The Coaches' Locker Podcast with Chris Fore: Recent Episodes
Chris Fore
Think about your favorite locker.
My locker was pretty clean most of the time. That’s just how I am: a neat freak. But my players’ lockers? Most lockers out there are filled with all kinds of things!
Pair of cleats, old pair of cleats, 13 socks, an old ball glove, a few balls, seeds spilt all over, 3 water bottles, a belt . . . . . . . and the list goes on right?!
Just like most lockers are filled with things that you may or may not need everyday, this podcast will focus on a variety of topics meant for most coaches most of the time.
Obviously, a girls volleyball coach in Tennessee probably won’t want to hear much about the 6 Commandments of Your Kick Return Team! We won’t spend much time on xs and os. NO time on defensive or offensive x and os!
Lockers get locked, to keep them safe.
I want this podcast to be a safe place for coaches to come to during the week. Not a “safe space.” I ain’t talking about that. I’m just talking about a place you can come, as the coach of any sport to find a home!
Lockers aren’t good all alone!
And those who use lockers aren’t designed to be alone either. Think about how lame a locker room would be with just one locker! Lockers need support. Coaches need support. I want this podcast to be a support to coaches!
Chris Fore interviews sports journalist and NY Times Best selling author Jeff Pearlman about his upcoming book about the LA Lakers dynasty with Kobe and Shaq. They also talk about the craziness of youth sports in 2020, who one of his favorite athletes is and why, how Phil Jackson got Shaq and Kobe to work so well together on the court, how coaches and authors have a lot of similarities and much more in this great podcast!
At the request of Brazilian football coach Fabrício Ataíde (@fabricioataide) Coach Fore shares Top 10 Characteristics of Championship Football Programs with Football Coaches in Brazil.
The horrific death of African American George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in Minnesota has sparked protests in every one of the 50 states.
On this podcast, Chris Fore hosts four African American coaches to discuss their experiences as black men in this country. Further, they discuss how non-black coaches, teachers, and leaders can more effectively teach and coach African American students and athletes.
Nothing will ruin the life of a student-athlete or get a coach fired quicker than hazing run amok. Coaches have a lot of duties to be mindful of as they manage their athletic programs. Hazing prevention should be near the top of that list.
Chris Fore interviews Dennis Goodwin, @ahcnohaze, the co-founder of the Anti Hazing Collaborative about many different facets of hazing and bullying in locker rooms and on athletic teams.
There is no doubt that Vista Murrieta High School has been one of the most outstanding athletic programs in California year in and year out.
One of the men behind the success of the Broncos’ athletic program is longtime Athletic Director Ray Moore. Fore interviews Moore about the reasons for their success, and what goes on behind the scenes to build a highly competitive athletic program at the high school level.
Chris Fore gives coaches an “inside” perspective to interviewing as he shares many tactics and ways to help coaches win their next coaching interview.
He takes several chapters from his book An Insider's Guide To Scoring Your Next Coaching Job to share in this 75-minute podcast about how to gain a leg up on other candidates in the field.
So, you really wanna be a Head Coach? It’s not as easy and glorious as it sounds. Lincoln High’s Head Football Coach Masaki Matsumoto joins Chris Fore on this 54th edition of the Coaches Locker Podcast where they discuss all things head coach related.
Matsumoto has had a brilliant career, having turned around a perennial losing school in the Los Angeles City Section, and now taken at Lincoln HS in Washington, and leading them to the Semi Finals. Join Coach Matsumoto’s journey, hear about what drives him, and how he has found success.
Former Rutgers Defensive Coordinator and Secondary Coach Noah Jospeh join Chris Fore on this 53rd edition of the Coaches Locker Podcast.
They talk about his career in college football, what prompted the moves he made and how he got to be a Defensive Coordinator in the Big 10. They also talk about game planning and managing the Secondary position room.
The President of California Youth Football Alliance, Joe Rafter, joins Chris Fore on this 52nd edition of the Coaches Locker Podcast. Discussion centers around the fight to save youth tackle football in California, and in other states trying to outlaw it, what might be driving this agenda and more.
