Team Player - Stories of Coaching and Leadership

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We have a great episode today with a guy that I had met in passing over the years but never really got to visit with, and boy was it worth the wait as Coach had so many great stories and lessons to share with us. He is now the Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator at my alma mater, Fort Bend Austin High School - welcome Trey Herrmann to the show!

Growing up in the Bear Creek area and wearing the iconic Kelly Green of the Mayde Creek Rams! Coach was in Katy during a time when he could still go hunt ducks before school in the area that is now Cinco Ranch!
Playing for Mayde Creek means you get to play for legendary long-time Head Coach Joe Sheffy - Trey shares some great Joe Sheffy stories and talks about the contempt he felt at the time for his fellow Katy ISD brethren at Katy and Taylor high!
Coach talks about getting his first head coaching job at Bellaire HS and shares a laugh out loud story of the "flip this fieldhouse" moments he had with Fort Bend Travis Head Coach Trey Sissom, as well as some Mission Impossible moments he had scaling walls to break into his own office!
After getting his feet wet at Bellaire, Trey talks about being a part of a dramatic turnaround at Katy Taylor as well as some interesting insights into how kids in small towns play for different reasons many a time, and how perhaps the mindset of his kids at Danbury were more like the kids in Fort Bend and Katy in 1997 than in 2023.
Finally as a man who is now approaching his 5th Head Coaching stop Coach Hermann shares with us his definitive personal Mount Rushmore with one player from each of his four previous stops!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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This was a very fun episode with one of the true good guys in coaching who seems like he always has a smile on his face. He is the former Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator at Clear Lake HS and currently the Offensive Coordinator for the legendary Allen Eagles - welcome Larry McRae to the show!- Growing up in Clute, TX as a typical kid who loved to spend his time out fishing before moving to Angleton in the 5th grade. - Larry shares what it was like playing on the pristine grass at Wildcat Stadium and about the "home field advantage" in that visitors locker room which may or may not have had the AC turned on during football season!!- While many around the halls of Allen HS may now refer to him as "Big Larry" there was once a former NFL Offensive Tackle who hailed from Aldine Eisenhower that gave Larry an even better nickname that was fit for the WWE! The "Bonecrusher" shares what it was like playing in the Big 12 including a matchup with the famed Nebraska Cornhusker "Blackshirt Defense" and future pros Grant Wistrom and Jason Peter.- What it was like starting a new program in long-time "one-horse town" Alvin, TX, and spending many years working the Lineman Challenge circuit and leading one of the best offensive lines in the city before venturing out and leading his own successful program at Clear Lake HS. Coach McRae also shares invaluable advice to parents on what things to look for when deciding which college camps to attend or who to hire as a personal trainer.- Finally as a guy with an eclectic mix of favorite teams we play some fun Mt. Rushmores for the Baylor Bears, Tennessee Titans, and the San Antonio Spurs, before closing out with an Astros Start/Bench/Cut with Altuve, Bagwell, and Biggio!!Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing livesFollow on Twitter @coach_kovoHit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. CyrMusic for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We have a really great show today with a guy that Coach Kovo had never met prior to recording. But one of our Team Player alums (Sonny Wilson ep.70) recommended him and boy was he right that this guy would be a great guest. He is in sales now but he was formerly the head football coach of the Burnet Bulldogs - welcome Jerrod Rye to the show!

Growing up in Georgetown, TX when it was still a small town!!
Going to college at Tarleton State in Stephenville, TX where an interaction with a baseball coach helped shape his coaching philosophy.
A HILARIOUS story about Coach Rye's 1st assignment - the dreaded "Get Back Coach"!
Coach talks about his ascent to becoming Head Coach at Burnet and why many hirers seek out former coaches for careers in sales.
Finally as a diehard Cowboys fan we play some fun Start-Bench-Cuts, with big names like Lamb/Pearson/Bryant, and Aikman/Romo/Prescott

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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Today's guest is a guy that Coach Kovo had one of his greatest duels on the field with one cold, rainy night in November of 2013. At that time our guest was the Offensive Coordinator of one of the most physically imposing teams in the Houston area, the Texas City Stingarees. After that battle a mutual respect was forged and friendship was born! He is now the Regional Sales Manager for CoachComm - welcome Chase Fickessen to the show!

When you think of the true power programs in the state you likely include the Lake Travis Cavaliers. However, Chase was there in the days before the state championships, playoff appearances, or even .500 records. He tells us what it was like, and hen he could see the tide beginning to turn.
Chase dipped his toes in the world of collegiate coaching and shares advice for young coaches on the pros and cons of coaching in college vs. high school. He also shares an interesting theory that Coach Kovo had never heard before but that totally makes sense related to the professionalization of collegiate sports in today's ever-evolving landscape.
In part 1 (an episode with former Texas City OC David Wilkinson is yet to come) of the Oral History of Ridge Point vs Texas City 2013, Chase and Kovo reminisce about that fateful night when two area heavyweights duked it out on the field at Clyde Abshier Stadium.
After becoming a dad for the first time, Coach re-evaluated some things and decided to give a career in sales a try. 6 years later he's still going strong. Chase shares what led to that decision along with what it's like living in one of the few true "one-horse" towns inside of the Greater Houston: Friendswood, TX!
Finally as an OG Cavalier, Chase gives us his all-time Lake Travis Football Mt. Rushmore!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We have another Team Player Podcast first today as we welcome our 1st Assistant Principal into the TPP Studios! If that weren't special enough, it was another TPP first as this meeting was scheduled on a chance occurrence at a local Old Katy coffee hot spot. Our guest coached for many years at his alma mater at Dulles HS with time not only as an assistant football coach, but also as a Head Soccer and Strength and Conditioning Coach, but he has now set his sights to a career as an administrator serving as an Assistant Principal at L.V. Hightower HS in Fort Bend ISD - welcome Stephen McCormick to the show!

Growing up in the legendary football town of Plano, TX just north of Dallas, where he grew up dreaming of starring for PESH - as a member of the Plano East Senior High Panther Football Team. But then after freshman year he made his move south down I-45 to the sweetest city in the country: Sugar Land, TX where he starred for the FBISD "Mothership" the original, the one and only John Foster Dulles Vikings!
Stephen talks his perspectives now as an administrator between the massive enrollments of the Plano ISD Senior Highs that house juniors and seniors only vs the numerous smaller campuses that make up Fort Bend ISD.
Coach tells us what it was like playing for FBISD Coaching Legend Jim Creech as well as being a part of a team that had one of the area's most innovative and high-scoring offenses of the 2000s.
After his playing days ended at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, TX, Coach came back home and spent his entire career back at his alma mater. Coach Kovo and Stephen take a trip down memory lane talking all things Dulles including who they saw as their rival: Elkins or Clements, the importance of data-driven strength and conditioning to athletics, and what he learned from coaching both girls and boys soccer and basketball.
Finally as a diehard UNC fan we hear Coach's Tar Heel Mt. Rushmore, and Stephen educates Coach Kovo on the difference between Columbia and CAROLINA Blue!!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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Today's guest dropped an excellent SAT word on me when he described our leadup to this episode as "Serendipitous" - must be that Austin College education! He followed in the footsteps of his older brother Austin as an excellent Safety for the Austin College football team before becoming a Strength and Conditioning Coach at the collegiate level. He has since moved on to live the dream designing and selling weight rooms to schools across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana as a Territory Manager for PLAE - welcome Evan Coachman to the show!

Evan jokes that he grew up in Allen when it was still a small town, then did the same in Frisco before it blew up, so now all of the residents in Van Alystne, TX better watch out for explosive growth! Evan shares stories of his time growing up as a coach's son in those two towns as well as diving into a discussion that any parent of young children will want to listen to describing the approach to social media for youngsters.
Much like Coach Kovo, Evan played on many middling or losing teams growing up so the two coaches discuss what it takes to turn a program around after periods of mediocrity. Evan was able to experience a turn-around 1st hand though along with fellow Austin College alum Vance Gibson as the Frisco Fighting Raccoons were able to turn in a 9-win season by his senior year!
Coach describes his time as a player at Austin College as well as diving into topics ranging from giving coaches time to turn around a program to the importance of investment in the program and facilities by administration.
As a strength and conditioning "sicko" as Coach Kovo likes to lovingly say, Evan gives parents more gems regarding what sports and activities to get your children involved with to help them experience a lifetime of healthy movement.
Finally, Evan's sporting interests vary from teams all across the Metroplex including FC Dallas and Everton out of the English Premier League. However as a dedicated Dallas Cowboys fan we ask Evan for his personal Cowboys Mount Rushmore!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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For the 2nd week in a row we welcome a guest from the world of girl's basketball into the Team Player Studios! Like Coach Kovo she is also a Fort Bend ISD product and after spent many very successful years as the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Hightower High School. Now she has recently moved on to become an Assistant AD in her native Fort Bend ISD - welcome Deb Mize to the show!

