In Part 2, we dig deeper into how the U.S. Naval Academy develops ethical, resilient leaders—and how those same lessons apply to coaching. Jim breaks down the Academy’s leadership lab, the sophomore ethics course, and the “2 for 7” contract that defines a midshipman’s commitment. We also talk about his new book, Crucibles—what inspired it, […]

This special Best of September edition of Beyond Coaching brings together some of the most eye-opening and practical conversations we’ve had this month. From the sidelines of youth sports to the leadership labs of the Naval Academy, each guest shared powerful stories and truths that speak directly to the challenges coaches and leaders face every […]

Nick Saban, Adaptability, and the Leadership Curve A little under two years ago, Nick Saban retired. Arguably the greatest college football coach of all time, his ability to sustain success and adapt over decades is hard to match. Since his retirement, I’ve read a few books about him, including The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban: […]

Each month, Dustin and I sit down for a 10–15 minute conversation where we dig deeper into the content from our book Coaching & Leading the 21st Century Athlete. These videos dive deeper into our book with more stories, application, and nuance. This month we dive into the second half of Chapter 8 and Responding […]

In this first half of my conversation with Jim McNeal, we dive deep into what it means to lead, fail, and mentor in one of the toughest leadership pipelines in the world: the U.S. Naval Academy. Jim, a Naval Academy alum turned coach, mentor, and author, shares how he coaches high school and collegiate athletes, […]