PODCAST · sports
Coaching Culture
by Coaching Culture Podcast
A podcast for leaders and coaches sharing practical strategies and tools to build your team's culture and help you grow as a leader. Co-hosted by J.P. Nerbun and Nate Sanderson of TOC Culture Consulting, and Betsy Butterick. Get the podcast notes and learn more about us at tocculture.com
Episodes
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Building Autonomy On and Off the Sand: Lessons of Shared Ownership | John Mayer | Episode 476
If the coach writes the team standards on the board, John Mayer says they become wallpaper. When the players write them, they come alive. In part two of JP Nerbun's conversation with John Mayer, head beach volleyball coach at Loyola Marymount and the 2025 AVCA National Coach of the Year, John…
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Guru or Guide? Letting Go of Having All the Answers | John Mayer | Episode 475
John Mayer had just won LMU's first conference championship when he started questioning everything about how he coached. He had a system that worked. He changed it anyway. JP Nerbun sits down with John Mayer, head beach volleyball coach at Loyola Marymount and the 2025 AVCA National Coach of the...
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How Does Practice Shape Your Culture? | Episode 474
Your team meetings tune the car, but practice is the road. JP Nerbun, Betsy Butterick, and Nate Sanderson take on a question a coach brought to JP: what do you do when there is almost no time to build culture outside of practice? Their answer is that practice is where athletes experience culture...
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Quit More, Become Elite | Billy Armstrong | Episode 473
Billy Armstrong wants every player he coaches to chase one truly impossible goal. In part two of this conversation, three years after his first appearance on the podcast, Bergen Catholic head coach Billy Armstrong digs into the goal-setting philosophy behind his program's vision: making Bergen…
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High Clarity, High Performance | Billy Armstrong | Episode 472
Billy Armstrong hasn't just won four state championships in six years. He's become, in his own words, a completely different human being. In part one of a two-part conversation, three years after his first appearance on the podcast, Bergen Catholic head coach Billy Armstrong opens up about the...
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Mistakes Transformational Coaches Make | Episode 471
A standard isn't a standard unless it's enforced. That's the line JP Nerbun keeps coming back to in this solo episode, his first since the podcast's earliest days back in 2017. JP unpacks twelve mistakes transformational coaches make, opening with the story of Anson Dorrance, the UNC women's…
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Coaching Big Personalities and Big Talent | Episode 470
LeBron James just left the Lakers for a shot at one more championship with the 76ers, and JP Nerbun, Betsy Butterick, and Nate Sanderson use that move to dig into a question every coach eventually faces: what do you actually do with a player who has more talent, or more influence, than anyone…
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The Case for Quitting: Building the Muscle to Let Go | Lindsay Crouse | Episode 469
What happens after you finally admit the grind stopped working? That is where part two of this conversation with journalist Lindsay Crouse picks up. Lindsay and JP dig into the physical cost of never backing off, talk through Simone Biles' 2021 Olympic decision, and unpack the "never enough" trap...
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The Case for Quitting: Redefining What Counts as Courage | Lindsay Crouse | Episode 468
"Quit" might be the most forbidden word in sports. Journalist Lindsay Crouse says that's exactly the problem. Lindsay spent 15 years at The New York Times covering the extremes of human performance before turning the question on herself: what if the constant pushing through wasn't actually…
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How to Get Your Captains Building a Team Everyone Wants to Be On | Culture Captain Level Four | Ep. 467
Are your three closest teammates a friend group, or a clique the rest of the roster feels shut out of? JP Nerbun, Betsy Butterick, and Nate Sanderson dig into Level 4 leadership this week: the real difference between a clique and a close friend group, why almost no team builds a genuine culture…
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Coach Development, Wellbeing, and Getting Out of Your Own Way | Zach Brandon Pt. 2 | Ep. 466
Most coaches have someone they pour into. Almost none of them have someone who pours back. In part two with Zach Brandon, JP and Zach go deeper into what it actually takes to develop coaches — not players, coaches — and why that investment may be the most overlooked lever in any program. Zach...