Growing up in Duncan, OK before flying "across the pond" to spend some of her formative years in just south of London in Surrey, England!
After splitting time abroad and North of the Red River, Coach was finally able to put down roots in First Colony where she went on to become a star for the Clements Lady Ranger basketball team under the guidance of my good friend and former FBISD Principal Lori Oliver!
Deb stayed local after HS and spent many a winter night filling up the bucket in the cozy confines of Sharp Gymnasium on the campus of Houston Baptist University before finishing her career at the Division 2 level at St. Edward's University in Austin.
As an administrator that is privy to sitting in on interviews for head coaching positions Coach Mize shares some extremely valuable feedback on what ADs are looking for from applicants as well as an in-depth discussion of serious topics such as sharing athletes between sports and negativity in the stands. You also won't want to miss her story of running across WNBA and ESPN star Chiney Ogwumike at the state final in Austin's Frank Erwin Center and what went into her wardrobe decision for the big game.
Finally as the longtime captain of the ship of the ladies basketball program on Hurricane Lane we get to hear Coach Mize's definitive Hightower Hurricane girls basketball Mt. Rushmore!!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We have a great guest today whose career could be set to the song "All I Do Is Win" as he is our 1st ever alumnus to win a state championship as both a player and a coach, and if that weren't enough he actually won TWO state championships in two different states for good measure. He is the most intense pickup basketball player that I've ever met, and my good friend. He is now the Head Girls Basketball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, TX - welcome Bryan Harris to the show!

When you think of how the Jersey Shore is depicted on reality TV I would venture to say Bryan Harris is just about the furthest thing from that but believe it or not as a native of Toms River, NJ that is exactly where Bryan grew up!
Bryan shares what it was like living smack dab in the middle of huge metropolitan cities like NYC and Philly, winning a state championship as a HS baseball player, and falling in love with the New York Mets.
In yet another Team Player Podcast First, I believe Bryan is our first veteran and his story seems like it's straight off the silver screen. From serving his country as a way to pay for college, working under the LEGENDARY Pat Summitt as a practice player for the Tennessee Lady Vols Women's Basketball program and guarding Chamique Holdsclaw every day at practice, before capping it off by successfully walking onto and earning a spot on the men's team at Tennessee! Rocky Top, you'll always be home to me!!
From winning a state championship in Florida, to taking the Clements Rangers back to the playoffs after a long drought, to winning it all again at Manvel Bryan has done it all as a coach but has now added Administrator to his resume in his current role as Head Coach and Assistant AD at Barbers Hill. Kovo and Bryan talk coaching theory and how he approaches his job now that he is wearing "two hats".
Finally as a diehard Mets fan we hear Bryan's Mets Mt. Rushmore, play a fun Dallas Mavericks Start-Bench-Cut, and finish off with Bryan's all-time personal Mt. Rushmore of the young ladies that he has coached!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We have a very special episode today as we gear up for the Women's World Cup with a girls soccer episode!! This guest comes expressly recommended by one of our alums (Caitlin Riley ep.3) she is a proud Sweenyian and Head Girls Soccer Coach of the Sweeny Bulldogs - welcome Sam Rakowitz to the show!

Growing up in Sweeny, TX and let me tell ya, Coach Rakowitz bleeds columbia and navy Blue (Coach Kovo's favorite color combo in the history of sport)!
Sam was a rare SEVEN SPORT ATHLETE at Sweeny HS and shares the incredible story of how cheer almost led her to enroll with a nearby rival!
In one of the great all-time stories shared on the TPP we find out how Sam ended up joining the TLU women's soccer team before a road trip to ETBU and Lousiana College. Spoiler alert: this story is set for the silver screen complete with an extra time game-winning goal!!
Coach Kovo and Sam talk about what it takes to build a program that doesn't have a JV or junior high component as well as the intricacies of the multi-sport athletes that is a must-hear for every youth sport parent.
Finally as THE authoritative Sweeny Bulldogs historian we ask Coach for her definitive Sweeny Bulldog Mt. Rushmore!!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We have a very special episode as our guest today runs his own youth sports program (NextLevelSports) and he and Coach Kovo take a deep dive inside of youth sport culture today! But not only does he work with the youth, he is also the Varsity Assistant Basketball coach for the Marble Falls Mustangs - welcome Sonny Wilson to the show!

Growing up in Dublin, no not Ireland, Texas before settling in good ole Burnet durn'et!
Playing for legendary coach Bob Shipley while in HS at Burnet and loving the experience so much that he is one of our few Team Player Podcast alums to be able to come back to his alma mater to coach!
In perhaps THE most legendary turnaround we have ever heard of, the Marble Falls Boys Basketball team actually had an "O-fer" in basketball which isn't easy to do when you are playing 30 games a year! After going 0-30, the VERY NEXT YEAR they go out and WIN THE DISTRICT TITLE. Seriously this is the stuff of the silver screen, and if Coach hasn't written a screenplay yet we need to get on that!
Coach Kovo and Sonny spend a greater portion of the show talking about his experience running Next Level Sports and discussing the state of youth athletics today.
Finally as part of a string of Cowboys fans that have come through the Team Player Podcast Studios, we play a fun How Bout Them Cowboys WR edition of Start - Bench - Cut with some legendary #88s in Irvin, Bryant, and Lamb, along with an Aggie Football Mt. Rushmore and as a rare die-hard Boston Celtics fan in the Lone Star State we finish with a Celtic legend Start - Bench - Cut with big names like Bird, Tatum, and Pierce!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We are making Team Player Podcast History on several fronts today: he's not our 1st pre-med student but we believe he is the 1st to successfully apply and attend Med School, he is not our 1st former roommate of Coach Kovo's but he is our 1st Best Man in Coach Kovo's wedding, and the 1st QB that Coach Kovo protected during his old OL days. He is the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach for the Fort Bend Clements Rangers - welcome Derek Ruthardt to the show!

Growing up throughout the great state of Texas - from San Angelo to Midland to Lytle to the farming town of Josephine.
Achieving the rare feat of being both the starting Quarterback and Valedictorian at Community HS in Nevada, TX!
Learning to be a flexbone option QB at Austin College and the serendipitous story of how Coach Ruthardt and Coach Kovo squared off against EACH OTHER in their 1st ever game as HS football coaches one fateful afternoon at the "Sugar Dome" on 7th street in old Sugar Land, TX.
Being a part of dramatic turnarounds throughout his coaching career including most recently as a part of the staff at Fort Bend Clements that went from 0-10 or 1-9 seasons to the brink of challenging for their 3rd consecutive playoff berth!
Finally as our resident QB expert, we get a How Bout Them Cowboys QB edition of Start - Bench - Cut with names like Romo, Aikman, and Prescott and finish with an all-time NFL QB Mt. Rushmore!!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We've got another heavy hitter in the house today as we welcome in the man who led the Harker Heights Knights to their best season in school history this past year with an appearance in the Regional Final where they fell to the eventual state champs. Eerily similar to the 2007 season at Fort Bend Clements where Coach Kovo met this guy as another successful member of the Jeff Hulme coaching tree. He is now the Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator for the Colleyville Heritage Panthers - welcome Jerry Edwards to the show!

The old Cross Canadian Ragweed song says "You're Always 17 in Your Hometown" perhaps that would fit Quitman, TX where Jerry grew up graduating in a class of 200 and having his dad be the town Mayor!!
Starting as a pre-med student at Texas A&M before one chance outing at a Mexia HS playoff football game changed his life forever.
How another chance occurrence led to Jerry's resume landing on the desk of one Coach Jeff Hulme, starting a decade-long partnership coaching winning football.
Leading Harker Heights back to prominence with a record-breaking season to remember, including fulfilling a childhood dream of leading a visiting team into legendary Ratliff Stadium in Odessa.
Finally as a fellow self-proclaimed "Friday Night Lights" TV nerd, Jerry puts on the blue-tinted Oakleys and assumes the role of Head Coach Eric Taylor (who he actually met at a bar in Marfa, TX - not even kidding) and settle the ultimate QB1 Start-Bench-Cut debate: Vince Howard, Matt Saracen, or Ray "Voodoo" Tatum along with some fun Fighting Texas A&M Aggie Wrecking Crew and QB Start-Bench-Cuts!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We are making Team Player Podcast History again today as we welcome our 1st ever 2A coach into the TPP Studios. He is the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director for the Louise HS Hornets - welcome Manny Freeland to the show!