Fore interviews a real, live Principal from California for this 51st episode of Coaches Locker Podcast! They hit on everything about the job search process, from the paper screening to the interview to the portfolio, and then how a Principal evaluates his coaches. This is a must listen to podcast for any coach in the market for a new job, or might be soon.
Veteran Head Football Coach Kenny Simpson wrote a great book called Find A Way: What I Wish I’d Known When I Became A Head Football Coach.
It’s a great read, and we use this book as the basis for 10 questions in this 50th episode of Coaches Locker Podcast!
Chris Chaddick just wrapped up his first season as a Head Football Coach here in Southern California, at Indian Springs High School. We talk about the ups and downs of being a first year Head Football Coach, and the ten lessons he learned.
What’s your advice about moving on to college as a coach? When do I know if it’s a sham interview?
When should I call the principal? How should I format my resume? What about the cover letter? On this podcast Fore answers a lot of random DM questions and emails to share unique insight on the process.
Sadly for most of us, the 2019 season is over. If you are still playing in the third week of November, congratulations! If you are not, now some of the real work begins, right?
In this episode, Fore lays out a timeline of six things to do at the end of the season. Some of you have a routine set, and it’s working for you. Some of you are brand new to this head coaching thing, and needs ideas. This pod should help both sets of coaches listening!
Chris Fore of Eight Laces Consulting has been consulting coaches on the job search process at both the high school and collegiate level since 2012.
In this episode, he dives into one of the most popular questions he gets: How do I know when it is time to leave? Fore talks through six different ways to know it might be time to leave, and shares personal stories of how some of these six reasons to leave have played out in his own journey. You don’t want to miss this dynamic informational system that just might answer YOUR question: is it time to leave?
Special Teams can make you, Special Teams can break you! In 2014 we lost a possession due to me not having my team prepared for an onsides punt! Yes, an onsides punt! Luckily, we still mopped up that team, but I’ve prepared for an onsides punt ever since!
This episode focuses on unique rules and situations that you’ve probably never, ever seen in a football game, but should still prepare your team with because it might help you win a football game!
Coach Bert Esposito, Head Football Coach at Temecula Valley High School (So Cal), is a “turnaround expert.” He’s done it four times during his career, turning many losing programs into champions. In 2018 he and his staff led his kids in a tremendous 0-10 to 6-6 turnaround in just ONE year.
Imagine that: no wins to a playoff .500 and a playoff win in just ONE year!
The Sunny Hills (Fullerton, CA) football team has really turned things around under Head Coach Pete Karavedas. They won 8 games in back to back seasons (‘17 and ‘18), 8 wins is the most wins the school has seen in 20 years! They also busted a 29 game losing streak, 6 years long, in their league! And, they were ranked in the very competitive Orange County Top 25 for the first time since 1998.
How did they turn this thing around? Listen as Fore interviews Coach Karavedas on this 43rd episode of the Coaches Locker Podcast.
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the tenth and final chapter of his book Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is titled “Building Trust and Confidence.” Fore gives you some ideas and strategies to use in order to build trust and confidence, not only in your players, but also your staff.
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the ninth chapter of his book Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is titled “Preparation: Leave No Stone Unturned.” Fore discusses what research shows about preparation, gives three ideas for making practices more efficient, and talks about getting the most out of your film sessions during this podcast. Also, hear what State Champion coaches say about preparation.
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the eighth chapter of his book Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is titled “Mental Toughness: Getting the Mind Right.” One of the absolute keys to developing mental toughness in your teams is by defining it and teaching it to your players. Fore gives you strategies for developing mental toughness in your teams on this podcast.
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the seventh chapter of his book Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is titled “Team Chemistry: The Most Overlooked Key to Success.” Fore calls this the most overlooked key to success because many coaches fail to implement any kind of team chemistry building techniques. Come learn some new techniques from coaches around the Nation.
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the fifth chapter of his book
Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is about creating leadership in your players. One of the top 3 common characteristics of more than 100 state champions from 42 different states is building leadership. Come listen to this very important chapter! Fore is putting his entire book on a podcast, one chapter at a time!
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the fifth chapter of his book Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is titled “Developing A Work Ethic.” After surveying more than 100 coaches from 42 states, the number one answer to “What did your program do this year that was better than your opponents?” We will discuss the number one answer during this podcast. Fore is putting his entire book on a podcast, one chapter at a time!
