On this episode, we go Beyond The Whistle with Matt Johnson, Director of Men’s Basketball Strength and Conditioning at Butler University. Matt and I discuss: The role of the strength and conditioning coach during the COVID-19 pandemic Using Instagram to connect with athletes during this time The focus on coaching player’s lifestyle - sleep and nutrition Coach LaVall Jordan’s leadership during crisis Breakdowns create breakthroughs Tough times reveal the mindset of elite athletes - resilience in body and mind His career journey - be ready when you get the call “The big time is not a place. It’s the state of your heart.” The importance of the interviews AFTER you get the job How his position, being dedicated to one sport, allows him to play a role to skill development, game planning, practice planning and recruiting Causing adaptation and absorbing adaptation Why coaches need their strength and conditioning coach on speed dial The leadership of Ralph Reiff at Butler Progression - The key to a successful return to normal Connect With Matt Johnson Website: Butler University Men’s Basketball Website: StrengthCoachConcepts.com Twitter: @StrengthCoachMJ Instagram: @StrengthCoachMJ Connect with Odell McCants Website - McCantsSports.com Twitter - @odellmccants LinkedIn - Odell McCants Email: odell@mccantssports.com 

Beyond The Whistle with Odell McCants

BTW 025: The Role of Strength and Conditioning Coach During Crisis and Beyond with Matt Johnson, Director of Men's Basketball Strength and Conditioning, Butler University

We're going Beyond The Whistle with the first Coaches Roundtable. Our roundtablers are Kevin Sutton, Assistant Coach at Rhode Island and Randolph Childress, Associate Head Coach at Wake Forest. This was the most fun I have had as a podcaster. It's a conversation amongst friends about our high school coach, mentorship, fatherhood, leadership, COVID-19 (of course) and more. Kevin, Randolph and I discuss: How Randolph ended the season in a sling and how he's doing now Lessons from our high school coach, Stu Vetter Kevin coaching Randolph in high school How Randolph was Steph Curry before Steph Curry The lost art of players understanding how to play without the ball Coach Vetter's coaching tree Randolph's experience recruiting and coaching his son, Brandon Childress The importance of keeping relationships simple and consistent How Kevin and Randolph's teams responded to the cancellation of basketball due to COVID-19 How they are spending this time with family, their teams and time working on themselves If you would like to be on a future Coaches Roundtable episode, drop me an email at odell@mccantssports.com. I welcome coaches from men's and women's basketball and from programs at all levels to share experiences and dicsuss topics impacting the coaching profession. Connect with Randolph Childress Twitter: @r22childress Website: Wake Forest Basketball Connect with Kevin Sutton Twitter: @coachsutton Website: Kevin Sutton Basketball Website: Sutton's Living Trophies Website: Rhode Island Basketball Connect with Odell McCants Website: McCantsSports.com Twitter: @odellmccants LinkedIn: Odell McCants Email: odell@mccantssports.com  

BTW 024: Coaches Roundtable: Keeping It Simple and Consistent with Kevin Sutton, Rhode Island and Randolph Childress, Wake Forest

On this episode, we go Beyond The Whistle with George Lynch. I go back with George all the way to high school, where we both played for legendary coach Stu Vetter and nationally ranked teams at Flint Hill School in Virginia. George was a member of the 1993 University of North Carolina NCAA national championship team. George played 12 years in the NBA, and his coaching career includes serving as an assistant at UC Irvine, Southern Methodist University and the G-League's Grand Rapids Drive. Most recently, George served as head coach at Clark Atlanta University. Along George's basketball journey, he has played for and coached with some of the greatest minds in the game. From his high school coaches - coach Vetter at Flint Hill and Woody Deans at Patrick Henry in Roanoke, Virginia, to Dean Smith at UNC and Larry Brown with the Philadelphia 76ers and at SMU. He's also committed to improving the educational experiences of student-athletes at HBCU schools through his newest venture, HBCU Heroes. George and I discuss: How he developed into a great defensive stopper (second all-time in steals at UNC) The experience of leaving home to finish high school How putting team first actually made him a better player How his approach to the game as a player has become the foundation of his coaching philosophy What he has taken from each coach he has played for and coached with, and how he has woven those experiences into his coaching style What he has learned about himself since becoming a head coach How the COVID-19 pandemic and required distance learning has magnified the educational technology needs of many HBCU student-athletes Founding HBCU Heroes and the goal of procuring 6,000 computers for HBCU student-athletes Connect with George Lynch Website: HBCU Heroes Instagram: @georgelynchcoach Twitter: @Glynchcoach Twitter: @HBCUHeroes Connect with Odell McCants Website: McCantsSports.com Twitter: @odellmccants LinkedIn: Odell McCants Email: odell@mccantssports.com 