Growing up in the LEGENDARY Edna, TX!!
Going across the state to the Texas Panhandle in Plainview to attend Wayland Baptist University where you just might hit a tumbleweed on your way down the highway!
Coach Freeland has perhaps the most diverse resume imaginable going from small towns to big cities and everywhere in between including a stop in Alief ISD whose unique lottery system for school attendance has long fascinated Coach Kovo!
The importance of playing multiple sports at as small school including some hilarious, truly laugh out loud, stories from Coach's childhood, including some about a certain famous tough "SOB" who walked those same Edna HS halls.
Finally, Coach's dad sounds like the kind of man old West tall tales are made out of and he passed down his fandom of some of his eras most powerful teams to Manny. Coach Freeland has the tough task of completing his Cowboys and Big Red Machine Mt. Rushmores!!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We've got a very special guest today - kind of like Jordan and the Bulls in the late 80s and early 90s he has been getting his program better bit by bit each year until this year they finally busted through their ceiling. For the 1st time since 2005 they were able to advance past the 2nd round of the playoffs, and this year it was alll the way to the Regional Semis against state power Humble Summer Creek led by TPP alum Carlesa Dixon (ep. 22)!! He has upheld the standard that many former Team Player Podcast alums set waaay back in 2010. He is the Head Girls Basketball Coach for the Memorial HS Mustangs - welcome Jyusef Larry to the show!

Growing up in the quaint Arkansas town of Lonoke where everyone knows your name and the played some pretty dang high-level basketball.
Staying in The Natural State to attend Harding University alongside another TPP alum Kenny Simpson (ep. 50).
What it was like coaching a future NFL star in Josh Gordon at Westbury Christian. We might as well call it the six degrees of Jyusef Larry instead of Kevin Bacon as Westbury Christian is the alma mater of another TPP alum who comes up in our conversation, the Head Basketball Coach of the Northbrook Raiders, and THE biggest Chiefs fan you know, Jason Campbell (ep.18)!!
This past year Coach Kovo was treated to being assigned broadcasts of many Memorial Mustangs football games in the fall. Memorial Mustangs fans will delight in hearing more about the school and long-time leader of the athletic department, the ever-dynamic Gary Koch, before diving into the main course. The story of the history-making 2022-2023 Memorial Mustangs Girls Basketball team!!
Finally, much like Coach Kovo, Jyusef was a contrarian as a child which explains his eclectic fandom as a diehard Cubs, Bears, and Michigan Wolverines fan! Go Blue!! Coach gives us his Cubbies Mt. Rushmore, a hard-hitting start/bench/cut with names like Butkus, Singletary, and Urlacher, and gives us his ultimate Michigan Wolverines Hoops all-time starting 5!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We have a very special show tonight as Team Player Alumnus Michael Vitek (ep37) dreamt up the idea of interviewing Coach Kovo for an episode! So for the 1st time Coach Kovo will relinquish the controls to hand hosting duties over to Coach Vitek and fellow TPP alum Chris Fisher (ep27). Former Ridge Point Defensive Coordinator, Aldine HS Head Football Coach/Campus Athletic Coordinator, and current Daktronics Sports Marketing Specialist Coach Kovo (James Kowalewski) steps into the hot seat at Team Player Studios!

Being born abroad in Tokyo, Japan before spending his formative years in Sugar Land, TX.
The fortuitous break of briefly living right across the street from historic Mercer Stadium before settling in for a great 4 years as a Fort Bend Austin Bulldog.
Continuing his love of the game by becoming an Austin College Kangaroo in the North Texas town of Sherman.
Overcoming a disastrous 1st semester as a teacher at Clear Brook HS before finding new life at Fort Bend Clements HS. Inhabiting a t-shack next door to a future prominent coach led to the opportunity of a lifetime at Fort Bend Ridge Point, and then a childhood dream was realized becoming the Head Football Coach at legendary Aldine Senior High!
Finally Kovo is posed with the monumental task of picking his 5 most memorable episodes as host of the Team Player Podcast!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives

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Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We've got a heavy hitter in the building today and a man who Coach Kovo is proud to call his friend. He has upheld the standard that many former Team Player Podcast alums set waaay back in 2010. He is the Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator at our beloved Ridge Point HS - welcome Rick LaFavers to the show!

Growing up in perhaps the windiest city in the nation (take that Chicago!), on the vast flat expanses of the Llano Estacado where the joke is the only trees are telephone poles - beautiful Amarillo, TX!- Getting lucky enough to be the last class of 9th graders to be housed at the junior high before becoming a member of the Amarillo Golden Sandstorm - that's right you may know them better as the Amarillo Sandies, and they're one of our states most iconic programs with the record and the distinctive logo to back it up! Speaking of iconic, Rick even had the pleasure, or displeasure, of meeting Mojo's star RB Chris Comer in the hole on buck sweep - a name many of us will remember as the Odessa Permian star who replaced Boobie Miles in silver screen adaptation of the book Friday Night Lights.- Pursing his dream to play big-time Southwest Conference Football by heading East to Fort Worth and walking on to the TCU Horned Frogs football team before eventually becoming a rock on defense and Team Captain from his safety spot.- Beginning his career coaching collegiately with stops at places like Alabama, Texas A&M, and Rice University before leading a dramatic turnaround as Head Coach at Lamar Consolidated. Then the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself in the way of coming home to lead the proud Ridge Point Panthers football program.- Finally, in honor of TCU's magical run to the College Football National Championship Game this past year, Rick gives us his Horned Frogs Football Mt. Rushmore!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing livesFollow on Twitter @coach_kovoHit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. CyrMusic for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We're making Team Player Podcast history again! This time we welcome our 1st ever Broadcaster into the TPP Studios! He is a main man on Dave Campbell's Texan Live and someone Coach Kovo has had the honor and pleasure of working alongside - welcome Gavin Moritz to the show!

Growing up in Atascocita and getting paired up with a future 1st round NFL draft pick one fateful day in off-season! - Finding his passion for broadcasting at the young age of 16! - There's an old saying, "don't ever meet your heroes", but this couldn't have been further from the truth when Gavin met a certain diminutive quarterback that he had always admired.- Coming into his own with Dave Campbell's Texan Live, and the relentless pursuit of improvement as a broadcaster.- Finally, as one of the few San Diego Padres fans that you'll ever come across we get Gavin's definitive "Pads" Mt. Rushmore!Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing livesFollow on Twitter @coach_kovoHit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. CyrMusic for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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The Team Player Podcast is heading down under!! We welcome our 1st ever Aussie into the Team Player Studios and even though it was 5am his time he brought the energy! He's pushing Most Interesting Man in the World status as he has done a bit of everything in his life: elite Rugby League, MMA, and even competitive Arm Wrestling! Sly Stallone in Over the Top anyone?? Now he coaches and works with businesses to improve wellness and performance - welcome David Lindsay to the show!www.davidlindsay.com.au - Growing up in Engadine - just 40 minutes southwest of downtown Sydney. - Pursuing a professional Rugby League before a career-ending and nearly life-altering injury led him to competitive arm-wrestling.- It was another gruesome injury that led David to find a passion on the mat with MMA which he still coaches to this day.- Channeling his competitive drive and boundless energy to help employees in the workplace feel better and perform better.- Finally, we would be remiss not to ask a former elite Rugby Leaguer for his all-time Rugby Mount Rushmore!!Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing livesFollow on Twitter @coach_kovoHit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. CyrMusic for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We have a very special show tonight as we welcome one of Coach Kovo's longtime friends in coaching as they were two of the original Panthers at Ridge Point HS. He is now the Defensive Coordinator at Seven Lakes HS, welcome Phil Dober to the show!- Growing up in Berea, OH and going to school in the heart of downtown Cleveland, OH at Cleveland State University.- Making the decision to leave home behind to start a new life in the Lone Star State teaching and coaching at Sharpstown HS.- Getting the call to move on to Ridge Point HS where he really cut his teeth and learned all about the unglamourous aspects of starting a new program.- Getting his 1st opportunity to be a Defensive Coordinator at Fort Bend Clements with TPP and RP alum Bobby Darnell, before once again joining TPP and RP alum Jimmy Hamon at Katy Seven Lakes!- Finally, having presided over the DL that was the engine to RP's 1st breakout season in 2014, Coach Dober is fully equipped to give his personal top 5 all-time Ridge Point Panther Defensive Linemen!Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing livesFollow on Twitter @coach_kovoHit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. CyrMusic for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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It's another very special show today as we welcome in our 1st guest who was both in Coach Kovo's wedding and where Coach Kovo was in his wedding! We also now complete having both of Coach Kovo's coordinators at Aldine HS become TPP alums joining Coach Nate Shallenberger from episode 52. He is the former Defensive Coordinator at Aldine HS for six seasons and is currently an offensive line coach at Mayde Creek HS in Katy ISD, welcome Albert Estrada to the show!

