Tommy Hansen, owner of Perform 4 Life and Director of Sports Performance at Top Flight Volleyball Club, joins the show to break down the realities of volleyball training and athlete development. Best known on Instagram as @freestyle_jump_guy, Tommy has become a go-to resource for jump training and performance insights in the volleyball world.

We dive into what injury prevention actually is, the truth about landing mechanics, and how he approaches sprint and jump training specifically for volleyball athletes. Tommy also shares his perspective on navigating the youth and club sports landscape and what coaches and parents often misunderstand about long-term development.

Beyond the training side, Tommy walks through how he grew his Instagram from 5,000 to 45,000 followers, what has (and hasn’t) led to real business growth, and the vision he’s building toward for the future.

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 The Journey of Self-Experimentation in Training

10:04 Scaling Programming for Big Groups

13:10 Consistency in Training for Youth Athletes

15:49 Balancing Performance and Injury Prevention

24:18 Building Resilience Through Jump Variety

29:21 Balancing Extensive and Intensive Jumps

34:15 Sprint Training for Volleyball Players

38:25 Common Misconceptions in Athletic Development

44:15 Navigating Skill vs. Physical Development Priorities

51:54 Integrating Skills and Conditioning in Coaching

58:06 Growing a Social Media Following

01:07:13 Long-Term Vision and Sustainable Coaching

In this solo episode, I share 12 lessons from 10 elite coaches featured in Strength In Numbers. Each lesson comes from a real passage in the book—insights that have stuck with me and shaped how I think about coaching, leadership, and life.

I unpack ideas like why feedback is a gift, how clarity drives performance, what it really means to teach athletes to fail, and why balance isn’t always the goal early in your career. We also dive into overcoming burnout, recruiting the right families, building your personal Mount Rushmore, creating a pirate map for life, and the balance between character and talent when evaluating players.

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 The Gift of Feedback

04:03 Clarity Equals High Performance

05:22 Teaching Your Athletes to Fail

08:00 Why You Don't Need Balance Starting Your Career

09:24 Passion vs. Burnout

11:00 Overcoming Burnout and Struggles

12:45 Evaluating + Recruiting the Parents

15:33 Building Your Personal Mount Rushmore

17:22 Never Assume Resilience in Others

19:39 Creating a Pirate Map for Life

21:58 Building the Right Staff

24:24 Character vs. Talent in Recruiting

In this solo episode, I break down a framework I use called the Develop vs Display Continuum. When deciding what to do, how much to do, and when to do it, I like to think of a spectrum with “Develop” on one side and “Display” on the other.

Are you trying to develop ability—or display it?

I dive into how this framework shapes decision-making across different phases of the year, how to individualize based on player roles and needs, how to develop low-minute players in-season, and how to adjust between training days within a week.

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].

After 20 years as a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Seton Hall University, Angelo Gingerelli recently transitioned into a new role as a professor at Kean University. He also serves as the New Jersey State Director for the NSCA and is the author of The Next 4 Years: Compete, Win, and Thrive in College Sports.

In this episode, Angelo shares insights from his book and career, discussing why many athletes arrive at college unprepared—and the habits and actions they need to develop to thrive once they get there. He also offers perspective for high school coaches on how to better equip their athletes for the next level, both physically and personally.

We also dive into his decision to leave collegiate strength and conditioning after two decades, how coaches can navigate major career decisions, and the importance of building multiple streams of income outside of your day job.

Check out Angelo’s new book here: The Next 4 Years: Compete, Win, and Thrive in College Sports.

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

03:48 Transitioning from Coaching to Academia

06:41 The Process of Writing a Book

09:18 Understanding College Athletics

12:25 Preparing for College Sports

15:13 The Importance of Physical Development

17:50 Navigating the Recruitment Process

20:47 The Impact of First Impressions in College Sports

27:30 The Reality of College Athletics and Career Preparation

32:11 Transitioning from Coaching to Teaching

34:50 Long-Term Career Planning for Coaches

38:45 Exploring Additional Income Streams

43:29 The Value of Creating and Sharing Knowledge

48:26 Finding Purpose in Coaching and Mentorship

After 20 years as the Director of Performance and Nutrition at Gonzaga University, Mike Nilson joins the show to share why he stepped away from strength and conditioning to begin a new chapter as a financial advisor with Ten Capital. In his new role, Mike helps athletes navigate the world of NIL and how to manage their finances.

