Erin Matson: The 22-Year Old Player Turned Coach Who Led Her Team To A National Championship

This week Andrew talks with University of North Carolina Field Hockey Head Coach Erin Matson. Erin’s story is unlike any you’ve ever heard before. In January 2023, UNC named Erin its field hockey head coach. At the time, she was just 22 years old — and it was just 2 months following her graduation as a student from UNC. Suddenly, she was the head coach for the same program she had just finished starring in as a student athlete. In her first year as a head coach, she went on to lead UNC to a national title — becoming the youngest D1 college head coach to win a national championship. This conversation is for anyone out there who wants to take a bold risk, do something that’s never been done before, & defy conventional wisdom — no matter where you are in your personal or professional journey. Show Highlights:0:00 - Intro4:36 - “I didn’t want to be overlooked”6:37 - Interview process8:32 - Finding out she got the job10:05 - Lessons from Mack Brown10:34 - Studying leadership11:01 - Creating your own luck14:45 - Learning from great performers16:15 - Performing amidst doubters 20:03 - Transparency & overcommunication23:10 - Leading by example24:15 - “They need to know you will fight for them”24:35 - What it means to be a tarp puller24:54 - The “garbage can” story27:26 - The power of details29:26 - Rewiring thinking from player to coach34:10 - Listening & tailoring communication35:25 - Always looking to improve38:28 - Balancing long-term vision with short-term demands** Follow Andrew On Social **Twitter/X: @andrewhmosesInstagram: @AndrewMoses123Sign up for e-mails to keep up with Andrew's podcast at everybodypullsthetarp.com/newsletter