Moving several times from El Paso to several cities throughout the Rio Grande Valley as his father was traveling for work as a pharmacist, before settling down in the quaint Pecan Grove subdivision in Richmond, TX.
Becoming a 2-year starter and big time contributor alongside Coach Kovo on the offensive line at Fort Bend Austin HS.
Going from 235 pounds to over 300 pounds in his quest to become a collegiate offensive lineman.
Learning the Katy 3-4 defense under Coach Dan Schreiber at Fort Bend Austin, helping Coach Kovo in his first foray into Head Coaching at Aldine HS, and now rejoining an old friend and teammate at Mayde Creek HS while going back to his roots and switching over to coach O-line.
Finally for the Fort Bend Austin Bulldog alums listening out there, Albert gives his definitive Austin HS football Mt. Rushmore! Spoiler alert there are some people on his list that have gone on to do some seriously great things in life!

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Today's guest is someone who Coach Kovo has never had the pleasure of working alonside, but who has worked with Team Player alums Cirilo Ojeda (ep4) and Sergio Gonzalez (ep19). After helping lead a dramatic turnaround at Sharpstown HS as Offensive Coordinator, he now serves as the Apollos head football coach, welcome Matt Torres to the show!

Growing up in beautiful El Paso, TX.
Being a multi-sport athlete at Irvin HS in El Paso.
Heading down to the picturesque Big Bend part of Texas to continue his education and football career at Sul Ross State University in Alpine.
As reported by TXHSFB Godfather Matt Stepp, Matt shares the distinction with only a handful of other families that have had 3 separate brothers earn head football coaching jobs in Texas!
Finally growing up in El Paso hours away from any other professional sport allowed Coach to have a diverse array of fandom influenced by family members and a memorable football card. As a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan, Matt gives his Bills Mt. Rushmore!!

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It's another Team Player 1st as we have our first guest who grew up under the bright lights and big buildings of Brooklyn! He eventually found his way down to Texas where he and Coach Kovo had some serious battles when he was the Offensive Coordinator at Fort Bend Marshall HS. He is now the Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator at Cy Springs HS, welcome Oji Fagan to the show!

Growing up in Flatbush, Brooklyn where he relished the diversity that he and his brothers on the team enjoyed.
His mom encouraged him to strike out on his own away from his friends at Lafeyette HS right by the city's waterfront. He also was a high school classmate of his future wife. While they didn't know each other well at the time, she actually worked in the camp of a certain famous Brooklyn prize fighter that any 90s kid will remember well!!
Going upstate to the University of Albany where he played for legendary 700+ win coach Bob Ford and learned what it took to be part of a winner.
Taking his career to the next level coordinating some very explosive offenses on deep playoff runs at Fort Bend Marshall including a trip to the state championship! Under the tutelage of legendary HC James Williams, Oji learned the skills necessary to lead Cy Springs to one game out of the playoffs in only his 2nd season!
Finally as a native New Yorker, Coach Fagan gives us his G-Men Mt.Rushmore along with as an offensive guru, settling the QB Goat debate for us!!

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We have a very special episode the show today where we are making lots of Team Player Podcast history with a pair of firsts. It's the first time we are welcoming in one of Coach Kovo's childhood friends into the TPP studio, and our first time welcoming in a guest who has not worked professionally as a coach, but instead has volunteered countless hours coaching his 2 sons in all of their youth sports. Positive coaching at the youth level is so incredibly important and that it is why it is our pleasure to welcome Dan Shook to the show!

Growing up in Sugar Land, TX and reminiscing on Sandlot-esque times creating professional basketball franchises at recess!
Making the decision to travel across the district each day to become a part of the brand new Engineering Magnet Program at Hightower HS. Not only was the magnet program brand new, but you have to remember that all of the sports were to. Dan recounts starting a new baseball program with kids that were spread out all across the district, all while competing in one of the toughest baseball districts in the country.
Going to his dream school at the University of Texas in Austin, and sowing the seeds as a coach in club and intramural that would eventually blossom into the coaching moments he has shared with his sons.
Coach talks about the impact that investing in your kids through youth sports has, and cautions the mindset of parents feeling like their child's entire future hinges on this pitch or that at bat.
Finally as a bona fide Texas Longhorn football historian we let Dan put on the headset and whistle and make some tough Start - Bench - Cuts!

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We're making Team Player Podcast history as we welcome our 1st guest from the same gene pool as Coach Kovo - he is the Defensive Coordinator of the Kiefer Trojans in Kiefer, OK and Coach Kovo's younger brother - welcome Ryan Kowalewski to the show!

Growing up in Sugar Land's New Territory community and the value of being in one place for K-12.
Witnessing the start of the winning tradition at Fort Bend Travis HS and delivering the school's 1st ever district championship in upset fashion.
Using his talent as a deep snapper to earn a full scholarship to the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.
One of the rare coaches who have accomplished the triple crown of coaching in high school, college, and middle school and how those varied experiences have strengthened the coach he is today.
Finally Ryan provides his Travis Tiger Football Mount Rushmore!

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In another edition of Team Player Podcast without borders we welcome another guest from the Beaver State, the Great State of Oregon - he follows in the footsteps of Kevin “K-Dawg” Swift in ep 13, and like Coach Swift this is another coach I met through the HSFB Twitter Community, he is the longtime head FB coach of Central Catholic HS in Portland, OR welcome Steve Pyne to the show!

Growing up in the Rose City - Portland, OR within a quick drive to the old Rose Garden (now called Moda Center), home of the Portland Trailblazers.
Heading south to attend college at Western Oregon University, where he ended up with an interesting arrangement starting at age 19, making the 140-mile roundtrip to coach at his HS alma mater for gas money!!
His coaching journey started with going across the border into Idaho before returning home and settling in as the longtime Head Coach at Catholic Central complete with multiple state championship rings to show for it!
It's a veritable who's who of big-name head football coaches Steve has met in his lifetime, including a hilarious encounter with a young Lane Kiffin!
Finally with only one big pro sports team in Portland, coach has an eclectic mix of favorite teams spread clear across the United States. We play St. Louis Cards Mt. Rushmore, Fighting Irish Start/Bench/Cut with names like Bettis, Brown, and Ismail. Then we play a Washington Start/Bench/Cut with Monk, Green, and "Riggo", before finishing with a Blazers Start/Bench/Cut with Clyde the Glide, Dame Lillard, and a mystery clutch substitution by coach of a late 90's star!

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We had the pleasure of meeting today’s guest through Coach Kovo's work with the Seven Lakes Sports Podcast and boy are we ever glad we did. His coaching method and his investment in developing every single athlete in his program are both refreshing and inspiring - and he has the hardware to prove that his methods work - he is the longtime Head Wrestling Coach for at Seven Lakes HS - welcome Mike Demarchi to the show!

Growing up in the Cleveland area's Eastlake, OH on the shores of Lake Erie. Coach Kovo asks about his favorite movie of all-time: Major League, and about the quintessential 80's wrestling movie: Vision Quest.
Taking his bumps on the wrestling mat and the time he was on the track in the 4x400 with a future NFL running back.
Attending the University of Toledo and being recruited by Alief ISD to come down to Texas to start his teaching career.
Starting the wrestling program at Seven Lakes HS and having the privilege of coaching his son.
Finally Coach gives his USA Wrestling Mount Rushmore, and plays some fun Ohio State Buckeye Start/Bench/Cuts with names like George, Griffin, Galloway, Ginn, Boston, Spielman, Katzenmoyer, Hawk, and Carter.

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What better way to start Season 2 of TPP than to welcome in the man who introduced Coach Kovo to podcasting! He was Coach Kovo's Nose Guard on his best team at Ridge Point and now he is coaching at Nolan Ryan Junior High in Shadow Creek Ranch, welcome Mike Obi to the show!

Growing up in the legendary Pearland Oiler/Dawson Eagle feeder system before moving to another up and coming football power at Ridge Point HS in Missouri City as a freshman.
Obi shares what it was like behind the scenes as a player on that magical 12-1 Panther team in 2014.
Coach has a lot of interests outside of the work day including his collaboration with Coach Kovo on a Houston HSFB/Roughnecks/Gamblers podcast (please help us by subscribing at: youtube.com/@HTownPickEm) but perhaps his biggest passion is his love for fragrance. Mike shares how he started this journey including to the point where he started a fragrance line of his own!
Like many of our Team Player Podcast alums, coaching is a 2nd career for Mike. Listen as he shares what caused him to come back to education and how he feels about it now.
Finally, all Ridge Point Panther football fans listen-in, Mike gives his definitive top 5 leaders on that legendary 2014 sqaud.

