Beyond Coaching: An Impactful Coaching Project Podcast

Podcast by Dr. Rob Ramseyer

Beyond Coaching: An Impactful Coaching Project Podcast

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

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Latest episodes

09 October 2025

Best of September

This special Best of September edition of Beyond Coaching brings together some of the most eye-opening and practical conversations we’ve had this month. From the sidelines of youth sports to the leadership labs of the Naval Academy, each guest shared powerful stories and truths that speak directly to the challenges coaches and leaders face every day.

We kick things off with Mitch Hull of the 3D Institute, who challenges how we think about parents in youth sports. Then, Jamy Bechler joins us with a dose of real-world coaching leadership that bridges theory and the chaos of daily decisions. And finally, Jim McNeil from the U.S. Naval Academy offers a look inside how future leaders are forged—not just through wins, but through failure.

Episode Timeline & Highlights

[1:16] – Are parents the problem—or just a symptom? Mitch Hull reframes the youth sports narrative.

[4:19] – Playing time is king: What most parent complaints are really about—and why it matters.

[6:00] – Why 70% of kids quit sports before high school. It's not about the scoreboard—it’s about what we model.

[8:16] – “Simple, not easy”: Jamy Bechler on how leadership breaks down when the day gets messy.

[10:51] – Twelve walk in, not two: A surprise team meeting tests Jamy’s leadership approach in real time.

[14:08] – The Naval Academy as a leadership lab: Jim McNeil on how midshipmen judge adults by their leadership.

[17:24] – Permission to fail: Why the Academy pushes high achievers to fail early, reflect deeply, and grow fast.

Links & Resources

Mitch Hull – 3D Institute
Jamy Bechler – jamybechler.com
Jim McNeal – Author of Crucibles
Learn more at impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com

If this episode challenged or inspired you, I’d love it if you’d share it with another coach, leader, or parent. Be sure to rate, review, and follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Thanks for being part of the Impactful Coaching Project!

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29 September 2025

Inside the Naval Academy’s Leadership Lab: Coaching, Failure, and Mentorship with Jim McNeal (Part 1)

In this first half of my conversation with Jim McNeal, we dive deep into what it means to lead, fail, and mentor in one of the toughest leadership pipelines in the world: the U.S. Naval Academy. Jim, a Naval Academy alum turned coach, mentor, and author, shares how he coaches high school and collegiate athletes, why failure is intentionally built into the Academy’s system, and how he guides students to own responsibility instead of blaming external circumstances.

We also unpack how coaching high school differs from coaching at the college level in terms of maturity, mindset, and purpose — and why the Academy functions like a leadership laboratory, where every interaction matters. The pressure is intentional. The lessons are real. And failure is expected — as long as you learn from it.

Episode Highlights

[00:45] – Jim’s background: Naval Academy grad, Supply Corps officer, journey into coaching & mentoring

[08:05] – Differences between coaching high school vs. college athletes

[12:31] – Why the Naval Academy functions as a leadership laboratory

[15:38] – The intentional role of failure in the Academy’s growth model

[19:49] – Helping high achievers internalize responsibility instead of blame

[24:43] – The importance of loving the process over focusing only on outcomes

[29:21] – How coaching generational shifts—and building trust—has (or hasn’t) changed over time

🔗 Links & Resources

Crucibles by Jim McNeil & J. Eric Smith
Beyond Coaching Podcast: beyondcoaching.alitu.com
Impactful Coaching Project: impactfulcoachingproject.com

Closing Thoughts

Thanks for tuning in to Part 1 of my conversation with Jim McNeil. In Part 2, we’ll dig into his new book Crucibles, pull out lessons for coaches and leaders, and explore what it really takes to lead through adversity.

If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to follow, rate, and review the show, and share it with a fellow coach or leader who needs to hear it. In your review, put your favorite part of this episode!

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15 September 2025

Jamy Bechler: Simple Isn't Easy

“Simple Isn't Easy"

Guest: Jamy Bechler – Leadership Consultant, Former Coach & AD, Host of Success Is a Choice Podcast

In this episode of Beyond Coaching, Rob sits down with Jamy Bechler—someone who's done it all: NAIA coach, high school AD, college interim AD, and now a full-time leadership consultant working with athletic departments around the country. Together they dive into the realities behind the leadership buzzwords.

Highlights Include:

What it’s really like to step back into the AD chair after consulting from a distance
The myth of the “perfect plan” and how Jamy handled a surprise full-team meeting
Why leadership is simple, but not easy—especially when emotions are high
A candid look at coachability and the lack of it—even among experienced coaches
The impact of changing environments vs. changing kids (hint: the onus is still on us)
Practical strategies for hiring when you don’t know the sport inside and out
Jamy’s take on how responsibility and blame get confused in athletic leadership
Why “Success Is a Choice” still matters—and how Jamy stole it from Rick Pitino

This conversation is packed with real-world application, tough truths, and encouragement for coaches navigating today’s complex athletic landscape. Whether you’re a young coach or a seasoned AD, this episode will challenge and equip you.

Resources Mentioned:

Success Is a Choice by Rick Pitino
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty by Harvey Mackay
Coach Wooden and Me by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Follow Jamy Bechler:

Twitter/X: @CoachBechler

Website: www.JamyBechler.com

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01 September 2025

Parents Aren’t the Problem: What Coaches Must Change First (Mitch Hull)

In this episode, Rob welcomes back Mitch Hull for a honest conversation about how to fix youth sports. They explore the root causes of parent conflict, why playing time dominates every sideline conversation, and what coaches and athletic leaders can actually do to shift the culture. From parent meetings to post-game behavior, Mitch shares practical, field-tested advice on how to create transformational environments rooted in purpose—not pressure.

