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Artwork for Way of Champions Podcast

Way of Champions Podcast

John O'Sullivan
Youth Sports
Coaching
Leadership
Team Culture
Player Development
Mental Health
Coaching Philosophy
Athlete Development
Sports Psychology
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.

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Artwork for Way of Champions Podcast

Latest Episodes

Phill Drobnick (@CoachPhill) recently retired as the National Team Director at USA Curling after the 2026 Milan Olympics, bringing an end to nearly two decades of coaching experience at the international level. Since 2005, Phill has been instrumental... more

Ric Bucher is an American NBA analyst for Fox Sports and an occasional host of FS1's "Speak" (formerly known as "Speak For Yourself") afternoon talk show. He also hosts a daily podcast, "On The Ball with Ric Bucher." Before joining Fox he was a Siriu... more

Dan Abrahams (@DanAbrahams77) is a sport and performance psychologist. A former professional golfer, Dan has spent the last 20 years working with some of the best sports competitors in the world. He has been consultant psychologist for Aston Martin F... more

This week we welcome Dusty May, Head Coach of the 2026 NCAA Champion Michigan Wolverines Men's Basketball team. He was hired in 2024 by Michigan and immediately turned the program around winning 18 more games than 2023 and leading the Wolverines back... more

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Recent Guests

Ric Bucher
NBA analyst and author
Fox Sports / Author
Episode: #481 How the Greatest Performers Reach Their Highest Potential with Ric Bucher, NBA Analyst and Author of Coachable
Dan Abrahams
Sport and Performance Psychologist, author of Compete
Dan Abrahams Ltd
Episode: #480 Dan Abrahams, EPL Sport Psychologist, on Developing a Mental Playbook for Performing Under Pressure
Dusty May
Head coach, University of Michigan Men's Basketball
University of Michigan
Episode: #479 Dusty May, 2026 NCAA Champion Coach of Michigan Men's Basketball, on Creating a Culture of Error in and a Player Centered Environment in Practice, His Non Negotiables, and the Importance of Love in Coaching
Erin Quinn
Athletic Director at Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Episode: #478 When Hard Things Happen, Culture Matters the Most with Erin Quinn, Middlebury College Athletic Director
Daniel Coyle
New York Times bestselling author and author of Flourish
Episode: #477 Daniel Coyle, NYT Bestselling Author, on How to Flourish, Find Meaning, Joy and Fulfillment in Sports and Life
Jonathan Jenkins
Founder of Mental Fitness and Psychotherapy; Harvard Medical School teaching community; Patriots clinical psychologist; Red Sox behavioral sports psychologist
Mass General Brigham; New England Patriots; Boston Red Sox
Episode: #476 Mentlaity Wins with former Harvard Womens Basketball Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith,, NFL and MLB Sport Psychologist Dr Jonathan Jenkins, and Sport Psychologist and NCAA Champion Dr. Kimberly O'Brien
Kim O'Brien
Founder and director of Unlimited Resilience; Harvard ice hockey national champion; Athletes Better Together
Unlimited Resilience; Athletes Better Together
Episode: #476 Mentlaity Wins with former Harvard Womens Basketball Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith,, NFL and MLB Sport Psychologist Dr Jonathan Jenkins, and Sport Psychologist and NCAA Champion Dr. Kimberly O'Brien
Kathy Delaney-Smith
Former Harvard Women's Basketball head coach; author of Grit and Wit; veteran educator
Harvard University (retired)
Episode: #476 Mentlaity Wins with former Harvard Womens Basketball Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith,, NFL and MLB Sport Psychologist Dr Jonathan Jenkins, and Sport Psychologist and NCAA Champion Dr. Kimberly O'Brien
Ken Martel
Senior Director of Player and Coach Development at USA Hockey
USA Hockey
Episode: #475 The 20 Year Journey to Three Olympic Hockey Gold Medals with Ken Martel, USA Hockey Senior Director of Player and Coach Development

Host

John O'Sullivan
Co-host of a show focused on team culture, coaching excellence, and youth sports reform.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 433 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
    Ireland4 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.

High-quality interviews with a strong emphasis on coaching culture and practical takeaways for coaches and parents
Audio quality notes appear occasionally in feedback but do not dominate reception
Some episodes provoke debate about youth sports reform topics and the balance between competition and development
Listeners praise the host questions, guest variety, and actionable guidance for improving youth sports experiences
Consistently hosts insightful guests from sports science, leadership, and youth development fields

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#114
Poland/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#479 Dusty May, 2026 NCAA Champion Coach of Michigan Men's Basketball, on Creating a Culture of Error in and a Player Centered Environment in Practice, His Non Negotiables, and the Importance of Love in Coaching
Q: How do you cultivate leadership and love within the program?
Love is an intentional leadership act—demonstrating care by empowering others, building genuine connection, and maintaining high expectations; players are encouraged to lead, even when not playing, to support the team's success.
#479 Dusty May, 2026 NCAA Champion Coach of Michigan Men's Basketball, on Creating a Culture of Error in and a Player Centered Environment in Practice, His Non Negotiables, and the Importance of Love in Coaching
Q: How do you handle defeats or losses to keep the team galvanised?
Losses are used to catalyse learning; the team discusses what went well, what needs work, and why they're better because of the loss, focusing on growth and resilience rather than blame.
#479 Dusty May, 2026 NCAA Champion Coach of Michigan Men's Basketball, on Creating a Culture of Error in and a Player Centered Environment in Practice, His Non Negotiables, and the Importance of Love in Coaching
Q: What does it feel like to coach a Dusty May team and what are the non-negotiables for your program?
The non-negotiables are punctuality, mental preparation, and engagement, with a belief that the environment should be joyful and demanding at the same time so players are motivated to solve problems and improve.
#467 Katie Van Dyck, Antitrust Attorney, on the Negative Influence of Private Equity in Youth Sports Clubs, Leagues and Tournaments
Q: What can be done to combat private equity's negative influence in youth sports?
Katie suggests implementing measures to stop vertical integration and improve funding for youth sports to ensure accessibility for all children.
#467 Katie Van Dyck, Antitrust Attorney, on the Negative Influence of Private Equity in Youth Sports Clubs, Leagues and Tournaments
Q: What is your work and involvement in the Varsity brands lawsuit?
Katie explains her representation of cheer gyms against Varsity Brands, highlighting its monopolistic control over competitive cheerleading.

Audience Metrics

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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?

A show centered on coaching, leadership, and the culture of sport, this program frequently dives into how to build healthier, more engaging environments for young athletes. Episodes commonly explore practical coaching education, team dynamics, performance psychology, and the broader youth-sports ecosystem, often featuring high-profile athletes, coaches, researchers, and authors who share actionable strategies for mentors, parents, and administrators. Notable recurring themes include mentorship, building championship cultures, mental skills, and reforms in youth sports to emphasize development and joy over early specialization and commercialization. The format tends to mix personal journeys with evidence-based guidance, offering listeners co... more

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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 Jon Gordon Podcast
4. Coaching Culture
5. The Pure Athlete Podcast

How many episodes of Way of Champions Podcast are there?

Way of Champions Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 593 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Way of Champions Podcast?

Recent guests on Way of Champions Podcast include:

1. Ric Bucher
2. Dan Abrahams
3. Dusty May
4. Erin Quinn
5. Daniel Coyle
6. Jonathan Jenkins
7. Kim O'Brien
8. Kathy Delaney-Smith

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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