Convos with Coaches | Athlete Development | Coaching | Performance | Mindset | Hosts Leslie Trujillo and Kim Jones

It's been a minute since our last episode. More like roughly a year and a half. A lot has happened since that time. We (Coach C and Coach Jones) wanted to chat about what has been going on in our lives, the Dear Her Project, Kim's live after retiring from competing, and what the future holds for us both! 

As we wrap up Season 1 of Convos with Coaches, we want to share with you upcoming projects we have going on plus invite you to listen to our past guests as they describe what they would tell their former selves or what we call, The Dear Her Project. Enjoy!

Today, we have a very special guest. Allah-mi Basheer is the Founder and CEO of The Encouragement Company LLC and considers herself a "counselor, teacher, trainer, mentor, accountability partner, coach, and friend all rolled into one." In this interview, we talk about her journey, dealing with struggles and loss (get the tissues ready) and what she would have told her former self. Enjoy!   Time Stamps:   (0:49) Welcome to Convos with Coaches Allah-Mi Basheer! (1:00) Allah-Mi’s Bio (5:40) Finding Basketball (10:02) Mindset on Basketball and College (12:05) Mentors and Coaches (15:37) Choosing Sociology (23:46) Identity and Working with Athletes (31:00) Counseling (40:00) Entrepreneurial Journey (46:45) Dealing with Struggles and Loss (52:36) “Live your Best Life Now” (56:16) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (57:53) Coaching (1:00:03) What does it mean to be a Champion in all areas of life? (1:03:27) Dear Her: To my Former Self (1:06:26) To my Future Self (1:09:26) How to reach Allah-mi   RESOURCES:   Follow Allah-mi on Facebook and Instagram! Visit her Website!   And as always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com  

In this episode, we get to hear the results of the IFBB Pro Competition from our very own Kim Jones along with answers to our important question: what makes a strong woman? Enjoy!   RESOURCES:    Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com

Today on Convos with Coaches, we have the pleasure of interviewing former Baltimore Oriole and former training client of Coach C's, Chris Dickerson. Chris was drafted in the 16th round of the 2003 MLB Draft to the Cincinnati Reds and has also played for the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, and Toronto Blue Jays. He is also the Co-Founder of Players for the Planet, INC., which educates environmental best practices to preserve playing fields and stadiums. In this episode, we discuss the transition between collegiate and professional play, what life is like after baseball, and what he believes makes a strong woman.   Time Stamps:   (0:45) Welcome back to Convos with Coaches! (0:50) Welcome, Chris Dickerson! (2:43) Chris’s Multisport Perspective (5:29) Pay to Play (7:39) Finding Baseball (13:25) Injuries and Scholarships (21:33) College to Professional (28:34) Learning from the Best (31:13) Mentality going into each Season (36:10) Managing being a Professional Athlete and being a Human Being (43:53) After Baseball (55:47) What does it mean to be a Strong Woman? (59:21) What does it mean to be a Champion in All Areas? (1:01:58) Dear Him- My Former Self (1:08:41) To My Future Self (1:14:10) Where to find and contact Chris   RESOURCES: Chris's Website Follow Chris on Instagram and Twitter   And as Always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com  

Today, we are interviewing our own Kim Jones a week before her IFBB competition in Women's Physique. As we wish her luck, we dive into her process, her preparation, and what the week before the show will look like. Go Kim you got this!   Time Stamps: (0:45) Kim Jones and IFBB Pro (1:23) What Kim is competing in (5:03) Training Levels (7:37) Off season vs. On season (11:21) What you can learn from body building nutrition wise (13:10) Meal Prep (15:38) Becoming disciplined with nutrition (22:12) Hydration (26:25) Reasons to keep doing it (30:58) The Week of (35:25) Number of Participants (40:43) What to remember (43:40) www.npcnewsonline.com   Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com

