Essential Coaching Conversations

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Amy Peters, a clinical psychologist AND a tremendous basketball coach. She was Aseem's assistant coach at Worcester Academy, and is now the Associate Head Coach at BB&N in Cambridge, MA. We dive deep into the realm of psychology, identity, and how we as adults can help our players see past the perfection myth. All that and more on this episode of ECC! Resources referenced: NCAA survey: https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/research/wellness/Dec2023RES_HW-MentalHealthRelease.pdfWomen in sport survey: https://womeninsport.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Executive-Summary-Tackling-Teenage-Disengagement-March-2022.pdfAssociation for Applied Sport Psychology Mental Wellness Resource Center: https://appliedsportpsych.org/resources/mental-wellness-resource-center/ As always, leave us a comment, hit us on social media, or email us your thoughts at admin@essential-coaching.net. Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching

Luka gets traded to the Lakers for...*checks notes*...Anthony Davis? Citing concerns of durability and wanting to win now? Weren't the Mavs just in the finals? Video of Jason Kidd's reaction: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aD658LkJe2I ESPN article: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43678217/luka-doncic-father-calls-mavericks-lakers-trade Good lord. All that and more on this episode of ECC! As always, leave us a comment, hit us on social media, or email us your thoughts at admin@essential-coaching.net. Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching

You may have a Jimmy Butler problem on your team. It's very possible you don't have A Jimmy Butler, but his situation in Miami may be indicative of a larger societal issue that is plaguing youth, high school, and college sport. Listen to the guys dive in and dissect. Video Referenced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDYEa0PbJF0&ab_channel=HouseofHighlights Article Referenced: https://espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43535792/erik-spoelstra-heat-jimmy-butler-suspension-get-it As always, leave us a comment, hit us on social media, or email us your thoughts at admin@essential-coaching.net. Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching

What the heck does "coach em up" mean? Why do we get into this time of year and either become complacent or feel like we have to change everything we are doing? What are the conspiracy theories and stories that coaches tell themselves to justify either their lack of preparation or why their team isn't performing the way they think they should. We all do it, we all did it, and we are all guilty of it. Let's move past it and really think about how we can manage our performance better. As always, leave us a comment, hit us on social media, or email us your thoughts at admin@essential-coaching.net. Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching

What's the role of sport during crisis? How do we reconcile the need for "distraction," and the very real trauma that athletes, coaches, and HUMANS face when there is a crisis? We attempt to answer some of these questions in this episode, centered mostly around the reaction to the New Orleans terror attack and the wildfires in LA. If you'd like to help with the situation facing our neighbors in California, please consider donating to the Red Cross or any of the other organizations doing incredible work to help the recovery and containment efforts. Please help people affected by the 2025 California Wildfires by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or texting the word CAWILDFIRES to 90999 to make a donation. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from these disasters. As always, leave us a comment, hit us on social media, or email us your thoughts at admin@essential-coaching.net. Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching

A recent ESPN article highlighting Kevin O'Connell's approach as Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings was a breath of fresh air. Listen as we discuss how coaching CAN be done this way, and Kevin O'Connell's unique (which shouldn't be, but it is) approach to connecting with players and building their confidence. Complete with quotes from the article, including by his colleagues and his players, we get a picture of a modern day coach who understands that connection, trust, engagement, and motivation are the bedrocks to long-term success. Link to article: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43322013/nfl-vikings-coach-kevin-oconnell-sam-darnold-rams-playoffs As always, let us know your thoughts via comments, social media, or email at admin@essential-coaching.net. Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching

We are back in 2025 with a new format and the same depth and conversation you expect from us! In this episode, we discuss a fairly viral clip that left us scratching our heads. Mick Cronin, head coach of the UCLA Men's Basketball team, took his frustrations with his team to the media in a post game press conference. Here's the clip (it's in the episode as well): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEkeu4cRZ2Q/ Is he okay? Why, in 2025, do we think this is acceptable at all? The comments on the post are certainly interesting, as well, and relatively indicative of where we are and why we do what we do. Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments, and feel free to reach out on social media or via email, as well! Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching

Let's take a look back at the year for EC as well as get into the entire Doug Gottlieb saga going on at UW Green Bay. What a disaster! Hate to say we told you so, though. Link to article mentioned: https://www.bracketsbubblesandbidstealers.com/post/rise-and-shine-it-s-time-to-talk-about-green-bay Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

This week, we welcomed Wyatt Olson, the Associate AD for Internal Operations at Louisiana Tech University. The conversation centers around helping young people with transitioning out of athletics, into career, and more. Wyatt is an expert on leadership within organizations, and his story has so many relatable twists and turns for all of us who have built lives and careers through struggle and strife. Use some of the nuggets in this episode to help the young people you serve to transition more smoothly out of your care into the world! Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