BTW 023: Lessons From Legendary Coaches and HBCU Heroes Supporting Student Athletes with George Lynch

On this episode, we go Beyond The Whistle with Dan Tudor of Tudor Collegiate Strategies. Dan and his firm develop research-based recruiting strategies for programs in all sports, at all levels of collegiate athletics. Dan joins me for a third appearance on the podcast to discuss: Challenges coaches first faced recruiting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fundraising and budget concerns athletic directors have during this time. The mindset of recruits now without campus visits and evaluation events. How recruiting has been like "buying toilet paper". Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on an already growing transfer portal. How to stand out in recruiting by crafting your recruiting story. Taking advantage of this time to get better in your recruiting. You can also hear more from Dan on Episode 009: Take Control of Your Recruiting Process and Episode 013: The Campus Visit. Connect with Dan Tudor Website: Tudor Collegiate Strategies Podcast: The College Recruiting Weekly Podcast Twitter: @dantudor Connect with Odell Website: McCantsSports.com Twitter: @odellmccants LinkedIn: Odell McCants Email: odell@mccantssports.com 

What Matters Now In Your Recruiting More Than Ever with Dan Tudor, Tudor Collegiate Strategies

On this episode, we go Beyond The Whistle with Kyle Adams, Associate Head Women's Basketball Coach at the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff. Kyle also has his own consulting firm, It's Bigger Than The Ball, where Kyle works with coaches, educators and organizations to provide transformative learning experiences for the next generation of leaders. During our conversation, Kyle and I discuss: My high school days playing in Pine Bluff's King Cotton Holiday Classic high school basketball tournament, which has come back after being dormant for many years. Kyle and his team's experience learning about the cancellation of remaining conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament due to COVID-19. How their program is working as a staff, communicating with their players and recruiting during the pandemic. How his transition from coaching men to coaching women helped him grow as a man. The difference between a "transactional" coach and a "transformational" coach. Building a team culture that creates champion individuals and leads to championship teams. The job of a leader is not to create followers, but to create more leaders. Connect with Kyle Adams Website: It's Bigger Than The Ball Podcast: It's Bigger Than The Ball Podcast Twitter: @coachka20 LinkedIn: Kyle Adams Connect with Odell Website: McCantsSports.com Twitter: @odellmccants LinkedIn: Odell McCants Email: odell@mccantssports.com 

BTW 021: More Than Ever, It's Bigger Than The Ball, with Kyle Adams, University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff

I'm back! It's been over a year since I last recorded an episode. I was already planning to record today (January 26th, 2020) when the world was struck by the news of the tragic death of Kobe Bryant. My plan was to explain how life had gotten in the way the past year and reasons why I had not published an episode. But in thinking about Kobe, I couldn't do that. There was no better example than Kobe of work ethic, winning habits, passion and preparation. So I'm not going to share excuses. So this episode is not about the past. Not about reasons why I haven't done something. On this day, this episode is about my commitment to you, my listener, and what to expect going forward.  

