How Soccer Explains Leadership Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In Episode 154, we are recasting our episode with Dan Abrahams, Sports Psychologist, best-selling author of four books, Founder of the Dan Abrahams Soccer Academy and The Sport Psych Show Podcast, and former pro golfer, who talks with Phil about his sports psychology work, his books, and his podcast, the concepts of “Teamship” and motivational climate, extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation, pre-failing, self-leadership, his personal why, how we can coach difficult players by asking great questions, and whether we can recreate the pressure of a penalty kick outside of a match. Specifically, Dan discusses:

·      His story, his work with Premier League and other football/soccer teams, his books, his podcast, how he developed his passion for soccer and leadership, and how he got to where he is today (3:31)

·      What excites him about the increase of awareness of the importance of mindset and sports psychology in sports over the past several years (13:53)

·      In which sport the mental game is more important: soccer or golf (20:04)

·      The concept of “Teamship” and why it is important (26:49)

·      The Motivational Climate of a Team, what it is, and what it has to do with a team’s culture and burnout (30:13)

·      Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation, get-to vs. have-to mentality, and how they are related to short- and long-term performance (43:07)

·      The concept of pre-failing (49:01)

·      Why self-leadership and a leader’s mindset are important (53:13)

·      His personal why and how it is playing out in his life (59:05)

·      “Not” coaching difficult players, but teaching them to coach themselves through questions (1:01:23)

·      How personality styles are related to the sports psychology work (1:05:45)

·      Whether it is possible to recreate the pressure of a penalty kick in a training environment (1:09:31)

·      How he uses lessons learned in soccer in his family relationships (1:14:16)

·      His recommendation, which is very personal to him (1:15:44)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Dan’s Website
• The Sport Psych Show Podcast
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Coaching the Bigger Game information
• Warrior Way information
• Phil Darke’s email address
• Soccer Tough: Simple Football Psychology Techniques to Improve Your Game, by Dan Abrahams
• Soccer Tough 2: Advanced Psychology Techniques for Footballers, by Dan Abrahams
• Soccer Brain: The 4C Coaching Model for Developing World Class Player Mindsets and a Winning Football Team, by Dan Abrahams
• Golf Tough: Practice, Prepare, Perform, and Progress, by Dan Abrahams
• The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance, by W. Timothy Gallwey

In Episode 153, we are going way back to the first half of our first season and recasting one of our most impactful and most downloaded interviews. In this conversation, Eric Pfeiffer, Founder and Senior Consultant of MPWR Coaching and Collegiate Soccer Player, talks with Phil about emotional intelligence, dealing with insecurities, self-love, permission to fail, the journey of growth, conflict resolution, and much more. Specifically, he discusses:

·      His story and how his experience playing soccer intersects with other areas of his life and leadership (3:25)

·      Emotional intelligence and why it is critical to success in soccer and leading others in any area of life (7:36)

·      How coaching sports organizations is the same as coaching any other organizations (9:47)

·      Insecurities, how they affect us in soccer and other areas of life, and how we can overcome them in sport and life (14:01)

·      How self-love is different from narcissism and why the distinction is important to understand (19:06)

·      Permission to fail and why it’s necessary to learn how to embrace failure and fail forward (22:21)

·      How insecurities and emotional unintelligence manifest themselves in our lives (and on the soccer pitch) and why overcoming them is essential to flourishing in life (25:19)

·      The journey of growth and phases of development for anything worth doing (30:18)

·      Creating a culture that celebrates healthy failure (33:27)

·      What soccer teaches us about conflict resolution and how we can work through conflict together in a healthy way (42:09)

·      How he uses the lessons he learned from soccer in his marriage and parenting (48:39)

·      His recommendation of a book that impacted his thinking of the intersection of soccer, life, and leadership (53:34)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Audio with subtitles available on our YouTube channel (video not available due to technical difficulties)

·      MPWR Coaching website

·      Eric Pfeiffer on LinkedIn

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Providence World (to financially support HSEL)

·      Das Reboot: How German Football Reinvented Itself and Conquered the World, by Raphael Honigstein

In Episode 144, Lang Wedemeyer, Head Coach of Liberty University Women’s Soccer, husband, and father, talks with Phil and Paul about his ministry and coaching journey and lessons he has learned along the way, the challenges of transitioning a program from D-1 to D-2, how he is a better coach because of an ill-timed injury, the transfer portal, the importance of mentorship and how Iron Chats are helping coaches, how his faith impacts his coaching, culture building, great lessons from great coaches, a bunch of great book recommendations, and much more. Specifically, Lang discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, and coaching, and how he ended up coaching at Liberty University (1:46)

