How Soccer Explains Leadership Podcast (Philip Darke & Paul Jobson)

In Episode 133, Kevin O’Brien, Head Coach of Lipscomb University and former College of Charleston and professional footballer, talks with Phil and Paul about what he learned from playing in college/professionally and coaching at multiple universities as assistant and head coach, how he is living out his personal mission, what it was like to coach the legend, Paul Jobson, why an appetite for learning and note taking are critical for a young coach, why the human element is just as important as licenses, strategy, recruiting, and tactics, a huge mistake he made and how it taught him the importance of authenticity, reverse mentorship, playing in freedom, the importance of being mom or dad (not coach) at home, why all great leaders have an big appetite to learn and develop, and much more. Specifically, Kevin discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, and coaching, and how he ended up coaching at Lipscomb University (3:23)

·      His personal why/life purpose and how he is living it out in his coaching and ministry (6:36)

·      The ultimate goal guiding him in his coaching (8:47)

·      What is was like to coach the legend, Paul Jobson, as a young assistant coach at Presbyterian College (11:55)

·      Advice for younger coaches from lessons he learned as a young coach working up the ranks (13:27)

·      How his time playing professionally with the Charlotte Eagles impacted him and taught him lessons about life and leadership (20:11)

·      How he partners with his wife in ministry and coaching, and why she has a unique vantage point that helps him in his coaching of women’s soccer (23:39)

·      A defining moment in his soccer career and how it impacted his life and leadership (28:54)

·      How he uses the lessons learned in his defining moment to shape his coaching philosophy (34:31)

·      The best coaches he “played for” and what he learned from them (38:08)

·      His thoughts on the current state of youth soccer in the US (49:05)

·      How he has used lessons learned from soccer in his marriage and parenting (55:17)

·      His recommendations (1:03:26)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      Lipscomb University Women’s Soccer

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      All or Nothing: Arsenal

·      All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur

·      All or Nothing: Manchester City

·      Welcome to Wrexham

·      What Drives Winning

·      High Performance Podcast

In Episode 117, Keith Tozer, Commissioner of the Major Arena Soccer League, Coach of the US Futsal National Team, MISL coach and player in five decades, the first-ever pick in the MISL Draft, and a Hall of Famer in multiple hall of fames, talks with Paul and Phil about what he has learned over the course of his five-decade long career playing and coaching indoor and outdoor soccer and futsal, why all teams should use futsal/indoor soccer as part of their player development, the power of the Geese “V” formation, leading up, his personal why, mentorship, how he has used lessons from soccer in his role as MASL Commissioner. Specifically, Keith discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, particularly indoor and futsal, coaching, and leadership, and how he got to be Commissioner of the MASL – and we inadvertently talked about answers to some possible trivia questions as well (2:13)

·      Why he believes that futsal and indoor are critical to training and should be an integral part of development at all levels (7:01)

·      His personal why/mission statement and how he is living it out (14:21)

·      The power of the Geese “V” formation and what leadership lessons we can learn from it (16:32)

·      His defining moment and how it impacted his development (21:01)

·      How he navigated the transition to coaching from playing, and his stint as a player/manager, and the leadership lessons he learned on his journey (24:00)

·      How he intentionally sought out mentors as a young leader and what he learned from his mentors (30:15)

·      The power of leading up (33:46)

·      A couple of the best leaders he played or coached with, and what set them apart from the rest (33:25)

·      What he would tell the 27-year-old Keith Tozer if he could go back in time (39:40)

·      A great story about empowering, servant leadership (41:41)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the game of soccer in his role as Commissioner of the MASL (46:22)

·      The good, bad, and ugly of US Soccer, how the MASL is helping to move the game forward in the US (46:26)

·      How he has used lessons learned from the game in his marriage and parenting (58:12)

·      His recommendations (59:21)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      MASL Website

·      US Youth Futsal Website

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players, by Pat Riley

In Episode 119, Paul and Phil discuss their favorite moments and leadership nuggets from our great guests in the second half of Season 8, a sneak preview into Season 9, a glimpse into what the summer is bringing to the Darke and Jobson households, and other topics that hopefully will help you be better in every area of your life. We are certain you will learn something and be challenged by this conversation.

What were your favorite moments from Season 8? We’d love for you to share them in the comments!

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World website

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      What Drives Winning

In Episode 58, Phil sat down with Paul Jobson for an exclusive interview about his recent decision to step down from his Head Coach position at Baylor University Women’s Soccer after 14 years at the helm. Paul and Phil also discuss some highlights and takeaways from the incredible interviews we have had during the second half of Season 4. Specifically, Paul and Phil discuss:

• The “why” behind Paul’s decision to step down from his position at Baylor after 14 successful years (4:04)
• His message to his former players and others who have been a part of the Baylor Soccer program during his tenure (25:21)
• Highlights from the second half of Season 4 (31:37), including:
  • How Jesse Bradley and Kassie Gray talked about identity formation and how we have to be more than what we do. (34:00)
  • Why Aaron Blue’s youth coach not “wrecking” him is so powerful and a great lesson for all coaches everywhere (41:39)
• The Coaching the Bigger Game Program Phil is launching soon, and the importance of self-care and self-leadership (45:30)
• Paul’s sharing his gratitude for people supporting him over the years and since he has made his decision (49:53)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Warrior Way Program
• Choosing to Cheat: Who Wins When Family and Work Collide?, by Andy Stanley
• Visioneering: Your Guide to Discovering and Maintaining Personal Vision, by Andy Stanley
• Think Orphan Podcast episode with Peter Greer
• 40/40 Vision: Clarifying Your Mission in Midlife, by Peter Greer and Greg Lafferty
• Mission Drift: The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders, Charities, and Churches, by Peter Greer and Chris Horst

In Episode 33, we are taking a little break from our normal programming to have some offseason talks between Seasons 3 & 4. In these talks, Paul and Phil will be sharing some timeless leadership principles that will help you flourish by knowing and pursuing your purpose, honing your skills, taking your leadership to the next level. In this first offseason talk, Phil shares about how writing your own eulogy and knowing your why are essential to your ability to lead yourself and others with excellence.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Email Phil – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com
• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek
• Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want, by Daniel Harkavy and Michael Hyatt
• 40/40 Vision: Clarifying Your Mission in Midlife, by Peter Greer

In Episode 99, Paul and Phil preview the upcoming season, highlights from their summer trips, ministry opportunities, and DISC trainings, the origin of the “Blue Hose” mascot at Paul’s alma mater, Presbyterian College, and their thoughts on the summer “Lost Episodes of the Coaching Character Podcast” series.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address
• Remember the Titans (film)
• Rudy (film)

In Episode 83, Paul and Phil discuss highlights and lessons learned from our interviews with Dr. Daniel O’Neill, Cara Bradley, Evan Dabby, and Brad Miller during the first half of this season, a milestone reached by the podcast, and the wild finish to the English Premier League this past weekend. They also give a quick preview of what’s to come in the second half of Season 6 and reveal whether Paul will conduct any more interviews with Phil in the future.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address
• “Rise and Shine: The Jay Demerit Story” (YouTube)
• Survival of the Fit: How Physical Education Ensures Academic Achievement and a Healthy Life, by Dr. Daniel O’Neill, MD, EdD
• Knee Surgery: The Essential Guide to Total Knee Recovery, by Daniel F. O’Neill

In Episode 132, Shaun Smithson, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Executive VP of Club Sports, talks with Phil and Paul about how you can make disciples in different areas of your life, what he learned about life after calling for a time out in soccer, something you should never say to a referee, how he got into soccer ministry despite not playing the sport until the age of 21, what you can learn from his definition of “coach,” why you might not want yourself or your children to have all of the desires of your hearts, why failure is a critical component of success, a life lesson Shaun learned through Jell-O Night, why you need to speak hard truths to your players, the emptiness of championships and titles, the importance of being where your boots are, and much more. Specifically, Shaun discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, coaching, and ministry, and how he ended up in his current position with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (5:56)

·      How he learned there are no time outs in soccer and what he gleaned from that experience (9:10)

·      His personal why/life purpose and how he is living it out in his coaching and ministry (14:38)

·      How he defines a “coach,” and what we can learn from it (18:28)

·      His experience and growth in Bible studies (20:09)

·      How he is making disciples through his different areas of ministry with United Soccer Coaches, DC United, coaching, and other FCA opportunities (22:38)

·      A rabbit trail story about an important lesson Shaun learned while reading Psalm 20 to his wife in the hospital (26:24)

·      Why we have to be OK with failure (28:15)

·      A cool story about a lesson he learned from Bernhard Langer and shared with a team at the USYS Nationals about eternal perspective (31:33)

·      Defining moments in his life and how they impacted his life and leadership (37:56)

·      The importance of speaking truth to our players about their blind spots and things they need to work on to get better (42:53)

·      The best coach he “played for” and what he learned from him – includes a conversation about “Jell-O Night” (likely not what you’re thinking) (46:01)

·      How he has used lessons learned from soccer in his marriage and parenting (51:22)

·      How he prioritizes his family in the midst of his ministry opportunities (54:55)

·      His recommendations (59:03)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      FCA Website

·      United Soccer Coaches Convention Registration

·      Shaun Smithson Email (for USC Faith-Based Committee information)

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Open: An Autobiography, Andre Agassi

·      The Coaching Zone: Next Level Leadership in Sports, John Yeager

·      Influence and the Creator’s Game: My Story and Stories of Family, Faith, and Lacrosse, Frank Kelly III

In Episode 22, Phil and Paul briefly talk about highlights from the second half of Season 2, and spend the rest of their time discussing the leadership genius of Ted Lasso, Coach Beard, and Nate the Great. Specifically, our hosts discuss:

• Highlights from the second half of Season 2 (0:47)
• Overall thoughts on the value of Ted Lasso for coaches and other leaders (2:59)
• The value of a 30,000 foot view and outsider’s perspective in leadership (7:14)
• How taking on challenges is like riding a horse and how good things often happen on just the other side of comfortable (14:50)
• How sometimes the little things, like asking for a name or “Biscuits with the Boss,” make or break a leader (22:00)
• How organizations take on the personality of their leaders (27:28)
• The importance of posture of humility and learning when becoming a leader of an existing organization (31:04)
• How every decision should be made through the filter of your core values (33:10)
• Why Ted tells Sam, “Be a goldfish,” and what it has to do with Brad Miller’s discussion surrounding retraining our brains and Paul’s coaching principle, “Flush it or Forget about it” (35:10)
• The power of a birthday party and the concept, “Do for one what you wish you could do for all” (38:56)
• The importance of the “long game” in coaching, leadership, and in our families (42:52)
• Having the right perspective as we lead our people (50:01)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Video of the Episode -- https://youtu.be/dBVJYVEZlLQ
• Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
• Phil (@phildarke) and Paul (@coachjobson) on Clubhouse
• How Ted Lasso Explains Leadership on Clubhouse – Every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific
• How Soccer Explains Leadership on Clubhouse – Every Friday at 9:30 a.m. Pacific
• Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Soccer Tactics, by Jonathan Wilson

In Episode 106, Paul and Phil talk about the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, covering the FIFA corruption leading up to the Cup, the new documentary, “FIFA Uncovered,” which is rocking the world of football, predictions about who will get out of each group and who will ultimately with the Cup, and some leadership lessons we can learn from all of it. It is a fun and enlightening conversation that you don’t want to miss.

Who are you picking to win it all?

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Phil’s email for DISC Training
• “FIFA Uncovered” (Netflix)
• United Soccer Coaches Convention Registration Page

In Episode 10, Matt Parker, CEO of Teamwork City of Hope, talks with Phil about getting your team on the same page and maximizing performance through clarity, communication, culture, minimizing “noise,” developing leadership from within, and covering for your teammates when they’re “out of position.” Specifically, he discusses:

• His story and how his soccer and leadership have always been a big part of his life (1:17)
• The critical importance of soccer clubs and organizations being on the same page with their mission, vision, and values (3:44)
• The role of leaders in getting the teams on the same page (7:42)
• Developing culture on our teams to cultivate an environment for flourishing (10:04)
• How can leaders get everyone, including the superstars, on the same page (13:21)
• The importance of the leader of an organization and how he or she can be the start of a healthy organization (18:32)
• Things you can do as a coach/leader to be able to minimize the distractions and outside “noise,” and maximize your team performance (22:57)
• Matt’s thoughts on praising in public and criticizing in private (24:07)
• The importance of developing leadership from within your organization and succession planning (28:37)
• The primacy of clarity and communication in an organization (32:27)
• The need to cover for people who “play out of position” from time to time (37:00)
• How he has used the lessons he has learned from soccer in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (41:10)
• What Matt has been reading and watching to help his leadership (44:43)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Video of the Episode -- https://youtu.be/GC1ROO8AxJQ
• The Advantage, by Patrick Lencioni
• Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
• Leading, by Alex Ferguson
• The Challenge Culture: Why the Most Successful Organizations Run on Pushback, by Nigel Travis
• Teamwork City of Hope website -- https://www.teamworkcityofhope.com/
• Matt Parker Think Orphan Episode -- https://thinkorphan.com/2019/03/26/episode-137/

In Episode 43, Diego Bocanegra, Head Coach of University of Houston Women’s Soccer, talks with Phil about how his childhood shaped his love for soccer, specialization, how we can give youth sports back to the kids, the state of soccer in America, what elite players have in common, his personal “Why,” his new podcast, and what he has learned from the beautiful game that he uses in other areas of life. Specifically, Diego discusses:

• How he developed his passion for soccer, other sports, and leadership, and how he got to be where he is today (2:06)
• How his childhood experiences and his parents have shaped him and taught him lessons that help him in his coaching (6:09)
• His thoughts on specialization, and if and when kids should specialize in one sport (10:17)
• How he believes club and youth soccer are being taken away from the kids and what we can do about it (16:26)
• The state of soccer in America and how we need to make it more about the players’ flourishing (22:47)
• The common threads among elite athletes (34:43)
• His personal “Why” and life mission, and how it informs his leadership (42:03)
• The why and what of his new podcast, “Boca” (46:33)
• Clubhouse and how we can engage the new platform to help us and others flourish (52:35)
• How Diego used the lessons learned playing and coaching soccer in his stint in the financial planning and insurance world, and vice-versa (58:31)
• What he wants his players to know when they leave his program (1:04:19)
• What he has learned directly from soccer that he has used in his life and leadership outside the game (1:06:32)
• His book and podcast recommendations (1:09:40)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Diego’s “Boca” Podcast
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Changing the Game: The Parent’s Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes, and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids, by John O’Sullivan
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck
• Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!, by Robert T. Kiyosaki
• The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Rich, by Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D, and William D. Danko, Ph.D
• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel Pink
• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth
• Toughness: Developing True Strength On and Off the Court, by Jay Bilas
• Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Don’t Learn From Their Mistakes, But Some Do, by Matthew Syed
• Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell

In Episode 124, Paul and Phil discuss their favorite moments and leadership nuggets from our incredible guests in the first half of Season 9 (Graham Daniels, Margueritte Aozasa, Josh Glover, and Skip Gilbert), a glimpse into the great work that Paul and Warrior Way did with different communities in Guatemala earlier this month, some great books that Paul and Phil have read recently, and other topics that hopefully will help you be better in every area of your life. We are certain you will learn something and be challenged by this conversation.

What were your favorite moments from the first half of Season 9? We’d love for you to share them in the comments!

