The Coaching Life Podcast
by Chris Stewart and Pat Martin
Real honest conversations about topics related to youth sports: coaching, parenting, and player development. The hosts have lived in both worlds of parent and coach. Those two worlds have even intersected, as they have coached their own children. The main purpose of this podcast is to be useful. Useful to those who coach. Useful to those who parent. Useful to those who are still playing. Sometimes we have guests, and sometimes we just talk about things – often things that are difficult – but we always have fun! And, we always seek to grow and learn. We hope you'll join our conversation!
Episodes
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224: Coaching Dilemmas Nobody Prepares You For
Chris and Pat each bring coaching dilemmas the other hasn't seen, and each answers off the cuff. Just a few of the topics are: A star player who keeps breaking team standards before a big game. A vocal leader whose "encouragement" isn't landing with teammates. The hardworking player who rarely…
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223: Does Your Team Need a Speech? Or Do You?
Should coaches give post-game speeches? Hosts Pat Martin and Chris Stewart consider what postgame talks actually accomplish for players. Drawing on their experiences coaching baseball and working around college football, they discuss when to speak, when to wait, and how to keep emotion from…
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222: Who Failed, the Player or the Preparation?
Who Owns the Mistake? Coaching, Preparation, and AccountabilityChris and Pat have a conversation about what coaches, players, and officials owe their teams when mistakes happen. Using examples from baseball, football, and basketball, they make the case that preparation matters... but so do player...
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221: What Makes a Big Game a Big Game?
A game can feel ordinary to a coach and enormous to a player. Coach Martin and Coach Stewart unpack what makes a game “big” and why the answer depends on who’s playing, coaching, or watching. A college homecoming game, a pro rivalry game, and a high school senior-night all reveal the same…
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220: The Unofficial Coaching Life Awards
Pat and Chris have a lighthearted discussion about coaching experiences framed inside of 10 "Best of" questions. These include everything from creative excuses for missing practice, to the challenges of coaching phrases and equipment malfunctions. They share humorous anecdotes and insights from...
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220: The Unofficial Coaching Life Awards
Pat and Chris have a lighthearted discussion about coaching experiences framed inside of 10 "Best of" questions. These include everything from creative excuses for missing practice, to the challenges of coaching phrases and equipment malfunctions. They share humorous anecdotes and insights from...
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219: More Than a Coach – Helping Athletes Carry What They Are Carrying
Athletes may be carrying emotional and mental health challenges that coaches cannot see. This episode is a conversation about how coaches can notice warning signs, listen without trying to fix everything, ask direct questions, and be proactive in creating a culture where athletes know they have a...
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218: From an Interrupted Dream to Playing for a Higher Purpose (w/ Josh Waite, Ohio Football)
In this episode of the Coaching Life podcast, hosts Chris and Pat welcome Josh Waite, Ohio University football offensive lineman. Josh shares his journey from a small-town football player with dreams of playing at the collegiate level to facing significant challenges, including a life-altering...
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217: The Off-Season That Doesn’t Exist
Does the off-season even exist anymore? For many high school athletes, the answer is complicated. With kids playing two or even three sports, there may be little time when they’re truly “off.” So what does player development look like when baseball, basketball, football, school, family, and life...
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216: Winning Is a Byproduct of Doing Youth Sports Right (w/ guest Cody Bail)
Chris and Pat welcome Cody Bail, a longtime listener and co-director of Alexander Youth Baseball and Softball League. Cody shares what it takes to run a recreational league, why youth sports should prioritize character and enjoyment, and how rec ball, travel ball, and All-Stars can work together.
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215: 10 Questions. No Prep. Just Honest Answers.
Using a rapid-fire Q&A format in this episode, Pat and Chris tackle many of the realities of coaching, from time demands and relationships to accountability and leadership style. In this episode, they compare great athletes versus great teammates, debate playing time, and discuss when...
