Chad Parks transforms athletes through building culture and creating genuine connections, turning wrestling into a vehicle for character development far beyond the mat. His approach combines technical coaching with life lessons that prepare athletes for challenges in all aspects of their lives.
• Wrestling background that began with his Hall of Fame coach father
• Created distinctive team mottos like TCOB (Take Care of Business) and GET (Gratitude, Effort, Toughness)
• Observes significant generational changes in youth sports, particularly decreased free play
• Warns against sports specialization and over-scheduling that leads to burnout
• Encourages parents to separate their children's performance from expressions of love and approval
• Advocates for transformational coaching that focuses on developing the whole person
• Authored "Game Changing Moves," sharing wisdom gathered from mentors and personal experience
• Believes in the "two chairs" concept - taking time to not just speak to God but listen as well
• Recommends books including "The Noticer" by Andy Andrews and "The Men We Need" by Brant Hansen
• Shares practical approaches to helping athletes develop internal motivation rather than external pressure
If you want to connect with Coach Parks, find him on social media using the handle @CoachChadParks on Instagram or Chad Parks on Facebook.
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0:08 - Discipline and Consistency in Coaching
6:23 - Chad Parks: From Oklahoma to Kansas Wrestling
9:35 - Creating Team Culture Through Mottos
18:47 - The Value of Transformational Coaching
28:19 - Sports Specialization and Youth Development
32:06 - Early Coaching Career and Workload
52:45 - Applying Wrestling Lessons to Life
1:07:28 - The Book Writing Journey
1:17:04 - Parenting Advice for Young Athletes
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