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the fourth chapter of his book Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is titled “The Little Things: Daily Discipline with the Fundamentals.” Coaches from around the Nation share insight on what it means to find success by focusing on the “little things” daily. Fore shares some stories about failing to do little things in his program that ended up causing headaches, including on his first away game as a Head Coach, to Hawaii! Fore is putting his entire book on a podcast, one chapter at a time!
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the third chapter of his book
Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is titled “Coaching the Heart of the Athlete.” Coaches from around the Nation share insight on what it means to coach your kids “past Friday night.” Fore shares some successes and failures from his own career in this area, and uses quotes from State Champions all over the country to shape this idea and chapter. Fore is putting his entire book on a podcast, one chapter at a time!
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the second chapter of his book Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is titled “Develop Your Philosophy and Stay the Course.” Coaches from around the Nation share insight on what it means to develop a philosophy and stay the course, and why that is important for your program. Fore is putting his entire book on a podcast, one chapter at a time!
Listen to Coach Fore as he discusses the first chapter of his book Building Championship Caliber Football Programs.
This chapter is titled “It’s Not About Winning,” and it will challenge you to think critically about why you coach and what motivates you to coach. Fore is putting his entire book on a podcast, one chapter at a time!
Listen to Coach Fore as he interviews Chris Summers
about his philosophy of Special Teams, utilizing two punters, and more about how he prepares his team for Friday nights!
Join Coach Chris Fore as he interviews Coach Gower about his philosophy of defense, how he prepares his team during game week, what he does with his staff to prepare defensively and more!
Mike Ballestero is a seventeen-year veteran filmmaker and an experienced football line coach based in the Los Angeles area. His media credits as both an editor and a producer span a number of networks such as ESPN, HGTV, Speed Network, Discovery Channel, and The DIY Network as well as work in independent feature films both in front of the camera and behind it.
He is also the Producer and Director of the feature length documentary film “A Seat at The Table: The process of building football dynasties.” His football coaching experiences have had him in the playoffs every year he has coached varsity including a trip to the southern section division 7 championship game in 2017.
Mike has also coached youth football, winning the league “Super Bowl”. As a player, Mike earned All-CITY honors on the 1992 LA City Section 4-A Champion Sylmar Spartans. He started on the 1993 and 1994 LA Valley College Monarch football team who were ranked 19th and 14th in the nation in junior colleges.
Coach Fore interviews Jason McManus, the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator at South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina. We talk about offensive game planning, the differences between college (where he spent 15 years before high school coaching) and more!
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore shares about 49 Mistakes Most Coaches Make On Their Resumes on this thought-provoking podcast. Nobody sees more coaching resumes in one year than Chris Fore and his business Eight Laces Consulting. Come get unique insight to help you!
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore shares 3 ways to know it is a SHAM interview as he talks through some of his own experiences, and those of his clients. Sometimes interviews really aren’t interviews. EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore talks with former Head Coach John Kane who has a VERY interesting story of of how and where he was fired. Fore then discusses losing his job in 2011, and how getting fired might be the best thing that ever happens to you!