Today, we welcome our first international guest! Julia Eyre is the Director and Strength Coach at White Lion Performance Group in Cologne, Germany. Today, we talk about her international perspective, what the strength and conditioning field is like in Germany, and what Julia believes it takes to be a champion in all areas of life. Enjoy!   Time Stamps:   (0:56) Welcome to the Convos with Coaches Julia Eyre! (3:20) Julia’s beginning (4:53) Fitness vibe in Germany (6:48) Strength and Conditioning in Germany (11:58) Why strength and conditioning isn’t big yet in Germany (13:59) Being the only woman trainer (15:44) Julia’s sport beginning (18:44) NCAA and ghostwriting (23:44) Getting into ghostwriting (25:57) Julia’s typical day (28:45) Writing and philosophy on the program (36:26) Julia’s childhood (43:07) Studying choking under pressure (49:57) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (51:46) What does it mean to be a champion in all areas? (54:21) Dear Her: To my former self (56:40) To my Older self (58:54) Books!   (1:00:20) How to get in touch with Julia   RESOURCES: Email Julia at julia@whitelionperformance.com Follow and DM Julia on Instagram!   And as always: Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com

In today's episode, we have the pleasure of interviewing Shay Murphy! Shay played college basketball at USC before being selected by the Minnesota Lynx 15th overall. She has won a WNBA Championship with the Phoenix Mercury in 2014 and was reacquired by the Mercury before being traded to San Antonio. In this episode, we talk about her freshman experience and what she learned from those days, what it was like living and playing overseas, and what she believes makes a strong woman. Enjoy!   Time Stamps:   (0:54) Welcome back to Convos with Coaches (1:00) Shay’s Bio (2:29) Shay’s Start in Sports and Early Thoughts (12:23) Mental Shifts (15:49) Getting through Freshman Year (22:33) From USC to the Professional Game (27:19) Moving and Living in Different Places (31:33) Coaching Styles (35:21) What does it mean to be a Strong Woman? (37:04) Dear Her- to my Former Self (39:20) Advice to Incoming Freshmen (41:33) To my Future Self (42:57) What does it mean to be a Champion in all areas?   RESOURCES:   Follow Shay on Instagram! Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com

Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing a football junior college national champion, NCAA national champion and Super Bowl champion in Coach Chris Carlisle! No more introduction be needed this man knows his stuff and makes a direct impact anywhere he goes. We talk about his principles, what he expects from his players, and what he believes it means to be a strong woman in the strength and conditioning field. Enjoy!   Time Stamps:   (0:48) Welcome back to Convos with Coaches (0:50) Welcome Coach Chris Carlisle! (3:40) Chris’s story (6:17) Integrating new concepts with athletes (9:20) Coaching on the athlete spectrum (10:30) Be early and communicate (13:32) Coach Pete Carroll’s principles (19:17) Programming (25:08) History lessons (28:46) What it means to be a champion in all areas (32:13) Battling cancer and having unlimited curiosity (37:16) What makes someone elite or a “Cleaner” (45:40) Stereotyping (47:40) Hiring the best possible (50:40) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (53:29) Dear Him- to my former self (55:07) Staying obsessed (56:31) Raising a son and passing down knowledge (58:16) To my future self (1:00:25) Follow Coach Carlisle on Twitter!    RESOURCES:    Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com

Today, we welcome two incredible women to the podcast! Kelly Dormandy is a Strength and Conditioning Specialist for USC and the LA Sparks. Cynthia Cooper-Dyke is considered to be a top 15 WNBA player in league history, winning 4 consecutive WNBA championships and Finals MVPs between 1997 and 2000. We talk about how Kelly balances being a collegiate and professional strength and conditioning coach, early struggles getting started, and what Kelly and Cynthia believe make strong women. Take a listen!   Time Stamps:   (0:45) Welcome back to Convos with Coaches (0:47) 2 fantastic guests today! Kelly Dormandy and Cynthia Cooper-Dyke (2:45) Kelly and Cynthia’s Start (7:45) The Mindset (11:38) Strength Training (22:22) Struggles (26:50) Have a fire that won’t allow you to quit (35:20) Nature or Nurture? (41:09) Collegiate to Pro Level (45:14) Balancing being a collegiate and pro strength and conditioning coach (48:18) What does being a champion in all areas of your life mean? (51:55) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (53:04) Dear Her: To my former self (54:27) To My Older Self (56:51) How to contact Kelly and Cynthia and Closing Thoughts   RESOURCES: Follow Kelly on Instagram! Follow Cynthia on Twitter!   And as always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com    

