On the Whistle: Recent Episodes
Gary Goldberg
On the Whistle explores the impact that coaches, teachers and administrators from schools and youth organizations have on improving young people’s lives. Each episode features topics such as resilience, leadership, responsibility, and self-awareness as we examine the journey every athlete and mentor takes from the heart to the mind.
On the Whistle is brought to you by SquadLocker.
This week, I virtually sit down with Adam Slone of Life Serve Youth Foundation. Adam is the founder of LSYF, an organization using the sport of tennis to transform the lives of underprivileged youth.
The program, a two-week sleepaway camp in upstate New York focuses on bettering the lives of children of financially limited families through mentorship, physical activity, learning, but most of all, FUN.
Adam’s young life was riddled with obstacles as he fought the debilitating Gaucher’s Disease. He tells us how this medical diagnosis changed the course of his life at a young age and where it brought him today.
On The Whistle is brought to you by SquadLocker
During my interview with Bior Guigni, CEO of Beat the Streets New England we uncover how this exemplary mentor went from being one of California’s first female wrestlers to helping foster the development of community outreach programs in Boston and Providence.
We hear about how wrestling shaped her upbringing; preparing her for “the next match” no matter what or when it was. Her program, Beat the Streets New England uses wrestling as a tool and motivator to teach our youth to successfully overcome socio-economic injustices.
Check them out here: Beat the Streets New England - btsne.org
On the Whistle is brought to you by Squadlocker.
Join our SquadLocker team on a different type of episode of On The Whistle this week! Guests are
Tip Fairchild- Sales Director, Former Pro Baseball Player
Stephanie Mirando – Marketing Director, Former NCCA Athlete
Dan Koppen – Enterprise Brand Advocate, Former Pro Football player and Superbowl champ
They join Gary as they chop it up about apparel, what it means to them and how it felt to be a youth in sports. Uniforms are more than just a piece of clothing -- it brings a sense of pride and joy to the youth and may mean more than you know.
Get all of your uniform needs taken care of by visiting squadlocker.com/suitup
This week’s episode features references to suicide and self-harm. If you or a loved one is experiencing thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, please know there are resources to get you immediate help. You can call the suicide prevention hotline 24/7: 800-273-8255 or visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now/
This week, I talk with the founder and president of Elevate Lacrosse and Elevate Academy in Long Island, NY, Dave Kotowoski. Dave tells me a little bit of his story on how he got to where he is today. In the episode, you’ll hear about how he was afforded the opportunity to study at Brown University and meet a life-changing mentor…all while remaining a three-sport athlete. Listen to Dave’s uplifting story to hear his rise from a troubled youth to a successful Ivy League scholar who – after spending some time on Wall Street – decided coaching young kids is where he belongs.
This week’s episode, “We Not Me” features a great conversation with coach Dave Steckel. Stec – as his player’s call him – has an extensive collegiate coaching resume featuring schools like Rutgers, University of Missouri, and Missouri State University. We discuss his recent book, “The Fisherman; Leadership Traits to Win the Game of Life.
Coach highlights the importance of overcoming conflict and disagreements privately and working together as a team as the key to success on the field. Stec also explains how preconceived notions caused his career shift..and it’s not what you’d think…
You read the book for yourself here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1938254856/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk
On the Whistle is brought to you by SquadLocker!
This week, Natalie Hummel – co-founder of Every Kids Sports – joins On the Whistle to discuss her program and its mission to enable underprivileged youth a chance to place recreational sports. In the show, we uncover some of Natalie’s past with regard to how sports and coaches molded her into the successful person she is today.
We learn of a coaching change that gave her a chance to showcase her talents and now, Natalie is giving kids a chance to showcase their own talents, no matter the community or income level.
Today’s episode features a conversation with Sarah Albus, former NCAA Soccer player and US Women’s National Team member. But we’re focused on her athletic feats in today’s show because Sarah has put together an astounding organization called Open Door Sports. Her company’s mission is to provide high-quality sports programs to ALL kids – regardless of physical ability, financial need, or location.
We talk about her experiences as a mother of a child living with a disability and how her daughter, Hannah helped pave the way for the program’s growing success.
On the Whistle is brought to you by Squadlocker.
This week, Michael Worden from the Player Progression Academy in Washington D.C. joined On the Whistle to discuss some of the success he’s experienced with his growing program. Being an athlete since his childhood years, Michael has been enveloped in the complexities of youth sports. We learn it takes a whole lot of balance to run his organization. Between coaching players and managing a business. Between balancing player development between training an athlete and raising a well-rounded individual off the field as well. He also has learned to balance parents’ requests with the players’ needs. Michael and the PPA program certainly have found their stride; providing a place for over 2,100 DC metro area youth to sharpen their skills, have fun, and build companionship through sports.
