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Beyond Coaching: An Impactful Coaching Project Podcast

Beyond Coaching: An Impactful Coaching Project Podcast

Hosted by Dr. Rob Ramseyer

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Episodes

82

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Beyond Coaching, a podcast from the Impactful Coaching Project, explores coaching and leading the 21st century athlete. The importance of the coach being a positive impact on their student-athletes hasn’t changed but the strategies for connecting with them has changed. This podcast interviews coaching and sport leaders about holistic coaching and the lessons they have learned over time. Beyond Coaching is podcast developed by the Impactful Coaching Project.

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60 recent
August 3, 202652 min

3D Journey: Who Is Wes Simmons and What Is 3D

Welcome to the 3D Journey, Episode 1 of 12. In the first episode of our 12-part series with the 3D Institute, Rob Ramseyer sits down with 3D Institute CEO Wes Simmons to discuss the experiences that shaped his approach to coaching, leadership, and coach development.Wes shares how two transformational coaches influenced his life, including legendary Missouri coach Vin Bonuchi and his college football coach at Northwest Missouri State Mel Tjeerdsma. Those relationships showed him what a healthy, demanding, and life-giving team culture could look like.That experience eventually led Wes to create the Coaches Circle, an early online professional-development platform for coaches. After encountering Dr. Jeff Duke and the 3D framework in 2009, Wes recognized the structure that had been missing from his work. That relationship eventually helped lead to the official launch of the 3D Institute in 2014.Rob and Wes also discuss why technical knowledge is necessary but insufficient for sustained coaching success. Coaches must understand their sport, but they must also know how to develop the mindset, relationships, identity, purpose, and character of the people they lead.In This EpisodeWhy every athlete deserves at least one 3D coachHow Wes’s high school and college coaches shaped his lifeWhy the United States has historically lacked a consistent system for coach developmentThe challenge of learning from influential coaches without copying their personalitiesHow the Coaches Circle became the foundation for the 3D InstituteWes’s first encounter with Dr. Jeff Duke and the 3D frameworkThe difference between success and significanceWhy leaders cannot guide people into places they have never personally exploredThe three dimensions of coaching: skills, mindset, and identityHow coaches influence values whether they intend to or notWhy modern leadership requires a shift from power to influenceHow coaches cultivate motivation, confidence, emotional regulation, team cohesion, and purposeThe vision for the 3D Culture Summit 2027 in St. Joseph, MissouriThe Three DimensionsFirst Dimension: Skills and StrategyThe technical knowledge, tactics, physical training, and execution required to perform at a high level.Second Dimension: Mindset and RelationshipsMotivation, confidence, emotions, communication, team cohesion, goal setting, and psychological safety.Third Dimension: Identity and PurposeCharacter, values, significance, self-worth, purpose, and the deeper beliefs that drive behavior.The strongest coaches work intentionally in all three dimensions.Featured Quote“Every kid deserves at least one 3D coach in their life.”Learn More About the 3D InstituteThe 3D Institute helps coaches and leaders build cultures that develop skills, strengthen mindsets, and shape identity and purpose.Explore 3D Institute courses and resources:https://3dinstitute.com/3d-journey-trial/Make sure to mention Impactful Coaching Project if you enroll!Subscribe to the ICP NewsletterEvery Monday, the Impactful Coaching Project shares practical leadership frameworks, research, and resources for coaches, athletic directors, and leaders working to build sustainable excellence.Subscribe free:https://impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com

July 27, 202622 min

Coach-Player-Parent Communication: Building Trust Through Difficult Conversations

Strong programs are built on more than strategy—they're built on trust. In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob and Dustin explore one of the most challenging aspects of leadership in sports: communication between coaches, athletes, and parents.The conversation begins with the foundation of coach-player relationships, emphasizing that trust isn't created in emotional conversations but through consistent, everyday actions. When coaches and athletes do what they say they will do, difficult conversations about playing time, performance, and expectations become opportunities to strengthen relationships instead of damaging them.The discussion then expands to one of the most complex dynamics in modern athletics: parents. Rather than viewing parents as adversaries, Rob argues that coaches should recognize parents as important partners while also understanding that parents naturally respond through the lens of what their child shares with them. Healthy communication requires transparency, appropriate boundaries, and involving athletes in conversations whenever possible.The episode also tackles an often-overlooked reality: most coaches receive little or no training on handling difficult conversations. From hiring practices and role-playing tough situations to teaching emotional regulation and humility, Rob and Dustin discuss why communication skills deserve as much attention as X's and O's.Finally, they offer practical strategies for creating communication systems that prevent problems before they begin, including regular one-on-one meetings, intentional check-ins, active listening, and the power of admitting mistakes. Great leadership isn't about having every answer—it's about creating an environment where honest conversations become a source of trust rather than conflict.Key TakeawaysTrust is built through consistent actions before difficult conversations ever happen.Playing time conversations should never surprise either the coach or the athlete.Parents should be viewed as partners, not opponents, while maintaining healthy boundaries.One-on-one meetings are one of the most effective tools for preventing conflict.Open-door policies are not enough—coaches must intentionally create opportunities for communication.Difficult conversations, when handled well, increase both trust and leadership authority.Humility and the willingness to apologize often strengthen credibility rather than weaken it.Great coaching requires communication systems, not just good intentions.ResourcesImpactful Coaching Project: Leading and Coaching the 21st Century AthleteAthletic Department Leadership and Developing CoachesListen onApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-coaching-an-impactful-coaching-project-podcast/id1711128150Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4XZrfisl0lv82qFPtfipVz?si=1c035e7eb7074f4aYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@robramseyer646