Today, we welcome Amber to the podcast! She's been in the restaurant business since she was 14 and her passion for cooking comes across deeply during this interview. We talk about her early days as the only woman in her kitchen, her shift towards her current nutrition today, and what she believes it means to be a strong woman.   Time Stamps: (1:12) Welcome back to Convos with Coaches (1:20) Our Guest Today is Amber Caudle! (4:07) Stereotypes in the culinary field being a woman (9:27) Addressing the surroundings of being around all men (11:52) Amber’s shift (14:39) Changes in Health (17:30) Chefs and Physical Health (22:27) Mindset and Vision (27:30) Restaurant atmosphere  (28:30) Complicity  (33:16) Amber’s ritual (36:23) Farm to Table (40:36) Amber’s current health and nutrition plan (46:07) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (47:28) Dear Her: To Amber’s Younger Self (49:01) Where you can find Amber   RESOURCES:   Where you can find Amber: Visit her Website! Follow her on Instagram!   And as always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com    

In this episode, we talk to the multitalented Brittany Gilman. Brittany has over 15 years of experience in professional sports and has been competing in high-level athletics for most of her life including competing in the Junior Olympics in skiing at age 11. She is now the Founder and CEO of BG Sports Enterprises which focuses on athlete branding, marketing, and public relations among other areas. In this interview, we talk about her competing at an early age, her thoughts on social media, and what she thinks it means to be a strong woman. Enjoy!   Time Stamps:   (1:14) Welcome to Convos with Coaches Brittany! (8:10) Brittany’s start (12:45) Competing at an early age (17:17) Mental agility (18:03) Storytime! (23:10) The transition from competition to student (26:26) The transition from student to entrepreneur  (30:43) Working with Roman Harper (32:25) Brittany’s work now (34:33) Social Media (39:29) Assumptions about Brittany in her career (42:56) Helping athletes (44:40) Brittany’s Coaching Philosophy (46:27) Working with top-level athletes (48:10) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (49:53) Dear Her: What what you tell your former self? (51:26) To my future self (54:47) Passion (56:24) What Brittany is working on now   RESOURCES: Follow Brittany on Instagram! BG Sports Enterprises Inc.    And as always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com      

Today, we have an incredible guest. Shante Cofield, AKA The Movement Maestro, is a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from NYU along with having her CSCS. Her other credentials include being a board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Crossfit Level 1 Trainer, and Certified RockTape Doc! Her passion is all things human movement and performance. We dive into her story, her schooling, and what her mission is in coaching. Enjoy!   Time Stamps:   (1:12) Shante’s Intro (3:17) Shante’s Background and School (11:28) Everyone has something to contribute (18:04) Invest in Yourself (19:28) Finding your passion (21:17) Struggles since Graduation (25:30) Cultural Influences (31:02) Mission in Coaching (39:43) Social Media Pros and Cons (46:41) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (48:18) Living as a champion in all areas of your life (50:26) Dear Her: to my former self (53:47) To my future self (55:29) Future Goals (1:01:59) Pelvic Floor (1:08:30) Where to Find Shante    RESOURCES: Follow Shante on Instagram www.rocktape.com Shante's Website   And as always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com  

This is a special episode because we have the pleasure of interviewing Deanna Cordova today! Not only is she a multi-sport athlete and owner of her own gym, she is a sibling of one of the co-hosts! We talk about the what it's like to train in D.C., transitions and career paths, and what she would tell her future self.   Time Stamps:   (1:12) Welcome back to Convo’s with Coaches (2:16) Welcome, Deanna! (6:19) Deanna’s high school experience (10:08) The struggles and what you learned (17:11) Coaching influence (19:35) Concussions and injuries (22:45) Training Philosophy (27:36) The D.C. stress climate (32:23) Transition from career paths (38:03) Today’s generation and options (43:55) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (45:55) What does it mean to be a champion in all areas? (47:27) Dear Her- to my younger self (51:37) To my future self (53:10) Where to find Deanna   RESOURCES:   Where to Find Deanna- Deanna's Website Follow Deanna on Instagram   And as always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com

