Erin Matson | Head Field Hockey Coach, Univ. of North Carolina | “Your people need to know you’ll fight for them.”

What does it look like to immediately go from one of the most decorated athletes in college sports to leading that same program from the sidelines? In this episode, I sit down with Erin Matson, head field hockey coach at the University of North Carolina and one of the most accomplished athletes in the history of the sport.During her playing career, Erin helped lead UNC to four NCAA Championships and five ACC titles, while becoming the all-time leading scorer in both ACC history and NCAA Tournament play. She’s a five-time ACC Player of the Year (the only athlete in any sport to earn that honor five times) and a three-time recipient of the Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey.Shortly after graduating, she stepped into the role of head coach at just 23 years old and, in her first season, led the Tar Heels to both an ACC Championship and a National Championship. In addition to her collegiate success, Erin has competed on the U.S. National Team since the age of 17, representing the country on the international stage and continuing to contribute to the growth of the game.Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:[6:23] — Being Announced as Head Coach[10:17] — First Message to the Team[17:10] — Shifting From Playing to Leading[22:57] — The "Spinning Plates" Lesson[30:01] — From Survival to Creator Mode[38:27] — Developing Yourself as a Coach[44:40] — Coach Development Drives Player Development[48:54] — Who Is Your Person?[52:04] — Lessons From Elite Leaders[1:00:57] — Pride in the Small DetailsFollow Erin's Coaching Journey:Follow Erin on Instagram hereLearn More About Zach:Explore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call hereSubscribe to my free newsletter hereYou can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.