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Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

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Happy Birthday to us!! Team Player Podcast turns one year old this week - that's right we have been bringing you a weekly story of a coach making a difference for the past 52 straight weeks! So let's celebrate this milestone with a guy that really helped Coach Kovo cut his teeth as a Head Coach when he was Kovo's Offensive Coordinator at Aldine High School. He is now the Assistant Head Football Coach at Fort Bend Hightower HS, welcome Nate Shallenberger to the show!

We have a certified "inside the looper" as Coach Shall was born and raised in the heart of Houston's beautiful West University!
From there Coach went on to attend HISD's Lamar High School where he relished in being a part of a diverse student body and had the distinct honor and pleasure of playing for the legendary Tom Nolen!!
For the 2nd week in a row we welcome an Aggie into the Team Player Studios, and once again we have someone who found the Spirit of Aggieland a little later than some others.
Kovo and Shall reflect on some good times at Aldine including the time Coach Kovo thought he was going to get fired at halftime, and the time they took a 1-6 Aldine Mustangs team into a rainy Saturday afternoon at Thorne Stadium and pulled off an upset for the ages against the playoff-bound Nimitz Cougars! After that trip down memory lane we dive into Coach Shall's other stops including the Hightower Hurricanes catching lightning in a bottle this year with a very impressive return to 6A football, and a rejuvenated rivalry with the Ridge Point Panthers for the Fort Bend Tollway Cup.
Finally being a native Houstonian we had to get Shall's definitive Astros Mount Rushmore!

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Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

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We have a true treat on today's show - one of the best human beings in the coaching profession, and someone who truly is living out the American Dream. He is now the Head Football Coach at Northbrook HS, welcome Andres Gomez to the show!

Being born in the 5th largest city in the world, Ciudad de Mexico, before moving to Katy, TX at age 9.
Coach Gomez becomes our 5th Team Player alumnus to have won a state championship as a player, having been a part of the legendary 1997 Katy State Championship Football Team!
Andres knows all about the Sprit of Aggieland as he was a proud member of the Corps of Cadets in his time as a student at Texas A&M University.
Coach reflects on the legacy of his parents working so hard to provide a different future for he and his two brothers, all of whom are now Texas A&M graduates AND Texas HS football coaches where they are impacting the next generation of students. Once again, a true American Dream story!
Finally having grown up outside of the United States, Coach was a true free agent in terms of his fandom when he arrived and like many 80's and 90's kids it was coming home from school to WGN on the TV that cemented his Cubs fandom! Having also fallen in love with the dominance of the '85 Bears we ask Andres to give us his all time Bears and Cubbies Mt. Rushmores!

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Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We once again dip into the network of our good friend and founder of TXHSFB Chat - Coach Chris Fisher. This guest comes highly recommended and is simply one of the best at producing resources to help coaches both schematically and with the even more impactful questions of how best to lead and manage a program. He is now the Head Football Coach at Southside Carter HS in Batesville, AR, welcome Kenny Simpson to the show!

Growing up moving between multiple states.
From championship seasons to 0-10 seasons, Coach has experienced it all, and provides some gems on how to persevere in moments of adversity.
As a published author Coach can win a chalk war with the best of him, but Coach Kovo digs into some of Adam's best works that are centered outside of X's and O's.
Coach was headed out to sunny San Diego the day after this recording, and this beautiful games continues to take Coach Simpson even internationally as he strives to teach and share the lessons he has learned during his career.
Finally Kenny is perhaps the first diehard Miami Dolphins fan that Coach Kovo has become friends with and the two can relate over the beauty of the struggle to become a contender - Coach Simpson reflects on his years of fandom and gives his Dolphins Mt. Rushmore!

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Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

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Today's guest is someone we met through the Twitterverse coming highly recommended from our good friend and founder of TXHSFB Chat - Coach Chris Fisher. He does a wonderful job sharing and cultivating knowledge with the rest of the TXHSFB community and is now the Co-DC at Schertz Clemens HS, welcome Adam Harvey to the show!

Growing up in the Land of Tumbleweeds and wide open spaces in the Texas Pandhandle, the birthplace of Waylon Jennings, Littlefield, TX!
Putting down the basketball to find his true calling on the gridiron as an expert secondary coach!
It's a veritable who's who of pro players that Coach Harvey has had the honor to coach and to coach against!
The time he met Peyton Manning, and the conversation he had with the football legend!
Finally with all those pros he's coached it surely wasn't easy for Adam to pick his all-time top 5 - but he did and it was one heck of a list!

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Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

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We've got another Austin College Kangaroo edition of the Team Player Podcast this week! In September of 2022 she won the coveted THSCA Coach of the Week award to cement her status as one of the top coaches in the state of Texas. She is now the Head Volleyball Coach at Boerne Champion High School, welcome Jessica Tully-Mitchell Bragg to the show!

Growing up in the Land of Enchantment, picturesque Ruidoso, New Mexico!!
Finding her way to Austin College in Sherman, TX where she met her future husband and began their journey as a coaching duo!
Successfully completing the coaching Triple Crown: starting her career in college coaching at TLU, before transitioning to hs while also being involved in the club coaching circuit.
The time she didn't realize she was opening the gym for legendary Aggie and Cowboy linebacker Dat Nguyen!
Finally an opportunity where after coaching elite volleyball for the past 15 years - Coach is able to give her all-time greats their flowers with her dream starting six!

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We're keeping the Team Player Podcast firsts rolling for a record 7th week in a row, this time it's the 1st guest where Coach Kovo was in their wedding! Much like TPP alum Jimmy Hamon, he is a guy that dreamed of being a head baseball coach but has brought his talents from the diamond to the gridiron. He is now the Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator at South Houston High School, welcome Patrick Longstreet to the show!

Growing up in a veritable Titletown, USA in La Marque, TX and how winning state championships honestly was simply just the expectation.
Finding his way to Huston-Tillutson University in Austin and how much he loved his time at an NAIA HBCU.
Starting his coaching career in Bastrop, before making some lifelong friends at Clements HS, and refining his skills at B.F. Terry that prepared him to take over the reins at SoHo.
Looking back on the single days with Coach Kovo, before meeting the love of his life, and having to Google to find out her dad was kind of a big deal as an Aggie and NFL legend!!
Finally as an HTown sports fan through and through we play some fun Astros, Rockets, and Texans start/bench/cuts!

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Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

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We're making Team Player Podcast history for a 6th week in a row as we welcome our 1st ever guest from the Mitten as well as our first ever baseball coach! He was also a former HS Athletic Director, but now he calls our beloved Daktronics home, welcome Sean Maloney to the show!

Growing up in Livonia, MI (the same hometown of Coach Kovo's wife by the way) and playing against a guy at the AABC World Series who you may have heard of, oh just Ken Griffey Jr, and attending the famed Orchard Lake St. Mary's who has been racking up NATIONAL baseball titles in recent year.
Coaching stops at Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, and returning to his alma mater at hometown Madonna University before becoming an AD.
Talking "going up North" and the natural beauty of Michigan, as well as him having some beers and playing some golf with 2 of Coach Kovo's all-time favorite Lions linebackers!!
Reminiscing on old Tiger Stadium and talking about the beautiful ballpark that stands on that site now, as well as the very brief uniform atrocity that his beloved Tigers very briefly rolled out in the mid-90s.
Finally we end with Coach giving us his Lions and Tigers Mt. Rushmore's as well as an RB legend Start/Bench/Cut with names like Sanders, Harris, and Payton!

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Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

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We're making Team Player Podcast history for a 5th week in a row as we welcome our 1st ever guest from the Land of Lincoln (you can take the boy out of Illinois, but you can't take the Illini out of the boy) as well as our first guest to work with Coach Kovo at Daktronics!! This guest has a resume that would make the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World blush!! He is a former collegiate basketball coach and now he sells video displays and scoring systems across the Hoosier State and the Midwest, welcome Steve Carroll to the show!

Growing up in Urbana, Illinois the sister-city to Champaign where the University of Illinois is located, along with being the hometown of REO Speedwagon - Roll with the Changes is Coach Kovo's favorite!
After a stellar career in basketball crazy down-state Illinois, Coach continued on with successful stops as a grad assistant with the Illini complete with a Big 10 title and an Elite 8 appearance, along with stints playing basketball abroad in the Phillipines Basketball Association
After a successful career as a coach, Steve hung up the whistle to pursue a career in sports marketing including stops with branding the Reebok Pump with Shaq and Dominique Wilkins (ALL 90's kids remember this shoe!), Jordan Brand, Red Bull, and even publishing books by legendary coaches like Bob "The General" Knight and Dick Vitale - Coach Kovo does his best Dickie V impression - that's AWESOME BABY!!!
It's one thing to be buddy-buddy with REO Speedwagon, but Kid Rock??? Really?! Listen to the jaw-dropping story of how Steve befriended Robert James Richie (better known as Kid Rock) and here's a hint - you NEVER would have guessed how this happened!
Finally we end with letting Coach put on the whistle one last time to roll out his all-time University of Illinois Fighting Illini starting 5. We also play some fun Mt. Rushmore's including one with his beloved St. Louis Cardinals. Coach is known to always wear either his trademark Illini or Cardinals ballcap and his fandom shines through with the quality of his picks. I-L.....I-N-I!!!