Today, you are in for a great conversation. Megan Young has worked with Baylor Athletics, Olympic Athletes, and currently the head Strength and Conditioning soccer coach at Auburn. We dive deep into her professional career, struggles she's battled including leukemia and her thoughts on passion versus purpose.   Time Stamps:   (1:12) Welcome back to Convos with Coaches (1:47) Megan’s Bio (5:32) Megan’s Beginning (7:47) Writing a Grant (9:40) Challenges versus Opportunities (11:48) Changes when Resources are Acquired (15:10) Staying on the Path and Purpose (21:58) Strength and Conditioning Climate (24:39) Passion to Purpose shift (29:26) Coaching Athletes to be their best (37:55) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (40:43) Challenges and obstacles (45:37) Being a champion in all areas (47:12) Battling Cancer (49:41) To my former self (51:28) To my older self (56:25) How women are perceived in the strength and conditioning field  (1:00:34) Where to find Megan   RESOURCES: Find Megan on Instagram!   And as always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com

We are so excited to bring you today's episode and introduce our Dear Her Project! We have mentioned it in several episodes but wanted to share our own stories and reflections along with a few that have been sent to us. Listen in and send us your Dear Her letter!   Time Stamps:   (1:13) Welcome to the “Dear Her” Episode (3:25) Kim’s Der Her Story (19:18) Perceptions of image (22:33) Leslie’s Dear Her Story (28:00) The purpose of this podcast (30:31) Another part of Kim’s Dear Her (34:00) Haley’s Dear Her Story (36:21) Eustress (36:55) A passage from, “The Awakened Woman” (40:17) A quote by Elizabeth Gilbert (41:00) Submit us your Dear Her Story here!   RESOURCES:    Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com  

You'll definitely enjoy today's episode. Today, we have the pleasure of having Amber Bowman on Convos with Coaches! She is a former Ohio State Women's hockey captain (OH!). She is currently a firefighter for Newmarket and Aurora, Canada. She is also Dr. Oz's trainer! Listen in as we discuss Amber's experience training and playing hockey with men, the stigma's and stereotypes of being a female in her arena, and what it means to be a champion in all areas to her.   Time Stamps:   (1:13) Welcome back to Convo’s with Coaches! (2:18) Welcome Amber! (3:23) Amber’s start with athletics (8:07) Proving yourself as a female (9:25) Was college the dream? (12:28) Playing with men preparing Amber for women’s hockey (14:30) The ego (15:59) Being a D-1 athlete (21:04) Coaches experience (24:12) Training men (26:02) Shoutout to Chris Carter! (29:16) Philosophy on coaching (31:46) Presentation depending on the situation (34:21) Stigma’s and stereotypes (42:12) Challenges and obstacles (48:38) The Spiritual aspect  (52:30) Losses (57:18) What does it mean to be a champion in all areas? (59:27) Dear Her (1:01:25) To future Amber (1:02:28) How to follow Amber   RESOURCES:   Check out Amber's Website! Follow her on Instagram!   And as always...   Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com

Today, we welcome Cary Williams to Convos with Coaches! Cary is the Founder of the Too Pretty Brand, whose mission is to empower young girls and women and encourage them to believe that they can do anything they set their mind to. She is also an Olympic Level Boxing Coach and Owner of the Stables Boxing Gym in Santa Monica. Listen in as we talk about her experience with boxing and being a woman in that ring, where Cary found her strength, and what she believes living like a champion means.   Time Stamps:   (1:13) At the Stables in Santa Monica with Cary Williams (1:57) Cary’s Story (3:25) What does an Olympic boxing coach entail? (6:02) Cary’s experience in the ring (8:51) Finding your strength when you are down (10:11) Female perspective in boxing (13:13) The mindset it takes being a female in the boxing world (15:48) Cary’s influences growing up (20:20) Cary’s philosophy on motivating her athletes (25:51) Cary’s coaching approach (27:18) The female stigma in boxing (30:58) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (33:43) Where Cary found her strength (38:22) Cary’s branding story (41:55) Living like a champion: Train like no-one is waiting (45:30) Dear Her: What Cary would tell her younger self (49:36) Dear Future Self (51:36) Where to Follow Cary   RESOURCES: Follow Cary on Social Media! Facebook Twitter Instagram Check out the Too Pretty Brand! Check out this video from Billion Dollar Buyer! Check out the Fit to Fat to Fit Show!   And as Always.... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com    