July 13, 2026Episode 1526 min

How Athletes Learn to Handle Failure With Cody Fuqua

In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob talks with former college and professional baseball player Cody Fuqua about failure, resilience, and the lessons athletes carry into life after sports.Cody shares how his athletic experiences shaped the way he now leads a team and runs a business. The conversation explores why athletes need to struggle, how coaches can help players learn from failure without making every loss feel like a crisis, and why difficult experiences often produce the most valuable growth.Rob and Cody also discuss building trust through consistency, helping people own their development, controlling emotion after losses, and why who you are matters more than what you do.

June 29, 202637 min

Coaching Athletes Who Are Over-Pressured and Under-Prepared With David Durand

In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob talks with David Durand about what is actually limiting today’s athletes and why it is rarely talent.David explains how modern athletes are dealing with more pressure and less preparation, largely driven by social media and unrealistic expectations. That combination shows up in performance when athletes get stuck in their head and struggle to carry practice into games.The conversation centers on a simple framework. Athletes operate in three modes called connection, action, and shutdown. What often looks like laziness or poor attitude is usually dysregulation. When coaches understand these states, they can respond more effectively instead of making the situation worse.They also walk through practical tools using the BET method, which focuses on breath, eyes, and touch. These give coaches a way to help athletes regain control of their brain and body in real time.A consistent theme is self awareness. Coaches are not just managing athletes. They are managing themselves. If they do not address their own pressure and identity, it shows up in how they lead.This episode is a straightforward look at how coaching has changed and what actually works now.Key Topics Why athletes struggle mentally more than ever The three modes of connection, action, and shutdown Misreading effort, attitude, and body language Simple tools to regulate performance Coaching beyond Xs and OsResources Bet On It A Psychological Approach to Coaching Gen Z and Beyond (available on Amazon) Website: realdevelopment.org david@realdevelopment.orgSubstack: https://daviddurand.substack.com/About the Impactful Coaching ProjectThe Impactful Coaching Project exists to help coaches win while developing the whole athlete. It is built on the foundation of competence, care, and consistency and provides practical tools and frameworks for coaching in today’s environment.You can find more at impactfulcoachingproject.com. You can receive a free weekly newsletter by signing up at impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com where we share weekly insights, tools, and ideas for coaches who want to lead at a higher level.

June 15, 202615 min

Are Today's Athletes Soft, Or Just More Aware?

Every generation says the next one is soft. Rob's dad said it. Dustin's dad said it. Now coaches are saying it about the athletes in their gyms right now. But before we accept the premise, it's worth asking a harder question: what if they're not softer at all? What if they're just more aware, more informed, and asking better questions than we're ready to answer?In this episode, Rob and Dustin take on the lazy version of the "today's athletes are soft" conversation and push toward something more useful — what coaches actually need to do differently when the people in front of them have more access, more options, and more questions than any generation before them.TopicsWhy "they're soft" is usually the wrong diagnosis — and what coaches miss when they stop thereThe difference between questions and questioning — and why Rob took it personally for yearsWhat COVID and social media actually broke (hint: it wasn't toughness — it was conflict resolution)How parents haven't really changed, but their access hasWhy coaches need to redefine toughness before they can teach it — Dustin's shift from calling out soft plays to catching tough onesThe Steve Magness two-part definition of team toughness: psychological safety + a real path to getting betterWhy the best marketer wins online, and what that means for how coaches teach their craft nowThe honest follow-up question: how much time are coaches spending on the 1% of 1% who bail?One Line Worth Thinking About"I don't think I've ever been harder on my guys from a practice, from a communication, from an accountability standpoint. And yet I don't think I've ever received more." — Dustin GalyonFor The Coach ListeningThree questions to take into your next staff meeting or solo drive home:When was the last time you trained conflict resolution like you train any other skill?What does tough actually look like in your program — and have you ever told your athletes specifically?Are you catching the tough plays, or only flagging the soft ones?About the Impactful Coaching ProjectThe Impactful Coaching Project develops coaches who coach the whole person. Built on the Three C's — Competence, Care, Constancy — ICP is the thought leader in coaching the 21st century athlete.Substack: impactfulcoachingproject.substack.comPodcast: beyondcoaching.alitu.comBeyond Coaching is produced by ICP with the support of Friends University.

