Beyond Coaching: An Impactful Coaching Project Podcast

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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

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27 October 2025

Podcast Short: Responding Instead of Reacting (Dustin Galyon)

In this episode, Dustin Galyon shares a real-world coaching moment involving a senior student-athlete who skipped a team workout and responded with uncharacteristic defiance. Instead of reacting with discipline alone, Dustin leaned on years of relationship-building to have a direct, honest conversation—one that ultimately deepened trust and ended with mutual respect.

The conversation explores how coaching has changed over the past decade, why relationships matter more than ever, and how today’s coaches can lead with both accountability and empathy. It’s a reminder that the best coaching happens when leaders stay connected, even in tough moments.

Brought to You By:

The Impactful Coaching Project helps coaches lead today’s athletes with a more holistic approach to leadership. ICP offers training, tools, and research-backed resources that connect mental, emotional, and physical health to strong team performance. Learn how to build healthy, competitive team cultures at impactfulcoachingproject.com.

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13 October 2025

Naval Academy Ethics, Crucibles, and Coaching: Jim McNeal (Part 2)

In Part 2, we dig deeper into how the U.S. Naval Academy develops ethical, resilient leaders—and how those same lessons apply to coaching. Jim breaks down the Academy’s leadership lab, the sophomore ethics course, and the “2 for 7” contract that defines a midshipman’s commitment.

We also talk about his new book, Crucibles—what inspired it, the diverse organizations studied (from NASA to the Gurkhas to the Mafia), and what modern teams and coaches can learn from how these groups design challenges that forge true belonging and purpose.

Topics

  • The Academy as a “leadership laboratory”
  • Sophomore ethics: Ethical & Moral Reasoning for the Naval Leader
  • “2 for 7” commitment and the cost of service
  • Moral stress tests: real-world ethical scenarios
  • Time management and “the alligator closest to the boat”
  • Jim’s new book Crucibles — lessons from NASA, Gurkhas, Mafia, and more
  • The fine line between initiation and hazing
  • Designing crucibles that build learning organizations (five elements)
  • Why standards—not comfort—should define leadership
  • Lightning round: Season of Life, standards > stats, defining success, early mornings

Five takeaways for coaches

  1. Teach ethics like a skill. Pressure-test decision-making.
  2. Lead with standards. Stop chasing external validation.
  3. Design your crucible. If it doesn’t serve growth, it’s hazing.
  4. Master time. Handle “the alligator closest to the boat.”
  5. Build a learning culture. Focus on mastery, challenge, culture, expertise, and strategy.

Resources mentioned

  • Crucibles — Jim McNeil & Eric Smith (audiobook available)
  • Season of Life — Jeffrey Marx

Pull quotes

  • “If you can’t tie a tradition to a positive result, it’s hazing.”
  • “Crucibles define who belongs—not by exclusion, but by shared purpose.”
  • “You can’t lead others unless you know yourself.”
  • “Standards—not external judges—have to drive us.”
  • “Time management is the skill: handle the alligator closest to the boat.”

Listen & links

Please review! In your review, tell us your biggest takeaway from this episode!

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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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