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214: How Small Schools Win (Guest: Chaz Mohler)
Episode #214 of Coaching Life welcomes Coach Chaz Mohler, Trimble High School head baseball coach. The conversation covers building a tough, competitive culture (especially in a small school district), leaning into player strengths, handling limited numbers, managing multi-sport athletes, and the...
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213: The Emotional Toll of Coaching That Most People Never See
As a continuation of last week's episode, Pat and Chris explore the profound responsibilities behind coaching, diving into underlying themes of leadership, decision-making, and the importance of viewing coaching as a form of stewardship and emotional labor. Key Topics: The balancing act of making...
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212: The Hardest Part of Coaching Isn’t What You Think
"Coaching is about more than just practices and wins — it's one of the most complex roles in education." When people think about coaching, they think about practices, games, strategy, and winning. But ask anyone who’s coached for a while, and they’ll tell you those aren’t the hardest parts of the...
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211: The Hidden Skill That Separates Good Players From Great Ones
In this episode of The Coaching Life, we discuss one of the most underrated traits in sports: game awareness. Why do some athletes always seem to be in the right place, make the right play, and help their teams win—even if they aren’t the most physically gifted players on the field? We explore…
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210: When Sports Seasons Overlap
In the world of high school athletics, the overlap of sports seasons can create unique challenges for coaches and players alike. In this episode of the Coaching Life Podcast, hosts Pat Martin and Chris Stewart explore these complexities, particularly as they relate to baseball and basketball.…
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209: Athlete Mindset: An Underrated Difference Maker
In this episode, Chris and Pat highlight the importance of mental strength and the role of "mindset" in coaching and athlete development. They introduce a unique gift from a mutual friend, Coach Steve Miller, which consists of 52 Athlete Mindset cards designed to help athletes focus on their...
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208: Feed Yourself, Coach – Bring the Energy!
Welcome to Season 13 of The Coaching Life Podcast! We are excited to keep rolling these episodes out. We hope you will join us and share us with others! Thank you to everyone who has been with us the past 6 years, and if you have joined us more recently, we are grateful for you as well! Let's…
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207: The Coaching Life "12 Tips of Christmas"
In the final episode of The Coaching Life Podcast, hosts Pat Martin and Chris Stewart share some updates on the Bobcats football team and discuss the importance of team culture. The main emphasis of this episode is providing "12 Tips of Christmas" for coaches, players, and parents. They share an...
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206: The Over-Coached Athlete
Chris and Pat discuss the implications of over-coaching. We'll explore how excessive instruction can hinder athletes' natural instincts and decision-making abilities, leading to confusion and robotic performance. The conversation also touches on the importance of simplifying coaching techniques…
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205: Inside the Chaos of Coaching Changes, NIL, and What We Don’t Understand
In this episode of the Coaching Life Podcast, Chris and Pat reconnect after a 2-week break, sharing personal updates and diving into recent sports topics. They discuss some controversies in the NFL and college football, the implications of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) in Ohio High School sports…
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204: Are Athletes Today Softer… or Are They Just More Honest?
In this episode of the Coaching Life podcast, Pat and Chris discuss the changing dynamics of athletes from different generations. They hit on themes of emotional intelligence, and the balance between accountability and sensitivity in coaching. The conversation also goes into some other…
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203: What Fans Don’t See – The Invisible Details That Define Outcomes
When Isiah Kiner-Falefa took that short lead off third base in Game 7 of the World Series, the baseball world exploded with opinions. Analysts, fans, and even players criticized what they saw — but few stopped to ask why. In this episode, we talk about the danger of making quick snap judgments...
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202: Playing for an Audience of One – Ohio Volleyball Libero Kendall Hickey
In episode 202 of The Coaching Life, Chris and Pat sit down with Kendall Hickey, libero and leader on the Ohio University volleyball team. Known for her relentless defense, leadership, and deep faith in Christ, Kendall shares how her identity is rooted in something far greater than the game.
