The Strength In Numbers Podcast

EP 57: Nick DiMarco | Inside The Director’s Manual

Nick DiMarco, Assistant Athletic Director for Peak Performance at Elon University, joins the show to break down the systems, leadership principles, and operational details behind building one of the premier sports performance departments in the country. Nick recently released his new book, The Director’s Manual, a must-read resource for coaches looking to step into leadership roles or elevate the programs they currently lead. In this conversation, we dive into how to build a place people compete to work at, why creating stability in your role requires detaching yourself from any one sport coach, and the importance of always thinking one category above your current position. Nick also shares his framework for hiring staff, what true commitment to operational detail looks like, and how to lead in a way that allows your program to sustain success long after you leave. Beyond the tactical takeaways, one of the most valuable parts of this episode is getting an inside look at how Nick thinks, builds systems, and creates vision within a high-level department. 🔗Check out more from Nick👇 Instagram: @dimarco.w.nick Nick’s Book — The Director’s Manual: Get The Director’s Manual on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Directors-Manual-Coach-Looking-Improve/dp/B0GZDNG9N8?utm_source=chatgpt.com]  Nick DiMarco Substack [https://nickdimarco.substack.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches. Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success. 👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here]. [https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Numbers-Insight-Long-Term-Coaching/dp/B0DPNCVG4H] Chapters 00:00 Introduction to The Director's Manual 01:12 Transitioning into a Director Role 05:51 Navigating Change and Resistance 08:45 Serving All Teams Equally 12:16 Taking Ownership as a Director 18:30 Establishing Administrative Relationships 23:09 Commitment to Operational Detail 31:25 Navigating Tough Conversations in Leadership 33:11 Hiring for Gaps: Building a Diverse Team 38:14 Uncovering True Character in Interviews 42:00 Creating a Desirable Work Environment 46:36 The Importance of Career Progression 48:42 Defining Your Hedgehog Concept 52:48 Building Sustainable Leadership 01:01:16 The Journey to Writing a Book

EP 56: Tex McQuilkin | Building True Team Captains

Tex McQuilkin, founder and leadership strategist of Captains & Coaches, joins the show to dive deep into leadership development, team dynamics, and how coaches can intentionally develop better leaders within their programs.  Along with working with teams and organizations on leadership development, Tex also hosts the Captains & Coaches Podcast and coaches middle school and high school lacrosse. In this conversation, Tex breaks down how he approaches leadership development when working with a program short-term versus being embedded with a team throughout an entire season. We also explore teaching athletes to productively call out teammates, creating environments that inspire belief, and identifying what makes a true captain beyond simply age or position. Tex also shares his perspective on long-term athletic development from both a physical and psychological standpoint, along with valuable advice for parents and athletes navigating the modern landscape of club sports and recruiting.   🔗Check out more from Tex👇 Instagram: @mcquilkin @captainsandcoaches Captains & Coaches | Empowering Athletes for Success in Sports & Life [https://www.captainsandcoaches.com/]  Recommended Books: Drabik - Children & Sports Training [https://amzn.to/4uCKM5R]  Piaget - How a Child Thinks [https://amzn.to/4eC9aQf]  Michele Borba - Thrivers [https://amzn.to/4uCKM5R]  This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches. Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success. 👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here]. [https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Numbers-Insight-Long-Term-Coaching/dp/B0DPNCVG4H] Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Captains and Coaches 02:03 The Role of Sports in Leadership Development 06:11 The Impact of Club Sports and Recruiting 09:52 Advice for Parents in Youth Sports 12:02 Working with Teams on Leadership Development 22:03 Sustaining Influence in Programs 29:17 High Support and Continuous Growth 31:56 Calling Teammates Up vs. Calling Them Out 38:20 The Three T's of Communication 40:45 Creating a Positive Coaching Environment 46:50 The Role of Expectations in Development 48:57 Understanding Child Development in Coaching 55:35 Navigating Challenges and Building Trust