BTW 020: I'm Back and Honoring Kobe Bryant

Have you thought about having your own podcast? This episode of Beyond The Whistle is all about the power a podcast of your own can have as the foundation of your personal brand. With a podcast, you have your own coach’s show. Think about that. Regardless of where you are in your coaching career or the level of your program, you can create a platform to share your personal story, who you are and what you are about, with an audience of fans, recruits, parents, other coaches and even administrators. You no longer have to be a head coach of a Power Five program, with a media contract, to have your own coach’s show. And if you are, you can go deeper with your audience to share who you are beyond the Xs and Os. My tagline for this show! For this episode, I’m proud and honored to have as my guest, Jerod Morris. When I had the idea of starting this podcast, I listened to all of the “podcasts about podcasting” out there. There are plenty and I still listen to some. One show that was impactful for me in the beginning, and still is to this day, is The Showrunner. The Showrunner is hosted by Jerod and his co-host Jonny Nastor. What’s different about The Showrunner is the guys don’t focus on the technical aspects of podcasting like so many shows. In fact, many of those shows actually scared me from starting a podcast. Jerod and Jonny provide actionable advice that drive meaningful results with a podcast centered content strategy. Another reason I’m excited to have Jerod on the show is, that’s not the only podcast Jerod has. Jerod is also co-host The Assembly Call, a fan-based podcast on Indiana University basketball. So he has a unique understanding of podcasting as a platform for a brand and also how to leverage a basketball fan base to create a audience of loyal followers. What I also learn this during our conversation, is Jerod is a coach’s kid. He grew up with his father coaching Division 1 football and has a first hand understanding of the life and profession of college coaching. I have been podcasting for close to two years now. I know the challenges with getting started. What equipment do you need, what’s the technology behind it all. Do you know it took me almost TWO YEARS to go from idea to starting this show. TWO YEARS! I don’t want to see you take that long. If you are thinking about starting your own podcast, and I hope after listening to this episode you are, I want you to have the list of all of the gear and tools I use to produce this very show.    My Podcasting Toolbox is a free guide to everything you need to get started, with much less of a financial investment than you probably think. You can get your free copy at this link: My Podcasting Toolbox. If you want to go deeper with the idea of your own podcast, to launch your show, I’d love to work with you. Email me at odell@mccantssports.com and we can discuss your idea, I’ll share my podcasting journey and help you with getting started. Free Guide My Podcasting Toolbox: The Tools and Gear to Get You Podcasting Mentions in this episode Podcast: Beyond The Whistle 018: Why You Need a Personal Brand as a Coach, with Ron McKeefery Video: Solving Basketball with Jordan Sperber - Episode 2, Kory Alford, UCLA Podcast: Solving Basketball with Jordan Sperber Connect With Jerod Morris Podcast - The Showrunner Podcast - The Assembly Call Website - Showrunner.fm Twitter - @AssemblyCall Connect with Odell McCants Website - McCantsSports.com Twitter - @odellmccants LinkedIn - Odell McCants 

BTW 019: Build Your Personal Brand with a Podcast, with Jerod Morris

Personal brand. What does that mean to you? What's the value of having a personal brand? Have you struggled to create your personal brand?  Ron McKeefery is an internationally recognized leader in strength and conditioning coaching. Currently the Vice President of Performance and Education for PLAE, a leader in sports and performance flooring, Ron served as strength coach at the collegiate and professional level. Ron has worked with the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL and Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals on the professional level. Collegiately, Ron has served as strength coach at Eastern Michigan University, University of Tennessee and University of South Florida. Ron has been successful in creating a personal brand for himself that has served as the foundation for a book, podcast, speaking engagements and coaching and consulting to Olympic and national teams across the globe. In this episode Ron McKeefery shares: The moment in his career when he realized, as a coach, how vulnerable he was to losing his job for things that had nothing to do with him Facing a coaching staff change, struggling with figuring out how would he continue his career, and more importantly, provide for his family How developing his personal brand, as a coach, helped him establish himself as an authority and create additional sources of income How additional sources of income liberated him from the pressures of coaching How creating your personal brand helps you to control your story and narrative Creating a "tribe" of followers who know, like and trust you The built in entrepreneurial and branding advantage you have as a coach How you can leverage your personal brand to get you through the transitions of a coaching career To learn more about building your own personal brand, sign up for my upcoming webinar, "Building Your Coaching Brand" by clicking this link: Build Your Coaching Brand Webinar with Odell McCants Mentions in this episode Build Your Coaching Brand Webinar The Rise to the Top Podcast with David Siteman Garland The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss Connect With Ron McKeefery RonMcKeefery.com - Website Chalk Talk with Ron McKeefery - Podcast CEO Strength Coach - Book @RMcKeefery - Twitter rmckeefery - Instagram Connect with Odell McCants McCantsSports.com - Website @odellmccants - Twitter Odell McCants - LinkedIn 