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World website

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Chop Wood, Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great, by Joshua Medcalf

·      Win in the Dark: Some People Think You Shine Under the Bright Lights, the Bright Lights Only Reveal Your Work in the Dark, by Joshua Medcalf and Lucas Jadin

In Episode 105, Tim Ryerson, Founder and ED of Get On The Bus, GM and Consultant with Ballistic United Soccer Club, Founder of Ellicott City Soccer Club, and Husband and Father, talks with Phil and Paul about how he is making the beautiful game more accessible for youth across the country through his work with Get On The Bus, his special needs program in Maryland, some of the life and leadership lessons he has learned from his coaches over the years, the importance of hard work, the current state of youth soccer in the US, a little USMNT World Cup Preview, and why Tim does what he does throughout the US. Specifically, Tim discusses:

• His personal story, how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, coaching, and making soccer accessible to all demographics in society (4:44)
• What he learned about leadership starting Ellicott City SC, and what you can learn from it (10:42)
• His personal why/purpose statement and how he is living it out (14:39)
• The coaches who most influenced him and what he learned from them about life and leadership (16:45)
• Why hard work is critical to success in life, and why we need to work harder than everyone else to achieve excellence (24:53)
• What he likes about the current state of US youth soccer and what he would change if he had the power to do so (32:10)
• A little USMNT World Cup Preview (35:44)
• The Special Needs program at ECSC and all the cool stuff that they are doing with kids of all abilities (38:38)
• The Get on the Bus Program, what it is, how it is making soccer more accessible for all demographics in society, how they are involving parents/adults, and how you can get involved with it (44:21)
• How he is using lessons learned from soccer in his marriage and parenting (56:18)
• His recommendations of books and other great soccer-related organizations (58:51)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Get on the Bus Website
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Phil’s email for DISC Training
• Changing the Game Project
• The Sideline Project
• Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, by Simon Sinek
• The Coach’s Bible (FCA)

In Episode 120, Graham Daniels, Ph.D., Director of Cambridge United, Director of Christians in Sport, and former player for Cambridge United and Cardiff City, talks with Paul and Phil about the “Pray, Play, Say” discipleship/leadership method, his personal why, his incredible testimony of how he came to his faith in Jesus Christ and how one pivotal moment changed the course of his life forever, the critical importance of a Christian identity in elite football, achieved vs. received identity, Service vs. Survival, humility, and a leader who he respects deeply. Specifically, Graham discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for football, coaching, ministry, and leadership, and how he got to be where he is today (5:07)

·      An incredible story about how he came to his Christian faith, despite one of the “worst evangelists” of all time. (7:59)

·      His personal why/mission statement and how he is living it out (17:38)

·      Achieved identity vs. Received identity - Identity formation and his Ph.D. thesis on the necessity of Christian identity in dealing with performance requirements of elite football (22:10)

·      Three things that provide a framework for ministry in sports (39:13)

·      Safe to serve, not scared and surviving (44:55)

·      A defining moment in his life and how it impacted his development (47:21)

·      A leader that sticks out above the rest to him (A Premier League Manager that may surprise you) (58:29)

·      How he has used lessons learned from sports in his marriage and parenting (1:05:09)

·      His recommendations (1:05:55)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Humility, by Andrew Murray

·      Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

In Episode 79, Dr. Daniel O’Neill, Board-certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with an added Certificate in Sports Medicine, and a Doctorate in Exercise and Sports Psychology, Author of Survival of the Fit: How Physical Education Ensures Academic Achievement and a Healthy Life, and master of physical identity, talks with Phil about physical identity, his books, the negative side of tech and screens, why we need a “PE Revolution” in our schools, why we need to exercise in the morning, the need for more free play, athletes vs. non-athletes, “safetyism,” why parents shouldn’t go to all their kids’ games, why we don’t need to teach our kids to win, and the different ways specialization is hurting our kids, among other important topics. Specifically, Dr. O’Neill discusses:

• His story, how he developed his passion for physical fitness, physical identity, and leadership, why he wrote Survival of the Fit, and how he was able to get so many degrees and certificates to get where he is today (2:29)
• His personal why and how he is living it out every day (5:49)
• The shadow side of tech and why he believes more and better Physical Education for our children will ensure academic achievement and a healthy life (8:24)
• Why it’s so important for us to get some exercise in the morning (11:56)
• Some practical tips to getting exercise for ourselves and our kids at school (16:08)
• The concept of physical identity, the physical identity crisis we have in the US, and why we need to understand it and fight against it (19:11)
• Organized play vs. free play, parental involvement vs. kids playing without parents, athletes vs. non-athletes, and why these distinctions and implications of the distinctions are critical to understand (23:42)
• The concept of “safetyism” and how it is impacting the lack of physical fitness and identity in our children, as well as cancel culture and other negative issues in society. How the premises of “safetyism” are flawed, how we can counter the negatives, and why we need to get out of our comfort zones (29:06)
• How he believes specialization is hurting our kids in a lot of different ways (43:12)
• Why he believes that Physical Education in schools furthers children’s academic achievement and physical identity more than organized sports (1:01:10)
• The studies showing that the more screen time a child has, the more mental health issues the child will have, and what we can do about it (1:04:37)
• How he defines the markers of a “good youth coach” (it might surprise you) (1:14:50)
• The implications of the athlete/non-athlete distinction and why it matters (1:17:05)
• His other book, Knee Surgery, and how it can help people who are recovering from knee surgery (1:21:10)
• How he uses lessons learned from playing sports or other free play in his personal relationships, and why we don’t need to teach our kids to win (1:23:05)
• His recommendations for us (1:27:25)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Dr O’Neill’s Website
• Survival of the Fit: How Physical Education Ensures Academic Achievement and a Healthy Life, by Dr. Daniel O’Neill, MD, EdD
• Knee Surgery: The Essential Guide to Total Knee Recovery, by Daniel F. O’Neill
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Phil Darke’s email address
• The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation of Failure, by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
• Think Orphan Episodes with Jeff Sandefer

In Episode 122, Josh Glover, Cal Baptist University Assistant Coach, former player with Chicago Eagles and OC Seahorses, and former coach at Biola University and Westcliff University, talks with Paul and Phil about what he learned from his professional footballing father about life and leadership, how he used football to build relationships in China and other cross-cultural situations, how he has used poignant defining moments to grow his character, some of his great coaches, the importance of self-discovery, ministry in sport, and how he is using lessons from the game in his relationship with his girlfriend. Specifically, Josh discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for football, coaching, and leadership, and how he got to be where he is today (2:50)

·      Football analogies his father (former professional) used in his home growing up in China and the UK, and what he learned from them (9:11)

·      How he used football to build trust and relationships when he was growing up in China (14:48)

·      How he is using his cross-cultural upbringing in his coaching and recruiting (19:53)

·      His personal why/mission statement and how he is living it out (23:17)

·      Defining moments in his life and how they impacted his development (26:56)

·      Some of the great coaches he has played for and a couple whose leadership stick out above the rest, and what he learned from those great coaches (34:58)

·      The critical importance of self-discovery (44:28)

·      His philosophy on ministry in sport (48:08)

·      His thoughts on the current state of US Soccer, from the perspective of man who has played on three different continents (1:00:40)

·      How he has used lessons learned from sports in his relationships outside the game (1:03:19)

·      His recommendations (1:06:10)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Care for Children website

·      “Children of Shanghai” Documentary

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Clyde Best HSEL Episode

·      Graham Daniels HSEL Episode

·      The Holy Bible

·      The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World, by Brett McCracken

·      Make Us Dream (Amazon Prime Video)

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

In Episode 21, Clyde Best, MBE, former player with West Ham United, Feyenoord, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Portland Timbers, and Toronto Blizzard, former youth coach, former Manager of the Bermuda National Team, and member of the Bermuda Hall of Fame, talks with Phil about how he, as an 18-year-old from Bermuda, overcame racism he experienced as one of the first black players in the English First Division, and what we can learn from him as we address racism in our world today, the best leaders he played with (pretty amazing list), playing against and with Pele, and the importance of nurturing relationships with and gaining respect of your teammates and competitors. Specifically, Clyde discusses:

• His story, his incredible career as a footballer in the 1960s and 70s, and how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership (1:54)
• Clyde’s favorite memories as a footballer (his response may surprise you) (12:51)
• Racism Clyde experienced as one of the first black players in England’s First Division, how he handled the racism leveled against him, and what that teaches us about leading the charge against racism in our world today (15:16)
• The best leaders Clyde played with or against, and what made them such great leaders (31:06)
• What it was like to play against -and- with Pele, including a fun story about what Pele and Babe Ruth have in common (35:46)
• The importance of forming, building, and nurturing relationships in football and in life, and why we should never burn any bridges in our lives (40:25)
• The importance of gaining the respect of our competitors, and how Clyde did that over the course of his career (49:16)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Clyde Best Foundation
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• The Acid Test: The Autobiography of Clyde Best, by Clyde Best

In Episode 51, Tracy Hamm, Head Coach of UC Davis Women’s Soccer, talks with Phil about her incredible journey to obtaining her UEFA A license and the documentary made about it (“Coach”), crashing big wheels and “pool sharking” as a kid, mentoring, creating and maintaining healthy culture, preventing toxic teams, understanding “the other” and other perspectives, integrity, and how pressure is a privilege. Specifically, Tracy discusses:

• Her story and how she grew her passion for soccer, coaching, and leadership (2:07)
• Lessons learned from her childhood crashing big wheels into walls and being a “pool shark” on the playground (7:04)
• Insight on an interesting recruiting story from her high school years (10:17)
• Her why and life purpose, and how it has played out in her playing and coaching over the years (12:11)
• The importance of mentors and mentoring as a coach (14:44)
• How she seeks to create and maintain healthy culture and encourage integrity on her teams (18:31)
• Toxic vs. healthy teams (22:11)
• “Coach,” the documentary about her quest for the UEFA A Coaching License, and what it feels like to be one of the few women to earn the license, and why it is important to get more women coaches in the game (25:07)
• The importance of taking time to understand “the other” in our lives (27:55)
• The importance of having different perspectives in coaching staffs and teams (31:16)
• What she is most excited about and most disappointed about in US Soccer (36:51)
• What she hopes her players have internalized before they leave her program (39:10)
• What she learned from the game that she has used in her life outside the game (41:16)
• Her book and podcast recommendations (42:36)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• “Coach” (Documentary)
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth
• “All or Nothing: Manchester City” (Amazon Prime)
• “Take Us Home: Leeds United” (Amazon Prime)

In Episode 147, Lance VanHaitsma, CONCACAF’s Refereeing Technical and Development Manager, former Int’l Futsal Referee, and former Big 12 Referee, talks with Phil and Paul about his story and how he worked up the ranks of refereeing, life and leadership lessons learned from refereeing, the importance of resetting after mistakes and how Lance did it, the law vs. spirit of the law, his thoughts on VAR and its impact on the game, referee abuse and why it is critical that we figure out how to stop it, the importance of players learning the laws of the game (and refereeing), and much more. Specifically, Lance discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, and refereeing, and how he ended up in leadership of CONCACAF (4:58)

·      His personal why/life purpose and how he is living it out (16:33)

·      The life and leadership lessons he has learned as a soccer and futsal referee, including perspective and enjoying the journey (22:44)

·      The difference between the law and spirit of the law, and what separates good referees from great referees (31:56)

·      How we can work to ensure referees don’t compound mistakes with make-up calls (36:27)

·      Some of Lance’s tricks he used when he was a referee and some great leadership advice (42:37)

·      His thoughts on VAR, its impact on the game and refereeing, and its impact on life outside the game (46:55)

·      Referee abuse, why he believes abuse has increased over the past few years around the world, and an analogy that will definitely make you think (54:52)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the beautiful game in his marriage (1:06:56)

·      His recommendations (1:10:58)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      “The Dynasty: New England Patriots” (Apple TV+)

·      “Tom Brady, Leadership Lessons” (The Consello Group)

·      HSEL Brad Miller Episode

In Episode 121, Margueritte Aozasa, UCLA Women’s Soccer Head Coach, former Stanford Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach, and former Santa Clara University Defender/Midfielder, talks with Paul and Phil about her incredible first season at UCLA, during which she became the first coach to win a National Championship in her first year as a head coach, what mission and personal “why” drives her to do what she does, building trust with her team, healthy conflict prevention and resolution, how her and her husband “coach” each other, what she was thinking in the final minutes of the National Championship game, whether college soccer has a place in professional and national team player development, and a whole lot of great leadership nuggets. No doubt you’ll love this fun conversation with an incredible coach!

Specifically, Margueritte discusses:

·      Her personal story, including how she grew her passion for soccer, coaching, and leadership, and how she got to be where she is today (3:40)

·      Her transition from Stanford assistant coach to UCLA head coach, and the lessons we can learn from her journey (7:29)

·      The importance of head coaches mentoring their assistants to flourish in their program and beyond (11:35)

·      Her personal why/mission statement and how she is living it out (16:43)

·      How she leads herself and pours into her players’ leadership development as a head coach (18:49)

·      A couple defining moments in her life and how they impacted her development (22:00)

·      A few coaches that deeply impacted her life, what set them apart, and what life and leadership lessons we can learn from them (28:57)

·      How she keeps a team full of top players content and at their best when they aren’t playing, or even making the travel squad (36:16)

·      How she builds trust between her and her staff and players, and among the players (40:15)

·      How to deal with conflict before it gets out of hand and starts impacting the players and team (43:42)

·      The highs and lows of the current state of soccer in the US (46:35)

·      The place for the college game in the development of players at the professional and national team levels (51:00)

·      What she was actually thinking during the final minute of regulation of the National Championship game last year (it just might surprise you) (59:28)

·      How she has used lessons learned from sports in her marriage and other relationships (1:03:50)

·      A couple great book recommendations (1:06:01)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Margueritte on Twitter - @margaozasa

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Net Gain: Inside the Beautiful Game’s Analytics Revolution, by Ryan O’Hanlon

·      Quiet Leadership: Winning Hearts, Minds, and Matches, by Carlo Ancelotti

In Episode 55, Aaron Blue, CEO of The Charis Project in Thailand, talks with Phil about how he ended up working with people on the Thailand/Burma border, how soccer is an integral part of his ministry, why soccer is such a powerful cross-cultural tool, and how his soccer coaches in his early years impacted him for reasons you wouldn’t expect. Specifically, Aaron discusses:

• His story, how he developed his passion for leadership and ministry (1:53)
• How The Charis Project is using soccer to transform lives of the youth and others on the Thailand/Burma border (9:42)
• Why soccer is such a powerful tool for cross-cultural leadership development and ministry (27:06)
• The raw and vulnerable lesson he learned from his coaches in his early playing days, which have inspired him four decades later (32:45)
• His #1 Leadership book recommendation of all time (46:41)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• The Charis Project website
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix, by Edwin Friedman

In Episode 20, Renee Lopez, former college coach (17 year veteran at all levels of college), former NCAA Compliance Director, leadership trainer, and author of Looking for a Full Ride: An Insider’s Recruiting Guide, talks with Phil about synergy vs. energy vampires, her “no complaining” rule, the importance of CIA, effectively facing adversity, making the most out of brokenness, measuring success, mentorship, and how to develop a healthy team. Specifically, Renee discusses:

• Her story and how she developed her passion for soccer and leadership (2:10)
• How Renee believes we can help others flourish by examining life and leadership through soccer (6:17)
• The concept of Kaizen and the exponential effect and synergy when individuals on a team all work to improve themselves (9:05)
• The synergy of healthy teamwork vs. the effect of negativity and “energy vampires”
• Her “no complaining” rule and the concept of CIA, and what they have to do with leadership (14:12)
• What researching 65 college coaches and athletic directors taught her (18:04)
• Facing adversity effectively by changing our attitude and perspective, and how that can help us through difficult times (21:31)
• How we can make the best out of broken situations, and possibly create better things because of the brokenness (25:16)
• How she measures success as a soccer and/or organizational coach (30:55)
• Critical components of a healthy team and tools Renee uses to equip a team to be healthy (33:58)
• Why goal setting is critical to success and how can leaders increase their chances of reaching their goals when they are developing and setting their goals (39:11)
• The importance of mentorship and surrounding ourselves with people smarter than us (45:13)
• The why and what of Renee’s book, Looking for a Full Ride (46:39)
• How she uses what she has learned through soccer in her family and other areas of life (52:23)
• Renee’s book recommendations (54:53)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Renee’s website – lookingforafullride.com
• Renee’s email – info@lookingforafullride.com
• Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/X1IENduS_i4
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Looking for a Full Ride, by Renee Lopez
• The Power of Positive Leadership, by Jon Gordon
• The Power of a Positive Team, by Jon Gordon
• The Energy Bus, by Jon Gordon
• Leading with a Limp, by Dan Allender
• The Holy Bible

In Episode 96 and other episodes this summer, we are taking a break from our normal programming to share with you some unreleased episodes from the Coaching Character Podcast, which Phil recorded with Coach Roz, who played football for the Oakland Raiders and San Diego State, and now runs The Playmakers, which works with at-risk and developmentally different children. This is great content that we wanted to ensure got the airtime it deserves. In this episode, Coach Roz and Phil talk about their conversation with Chris Saras, covering topics such as whether attitude and effort are nature or nurture, strategies for improving our players’ attitude and effort, what we can learn from Rudy, the importance of mission statements, and how coaches and parents need to work together to help their players flourish to their fullest.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Playmakers Website
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address
• Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health, by Caroline Leaf
• Rudy (movie)
• Ted Lasso (show)
• Friday Night Lights (show)

In Episode 29, Greg Rubendall, Livermore Fusion Director of Soccer Development and US Soccer Grassroots Coach Educator, talks with Phil about “deep practice,” college club soccer, the importance of fundamentals, developing healthy parent-coach communication, controlling the controllables, shaping the culture in a diverse club, overcoming entitlement, speaking the international language of soccer, and the professionalization of youth soccer. Specifically, Greg discusses:

• How he developed his passion for soccer and leadership, and how he got to be where he is today (2:14)
• The value of College Club Soccer, from the sports and leadership perspective (6:31)
• The concept of “deep practice” and the importance of continuing to work on the fundamentals, in soccer and in life (13:57)
• The coach’s self-leadership and role in communicating with parents, and how we can coach the coaches to have healthy coach-parent relationships (20:13)
• Why coaches who played growing up can be dangerous (25:08)
• Winning vs. Development and controlling the controllables (32:39)
• How he shapes the culture of an entire club full of different coaches and players with different personalities and goals (37:38)
• The ills of entitlement and how Greg is working to mitigate against them in his club (48:43)
• The importance of fluency in the language of soccer/football in cross-cultural and international relationships (56:19)
• Pro and cons of the professionalization of youth soccer in the United States over the past couple decades (1:02:10)
• How he has used the lessons learned directly from soccer outside the game (1:12:48)
• His book recommendation (1:16:59)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Contact Greg - greg@fusionsc.org
• Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
• How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, by Franklin Foer

In Episode 17, Phil and Paul talk about their favorite moments and key takeaways from the first half of Season 2, the power of mentorship, recruiting, setting clear expectations, problems with communicating via text, and living out our mission, vision, and values. More specifically, our hosts discuss:

• A rundown of the great interviews, themes, and key takeaways from the first half of Season 2 (2:14)
• The importance of letting our players and employees see leaders in their life outside the game (6:20)
• Living out your mission, vision, and values (8:39)
• Mentoring in our leadership and in our organizations (10:17)
• Paul’s thoughts on recruiting, including the limitations of video and some not-so-obvious things he looks for (19:34)
• How the recruiting conversation applies to organizations outside of soccer (25:21)
• Their thoughts on the Michelle Lenard episode, particularly the “cutthroat” game and the need for communication of clear expectations (27:11)
• A great story showing the problems with communicating via text and other technology (33:27)
• The importance of humility and owning mistakes in leadership at all levels (35:54)
• Setting and adhering to appropriate boundaries in our leadership (37:04)
• Thoughts on the Toriono Davis episode, and the use of DISC in mentorship and the game of soccer (39:26)
• A couple recommendations from Paul and Phil (48:24)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut video of the episode -- https://youtu.be/HmVfXZwIfD8
• For more information on DISC and implementing it into your program, email Phil – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com
• “Ted Lasso” – Apple TV+
• Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream, by David Platt
• Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, James Kerr
• “The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix) -- https://www.netflix.com/title/80234304

In Episode 101, Jorge Vallejo, Founder of Upper 90 in Philadelphia and Atlanta, 2019 CLN Coach of the Year, and Chaplain of the Atlanta United, talks with Phil and Paul about lessons he learned playing youth football (soccer) in Colombia, how he ended up in the US for college, his journey to start Upper 90 and how he is transforming vulnerable communities with soccer, and how he uses lessons learned from soccer in his leadership of Upper 90 and in his marriage and parenting. There is so much great stuff in this interview and we can’t wait to hear how Jorge inspires you to use the beautiful game to change lives for the better. Specifically, Jorge discusses:

• His personal story, how his childhood in Colombia and college in the US shaped him and how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, ministry, and coaching (2:12)
• How he is using soccer to teach life lessons to vulnerable communities in Atlanta through Upper 90 (7:48)
• A great story about a life transformed through Upper 90 in Atlanta (13:22)
• His work with the Atlanta United and how it compares with his work with the youth in the community (18:31)
• How he has used lessons learned from soccer in his ministry (24:41)
• What he likes and dislikes about youth soccer in the US (30:15)
• How he is using lessons learned from soccer in his marriage and parenting (37:29)
• His book recommendation (43:38)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Upper 90
• Video of CLN Coach of the Year
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Phil’s email for DISC Training
• Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work, by Tim Keller

In Episode 69, Jay Demerit, Chief Energy Officer of Rise and Shine and former USMNT player, and former Captain of Watford FC and Whitecaps FC, talks with Phil about the pros and cons of specialization, self-leadership, self-belief, his personal why, the “inside” and “outside” game, what we can learn about leadership from the bench, and the work he is doing with Rise and Shine. Specifically, Jay discusses:

• His story, his incredible journey to the Premier League and USMNT, how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership, and how he got to where he is today (1:48)
• His thoughts on specialization in one sport and whether it is good or bad for athletes (6:00)
• How he got excited about and focused on his classes as a kid (16:15)
• His favorite sport as a kid (19:41)
• His personal why and purpose, and how he is living it out in his life (22:17)
• How self-belief and self-leadership are keys to discernment and perseverance in life (26:22)
• The “Inside” Game and the “Outside” Game (30:37)
• The importance of leaders leading themselves with excellence first before they can lead their teams with excellence (36:15)
• What he learned from his time on the bench as a substitute (42:58)
• His Rise and Shine organization and how it is impacting youth in great ways (48:03)
• How he uses lessons learned in soccer in his parenting (52:30)
• His recommendations (56:55)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Rise and Shine website
• “Rise and Shine: The Jay Demerit Story”
• “Are you ready for a sunny day?” (TED Talk)
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Phil Darke’s email address

In Episode 107, Mike Buchanan, Athletes in Action missionary for over 30 years in various positions, Author of More Than That: Biblical Principles for Dealing With Athletic Injuries, and Husband and Father, talks with Phil and Paul about great life and leadership lesson he has learned from different aspects of athletics, how he overcame brutal injuries and how we can do the same, and how breaking a kid’s neck impacted his life in a huge way. Specifically, Mike discusses:

• His personal story, how he developed his passion for sports, leadership, coaching, and ministry, how he almost was a professional athlete, and some of the great soccer players he has worked with through Athletes in Action (4:31)
• His personal why and how he is living it out in his life (9:19)
• Some of Mike’s favorite coaches and what he has learned from them about life and leadership (13:57)
• Life and leadership lessons he has learned from the experiences he has had in his athletic career (20:16)
• Why it’s important not to idolize celebrities (27:59)
• Mike’s book, More Than That, and why it is a must read for athletes, coaches, and parents (40:14)
• The importance of having your identity grounded in the right thing (48:28)
• The two ways we can respond to injuries in our lives and why only one of them works (53:52)
• How he is using lessons learned from sports in his marriage and parenting (59:47)
• His recommendations of books (1:05:42)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• More Than That website (info about Mike’s book, podcast, and other materials)
• Mike’s email address
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Phil’s email for DISC Training
• Win the Day: 7 Daily Habits to Help You Stress Less & Accomplish More, by Mark Batterson
• Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World, by Bob Goff
• The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible, by Scot McKnight and Tom Parks
• Leadership as an Identity: The Four Traits of Those Who Wield Lasting Influence, by Crawford Loritts

In Episode 24, Phil Brown, Experiential Education Trainer at High 5 Adventure Learning Center and Host of the Vertical Playpen Podcast, talks with Phil about the value of community, healthy and unhealthy forms of leadership, how leadership is like gardening, the concept of “Connect, Empower, Lead,” the power of play, and how he has used lessons from soccer in his outdoor adventure leadership training. Specifically, Phil discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership (1:42)
• How he uses the lessons he has learned from soccer in his leadership training work with High 5 (10:33)
• The value of community and homegrown talent (18:40)
• The contrasting styles of a “celebrity leader” and a servant leader, why the distinction is important, and how leadership is like gardening (23:27)
• Transactional vs. Relational Leadership (28:19)
• The philosophy of “Connect, Empower, Lead” (32:19)
• The power of play and the teamwork neurochemicals (37:00)
• Homefield disadvantage during COVID (39:32)
• Retention of talent (43:25)
• How he has used the lessons learned from soccer in his marriage, family, and other areas of life (47:17)
• Phil’s recommendations (52:41)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• High 5 Adventure Center’s Website
• Vertical Playpen Podcast
• Vertical Playpen Podcast on Instagram - @verticalplaypen
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Inside Out Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives, by Joe Ehrmann
• Take Us Home: Leeds United (Amazon Prime)
• Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, by James Kerr
• The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
• The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker
• The Social Dilemma (Netflix)

In Episode 1, Phil and Ryan share their stories and what led them to start this podcast. They talk about their leadership experience, their families, and how they fell in love with soccer and Manchester United. They also give a sneak peek into topics that they will be covering in future podcasts, and how studying the intersection of soccer, life, and leadership will help you to flourish in virtually every area of your life. And for the global audience, they also cover why the title uses "soccer" rather than "football." 

You can learn more about the show at howsoccerexplainsleadership.com.

In Episode 143, David Irby, CEO of Surge Int’l, Former Azusa Pacific University Head Coach, Author of Undefeated: We are More Than Conquerors Through Him Who Loved Us, Sammy Surge, and Sports Ministry, husband, and father, talks with Phil and Paul about his ministry and coaching journey and lessons he has learned along the way, how soccer connects the world, the importance of baby steps and doing hard things in hard places, some insane stories from his adventures, the power of Christ, his books, winning and fair play, the power of moments, great lessons from great coaches, what he learned in Liberia that can help US Soccer, and much more. Specifically, David discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, ministry, and coaching, and how he ended up being one of the pioneers of soccer ministry and visiting much of the world over the past few decades (4:10)

·      His personal why/life purpose and how he is living it out today (12:07)

·      His ministry journey and the different ministries he has worked with and is working with around the world, including some crazy experiences that no doubt will teach you some important lessons (15:54)

·      The importance of doing things without worrying about the impact that we actually see (24:30)

·      Why he wrote his books and how he hopes they will affect his readers’ lives (29:35)

·      How he incorporates his faith into his coaching and how it impacts his teams’ culture (38:40)

·      His defining moment as a player and life lessons he learned from it (46:08)

·      His most influential coaches and how he is using the lessons learned from them in his life today (49:42)

·      His thoughts on the good and bad of US soccer, and how lessons learned in Liberia can help soccer in the US (55:41)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the beautiful game in his relationships outside the game (1:00:33)

·      His recommendations, including a one close to home (1:05:21)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Undefeated: We are More Than Conquerors Through Him Who Loved Us, David Irby

·      Sammy Surge: Study Hard, Play Fair, Help Others, David Irby

·      Sports Ministry, David Irby

·      The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham, Harold Myra and Marshall Shelley

In Episode 3 of How Soccer Explains Leadership, Pete Kipley, Founder of Bolta Soccer, and Music Producer and Songwriter, talks with Phil about how his decades of experience in the music industry intersects with his new life running an indoor soccer training facility, and how both inform his life and leadership. More specifically, he discusses:

• His story of how soccer and leadership have influenced his life and how he ended up leaving the music industry to start an indoor facility. (1:43)
• His philosophy at Bolta Soccer and how they are curating, creating, and connecting in their development of trainers and players in their community (5:43)
• How breaking into and advancing in the music industry and the soccer world involve many of the same things (10:57)
• How the college soccer recruiting process prepares athletes for the world outside of soccer (14:49)
• What Pete has learned from the game of soccer as a man who has only recently fallen in love with the beautiful game, particularly what he has learned about the mental side of the game (19:44)
• The dangers and negative impact of parents, coaches, and other leaders micromanaging and pressuring the people they’re leading, and why it is critical to foster an environment allowing for a freedom to fail (24:59)
• How to deal with failure and “bad balls” in soccer and life (31:26)
• The importance of teamwork and teammates covering for each other (36:14)
• The common threads that Pete has seen in the best soccer coaches he has worked with in his life (38:24)
• Principles from soccer that he applies in his marriage and parenting in his home (and Pete gets really philosophical on this one) (43:53)
• Resources that Paul recommends to us (47:49)

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode

Video of this episode --https://youtu.be/YhpON3tc7_E

Bolta Soccer website -- https://www.boltasports.com

How Soccer Explains Leadership Facebook Group -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership

“All or Nothing: Manchester City” – Amazon Prime

“All or Nothing: Tottenham” – Amazon Prime

“Ted Lasso” – Apple TV

“Take Us Home: Leeds United” – Amazon Prime

In Episode 27, Paul and Phil continue their conversation about the leadership genius of Ted Lasso, Coach Beard, and Nate the Great, covering Episodes 3 & 4 of the show, and briefly discuss highlights from the first half of Season 3. Specifically, our hosts discuss:

• Highlights from the first half of Season 3 (4:38)
• Empowering our players and children to deal with bullies and be leaders (8:00)
• Recognizing leaders and getting them to understand and live out their leadership (12:37)
• Studying your team members and how Ted’s gifts to his players teaches us a great lesson (14:53)
• Cultivating an environment for our players and employees to flourish (17:00)
• How life’s trials and struggles can teach us great life lessons (24:32)
• The critical importance of a humble, learning posture in leadership (27:45)
• The precursors to Ted Lasso (36:55)
• Measuring success (40:00)
• How eating spicy food can speak volumes (43:04)
• Resolving conflict in our locker rooms and businesses (46:56)
• Not judging a book by its cover (51:21)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
• The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure, by Jonathan Haidt
• The Beautiful and Damned, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
• Pele: Birth of a Legend (film)

In Episode 11, Mark Pease, Pastor of Hope Church in Bradford, England, and lifelong supporter of Leeds United, talks with Phil about the leadership lessons that we can all learn from Marco Bielsa, Leeds United’s Manager, as he leads a team, shapes the culture of a club, and impacts an entire city. Specifically, Mark discusses:

• His story and how football, Leeds United, and leadership have always been a big part of his life (2:20)
• The history of Leeds United, and the contrast of Leeds United over the past few decades and the club under the leadership of Marco Bielsa (6:28)
• The importance of humility in leadership and how Bielsa models it (11:55)
• How Bielsa has shown at Leeds that a leader can completely transform an organization (16:11)
• How Bielsa has shaped the culture and identity of Leeds United (and has created a freedom within structure) during his short tenure (20:37)
• How Mark has incorporated what he is learning from Bielsa into his own leadership of various organizations (25:55)
• How to get your team and supporters to buy into your culture, mission, and vision, and how Bielsa has done this at Leeds (32:13)
• The importance of hiring the right people to surround you on your leadership team, and what that looks like at Leeds (39:19)
• Why it is critical for leaders to build trust, how leaders can build the trust of their team members, and the amazing things that happen when that trust is built (43:01)
• How Bielsa inspires his team and club, and what we can learn from his style (46:10)
• The importance of a leader preparing the organization for his or her departure (54:16)
• How great leaders can incorporate the good from their predecessor leader and still make the organization their own (1:01:20)
• How Mark incorporates what he has learned from soccer in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (1:03:50)
• What Mark has been reading and watching to help his leadership (1:09:03)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Video of the Episode --https://youtu.be/Ydo8Az2xF_w
• Hope Church website -- https://myhopechurch.online
• Take Us Home: Leeds United (Amazon Prime)
• The Damned United (film about Brian Clough)

In Episode 127, Dr. Jeff Spencer, Olympic and Tour de France Cyclist, glassblower, chiropractor, Elite Performance Cornerman Coach who has helped athletes win over 40 gold medals and 8 Tour de France victories and, most importantly, a husband and father, talks with Paul and Phil about what he has learned from some incredible stories from his cycling career and other areas of his life, how cycling “chose him,” how he is “calibrated to gold medals,” how we can live a life well-lived, life lessons learned from the challenges experienced in connection with the adoption and parenting of his daughter, trusting the process, the concept of “receivership,” the Champion’s Blueprint, the “3 angels” who have deeply impacted his life, the differences in the mental game in individual vs. team sports, what he has learned about attributes of the greats from coaching Tiger Woods, Sir Richard Branson, U2 and Bono, Lance Armstrong, Maria Sharapova, Nike and Alberto Contador, and much more. Specifically, Jeff discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for cycling, leadership, and elite performance coaching, and how he got to be where he is today (2:44)

·      His path from a kid who liked riding a bike to being an Olympic Cyclist (6:12)

·      What was/is more difficult: a) the road to Olympic Cycling or b) adopting and raising his daughter? (8:03)

·      His personal why/mission statement and how he is living it out (11:21)

·      His thoughts on what it means to live a life well-lived (13:00)

·      What is a “calling” and how do you know what your calling is? (14:48)

·      Defining moments in his life and how they impacted his life and leadership (24:44)

·      Some of the great coaches he has worked with and what we can learn from those great coaches (33:52)

·      The differences in the mental game in team sports vs. individual sports (37:29)

·      The Anatomy of a Champion and what it looks like in the real world (41:46)

·      Some of the champions he has worked with and what separates the good from the great (51:13)

·      How he has used lessons learned from cycling and sports in his marriage and parenting (1:01:16)

·      What he learned from an act of humanity at the Tour de France (1:06:46)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Jeff’s Website

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

In Episode 146, Todd Yelton, Samford University Women’s Soccer Head Coach, husband, and father, talks with Phil and Paul about his ministry and coaching journey and lessons he has learned along the way, how his wife’s death transformed him and his coaching, lessons learned on his team’s mission trip to Costa Rica, the integration of faith and coaching, how he uses lessons learned from the game in his life outside the game, and much more. Specifically, Todd discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, and coaching, and how he ended up coaching at Samford University over the past couple decades (5:41)

·      How the death of his first wife changed his perspective on life and transformed his coaching (13:24)

·      His personal why/life purpose and how he is living it out today (23:10)

·      His trip to Costa Rica with his team, Paul, and Warrior Way, and the lessons he and his team learned from the trip (33:35)

·      How he incorporates his faith into his coaching and how it impacts his teams’ culture (46:54)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the beautiful game in his marriage and parenting (59:22)

·      His recommendations (1:05:43)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life, Tony Dungy

·      Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, Laura Hillenbrand

·      Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together, Ron Hall & Denver Moore

In Episode 41, our next Offseason Talks series has our co-host, Paul Jobson, continuing his conversation with Marci Jobson, former USWNT, professional player, and Division 1 Coach, and mother of 4 boys (and Paul’s bride), about the final three pillars of the Warrior Way program: skill, mental toughness, and body readiness.  

