EP 24: Cristian Plascencia | Strength, Skill, Durability: Building Austin’s Premier Basketball Academy

Co-founder of Durable Athlete and VP of Performance at Texas Pro Academy, Cristian Plascencia joins the show to share how he’s reshaping basketball development in Central Texas. Alongside Zach Urbanus, Cristian has built Texas Pro Academy into a one-stop environment where players get strength and conditioning, skill development, and competitive pickup runs all under one roof.

Cristian breaks down how to align strength and skill work for basketball players, his number one training priority, and what he looks for when watching athletes play to drive weight room decisions. He also shares how high school athletes with overloaded schedules can structure their weeks and what steps they can take to stay durable.

Beyond coaching, Cristian dives into what it takes to grow a business in the private sector and how to get high school teams to contract you out. This episode is loaded with takeaways for coaches and athletes striving to maximize performance and longevity.

This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches.

Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success.

👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here].

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background of Cristian Plascencia

07:27 Collaboration and Team Dynamics in Training

09:48 The Importance of Stress Management in Training

12:41 Coordinating Strength and Skill Work

15:44 Training Strategies for High School Athletes

18:45 Simplifying Training for Optimal Performance

21:25 Analyzing Basketball Movement to Drive Weight Room Decisions

33:21 Building Capacity and Variability in Training

37:41 Crafting the Ideal Training Week

41:58 The Importance of Mental Breaks and Variety in Training

45:21 Growing a Training Business and Building Trust with Schools

58:14 Finding Work-Life Balance as a Coach