Shows
Coaches, Be Encouraged.Leading as the New Guy at an Old School in Downtown Minneapolis | AD Austin Junker - DeLaSalle, MNOn a trip to Minneapolis in January of '26 I sat down with DeLaSalle's new athletic director, Austin Junker. It was a great conversation during an emotional time in Minneapolis, and we both left feeling encouraged. Here's a look at the questions I fed to Austin:
1. What do you love about your job as an AD?
2. How do you lead as the new guy at an old school with great history?
3. What are you up to currently in leading the school?
4. What were you looking for as you just hired your...
2026-01-2620 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.Changing the Name "Athletic Director" and 90s Culture vs Today | Kevin Guzzo AD - St. Joseph, MIKevin Guzzo is the long time AD at St. Joseph HS, MI. In this podcast we discuss the following topics:
1. Changing the name, "Athletic Director"
2. Breaking free of the paperwork
3. You must lead yourself 1st
4. When to pull the plug on a coach
5. 90s Culture vs Today
2026-01-1224 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.Swallowing the Frog - 1 Tough Decision Away | Scott Garvis | AD Newton HS, IAScott Garvis is a long time AD, speaker, and now author of 4 great books! In this episode Nate throws the following questions at Scott, and he hits 'em out of the park:
1. What do you love about the job?
2. How do you handle coaches that have no interest in learning? (Swallowing the Frog)
3. Tell us more about your practice "Walk Thru" form.
4. How do you get into writing and speaking?
5. Tell us about your new book, True Legacy of a Coach
2026-01-0632 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.From Nebraska Tight End to a Nebraska AD | Robert Barry - AD Wahoo HS, NEOn a road trip to Nebraska to capture some mic'd up practices I got to stop by Wahoo HS and chat with AD Robert Barry. The former Nebraska tight end became the AD at Wahoo 7 years ago and is doing some great leadership work. Here's a list of questions Robert answered:
1. How do you generate good conversations amongst your staff?
2. How have you handled coaches that struggled to admit areas of needed growth?
3. What have you learned from some of your coaches?
4. Tell us about your student leadership group.
5...
2025-12-1618 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.The Study of Momentum | Scott Curry - AD Seward HS, NEThis episode was recorded in Seward Nebraska! Scott and I had a great conversation about the art of coaching. Here's a list of the questions Scott spoke on:
1. What's great about your job?
2. Tell us about your coaches academy?
3. What were the results on your study on momentum in sports?
4. Where does coaching the mind fit into practice?
2025-12-0324 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.Division 1 Basketball to Division 1 AD | Jason Grunkemeyer - Deputy AD at U of MaineJason Grunkemeyer went from playing D1 basketball to coaching it. Though there was one year mixed in there as a high school AD, he put together a good career coaching NCAA basketball which included stops at Miami of Ohio and Ball State. 3 years ago, Jason got an opportunity to get into athletic administration at the University of Maine, and outside of a single year as a high school athletic director back in 2012, this was a new experience for him.
Questions we cover in this episode:
1. What's the difference in your professional approach as an AD...
2025-11-2520 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.D1 Basketball to High School Coach to AD | Mark Price - Athletic Director Baylor School ChattanoogaMark Price played his college basketball at Samford then coached men's college basketball for 21 years before ending up at Baylor School in Chattanooga coaching their high profile basketball program. Recently, he gave it up to give his full attention to leading the entire athletic department at Baylor. In this episode Mark talks about the transition, about how an AD can serve his or her coaches, and what doing the AD job well, looks like.
2025-11-1723 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.From Major League Baseball to HS Coach and Athletic Director | Jason Maxwell - AD Ensworth School, TNJason Maxwell is a fairly new to the world of being an AD and had great insight to share in this episode of Coaches Be Encouraged. We asked Jason about what 'Good Baseball' looks like, what's tough about being an AD, what's a hard lesson you've had to learn, and who in your building is doing a great job as a coach?
2025-11-1117 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.Building a Team to Help You Through the Tough Days | Jeff Behrens - AD Pewaukee HS, WIJeff Behrens has been the AD at Pewaukee WI for 8 years now and is doing a great job pouring into his coaches. In this episode, Jeff talks about building a good team around you because the discouraging days cannot be avoided. He also shares a great story from his girls basketball coach and gives an idea of how he is promoting growth within his athletic department.