June 1, 202640 min

Building Thick Institutions: How Great Coaches Create Programs That Outlast Them with Dr. Hunter Taylor

What separates a program people remember forever from one they forget the moment they graduate? Dr. Hunter Taylor has spent his career chasing that question — first as a basketball coach, then as a researcher embedded inside a high school football program, and now as a professor running coaching fellowships across three states. In this conversation, Rob and Hunter dig into the idea of "thick institutions," why longevity is the most underrated cheat code in coaching, and what the job demands that no clinic has ever taught.KEY IDEAS-> Thin institutions are transactional. The moment you leave, there's no attachment. Thick ones launch you into the next chapter — and you carry the values with you forever.-> The best high school programs Hunter studied weren't just great at football. They were led by people with a CEO-level mindset: emotional intelligence, external partnerships, and the ability to code-switch across every stakeholder group.-> What causes coaches to fail isn't X's and O's. It's everything surrounding the scheme — and the fellowship is built around exactly those skills.-> The biggest emerging need Hunter sees: storytelling and fundraising. Every coach will eventually need to make the case for their program. The ones who can tell that story well will have an enormous edge.-> Longevity is a cheat code. What coaches think about in year 10 or 20 looks completely different — and far more valuable — than what they focused on in year one.-> Youth sports' biggest problem may not be money. It's time — and the manufactured urgency that tells families there's no path to college without year-round specialization starting at age 10.QUOTABLE"You pick a neighbor and a neighborhood before a vocation. Could you pick a place you'd love to build a life with your family — and then pay attention to what the needs are?" — Dr. Hunter Taylor, quoting his seminary professorBOOKS MENTIONEDMy Losing Season — Pat ConroyThe Culture Code — Daniel CoyleFlourish — Daniel Coyle"How to Leave a Mark on People" — David Brooks, New York Times (~2017)ABOUT HUNTER TAYLORDr. Hunter Taylor is a professor in the School of Education at the University of Mississippi and has spent the last 10 years embedded in coach and leader development. His research on program-building at Oxford High School football resulted in a book on building thick institutions, with a second edition forthcoming. He is co-founder of a coaching fellows program now operating in three states, designed to develop experienced coaches who are already proven in their communities.THE IMPACTFUL COACHING PROJECTBeyond Coaching is part of the Impactful Coaching Project — built for coaches, athletic directors, and leaders who want to develop whole-person athletes and build programs that last. Every Monday, we publish practical frameworks, research, and real-world insights in our Substack newsletter. It's free. Join coaches across the country who are building something thicker than a win streak.Substack Newsletter: impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com Podcast: beyondcoaching.alitu.com

May 18, 202641 min

Coaching, Character, and the Hard Parts of Sport with Chad Carlson

In this episode of Beyond Coaching, I sit down with Chad Carlson, professor at Hope College, longtime coach, and co-founder of Sport Faith Life. Chad studies sport for a living, but he still lives in the same tension every coach feels — the pull between competition, character, and keeping the right perspective when the stakes feel high.We talk about why coaches carry so much cultural influence, why the hardest seasons often produce the most growth, and how easy it is to lose your footing emotionally in the middle of competition. Chad also shares stories from coaching high school and college athletes, lessons from teaching sport leadership, and what he has learned through years of work at the intersection of sport and faith.Topics include:Why sport has so much power in shaping characterThe danger of putting coaches on a pedestalLearning through losing, struggle, and conflictHow faith changes the way we see competitionProtecting your heart when you step into the arenaThe role of gratitude in leadership and coachingIf you want to connect with Chad, you can reach him at ccarlson@hope.edu.To learn more about the Impactful Coaching Project, visit https://impactfulcoachingproject.com Podcast, articles, and courses available at https://impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com