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BONUS: Eastern Volleyball Talk (Chris)
Eastern High School Volleyball Coach, Courtney Whittington invited Coach Stewart out to speak to the team on the week of preparation for their District Championship game. In this talk, Chris gives the team two reminders for how to be in control of the "butterflies" and emotions you feel in...
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201: They Should Already Know That… Shouldn’t They?
In this episode of The Coaching Life Podcast, we talk about the little things coaches often assume players already know — but too often don’t take time to teach. These “should already know” moments can be the difference between a win and a mistake that costs you a game. Who is responsible when…
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200: Life After Sports – Guest Brennan Meadows
NOTE: we had some technical difficulties with the audio in this episode. The volume varies depending on who is speaking and the audio is not the same quality as our other episodes. However, the content is without a doubt some of the best quality we have ever had on the podcast! ABOUT THE EPISODE:...
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199: Staying Ready! The Resilient Journey of Delaney Crawford
Every athlete’s path looks different — and sometimes the biggest growth happens when the spotlight isn’t on you. In this episode, Chris and Pat sit down with Delaney Crawford, wide receiver for the Ohio University Bobcats, whose journey from high school quarterback and track standout in…
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198: Discipline, Standards, and Second Chances
Discipline, standards, accountability, behavior — all are words that can make or break a team. In this episode of The Coaching Life, Chris and Pat dive into the tough conversations around holding athletes accountable. When a player shows up late, displays bad body language, or challenges team...
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197: Coaching With AI – Can AI Be Helpful For Coaches, Athletes, and Parents
In this episode of The Coaching Life Podcast, Chris and Pat talk about artificial intelligence in youth and high school sports. From breaking down swing mechanics and optimizing practice plans to helping parents understand their child’s development, AI is becoming a tool that coaches, players…
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196: Coaching the "Middle-Bottom" Players
In this episode of The Coaching Life Podcast, Chris and Pat dive into how coaches can invest in the "middle-bottom" players of your roster (forgive us for that label, it's tough to describe). But, how do we keep them motivated, and how do we help them understand their value. We’ll talk about: Why...
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195: Little Things – In-Between Moments That Impact Teams
Coaching isn’t just about practices, games, and strategies — it’s about the little things in between. In this episode, Chris and Pat talk about the subtle but powerful moments that shape a team’s culture: conversations on the bus, greetings at practice, building connection, being intentional…
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194: Rethinking Practice – Are We Doing It Right?
In this episode of The Coaching Life Podcast, Chris and Pat dive into one of the most important—and sometimes, most underprepared—aspects of youth and high school sports: practice. Are we practicing the right way or the wrong way? Do drills actually build transferable skills, or are they just…
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193: Season 12 – New Conversations in The Coaching Life
After a summer break, Chris and Pat are back to kick off Season 12 of The Coaching Life Podcast! In this episode, we share an overview of some of the conversations we’ll be having this season, including: Are we practicing the right—or wrong—way? Coaching the “middle” and “bottom” kids on a team....
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192: LOVE The Game, LOVE Your Team
In this episode of The Coaching Life Podcast, Chris and Pat dive into a conversation about loving the sport you play. We chat about the deeper connection athletes can have with their game, their team, and the entire experience of being part of something bigger than themselves. We discuss: ✅ Why...
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191: Game Week! Marauders vs. Eagles
The anticipation is mounting as Opening Day for High School baseball is just days away. The first game Pat and Chris's teams will play this season will be against each other! This is the topic of today's episode, because we can't think of much else right now! LOL
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190: Behind the Scenes – First Week of Baseball
In this episode of The Coaching Life Podcast, Chris and Pat dive into the unique challenges and strategies that come with being a head baseball coach during the crucial first week of the new season. They discuss how to set the tone for the year, establish team expectations, and build momentum…
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189: Comparing Yourself To Others Isn't Always Bad
Our friend, Justin Roush, joins us for a great conversation about developing expectations for yourself. Justin is starting an LLC and podcast of his own, titled "Walk-On Academy." We chat with him about his plans and vision, as he shares from his own experiences of walking onto the Ohio…
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188: Lifelong Learners and Used To Be NFL Fans
The title sums up the conversation in #188. We talk a little bit about trending issues in the NFL, but that's not the important part. In this episode of The Coaching Life Podcast, Chris and Pat gear up for the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association (OHSBCA) Clinic happening this week in...
