#364 Wells Thompson, Former MLS Player and Founder of Soccer Resilience, on How to Think Better so you can Perform Better
Friday, 16 February 2024
Wells Thompson is a former Major League Soccer Player and the Founder of Soccer Resilience, an mazing resource for players and teams to build inner strength and help athletes think better so they can perform better. Wells was an all ACC player at Wake Forest and the 5th pick in the 2007 MLS Super Draft.
- Published in Leadership, mental health, Mental Toughness, Podcast, Soccer
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#359 Aaron Cusack, Professor of High Performance Sport Coaching and UEFA A License Coach: “Try Not to Let Someone Else’s Decision Define Who You Are”
Friday, 12 January 2024
Aaron Cusack is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching and PE at Plymouth Marjon University in England where he program leads an MSc in High-Performance Sport Coaching. Coupled with his academic career, he is also a football coach with over 20 years of experience in coach education. Formerly a trainee youth player with Plymouth Argyle,
- Published in Coaching, Podcast, psychology, Soccer
#356 Alan Kirkup, Former Man United Player and 30 Year NCAA Coach, on Creating Connection Through Conversation and Instilling a Culture of Excellence
Thursday, 21 December 2023
Alan Kirkup is a former professional soccer player with Manchester United, and then spent multiple decades coaching in the US. He was head women’s soccer coach at SMU, Maryland, and the University of Arkansas before joining Becky Burleigh at the University of Florida for nearly two decades. He compiled over 250 wins as a head
#355 Paul McVeigh, English Premier League and International Soccer Player: “Do your limits allow you to achieve what you want to achieve?”
Thursday, 14 December 2023
For over 25 years, Paul McVeigh (@PaulMcVeigh77) has been an elite performer in two of the most competitive industries on the planet; elite sport and performance psychology. As a thought leader in business, performance psychology and as a published author, he’s dedicated his career to understanding what makes humans ‘tick’ and how it affects the
- Published in Football, Podcast, Soccer, sport psychology
#339 Becky Burleigh, 3x National Champion Soccer Coach, on Coaching Human Beings, Not Human Doings, What Drives Winning, and The Best Question to Ask in a Player Meeting
Friday, 25 August 2023
Listen on the web, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher Listen and Watch the Podcast on You Tube: @WayofChampionsPodcast Becky Burleigh began her college soccer coaching career at the ripe old age of 21, coaching Berry College to two NAIA National Championships before moving onto the University of Florida. In her nearly three decades at Florida, she won the 1998 NCAA Championship,
- Published in Coaching, Leadership, Podcast, Soccer
#325 A Conversation with the 2022 NCAA Champion UCLA Women’s Soccer Staff
Friday, 19 May 2023
Listen on the web, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher Listen and Watch the Podcast on You Tube: @WayofChampionsPodcast We did a little something different this week and invited the entire coaching staff for the 2022 NCAA Champion UCLA Women’s Soccer team. Head Coach Margeuritte Aozosa had a storied career as a player at Santa Clara and then great success as an
#306 Vince Ganzberg, United Soccer Coaches Director of Coach Education: “The Novice Coach Wants Recipes; the Master Coach Wants to Understand People”
Friday, 06 January 2023
Listen on the web, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher Listen and Watch the Podcast on You Tube: @WayofChampionsPodcast Vince Ganzberg is the Director of Coach Education for United Soccer Coaches, the largest soccer coaches association in the world. Ganzberg has earned his US Soccer A-License, United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma, and National Youth License along with a Master’s Degree in recreation
#294 Raymond Verheijen, 4x World Cup and EURO’s Coach, on the Importance of Fitness Training Within Sport Context, Overuse Injuries, Periodization of Training, and Managing Load When Athletes Play up an Age
Friday, 14 October 2022
Listen on the web, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher Raymond Verheijen (@raymondverheije) is a world renowned fitness coach and has been involved as an assistant in 4 World Cups and 4 EURO’s working under Legendary Dutch coach Gus Hiddink, as well as working with several European top clubs like FC Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City. As a youth player Verheijen
#247 Manchester United’s Tony Whelan and Tom Statham: Our Most Important Job is Protecting Childhood
Friday, 19 November 2021
Tom Statham and Tony Whelan have a combined 60 plus years coaching and leading the young players in Manchester United’s Academy. Tony started out there as a schoolboy, eventually signing professional terms and playing for Man United, Manchester City, and in the US in the old NASL. He has been at United since 1990 in
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#232 Wes Brown: Manchester United’s 2x Champions League and 5x EPL Winner on his Journey from Pickup Games to the Pros
Sunday, 08 August 2021
Listen on the web, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher When we talk about being a champion, not too many people in professional sport can claim to understand what it takes to get to the top of the game like Wes Brown. Brown loved taekwondo and playing pickup games in the park as a kid, and didn’t join his first soccer
- Published in mental health, Podcast, Soccer
#225 ECNL President Christian Lavers: “If you don’t know what they see, you risk coaching the wrong thing.”
