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What happens when a former athlete takes his love for sports and turns it into a movement?

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Ed Jones II, founder of Beyond the Field, to unpack how a childhood filled with competition, community, and coaching evolved into a career centered around impact. Ed shares his journey from fast-footed kid in Houston to collegiate player, coach, and now thought leader in player development.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How a childhood moment with a football helmet and strong winds led to a lifetime love for sport

• Why Ed built a national summit for player development professionals, starting with a single Zoom call

• The five types of mentorship every athlete needs (this structure is gold)

• What most people get wrong about working in player development

• How missed opportunities shaped Ed’s mission to create resources for the next generation

• Why he turned down a quarter-million-dollar offer at age 17

• The mindset shift that came when he realized he wouldn’t go pro and how it freed him

• What makes a great player development coach beyond the sideline

• The importance of building community impact into athlete development

• The “solve-it mentality” that turned his passion into a movement

This one’s full of real talk, useful frameworks (especially if you’re in the player development space), and a powerful reminder: if the horse won’t drink water, maybe it just needs watermelon.

💎 GOLDEN NUGGET:
"The value is in being adaptable. If they need you to do something, you can do it." — Ed Jones I

Want support on your own pivot?

Visit www.2ndwind.io to learn more or book a session.
Let’s help you figure out what’s next and build a career that fits where you are now.

Links:
Check out Ed’s book The Player Development Guide on Amazon.