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore discusses 36 questions to prepare coaches for the next job of their dreams. Listen, make a list of the ones you need to work on, then answer them to help yourself prepare for that next interview! EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore discusses 99 questions a coach should ask before taking their next job. Asking these questions will help coaches to get a better feel for the community they are looking at joining, while at the same time avoiding potential pitfalls and disasters! EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore discusses 3 reasons it is important to survey your players about your program and the season. He also walks you through a real survey he did last year of a program.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore discusses 6 Things An Athletic Director Looks For On A Resume when they hire a Head Coach. He shares unique insights on this topic from serving as an Athletic Director, and building record setting athletic departments. EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore discusses 5 things to send to the Athletic Director and or Principal, and 4 key resume suggestions in this podcast about the job search process. EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore interviews portfolio expert Bill Vasko about what makes a great coaching portfolio. Vasko shares wisdom from more than 20 years in the business to help coaches develop their profile for that next dream job.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore interviewed 300 Assistant Coaches to ask them what their Head Coach could be going to get more and/or better buy in from their staff. We also asked what is ONE thing you wish your Head Coach did better.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore talks about what might be a deciding factor in making a decision to leave your current job. There are 5 ways to know it might be time to pull that trigger on a new job search. EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore talks with Kirby Bradley, the producer of ESPN’s latest 30 for 30 film: Seau, about the life and times of NFL Hall of Famer Junior Seau. Fore also checks in with Lamont Butler, rookie college Head Football Coach, about their fourth game of the year.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore talks about the 10 Commandments of an Effective Kickoff Team. Fore also checks in with Lamont Butler, first time Head Football Coach at the collegiate level, about their third game of the year. Find the article on 10 Commandments of an Effective Kickoff Team here.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore answers random questions from listeners about Special Teams. Fore also checks in with Lamont Butler, first time Head Football Coach at the collegiate level, about the first two weeks of the season.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Jeff Fisher from High School Football America joins Coach Fore to talk about all things 2018 high school football. He also discusses researching and writing his new book about High School Football in Texas.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Jeff is co-founder and editor-in-chief of High School Football America, which is a media partner with USA TODAY High School Sports. In addition, he is the host and producer of two radio shows: High School Football America and the National High School Coaches Association (“NHSCA”) Sports Hour. The two shows average over 150,000 downloads per show on the ArtistFirst Radio Network. Fisher is also the Communications Director for the NHSCA.
Nobody in California knows more about high school baseball and what makes the top programs in California great. Les Lukach is the Prep Baseball Report California Director of Scouting, and a former baseball and football coach. EightLaces.org/Podcast
Les Lukach has been ingrained in the Southern California baseball scene for nearly a decade. After coaching in high school, Lukach began scouting in Orange County, covering prep players for a blog he created that took off. From there, he broadened his reach to all of Southern California. Eventually Lukach was contracted to scout from different services online before shifting his focus solely on his blog. Lukach graduated from Long Beach State University. Follow him on Twitter at @LesLukach.
Steve Mooshagian’s career has spanned from roaming the sidelines of your everyday high school to the largest stage: The NFL! Currently the Head Football Coach at Ventura Community College, he will share many nuggets from decades in this great game. EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Moose as he is effectionately called enters his 9th season at the helm of the Pirate Football Program. There is no doubt that he has led them to some of their most prosperous days in their 50 year history. On this podcast, we chat about general philosophies of coaching football, how to deal with players like Ochocinco (who he coached with the Bengals), what his recruiting philosophy is and so much more in this dynamite time with two coaches.
Two well respected members of the media take you inside their jobs to share with you some helpful hints and reminders for working with the media. As the season fast approaches, listen to Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times and Evan Barnes who covers the University of Memphis football team for USA Today share some wisdom. EightLaces.org/Podcast
These two veteran sports reporters have been around the block a few times, and then back again. Listen as they discuss what it’s like to cover sports in 2018. They give some tremendous feedback to my questions about how we, as coaches, can help get our teams covered. Professional advice given for how to better work with the media. Let’s face it, you better know how to work with the media in this day and age! This podcast helps you better understand the media, their job, and how you can work with them!
Facebook: Let’s face it, you better know how to work with the media in this day and age! This podcast helps you better understand the media, their job, and how you can work with them! The last Coaches’ Locker Podcast with Chris Fore highlights two well respected members of the media share wisdom and insight with coaches.
Coach Lamont Butler is entering his first season as the Head Football Coach of the Trinity International University Trojan football team. We will hear from Butler on the podcast each week as they progress through the season. On this podcast, Fore introduces Coach Butler to his audience as they discuss his rise in the coaching ranks, being a head high school coach, taking over an NAIA collegiate program, what that first day in the office was like, the methods he uses to hire coaches, recruiting and much more.
Head Coach Jeff Steinberg is entering his 21st season as a Head Football Coach after winning a CIF Championship last year. He is starting his first year at Beaumont High. Steinberg talks about practice planning and program organization on this podcast. Steinberg is one of THE most organized coaches you’ll ever find. He talks about the why and the how of his practice planning and organization. Steinberg also shares what they focus on each day, and each week of camp. This podcast will surely give you some ideas for program management and practice planning.
