Coaching Trees

For the Season 3 finale, I have a great interview for you with a former boss and friend of mine. Tommy Pearce is the head men's lacrosse coach at Ithaca College in New York. After his time playing and coaching as an assistant at Gettysburg College, he started programs at both Frostburg State University and Allegheny College before ending up in Ithaca. He has a wealth of knowledge and a great perspective on how to develop a player led culture and accountability system. I had the pleasure of working for him at Frostburg State in 2015-2016 and learned a ton while working with him. I hope you enjoy the conversation as we wrap up Season 3 of Coaching Trees!

In this episode, I have the opportunity to speak with Messiah Head Women's Lacrosse Coach, Heather McKay. Heather and I talk about her journey as a player and coach overseas and how that journey ultimately led her back to her alma mater, Messiah. She has awesome perspective about how to balance competition and excellence on the field with what truly matters in the lives of her athletes. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

After a hiatus (sorry, in season gets busy) we are back with another episode from Season 3! In this episode, I have a conversation with my mentor, John Levis. We talk about his experience coaching all different sports at all different levels, the impact coaches can have on their players and the role faith can play in sport. I hope you enjoy!

This interview is with Steve Colfer, the long time head coach of Cabrini University who now serves as the Assistant AD and Head Boys Coach at Episcopal Academy. We talk about his time at Cabrini leading up to their 2019 National Championship run and his transition to high school. Enjoy!

In this episode, I talk with Trey Keeley, the new Head Lacrosse Coach of Mercyhurst University. We discuss his journey in coaching and how each stop along the way prepared him to take on this new role at a high level program in Division 2. Enjoy!

In this episode I interview Kevin McDonough. Kevin is entering his 4th year as the head coach at Chatham University in Pittsburgh. He and I coached together for a year at Frostburg State University and it has been amazing to see his growth in the profession over the last 8 years. We talk about practical ways to implement culture and what the profession of coaching is all about. Enjoy!

In this episode, I get the pleasure of interviewing Jim Berkman, the head lacrosse coach at Salisbury University. He is a 13-time national champion at Salisbury including winning the most recent Division 3 championship in 2023. 

In this episode I talk with Jackie Dando, the head women's lacrosse coach at Bucknell University. Jackie and I discuss the importance of conveying clear expectations and developing culture through relationships. Enjoy!

In this episode, I talk with Matt Horth, current men's soccer coach at Gordon College and former professional soccer player. We talk about cultivating an identity within your team to make things simple and easy to follow. Enjoy!

The first episode to release in 2022! In this episode, Alec Jernstedt, the head men's lacrosse coach at Grove City, discusses mindfulness and relationships and how those things are crucial to developing a winning culture. 

In this episode I interview Mikey Thompson, the head lacrosse coach at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. Coach Thompson discusses his approach to the coaching profession. We talk about mentality, mindfulness and what it means to be a great teammate. Excited to share this with you. I hope you enjoy!

In this conversation, I get to speak with Dre Butler. Dre is a baseball guy through and through. He owns his own business called Graveyard Mentality, and works on staff with both USA Baseball and Swarthmore College. He has had stops in the Division 1 ranks and has a wealth of knowledge not only about baseball, but about coaching and life. I hope you enjoy!

Today we interview Becky Hilgert, head softball coach at Calvin University. We have a great discussion about ownership, her development as a coach and leaving the game better than we found it. Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy!

Dwayne Hicks is the Head Women's Lacrosse Coach at University of Detroit Mercy. He's an old school guy who is a true ambassador to the game of lacrosse and life. He has a wealth of knowledge and has coached alongside and played for some absolute legends in the game. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Steve Koudelka has been the head men's lacrosse coach at University of Lynchburg, an NCAA Division 3 school in Virginia, for over 25 years! He has a wealth of knowledge about the coaching profession, how to develop relationships, and how to sustain success through building a culture that aligns with the mission of your school. I hope you enjoy!

The final episode of Season 1! This interview is with Brandon Childs, head lacrosse coach at York College of Pennsylvania. Coach Childs was my college coach freshman-junior year. He is passionate about his craft and the young men he gets to work with. He has been a great influence in my life and lives of countless others. I hope you enjoy this conversation with one of the best coaches I know!

This episode is a special one for me. This interview is with my former college coach, mentor and first boss, Kevin Wallace. Kevin is still the head men's lacrosse coach at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania and has achieved continued success during his tenure. We talk a lot about culture and how his upbringing in sports led him to a career in college coaching. I hope you enjoy!

This conversation is with colleague and friend Amber Warners, the Head Women's Volleyball Coach at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Amber has built a legacy of success in the Calvin athletic department, winning 3 national championships and never recording a losing season. But the unique thing about Amber is, she rarely talks with her team about winning. Here our conversation to learn more about what she values thinks is important to creating a successful environment. I hope you enjoy!

In this episode I talk wit Nate Davis, the Head Women's Basketball and Head Men's Golf Coach at Gettysburg College. Nate and I discuss how formative his time in the military and his time as an assistant was for him and how those experiences led to the success he has had today coaching two different sports at the collegiate level. I hope you enjoy!

In this episode, I talk with old friend and former teammate, Nick Mandia. Nick is the Head Lacrosse Coach at Erie High School in Colorado. He has an amazing and unique perspective on the profession of coaching. We talk about passion, competitive drive and intention as keys to building successful relationships and a successful culture. Enjoy!

In this episode, I interview Emily Ottenhoff, the head women's soccer coach at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Emily talks about her time as an assistant and how that experience informed her coaching in her current work at Calvin. Thanks for listening. Enjoy!

Today's conversation is with Michael Hofmeister, the Head Men's Lacrosse Coach at Scranton University in Scranton, PA. Hof is a long-time friend and has a wealth of knowledge. Our conversation digs into the art of recruiting, the importance of relationships, and a number of other aspects important to the coaching profession. Enjoy!

In this interview, I talk with Ryan Souders, the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ryan talks about his upbringing and how sports played a vital role in his development as a person and professional. He also shares his insight about the vocation of coaching and how his experiences have led him to producing one of the most nationally recognized Division 3 soccer teams in the country. Enjoy!

Our interview today is with Mo Williams, the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland. Mo has great insight into the coaching profession along with some amazing experiences that will be sure to provide knowledge and wisdom. Enjoy!