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Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We're making Team Player Podcast history for a 4th week in a row as we welcome our 1st ever coach who works with our middle school athletes into the Team Player Studios! He has worked at all 3 levels - elementary, middle, and high school, and his list of accomplishments was so long that Coach Kovo had to take a water break to read them all! He is the Athletic Coordinator of the record-breaking, uber-successful Jones Toro athletic program and an old friend, welcome Laurentis Butler-Thomas to the show!

Growing up in Rushwood, TX in the Greater Greenspoint/Spring area right at the confluence of 3 school districts, where he could have just as easily went to Eisenhower (Aldine ISD) or Klein Forest (Klein ISD) as he did Westfield (Spring ISD)
It was Westfield where he ended up at and Coach is a true student of Westfield history, and names off a laundry list of Mustang greats, including some legendary coaches he played for such as Emory Bellard who is credited as the Father of the Wishbone Offense!
Laurentis is the true example of someone who was doing amazing things for years in relative obscurity because he wasn't racking up championships early on in his career. But he kept working hard and loving kids, and once he got his big opportunity, boy did he ever take advantage of it! Great reminder to all of us coaches that our value is defined by more than just wins and losses!
For the 2nd week in a row do not call this man a Texans fan! Much like Jerry Hurtado the week before, Laurentis bled Powder Blue, but instead of taking his fandom to Tennessee like Jerry, Coach Butler reps Them Boyz!! We do another fun Oilers Mount Rushmore with a slightly newer generation than last week, and for any Westfield and Aldine alums, you are in for a real treat as we do a special edition of Westfield HS and Aldine ISD Mt. Rushmores!!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We're making Team Player Podcast history for a 3rd week in a row as we start 2023 out right by welcoming our 1st ever Men's Soccer coach as we are all still coming down from that historic World Cup Final! He is the longtime head coach of the Deer Park Men's Soccer program, welcome Jerry Hurtado to the show!

Growing up in the sweetest town in the Nation: Sugar Land, TX, which also happens to be Coach Kovo's hometown!
The one fateful day in Lumberton, TX when Coach went from being strictly a "football guy" to getting his 1st opportunity to coach "the beautiful game"
Coach goes in depth on how he brings a regimented football mentality to soccer offseason, and how weights and mat drills have helped add pride, strength, and confidence to his squad
Don't call him a Texans fan! Coach is Luv Ya Blue through and through! He is so Oilers that he ever pulls for the Titans now. We play a fun Astrodome edition of Oilers Mt. Rushmore.

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We're making Team Player Podcast history for a 2nd week in a row as we welcome our 1st guest coming to us from the great state of O-H-I-O!! She has transitioned from being an elite college scholarship swimmer (all of the same events as Katie Ledecky!) to the corporate world in HR, before finding her passion as a Performance Mindset Coach, welcome Lauren Ammon to the show! perfromancereimagined.com- Growing up in The Queen City: Cincinnati, Ohio! We chat about the 90s movie Airborne, where to find the best Cincinnati chili, and the success of the Cincinnati Bengals!- After high school Lauren took her talents "North of the Border" as a student-athlete at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti!- After starting a career in HR it was a fateful night when, "Simone Biles removed herself from competition and Katie Ledecky won gold in the 1500m freestyle but did everything in her power to hide her disappointment. In the midst of this swirl they interviewed Michael Phelps, "Competing at an elite level is overwhelming. We just want someone we can trust. Someone who will listen and let us be ourselves. Someone who will let us be vulnerable. Someone who doesn't want to fix us." From that moment on Coach knew she was meant to work with athletes!- We play a fun game of TEAM USA Swimming Mount Rushmore!- Check her out at:http://www.performancereimagined.com/lauren@performancereimagined.comStart/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 - Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.Follow on Twitter @coach_kovoHit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. CyrMusic for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We are making Team Player Podcast history as we welcome our 1st guest coming to us, not just from another country, but from an all-together different continent! He has coached for years at the highest levels of rugby and strength and conditioning and now has added the title of Performance Mindset Coach to his impressive resume, coming to us live and on location from the South Island of New Zealand, welcome Steven Cockram to the show!

Growing up "across the pond" in the quaint market town of Tiverton, England
Taking the incredible leap of faith to move clear across the globe and settle in one of the most picturesque settings in all the world where the filming of big budget productions is common place
Steven shares with Coach Kovo some key differences between Rugby League and Rugby Union while also describing some of the cool elements of English supporter culture
You can take the boy out of England, but you can't take the England out of the boy. So while he does play a fun game of Start/Bench/Cuts with some New Zealand All Blacks rugby greats, he also takes a drip down memory lane to give his Mount Rushmore of his favorite English Rugby stars!
Coach shares how he got into performance mindset coaching and how he's found it's not only effective for athletes, but also for parents who may find they are struggling with how to be a supportive sports parent to give their child the best opportunity for happiness and success - check him out at:

http://www.athleticmindset.nz/

info@athleticmindset.nz

Coach has graciously offered a complimentary 30 minute consult to all of our Team Players out there - just tell him Coach Kovo sent you by!!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 - Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We've got our first ever guest from the Volunteer State today! He is currently the ast boys basketball coach at La Vergne HS in La Vergne, TN, by way of Texas where he sharpened his craft as head girls basketball coach at Aldine High School. But don't get it twisted he will always be a Wisconsin boy at heart, welcome David Ruekert to the show!

Growing up in "The Sha" Waukesha, Wisconsin!
The adorable "meet cute" story of how Coach met his better half!
Dave and his wife Ashley have become huge advocates for families to trust their instincts in regards to health issues with their children - coach shares the harrowing experience he had with his daughter Jolee and gives us advice on how to handle adversity when faced with a difficult situation
Coach talks about his time coaching in Texas including a brush with fame with Knicks 1st round pick and former UH Cougar and Woodlands College Park Cavalier Quentin Grimes!
You can take the boy out of Wisconsin, but you can't take Wisconsin out of the boy. So of course like any good Cheesehead coach is a big fan of the Packers, Bucks, Brewers, Badgers, and several other colleges throughout the state, and is even a fan of the Nashville Sounds now as they are the Brewers AAA affiliate. We play a fun UW-Madison Mt. Rushmore, and find out Coach's Dream Starting 5. Finally we end with a definitive Start/Bench/Cut with Lambeau greats Favre, Starr, and Rodgers.

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 - Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

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We've got a high-tech edition of the Team Player Podcast this week as we welcome in a guest that hails from California's Silicon Valley!! We're celebrating another TPP first this week as he is also our first guest who mastered the art of deep snapping all the way to a 4-year career for the Western Michigan Broncos! He played for PJ Fleck y'all! We're going to "Row the Boat" as we welcome Kirk Nakama to the show!

Growing up in Santa Clara, CA and what is was like having a dad that was an assistant baseball coach for the Stanford Cardinal!
Finding that despite playing on the offensive line, he had a unique talent for throwing the football and how that led to an apprenticeship under the senior deep snapper at St. Francis HS in Mountain View, CA
Kirk's college choices were narrowed down to 2 schools and he almost became a Terrier at Wofford in Spartanburg, South Carolina but a few funny circumstances made his decision easy as he packed his bags to leave behind the Bay Area for sunny Kalamazoo, Michigan!!
Young athletes could glean some lessons about perseverance as Kirk waited behind a senior long snapper during his redshirt freshman year only to have a true freshman come in the next year and beat him out for the job. After that the competition was on and Kirk reclaimed the position in spring ball and never let go for the rest of WMU career! You can't miss the laugh out loud story of the time a certain Bronco alum showed up on campus wearing a shiny, new Super Bowl ring and asked Kirk to fire a deep snap back to him - more pressure than any of his games during all 4 years of "Maction"!
Listen to Kirk dish on if PJ Fleck's spirit is genuine or more for show as some of his detractors believe. I'll give you a spoiler, Kirk enjoyed his 1 year under new Coach PJ Fleck that he decided to remain on in a volunteer coaching role before coaching at the high school level at Northwest HS in Jackson, MI
Of course Coach is a bay area sports fan as he roots for the Dubs, the A's (we discuss the possibilities of for how much longer and the threat of following the Raiders out to Vegas), the Stanford Cardinal, and of the WMU Broncos. But what you may not have known is that Kirk is a Hawaii Rainbow Warriors fan as his younger brother was their deep snapper and his dad was born in the 50th state. We play a fun Aloha State QB edition with names like Chang, Brennan, and Tagovailoa. Then a WMU Broncos edition with names like Jennings, Davis, and Babin, and finally an A's "Bash Brother" edition with McGwire, Canseco, and Giambi

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 - Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We're welcoming another state champ into the Team Player Studios this week y'all! He lead the Robstown Early College HS Girls Powerlifting team to the state championship in their FIRST year of existence! What is he going to do for an encore?? That performance earned him a big ole sparkly state championship ring and the 2022 Austin College Coach of the Year Award! He is also the Defensive Coordinator for the football team and the Assistant Athletic Director RECHS, it's my honor and pleasure to welcome DeAndre Holmes to the show!