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• The Warrior Way Program

In Episode 126, Peter Greer, President/CEO of HOPE International and former Messiah College footballer, talks with Paul and Phil about his path from Messiah College to alleviating poverty with Hope International, how he built in accountability to ensure that he puts his family first, why it is so important to be grateful for everything and entitled to nothing, some of the great lessons he learned from his coaches and teammates at Messiah, how he is using those lessons in his collaborative work with Hope, the need for us to be kind to referees (and why it matters), why we need more grace and less judgment in our sports and the rest of the world, team vs. individual, rooting for our rivals, not settling for mediocrity, and much more. Specifically, Peter discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer and leadership, and how he got to be where he is today (4:13)

·      His work with HOPE Int’l and how HOPE is working to alleviate poverty around the world (7:14)

·      His personal why/mission statement and how he is living it out (11:13)

·      Why his wife has Peter’s resignation letter from Hope Int’l and what he is doing to ensure she doesn’t send it (13:45)

·      The Messiah Method and how Peter’s experienced it and lived it out during his college years and beyond (17:47)

·      How he saw the Messiah program building toward the run of National Championships while he was playing there (22:38)

·      How he is using the lessons he learned at Messiah in his work with HOPE Int’l (26:13)

·      How he uses lessons learned from soccer in his collaborative projects around the world (33:01)

·      A couple soccer analogies that Peter uses in his life regularly (37:12)

·      Why we need more grace than judgment in our world – and yes, that includes with referees ; ) (40:37)

·      Defining moments in his life and how they impacted his life and leadership (44:55)

·      Some of the great coaches he has played for and a couple whose leadership stick out above the rest, and what he learned from those great coaches (50:17)

·      His thoughts on the current state of US Soccer, and what we can do about it (55:26)

·      How he has used lessons learned from sports in his marriage and parenting (1:01:31)

·      His podcast recommendation (1:03:30)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      HOPE International Website

·      Rooting for Rivals: How Collaboration and Generosity Increase the Impact of Leaders, Charities, and Churches, by Peter Greer

·      The Messiah Method: The Seven Disciplines of the Winningest College Soccer Program in America, by Michael Zigarelli

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

In Episode 53, Jesse Bradley, Pastor of Seattle Grace Community Church, Dartmouth College Men’s Soccer Alum, and Former Professional in Scotland and Zimbabwe, talks with Phil about developing healthy mindset and habits, finding our purpose, developing muscle memory in our decision-making, collaboration in leadership, healthy and toxic teams, leading with confidence and clarity, identity formation, servant leadership, leaders as followers, and parenting and marriage advice. Specifically, Jesse discusses:

• His story, how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and ministry, and how a reaction to prescribed medication drastically changed his life (2:47)
• Mindset and how we can develop positive habits and purpose (8:21)
• Developing muscle memory in our decision making and living out our values, on and off the field (15:55)
• The importance of collaboration in leadership, and how we can do it well (18:13)
• Developing healthy cultures and dealing with toxic team members (25:24)
• Leading with confidence and faith, not in fear (35:10)
• Transformational Leadership and the importance of clarity in healthy organizations (39:14)
• Shaping identity of our ourselves and our teams, well beyond performance (44:10)
• Servant leadership and the concept that great leaders need to be great followers (48:52)
• His personal why and how he lives it out every day (55:24)
• His programs to help people in their parenting, marriages, and shaping identity (57:00)
• What he has learned from the game that he has used in his marriage and parenting (58:58)
• What resources he has learned from over the years (1:02:52)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Jesse’s Website with free marriage, parenting, identity formation, and other programs
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• The Advantage, by Patrick Lencioni

In Episode 125, Jonathan Van Horn, Executive Director of Pro Soccer for Athletes in Action and former Ohio Wesleyan University footballer, talks with Paul and Phil about his multi-sport playing career and how it affected his thoughts on early specialization, what drives him, his book, Shift, and how he is using it to help athletes in their lives after sport, how he is using soccer in his ministry with AIA, how his defining moments and impactful coaches have shaped him, the importance of presence and consistency, and why it is important to fail early and fail often. Specifically, Jonathan discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer and leadership, and how he got to be where he is today (3:37)

·      How he was a multiple-sport athlete and how he believes that impacted him in positive ways (9:20)

·      What he believes we are missing by focusing on early specialization (10:47)

·      His personal why/mission statement and how he is living it out (12:44)

·      Defining moments in his life and how they impacted his life and leadership (14:42)

·      How he is using soccer to share the Gospel and make disciples (23:10)

·      The power of a chaplain (31:12)

·      His book, Shift, why he wrote it, and how he hopes it will help people flourish in their lives after sport (33:20)

·      A couple of the steps for athletes to thrive in life after sport (39:09)

·      How we can train our kids and young athletes in these principles of life after sport before they are out of the sport (44:45)

·      The power of coaches to create safe environments where failure is encouraged for development (50:30)

·      Some of the great coaches he has played for and a couple whose leadership stick out above the rest, and what he learned from those great coaches (53:00)

·      His thoughts on the current state of US Soccer, and what we can do about it (56:49)

·      How he has used lessons learned from sports in his marriage and parenting (1:05:07)

·      His recommendations (1:06:43)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Athletes in Action Website

·      Shift: The Athlete’s Playbook: 5 Proven Steps to Life after Sport, by Jonathan Van Horn

·      The Shift Podcast

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      The Holy Bible

·      Mind Shift: It Doesn’t Take a Genius to Think Like One, by Erwin McManus

·      Mind Shift with Erwin and Aaron McManus

·      The Way of the Warrior: An Ancient Path to Inner Peace, by Erwin McManus

In Episode 149, Phil and Paul change it up a bit and dive into the recent NCAA settlement related to NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and its far-reaching implications for college sports. They discuss how the $2.7 billion settlement will impact various stakeholders, including current and future student-athletes, coaches, and universities. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including potential cuts to non-revenue men's sports, Title IX implications, the involvement of private equity firms, and the broader effects on lower divisions and high school sports. They stress the importance of understanding these changes and preparing for the evolving landscape of college athletics. Specifically, Phil and Paul discuss:

·      An overview of the game-changing NCAA Settlement (4:22)

·      Implications of the settlement on College Sports in general (7:12)

·      Impact of the settlement on Men's Non-Revenue Sports (15:49)

·      How, if at all, Title IX is implicated, whether the settlement’s payouts are covered by the statute, and why Paul and Phil believe the execution of the settlement will involve much more litigation (21:31)

·      Other positions that likely will be required at universities, such as financial advisors, to help the student-athletes navigate these issues (35:55)

·      How the settlement and NIL will impact the Olympics and the athletes’ amateur status  (37:09)

·      How will this settlement and NIL impact High School Athletes (40:17)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      “10 Things to Know About the NCAA’s House Settlement,” Kristi Dosh

In Episode 104, Paul and Phil discuss an important change for HSEL, which will go into effect after this episode), highlights from the first half of Season 7, and, of course, several important lessons from the beautiful game that will help us flourish on and off the field.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address

In Episode 123, Skip Gilbert, CEO of US Youth Soccer, former goalkeeper with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and two-time NCAA Division 1 All-American, talks with Paul and Phil about his windy road to leading US Youth Soccer, his thoughts on the highs and lows of the current state of soccer in the US, what he learned from his leadership positions in USA Swimming, USA Triathlon and USA Tennis, and how they helped him navigate the trials of leading USYS during COVID, his thoughts on early specialization in one sport, what drives him, how being a goalkeeper taught him about life and prepared him for his various leadership positions, encouraging goalkeepers to keep playing the position, his most influential coaches, and why it is so important to remember the KISS principle. Specifically, Skip discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer and leadership, and how he got to be where he is today – CEO of USYS (3:41)

·      How he navigated starting his leadership position in January 2020 and how his experience in other disciplines and leadership positions with other sports helped him through the difficulties of COVID (7:24)

·      His personal why/mission statement and how he is living it out (12:01)

·      His thoughts on early specialization, and a lesson from the world of tennis and Andy Roddick (13:43)

·      Defining moments in his life and how they impacted his development (20:39)

·      Business and life lessons we can learn from goalkeepers (24:38)

·      Why it is important for parents and coaches to not to discourage kids from playing keeper when they enjoy the position (28:46)

·      Why goalkeepers need to have a little bit of crazy in them (33:34)

·      Some of the great coaches he has played for and a couple whose leadership stick out above the rest, and what he learned from those great coaches (36:36)

·      His thoughts on the current state of US Soccer, and what we can do about it (40:36)

·      How he has used lessons learned from sports in his marriage and parenting (1:02:22)

·      His recommendations (1:07:19)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      USYS Website

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Clyde Best HSEL Episode

·      90 Minutes With The King, Tom Mulroy (releasing later this year)

·      Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, David Epstein

In Episode 15, Michelle Lenard, Head Coach of Dallas Baptist University Women’s Soccer, talks with Phil about how to “steal like an artist,” DBU’s Leadership Council, how her team has used the Enneagram, what the game “Cutthroat” can teach us about leadership, setting and communicating clear expectations, the four H’s, implementing boundaries in our relationships, and servant leadership. Specifically, Michelle discusses:

• Her story, how she developed his passion for soccer, leadership, how she ended up at DBU (1:52)
• How we can “steal like an artist” – that is, some ideas that she has learned from others about coaching, life, and leadership, and how she has modified them for her program (4:35)
• The best leaders she has coached or played with, and what qualities set them apart from the rest (9:43)
• How the Leadership Council on her team develops, empowers, and delegates leadership to captains and other leaders in her program, and how it helps her coaching staff and has taken her program to another level (11:11)
• How she has used personality assessments to help her and her teams understand and work with each other better (16:19)
• The game, “Cutthroat,” how it has helped her develop leadership in her team, and how it translates to other areas of life and leadership (19:55)
• The importance of setting and communicating clear expectations (e.g., job descriptions) in your team members (e.g., coaches, players, employees), and how the 4 H’s have helped her team (24:53)
• How coaching and leadership are all about relationships, and that we simultaneously need to implement appropriate boundaries in those relationships (28:06)
• What she feels is critical for her players to internalize and “become” before they graduate from her program at DBU (30:53)
• How she uses the lessons she has learned through the beautiful game in her marriage, parenting, and other areas of her life, and vice-versa (33:42)
• Michelle’s book recommendations (39:45)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/2A5a3pHG7Ts
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• DBU Women’s Soccer website: https://dbupatriots.com/sports/womens-soccer
• Michelle’s Twitter handle: @MichelleLenard1
• Acton School of Business website: https://www.actonnga.org
• Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, by Austin Kleon
• Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, by Cal Newport
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck
• Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best: Motivational Interviewing in Sports, by Stephen Rollnick, Jonathan Fader, Jeff Breckon, and Theresa B. Moyers
• God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs, by Tim Keller
• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth

In Episode 7, Jordan Gardner, Chairman of the Board and Co-Owner of FC Helsingor and finalist for the Best Executive at the World Football Summit Industry Awards, talks with Phil about cross-cultural leadership, a posture of learning, recruiting and player development, what makes a great manager, and other aspects of successfully owning and running a football club in Europe. Specifically, he discusses:

• His story and his journey from playing soccer in California to owning multiple European soccer (i.e., football) clubs (1:04)
• What he learned from the game of soccer that he uses in his business/entrepreneurial ventures (3:18)
• Why it is so important in the world of football (and business) for clubs and organizations to have a healthy board and healthy relationships really between the boards, executives, owners, and managers (5:20)
• The challenges of working with others from different cultures, and how to earn the respect of others in cross-cultural work (8:15)
• How leaders need to surround themselves with people smarter and better than them (10:17)
• The critical importance of a humble, learning posture in leadership (12:14)
• How he measures success in his club and the keys to reaching that success (15:55)
• How to acquire and retain the right people in a business that is extremely transient (19:58)
• The need for more sophistication in player development and recruiting (22:36)
• Making business decisions in the context of a football club (27:04)
• The Chairman/Manager relationship when making difficult decisions (29:50)
• The critical importance of managers being strong and healthy leaders who lead well beyond the game (32:37)
• The important role of networking and connections in football and business (38:47)
• The impact of no fans and empty stadiums on the players and clubs (43:05)

Resources and Links from this Episode

Uncut video available on the How Soccer Explains Leadership YouTube channel - https://youtu.be/YdZ6UB47z9o

FC Helsingor Website -- https://fchelsingor.dk/en/

In Episode 144, Lang Wedemeyer, Head Coach of Liberty University Women’s Soccer, husband, and father, talks with Phil and Paul about his ministry and coaching journey and lessons he has learned along the way, the challenges of transitioning a program from D-1 to D-2, how he is a better coach because of an ill-timed injury, the transfer portal, the importance of mentorship and how Iron Chats are helping coaches, how his faith impacts his coaching, culture building, great lessons from great coaches, a bunch of great book recommendations, and much more. Specifically, Lang discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, and coaching, and how he ended up coaching at Liberty University (1:46)

·      Lessons learned from his transition from Division 2 to Division 1 while coaching at South Dakota State (5:23)

·      How the transfer portal is changing the game (9:38)

·      His personal why/life purpose and how he is living it out today (11:41)

·      The importance of mentorship and how Iron Chats are helping coaches lead better and connect with mentors/mentees (14:25)

·      A couple things he wishes he knew when he started coaching a couple decades ago (20:54)

·      How his faith has impacted his coaching and how he has incorporated his faith into his coaching at both a secular and Christian school (24:39)

·      Establishing and maintaining healthy cultures in your teams (29:46)

·      Coaching the different generations over the years (34:35)

·      His defining moment as a player and life lessons he learned from it (39:25)

·      His most influential coaches and how he is using the lessons learned from them in his life today (45:52)

·      His thoughts on the good and bad of US soccer, and how lessons learned in Liberia can help soccer in the US (53:23)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the beautiful game in his relationships outside the game (1:05:22)

·      His recommendations (1:10:40)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Iron Chats

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast

·      Positive University Podcast

·      The Ed Mylett Podcast

·      Win the Day: 7 Daily Habits to Help You Stress Less & Accomplish More, Mark Batterson

·      The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports, Brian Smith

·      Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth

·      Inside Out Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives, Joe Ehrmann

·      Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex, John Gray

·      High Altitude Leadership: What the World’s Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success, Chris Warner

·      The Vision of a Champion: Advice and Inspiration from the World’s Most Successful Women’s Soccer Coach, Anson Dorrance & Gloria Averbuch

In Episode 74, our second off-season talk between Seasons 5 & 6, Paul talks about the developments in technology surrounding the game of soccer, how we can protect against its downside, and harness it for good and our development. Paul also reminds us about the time-tested, best-practice way to develop our personal skills. As we work to understand and harness technology for good, we strive to be part of a movement that encourages a lifelong love for the game, leadership and character development, and human flourishing.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Info on DISC Training
• Phil’s email address – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com

In Episode 40, we continue our Offseason Talks series with our co-host, Paul Jobson, talking with Marci Jobson (yes, Paul’s bride), former USWNT, professional player, and Division 1 Coach, and mother of 4 boys, about The Warrior Way and its first three pillars: Worship, Work, and Serve.  

