What is the difference between holding a position of power and serving as a leader? Jim Malone—owner of Baseball Strength Academy and longtime Strength and Conditioning Coach with the San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals—joins the latest episode to discuss leadership lessons he’s learned from decades in the Bigs working with multiple Hall of Famers and Cy Young Winners as well as countless All-Stars.

“True leaders across all domains have to lead everyone in their stead,” Malone says, making the point that great leaders in the dugout—from Trevor Hoffman to Adrian Gonzales—were not leaders for just part of the team, but the entire team.

The discussion shifts from developing leaders on the ball field to the political arena, where the same should hold true, but often does not—with political leaders and office-holders choosing to serve their party base but not the entire population.

The conversation also touches on honesty, consistency, and authenticity as core foundations of leadership and how the ideals of meritocracy from sport can be something that coaches and citizens as whole demand in the political realm.

“Meritocracy is earned, right?” Malone says. “It’s opportunities earned.”

Chapter List

00:00 Introduction to Coaching Values and Leadership

02:28 The Essence of Servant Leadership

07:27 Developing Internal Leadership in Teams

11:31 Authenticity and Consistency in Leadership

16:23 The Role of Honesty in Coaching

19:50 Meritocracy in Sports and Society

27:33 Leadership Qualities and Team Building

31:11 The Role of Sports in Community and Inclusion

32:29 Navigating the Media Landscape

34:58 Political Discourse and Leadership

39:07 Patriotism and Community Values

Fire it up! Coach Todd Hamer re-tells a story from Barack Obama about how a spark of inspiration can be enough to change the energy in another person, which can change a room, which can change a community, which can change a city, which can change a country.

In addition to over two decades of experience as a D1 strength and conditioning coach—with leadership roles at The Citadel, Marist, George Mason, Robert Morris University, and George Washington University—Coach Hamer walks it like he talks it. Not just because of his 595lb squat PR or 475lb bench, but by taking a true leadership role in his community by running for and holding a position on the City Council of Sewickley, PA.

Coach Hamer begins the conversation by sharing his philosophy of servant leadership that is simultaneously empathetic and selfish—empathetic by making an effort to meet the individual needs of each athlete to improve their life and selfish because that ability to improve people’s lives…adds value to his own.

“An athletic director once said to me ‘Your job is to make better athletes, stop worrying about building connections.’ And I said ‘If you don’t make connections, you can’t build better athletes.’”

CONNECTIONS continue as a theme throughout the discussion—connecting from coach to athlete, connecting to community, connecting to nature, connecting to people who may not share identical ideas or priorities. Hamer shares what he has learned from his leadership role in the community, how that has impacted his view on other current events and issues, and how small actions can be the catalysts to create larger types of change.

Chapter List

00:00 Introduction to Coach Todd Hamer

01:28 Defining the 'Why' in Coaching

07:25 Leadership Principles for Young Athletes

12:19 The Intersection of Leadership and Politics

17:34 Running for City Council: A Personal Journey

23:00 Human Rights and Community Leadership

25:00 Competence and Confidence in Leadership

26:22 Community Engagement and Cycling Safety Initiatives

30:23 Coaching, Leadership, and Community Responsibility

31:53 The Importance of Transparency in Governance

37:12 Perception, Reality, and Media Consumption

43:51 Patriotism, Accountability, and Finding Common Ground

How can club and travel coaches make youth sports a fun, rewarding, and positive experience while still supporting highly competitive players through every level of their athletic journeys?

Team sports are what you make them—YOU meaning coaches, players, families, communities, and organizations. While those critical of the youth sports system can point to issues with player burnout, high costs, extensive commitments, overuse injuries, and other problems, Legends FC SD-Del Mar ECRL Coach and College Liaison Bob Remensperger joins the podcast to discuss his player-driven approach and the ways that he teaches young players (and their parents!) to enjoy and thrive in their time playing soccer, all while still pursuing consistent development, competitive success, and potential opportunities to play beyond the high school level.

The conversation begins with a discussion of core coaching principles, and Coach Remensperger discusses the importance he places on disciplined preparation, leading by example, and believing in his athletes so that they are comfortable taking risks and being brave.

Based on well over a decade of coaching experience across multiple clubs and levels, Remensperger breaks down ways he prepares for his training sessions, how he interacts with athletes to set the foundation of a positive team culture, and ways he communicates with parents to make sure they are enjoying their child’s experience with the team (plus strategies to help parents turn the dreaded “car ride home” into actual quality time spent with their child).

While much of the discussion focusses on establishing an engaging and welcoming environment on the field, Remensperger also shares practical insight for players looking to play at the college level and how their parents can best support those higher-level goals. As a former college player (and the parent of a current D1 volleyball athlete), Remensperger explains the importance of having the college recruiting process be player-driven, proactive, and realistic. He discusses some of the hands-on advice he provides players in his role as the club’s college liaison and tools and strategies players can leverage while pursuing a commitment to play at the university level.

Chapter List

00:00 Introduction to Coaching Philosophy

01:48 Building Values and Expectations in Athletes

04:26 Leadership and Collaboration in Coaching

07:24 Encouraging Bravery and Risk-Taking in Players

10:58 Creating Joy in Youth Sports

18:28 Navigating the College Recruiting Process

27:03 Positive Parent-Child Dynamics in Sports