Growing up in Fort Worth before heading 20 minutes outside of town to Haltom, TX
Coach Kovo and DeAndre had a frank talk about race and the impact of diversity and importance of representation
Listen to the laugh out loud story of how the self proclaimed "mama's boy" ended up at Austin College in Sherman, TX and how on his first visit to campus he honestly thought he was heading down to the Hill Country
A life-changing interaction with an elementary school student led Coach Holmes to change his career path away from Pharmacy and toward education. DeAndre bucks the old PE or History Coaching Stereotype, as he is now proudly a coach of color that uses his background in science to teach Chemistry
After starting his coaching career close to home at South Hills HS in Fort Worth, DeAndre decided he wanted a change of scenery in order to challenge himself to the utmost. It's been a bit of a challenge for his mom who always wanted him close to home, but he has achieved new heights in his career by making the trek 6 hours South to the Corpus Christi area and Robstown Early College HS
Finally Coach is a lifetime Dallas Cowboys fan, but it was the "We Believe" era Golden State Warriors with stars like Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, and Stephen Jackson who made him re-evaluate his lifetime Mavs fandom at they became the 1st ever #8 seed to eliminate a #1 seed in a 7-game series. He found the team whose gritty style of play he loved over just rooting for the hometown team and his allegiance has been sealed ever since. So we play some fun Cowboys Start/Bench/Cuts with names like Smith, Johnston, and Elliott, find out why Coach thinks that Terrell Owens is the greatest Cowboy to ever do it even over the ever-popular "Playmaker" Michael Irvin, and find out which Cowboys defender is his favorite of all-time, hint: it's not Primetime Deion Sanders! Then we end with some Dubs Start/Bench/Cuts, get Coach's take on KD, and how Steph Curry stacks up against the other elite Point Guards in the NBA

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Please forgive the ringing of bells in the background - Coach Vitek went to his classroom thinking it would be a quiet place, but as fate would have it, the "Voice of the Panthers" Assistant Principal Rick Gaines was testing the bell system that day for the start of school!

We're welcoming a guy with a lot of hardware into the Team Player Studios this week. He earned District Coach of the Year honors during his 1st head coaching stop at Fort Bend Marshall, and pulled off a big encore as he repeated that feat and even took the Ridge Point Panthers Girls Basketball team all the way to the Regional Final! Please welcome Michael Vitek to the show!

While he was born in West Columbia, TX where he was able to live out every country boy's dream hunting, fishing, 4-wheeling you name it to his heart's content
It's another TPP first - and one that Coach Kovo loves as a chance to break down barriers. Coach Vitek did not actually play varsity basketball, as a bit of a late bloomer - but his dedication to his craft is limitless and as he puts it, sometimes there are advantages to a coach not seeing the game like a player. Several district Coach of the Year Awards later and he has proven you don't have to have played the game at an elite level, really you just need to have a love for kids and a desire to push them to their best
He's not a fan of the Aggies, he IS AN AGGIE. Coach recounts good times spent in Aggieland and he is yet one more in a long line of TPP alums who started careers in something else before finding their calling as a coach
My dad used to tell me, "there's no such thing as a dumb question". Well, Coach Vitek agrees, in fact he often came armed to practice with 3 questions for the Head Coach during his days as an assistant. Enjoy the hilarious story of when they had to turn out the lights to get him to stop talking with longtime Stanford Head Women's Basketball Coach and star of ESPN's "Dream On" documentary of the 1996 Olympic Women's Team, Tara VanDerveer
It was at Ridge Point where he achieved his most career success including a trip to the Regional Final. Hear him describe his former boss and fellow TPP alum Brett Sniffin (ep14) as a "very unique person" and Coach Sniffin's reaction to the Panthers making the playoffs at the end of Coach's 1st year
Finally as the person who led Ridge Point Girls Basketball to never-before-seen heights, who better to give us our definitive Ridge Point HS Girls Basketball all-time Starting 5. Hint: 4 of these ladies played together for a very special season!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We're making Team Player Podcast History AGAIN as we welcome our 1st ever Aquatics coach into the Team Player Studios! He was awarded the 2022 Asst Coach of the Year at Coach Kovo's alma mater, Fort Bend Austin HS, as well as being another in a long line of Austin College Team Player Podcast alums. He is currently the Asst Swim Coach at AHS, along with starting a brand new program this year as Head Water Polo coach, welcome Sean Brogan to the show!

Growing up in the Quail Valley neighborhood in Missouri City, TX and being one of those kids that played in the street until it was time for dinner
Being a child of educators means sometimes you attend school where they teach, which meant Coach had to leave his friends behind in the Elkins zone and make the early drive every morning over to Dulles HS with his dad who was an AP there at the time. Perhaps some of his transgressions as a young man played a factor in the decision as well so Mr. Brogan could keep a watchful eye!
He formed a special relationship with his Head Coach Jim Creech and OL Coach Chris Kahl was also being a member of the varsity swim team at Dulles. In what might be another TPP first AND last, Coach was one of the few that can proudly say they played Right Tackle and was a sprinter on the swim team!
Being treated as "the best thing since sliced bread" at a senior showcase is one way to get a Houstonian to make the 5-hour drive up to Sherman, TX for school! After battling through injuries his first 2 years on the Austin College football team, he rediscovered his love for swimming with a special coach in Bob Filander
Coach has a special talent whereas it seems wherever he goes, change soon follows. Be weary of buying him a jersey of your favorite athlete because 5 or 6 in a row of those examples ended up almost immediately traded away! Despite his propensity for being a harbinger of change coach carved out a nice career in the Football world working on a great staff at Fort Bend Clements under fellow TPP alum Bobby Darnell (ep35). However, it wasn't long before his true love came calling again, and he found himself back in the pool
Finally as the son of native Philadelphian, his Eagles and Phillies love runs true, with a bit of Sixers and Flyers mixed-in. Coach even brought the energy into the studio matching Coach Kovo as he rocked a Joel Embid Sixers jersey (keep your eyes on the headlines this summer for a blockbuster trade!) and he shared with us where the real ones go for a Cheesesteak in the City of Brotherly love, hint: it's not the tourist traps Coach Kovo fell for on his last visit. As a lover of history, Coach Brogan one-upped Coach Kovo with a very informative Swim Legend and Phillies Mount Rushmore, and a fun Fly Eagles Fly Start/Bench/Cut with names like Cunningham, McNabb, and the late great "Minister of Defense" Reggie White

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We're making Team Player Podcast History again as we have a new record-holder for longest TPP episode ever! We came in hot at just under 3 hours so you may want to break this one up over several drives to and from work, but we promise it's worth it! He is the 2022 District Football Coach of the Year and it is so well-deserved; how many coaches do you know that have taken a team that was 1-9 and then get to 7-3 just two seasons later? As if snapping a 14-year playoff drought wasn't enough, I can't wait to see what this coach does for an encore. Please welcome my long-time and dear friend, Head Football Coach and Boys Campus Athletic Coordinator at Fort Bend Clements HS, Bobby Darnell to the show!

He was born in St. Louis, lived in El Paso and Odessa, but found "home" right off of Hwy 6 on the Missouri City/Sugar Land city-line
The title "Mr. Ranger" will always and forever belong to our dear friend Coach John Furlow, but as a student at Clements HS, Bobby could be described as a Mr. Ranger of sorts as a 3-sport star and active participant amongst many groups on campus!
When he wasn't scoring Touchdowns on the old grass field at Edward Mercer Stadium he was serving as a "rim-protector" against future NBA all-stars or as a valued member of the 4x200 relay team
Coach Darnell took his talents up Hwy 6 to Baylor University in Waco where he earned not one but two scholarships the hard way as a walk-on wide receiver under 2 separate coaching staffs
He made a name for himself as the Offensive Coordinator of several high-powered attacks at Ridge Point HS before returning to his alma mater to lead the Clements Rangers! Coach Kovo can take solace in the fact he shared a similar career record with a great coach like Bobby Darnell for his first two years, but that was not destined to last and a turnaround for the ages was coming around the corner
Finally as a man of incredible faith and character it should come as no surprise that Coach Darnell is a big Tony Dungy fan. So we play some fun Coach Dungy-inspired Buccaneers and Colts Start/Bench/Cuts and ask the former pass catching star to rank some quarterbacks with names like Manning, Brady, Rodgers, Luck, Carr, and Griffin!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives. Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome! Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We're making Team Player Podcast History again as we welcome our first ever Canadian-born guest, as well as our first ever published author and varsity football official! We take a trip down memory lane over a career that has spanned 6 decades of involvement with the game of football, including being named to the All Texas College Team and the 1971 All-Canadian team. He is a true Austin College football legend with his induction into the AC Athletics Hall of Honor in 2018. Please welcome Keith Johnston to the show!

