Rephonic
Artwork for Way of Champions Podcast

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes619Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SportsEducationHow To

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Way of Champions Podcast

Latest Episodes

Jack Rolfe is an international coach developer, founder of The Coaching Lab and creator of MatchPlay Cards, used by coaches in more than 75 countries. With a background in Sports Coaching Science, Jack has worked across grassroots, academy and high-p... more

Lindsay Crouse (@LindsayCrouse) is an author, producer, and journalist. For more than 15 years, she was an editor, writer and producer at The New York Times, where her Emmy-nominated work on women's sports brought widespread change to the industry, i... more

What happens when the person responsible for everyone else's performance has no one to turn to? In this episode, we sit down with Cody Royle, a pioneering voice in elite sports who specializes in coaching the head coaches. Cody pulls back the curtain... more

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

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Lindsay Crouse
Author, journalist, producer with NYT background and Emmy-nominated work in women's sports
Author of The Case for Quitting
Episode: #502 The Case for Quitting and the Surprising Benefits of Opting Out with Author Lindsay Crouse
Cody Royle
Former AFL coach; mentor to head coaches; author of The Tough Stuff, Where Others Won't, and Second Set of Eyes
CodyRoyle.com
Episode: #501 Why Coaches Need a "Second Set of Eyes" with Cody Royle, Mentor of Professional Head Coaches
Steve Kerr
Head coach, Golden State Warriors; former NBA player and champion
Golden State Warriors
Episode: #500 Steve Kerr on His Career, Bringing Humanity to Coaching, the Importance of Mentality, and How Values and Process Always Come Before Results
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

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 441 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

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

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#89
United Arab Emirates/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#144
Ireland/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.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

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?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Way of Champions Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Way of Champions Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Way of Champions Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Way of Champions Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Way of Champions Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Way of Champions Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

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

To see how many followers or subscribers Way of Champions Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

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. Slappin' Glass Podcast
4. Youth Inc. with Greg Olsen
5. Glass and Out

How many episodes of Way of Champions Podcast are there?

Way of Champions Podcast launched 10 years ago and published 619 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?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Way of Champions Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Way of Champions Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Way of Champions Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Way of Champions Podcast?

Recent guests on Way of Champions Podcast include:

1. Lindsay Crouse
2. Cody Royle
3. Steve Kerr
4. Alex Smith
5. Kate Livesay
6. Stuart Lancaster
7. Sébastien Page
8. Rick Jordan

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days