EP 55: Fonzo Martinez | Building and Sustaining Elite Success

Fonzo Martinez, Head Boy’s Basketball Coach at McKinney Christian Academy and the winningest coach in school history, joins the show to break down how he’s built sustained success at a championship level. After losing every starter from the previous season, Fonzo still led his team to a 39-1 record and another state championship. We dive into how he structures his yearly development plan, how he helps players embrace roles that maximize their strengths, and how he molds his system around the makeup of each team rather than forcing them into a system. We also explore how coaching both school and AAU basketball has shaped his philosophy and how AAU helped him become more intentional about what truly matters in practice.  🔗Check out more from Fonzo👇 Instagram: @coachmartinez13 This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches. Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success. 👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here]. [https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Numbers-Insight-Long-Term-Coaching/dp/B0DPNCVG4H] Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:41 Transition to McKinney Christian 06:23 Sustaining Elite Success 09:48 Player Development Philosophy 17:03 Advice for Aspiring College Players 18:28 Building Trust and Opportunities in Development 19:37 Mistakes in Development 21:38 Comparing AAU and School Coaching 26:55 Learning from Failures as a Coach 31:07 Adapting Coaching Strategies to Team Strengths 32:41 Finding Purpose Beyond Winning in Coaching

EP 54: Mason Hays | Filtering What Matters, Master Problem-Solving, and Making it in the Private Sector

Mason Hays, VP of Sports Performance at Elite Performance in Frisco, Texas, joins the show to break down his journey from APEC athlete to training director and now to his role with EPT. We dive into how to build a coaching identity you’re known for, what it takes to succeed in the private sector, and why great coaches are generalists and elite problem solvers. Mason also gets into removing “trash volume” from your programs and focusing on the work that actually drives the right stimulus based on your goals. Mason also shares his thoughts on LTAD, common mistakes in youth training, how he balances data with coaching intuition, and how he profiles athletes and tracks key KPIs. 🔗Check out more from Mason👇 Instagram: @mason_perform The Blueprint Training Team: https://tr.ee/1QsimBTnEG This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches. Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success. 👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here]. [https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Numbers-Insight-Long-Term-Coaching/dp/B0DPNCVG4H] Chapters 00:00 Intro 04:47 Planting Seeds to Coach as an Athlete 09:01 Building a Coaching Identity 12:24 Making it in the Private Sector 14:46 Being a Master Problem Solver 17:56 Youth High-Performance 27:12 Removing Trash Volume 32:40 Common Misconceptions in Athlete Development 34:53 LTAD Outline 37:00 Balancing Data and Intuition in Training 41:40 Athlete Profiling 46:53 Key Performance Indicators in Training 49:37 Adapting Speed Training to Limited Spaces 51:05 Evolving Coaching Beliefs 54:42 Long-Term Goals and Career Aspirations 01:00:02 Finding Purpose in Coaching

EP 53: Paul Hiepler | From March Madness to Life After Basketball

Paul Hiepler, former Abilene Christian basketball player and current criminal prosecutor in Ventura, California, joins the show to reflect on his journey from college athlete to life after sport. You may recognize him from his role on the ACU team that upset Texas in the first round of March Madness.  In this conversation, we dive into his development as an athlete, including the impact of his multi-sport background, the coaches and AAU environment that influenced him most, and the secret to his vertical jump.  Paul also reflects on the good and bad he’s seen from coaches, why a greater emphasis on strength and conditioning and weight gain could have better prepared him for college, how coaches can better support athletes through the transition when their playing careers come to an end, and how to impact a team even when you aren’t getting playing time.  🔗Check out more from Paul👇 Instagram: @paulhiepler This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches. Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success. 👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here]. [https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Numbers-Insight-Long-Term-Coaching/dp/B0DPNCVG4H] Chapters 00:00 Intro 04:15 Early Athletic Development and Multi-Sport Experience 06:55 Transition to College Basketball and Overcoming Challenges 09:14 The Impact of Coaching and Training on Performance 11:43 The Role of AAU in Athlete Development 14:10 Specialization vs. Multi-Sport Participation 16:47 The Importance of Enjoying the Game 19:18 Coaching Perspectives and Lessons Learned 25:12 The Importance of Trust and Investment 29:52 The Role of Team Dynamics in Success 33:24 Adding Value Beyond On-Court Performance 39:47 Preparing for Life After Sports