Mike’s TED Talk: https://youtu.be/A40CVc0akWo
Player Progression Academy: https://www.ppateam.com/
Back from our week break, On the Whistle joined up with two renowned Rhode Island high school lacrosse coaches; Coach Mike Fraioli and Coach Steve O’Donnell. Both coaches represent prolific programs who meet regularly in the State Finals. Mike has been coaching Moses Brown lacrosse since 2008 and Steve has been with the La Salle Rams since 2006. A typical 1 and 2 seed, Fraioli and O’Donnell’s programs have come to build quite the rivalry since MB joined the Rhode Island Interscholastic league in 2009. Both coaches are working within our community to make the sport more accessible to underprivileged athletes Our conversation today starts with the importance of Lacrosse in a developing mind and then we get into the Moses Brown / La Salle rivalry…and it’s not exactly what you’d expect.
This week we divert from sports and take a look at the marvelous mentoring Alexander Major II is doing in education. A physics teacher by trade, Alexander brings his life experiences into the classroom to share his knowledge of the subject while keeping it interesting for his students. His revolutionary teaching techniques focus on instructing students how to teach themselves so that they have the tools – and CONFIDENCE – they need when they graduate.
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"On The Whistle" is brought to you by SquadLocker.
PGA Tour Winner, Brad Faxon joins me on On the Whistle this week. Brad is an inspiration to listen to as he explains the psychology behind his success; not only on the PGA, but in mentorship and coaching as well. We start at Rhode Island Country Club where, for 12 years, Brad caddied for some of the most influential and successful people of the time. At the age of 22, Brad was on the tour teeing off with names like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Greg Norman. Pretty intimidating to say the least! Brad lays out the mindset he developed through past experiences at RICC, touring on the PGA, and shares amazing insight on how to life a fulfilling life.
Instagram: Bfaxon
Twitter: Bradfaxon
Sirius Radio Chan 93: PGA Tour Radio Tuesday mornings at 8:30 & Fridays at 7:30
On the Whistle is brought to you by SquadLocker.
This week on On the Whistle, I have the pleasure of hosting college Junior at Bowdoin College, Preston Anderson. A member of the Bowdoin Sailing team, Preston has led efforts toward establishing The Inclusivity, Diversify, and Equity (TIDE) Task Force to diversity the historically white, male sport. In our conversation, we discuss the road Preston took to get where he is today. We uncover the reasons and coaches that kept Preston coming back to the sport of sailing even through attacks on his own personal identity. In the second half of our call, we discuss the TIDE program and its already strong support from the sailing community as a whole.
Learn more about TIDE here!: https://collegesailing.org/about/tide-committee
Teams and mentorship play a massive role in the underpinning of communities yet most of those volunteers don’t get those voices heard. This podcast allows those people to highlight and talk about those subjects; teaching, mentorship, and community.
On the Whistle is brought to you by SquadLocker
This week, Jennifer Garrett virtually joins Gary in the booth. Jen is a leadership coach, a speaker, an author, and a commissioned officer in the United States military serving as a JAG lawyer. Jen and Gary talk a lot about her book “Move the Ball: How the Game of Football Can Help You Achieve Your Life Goals”. In the book, Jen draws parallels between the principles needed to win the game of football and how they are the same that are needed to win the game of life. In this week’s show, we dive into some really interesting topics like continuous improvement, using your energy to energize others, and the importance of celebrating even the small wins.
This week, Gary interviews the majority owner and Governor of the Boston Celtics, Wyc Grousbeck. From ‘Kick the Can’ to owning the Boston Celtics, Wyc has always been a competitive person. As a rower at Princeton, Wyc came to realize the concept of being ALL IN. A true, natural competitor, Wyc knows the dedication it takes to not give up on a dream. His dream – owning the Celtics – was far from easy, but through his own sports experiences, he understood the responsibilities and dedication it would take to see his dream through.
Teams and mentorship play a massive role in the underpinning of communities yet most of those volunteers don’t get those voices heard. This podcast allows those people to highlight and talk about those subjects; teaching, mentorship, and community.
On the Whistle is brought to you by Squad Locker
Andy Gresh comes from a background in sports broadcasting. Andy’s approach is mainly professional sports broadcast and analysis, so it was interesting to hear his perspective on youth sports, coaching, and mentorship. Accountability, dependability, and structure are characteristics of athletes that Gresh thinks set them apart in the business world. Their ability to take direction, criticism, and initiative is evident of their experience from mentorship through sports. Gresh brings up a rarely-talked-about point; mentorship at the professional level. Most pro athletes are thrust into stardom; having missed out on many learning opportunities that they would have learned had their athleticism called them up to the big leagues so quickly.