BTW 018: Why You Need a Personal Brand as a Coach, with Ron McKeefery

I'm honored to have as a return guest to Beyond The Whistle, my friend Kevin Sutton, Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at the University of Rhode Island. Kevin was my very first interview guest, appearing in episode two, "Persistence on the Coaching Career Path". In that episode, Kevin shared his career journey and how he has woven a path from coaching at two nationally ranked high school programs, to a college coaching career in the Atlantic 10, Big East and ACC. In some ways, this episode became an unplanned follow up to episode two. Last season at Pitt, Kevin experienced a season no one wishes to have. An 8-24 overall record and winless season in the ACC led to the dismissal of coach Kevin Stallings and the entire Pitt staff, including Kevin. In this episode, Kevin openly shares: His excitement for the opportunity to join the staff of Rhode Island first year head coach David Cox The professional and personal lessons he took away from an 8-24 season What a "WIN" means to him in his coaching career How he spent his time between jobs Taking time to reconnect with family Having the hard conversations with your spouse in order to have a plan for your career The importance of staying relevant in your career Having a plan for your job search so you are networking and pursuing the right opportunities I'm thankful for Kevin and his candid conversation.  Mentions in this episode BTW 002: Persistence on the Coaching Career Path with Kevin Sutton What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith (affiliate link) Connect With Kevin Sutton kevinsuttonbasketball.com - Website Kevin Sutton Basketball Blog - Website @CoachSutton - Twitter Connect with Odell McCants McCantsSports.com - Website @odellmccants - Twitter Odell McCants - LinkedIn 

BTW 017: Kevin Sutton, Assistant Coach, University of Rhode Island

It was a personal honor to have as my guest on this episode, Tom McMillen, President and CEO of Lead1 Association. As a kid growing up in Washington, DC, I had two dreams: 1) to play in the NBA and 2) to be President of the United States. I like to think I came a little close, having played basketball in college, worked for a U.S. Congressman and spent time as an NBA agent. At least that's what I tell myself. Having those dreams, and living in DC, Tom was someone I followed closely. Tom was an All-American at the University of Maryland, where he also became the school's first Rhodes Scholar. I got to watch his 11 year NBA career, especially his three seasons with the then Washington Bullets. I also followed closely Tom's three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he represented the 4th District of Maryland. Tom's career journey was what I aspired for myself as a young man. Today, Tom McMillen is President and CEO of Lead1 Association. Lead1 is a membership organization of collegiate athletic directors from primarily Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs. As the business of college sports has grown, so have the challenges facing institutions, programs and athletic directors - diversity, new media, sexual assault and domestic violence, and gambling are just a few. With his background in legislation, being a student-athlete, playing professionally and experience leading public companies, college athletics is fortunate to have Tom as a leader. In this episode, Tom and I discuss: How he, as a young man, followed the career of Bill Bradley, a former U.S. Senator, basketball All-American at Princeton and 10 years in the NBA. The impact attending college and playing professional basketball in the Washington, DC area had on his political aspirations. What leadership means to him. As a member of Congress, Tom's role in the original sports gambling legislation - Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. Concerns of new legalized sports betting. What it was like when the news of the FBI college basketball investigation and arrests broke in the middle of their annual conference of more than 100 athletic directors in attendance and NCAA president Mark Emmert speaking at the same time. Concerns of legalized sports betting. College basketball "guarantee games" - the affect they have on career advancement of low and mid-major coaches. The importance of college coaches having an understanding of the issues and challenges AD's face - changing media landscape, declining game attendance, financial and budget pressures, hiring and retaining the right coaches, federal investigations. Gender and ethnic diversity in coaching and sports administration. The annual Lead1 Institute. Mentions in this episode 19th Annual Lead1 Institute - July 16-18, 2018 at Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas Connect With Tom McMillen and Lead1 Lead1 Association - Website Lead1 Association- Twitter Tom McMillen - Twitter Connect with Odell McCants McCantsSports.com - Website @odellmccants - Twitter Odell McCants - LinkedIn 