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187: Fire Ryan Day!!! (Okay, um... maybe not.)
In this episode of The Coaching Life, Chris and Pat talk about the Ohio State Buckeyes’ National Championship and uncover a critical aspect of sports that often goes unnoticed: the disconnect between fans’ perceptions of the player-coach relationship and the reality behind the scenes. From social...
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186: New Year. New Season. New Growth.
Welcome to Season 11 of The Coaching Life Podcast! Chris and Pat kick off the new year with energy, excitement, and a renewed commitment to exploring the fun and sometimes crazy world of youth and high school sports. Join us as we set the tone for an all new season filled with impactful...
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185: Parker Navarro, QB of the MAC Champion Ohio Bobcats
We walk through the historic season for Ohio University football, and Parker Navarro's role in helping the Bobcats win the first Mid American Conference Championship since 1968.
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184: Home-Grown Coaching! Special Guest, Coach Billy Roper
We had the honor to chat with Coach Billy Roper from Adairsville, Georgia about the benefits of training the overall athlete for all the various sports they may play. Billy has much experience and wisdom, having worked for 29 years as a baseball coach and 28 years as a football coach.
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183: Beware of Groupthink
A handful of years ago Chris wrote a book titled "Building Champions," and the last chapter discussed a common issue in our culture, which is pervasive in youth sports culture. Groupthink is a very real problem, and we need to do our best to recognize when we are participating in it.
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182: Keep A Ball In The Pocket
We've had a lot of fun chatting with Brooks McKeller and so we invited him to join our conversation again today on a variety of topics, from golf to baseball to football chapel services. You'll have to listen all the way to the end to understand the title of this episode!
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181: Are They Really Cheering For Injury??
Today we take some time to devote an entire episode to Pat's beloved Cleveland Browns. But, the conversation isn't a glorious one. We talk about some of the drama surrounding the fan base and players in context of Deshaun Watson's season-ending injury.
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180: Let's Talk About Pete Rose (1941-2024)
"My all-time favorite baseball player was Pete Rose. It's not because he was the greatest player in the game, although he holds some of the game's greatest records that will likely never be broken. It's not because he was the most upstanding citizen; he had a hard, stubborn, ego and everyone knew...
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179: Guest Brooks McKeller, Ohio Bobcats Golf – A Deeper Purpose In Sports
We might have found a third host for The Coaching Life Podcast. Brooks McKeller is a senior on the Ohio University Golf team, and he is our guest in this episode. This conversation is SO good. We encourage you to take the time to listen to it in it's entirety.
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178: Creating A Winning Mindset
When you are on a team, or coaching a team, that is used to losing, how do you change that? We all know of those teams that just seem to have a culture of winning, and we also know the ones that just seem to have a culture of losing. What makes them so different? Of course, there are many…
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177: Student-Led Teams Are The Best Teams
We are seeing a generation of young people who are leading in many different ways. That's today's conversation.
About this show
Real honest conversations about topics related to youth sports: coaching, parenting, and player development. The hosts have lived in both worlds of parent and coach. Those two worlds have even intersected, as they have coached their own children. The main purpose of this podcast is to be useful. Useful to those who coach. Useful to those who parent. Useful to those who are still playing. Sometimes we have guests, and sometimes we just talk about things – often things that are difficult – but we always have fun! And, we always seek to grow and learn. We hope you'll join our conversation!
Hosted by
Chris Stewart and Pat Martin
Categories