This episode is for anyone who’s tired of the noise around youth sports and ready to do something about it.

Topics Covered

Are parents the disease or the symptom?
Why every conflict eventually comes down to playing time
How to run a parent meeting that sets the tone
Why kids quit—and how coaches and parents unintentionally push them away
What it means to “coach the experience,” not just the outcome
Simple tools to humanize the game and build real connection

Key Takeaways

Parents judge what they see, and if coaches don’t show value beyond playing time, that’s all parents will care about.
Playing time is finite—so give parents something infinite to hold onto: their child’s experience, character, and growth.
We can’t wait for others to fix youth sports. Coaches must lead—early, often, and intentionally.
Small, consistent moments of connection (thanking officials, affirming opponents, celebrating effort) transform culture more than any policy ever will.
The best programs teach kids how to respond to adversity—not avoid it.

Rapid Fire Wisdom

Build trust early: share your “why” with parents and athletes
Train coaches to lead, not just manage
Normalize mistakes and model healthy response to pressure
Reinforce values through routines (trash pickup, handshakes, put-ups)

Resources + Links

🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://beyondcoaching.alitu.com
📰 Coaching insights, articles, and tools: https://impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com
📚 Books:
• Coaching and Leading the 21st Century Athlete
• Athletic Department Leadership and Developing Coaches
Available now on Amazon.

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28 August 2025

Best of August

In this special Best of edition, we revisit some of the most meaningful conversations from August on Beyond Coaching. These highlights capture the real work of coaching—leading people, shaping environments, and creating cultures that last.

Featured Segments

Jason Schmidt on Early Coaching Lessons
Jason reflects on stepping into a head coaching role at a young age, learning the hard truth that leadership isn’t about the title—it’s about serving athletes where they are.
Balancing Care and Competitiveness
Jason unpacks one of coaching’s hardest tensions: building a culture of care while still demanding competitiveness. He explains his 80/20 roster philosophy and how transformation happens when competitiveness and culture coexist.
Generation Z and Coaching Today
Jason shares insights on working with Gen Z athletes—why they test everything, how attention spans are shaped by technology, and why intentional systems of care and relational leadership matter more than ever.
The Messiah Method and Creating Environments
Rob and Dustin dive into The Messiah Method, discussing why the coach’s primary role is to create an environment where athletes can grow and thrive. They explore how environment becomes culture, why nothing should be left to chance, and what daily habits give programs meaning beyond wins and losses.

Learn More

impactfulcoachingproject.com
impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com

Keep an eye out for the upcoming Impactful Coaching Project Online Coaching Class—a new way to develop as a coach through our proven frameworks, resources, and conversations.

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18 August 2025

From Lacrosse Field to Athletic Branding: Jason Schmidt's Evolution

In this episode of the Beyond Coaching podcast, host Rob Ramseyer talks with Jayson Schmidt — a branding consultant for college athletic departments and a former Division II women’s lacrosse head coach — about the realities of leading in today’s sports landscape.

Jayson’s journey took him from corporate marketing into coaching, where he quickly learned that leadership is less about titles and more about intentional relationships. From earning just $5,000 as a part-time assistant to running his own consulting business, Jayson has built his career on understanding people, serving them well, and creating cultures that balance competition with care.

Key Themes in This Episode

1. Lessons from the Early Coaching Years

Jayson shares what he “didn’t know he didn’t know” when stepping into leadership as a 23-year-old coach. He talks about the difference between thinking you understand servant leadership and truly living it, especially when coaching former teammates.

2. Balancing Relationships and Winning

How do you recruit athletes who not only fit your culture but also bring the competitive edge needed to win? Jayson explains the “80/20 rule” for roster makeup, how to handle strong personalities, and why some of his most meaningful relationships came from players in that 20%.

3. Leading Generation Z

Jayson works daily on recruiting, marketing to, and leading Gen Z student-athletes. He offers insights on what’s similar across generations (youthful skepticism, testing boundaries) and what’s different (shorter attention spans, higher expectations for intentional connection).

4. Building Systems of Care

From setting phone reminders to reach out to athletes, to keeping an open-door policy, to adopting a “double exclamation” text system for urgent needs, Jayson shares practical ways to make players feel seen, valued, and supported.

5. Redefining Toughness in Sports

Drawing from Do Hard Things and his own coaching experience, Jayson breaks down the three pillars of team toughness:

Psychological safety — an environment where players can mess up without fear of exclusion.
Opportunities to get better — skilled coaching and intentional development.
Shared adversity — going through hard things together, on and off the field, and maintaining relationships through them.

Memorable Quotes

“This isn’t about you. This was never about you.”
“The moments that create toughness aren’t always on the field; they’re in the hardest moments of life, when people come around you.”

Who Should Listen

This episode is for:

Coaches looking to deepen relationships while staying competitive
Athletic directors seeking cultural alignment in recruiting
Leaders of Generation Z in athletics, education, or business
Anyone interested in intentional leadership and team culture

Resources and Links Mentioned

Connect with Jayson Schmidt: https://www.hellopreseason.com/brandingforathletics
Book: Who Not How by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy
Learn more about the Impactful Coaching Project: impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com
Visit us at: impactfulcoachingproject.com
Subscribe on Substack: impactfulcoachingproject.substack.com

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