BTW 016: Tom McMillen, President & CEO of Lead1 Association

One of my goals with the podcast is to bring coaches tools, resources and stories from other coaches that you can use in your own professional development. This episode of Beyond The Whistle accomplishes just that. In this impactful episode with Khadija Head, Associate Head Coach of women’s basketball at Kennesaw State, we discuss: The importance of mentors in your coaching career The power of your personal brand Her three years away from coaching Entrepreneurship and the experience of starting her own Internet marketing business Discovering interests outside of coaching Getting back into coaching with her head coach and mentor, Kennesaw State Head Coach Agnus Berenato Defining what a “win” is in your personal career and making it your own definition of success The morning miracle Starting each day with a personal “win” Making time for yourself and personal development How she became a journaler Why she created the Quarterly Career Journal Books and podcasts she reads and listens to and recommends for you Khadija’s Offer Free 14 Day Career Planner - Free download for listeners of Beyond The Whistle Khadija’s Head Coach Head Quarterly Career Journal on Amazon (affiliate link) Mentions in this episode Book: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (affiliate link) Book: The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace B Wattles (affiliate link) Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (affiliate link) Podcast: The $100 MBA Show - Apple Podcasts | Google Play Music Podcast: Entrepreneurs of Fire - Apple Podcasts | Google Play Music Podcast: Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations - Apple Podcasts | Google Play Music Podcast: Lore - Apple Podcasts | Google Play Music Blog: James Clear Connect With Khadija Head Headcoachead.com - Website @headcoachead - Twitter Connect with Odell McCants McCantsSports.com - Website @odellmccants - Twitter Odell McCants - LinkedIn 

BTW 015: Journal to Coaching Career Success with Khadija Head, Associate Head Coach, Kennesaw State

I have a confession to make. I am the last person to subscribe to Netflix (at least it feels that way). I was getting ready for a family spring break trip. When traveling with our son, the question at night is always, "what are we going to do?". Not wanting to spend the exorbitant cost of pay-per-view movies at the hotel, I decided it was time to sign up for Netflix. So, I took advantage of the first month free offer and downloaded Netflix to my Amazon Fire TV Stick. Now, packing and preparing for our trip included adding some movies and shows to my watch list. One of the Netflix shows I had heard so much about and the first I had to watch was Last Chance U. As you probably know (it also feels like I'm the last person to watch it), Last Chance U is a Netflix docudrama about the football program at East Mississippi Community College. The program has been built around being a landing spot for many players who have been dismissed from Power Five programs, usually for academics or disciplinary reasons. The program has become a junior college (JUCO) football powerhouse, winning four national championships in the last seven seasons.  While Last Chance U features the team's lightening rod coach, Buddy Stephens, and his players, many of whom are on their "last chance", another major personality of the show is Brittany Wagner, the then athletic academic counselor at East Mississippi. I knew right away I wanted to have Brittany on the podcast. For me, Brittany represented so many of the unsung individuals who are non-coaches but also play prominent roles in the lives of athletes. I have seen first hand the positive impact a caring counselor, teacher or principal can have on a young athlete's life. I knew her insight and experiences were something coaches and administrators listening to the podcast could find of value. In this candid conversation, Brittany and I discuss: What she has been up to and working on since her (spoiler alert) teary departure from East Mississippi in season two of the show Her personal career journey and how it, at times, mirrored those of the athletes she was working with The advantages women have in working with male athletes How past experiences African-American male athletes have with men in their lives and the impact they have on how they view men in positions of authority How coaches can strengthen their relationships with faculty and academic counselors The questions college coaches asked most when recruiting players at East Mississippi How JUCO programs can best prepare their athletes for success at four year programs The advantages of recruiting JUCO players Mentions in this episode Netflix Last Chance U East Mississippi Community College Mississippi State University Athletic Academic Support Services Connect With Brittany Wagner BrittanyWagner.com 10 Thousand Pencils LLC Sharpen Up Podcast - Apple Podcasts Brittany_MSgirl - Twitter Brittany_MSgirl - Instagram Connect with Odell McCants McCantsSports.com @odellmccants - Twitter Odell McCants - LinkedIn  

