Stow basketball and its many players past and present. We are lucky that we have seen his evolution and excellence in the greater Akron area. Thank you Coach Close for evening the evening with us!

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