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Building Trust and Mental Performance | Zach Brandon Pt. 1 | Ep. 465
Zach Brandon spent years inside one of the most pressure-filled environments in professional sports. The biggest thing he took away was not about performance. It was about connection. In this first conversation with Zach, JP sits down with the former Head of Mental Performance and Coach…
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Why the Best Leaders Aren't the Loudest Ones | The Culture Captain: Level 3 | Episode 464
Every coach says they want more leaders. But most are picturing the wrong level entirely. JP Nerbun, Betsy Butterick, and Nate Sanderson unpack Level 3 leadership, the one-to-one relational work that has to exist before Level 4 (leading the whole team) ever works, including the Joey Votto story…
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Coach the Coach: How to Regulate Before You Lead | Dr. Jody Carrington | Episode 463
Dr. Jody Carrington says the most vulnerable emotion on the planet is not fear or grief. It is joy. In part two of her conversation with JP, Dr. Jody Carrington gets specific about what it means to regulate yourself before you can lead anyone else, why joy requires every defense to be down, and…
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Coach the Coach: How to Collect Before You Direct | Jody Carrington | Episode 462
If the big people aren't okay, the little people don't stand a chance. That is the idea psychologist Dr. Jody Carrington has built her career on, and it flips the entire athlete development conversation on its head. In part one of this two part conversation, JP sits down with Dr. Jody Carrington…
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The Hardest Part of Leading Yourself | The Culture Captain: Level Two | Episode 461
Is your best leader always your best teammate? JP Nerbun, Betsy Butterick, and Nate Sanderson are not so sure, and the answer says a lot about how you build culture this season. This episode continues an ongoing conversation around JP's new book, The Culture Captain, with the group digging into...
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The Mental Habits of Elite Coaches | Rustin Dodd & Elise Devlin, The Athletic | Episode 460
Making athletes work harder is one thing. Making athletes better is something else entirely — and Rustin Dodd draws that line clearly in this episode. In part two of JP Nerbun's conversation with Rustin Dodd and Elise Devlin of The Athletic's Peak section, the discussion moves from habits and...
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The Mental Habits of Elite Athletes | Rustin Dodd & Elise Devlin, The Athletic | Episode 459
Most coaches spend their careers shaping athletes. Rustin Dodd and Elise Devlin spend theirs learning from them — and what they've found might change how you coach. Rustin and Elise write NY Times feature, The Peak for The Athletic, a section devoted to the mental side of elite sports. In this...
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The Culture Captain: Building Leaders From the Inside Out | John O'Sullivan | Episode 458
JP Nerbun's 10-year-old daughter said something on the walk to the bus that stopped him cold: "She's climbing the mountain of achievement without any purpose." That one line is the heart of this entire conversation. This special episode drops on the launch day of JP's new book The Culture Captain…
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Identity, Influence, and the Leadership Nobody Told You Was Already Yours | Culture Captain: Level One | Episode 457
What does it mean to truly know yourself — not perform yourself, not brand yourself for public approval, but honestly know who you are at your core? JP Nerbun, Betsy Butterick, and Nate Sanderson explore that question in this roundtable, the first in a four-part series on JP's new book, The…
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Coach The Person: The Science of Transformational Conversations | Marcia Reynolds | Episode 456
Most coaches think they're having conversations with their athletes. Marcia Reynolds says they're mostly just talking. In this episode, JP Nerbun sits down with Marcia Reynolds — executive coach, neuroscience researcher, and author of Coach the Person, Not the Problem — to unpack the science of...
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The Art of Communication | Betsy Butterick | Episode 455
The Art of Communication: Finding Your Voice as a Coach JP Nerbun sits down with co-host Betsy Butterick to explore how intentional communication transforms athlete relationships, team culture, and coaching identity. TOC 3-2-1: 3 Quotes, 2 Questions, 1 Resource3 Quotes Worth Writing Down "Anytime...
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The Real Reason Your Team Isn't Bought In
🏆 What does "buy-in" actually mean and how do you build it as a leader? Every coach talks about buy-in. But most coaches struggle to define it, measure it, or create it in a consistent, repeatable way. In this episode, JP Nerbun, Nate Sanderson, and Betsy Butterrick break down what athlete…
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How to Build a Transformational Culture from Scratch | Father Mike Schmitz | Episode 453
What does transformational leadership actually look like in practice? Father Mike Schmitz, 15-year director of the Newman Center at UMD, sits down with coaches to share the leadership principles, culture-building strategies, and mentorship frameworks that have transformed thousands of lives on a...
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How to Manage the Culture Cancer | Episode 452
Every coach will face a culture killer on their team. Whether it's a star player with a toxic attitude, an athlete stirring drama behind the scenes, or a kid whose behavior is slowly poisoning team morale — knowing how to respond is one of the most critical leadership skills a coach can…
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451: How to Work through Negative Feedback as a Coach
Taking hard feedback is one of the most underrated leadership skills — and most of us are doing it wrong. In this episode, JP, Betsy, and Nate get real about the emotional side of criticism: why feedback feels so personal for coaches and leaders, how to regulate before you respond, and the…
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Why I Stopped Believing in Safe Spaces (And What I Build Instead) | Daniel Coyle Part 2 | EP 450
In Part 2 of our conversation with New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle, we go deeper into the mechanics of building high-performance teams, psychological safety vs. brave spaces, and what 13 years inside the Cleveland Guardians organization has taught him about leadership development,...