We are back! Trying something new this go around, seeing how it works. Let us know your thoughts on the episode! Check out more content, questions, and resources here: Podcast: tinyurl.com/eccpod YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Medium: https://medium.com/@essentialcoaching TikTok: tiktok.com/@essentialcoaching --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

We are inspired by a lot of things, art being one of them. Recently, Kyle had a chance to head to an art museum in Dallas where it spurred his thinking about why we as coaches treat the game and our craft like some sort of plug and play exact science. Why can't we be creative? What stands in the way of creating something new or a new style to express our way of doing things? This was a great episode to record and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do! All that and more on this episode of Essential Coaching Conversations. Follow and DM us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseem Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Subscribe to our website: www.essential-coaching.net --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

It's one of the most used Coachspeak phrases there is. If you hear this in recruiting, run the other way. If you use this phrase to describe yourself, it's time for some RACA. We can do better. We need to do better. The definition of brutal All that and more on this episode of Essential Coaching Conversations. Follow and DM us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseem Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Subscribe to our website: www.essential-coaching.net --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

We all have tech at our fingertips, but are we really using it to its fullest capability? We have Oura Rings, Apple Watches, FitBits, Whoop Bands, Catapult Systems, Teamworks...you name it - we have it. We're using Hudl and Synergy to optimize strategy, but how about actual performance? The guys take a deep dive into how we can use the latest tech, which most of our athletes have, to truly get 1% better and find ways to optimize our performance to continue to win. All that and more on this episode of Essential Coaching Conversations. Follow and DM us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseem Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Subscribe to our website: www.essential-coaching.net --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

The Olympics have come and gone and we noticed some REALLY awesome things that we hope everyone can benefit from. Listen in as we break down the Top 3 things we noticed, as well as what it was like to watch the Olympics in a different country other than the US. All that and more on this episode of Essential Coaching Conversations. Follow and DM us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseem Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Subscribe to our website: www.essential-coaching.net --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

Former tech executive April Burrows joins the pod to discuss her decision to take a career break. This episode is inspired by her LinkedIn post, where she very openly stated her desire to reflect and get clarity on what she wanted out of her career, life, and her experiences. A compelling episode chock full of tidbits to take away that should, hopefully, make you contemplate finding the time to take a break, too. Read April's LinkedIn Post here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7204955967405367297/ All that and more on this episode of Essential Coaching Conversations. Follow and DM us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseem Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Subscribe to our website: www.essential-coaching.net --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

It's CAMP SEASON! The guys are avid camp directors and LOVE everything there is to love about camp. In this episode, you'll get some best practices, great stories, and what NOT to do to ensure your summer camp is the best it can be. Camp is a vital recruiting opportunity for you and your community - let's get after it and make it awesome for the kids. Share with us, too, your best practices and things you've done to make your summer camps memorable and kids wanting to come back. All that and more on this episode of Essential Coaching Conversations. Follow and DM us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseem Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Subscribe to our website: www.essential-coaching.net --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

You know we had to talk about this. JJ Redick was introduced as the head coach of the LA Lakers after, checks notes, coaching 4th grade basketball, a 15 year pro career, being the founder of the "new media," and having a couple of podcasts and ESPN roles. What in the world? All that and more on this episode of Essential Coaching Conversations. Follow and DM us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseem Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Subscribe to our website: www.essential-coaching.net --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

Warning: This may devolve into "old guys reminiscing" about "back in my day," but stick with us - there's a point here. We dive deep into how PLAY, not sport, shaped us. And why PLAY matters and how we can recapture some of that magic in the current state of things. A great episode filled with good laughs and memories. We know you can relate! All that and more on this episode of Essential Coaching Conversations. Follow and DM us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseem Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Subscribe to our website: www.essential-coaching.net --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

Ball is not life. There, we said it. In this episode, we dive into where sport is currently, what's missing, and the dehumanization of athletes and coaches into characters in a soap opera. Some very heavy questions, realizations, and clarity coming forth in a big way! All that and more on this episode of Essential Coaching Conversations. Follow and DM us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseem Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@essentialcoaching Subscribe to our website: www.essential-coaching.net --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support

Do Adults Get in the Way? To be clear, we are not painting with a broad brush. There are plenty of adults - parents, coaches, administrators, etc, who do it the right way and empower kids to learn, grow, make mistakes, and set clear boundaries of acceptable behavior. However, as we've gone into the "architect parents" era - we can't help but wonder whether adults are doing more harm than good. Follow us on Twitter: @coachessential | @coachk424 | @rastogi_aseemCheck us out on YouTube: youtube.com/@essentialcoachingAs always, visit our website at www.essential-coaching.netShoot us an email at admin@essential-coaching.netDM's are always open for your feedback! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/essential-coaching/support