An unlikely rower from Mount Holyoke became an Olympic athlete. That athlete completed law school and launched a successful legal career. Then she laid it all aside to become a filmmaker. Her latest documentary tells the story of an inner city rowing team from a difficult side of Chicago that came together to overcome a variety of obstacles and difficulties. Mary Mazzio, founder of 50 EGGS Films, joined the podcast to talk about her film, A Most Beautiful Thing. Mary and I discussed:
How she unlocked the golden handcuffs to become a filmmaker Avoiding the white savior trope in sports films Why communities that don't reach their potential hold us back as a country
It all started at a keg party on the Georgetown campus. Paul Caccamo and scores of his friends were celebrating his graduation until the police showed up. In a turn of events worthy of Les Mis, a passing Jesuit priest convinced them to let Paul go provided he performed an appropriate penance. A letter soon arrived inviting Paul to help at a Catholic school in the Marshall Islands. There, what started as a year of penance launched the mission of a lifetime. Paul, who now serves as executive director at Up2Us Sports, sat down with me for this episode of the On the Whistle podcast. He and I discussed:
The new faces of community and national service Racial inclusion and gender bias in youth sports Trauma-informed coaching in an age of COVID
A liar never tells you he's lying. That's why you fall for it. And that's the way all you've worked so crazy-hard to build starts to unravel. What began as an amazing entrepreneurial adventure in youth sports ended under a federal investigation. Steve Griffin tells the whole story in his book Front Row Seat: Greed and Corruption in a Youth Sports Company. I dive deep into the personal and organizational lessons Steve learned on this episode of the On the Whistle podcast. Steve and I discussed:
What happens when problems seem insurmountable The factors that cause companies to fail What you can gain from your wins and your losses
Always a player that played to her strengths, building them to their full capacity, Erika Lawler won 3 national championships and a silver medal in the Olympics for ice hockey. When you have such a storied athletic career, what coaches and lessons stand out? In this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I sat across the mic from Erika Lawler who now lives, works, and plays hockey in Brooklyn. We talked about her career on the rink and what she values in a coach.Erika and I discussed:
Transitioning from a parent-coach to a coach The qualities of a great coach at all levels What it feels like to win a silver medal in the Olympics
Growing up Quaker meant learning to sit still, be quiet, and surreptitiously practice sign language with your friends. Today though, silence, mindfulness, and living in the moment — all the things that happened in the Quaker meeting — have taken a major role in the world. How can our childhood experiences, such as growing up Quaker, shape the way we think about sports, mentoring, and sports storytelling? In this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I sat down with Andrea Kremer, seasoned sports journalist and analyst for Amazon Prime, Thursday Night Football. We talked about how her background in Quakerism affects her sports storytelling today. Andrea and I discussed:
How growing up Quaker helped Andrea find balance, peace, and empathy as a sports journalist The ways sports mentors can help build a sense of self Gender's role in sports journalism
We aren't just playing games. Youth sports is also about social impact, character development, and growth into adult life. None of this happens automatically when we hand a kid a ball. Instead, it all develops over time as we invest our knowledge and ourselves into our athletes. How can we more effectively develop social integration in youth sports? Alison Haehnel, former conference pitcher of the year turned Senior Vice President of Social Integration at Steel Sports, employs a 3-track approach. In this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I talked with Alison about how Steel Sports is helping their athletes develop character. We discussed:
The 3 elements of social integration — the athlete, the community, and the ecosystem What led Alison to get involved in social integration work The next steps to developing a social integration program in youth sports settings
In youth sports, we talk a lot about changing the world. But once kids leave the field, how are they changed? Are they any different on the ride home in the minivan than they were when they arrived?
Keith Osik, former player for the Pirates and now Vice President for Coaching Development, and Steve "Jonesy" Jones, Senior Vice President of Coaching Systems, at Steel Sports, believe in coaching systems that change lives.
In this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I talked with Keith and Jonesy about ways Steel Sports is guiding and mentoring young people to become better humans.