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• The Warrior Way Program

In Episode 63, Cheryl McCormick, Founder of Gravitational Performance, Sports Research Scientist, and multi-sport athlete, kicks off Season 5 and talks with Phil about her work as a Sports Research Scientist, nutrition, sports psychology, and rest & recovery as prevention, individualized coaching and coursework, her personal why, what she learned from playing multiple sports, and, of course, whether cheerleading is a sport. Specifically, Cheryl discusses:

• Her story, how she developed his passion for sports, mental health, leadership, and how she worked to get where she is today (2:01)
• What she does as a Sports Research Scientist (5:00)
• Her work with Gravitational Performance and its mission and vision to help coaches reach their fullest (7:32)
• Nutrition, sports psychology, and rest and recovery as preventative tools (12:39)
• The importance of individualized coaching and continuing education (19:00)
• What she learned from the various sports she played that she is using in her work with Gravitational Performance (22:40)
• The age-old question of whether cheerleading is a sport (25:00)
• Her personal why and how it is playing out in her life (34:01)
• What she wants everyone she helps to take away from Gravitational Performance (35:08)
• How she uses the lessons she has learned through sports in her marriage, parenting, and other areas of her life (40:39)
• Her recommendations (44:40)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Gravitational Performance website
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• “All-American” (Netflix)
• “Friday Night Lights” (Peacock)
• “Last Chance U” (Netflix)

In Episode 97 and other episodes this summer, we are taking a break from our normal programming to share with you some unreleased episodes from the Coaching Character Podcast, which Phil recorded with Coach Roz, who played football for the Oakland Raiders and San Diego State, and now runs The Playmakers, which works with at-risk and developmentally different children. This is great content that we wanted to ensure got the airtime it deserves. In this episode, Coach Roz and Phil talk with Phil DuBois, Former Tight End with the Washington Redskins and San Diego State Aztecs, about the purpose of youth sports, how we can coach with more intentionality, and other important topics.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Playmakers Website
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address

In Episode 111, Steven Axtell, Head Coach of Cortland University Men’s Soccer, former Cortland goalkeeper, husband, and father, talks with Phil and Paul about lessons learned from his playing and coaching career, leadership lessons gleaned from his coaches, his thoughts on playing multiple sports, how he is using lessons from the game in his family, why he doesn’t think superior tactics and strategy are a critical part of a successful program, and how his leadership and culture development at Cortland has helped his players and program to flourish. Specifically, Steve discusses:

• His personal story, how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and coaching and how he got to be where he is today (3:00)
• His thoughts on the benefits and downside of specialization in one sport (7:20)
• His personal why and life purpose and how he lives it out each day (13:07)
• Some defining moments in his playing career and what he learned from them (17:31)
• Key life and leadership lessons he learned from his soccer coaches over the course of his playing career (21:40)
• His philosophy on leadership and culture, what he taught about it in his presentation at the USC Convention, and why it is important to us (28:00)
• The importance of self-leadership, and how he is teaching it to his staff and players (34:21)
• How to successfully nurture healthy culture over time (39:33)
• How and why he has his players evaluate each other on character qualities (42:19)
• How he has used lessons learned from the game in his parenting and marriage (45:55)
• His book and podcast recommendations (54:31)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Phil’s email for DISC Training
• Anti-Fragile: Things that Gain from Disorder, by Nassim Nicholas Taleh
• Jocko Podcast

In Episode 134, Marci Jobson, Co-Founder of Warrior Way and Warrior Way Gives, Former Baylor coach, former USWNT and professional footballer, wife of our very own, Paul Jobson, and mother of 4 boys, talks with Phil and Paul about how her passion and purpose are driving her in her ministry using soccer, growing up with 7 siblings, her path through club, HS, and college soccer to the USWNT and pro ranks to college coaching to parenting and ministry, partnering together with Paul on and off the field in different roles,  uncommon bucket list item, which included a desert in the Middle East, that she was able to check off recently, keys to cross-cultural relationships, incorporating faith into playing and coaching, transactional vs. transformational coaching, how she coached both young girls and a pro men’s team in Guatemala, and much more. Specifically, Marci discusses:

·      Her personal story, including how she grew his passion for soccer, leadership, ministry, and coaching, and her windy road to ministry with Warrior Way and Warrior Way Gives (5:29)

·      What she learned about herself and leadership working as a head coach, assistant coach, and unofficial consultant with Paul at Baylor (10:01)

·      What Paul is really like behind the scenes (19:15)

·      Her personal why/life purpose and how she is living it out in her life (21:54)

·      The work Warrior Way and Warrior Way Gives are doing in Waco and other parts of the world, including a few really cool stories about empowering girls and Marci coaching a men’s team in Guatemala (25:01)

·      How to navigate cross-cultural relationships and partner together to help everyone flourish (36:12)

·      Her outreach with the US military in the Middle East and how she crossed off one of her bucket list items (43:43)

·      A defining moment in her soccer career and how it impacted her life and leadership (52:28)

·      Why the relational piece of coaching is so critical (57:33)

·      The best leader she played with and what set her apart from the rest (1:02:02)

·      The best coach she “played for” and what she learned from him (1:05:56)

·      How she has used lessons learned from soccer in her marriage and parenting (1:09:20)

·      Her recommendations (1:11:12)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

In Episode 34, we continue our Offseason Talks series with our host, Phil Darke, talking about why he believes that understanding and implementing the DISC Model of Human Behavior will help you take a massive step toward a healthy team and healthier life, better understanding of yourself and your players, staff, and volunteers, learning how to resolve conflict, reducing turnover, working better together with everyone in your life, get more results, and have much more fun in the process.

On average, two people only have a 40% chance of communicating well and connecting with another person. Most of the time, they are likely to miscommunicate or struggle to connect with each other. Find out more about the tool that can help us overcome these statistics in this Offseason Talk.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Email Phil – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com – to set up a call to discuss how DISC can help you in your leadership and other areas of your life
• Discover your DISC personality style - https://www.personalityservice.com/portal/ZERB/store

In Episode 89 and other episodes this summer, we are taking a break from our normal programming to share with you some unreleased episodes from the Coaching Character Podcast, which Phil recorded with Coach Roz over the past couple years. This is great content that we wanted to ensure got the airtime it deserves. This episode shares an interview with Coach Sauers, who is doing some simple, life transforming things with his American football youth teams that we know you’ll learn some great lessons from.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Playmakers Website
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address

In Episode 129, Paul and Phil discuss their favorite moments and leadership nuggets from our incredible guests in the second half of Season 9 (Jonathan Van Horn, Peter Greer, Jeff Spencer, and Patrick Gilliam), Paul’s new gig with SRUSA, the North American Sport Movement and Cup of Nations gatherings that Phil attended over the past couple months, some great books that Paul and Phil have read recently, and other topics that hopefully will help you be better in every area of your life. We are certain you will learn something and be challenged by this conversation.

What were your favorite moments from Season 9? We’d love for you to share them in the comments!

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      HSEL YouTube Channel

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World website

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, by Austin Kleon

·      The Messiah Method: The Seven Disciplines of the Winningest College Soccer Program in America, Michael Zigarelli

·      Shift: The Athlete’s Playbook – 5 Proven Steps to Life After Sport, Jonathan Van Horn

·      Pound the Stone: 7 Lessons to Develop Grit on the Way to Mastery, Joshua Medcalf

In Episode 130, our very own Paul Jobson, who now with Sports Recruiting USA after his retirement from coaching at Baylor Futbol, talks with Phil about how players, parents, and coaches can navigate the recruiting process with more excellence. Specifically, he covers:

·      How the recruiting process should be a fun “get-to” (2:00)

·      The parallels of the college recruiting process and job searches (4:25)

·      The coach’s and assistant coach’s perspective of the recruiting process 5:00)

·      How coaches filter through the thousands of emails they get throughout the year, and how to separate yourself from the multitudes (8:00)

·      Confirmation bias in coaches, how it affects the recruiting process, and what you can do to ensure you’re on the right side of the bias (19:37)

·      The importance of treating every coach with respect and never burning any bridges during the recruiting process (25:20)

·      What should you do if a school you’re not interested in is recruiting you? (29:07)

·      How can you know if a coach is actually interested vs. just trying to get you to go to a camp? (32:08)

·      Are camps worth the time and expense? (35:50)

·      A reminder that the recruiting process should be a highlight of your life (40:51)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      SRUSA Website

·      Don Williams HSEL Episode

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL YouTube Channel

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World website

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Open: An Autobiography, by Andre Agassi

In Episode 2 of How Soccer Explains Leadership, Paul Jobson, Head Coach of Baylor Women’s Soccer, talks with Phil about his coaching philosophy, identity formation, shaping culture, and how he uses lessons from soccer in his life and leadership.

Specific topics covered in this episode:

• His story of how soccer and leadership have influenced his life, how he ended up coaching at Baylor, and how he’s the second best footballer in his marriage. (1:26)
• Paul’s coaching philosophy that has led Baylor to be one of the premier soccer programs in the US (8:28)
• The importance of identity formation, and what it has to do with leadership in soccer and life (9:59)
• One of Paul’s favorite things about being a college coach (12:58)
• The importance of prioritization (14:41)
• The concept of “leading from the middle” and how Paul incorporates it into his team (16:25)
• How to reduce the risk of negativity impacting your team, whether on soccer pitches or workplaces (17:26)
• Paul’s view on the best way to describe leadership (19:59)
• The impact culture has on teams, why it is so critical to have a healthy culture, what Paul has learned from his wife, Marci, about leading culture, and what all of it has to do with Baylor’s recent Big 12 Championship (21:07)
• The difficulty of recruiting and onboarding players in college soccer, and how Paul views his players as both customers and employees (25:26)
• How Paul handles viruses on his team (30:14)
• The importance of knowing and understanding the personalities of your players and coaching staff in the context of leadership (34:59)
• The important leadership lesson Sir Alex Ferguson taught Paul (37:09)
• What Paul has learned through playing and coaching soccer that he uses in his marriage and parenting (39:41)
• Resources that Paul recommends for leadership and life (42:22)

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode

Video of this episode -- https://youtu.be/T7nnQ6IJOa4

Baylor Women’s Soccer website & social – https://baylorbears.com/sports/womens-soccer; @baylorfutbol

Jobson Soccer website & Social: www.jobsonsoccer.com; @jobsonsoccer on Twitter, IG, and FB

Paul Jobson Social: @coachjobson on Twitter and IG

Tim Elmore “Habitudes” Program -- https://growingleaders.com/habitudes/

“Chasing What Matters” Podcast -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chasing-what-matters/id1527359046

Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United, by Alex Ferguson

Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

The 21 Most Powerful Minutes in Leadership, by John Maxwell

In Episode 14, Don Williams, Head of Operations for the Americas for Sports Recruiting USA and former coach at all levels of soccer, talks with Phil about the #1 tool college coaches use to find recruits, how soccer players can find the “right fit,” the recruiting implications of the small world of college and pro soccer, “punching coaches in the nose” with player emails and videos, and real world lessons kids can learn through the recruiting process. Specifically, Don discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and his long journey to SRUSA Soccer (1:31)
• How Don’s work with SRUSA is similar to his work as a coach of soccer teams at all levels (5:19)
• The need for players to have both raw athleticism and passion for the sport to play at the college level and beyond (11:06)
• The importance of soccer players finding the “right fit” and how they can do so (16:00)
• Why creating and knowing your budget is critical in the recruiting process (23:53)
• Selling yourself and not burying the lead in your videos, emails, and other recruiting communications with prospective colleges (and employers) (32:53)
• The importance of “punching someone in the nose” in the recruiting process (37:17)
• How to make videos on a tight budget (40:58)
• Making the kids put in the work with their videos, emails, and other areas of the recruiting process (43:33)
• The small world of college and pro soccer, and how it relates to the world outside the game (44:58)
• The #1 tool that college coaches use to find recruits (49:46)
• What most coaches are looking for when they recruit at tournaments and showcases (55:08)
• Showing the colleges (or employer) that you’ve done your homework on them and that you know why you think it’s the right fit for you (59:44)
• Real world lessons kids can learn during the recruiting process (1:03:50)
• How to grab a coach’s attention in a subject line and email (1:06:56)
• How Don is using lessons learned in soccer in his life outside the game (1:10:22)
• Don’s book recommendations

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/B12pc9XvRTk
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Don’s Twitter handle -- @Don_K_Williams
• SRUSA Website -- https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com
• How Soccer Explains the World, by Franklin Foer
• Inside Out Coaching, by Joe Ehrmann
• 10% Happier, by Dan Harris
• Inside College Soccer Podcast -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-college-soccer/id1480369430

In Episode 135, Paul and Phil cover their favorite moments from the second half of Season 10, including Paul’s favorite episode of all-time, their top 3 episodes from the incredible guests we’ve had on HSEL throughout 2023, their Top 3 books of the year (Phil had a few more), and Phil’s top 5 sports/leadership documentaries of 2023. It’s a great way to top off an incredible year of Soccer, Life, and Leadership!

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World website

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      United Soccer Coaches Convention Registration Page – Promo Code: LEADERSHIP24

·      Phil’s Top Sports/Leadership Documentaries of 2023

o   “In Search of Greatness”

o   “Break Point”

o   “Full Swing”

o   “Beckham”

o   “That Peter Crouch Film”

·      Paul’s Top 3 Books Read in 2023

o   Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Mind, Craig Groeschel

o   God Has A Name, John Mark Comer

o   Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, David Epstein

·      Phil’s Top 10 Books Read in 2023

o   Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, David Epstein

o   Chop Wood, Carry Water: How to Fall in Love With the Process of Becoming Great, Joshua Medcalf

o   Win in the Dark: Some Think You Shine Under the Bright Lights, the Bright Lights Only Reveal Your Work in the Dark, Joshua Medcalf & Lucas Jadin

o   Pound the Stone:7 Lessons to Develop Grit on the Path to Mastery, Joshua Medcalf

o   Open: An Autobiography, Andre Agassi

o   Quiet Leadership: Winning Hearts, Minds and Matches, Carlo Ancelotti

o   Leadership as an Identity: The Four Traits of Those Who Wield Lasting Influence, Crawford Loritts

o   The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates the World’s Greatest Teams, Sam Walker

o   Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Daniel James Brown

o   The Life We’re Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, Andy Crouch

In Episode 66, Aaron Locks, CEO and Founder of the National Academy of Athletics, talks with Phil about the importance of failure in success, three important questions he asks himself every day, the Pyramid of Success and what he learned from working with John Wooden, his definition of leadership and success, secrets of successful youth coaches, synergistic collaboration, and how leadership is like jazz music. Specifically, Aaron discusses:

• His story, how he developed his passion for sports and leadership, and how he got to where he is today (1:44)
• The mission, vision, and values of the National Academy of Athletics, and how it is working to transform the lives of youth in America (2:58)
• How we can make youth sports more accessible to all kids from all backgrounds (4:29)
• Aaron’s personal “Why,” how he is living it out every day, and the three questions he asks himself at the end of each day (10:08)
• The importance of encouragement and doing for others with no expectation of anything in return (12:15)
• How he defines leadership (18:39)
• Secrets of successful youth sports coaches (20:32)
• A couple of the lessons Coach Wooden taught Aaron in their time together (26:27)
• Synergy through collaboration and teamwork (34:14)
• The importance of healthy conflict in teams (37:47)
• What he hopes everyone will understand after they work with him (44:37)
• How he uses the lessons he has learned through soccer in his parenting (46:07)
• His recommendations (50:48)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• National Academy of Athletics website
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, Simon Sinek
• Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks for a Better Life, John Wooden and Jay Carty
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey
• The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business, Patrick Lencioni

In Episode 5, Eric Pfeiffer, Founder and Senior Consultant of MPWR Coaching and Collegiate Soccer Player, talks with Phil about emotional intelligence, dealing with insecurities, self-love, permission to fail, the journey of growth, and conflict resolution. Specifically, he discusses:

• His story and how his experience playing soccer intersects with other areas of his life and leadership (2:05)
• Emotional intelligence and why it is critical to success in soccer and leading others in any area of life (6:16)
• How coaching sports organizations is the same as coaching any other organizations (8:27)
• Insecurities, how they affect us in soccer and other areas of life, and how we can overcome them in sport and life (12:41)
• How self-love is different from narcissism and why the distinction is important to understand (17:46)
• Permission to fail and why it’s necessary to learn how to embrace failure and fail forward (21:01)
• How insecurities and emotional unintelligence manifest themselves in our lives (and on the soccer pitch) and why overcoming them is essential to flourishing in life (23:59)
• The journey of growth and phases of development for anything worth doing (28:58)
• Creating a culture that celebrates healthy failure (29:07)
• What soccer teaches us about conflict resolution and how we can work through conflict together in a healthy way (40:49)
• How he uses the lessons he learned from soccer in his marriage and parenting (47:19)
• His recommendation of a book that impacted his thinking of the intersection of soccer, life, and leadership (52:14)

Resources and Links from this Episode

Audio with subtitles available on our YouTube channel (video not available due to technical difficulties)

MPWR Coaching website – https://www.mpwrcoaching.com

Eric Pfeiffer on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-pfeiffer-53964b173/

How Soccer Explains Leadership Facebook Group -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership

Das Reboot: How German Football Reinvented Itself and Conquered the World, by Raphael Honigstein