Today, we have a fantastic guest: Kelli O'Brien Watson! Of her major accomplishments thus far, she owns Studio 8 which recently transitioned to online training, a Platinum Level Coach in the Todd Durkin Mastermind group, and Author of Kelli's Quips- Happy Thoughts for Busy People. Listen in as we dive into her story, transition between brick and mortar to the online space, and what flow means to her.   Time Stamps:   (1:12) Welcome back to Convo’s with Coaches (1:14) Kelli O’Brien Watson intro (3:24) Welcome, Kelli! (6:21) Kelli’s training experience and the online space (11:51) Kelli’s early days and “Lilly Pads” (15:00) Shoutout to Todd Durkin! (16:45) The process of opening your own gym (19:26) Fear and Love (23:06) Career paths and fear (31:21) Focus and being dialed-in (32:33) Flow (37:07) Optimal work with athletes (40:59) Different disciplines and their interconnectedness    (44:15) Kelli’s why and every step matters (46:46) Finding purpose (50:56) Final thoughts and advice (55:12) Where to follow Kelli   RESOURCES: Kelli's Website: www.scriptorpublishinggroup.com Find her on Facebook! Kelli O'Brien Watson Text Monday Morning Message to 31996 to get Kelli's Monday Morning Message! And as Always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com  

This episode is an interview with co-host Leslie Trujillo. She is a Strength and Performance Coach, a Kinesiology Professor and Coordinator of the CHAMPS Program for Student-Athletes at Los Angeles Harbor College. Listen in as she talks about her early years, her experience at USC and with Pete Carroll, and what it means to be a strong woman.   Time Stamps:   (1:13) Welcome back to Convo’s with Coaches! (1:28) Coach C’s Bio (3:00) Welcome Coach C (8:53) The early days (14:01) USC (16:56) Hard decisions and transitions (21:28) Running a business  (23:44) Mindset and business (24:42) Todd Durkin Shoutout! (25:56) Identity change (30:56) Strength and Conditioning at the high school level (38:18) Wallace D. Wattles, “The Science of Getting Rich” (39:35) Gratitude (40:46) Trust building as a female strength coach (44:26) Different styles of coaching and the ego (49:47) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (53:47) What is it to be champion? (57:51) To my younger self (58:05) Dear Her Project (1:01:49) To my future self   RESOURCES: Follow her on Instagram! @student_athlete_coach And as always... Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com    

This episode is an interview with the co-host of the show, Kim Jones. She is a performance coach, an IFBB Pro, and currently the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at El Camino College. This interview brings to light the early struggles of Kim and the strength and conditioning field, her philosophy in the training room, and her discipline to Bodybuilding. Enjoy!   (1:58) Who is Kim Jones? (8:01) Leslie’s recap on Kim (9:02) Kim’s early stages and struggles (19:23) Kim’s time at Northridge (25:04) Kim’s philosophy in the training room (30:30) Challenges as a woman strength coach (35:58) Kim’s journey to bodybuilding (44:45) Building Discipline (50:27) Being about that life when it comes to food and alcohol (58:20) What does it mean to be a strong woman? (1:00:30) Living as a champion (1:02:44) Dear Her: Story to my younger self (1:05:40) Thoughts on being present   RESOURCES:   Follow Kim on Instagram! @jones_strength Visit her Website! www.coachkimjones.com And as always: Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com

Welcome to Convos with Coaches! In this episode, you will hear about our mission of bringing a voice to those underrepresented in their field. You'll also get to know Coach C and Coach Jones and how we progressed to where we are now.   Time Stamps: (1:13) Welcome to Convos with Coaches! (3:14) Coach Kim Jones Introduction (8:12) Coach Leslie Trujillo Introduction  (14:40) What is important at the high school level? (15:36) Tips, Techniques, and Tools- Coming Soon! (17:25) What Kim wants when you walk into the gym (22:15) Kim’s typical day (24:50) The world of athletics and lessons learned (25:22) Kim’s Coaches (29:10) Social Media and Fitness (33:10) Women and Fitness   RESOURCES:    Visit our Website! convoswithcoaches.com Follow us on Instagram! @convoswithcoaches Contact Us! info@convoswithcoaches.com    

Welcome to Convos with Coaches with certified strength coaches Leslie Trujillo and Kim Jones. This episode is a taste of what's to come from this podcast and we hope you enjoy!