Building Intentional Team Culture: Lessons from The Messiah Method

In this episode, Rob and Dustin dive into The Messiah Method—a book that explores how Messiah College built one of the most dominant college soccer programs from 2000 to 2010. But this isn’t just about winning. It’s about the why behind the success: building an intentional environment where athletes grow, thrive, and represent something greater than themselves.

Key Themes:

• Environment > Scoreboard – What makes your program worth being part of if you take away the scoreboard? For Messiah, it was all about culture, intentionality, and relationships.
• Culture Is Built, Not Hoped For – Every program has a culture. The question is whether you’re shaping it on purpose. Great programs are intentional about how they do what they do.
• Systems of Care – Tied into the "3 C’s" framework from Rob and Dustin’s work, this episode emphasizes that great environments are supported by systems—particularly systems of care that reinforce team values.
• Relationships Drive Motivation – Their own data shows that teammates and family are the top motivators for student-athletes, not just coaches. Coaches have to build environments where these relationships can flourish.
• The Recruiting Test – If a recruit's parent observed your team for a week, what would they say you value most? That’s your real identity.

Quote of the Episode:

"Take away the scoreboard—what still makes your program worth being part of?"

Coach Reflection Questions:

• What do your daily habits say about your team culture?
• Are you building something that will last beyond one season?
• Do your players live out your values—or just hear about them?

Beyond Coaching is a podcast developed by the Impactful Coaching Project in partnership with Friends University. We help coaches develop the whole person and lead the 21st century athlete with clarity and purpose.

For more resources, articles, and training:

Website: impactfulcoachingproject.com

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