In Episode 98 and other episodes this summer, we are taking a break from our normal programming to share with you some unreleased episodes from the Coaching Character Podcast, which Phil recorded with Coach Roz, who played football for the Oakland Raiders and San Diego State, and now runs The Playmakers, which works with at-risk and developmentally different children. This is great content that we wanted to ensure got the airtime it deserves. In this episode, Coach Roz and Phil talk about their interview with Phil Dubois, lessons we can all learn from Remember the Titans, and measuring success in coaching.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Playmakers Website
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address
• Remember the Titans (Film)
• Miracle (Film)

In Episode 13, Lee Baker, Owner of uScore Soccer and Director of Legacy Soccer Club, talks with Phil about overcoming hardships, knowing and sticking to your “why,” setting and pursuing goals, using soccer as a classroom for life and leadership, modeling ethics and integrity, perspective, mentoring, and sacrificial living. Specifically, Lee discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and his journey to uScore and Legacy Soccer Club (1:48)
• What Lee has learned about leadership through hardships, and how he has grown through difficult experiences (5:56)
• The importance of mission, vision, and values to create clarity in your organization, goal-setting, and really knowing your “why” (12:35)
• How uScore Soccer and Legacy Soccer Club are doing things differently and teaching his players life and leadership lessons through the game in their practices and “classroom” time (17:02)
• How we can teach and model character, ethics, and integrity, and compete at the highest level in our soccer clubs and organizations (23:22)
• How you can address parents and/or players who don’t agree with your organization’s mission, vision, and/or values (28:07)
• The importance of perspective and learning from the best in class, other cultures, and other disciplines (33:22)
• The benefits of mentoring in our organizations (38:46)
• How Lee uses lessons he has learned from the beautiful game in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (40:44)
• A fun conversation about a show that has impacted Lee’s thinking on how soccer explains life and leadership (43:39)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode –https://youtu.be/G2hp8-vAA6A
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• uScore Soccer website -- https://www.uscore-soccer.com
• Legacy Soccer Club website -- https://www.legacysoccer.org
• Ted Lasso (Amazon Prime) -- https://apple.co/3sDe9py

In Episode 44, Lance Key, Head Coach of University of Louisiana at Lafayette Women’s Soccer, talks with Phil about overcoming adversity and resilience, his personal “why,” stewarding family and team, prioritizing our platforms, creating, communicating, and reinforcing values, and reversing the trend of entitlement. Specifically, Lance discusses:

• How he developed his passion for soccer and leadership, and how he got to be where he is today (4:02)
• How concussions ended his career and the life lessons we can all learn from adversity (10:10)
• His personal “why” and how he lives it out in the different areas of his life (24:21)
• The balance of stewardship over family and coaching (and other vocations) (33:29)
• The concept of our “platform” and prioritizing our platforms (45:10)
• The importance of a humble and learning posture (49:30)
• Creating, communicating, and reinforcing values in our teams (55:03)
• The recent rise of entitlement in our youth and how we can reverse the trend (1:01:44)
• What he has learned directly from soccer that he has used in his life and leadership outside the game (1:09:21)
• His book and podcast recommendations (1:12:30)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health, by Caroline Leaf
• The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure, by Jonathan Haidt
• All In: You Are One Decision Away From a Totally Different Life, by Mark Batterson
• I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence, by Michael Jordan

In Episode 94 and other episodes this summer, we are taking a break from our normal programming to share with you some unreleased episodes from the Coaching Character Podcast, which Phil recorded with Coach Roz, who played football for the Oakland Raiders and San Diego State, and now runs The Playmakers, which works with at-risk and developmentally different children. This is great content that we wanted to ensure got the airtime it deserves. In this episode, Coach Roz and Phil talk about their previous conversation with Darrell Garrettson, how to communicate love to our children and the players we coach, and other important topics.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Playmakers Website
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address

In Episode 46, we are re-casting our conversation with Don Williams, Head of Operations for the Americas for Sports Recruiting USA and former coach at all levels of soccer, who talked with Phil about the #1 tool college coaches use to find recruits, how soccer players can find the “right fit,” the recruiting implications of the small world of college and pro soccer, “punching coaches in the nose” with player emails and videos, and real-world lessons kids can learn through the recruiting process. Specifically, Don discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and his long journey to SRUSA Soccer (1:31)
• How Don’s work with SRUSA is similar to his work as a coach of soccer teams at all levels (5:19)
• The need for players to have both raw athleticism and passion for the sport to play at the college level and beyond (11:06)
• The importance of soccer players finding the “right fit” and how they can do so (16:00)
• Why creating and knowing your budget is critical in the recruiting process (23:53)
• Selling yourself and not burying the lead in your videos, emails, and other recruiting communications with prospective colleges (and employers) (32:53)
• The importance of “punching someone in the nose” in the recruiting process (37:17)
• How to make videos on a tight budget (40:58)
• Making the kids put in the work with their videos, emails, and other areas of the recruiting process (43:33)
• The small world of college and pro soccer, and how it relates to the world outside the game (44:58)
• The #1 tool that college coaches use to find recruits (49:46)
• What most coaches are looking for when they recruit at tournaments and showcases (55:08)
• Showing the colleges (or employer) that you’ve done your homework on them and that you know why you think it’s the right fit for you (59:44)
• Real world lessons kids can learn during the recruiting process (1:03:50)
• How to grab a coach’s attention in a subject line and email (1:06:56)
• How Don is using lessons learned in soccer in his life outside the game (1:10:22)
• Don’s book recommendations

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Don’s Twitter handle -- @Don_K_Williams
• SRUSA Website -- https://www.sportsrecruitingusa.com
• How Soccer Explains the World, by Franklin Foer
• Inside Out Coaching, by Joe Ehrmann
• 10% Happier, by Dan Harris
• Inside College Soccer Podcast -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-college-soccer/id1480369430

In Episode 38, we continue our Offseason Talks series with our host, Phil Darke, talking about the life and leadership lessons he learned from the seven rules for life that John Wooden learned from his dad and sought to live out during his time on Earth. We cover the last 4 of the rules in this episode: 4) Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible; 5) Make friendship a fine art; 6) Build a shelter against a rainy day; and 7) Pray for guidance and counsel, and give thanks for your blessings each day.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Email Phil – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com – to set up a call to discuss how DISC can help you in your leadership and other areas of your life
• Warrior Way Soccer Training
• Coach Wooden: The 7 Principles That Shaped His Life and Will Change Yours, by Pat Williams
• Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer, by Oswald Sanders
• 12 Mighty Orphans (film)
• Braveheart (film)

In Episode 145, Paul and Phil cover their favorite moments from the first half of Season 11, which included some great nuggets of wisdom from incredible coaches and leaders and unforgettable stories that you do not want to miss. Paul talks about his recent trip to Costa Rica with Warrior Way, Samford Women’s Soccer Team, and its coach who happens to be our next guest kicking off Season 11’s second half, Phil shares about some great upcoming opportunities, and Phil recommends a great new soccer movie that you’ll want to check out.

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World website

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      “The Beautiful Game” (Netflix)

In Episode 110, Keri Sanchez, Head Coach of Colorado College Women’s Soccer, former Head Coach at Illinois Wesleyan and Claremont McKenna-Harvey Mudd-Scripps, former assistant at UT-Austin and University of Oregon, US Soccer Scout and USYNT assistant, and former WUSA, WPS, USWNT, and UNC-Chapel Hill player, kicks off Season 8 by talking with Phil and Paul about lessons learned from her extensive playing and coaching career, specifically what she learned under legendary coach, Anson Dorrance, the value of playing multiple sports, the best leaders she played with, and how she is using DISC to improve her coaching and player interactions. Specifically, Keri discusses:

• Her personal story, how she developed her passion for soccer and other sports, leadership, and coaching and how she got to be where she is today (3:09)
• The where’s, why’s, and how’s of her coaching journey (5:39)
• Her personal why and life purpose and how she lives it out each day (12:24)
• Some defining moments in her playing career and what she learned from them (14:34)
• What young student-athletes are missing by not playing multiple sports throughout their childhood (16:32)
• Some of the lessons she learned playing at UNC in the 1990’s, where she went 97-1-1, won 4 National Championships, and was able to learn under Anson Dorrance (22:46)
• What she and her teammates learned from their loss and tie at UNC during their incredible four-year run during her time as a Tar Heel (24:55)
• How she is using the lessons learned from Coach Dorrance in her coaching today (27:39)
• The difference being a young, inexperienced assistant coach and an experienced, veteran assistant coach (30:53)
• Wisdom and advice for young collegiate assistant coaches (33:48)
• Why she returned to head coaching after her stint at UT-Austin, even though she loved being an assistant coach (36:07)
• The best leaders she played with and what set them apart from the rest (40:59)
• Who she didn’t like playing against and why (45:20)
• How she has used the DISC training Phil did with her Colorado College team in her coaching and player interactions (45:56)
• How she has used lessons learned from the game in her parenting, and vice-versa (53:01)
• Her recommendations (55:02)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Phil’s email for DISC Training
• What Drives Winning, by Brett Ledbetter and Becky Burleigh
• Betsy Butterick Website

In Episode 102, Dave Simeone, Director of Education Programs for United Soccer Coaches who has coached at every level, including the 1999 USWNT World Cup champions, talks with Phil and Paul about his extensive coaching experience and the lessons he learned from the journey, his favorite things about coaching, his thoughts on the state of US Soccer, why coaches need to encourage innovation and creativity and how they can do so, how coaching is like cooking (and how we can become master chefs), and USC’s online education platform, The Training Ground. Specifically, Dave discusses:

• His personal story, how he went from street soccer to the National team, and how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and coaching (3:11)
• The importance of “picking up the phone” and taking initiative to connect with coaches and others to further your career (10:10)
• What level of coaching he enjoyed the most and what made it so special (13:10)
• Some of his favorite things about coaching (16:14)
• His personal “why” and life mission, and how he is living it out (18:34)
• What he likes about soccer in the US today and what he would change if he could wave a magic wand and make it happen (23:51)
• How we can keep encouraging innovation and creativity in the game in the US and why it is important to do so – and how coaching is like cooking (32:43)
• The Training Ground online education program and why Dave is so excited about it (39:29)
• How he has used lessons from the game in his coaching and other leadership positions (55:21)
• How he is using lessons learned from soccer in his personal life off the pitch (1:00:32)
• His book recommendations (1:05:25)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• The Training Ground (USC Education platform)
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Phil’s email for DISC Training
• Chop Wood, Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great, by Joshua Medcalf
• What Drives Winning: Building Character Gets Results. Here’s How, by Brett Ledbetter

In Episode 32, Paul and Phil recall some of the highlights of the second half of Season 3 and continue their conversation about the leadership genius of Ted Lasso, Coach Beard, and Nate the Great, covering Episodes 5 & 6 of the show. Specifically, they discuss:

• Highlights from the amazing interviews we had with Cori Close, Greg Rubendall, John Yeager, and Clyde Best in the second half of Season 3 (3:46)
• Why Paul relates so well with Higgins and Ted’s brilliance in handling Jamie Tartt’s unhealthy behavior on and off the field (23:19)
• Danny Rojas & how teammates (in sport and in life) can and should push each other to be better than they ever would have been on their own (29:30)
• The importance of a coach/leader shaping culture and teammates truly loving and caring about one another (44:00)
• Information on exciting new courses and masterminds for coaches, and DISC Training and Consulting for club, college, and pro teams launching in July (49:13)
• The development of Roy’s leadership and what we can learn from it (54:41)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Email Phil – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com
• Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
• Miracle (Film)
• The Coaching Zone: Next Level Leadership in Sports, by John Yeager
• The Acid Test, by Clyde Best
• Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, by Austin Cleon

In Episode 141, Schellas Hyndman, United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame Member, former Head Coach of FC Dallas, SMU Men’s Soccer (where he coached for 24 years), GCU Men’s Soccer, Eastern Illinois Men’s Soccer, and Murray State Men’s Soccer, husband, and father, talks with Phil and Paul about lessons learned during his incredible childhood, playing, and coaching journey, how his martial arts background translates to the soccer pitch, building trust and accountability in our teams, some stories about how he built trust with players and kept them accountable to the team standards, why coaching in the MLS was one of the best things he has ever done AND one of the worst things he has ever done, the most influential coaches in his life, changing your story, and much more. Specifically, Coach Hyndman discusses: 

·      His personal story and coaching journey, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, and coaching, and what he is doing in retirement (4:36)

·      How his family fled Macau and made their way to the US during his childhood (23:41)

·      His personal why/life purpose and how he is living it out today (30:31)

·      Lessons he learned from martial arts that he has used on the soccer pitch and the importance of cross-discipline learning (35:22)

·      How his experiences in his “estagio” (i.e., apprentice coaching) in Brazil shaped his coaching in the college game in the US (44:03)

·      The importance of building trust and creating an accountability system in our teams (50:52)

·      His experience coaching in the MLS professional game and how it was similar and different from the college game. Why coaching in the pro ranks was the best and worst thing he has ever done (54:10)

·      Why we need to pour into our young talent, particularly the underprivileged young players, and keep them accountable to values and morals, and how we can do it – and a story about a great player from South America that will definitely make you think (1:01:00)

·      His most influential coaches and how he is using the lessons learned from them in his life today (1:06:32)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the beautiful game in his marriage and parenting (1:12:04)

·      His book and other recommendations (1:16:40)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Changing Your Story: How to Take Control of Your Life, Create Change, and Achieve Your Goals, Bill Beswick

·      Living on the Volcano: The Secrets of Surviving as a Football Manager, Michael Calvin

In Episode 131, Daniel Russell, UA92 Apprenticeships & Bootcamps Engagement Manager, UK Director and Lead Scout for Daryse, Talent Scout for Liverpool FC, and former Professional Footballer, talks with Phil and Paul about how breaking both of his legs taught his tremendous life lessons and spurred him on to greater things in life,  the incredible power of networking and just being polite, as it’s not what you know, it’s who you know, some inside information about what scouts are actually looking for in players, his defining moment in football and what it taught him, why it’s critical to be selfish at times, how we ought not overpromise and underdeliver, and much more. Specifically, Daniel discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, and scouting, and how he got to be working with the Class of ’92 and a Liverpool FC Scout (not a likely scenario) (5:47)

·      A funny story about how one of our previous guests tried to get Dan to play for his club (17:30)

·      The power of networking (20:27)

·      What scouts are actually looking for (26:08)

·      The Daryse scouting app and why parents, coaches, and players ought take a look at it (37:39)

·      Defining moments in his life and how they impacted his life and leadership (44:03)

·      His work with UA92 (52:21)

·      How he has used lessons learned from soccer in his parenting and other relationships (58:57)

·      His recommendations (1:05:25)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Daryse App

·      UA92 Website

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      “When Eagles Dare: Crystal Palace F.C.” (Amazon Prime)

·      “All or Nothing: Arsenal” (Amazon Prime)

·      “All or Nothing: Tottenham” (Amazon Prime)

In Episode 153, we are going way back to the first half of our first season and recasting one of our most impactful and most downloaded interviews. In this conversation, Eric Pfeiffer, Founder and Senior Consultant of MPWR Coaching and Collegiate Soccer Player, talks with Phil about emotional intelligence, dealing with insecurities, self-love, permission to fail, the journey of growth, conflict resolution, and much more. Specifically, he discusses:

·      His story and how his experience playing soccer intersects with other areas of his life and leadership (3:25)

·      Emotional intelligence and why it is critical to success in soccer and leading others in any area of life (7:36)

·      How coaching sports organizations is the same as coaching any other organizations (9:47)

·      Insecurities, how they affect us in soccer and other areas of life, and how we can overcome them in sport and life (14:01)

·      How self-love is different from narcissism and why the distinction is important to understand (19:06)

·      Permission to fail and why it’s necessary to learn how to embrace failure and fail forward (22:21)

·      How insecurities and emotional unintelligence manifest themselves in our lives (and on the soccer pitch) and why overcoming them is essential to flourishing in life (25:19)

·      The journey of growth and phases of development for anything worth doing (30:18)

·      Creating a culture that celebrates healthy failure (33:27)

·      What soccer teaches us about conflict resolution and how we can work through conflict together in a healthy way (42:09)

·      How he uses the lessons he learned from soccer in his marriage and parenting (48:39)

·      His recommendation of a book that impacted his thinking of the intersection of soccer, life, and leadership (53:34)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Audio with subtitles available on our YouTube channel (video not available due to technical difficulties)

·      MPWR Coaching website

·      Eric Pfeiffer on LinkedIn

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Providence World (to financially support HSEL)

·      Das Reboot: How German Football Reinvented Itself and Conquered the World, by Raphael Honigstein

In Episode 9, Graham Roxburgh, Head Coach of Trinity Western University and Executive Director/Founder of TeamUp, talks with Phil about the importance of a humble and learning posture, servant leadership, how he studies himself and his players, dealing with viruses on your team, key cultural and leadership principles from the book, Legacy, and how he uses the lessons he has learned in soccer in his life outside the game. Specifically, he discusses:

• How he went from growing up in England, to college in the US, to coaching at Trinity Western University and leading a non-profit organization in Canada (2:02)
• The work that his organization, TeamUp, is doing around the world to build bridges, cultivate relationships, and help others to flourish (6:36)
• What he has learned from the game of soccer that he has used in his organization (9:58)
• The importance of a learning and humble posture when working with people from other countries and cultures (14:51)
• How studying his own and his players’ personalities and behaviors has helped him in his coaching and organizational leadership, and why it is so important to incorporate similar analysis into your teams (18:10)
• The mentality and culture that he has developed in his program and why it is the core of all he does (29:56)
• Principles from the book, Legacy, which discusses the culture and leadership of the New Zealand All Blacks, and how Trinity Western’s program exemplifies those principles (e.g., “Sweep the Sheds” and “No Viruses”) (39:20)
• How he addresses viruses or potential viruses in his teams and why it is so difficult (50:13)
• The importance of strong leaders protecting the culture of a team (54:36)
• How he lives out the principles from Legacy in his organization (59:43)
• How he uses the lessons he has learned in soccer in his marriage and parenting, and other relationships (1:04:56)
• His book recommendations (1:08:45)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Video of the Episode -- https://youtu.be/JNFMqGVuB84
• Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, by James Kerr
• Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't, by Simon Sinek
• The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three Essential Virtues, by Patrick Lencioni
• The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community, by Hugh Halter
• Uplifting Leadership: How Organizations, Teams, and Communities Raise Performance, by Alan Boyle, Alma Harris, and Andy Hargreaves
• “The Trouble with Winning,” Stanford Social Innovation Review -- https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_trouble_with_winning
• "Invictus" (movie)
• TeamUp Website – teamup.world
• Trinity Western Women's Soccer Website -- https://gospartans.ca/sports/wsoc/index
• TWU Women's Soccer Facebook --https://www.facebook.com/twuwsoc
• TWU Instagram and Twitter -- @twuwsoc

This week we are bringing part two of our exclusive sneak preview of our sister podcast, Coaching Character, launching January 5, which "coaches coaches to coach character." This episode features an interview with Harrison Phillips, Buffalo Bills Defensive Lineman. For more information about Coaching Character, visit the Coaching Character Apple Podcasts page. 