May 4, 20269 min

Podcast Short: High Trust Changes Everything

In this Podcast Short, Dustin and Rob explore trust. When trust is high, a coach can misspeak, show emotion, or even put his foot in his mouth—and players give the benefit of the doubt. When trust is low, even neutral comments are filtered negatively. Every word becomes suspect. Every interaction becomes evidence.The difference isn’t charisma. It isn’t quoting John Wooden. It’s the daily work of building trust through consistent, transactional excellence.Key Themes1. High trust changes interpretation. Players don’t just hear what you say. They interpret it through the lens of trust.Low trust: “Coach meant that negatively.”High trust: “Coach is competitive. I know what he meant.”2. Transactional precedes transformational. We often chase transformational impact—life change, influence, legacy. But transformation is built on transaction:Be on time.Do what you say.Communicate clearly.Own mistakes immediately.Follow through consistently.You cannot skip the small disciplines and expect large relational impact.3. Competence builds credibility. If you want to transform lives, dominate your practice. Be organized. Be detailed. Teach the game at a high level. Competence is the foundation of trust.4. Erosion is subtle. Most broken cultures don’t implode overnight. Trust erodes:Missed follow-through.Double standards.Poor communication.Non-verbals that contradict words.Losing seasons without emotional steadiness.Small cracks compound.5. Ownership resets trust. High-trust coaches:Apologize quickly.Admit when they’re wrong.Hold themselves to the same standards they demand.Avoid talking at players during conflict.Players can handle intensity. They struggle with inconsistency.Practical Takeaways for CoachesBefore chasing transformational language, master transactional behavior.Ask yourself: “Do I respond to players the way I expect them to respond to me?”Communicate proactively—especially when you’re late, frustrated, or distracted.When trust erodes to the point where players hang on every word defensively, you may need a reset—not just a speech.High trust isn’t built in emotional speeches. It’s built in the next 90 minutes of practice.Beyond Coaching is produced by the Impactful Coaching Project in partnership with Friends University.Learn more at:impactfulcoachingproject.comSign Up for our Free Newsletter at impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com

April 20, 202647 min

Lonely at the Top: Identity, Success, and the Cost of Chasing It with Matt Moberg and Mike Jaderston

In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob sits down with two guests who live at the intersection of faith, sport, and formation:Matt Moberg – professional artist and chaplain for the Minnesota TimberwolvesMike Jaderston – Dean of Campus Ministries at Friends University and third-generation coach’s kid.The conversation starts with Matt’s unusual path to becoming an NBA chaplain and why he begins every chapel with the same line:“Who you are is more important than what you do… even if what you do gets more attention than who you are.”From there, the three dig into identity, loneliness, and the quiet cost of “making it” at the highest level. Matt talks about the hidden sadness he sees in NBA locker rooms, the pressure of short contracts, and the difference between coaches who see players as people versus assets. Mike pulls the lens back to the college context—how injuries, role changes, and family expectations expose identity issues in student-athletes.They explore what it takes to build environments of psychological safety and toughness at the same time:holding everyone to the same standards (stars included)pairing authenticity with real competencecreating clear “community rules” so athletes know they can fail and still belong, as long as they live inside the values.The episode closes with practical formation habits: Matt’s AA rhythm and commitment to telling the truth, Mike’s yearly retreat tradition with trusted friends, and why coaches must own their mistakes without abandoning their responsibility to lead.In this episode, we cover:What an NBA chaplain actually does on game dayWhy so many elite athletes feel lonely and disoriented at the “top”The line Matt repeats to players every chapelHow coaches can build belonging in transient, transactional environmentsAuthenticity + competence as the non-negotiables for leading this generationPsychological safety vs. “safe spaces” and why standards still matterWhy formation can’t be rushed—even in six-month windowsPractical habits that sustain coaches and chaplains over the long haulIf this podcast is helpful to you, we go deeper in our weekly Substack newsletter. Subscribe at impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com for practical leadership frameworks, insights, and research for coaches, ADs, and leaders who want to build sustainable excellence.

April 13, 202610 min

Podcast Short: Holding Two Truths

In this short episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob and Dustin sit in a tension that every competitive leader feels but few articulate clearly.Winning matters. It always has. The time, preparation, and emotional investment are real. Losses still sting—even years removed from the sideline. Rob admits that as an Athletic Director, he still goes home frustrated after tough losses. Caring deeply about outcomes doesn’t disappear just because your role changes.At the same time, some of the most meaningful growth in athletics happens in seasons of struggle.Hard years often expose blind spots. They reveal leadership gaps. They force clarity around culture, accountability, and fit. Dustin reflects on a season that felt like a train wreck—high talent, poor retention, misalignment—and how that year shaped him more than the historic season that followed.The conversation explores several key questions:Can you pursue winning relentlessly while still recognizing that growth often comes through losing?How do you avoid “loser talk” while still naming real progress?What’s the difference between adversity that builds a program and dysfunction that erodes it?Why do younger coaches sometimes struggle to bounce back from hard seasons?How does emotional constancy become a competitive advantage?They discuss the discipline of perspective—remembering you are never as good or as bad as you think you are—and why leadership in the valley often matters more than leadership on the mountaintop.This episode doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, it offers a framework: hold both truths.Compete to win. Lead for growth.And in the middle of hard seasons, choose constancy over emotional volatility. Sign up for our FREE newsletter at https://impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com.

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