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What Thriving Teams Feel Like — And How to Build One | Ep 449 Daniel Coyle Pt 1
What does it take to build a truly flourishing team? NYT bestselling author Daniel Coyle (The Culture Code, The Talent Code) returns to share insights from his powerful new book Flourish — and this conversation will change how you think about leadership, team culture, and what it means to…
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You Can't Give What You Don't Have: Coach Burnout, Losing Seasons & What Actually Helps | Ep. 448
📧 Join the TOC Coach Community: https://www.skool.com/toccoach/about Are you a coach running on empty? In this episode of The Coaching Culture Podcast, host JP Nerbun sits down with co-hosts Nate Sanderson and Betsy Butterick to tackle one of the most overlooked challenges in sports leadership:...
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🏒 Significance Over Success: Leadership Lessons from a Hockey Coach | EP 447 Justin Simpkins Pt. 2
🤝 Join TOC Coach for FREE — Better Coaches, Better Leaders, Better Culture: https://www.skool.com/toccoachWhat does it really mean to lead with purpose? In Part 2 of our conversation with Justin Simpkins — founder of Prairie Hockey Academy (PHA), host of the Grit and Growth Podcast, and author…
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He Built a Hockey Academy to Develop Leaders, Not Hockey Players | Ep. 446 | Justin Simpkins Pt 1
How do you build a championship culture that goes beyond the scoreboard? Justin Simpkins, founder of Prairie Hockey Academy, shares how he turned a small-town Saskatchewan hockey program into one of Canada's premier character development academies — and why the secret to elite athletic leadership...
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How Coaching Competency Unlocks Team Culture | Ep 445 Tyler Coston & Mark Cascio
Can you build a high-performance culture if you're not developing yourself as a coach? In this episode of the Coaching Culture Podcast, JP is joined by Tyler and Mark from SAVI Basketball for a powerful conversation on coaching competency, leadership credibility, and why your effectiveness as a...
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How to Support Subs and Reserves in the Role | Ep 444 | Sammy Lander Part 2
Are you coaching your substitutes — or just managing them? 🏆In Part 2 of our conversation with Sammy Lander — specialist subs coach and founder of the Finishers Academy — we go deep into one of the most overlooked leadership challenges in sports: how to coach, develop, and inspire athletes who...
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How to Coach Subs and Reserves for High Performance | EP 443 | Sammy Lander Part 1
🤝 Join TOC Coach for FREE — Better Coaches, Better Leaders, Better Culture: https://www.skool.com/toccoachWhat does it really mean for an athlete to matter — not just belong? In this episode, we sit down with Sammy Lander, the world's first Substitution Coach, to explore one of the most…
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How Elite Coaches Build Sustainable Excellence (Without Burning Out) | Brad Stulberg | Ep. 442
📬 Subscribe to the Team Culture Toolbox Newsletter: https://tocculture.com/culture-toolboxWhat does it actually take to lead at a high level without sacrificing everything else that matters?In Part 2 of our conversation with Brad Stulberg — performance coach, author, and co-founder of The Growth...
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🎯 The Way of Excellence: Mastery, Mattering & Leadership with Brad Stulberg
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Brad Stulberg, bestselling author of "The Way of Excellence," as he shares groundbreaking insights on authentic leadership, team building, and sustainable high performance.Join TOC Coach for Free! https://www.skool.com/toccoachSubscribe to the Team…
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440: Sports Coaching 101: How to Build Accountability and Mutual Trust in Your Team Culture
Stop using accountability as a weapon and start using it as a tool for growth. In this episode, JP Nerbun, Nate Sanderson, and Betsy Butterick break down why traditional "discipline" often fails and how to build a culture of mutual trust.Subscribe to join us for more discussions like this and go...
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439: Why Nutrition Advice Doesn't Work | Daniel Davey Part 2
In Part 2 of our conversation with performance nutritionist Daniel Davey, we go deeper into the psychology of behavior change and why traditional nutrition advice often fails. Daniel shares profound insights on coaching the person, not just the problem, and how childhood experiences shape our...
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438: Why Nutrition Culture Fails (And How to Fix It) | Daniel Davey pt 1
Join us for an in-depth conversation with performance nutritionist Daniel Davey, who has worked with elite teams including Dublin senior football and Leinster Rugby. In this episode, Daniel shares the realities of creating lasting cultural change around nutrition and lifestyle habits in...