BTW 014: Brittany Wagner of Netflix Last Chance U

In part one of Take Control of Your Recruiting Process with Dan Tudor, we discussed what prospects are looking for in communications from you and how you can take control of the recruiting process in a way that helps guide your prospects to a decision. In this episode, Part Two with Dan, we discuss the campus visit phase of recruiting. What does your campus visit look like? How do you know if a visit is the next step your prospect is ready for? Listen and learn how to make your campus visit stand out and leaves your prospects ready to commit. Points we discuss The two things prospects are looking for to decide if to visit your campus The common mistake of recruiting to "features and stats" of your campus and program Don't try to "out stuff" other programs - it's not what your prospects are looking for How to personalize recruiting days to make each prospect feel unique and wanted Closing the deal on the campus visit Mentions in this episode Beyond The Whistle 009: Take Control of Your Recruiting Process with Dan Tudor - Part One Beyond The Whistle 011: Do We Need a National Signing Day with Michael Cross The College Recruiting Weekly Podcast - Episode 9: Michael Cross on Asking the Right Prospect Questions The College Recruiting Weekly Podcast - Episode 13: Michael Cross on Transparency Being the Key to Recruiting Reforms Connect With Dan Tudor Tudor Collegiate Strategies - Website 2018 National Collegiate Recruiting Conference College Recruiting Weekly Podcast- iTunes Dan on Twitter Email Dan 

BTW 013: Take Control of Your Recruiting Process with Dan Tudor Part Two - The Campus Visit

I first met Romone Penny at the barbershop we both go to here in Washington, DC. At the time, Romone was a senior on the American University basketball team. His team had just come off an appearance in the 2008 NCAA tournament and Romone was doing great work giving back to his community in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. After graduating from American, Romone joined the global accounting firm Ernst & Young. Fast forward ten years (yes, hard to believe). Romone now heads Pursuit Sports Group, a strategic consulting firm based in Washington, DC. Pursuit Sports Group focuses on financial education and planning, reputation management and business development for professional athletes, teams, sports leagues and organizations. In this episode of Beyond The Whistle, Romone and I discuss: Romone's journey from college basketball player to accounting professional and entrepreneur Best ways for coaches to manage their personal finances working in what can be a nomadic and transient profession Pursuit Sports Group's "Pay Yourself First" financial education program for collegiate athletic departments and teams Pursuit Sports Group's Financial Excellence Weekend 2018 in Los Angeles during NBA All-Star Weekend Mentions in this episode John Rice, Management Leadership for Tomorrow Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) NBA All-Star Weekend 2018 Connect with Romone Penny and Pursuit Sports Group Pursuit Sports Group - Website Pursuit Financial Excellence Weekend - Website @AlwaysnPursuit - Twitter alwaysnpursuit - Instagram 

BTW 012 - Pursuing Financial Excellence with Romone Penny

The 2017 National Letter of Intent November early signing period recently concluded. This year, college football will have its first early signing period, from December 20th to the 22nd. Have you ever asked why do we have National Letter of Intent signing dates in college sports? What's so magical about these dates? What if we didn't have signing periods at all? What would that look like? In this episode, I discuss these questions with my guest Michael Cross. Michael is a true thought leader on college athletic recruiting reform and best practices. Connect with Michael Cross Ultimate Sports Insider Athlete Viewpoint Twitter: @USInsider  

BTW 011: Do We Need a Signing Day?

Beyond The Whistle provides tips and advice about the business of sports and how sports professionals can advance in their careers. Hosted by Odell McCants of McCants Sports, the show includes interviews with coaches, sports administrators and front office executives discussing their journeys to success.

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Beyond The Whistle with Odell McCants

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