Kiyoshi Harris is the Assistant Head Football Coach at Independence Community College, home of Last Chance U Season 3. He has coached high school and Juco ball in California, before going to one of the top JCs in the Nation. Fore and Harris talk Junior College Football, the development of offensive linemen, and what it’s like having all those cameras around you for a program like Last Chance U. They won the 2017 Jayhawk Conference Championship.
Scott Glabb has had one of the most distinguished and interesting careers of any wrestling coach in California history. From taking over a program who couldn’t fill out a whole roster and getting shut out to building one of the best programs in the State, his story is both inspiring and encouraging. Coach Glabb has too many awards and Hall of Fames to count! There are many distinguished alumni of Glabb’s coaching. One that he is very proud of is professional mixed martial arts fighter Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez who holds a world championship belt at 155 pounds and now fights for the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships). His work with making the Saints a power in California wrestling is chronicled in his book “A Saint in the City.” It is available on Amazon.
Chris Fore has been a Special Teams Coordinator for 15 years (14 at the high school level and 1 at the Junior College level, which was 2017). He shares some insight and wisdom from all of that time spent coordinating what he feels is a very important part of the game.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Fore talks about Special Teams Player of the Year program, in season scouting and preparation of your special teams, as well as how to motivate your players to find success. He also shares insight about forms that he uses to help organize his special teams, and makes these available in the shownotes.
Kevin Swift is the Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Gold Beach High School in Oregon. Gold Beach is a small rural school, but Swift has managed great success with limited students, finances and facilities. EightLaces.org/Podcast
Most coaches wish that they had more athletes, more money, more coaches, better facilities and better equipment. On this episode Swift discusses how he has built state champions in a small school setting, and shares real world examples of how you can do the same thing. His breadth of experience goes from Southern California college football coach to small school coach in Oregon. Swift shares about many lessons he has picked up along the way as a coach and athletic director.
Chris Fore has been a Special Teams Coordinator for 15 years (14 at the high school level and 1 at the Junior College level, which was 2017). He shares some insight and wisdom from all of that time spent coordinating what he feels is a very important part of the game.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Fore talks about time prioritization, staffing needs, determining your Special Teams philosophy, organizing your Special Teams throughout the year, during training camp, and the season, as well as many other tidbits to help your team find success in the often overlooked and very important 1/3rd of the game.
Brandon Huffman is one of the foremost college recruiting recruiting experts in the nation. He shares about the current state of recruiting, the future of recruiting and how coaches can help their players. He also shares the story of losing his precious 7 year old daughter to a brain tumor.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
There’s no doubt that recruiting has changed tremendously during Brandon Huffman’s career. He shares some unique insight on the status recruiting, what it is like to hear from parents, kids and coaches 24/7, and what the future of recruiting might look like. More importantly, I’ve asked Brandon to share about DNPG, the rare brain tumor, that took his daughter much too early. I want to bring awareness to this horrific tumor.
The rare college coach who has spent more than 15 years in one place, Coach Santa Cruz shares his story of moving from packaging dog food to becoming a college coach, and how he transformed his leadership after a rough start.
EightLaces.org/Podcast
Our guest this week is Victor Santa Cruz, the Head Football Coach at Azusa Pacific University (NCAA D2). The rare college coach who has spent more than 15 years in one place. Hear his story of moving from packaging dog food to becoming a college coach. Santa Cruz struggled early on as a Head Coach. Hear what he changed in leading the program, and how those changes led to 3 conference championships in 5 years! Tremendous insight to this great coaching profession on this podcast.
ApuFootball.com
Coach Santa Cruz Twitter
Introduction to the The Coaches’ Locker Podcast. Get to know Coach Fore as he takes you through a brief journey of his nearly 2 decades in the coaching business. EightLaces.org/Podcast
Coach Fore launches The Coaches’ Locker Podcast! In his first episode, Fore walks you through each of his stops, and more importantly shares one lesson that he learned from each of the seven schools he has worked at. He also shares his vision for this podcast by breaking down what the focus of it will be, and shares about some of his first guests.