Way of Champions Podcast

John O'Sullivan

Youth Sports

Coaching

Leadership

Team Culture

Sports Psychology

Player Development

Mental Health

Coaching Philosophy

Athlete Development

Performance Psychology

Mental Performance Coaching

Coaching Education

Mindset

Mental Health In Sports

Parenting In Sports

Mindfulness

Emotional Intelligence

Team Dynamics

The Champion Sports Parent

Mental Resilience

The Way of Champions Podcast is hosted by Dr. Jerry Lynch and John O'Sullivan, team culture and performance specialists. Each week we connect you with the top minds in sports, coaching, leadership, and building championship programs so you can take your athletes and teams to the next level.

439 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	616	Founded	9 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	SportsEducationHow To

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Latest Episodes

#500 Steve Kerr on His Career, Bringing Humanity to Coaching, the Importance of Mentality, and How Values and Process Always Come Before Results

Steve Kerr is a nine-time NBA champion , widely recognized as one of the most successful and influential figures in basketball history. Across a legendary career spanning more than three decades as an elite player, executive, and head coach, Kerr has... more

23 Sep 2026 • 1 hr 15 min

#499 Alex Smith, 16 Year NFL Quarterback, on His Comeback from a Life Threatening Injury, the Importance of Gratitude, and Mentoring the Next Generation

Alex Smith (@AlexSmith_11) is a former No. 1 overall NFL draft pick, and a 16-year NFL veteran quarterback. Known as one of the game's elite operational minds, Smith threw for over 35,000 career passing yards and earned three Pro Bowl selections whil... more

16 Sep 2026 • 1 hr 25 min

#498 "It's not who we are playing against. It's who we are playing for.": A Conversation on Values, Connection and Purpose with Kate Livesay, 8x NCAA Champion Coach of Middlebury Women's Lacrosse

Kate Livesay was a two sport star at Middlebury in field hockey and lacrosse, twice earning All American honors and leading her Middlebury lacrosse teams to two NCAA titles. She is one of the most decorated coaches in college lacrosse history, leadin... more

10 Sep 2026 • 1 hr 13 min

#497 "Your relationship with your players is either growing or dying" with Stuart Lancaster, Head Coach of Connacht Rugby

Stuart Lancaster is a world renowned rugby coach and is currently the Head Coach at Connacht in Ireland. He has previously coached England (2011-2015) when they hosted the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Racing 92, and Leinster. His England teams finished as S... more

2 Sep 2026 • 1 hr 3 min • Popular

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Recent Guests

Alex Smith

Former NFL quarterback, ESPN football analyst and podcast host

Former NFL teams San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Football Team

Episode: #499 Alex Smith, 16 Year NFL Quarterback, on His Comeback from a Life Threatening Injury, the Importance of Gratitude, and Mentoring the Next Generation

Kate Livesay

Head Coach, Middlebury Women's Lacrosse

Middlebury College

Episode: #498 "It's not who we are playing against. It's who we are playing for.": A Conversation on Values, Connection and Purpose with Kate Livesay, 8x NCAA Champion Coach of Middlebury Women's Lacrosse

Stuart Lancaster

Former England Rugby head coach; current Connacht Rugby head coach

Connacht Rugby

Episode: #497 "Your relationship with your players is either growing or dying" with Stuart Lancaster, Head Coach of Connacht Rugby

Sébastien Page

Chief Investment Officer at T. Rowe Price, author of The Psychology of Leadership

T. Rowe Price

Episode: #496 The Psychology of Leadership with Sébastien Page, Chief Investment Officer at T Rowe Price

Rick Jordan

Founder and CEO of ReachOut Digital Intelligence

ReachOut Digital Intelligence

Episode: #495 Lessons on leadership and Performance Under Pressure from Rick Jordan, Podcaster and CEO

Britt Lee

Co-founder of Pure Athlete; author of Parenting Pure Athlete

Pure Athlete

Episode: "You can't make a great athlete but you can screw one up" with Britt Lee and Brad Williams of Pure Athlete

Brad Williams

Co-founder of Pure Athlete; former athletic administrator

Pure Athlete

Episode: "You can't make a great athlete but you can screw one up" with Britt Lee and Brad Williams of Pure Athlete

Thom McDonald

Interviewer, Championship Productions

Championship Productions

Episode: #493 "Leadership is a skill, not a character trait" John, Jerry and Thom McDonald Discuss our new book Captain: The Athletes Guide to Being an Exceptional Team Leader

Phil Phillipou

Mindset coach and author, Inspiring Young Minds

Mindsight Sport

Episode: #492 Mental Mastery for Young Athletes with Phil Phillipou

Hosts

John O'Sullivan

Host of The Way of Champions Podcast; team culture and performance specialist.