2025-11-0418 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.Leadership With Legacy | Mike Ellson Retired AD Christ Presbyterian Nashville, TNMike Ellson, CMAA is the executive director of the TIAAA and was able to put together an incredible 33 year career as an Athletic Administrator. In this episode Mike gives thoughtful answers to the following questions: What are the keys to a long career? How do you know if it's your calling? How can you encourage your coaches to develop friendships? Why get involved with the NIAAA?
2025-10-2722 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.Dealing With Conflict & Knowing Which Battles to Fight | Ingle Martin - AD Christ Presbyterian - Nashville, TNIngle Martin has been at Christ Presbyterian Academy for 15 years. The former college football player who spent time in the NFL is now serving as an athletic director and head football coach. In this episode he speaks on dealing with conflict, knowing when a battle is worth fighting, and how let the other sports know that you don't only care about the one you coach.
2025-10-2118 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.The Same Core Principles Throughout All Programs | Scott Battas - AD Mascoutah HS, ILHow can you impact your athletic programs as an AD? In this episode you can hear Scott's passion for the job as he says, "If you take the job seriously, you can really be a valuable resource to a community." From the E.A.T. mantra that they implement throughout all programs to an opportunity in their school for leaders, Scott's working hard at impacting the culture at Mascoutah.
2025-10-1421 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.When You Get a Coach That's a Standout | Kendall Griffin - AD Maine East HS, ILKendall Griffin has been the AD at Maine East for the last 6 years. Enjoy listening in on this conversation we had with Kendall on a standout cheer coach he has in the building, creating your department mission and vision, and even on being a minority in education.
2025-10-0623 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.Making the Most of the Feedback Received | Molly Tomlinson - AD Glenbrook North HS, ILMolly Tomlinson is in her first year as the Athletic Director at Glenbrook North HS in the suburbs of Chicago. Molly shares a great example of how a former coach of hers used feedback from the kids, something he could have taken as a criticism, and turned it into an opportunity for growth. How good are you at receiving feedback?
2025-09-2512 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.What's a Winning Program (Without the Scoreboard)? | Chris Madson - AD McHenry HS, ILChris Madson came up teaching and coaching in his home town of McHenry and got the Head Basketball job at a young age. They started off with a hugely successful season and followed it up with a season where wins were hard to come by. It was the start of approaching coaching from a place of humility. Now as the AD there at the same school, Madson encourages his coaches to build winners... but not by looking at the scoreboard.
2025-09-1813 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.You Will Get Another Opportunity | Darren Howard - AD St. Charles East, ILDarren Howard has been an athletic director for 25 years and right in the middle of his career he had a pivotal moment. The school he had poured his heart and soul into decided to 'move on' and left Darren crushed.
Since then he's gone onto even larger roles as an AD and as a leader within the state organization. A great story of encouragement for athletic professionals.
2025-09-1222 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.When One Door Closes, Another One Opens | Matt Ryder - AD Maine South HS, ILMatt Ryder is in his 6th year as the Athletic Director at Maine South HS in the northern suburbs of Chicago. It's a great job, and one he never would have had if the door he first sought would have been opened to him. This former college basketball coach stayed motivated to get back up after hearing 'no' and pursued his career.
2025-09-0723 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.The Coaches that Spend the Time, Get the Reward | Todd Thompson Moline HS, ILTodd Thompson is the Athletic Director at Moline HS in Moline, IL. A former wrestling coach, Todd and host Nate Albaugh have a good conversation about how Todd supports his coaches, how he hopes to be able to improve upon as an AD, and what his best coaches have in common.
2025-09-0318 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.Considering the Athlete's Experience | Matt Hensley Mahomet-Seymour, ILAfter a 30 year career as an AD in Illinois Matt Hensley shares insight into how he approaches his job, the things that get to him, and how he has improved over his career.
2025-08-2215 minCoaches, Be Encouraged.Poor Cultures vs Championship Cultures | John Woods Libertyville HS, ILLet's kick things off with understanding what types of actions, or lack of, build the cultures within our athletic programs. Special guest John Woods, AD at Libertyville HS, IL is one of the states leaders in championship culture building. Learn from stories of what not to do as well as what to do and leave with action steps to getting your program started on the path to a culture that makes a positive athlete in students' lives.
2025-08-1435 min