Sunday, 20 June 2021
Listen on the web, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher Christian Lavers is a former attorney turned soccer coach, and today is the president of the Elite Clubs National League, a nationwide, highly competitive league where over 90% of the girls involved move on to college soccer, and the fledgling boys league is already attracting some of the top teams in
- Published in club sports, Coaching, Podcast
#223 “No Excuses!” Mark Pulisic, Father of Chelsea and US Soccer Star Christian Pulisic, on Christian’s Journey to the Top
Sunday, 06 June 2021
Listen on the web, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher This week, in order to celebrate Christian Pulisic becoming the first American male to win the Champions League, we dig into the archives for our interview with his father Mark. Mark is a former collegiate and professional player and coach, and our talk took place soon after Christian completed his $73
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#222 “You’ve Got to Taste The Mud!” How to Become a Better Coach with EPL and Serie A Coach Carlo Cornacchia
Sunday, 30 May 2021
Listen on the web, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher Carlo Cornacchia is a long time friend and coaching collaborator, and has both played and coached at the highest levels the game of soccer has to offer. He played professionally in Italy for clubs such as Napoli, Atalanta and Cagliari, and the last few years he has been a part of
#206 Author Doug Lemov: “The Most Overlooked Factor in Learning is Forgetting”
Sunday, 07 February 2021
This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome back author Doug Lamov. Doug is here to discus his new book, The Coach’s Guide to Teaching. Doug was on the podcast years ago in episode #046 to discuss his previous book, Teach Like a Champion 2.0: 62 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College. In his new book, and all throughout our conversation, we dive into how to give feedback, check for understanding, and how to build culture, plus much, much more! Grab a pen and something to write on--you will need it or this episode!
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#205 Todd Beane on How to Coach Clearly and Establish a Club Methodology
Sunday, 31 January 2021
This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome back Todd Beane, founder of TOVO Academy in Barcelona, Spain and a former director with the Cruyff Institute. During our discussion, we we talk about how to coach clearly, how to establish a club philosophy, why it is important to find your why, and why it is important to find define our ideal player and ideal practice.
- Published in Podcast
This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, we replay an episode from 2018 with a 36-time NCAA Champion Sport Psychology Consultant and one of the greatest coaches of all time! This is a show you cannot miss! Dr. Jerry Lynch and Anson Dorrance join John this week to talk Dean Smith, John Wooden, Alonzo
#172 How to Be a Great Sports parent and a Better Coach with Seth Taylor and Skye Eddy Bruce
Sunday, 14 June 2020
This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, we welcome Skye Eddy Bruce and Seth Taylor. We dive into the youth sports world and discuss the topic of being a great sports parent like how to get parents to listen to what their children want/need, the difference between encouraging and distracting sideline behavior by parents,
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#162 Chris Armas, NY Red Bulls Head Coach, “Every Player Has a Fire Inside Them, it is our Job to Stoke It”
Sunday, 12 April 2020
This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, we welcome Chris Armas, New York Red Bulls Head Coach, and former professional soccer player. Armas made 66 appearances with the US National Team, and was US Soccer’s Player of the Year in 2000. He was names to 6 MLS All Star games and five times was
- Published in Podcast
#160 Inside the Mind of a World Cup Referee with Esse Baharmast
Sunday, 29 March 2020
This week on the Way of Champions Podcast we welcome Esfandiar “Esse” Baharmast, a former referee, player, coach and current instructor who has been involved in more than a dozen World Cup tournaments and Olympic Games, and was named the 2020 winner of U.S. Soccer’s prestigious Werner Fricker Builder Award. We dive into how great referees
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#149 US Soccer Legend Landon Donovan and Carrie Taylor: Breaking New Ground in Professional Soccer with SD Loyal
Sunday, 12 January 2020