·      Lessons learned from his transition from Division 2 to Division 1 while coaching at South Dakota State (5:23)

·      How the transfer portal is changing the game (9:38)

·      His personal why/life purpose and how he is living it out today (11:41)

·      The importance of mentorship and how Iron Chats are helping coaches lead better and connect with mentors/mentees (14:25)

·      A couple things he wishes he knew when he started coaching a couple decades ago (20:54)

·      How his faith has impacted his coaching and how he has incorporated his faith into his coaching at both a secular and Christian school (24:39)

·      Establishing and maintaining healthy cultures in your teams (29:46)

·      Coaching the different generations over the years (34:35)

·      His defining moment as a player and life lessons he learned from it (39:25)

·      His most influential coaches and how he is using the lessons learned from them in his life today (45:52)

·      His thoughts on the good and bad of US soccer, and how lessons learned in Liberia can help soccer in the US (53:23)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the beautiful game in his relationships outside the game (1:05:22)

·      His recommendations (1:10:40)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Iron Chats

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast

·      Positive University Podcast

·      The Ed Mylett Podcast

·      Win the Day: 7 Daily Habits to Help You Stress Less & Accomplish More, Mark Batterson

·      The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports, Brian Smith

·      Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth

·      Inside Out Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives, Joe Ehrmann

·      Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex, John Gray

·      High Altitude Leadership: What the World’s Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success, Chris Warner

·      The Vision of a Champion: Advice and Inspiration from the World’s Most Successful Women’s Soccer Coach, Anson Dorrance & Gloria Averbuch

In Episode 54, Zac Hoffman, Author of Finding the Good Life as a SWALeader and former professional American football player in Europe, talking with Phil about intercultural competence, leading effectively in a foreign country, humility, playing American football in Europe, mental toughness and resilience, and helping players to overcome adversity. Specifically, Zac discusses:

• His story, how he developed his passion for football and leadership, his new book, and how he ended up playing football in Europe (2:12)
• The importance of intercultural competence in our leadership (9:23)
• Earning respect and leading effectively in a foreign country when speaking a different language (16:29)
• The importance of a humble, learning posture (20:07)
• Playing American football in countries that love the other (real) football (23:40)
• Lessons he learned when he transitioned to “the real world” after he retired from his football playing career (26:50)
• His personal why (32:11)
• Mental toughness and resilience (38:21)
• Importance of coaches helping their players overcome adversity (43:49)
• What he has learned directly from the game of American football that he has used in other areas of his life (47:13)
• His recommendation (50:31)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Finding the Good Life as a SWALeader: Effective Leadership in Our New World, by Zach Hoffman
• #Maxout Your Life: Strategies for Becoming an Elite Performer, by Ed Mylett

In Episode 53, Jesse Bradley, Pastor of Seattle Grace Community Church, Dartmouth College Men’s Soccer Alum, and Former Professional in Scotland and Zimbabwe, talks with Phil about developing healthy mindset and habits, finding our purpose, developing muscle memory in our decision-making, collaboration in leadership, healthy and toxic teams, leading with confidence and clarity, identity formation, servant leadership, leaders as followers, and parenting and marriage advice. Specifically, Jesse discusses:

• His story, how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and ministry, and how a reaction to prescribed medication drastically changed his life (2:47)
• Mindset and how we can develop positive habits and purpose (8:21)
• Developing muscle memory in our decision making and living out our values, on and off the field (15:55)
• The importance of collaboration in leadership, and how we can do it well (18:13)
• Developing healthy cultures and dealing with toxic team members (25:24)
• Leading with confidence and faith, not in fear (35:10)
• Transformational Leadership and the importance of clarity in healthy organizations (39:14)
• Shaping identity of our ourselves and our teams, well beyond performance (44:10)
• Servant leadership and the concept that great leaders need to be great followers (48:52)
• His personal why and how he lives it out every day (55:24)
• His programs to help people in their parenting, marriages, and shaping identity (57:00)
• What he has learned from the game that he has used in his marriage and parenting (58:58)
• What resources he has learned from over the years (1:02:52)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Jesse’s Website with free marriage, parenting, identity formation, and other programs
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• The Advantage, by Patrick Lencioni

In Episode 52, Paul and Phil recall some of the highlights of the first half of Season 4 and continue their conversation about the leadership genius of Ted Lasso, Coach Beard, and Nate the Great, covering Episodes 7 & 8 of the show. Specifically, they discuss:

• Highlights from the interviews we had with Diego Bocanegra, Lance Key, Will Russell, and Tracy Hamm in the first half of Season 4 (2:47)
• Making youth soccer more accessible to all kids, not just the wealthy, across the US (5:36)
• Specialization in youth sports (9:10)
• Using soccer to prepare our kids for adulthood (17:10)
• The power of connections between coach and player, as with Ted’s connection with Jamie Tartt (23:40)
• Ted apologizing to Nate the Great, and the power of saying, “I’m sorry.” (32:36)
• Lessons learned from Ted empowering Nate to give the pre-game speech at Everton (35:32)
• How the impact a coach can have on his or her players can last a lifetime in unexpected ways (40:20)
• The lessons learned from Ted’s darts match with Rupert in Episode 9 (44:10)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Email Phil – phil@howsoccerexplainsleadership.com
• The Warrior Way
• Ted Lasso (Apple TV)

In Episode 51, Tracy Hamm, Head Coach of UC Davis Women’s Soccer, talks with Phil about her incredible journey to obtaining her UEFA A license and the documentary made about it (“Coach”), crashing big wheels and “pool sharking” as a kid, mentoring, creating and maintaining healthy culture, preventing toxic teams, understanding “the other” and other perspectives, integrity, and how pressure is a privilege. Specifically, Tracy discusses:

• Her story and how she grew her passion for soccer, coaching, and leadership (2:07)
• Lessons learned from her childhood crashing big wheels into walls and being a “pool shark” on the playground (7:04)
• Insight on an interesting recruiting story from her high school years (10:17)
• Her why and life purpose, and how it has played out in her playing and coaching over the years (12:11)
• The importance of mentors and mentoring as a coach (14:44)
• How she seeks to create and maintain healthy culture and encourage integrity on her teams (18:31)
• Toxic vs. healthy teams (22:11)
• “Coach,” the documentary about her quest for the UEFA A Coaching License, and what it feels like to be one of the few women to earn the license, and why it is important to get more women coaches in the game (25:07)
• The importance of taking time to understand “the other” in our lives (27:55)
• The importance of having different perspectives in coaching staffs and teams (31:16)
• What she is most excited about and most disappointed about in US Soccer (36:51)
• What she hopes her players have internalized before they leave her program (39:10)
• What she learned from the game that she has used in her life outside the game (41:16)
• Her book and podcast recommendations (42:36)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• “Coach” (Documentary)
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth
• “All or Nothing: Manchester City” (Amazon Prime)
• “Take Us Home: Leeds United” (Amazon Prime)

In Episode 50, we are continuing our Fan Favorites series by recasting our interview with Lee Baker, Owner of uScore Soccer and Director of Legacy Soccer Club, who talked with Phil about overcoming hardships, knowing and sticking to your “why,” setting and pursuing goals, using soccer as a classroom for life and leadership, modeling ethics and integrity, perspective, mentoring, and sacrificial living. Specifically, Lee discusses:

• His story and how he developed his passion for soccer, leadership, and his journey to uScore and Legacy Soccer Club (1:48)
• What Lee has learned about leadership through hardships, and how he has grown through difficult experiences (5:56)
• The importance of mission, vision, and values to create clarity in your organization, goal setting, and really knowing your “why” (12:35)
• How uScore Soccer and Legacy Soccer Club are doing things differently and teaching his players life and leadership lessons through the game in their practices and “classroom” time (17:02)
• How we can teach and model character, ethics, and integrity, and compete at the highest level in our soccer clubs and organizations (23:22)
• How you can address parents and/or players who don’t agree with your organization’s mission, vision, and/or values (28:07)
• The importance of perspective and learning from the best in class, other cultures, and other disciplines (33:22)
• The benefits of mentoring in our organizations (38:46)
• How Lee uses lessons he has learned from the beautiful game in his marriage, parenting, and other areas of life (40:44)
• A fun conversation about a show that has impacted Lee’s thinking on how soccer explains life and leadership (43:39)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Uncut Video of the Episode –https://youtu.be/G2hp8-vAA6A
• HSEL Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership
• uScore Soccer website -- https://www.uscore-soccer.com
• Legacy Soccer Club website -- https://www.legacysoccer.org
• Ted Lasso (Amazon Prime) -- https://apple.co/3sDe9py

In Episode 49, we continue our Fan Favorites Series with our interview with Amanda Cromwell, Head Coach of UCLA Women’s Soccer, Former National Team member and coach, former pro footballer, and Olympic Gold Medalist, who talked with Phil about vulnerability, recruiting, pursuing justice, and infectious influence. Specifically, she discusses:

• Her experience in soccer and leadership from her club career, to University of VA, to some other cool stuff, to her current position at UCLA. (1:46)
• The most memorable leaders she has played and coached with during her illustrious career, and the qualities that set them apart from the rest (3:21)
• The critical importance of understanding and connecting with your teammates and players you’re coaching (6:10)
• Life and leadership lessons she has learned from the game itself (7:25)
• The importance of players, and all people, to experience and overcome adversity and failure early in life (9:50)
• What we can learn from our losses and failings (11:27)
• Leadership lessons (and some insider Bruin lore) from her Final Four experience in her National Championship season at UCLA (which also happened to be her first year at the school) (13:33)
• How to foster a healthy culture in a team full of elite players, and the difficulties of choosing captains (22:07)
• The non-negotiables of a captain (24:57)
• What she looks for in recruits (and their parents), how she works to prevent signing problem players to her program and how she deals with viruses who slip through the cracks (26:19)
• How to keep players content and motivated when they’re on the bench, or worse, not in the Top 18 (30:29)
• How she cultivates a healthy team culture with a team full of differing world views, political views, demographics, and backgrounds, even when people disagree on important things (34:18)
• Resources that she recommends to us (53:43)

Resources and Links from this Episode

Audio with subtitles available on our YouTube channel (video not available due to technical difficulties)

UCLA Women’s Soccer website & Social – https://uclabruins.com/sports/womens-soccer & @uclawsoccer

Amanda on Social -- @CromwellUCLA (Twitter) & @coach_cromwell (IG)

Corey Close on IG and Twitter --@coachcoriclose

How Soccer Explains Leadership Facebook Group -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/howsoccerexplainsleadership

“All or Nothing: Manchester City” – Amazon Prime

“All or Nothing: Tottenham” – Amazon Prime

“All of Notiong: All Blacks” – Amazon Prime

“The Social Dilemma” – Netflix

“Take the Ball, Pass the Ball” -- Netflix

How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, by Franklin Foer

Failing Forward, by John Maxwell

Think Orphan Podcast “Two Perspectives on Abortion” Episode -- https://thinkorphan.com/2018/08/21/episode-110/

In Episode 48, we are continuing our fan favorites mini-series with a re-cast of our interview with Cori Close, Head Coach of UCLA Women’s Basketball, who talked with Phil about lessons she learned from her mentor, John Wooden, her personal “Why,” what a broom and a shovel have to do with leadership, her Close Conversations, healthy conflict, gratitude, Championship Level Habits, doing the next right thing, and how work done in the dark gets revealed in the light. Specifically, Coach Close discusses:

• Issues with specialization in one sport too early (2:52)
• How she developed her passion for soccer, basketball, and leadership, and how she got to be where she is today (4:02)
• Some lessons she learned while being mentored by the incomparable, John Wooden (8:56)
• Her personal “Why” and life mission, and how it informs her leadership (12:40)
• What are the things from sports that will stay with us for our whole life (14:44)
• Why she has a broom and a shovel in her office (18:55)
• How we can find and what we can learn from her Close Conversations on social media (21:44)
• Why healthy conflict and tension is necessary for any healthy team (24:34)
• A “have-to” vs. “get-to” mentality and why it matters (32:54)
• Creating and reaching Championship Level Habits (39:16)
• Doing the next right thing in the midst of the wrestle and getting back to neutral (45:57)
• What she wants her players to know when they leave her program (53:16)
• What she has learned directly from basketball (and soccer) that she has used in her life and leadership outside the game(s) (54:41)
• How the work done in the dark gets revealed in the light (58:34)
• Her book and podcast recommendations (1:00:44)

Resources and Links from this Episode

• Coach Close on IG & Twitter (@coachcoriclose), and FB (Cori Close)
• Uncut Video of the Episode
• HSEL Facebook Group
• Phil and HSEL on Clubhouse -- @phildarke
• Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
• Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, by James Kerr
• The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, by Stephen R. Covey
• Chop Wood, Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great, by Joshua Medcalf
• Burn Your Goals: The Counter Cultural Approach to Achieving Your Greatest Potential, by Joshua Medcalf
• The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else, by Patrick Lencioni
• Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni
• The Third Option: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation, by Miles McPherson
• “Two Perspectives on Abortion,” Think Orphan Podcast, Episode 110
• In Pursuit of Orphan Excellence: My Kids, Your Kids, Our Kids, by Philip Darke and Keith McFarland, et. al
• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear
• It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered, by Lisa Terkeurst
• It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life, by Trever Moawad
• Win in the Dark, by Joshua Medcalf and Lucas Jadin
• The Focus 3 Podcast
• The Relentless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World, by John Mark Comer
• Fight Hustle, End Hurry Podcast with John Mark Comer and Jefferson Bethke