We discussed:
The story behind Steel Sports and how it's making an impact across America today Translating the plays for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back of the jersey, into action How to get kids thinking and behaving the right way on the field
How do you thrive in adverse situations? By practicing creative leadership in challenging environments. Like being a woman in athletics, for instance. It's tempting to behave sedately, the way women are often socialized to do. But sometimes, that's the wrong thing for everybody. Digit Murphy, head coach of the women’s professional hockey team, Kunlun Red Star, and head coach of Team China Women’s Ice Hockey, knows firsthand the challenges and rewards of being a woman in sports leadership. In this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I talked with Digit about elevating the conversation around the role of women in sports. We discussed:
Who Digit is and what her background in coaching women's hockey looks like How Digit earned respect as a woman in athletics What women often want and why they shouldn't want it
"If everyone played baseball like Cumberland Americans, this would be the greatest game." With those words and the rest of his five-minute speech after losing at the Little League World Series, Dave Belisle entered the hearts of sports fans, parents, coaches, and kids everywhere. In this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I talked with Dave Belisle, best known for that ESPN moment at a Little League World Series that went viral. Millions and millions of people watched this video. We discussed:
Dave's dad, a legendary youth hockey coach who won 26 consecutive state titles Advice to parents about how to interact with coaches in youth sports The story behind Dave's viral speech to his team
In Northern Ireland, soccer led to rioting and violence between Protestant and Catholic boys. But could basketball be different? One man thought so, and he created a team of Catholics and Protestants together. Mike Evans, founder and executive director of Full Court Peace, says basketball can be a unifying force. (The Dalai Lama agrees with him, by the way.) In this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I talked with Mike about how basketball can unify people of different races, religions, and economic classes. We discussed:
Who Mike is and how Full Court Peace got its start in Northern Ireland The language coaches use to bridge deep divisions on a team Expanding the program into Cuba and cities in the U.S.
By teaching people to do something, you take away their ability to figure it out for themselves. Isn't structured coaching the best way to learn? Not always. You need to get a feel for how to control your defender with your eyes, posture, or faking skills. None of those things can be taught. They must be felt. Jamie Munro, founder of 3d Lacrosse and owner of JM3 Sports, says coaches win games but players develop on the sandlot. In this episode of On the Whistle, I talked more with Jamie about his background in coaching and why he thinks we need to balance structure with free play. We discussed:
Who Jamie is and how both 3d Lacrosse and JM3 Sports got started Why learning the feel of the game is valuable How to navigate career transitions in coaching
Liam is 10 years old. He has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It's like ALS but affects young boys instead of grown ups. He's also part of the baseball team at Northeastern University. Liam is just one of the seriously or chronically ill kids that Jay Calnan and the folks at Team Impact are putting on college sports teams. Jay's goal is to see a sick child on every college team. On this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, Jay and I talked about what seriously and chronically ill children can teach college athletes about resilience.
Never sugarcoat anything. Wilie Edwards, assistant football coach at Brown University, believes the recipe for effective coaching blends discipline, love, firmness, and hard work. It took tough love for him to lead a team to five straight High School Super Bowl visits and two championships. On this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, Coach Willie and I talk about his life playing football, what motivated him to succeed, and how he coaches his players today. We discuss:
Who Coach Willie is and how his football career progressed The coaching style that brought his team to the championships Characteristics of great mentors ...and what Coach Willie is doing now at Brown and with the LA Rams
How do you create a community where mentors lead change and people feel loved? One man found a way with a long skinny racket and a small rubber ball. Founder & CEO at SquashBusters, Greg Zaff is changing the world through squash — the sport, not the vegetable. On this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, Greg and I talk about making squash accessible. We discuss:
A brief history of squash and how you play the game How Greg got the idea for SquashBusters The power of squash to transform the lives of less privileged kids ...And how you can help close the opportunity gap
As a mentor, a coach, or a leader, you get what you get. It's up to you to build around what you get. On the inaugural episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I talk with Babson hockey coach Jamie Rice about his journey to coaching and what's made him successful in sports leadership. What I talk with Jamie about:
When the skates went on and the puck dropped in Jamie's journey to Babson hockey What it means that kids don't have as much free time as they did in the past How to teach ethics and morality while you're teaching hockey Who a leader really is on and off the rink ...And the journey to becoming a college hockey coach
To play on a team, you have to lay your ego aside and respond to someone else's direction. For a young kid, that concept presents a whole new world. Who first coached you? And what did you learn? On this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I talk about mentorship with Dan Koppen, two-time Super Bowl champion for the New England Patriots. What Dan and I discuss:
How Dan first got interested in football back in second grade Who his first mentors and coaches were and how they influenced him When and why parents need to make room for coaches Where the transition points lie between high school, college, and pro sports ...And the halo of great leadership
If it don't bleed, it don't lead. Media outlets depict the worst of modern society. They can find the time to cover riots, but they ignore all the positive things taking place. Like the great work of the Police Athletic Leagues. In this first episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I talk with Jeff Hood, Chief Executive Officer at National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues, Inc. We discussed:
Jeff's background as a basketball player How PAL builds relationships among kids, cops, and communities. What modern kids need How PAL measures success ...And the real value of coaches and mentors in communities.
In our introductory episode, host Gary Goldberg shares what to expect in the upcoming episodes of On the Whistle: the Youth Sports Leadership Podcast.