New HSEL episodes will return next week with an interview with a lifelong Leeds United supporter talking about "The Bielsa Way." 

In Episode 118, Andrew Simpson, Mindset Coach, Author of Athlete! I’m Talking to You: 7 Mindset Hacks to Dominate in Sports and Life and The Youth Truth: Coaching & Parenting in Today’s Crazy Youth Sports World, and Founder of Player’s Fitness & Performance (“PFP”), talks with Paul and Phil about some mindset hacks that can help us develop and rebuild, if necessary, a healthy mindset in ourselves and our athletes, some mistakes that 98% of parents of athletes make, his two books, his personal mission, lessons learned from his athletic career that he is using in his business, a couple mentors who have influenced his journey, and how we can overcome some of the most common mental obstacles athletes face. Specifically, Andrew discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for sports, fitness, and mindset and performance coaching, and how he got to be where he is today (4:15)

·      A common misconception about mental health and how we can overcome it (8:51)

·      His personal why/mission statement and how he is living it out (10:39)

·      The mentors who most influenced him and how they impacted him (14:23)

·      A defining moment in his life and how it impacted his development (18:48)

·      Lessons he has learned from sports that he uses in his business and coaching (21:35)

·      Some of the most common mental obstacles athletes face and how they can overcome them and fulfill their potential (23:34)

·      Social media and the comparison trap (28:48)

·      How you can rebuild a healthy mindset in a young athlete (31:18)

·      His two books, why he wrote them, and what he hopes his readers will get out of them (39:29)

·      Why parents and coaches also need to be focusing on their mental health as it relates to their children/players’ flourishing (47:01)

·      A couple common mistakes that 98% of parents make during their athletes’ journeys (49:12)

·      A couple mindset hacks that can help you and your athletes dominate in sports and life (55:01)

·      How he has used lessons learned from sports in his marriage and parenting (1:00:47)

·      His recommendations (1:03:38)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Andrew’s Website (can order his books and get the hundreds of dollars of bonus offers here)

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature, by Peter Scazzero

·      You Win in the Locker Room First: The 7 C’s to Build a Winning Team in Business, Sports, and Life, by Jon Gordon and Mike Smith

In Episode 62, we are capping off 2021 and ringing in 2022 with 20 great leadership lessons (plus a couple bonus nuggets) from our interviews over the past year. There is so much more wisdom in the full interviews, which you can listen to at the links below or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Also, if you want to go deeper in 2022 as a leader and coach, we are launching Coaching the Bigger Game course and mastermind in early February. You can click here to learn more about the program, which has limited capacity.

And if you are in the Waco, TX area and want to get involved with The Warrior Way, click here for more information.

What are your favorite HSEL moments from 2021? Drop an email to Phil (phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com) or post on the HSEL Facebook Group to let us know.

Links to HSEL Episodes Mentioned   

• Episode 28 – Leading with a Broom and a Shovel with Cori Close
• Episode 43 – Giving Youth Sports Back to the Kids with Diego Bocanegra
• Episode 23 – Leading from the Middle with Glenn Crooks
• Episode 53 – Identity Formation and Mindset with Jesse Bradley
• Episode 11 – The Bielsa Way: Leadership at Leeds United with Mark Pease
• Episode 30 – Self-Leadership and Choreographing the Team Dance with John Yeager
• Episode 51 – Overcoming Barriers and Empowering Women with Tracy Hamm
• Episode 16 – Understanding Personalities, Mentorship, and Maximizing Results with Toriono Davis
• Episode 15 – “Steal Like an Artist” with Michelle Lenard
• Episode 56 – Preventing Burnout with Kassie Gray
• Episode 19 – Resilience, Resetting, and Retraining our Brains with Brad Miller
• Episode 41 – Offseason Talk, Volume 9 – The Warrior Way with Marci Jobson, Part 2
• Episode 21 – Interview with a Legend (Part 1) with Clyde Best, MBE
• Episode 14 – College Recruiting 101 with Don Williams
• Episode 13 – Know Your “Why” with Lee Baker
• Episode 26 – The Power of Collaboration with Max Rooke
• Episode 24 – Lead Like a Gardener with Phil Brown
• Episode 18 – Head, Hands, and Heart with Rob Burns
• Episode 20 – Kaizen and Energy Vampires with Renee Lopez
• Episode 29 – Leading Leaders with Greg Rubendall
• Episode 37 – Offseason Talks, Volume 5 – Coach Wooden’s 7 Rules for Life
• Episode 58 – Season 4 Post-Match Show – Exclusive Post-Baylor Interview with Paul Jobson

Other Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• Invest in HSEL Podcast
• The Coaching Zone: Next Level Leadership in Sports, by John Yeager
• The Acid Test: The Autobiography of Clyde Best, by Clyde Best

In Episode 50, we are continuing our Fan Favorites series by recasting our interview with Lee Baker, Owner of uScore Soccer and Director of Legacy Soccer Club, who talked with Phil about overcoming hardships, knowing and sticking to your “why,” setting and pursuing goals, using soccer as a classroom for life and leadership, modeling ethics and integrity, perspective, mentoring, and sacrificial living. Specifically, Lee discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and his journey to uScore and Legacy Soccer Club (1:48)
• What Lee has learned about leadership through hardships, and how he has grown through difficult experiences (5:56)
• The importance of mission, vision, and values to create clarity in your organization, goal setting, and really knowing your “why” (12:35)
• How uScore Soccer and Legacy Soccer Club are doing things differently and teaching his players life and leadership lessons through the game in their practices and “classroom” time (17:02)
• How we can teach and model character, ethics, and integrity, and compete at the highest level in our soccer clubs and organizations (23:22)
• How you can address parents and/or players who don’t agree with your organization’s mission, vision, and/or values (28:07)
• The importance of perspective and learning from the best in class, other cultures, and other disciplines (33:22)
• The benefits of mentoring in our organizations (38:46)
• How Lee uses lessons he has learned from the beautiful game in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (40:44)
• A fun conversation about a show that has impacted Lee’s thinking on how soccer explains life and leadership (43:39)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode –https://youtu.be/G2hp8-vAA6A
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• uScore Soccer website -- https://www.uscore-soccer.com
• Legacy Soccer Club website -- https://www.legacysoccer.org
• Ted Lasso (Amazon Prime) -- https://apple.co/3sDe9py

In Episode 18, Rob Burns, Founder/Int’l Director of Missional Links-Wales, former youth player at Wolves, and former youth coach, talks with Phil about the effect of a toxic coach on the team, his “head, heart, hands” philosophy, how he applies soccer in his marriage and parenting, the importance of supporters in your life, the importance of a learning posture, and living lives of integrity and humility. Specifically, Rob discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership (1:51)
• How a toxic team environment caused by his coach led to him losing a love for the game, and how he got the love back (5:33)
• What we need to make sure we’re doing as coaches to avoid toxic environments (7:28)
• The “Head, Heart, Hands” philosophy, and how it plays out in soccer and other areas of life (10:04)
• Principles from the beautiful game that he used in his parenting (18:20)
• The importance of supporters in our lives and the disappearance of home-field advantage during COVID (24:04)
• Raising young adults and adults to live lives of integrity, and how it differs from raising younger children (26:19)
• Creating an environment where there is a freedom to fail and, simultaneously, a culture of taking responsibility for your actions (35:26)
• The importance of teamwork (37:47)
• His love story with his bride and how he uses lessons learned from soccer in his marriage and other areas of life (39:23)
• Giving leaders time to develop and implement their culture (47:04)
• Rob’s video and book recommendations (49:24)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Missional Links-Wales website -- https://www.missionallinkswales.org.uk
• Uncut Video of the Episode –https://youtu.be/Lr3u4BKJ6Ks
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Phil on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• How Soccer Explains the World, by Franklin Foer
• A Matter of Life and Death: The History of Football in 100 Quotes, by Jim White
• Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success (Netflix)
• All or Nothing: Manchester City (Amazon Prime)
• All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur (Amazon Prime)
• Sunderland ‘Til I Die (Netflix)
• Leeds: Take Us Home (Amazon Prime)

• What Paul and Phil took away from the recently-held United Soccer Coaches Convention in KC, and some new things Paul is working on (1:56)
• What’s to come in the second half of Season 5 (11:04)
• Lessons Paul and Phil gleaned from our conversations with Cheryl McCormick, Tony Everett, Robbie Handy, and Aaron Locks (14:00)
• Leadership lessons from Episodes 9 & 10 of Ted Lasso relating to identity, personality styles, the both/and of winning and maintaining healthy culture, the shadow side of our weaknesses, and how little things can make massive impact in our players’ lives (30:00)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address
• “Rise and Shine: The Jay Demerit Story” (YouTube)
• United Soccer Coaches website
• Inside College Soccer Podcast
• “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+)

In Episode 113, JP Dellacamera, Broadcaster of 16 World Cups and 3 Olympics, and so many other incredible games, husband, and father, talks with Phil and Paul about the life and leadership lessons he has learned over the course of his soccer broadcasting career, which has spanned six decades, his keys to a great broadcast, how his best call ever was only one word, how he learned about teamwork in a broadcasting booth, what he has learned from referees, dealing with controversy during broadcasts, recommendations on a special kind of sandwich, and how he is using lessons learned from the game in his MASL leadership position, his marriage, and his parenting. Specifically, JP discusses:

·      His personal story, including how a guy whose first love is hockey ended up being one of the most-known voices in US Soccer, and his journey to his current role as Director of Communications/Media for the Major Arena Soccer League (3:30)

·      Knowing how to handle both disappointment and success (7:16)

·      Why he doesn’t have a personal why/mission statement (9:49)

·      Who he is “working for” when broadcasting a game (11:43)

·      Three keys to a great broadcast (14:09)

·      The importance of not assuming that someone you want to meet and learn from is not accessible (16:13)

·      The defining moment in illustrious career and a lesson he learned from it that you don’t want to miss (17:47)

·      How to properly deal with controversial issues during broadcasts (24:16)

·      What he has learned from broadcasting soccer and talking with thousands of players, coaches, and referees over the course of multiple decades that he likely wouldn’t have learned playing and/or coaching the game (27:21)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the game of soccer is his leadership position with the MASL (30:24)

·      The power of saying “I don’t know” (33:34)

·      His thoughts on the good, bad, and ugly of the state of soccer in the US (35:51)

·      How we can attract better coaches to the younger levels (40:26)

·      How he has used lessons learned from the game in his parenting and marriage, including a different kind of sandwich that he highly recommends (43:17)

·      His recommendations (48:05)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Uncut Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      1999 World Cup Final (JP’s goal call at ~2:15:00)

·      Miracle on Ice (Al Michaels call)

In Episode 77, our fifth off-season talk between Seasons 5 & 6, Phil and Paul talk about external and internal motivation, and how we can effectively motivate ourselves and our players to be their best and flourish. In all we do, we at HSEL strive to be part of a movement that encourages a lifelong love for the game, leadership and character development, and human flourishing.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Info on DISC Training
• Phil’s email address – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com
• Paul’s email address – pajobson@gmail.com

In Episode 142, Brock Thompson, South Dakota State Head Coach and 2024 FCA Layton Shoemaker Award winner, talks with Phil and Paul about his coaching journey and lessons he has learned along the way, how he incorporates his faith into his coaching and how he does it in a secular school, the origin of the word, “Coach,” aligning priorities with faith, our need for accountability, the importance of belief, authenticity and vulnerability, how what makes America a great country negatively affects youth soccer, the power of “I don’t know,” and much more. Specifically, Brock discusses: 

·      His personal story and coaching journey, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, and coaching, and what he is doing in retirement how he ended up at South Dakota State (5:41)

·      How his coaching stint at North Dakota is a big part of his faith journey (8:47)

·      His personal why/life purpose and how he is living it out today (14:37)

·      How he incorporates his faith into his coaching (18:53)

·      Living out faith as a coach in a secular school (23:10)

·      What his faith has to do with his team’s success at SD State (25:58)

·      The need for accountability and where he finds it (29:17)

·      His defining moment as a player and life lessons he learned from it (33:38)

·      His most influential coach and how he is using the lessons learned from that coach in his life today (37:43)

·      His thoughts on the good and bad of US soccer, and how a great quality of America negatively affects youth sports in our country (43:41)

·      What we are missing in the training of our youth players (50:04)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the beautiful game in his relationships outside the game (57:36)

·      His book recommendations (59:13)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life, Tony Dungy

·      The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success, Andy Andrews

·      3D Coach: Capturing the Heart Behind the Jersey, Jeff Duke

·      9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life: A Psychologist Learns from His Patients What Really Works and What Doesn’t, Henry Cloud

In Episode 78, our sixth off-season talk between Seasons 5 & 6, Phil and Paul talk about how we can effectively build healthy teams, and how that starts with knowing, understanding, and leading ourselves. In all we do, we at HSEL strive to be part of a movement that encourages a lifelong love for the game, leadership and character development, and human flourishing.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Info on DISC Training
• Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek
• Phil’s email address – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com
• Paul’s email address – pajobson@gmail.com

In Episode 54, Zac Hoffman, Author of Finding the Good Life as a SWALeader and former professional American football player in Europe, talking with Phil about intercultural competence, leading effectively in a foreign country, humility, playing American football in Europe, mental toughness and resilience, and helping players to overcome adversity. Specifically, Zac discusses:

• His story, how he developed his passion for football and leadership, his new book, and how he ended up playing football in Europe (2:12)
• The importance of intercultural competence in our leadership (9:23)
• Earning respect and leading effectively in a foreign country when speaking a different language (16:29)
• The importance of a humble, learning posture (20:07)
• Playing American football in countries that love the other (real) football (23:40)
• Lessons he learned when he transitioned to “the real world” after he retired from his football playing career (26:50)
• His personal why (32:11)
• Mental toughness and resilience (38:21)
• Importance of coaches helping their players overcome adversity (43:49)
• What he has learned directly from the game of American football that he has used in other areas of his life (47:13)
• His recommendation (50:31)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Finding the Good Life as a SWALeader: Effective Leadership in Our New World, by Zach Hoffman
• #Maxout Your Life: Strategies for Becoming an Elite Performer, by Ed Mylett

In Episode 80, Cara Bradley, best-selling author of On the Verge, host of the On the Verge Podcast, Soccer Resilience Ambassador, Rollerblader extraordinaire, and one of the “12 Most Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement,”, talks with Phil about the gut-brain connection, mental fitness, performing in the “flow” and how we can get there, how we can reach optimal performance more often, and how she performed on Rollerblades in front of one of the world’s iconic buildings. Specifically, Cara discusses:

• Her story, how she developed his passion for mental fitness, the gut-brain connection, and optimal performance, and how she got to be where she is today (1:54)
• How we can intentionally create and recreate being in flow (or in the “Zone”) (9:17)
• The concept of STER and what it has to do with “flow” (11:10)
• Mental cross-training, including the importance of sleep, clean eating, breathing, and other critical aspects of mental health (16:36)
• Why it’s important for us and our kids to participate in unstructured play alongside the intense, structured training (20:21)
• Gut-Brain Health and what it has to do with optimal performance and mental health (23:49)
• Her personal why and how she is living it out every day (33:32)
• Her and her husband’s decision to go “house-free” and what she has learned from her journey (34:40)
• Cara’s various resources and how you can find them (38:11)
• Cara’s experience as a professional Rollerblader (40:40)
• How she has used lessons learned directly from sports in her marriage and parenting (41:56)
• Her recommendations for us (42:38)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Cara’s Website
• On the Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine, by Cara Bradley
• On the Verge Podcast, by Cara Bradley
• Cara’s Mental Fitness Playbook and Grid
• Cara’s Recommended Gut-Brain Protocols
• Cara’s email address
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Phil Darke’s email address
• Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Ted Lasso (TV show on Apple TV+)
• Find a Way: The Inspiring Story of One Woman’s Pursuit of a Lifelong Dream, by Diana Nyad

In Episode 36, we continue our Offseason Talks series with our host, Phil Darke, talking about the life and leadership lessons he learned from the movie, “Searching for Bobby Fischer.” We all have a lot to learn from this movie about chess, as it speaks directly to our coaching, parenting, marriages, and other relationships, and also gives us a practical application for the first three offseason talks.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Email Phil – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com – to set up a call to discuss how DISC can help you in your leadership and other areas of your life
• Warrior Way Soccer Training
• Searching for Bobby Fischer (Film)

In Episode 47, we are re-casting our episode with Brad Miller, Founder of Soccer Resilience, Clinical Psychologist, and former Wake Forest soccer player, who talks with Phil about the four pillars of soccer resilience, how we can address anxiety and depression in sports, resetting and retraining our brains, fixed vs. growth mindsets, and whether we actually do play like we practice. Specifically, Brad discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, sports psychology, and leadership (2:11)
• The four pillars of soccer resilience (8:59)
• Anxiety and depression in sports and beyond (17:08)
• Why it’s important to know that “it’s not a you issue, it’s a brain issue,” and what that means (22:14)
• Resetting and retraining our brain, and what that looks like in practice (26:13)
• The concept of “what you celebrate, you practice,” and how it relates to the mindfulness conversation (38:03)
• Fixed vs. Growth mindset and what it has to do with soccer (46:02)
• Is it really true that you play like you practice? (58:01)
• Can we recreate the stress and pressure of a penalty kick in training? (1:01:26)
• How Brad has used the principles from soccer in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (1:05:03)
• Brad’s book recommendations (1:09:11)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Soccer Resilience website – soccerresilience.com
• Soccer Resilience YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUQEXctanLbfHYfTNfSOUig
• Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/KYVQLmQCah4
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Phil on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Mindset, by Carol Dweck
• Switch on Your Brain, by Caroline Leaf
• Start With Why, by Simon Sinek
• “Start with Why” TED Talk -- https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en
• Think Orphan Podcast episode with Caroline Leaf -- https://thinkorphan.com/2020/10/27/episode-156-recast-caroline-leaf-switch-on-your-brain/
• The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg
• Atomic Habits, by James Clear
• Grit, by Angela Duckworth
• David and Goliath, by Malcolm Gladwell

In Episode 137, Ali Malaekeh, Head Coach of the OC Seahorses, FCA College Representative, former college footballer, and Author of Veritas: 7 Truths that Lead to a Purposeful Life, talks with Phil and Paul about his unlikely journey from Iran to working with Fellowship of Christican Athletes and coaching a Christian WPSL soccer team, how his personal “why” led to his book Veritas: 7 Truths That Lead To A Purposeful Life, important life and leadership lessons from his book, his work with FCA and the Seahorses, his defining moment in soccer and how one coach deeply impacted his life, his thoughts on the current state of US Soccer, how he uses an important lesson from soccer in his marriage, and some books (in addition to his great book) that you’re definitely going to want to read. Specifically, Ali discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, ministry, and coaching, and how an Iranian Muslim ended up on staff with FCA and coaching a Christian soccer team (3:57)

·      His life purpose and how it led him to write Veritas (15:30)

·      How his book is helping people find their purpose and live a purposeful life (18:36)

·      The concept of open-handedness as we pursue our goals (26:36)

·      The Japanese concept of Kintsugi and how it relates to integrity and our relationships (32:29)

·      How we can avoid external landmines in our lives (38:07)

·      His ministry with the OC Seahorses (42:40)

·      His defining moment in his soccer career and what he learned from it (48:25)

·      His most influential coach and how he is using the lessons learned from his coach in his life today (50:55)

·      His thoughts, good and bad, about the current state of US Soccer (53:50)

·      How he is using an important lesson learned from playing soccer in his marriage (59:15)

·      His book recommendations (1:01:14)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Ali’s Website (where you can get a copy of Veritas: 7 Truths that Lead to a Purposeful Life)

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Training Camp: What the Best Do Better Than Everyone Else, Jon Gordon

·      The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team With Positive Energy, Jon Gordon

In Episode 42, our co-host, Phil Darke, finishes off this offseason’s talks by sharing five life lessons we can all learn from the beautiful game and apply in every area of our lives: 1) Maximum effort; 2) Always be on your guard; 3) Be able to make decisions on the fly; 4) Your work is important even if nobody sees it; and 5) Rest is a critical component of success. 

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Email Phil for information about DISC training and/or Coaching the Bigger Game program – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com
• The Warrior Way Program
• Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success, by Shawn Stevenson

In Episode 37, we continue our Offseason Talks series with our host, Phil Darke, talking about the life and leadership lessons he learned from the seven rules for life that John Wooden learned from his dad and sought to live out during his time on Earth. We cover the first three of the rules in this episode: 1) Be true to yourself; 2) Make each day a masterpiece; and 3) Help others.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Email Phil – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com – to set up a call to discuss how DISC can help you in your leadership and other areas of your life
• Warrior Way Soccer Training
• Coach Wooden: The 7 Principles That Shaped His Life and Will Change Yours, by Pat Williams
• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek
• Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, by James Kerr

Over the next two weeks surrounding Christmas, we are introducing to you our sister podcast, Coaching Character, which is officially launching on January 5. We expect that fans of HSEL will love Coaching Character because it helps coaches of youth sports (and all other levels) to incorporate leadership and character development principles into their practices and other areas of their coaching. As they say on the show, the podcast "coaches coaches to coach character." For more information about Coaching Character, visit the Coaching Character Apple Podcasts page. 

In Episode 93 and other episodes this summer, we are taking a break from our normal programming to share with you some unreleased episodes from the Coaching Character Podcast, which Phil recorded with Coach Roz, who played football for the Oakland Raiders and San Diego State, and now runs The Playmakers, which works with at-risk and developmentally different children. This is great content that we wanted to ensure got the airtime it deserves. In this episode, Coach Roz and Phil talk with Darrell Garrettson, Offensive Analyst for University of Arizona, and former quarterback for Utah State and Oregon State, about the lessons he learned playing for and coaching with his dad (and what we all can learn from his experiences), how to prepare for life after sports, and much more.

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Playmakers Website
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Paul Jobson’s email address
• Phil Darke’s email address

In Episode 45, Will Russell, Founder & CEO of Russell Marketing and Executive Director of Russell Gives Foundation, talks with Phil about his work with Street Soccer USA, lessons he has learned from soccer and Premier League managers, success measures, his “why,” and the sacrifices needed to reach elite status. Specifically, Will discusses:

• How he developed his passion for soccer and leadership, and how he got to be where he is today (1:51)
• His work with Street Soccer USA (3:57)
• Lessons he has learned from reading biographies of great managers that he has applied to his marketing work and other areas of life, including accountability and shared mission, vision, and values (7:32)
• Lessons he has learned from the beautiful game that he uses in his marriage and marketing business, including fixed vs. growth mindset (21:53)
• How different managers measure success and how he measures success in his life (33:11)
• Whether sacrifices are needed to reach elite levels in sports and other areas of life (41:12)
• Will’s “why” and how he lives it out in his life (50:29)
• His recommendations (58:58)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Will on Twitter and LinkedIn
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Contact Phil about DISC Training
• Jack Wilshere Goal
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck
• Wenger: My Life Lessons in Red and White, by Arsene Wenger
• Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography, by Sir Alex Ferguson
• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear
• E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It, by Michael E. Gerber
• Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Wanted, by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy
• “All or Nothing: Manchester City” (Amazon Prime)
• “F1: Drive to Survive” (Netflix)
• “All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur” (Amazon Prime)

In Episode 154, we are recasting our episode with Dan Abrahams, Sports Psychologist, best-selling author of four books, Founder of the Dan Abrahams Soccer Academy and The Sport Psych Show Podcast, and former pro golfer, who talks with Phil about his sports psychology work, his books, and his podcast, the concepts of “Teamship” and motivational climate, extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation, pre-failing, self-leadership, his personal why, how we can coach difficult players by asking great questions, and whether we can recreate the pressure of a penalty kick outside of a match. Specifically, Dan discusses:

·      His story, his work with Premier League and other football/soccer teams, his books, his podcast, how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership, and how he got to where he is today (3:31)

·      What excites him about the increase of awareness of the importance of mindset and sports psychology in sports over the past several years (13:53)

·      In which sport the mental game is more important: soccer or golf (20:04)

·      The concept of “Teamship” and why it is important (26:49)

·      The Motivational Climate of a Team, what it is, and what it has to do with a team’s culture and burnout (30:13)

·      Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation, get-to vs. have-to mentality, and how they are related to short- and long-term performance (43:07)

·      The concept of pre-failing (49:01)

·      Why self-leadership and a leader’s mindset are important (53:13)

·      His personal why and how it is playing out in his life (59:05)

·      “Not” coaching difficult players, but teaching them to coach themselves through questions (1:01:23)

·      How personality styles are related to the sports psychology work (1:05:45)

·      Whether it is possible to recreate the pressure of a penalty kick in a training environment (1:09:31)

·      How he uses lessons learned in soccer in his family relationships (1:14:16)

·      His recommendation, which is very personal to him (1:15:44)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Dan’s Website
• The Sport Psych Show Podcast
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Phil Darke’s email address
• Soccer Tough: Simple Football Psychology Techniques to Improve Your Game, by Dan Abrahams
• Soccer Tough 2: Advanced Psychology Techniques for Footballers, by Dan Abrahams
• Soccer Brain: The 4C Coaching Model for Developing World Class Player Mindsets and a Winning Football Team, by Dan Abrahams
• Golf Tough: Practice, Prepare, Perform, and Progress, by Dan Abrahams
• The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance, by W. Timothy Gallwey

In Episode 19, Brad Miller, Founder of Soccer Resilience, Clinical Psychologist, and former Wake Forest soccer player, talks with Phil about the four pillars of soccer resilience, how we can address anxiety and depression in sports, resetting and retraining our brains, fixed vs. growth mindsets, and whether we actually do play like we practice. Specifically, Brad discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, sports psychology, and leadership (2:11)
• The four pillars of soccer resilience (8:59)
• Anxiety and depression in sports and beyond (17:08)
• Why it’s important to know that “it’s not a you issue, it’s a brain issue,” and what that means (22:14)
• Resetting and retraining our brain, and what that looks like in practice (26:13)
• The concept of “what you celebrate, you practice,” and how it relates to the mindfulness conversation (38:03)
• Fixed vs. Growth mindset and what it has to do with soccer (46:02)
• Is it really true that you play like you practice? (58:01)
• Can we recreate the stress and pressure of a penalty kick in training? (1:01:26)
• How Brad has used the principles from soccer in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (1:05:03)
• Brad’s book recommendations (1:09:11)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Soccer Resilience website – soccerresilience.com
• Soccer Resilience YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUQEXctanLbfHYfTNfSOUig
• Uncut Video of the Episode – https://youtu.be/KYVQLmQCah4
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• Phil on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Mindset, by Carol Dweck
• Switch on Your Brain, by Caroline Leaf
• Start With Why, by Simon Sinek
• “Start with Why” TED Talk -- https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en
• Think Orphan Podcast episode with Caroline Leaf -- https://thinkorphan.com/2020/10/27/episode-156-recast-caroline-leaf-switch-on-your-brain/
• The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg
• Atomic Habits, by James Clear
• Grit, by Angela Duckworth
• David and Goliath, by Malcolm Gladwell

In Episode 4 of How Soccer Explains Leadership, Amanda Cromwell, Head Coach of UCLA Women’s Soccer, Former National Team member and coach, former pro footballer, and Olympic Gold Medalist, talks with Phil about vulnerability, recruiting, pursuing justice, and infectious influence. More specifically, she covers:

• Her experience in soccer and leadership from her club career, to University of VA, to some other cool stuff, to her current position at UCLA. (1:46)
• The most memorable leaders she has played and coached with during her illustrious career, and the qualities that set them apart from the rest (3:21)
• The critical importance of understanding and connecting with your teammates and players you’re coaching (6:10)
• Life and leadership lessons she has learned from the game itself (7:25)
• The importance of players, and all people, to experience and overcome adversity and failure early in life (9:50)
• What we can learn from our losses ad failings (11:27)
• Leadership lessons (and some insider Bruin lore) from her Final Four experience in her National Championship season at UCLA (which also happened to be her first year at the school) (13:33)
• How to foster a healthy culture in a team full of elite players, and the difficulties of choosing captains (22:07)
• The non-negotiables of a captain (24:57)
• What she looks for in recruits (and their parents), how she works to prevent signing problem players to her program and how she deals with viruses who slip through the cracks (26:19)
• How to keep players content and motivated when they’re on the bench, or worse, not in the Top 18 (30:29)
• How she cultivates a healthy team culture with a team full of differing world views, political views, demographics, and backgrounds, even when people disagree on important things (34:18)
• Resources that she recommends to us (53:43)

Resources and Links from this Episode

Audio with subtitles available on our YouTube channel (video not available due to technical difficulties)

UCLA Women’s Soccer website & Social – https://uclabruins.com/sports/womens-soccer & @uclawsoccer

Amanda on Social -- @CromwellUCLA (Twitter) & @coach_cromwell (IG)

Corey Close on IG and Twitter --@coachcoriclose

How Soccer Explains Leadership Facebook Group -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership

“All or Nothing: Manchester City” – Amazon Prime

“All or Nothing: Tottenham” – Amazon Prime

“All of Notiong: All Blacks” – Amazon Prime

“The Social Dilemma” – Netflix

“Take the Ball, Pass the Ball” -- Netflix

How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, by Franklin Foer

Failing Forward, by John Maxwell

Think Orphan Podcast “Two Perspectives on Abortion” Episode -- https://thinkorphan.com/2018/08/21/episode-110/

In Episode 100, Dan Williams, soccer coach and Founder/Coach at Next Level Soccer Academy, and Founder/President of Sports Serve, talks with Phil and Paul about lessons he has learned from playing and coaching, his work with the Global Sports Movement, his thoughts on youth soccer in the US, how overcoaching and focusing on winning affects our players’ development, demystifying college recruiting, and what the Hero’s Journey has to do with parenting and coaching. Specifically, Dan discusses:

• His personal story, how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, ministry, and coaching, and how he is using soccer to teach life lessons to his players and many others around the world (3:09)
• The Global Sports Movement and how it is impacting lives around the world through sport, fitness, and play (10:10)
• His thoughts on the trajectory of youth soccer in the US, positive and negative (12:23)
• The role overcoaching plays when we talk about decision making and execution from a player standpoint (20:19)
• How the focus on winning in youth sports has affected the development of young players (23:36)
• How he has used lessons learned from soccer in his ministry (30:56)
• How he is using lessons learned from soccer in his marriage and parenting (40:13)
• Demystifying college recruiting (46:57)
• What the Hero’s Journey has to do with parenting and coaching (49:35)
• His book recommendation (59:07)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Next Level Soccer Academy
• Global Sports Movement
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Warrior Way Soccer
• Coaching the Bigger Game Program
• Phil’s email for DISC Training
• The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, by Gary Chapman
• All or Nothing: Arsenal (Amazon Prime Video)
• All or Nothing: Tottenham (Amazon Prime Video)
• All or Nothing: Manchester City (Amazon Prime Video)
• The Road to Character, by David Brooks