We dive into the principles behind his career transition, how to build a personal philosophy and framework, and what studying a wide range of disciplines taught him about skill acquisition. Mike also delivers a masterclass on the power of commitments, how just five minutes a day can change your life, and the value of mapping out your future with clarity and purpose.

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 Transition to New Beginnings

03:03 From Basketball to Strength Conditioning

06:03 Recognizing the Need for Financial Education

06:57 Transitioning to Financial Coaching

09:49 Overcoming Fears of Starting Anew

13:18 The Power of Daily Commitments

16:24 Principles, Strategies, and Techniques in Coaching

20:53 Connecting Different Fields of Knowledge

25:11 Crafting Personal Principles and Frameworks

27:59 Building Systems for Effective Delivery

30:52 Family First: Prioritizing Relationships Over Career

34:54 The Principle of Retirement: Timing and Decision Making

38:00 Commitment: Transforming Wants into Musts

42:41 Building Momentum: The Power of Small Wins

46:34 Discipline and Freedom: The Balance of Commitment

53:41 Nutrition and Commitment: The Importance of Consistency

Dan Braun, founder of Braun Performance + Rehab and host of the Braun Performance and Rehab Podcast with over 485 episodes, joins the show to share his expertise on bridging the gap between rehab and performance.

We dive into the key factors that can delay the return-to-play process, the skills strength coaches should develop to support athletes during rehab, and how to manage chronic injuries—like tendinopathies—in overworked athletes.

Dan also breaks down the biggest growth levers for his business, how he evaluates success beyond finances, and why he’s focused on scaling for greater impact. This episode is packed with actionable insights for coaches, clinicians, and anyone looking to improve athlete health and long-term performance.

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

04:47 Opportunities and Collaboration in Sports

07:34 The Importance of Teamwork in Return to Play

10:23 Understanding Return to Play: A Continuum

12:57 Avoiding Mistakes in Return to Play Assessments

16:06 Managing Chronic Injuries in Young Athletes

18:40 Balancing Workload and Recovery

21:32 Behavior Change in Young Athletes

30:27 Understanding Valgus and Athletic Performance

34:59 The Importance of Servant Leadership

39:02 Effective Communication in Coaching

41:50 Scaling Impact Through Efficiency

46:14 The Journey of Podcasting and Growth

49:57 Exploring the Nervous System and Success

55:51 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions

Founder of Spoken Nutrition, Jordan Bokser, joins the show to share the story behind building a supplement company designed to solve coaches’ problems and deliver products athletes can trust. We dive into how Spoken was created, how they crafted their formulas around transparency and effectiveness, and what it takes to build a brand people believe in.

Jordan also breaks down common mistakes in supplementation and nutrition, how you can improve results without even changing your diet, and strategies for influencing the mindset of resistant athletes—or even resistant staff. Beyond supplements, this episode gives a window into Jordan’s decision-making, his approach to business, and ultimately, his approach to life.

Wholesale – Spoken Nutrition

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 to Spoken Nutrition and Jordan Bokser

03:51 Building Trust and Authenticity in Business

06:17 The Importance of Feedback and Collaboration

08:38 Surrounding Yourself with Excellence

11:15 The Role of Education in Sports Nutrition

13:51 Creating a Supportive Community for Coaches

16:31 Mindset and Its Impact on Nutrition and Performance

22:59 Foundations Over Trends

24:27 The Importance of Recovery and Mindset

25:27 Coaching and Individualized Approaches

27:22 The Socratic Method in Coaching

28:29 Negotiation and Mutual Understanding

31:14 Fear of Abandonment in Coaching

32:24 Connecting with Employees and Their Purpose

34:14 The Power of Mission Statements

35:47 Approaching Business with Love

37:42 Aligning Personal and Company Whys

40:06 Educating the Market

43:01 Overcoming Self-Imposed Limitations

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