iTunes – Spotify – Stitcher Join us as we welcome Landon Donovan and Carrie Taylor to the Way of Champions Podcast this week. Landon Donovan is an American soccer legend. He is the all-time leading scorer for the US national team, a 6x Major League Soccer Champion, and played professionally in MLS, the English Premier
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#146 Dr. Jay Martin, All-Time Winningest Men’s Collegiate Soccer Coach
Sunday, 22 December 2019
iTunes – Spotify – Stitcher Dr. Jay Martin, Head Men’s Soccer Coach for Ohio Wesleyan for the past 42 years is the winningest coach in college men’s soccer history. We talk with Coach Martin about the importance of making practice fun, how kids have changed in the past 43 years of coaching, and how to
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#141 Catch Them Being Good: A replay of our interview with the late, great World Cup and Olympic Champion Tony DiCicco
Sunday, 17 November 2019
iTunes – Spotify – Stitcher Tony DiCicco was the former Head Coach of the US Women’s National and Olympic Soccer Teams, as well as the US U20 Women’s National Team. He coached the US National Team to their famous victory in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Championship, the largest women’s sporting event in history. Unfortunately, Tony
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#132 Professional Soccer Player Chris Wondolowski on building a Warrior Culture and becoming the all time leading scorer in MLS history
Sunday, 15 September 2019
iTunes – Spotify – Stitcher This week on the Way of Champions Podcast, John and Jerry talk with San Jose Earthquakes’ Chris Wondolowski on building a warrior culture and becoming the all time leading scorer in MLS history. It is a great episode you are not going to want to miss! Highlights from the Discussion: Jerry
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#128 Can We Stop the Officials Shortage by Shaming Parents and Coaches? A Conversation with Referee Brian Barlow
Sunday, 18 August 2019
iTunes – Spotify – Stitcher This week’s podcast guest is Brian Barlow, Oklahoma father and soccer referee Brian Barlow. On his facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/youreoffside/, Barlow calls out parents who are caught on tape displaying poor sportsmanship and offers $100 to people who submit the videos to bring attention to the pervasive problem of parents acting badly
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#127 Mark Pulisic, Father of USMNT Star Christian Pulisic, on Coaching and Raising Highly Motivated Athletes
Sunday, 11 August 2019
This weekend, US men’s national team star Christian Pulisic began his EPL career with Chelsea after his $73 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund to London. In today’s podcast, we speak with his father Mark, a former collegiate and professional player and coach, about a variety of topics, including what it was like to raise Christian,
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#123 Coaches of the Future Need to be Evidence Based Coaches with Dr. Ron Quinn
Sunday, 14 July 2019
Coaches of the future need to be evidence based coaches, according to Dr. Ronald Quinn, our recent guest on the Way of Champions Podcast. Join us as we discuss many topics, including why he chose to focus on youth sports and not coaching professionals, teaching “positions” versus “positioning”, and the importance of having a
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#120 Football Starts at Home, with Tom Byer
Sunday, 23 June 2019
Tom Byer is a former professional soccer player originally from New York but who is now based in Tokyo, Japan as one of the most decorated and admired grassroots soccer coaches in the Asian region. HIs official title is Tom is the Technical Consultant for the Ministry of Education School Football Campus Program”. He was
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WOC #8 Catch Them Being Good with Olympic and World Cup Champion Coach Tony DiCicco
Tuesday, 09 May 2017
Tony DiCicco is the former Head Coach of the US Women’s National and Olympic Soccer Teams, as well as the US U20 Women’s National Team. He coached the US National Team to their famous victory in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Championship, the largest women’s sporting event in history. In 1996, he coached the
The 4th Path: Reinventing US Youth Soccer Player Development
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
When it comes to the development of young soccer players in the United States, many parents and coaches come to that proverbial fork in the road, and are unsure what path to take. Most parents want their child to try many sports, yet are faced with the harsh reality of high participation costs, nearly year-round
- Published in Coaching, Soccer, Specialization