Jerry Lynch

Co-host; sports psychologist and leadership expert.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 439 ratings

Great for coaches
Listening to way of champions should be required listening for all coaches. His passion for sports and the power influence and opportunity for coaches to impact young people’s lives is infectious
Apple Podcasts
5
LdubNichols
United States3 years ago
Episode #294 - completely hyperbolizing and sensationalizing of physiology and injuries
Completely brutal episode. So the answer is getting players to stop playing soccer? There is always a risk of injury. There was zero mention of recovery and allowing soccer players to make adaptations. And rehab for an ACL rehab does not cost $30,000. There are way more variables to the etiology of ACL injuries then just fatigue. Raymond’s rant completely sensationalized issues that are concerning with specialization of sports at an early age and playing/training volume of a youth athlete. This ... more
Apple Podcasts
5
Crazydavoa
Canada4 years ago
A Voice in the Wilderness of Youth Sports
I greatly appreciate what John is doing to bring such significant people together. There is a unified sense of concern for the kids in youth sports and the need for coaches and parents to be aware of their influence with their kids. We need these reminders and tools to keep us focused on what is most important: the kid’s best. I continue to recommend these podcasts and I know this info will make me a better parent coach.
Apple Podcasts
5
Cincy Daniel
United States4 years ago
Top class
Oh the learnings are plentiful & such a help to all coaches on their journey.
Thanks
Apple Podcasts
5
John Slattery
Ireland5 years ago
Great podcast
John does an excellent job. He has outstanding guests and is a leader in this space. Highly recommend listening!
Apple Podcasts
5
Nbones32
United States5 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Feedback highlights authentic, coach-focused conversations and valuable leadership frameworks.

Episodes are lauded for practical, evidence-based guidance that translates across sports and levels.

Listeners praise the host's insightful questions and guest lineup as a top resource for coaching and parenting in youth sports.

Chart Rankings

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Apple Podcasts

#65

India/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#498 "It's not who we are playing against. It's who we are playing for.": A Conversation on Values, Connection and Purpose with Kate Livesay, 8x NCAA Champion Coach of Middlebury Women's Lacrosse

Q: What advice would Kate give to coaches who believe players should simply 'toughen up'?

Lead with love and care first; make the environment safe and empowering, then toughness and high standards follow naturally without sacrificing the sense of belonging.

#498 "It's not who we are playing against. It's who we are playing for.": A Conversation on Values, Connection and Purpose with Kate Livesay, 8x NCAA Champion Coach of Middlebury Women's Lacrosse

Q: How does Kate address the balance between care and toughness in coaching?

She emphasizes leading with care and empowerment, convincing players they are trusted and capable, which then enables genuine toughness when needed.

#498 "It's not who we are playing against. It's who we are playing for.": A Conversation on Values, Connection and Purpose with Kate Livesay, 8x NCAA Champion Coach of Middlebury Women's Lacrosse

Q: What is the core philosophy Kate uses to keep players engaged when the season gets long and minutes become limited?

The focus is on connection, value, and purpose for every player, not just the starters, with intentional check-ins and recognition to keep the non-starters feeling seen and important.

"You can't make a great athlete but you can screw one up" with Britt Lee and Brad Williams of Pure Athlete

Q: What inspired Pure Athlete to start and focus on youth development beyond just training

They were motivated by observing the pressures of early specialization and a desire to shift the culture toward multi-sport participation, character development, and long-term love of sport, supported by a five-pillar framework including grit, belief, and leadership.

#486 "Give the stage to the players and you will be surprised how they can shine" with Anne Walker, 4x NCAA Champion Coach of Stanford Women's Golf

Q: If you had one specific piece of leadership advice for coaches listening, what would it be?

Her answer emphasizes lifelong learning, relational leadership, leading with love, and treating coaching as a people business. She stresses listening to players, asking questions, and ensuring that leadership supports players' development beyond the four-year window while embracing competition.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Way of Champions Podcast

What is Way of Champions Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on team culture, leadership, and performance in sports, blending coaching frameworks, leadership development, and practical strategies for youth and professional teams. Episodes repeatedly explore how to build resilient cultures, empower captains and players, and balance development with competitive success, often featuring guests who are coaches, researchers, and athletes sharing actionable tools for mindset, communication, and well-being. A notable strength is bringing cross-sport perspectives—from soccer and basketball to hockey and curling—while emphasizing humane leadership, relationship-building, and sustainable growth over short-term wins.

Where can I find podcast stats for Way of Champions Podcast?

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How many listeners does Way of Champions Podcast get?

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What are the audience demographics for Way of Champions Podcast?

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How many subscribers and views does Way of Champions Podcast have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Way of Champions Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Way of Champions Podcast:

1. Modern Soccer Coach Podcast
2. Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais
3. The Basketball Podcast
4. Slappin' Glass Podcast
5. Glass and Out

How many episodes of Way of Champions Podcast are there?

Way of Champions Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 616 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Way of Champions Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Way of Champions Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on Way of Champions Podcast?

Recent guests on Way of Champions Podcast include:

1. Alex Smith
2. Kate Livesay
3. Stuart Lancaster
4. Sébastien Page
5. Rick Jordan
6. Britt Lee
7. Brad Williams
8. Thom McDonald

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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