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437: The Essentialist Leader: Doing Less to Achieve More
Are you feeling the weight of a million "important" tasks? In this episode, JP Nerbun, Nate Sanderson, and Betsy Butterick dive into the concept of Essentialism in Leadership. We explore how to distinguish between mere stress and total overwhelm , why "function over fundamental" can transform…
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436: Coaching Like a Scientist: Finding Your Best Self and Making Values a Tool | McKenzie Ridgely Part 2
🧪 Coaching Like a Scientist: How Observation & Values Led to a State Title What does it mean to "coach like a scientist"? In Part 2 of our conversation with first-year varsity head coach and podcast editor Mckenzie Ridgely, we explore the evolution of leadership that goes far beyond personality....
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435: The State Champion's Playbook: Systems for Culture, Captains, & Playing Time | McKenzie Ridgely Pt 1
McKenzie Ridgely joins the hosts to discuss her successful first season as a varsity head coach, focusing on the implementation of culture systems and resources from TOC (The Coaches' Community). She highlights the importance of "working on the front end"—establishing clear expectations, systems,...
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434: From Pattern to Choice: Breaking Limiting Beliefs | Part 2
As we close out the year, JP, Nate, and Betsy dive deep into the internal "operating system" of leadership. While many leaders focus on external strategy, this episode explores the internal beliefs and thought habits that often hold us back from our next level of growth. The team discusses how to...
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433: Debunking the Leader’s Mind: Identifying Limiting Beliefs | Part 1
Are you stuck in a cycle of "push, push, push" but feeling like you’re hitting a ceiling in your growth? Often, the barriers to our progress aren't our external habits, but the deep-seated belief systems and thought habits that drive our every move. In this episode, JP Nerbun, Nate Sanderson, and...
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432: From Peacetime to Wartime: Coaching Through Conflict and Performance | Angel Elderkin Part 2
This second part of the conversation with former Division I coach and Executive Leadership Coach Angel Elderkin delves into the specific challenges coaches face in their leadership roles, how to translate values into action, and the profound lessons learned from her mentor, Pat Summitt. Angel...
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431: Winning the Locker Room: How to Balance Team Interest and Self-Interest | Angel Elderkin Part 1
This episode features a conversation with Angel Elderkin, a former Division I women's basketball coach who has transitioned into the executive coaching space. She shares profound reflections from her 24-year career in college athletics, emphasizing that the platform of sport was secondary to the...
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430: Coaching the Coaches: Raising the Standard of Leadership
This episode, featuring hosts J.P. Nerbun, Nate Sanderson, and Betsy Buttrick, tackles the significant challenge of leading other adults in a coaching context, whether as a head coach, athletic director, or club administrator. The conversation begins with an anecdote about Washington Commanders'...
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429: The Power of Caring Candor | Shane Sowden Part 2
Part 2 of the conversation with Shane Sowden, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Briarcrest College, focuses on his commitment to deep, transformational relationships with his athletes, moving beyond a purely transactional coaching style. He discusses the importance of caring candor and brutal…
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428: Confidence and Collaboration in Coaching | Shane Sowden Part 1
Coach Shane Sowden reflects on his team's amazing season and shares that the most significant part wasn't the "storybook ending," but the individual stories of self-sacrifice and putting the team first that created the foundation for success. He contrasts his sense of fulfillment and meaning with...
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427: Up, Down, or Sideways: How to Lead Through Roster Shifts
Is "belonging" enough for today's athlete? According to the coaches at The Coaching Culture Podcast, the answer is a resounding No.In this complex and highly relevant episode, hosts J.P. Nerbun, Nate Sanderson, and Betsy Butterick dive into the crucial difference between a player feeling like…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A podcast for leaders and coaches sharing practical strategies and tools to build your team's culture and help you grow as a leader. Co-hosted by J.P. Nerbun and Nate Sanderson of TOC Culture Consulting, and Betsy Butterick. Get the podcast notes and learn more about us at tocculture.com
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Coaching Culture Podcast
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Coaching Culture have?
Coaching Culture currently has 477 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Coaching Culture about?
A podcast for leaders and coaches sharing practical strategies and tools to build your team's culture and help you grow as a leader. Co-hosted by J.P. Nerbun and Nate Sanderson of TOC Culture Consulting, and Betsy Butterick. Get the podcast notes and learn more about us at tocculture.com
How often does Coaching Culture release new episodes?
Coaching Culture publishes regularly with 477 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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You can listen to Coaching Culture on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Coaching Culture?
Coaching Culture is created and hosted by Coaching Culture Podcast.
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