While he was born in Toronto, Ontario it seemed Keith was destined to be linked to rodeo as he moved out West at age 4 to the home of the Stampede in Calgary, Alberta and then down South to Dallas, TX at age 11
Starting a new program as a player at W.T. White HS in Dallas, TX in the 1960's
He formed a special relationship with his Head Coach Roland Hallmark that continued for almost 50 years in the form of reunions all the way up until Coach Hallmark's passing in 2020
Keith shares some harrowing tales of big comebacks and fun times as a member of the Austin College football team, as well as continuing his college football career in Canada as a graduate student at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
He spent decades on the sidelines but not in the same way as most of our TPP alums. He was a Head Linesman as a Varsity football official in the Houston area, but his career took him all over the world including to England where he officiated a rivalry game the likes of Texas and Oklahoma in the form of Cambridge vs Oxford. Back stateside though, Keith shares numerous stories of sometimes humorous, sometimes threatening interactions with coaches or spectators as we take a look into the life of a football official!
Finally as a published author, Keith is a wealth of knowledge regarding the football history. Therefore rather than a Start/Bench/Cut this week we opted for an open-ended approach with a Mount Rushmore of all-time greats in Canadian and Austin College football history! American fans may enjoy discussing some of the nuances of the Canadian game, and Austin College fans old and new alike will likely enjoy his Kangaroo all-time greats list

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Please forgive some audio difficulties where Coach Brown's volume went up and down throughout, we still think it's a great episode and hope you enjoy!

Today's guest was one of those players that when you watched him play in HS you would remember his name because the Public Address Announcer would have called it out so many times. All of this from an interior DL position which you don't see too often unless perhaps your name is Aaron Donald. He went on to become a collegiate All-American and member of his alma mater's all-decade team, and is now the Defensive Coordinator at Cypress Springs HS. Oh and don't forget he also joins Kevin Swift (ep13) and Pat Abernathey (ep16) as our 3rd TPP alum to win a state championship as a coach, bringing home the gold with the Beeville Boys and Girls Powerlifting Squads! Welcome Zane Brown to the show!

Growing up in Storm Lake, Iowa before making his way down to Houston in the 1st grade
Starting a new program as a player at Fort Bend Travis High School and being a part of the famed LOD defense
It may not be often that you see a Nose Guard who is also all-district on the baseball diamond but he did it as he helped lead the Travis Tigers to a district baseball championship in his senior year
After a storybook career at Travis, Coach was able to deliver an encore performance at Texas A&M Kingsville where he became one of the most decorated players in program history
Coach has had a meteoric rise in his coaching career as he tells the story of how he earned his keep from up in the box while at Stafford to how he helped Willowridge continue the big turnaround under Head Coach Richard Lazarou. Those experiences helped him join forces with a district foe - former Fort Bend Marshall Offensive Coordinator Oji Fagan as they aim to turn around the program at Cy Springs.
Finally Coach is a big St. Louis Cardinals fan so we play a Redbirds edition of Start/Bench/Cut with names like McGwire, Ozzie Smith, and his childhood hero and famed Astros-Killer Albert Pujols. On the gridiron he's a Tampa Bay fan so we play some fun Buccos editions with names like Nickerson, Brooks, and Sapp, and Alstott, Barber, and Lynch

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Today we welcome a man who is a coaching legend down in the Valley, and is a proud "Fighting Marsupial" as an Austin College alumnus. He has held several head football positions over the course of his illustrious career but currently he is the Offensive Coordinator at La Joya High School, welcome Carlos Longoria to the show!

Growing up in the Las Milpas area along with some time spent in the Houston Heights
Coach took multi-sport athlete to a new level as he was a 4-sport star in football, basketball, baseball, and track at Hidalgo HS
After high school coach headed up North to Austin College in Sherman, TX and played for college football hall-of-famer Mel Tjeerdsma
Following a successful start to his coaching career Coach quickly took a leadership role serving on the Rio Grande Coaches Association Board of Directors from 2000-2008 and Texas High School Coaches Association Board of Directors for Region 7 from 2008-2013
Coach is a football fanatic and educates Coach Kovo on the structure of American Football at the High School and College level in Mexico
Finally we play an Astros Crush City edition with names like Biggio, Bagwell, and Altuve and as such a wealth of knowledge of the history of the game in Texas, he gives us his Mount Rushmore of UT and Texas HS Football players

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions/feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We welcome a guy who was has been racking up the hardware this offseason as HABCA AND TABC Assistant Coach of the Year honors! He is someone Coach Kovo has known for a long time going all the way back to their days together at Fort Bend Clements, he is the Assistant Basketball coach at Katy Seven Lakes HS where he has been for the past 12 years, welcome Wes Kohl to the show!

Growing up in the Spring Branch area of Houston where many families have stayed for decades
Going to high school at Spring Woods and playing in an uber-competitive district where it was always a dog-fight just to finish atop the other Spring Branch ISD schools, not to mention the tough Elsik and Hastings teams out of Alief ISD
Coach was all set to be the man his senior year but those plans were slightly led astray by a brush with fame with a future Aggie Football and Green Bay Packer star who came in as a freshman and quickly made an impact
After some great years as a student in College Station, he headed back home to start his coaching career just down the road from where he grew up, settling in at the far end of HISD in the newly opened Westside HS.
From there he followed his mentor Carey Palmer to start another program at Morton Ranch before continuing his ascent up the coaching ladder to become the assistant at Fort Bend Clements under Ralph Farley. After that he found a home at Seven Lakes HS under top-flight coaches Dan Miller and Shannon Heston.
Finally we play an Aggieland hoops edition of Start/Bench/Cut with names like Law, Middleton, and Caruso, and some football editions with legends like Nguyen, Miller, Coryatt, Richardson, Tannehill, and Manziel before ending with some Clutch City editions with names like Olajuwon, Howard, and Yao, and Drexler, Harden, and Francis

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Follow on Twitter @coach_kovo

Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation, all guest suggestions or feedback is welcome!

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We've got one of the heaviest hitters in the high school coaching podcast game coming into the TPP studios today. If you don't already follow the Hangin' with Coach Noonan Podcast make sure to do so right away! Besides producing quality content with some of the best minds in coaching and strength and conditioning on a weekly basis, he is also the DL coach and runs the Football S&C program at Hendrickson HS in Pflugerville, TX. Welcome Peter Noonan to the show!

Growing up just outside the loop in the Meyerland/Bellaire area
Playing for one of Coach Kovo's biggest mentors, a coach that also took over a program at a young age, Marshall Law at Bellaire HS
Coach has always been a die-hard Florida State Seminoles fan, and he followed his dream by heading east on I-10 to spend 4 years in Tallahassee as a student!
Making more Team Player Podcast history as he was the first TPP alum to march in the band as he witnessed several big games as a member of the Florida State Marching Chiefs Band!
Another piece of TPP history, while many of our alums have pursued careers in other fields, Coach Noonan is the first one who aspired to be a sports agent! Jerry Maguire eat your heart out! It wasn't long though until he found his love for coaching and has been doing it ever since.
We would be remiss to not ask about some of the Seminole greats with a die-hard FSU fan. So we play some fun Start/Bench/Cuts with names like Wadsworth, Simon, Boulware, Sanders, Buckley, Brooks, Dunn, Boldin, Warrick, Ward, Weinke, and Winston

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We're making Team Player Podcast History again today with our first ever Track and Field Guest! Not only is he the Head Boys Track Coach but he is also an Assistant Football Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the George Ranch Longhorns, welcome Nick Ollivierre to the show!

Growing up in Baytown, TX and attending Ross S. Sterling HS along with his siblings
The fierce rivalry with cross town Baytown Lee and what happened in the dramatic showdown his senior year
More TPP podcast history! The 1st time two TPP alums faced off against each other during Coach's JR year against Jimmy Hamon (ep. 24)
Fun times at THE Southwest Texas State University. and deciding to pursue coaching after thinking he wanted a career as a principal
Lots of big moments both on the field and on the track, as well as sharing his all-time Ridge Point top 5 skill players!
Finally we play a little hometown Start/Bench/Cut with H-Town names like Yao, Olajuwon, Howard, Drexler, Harden, Francis, and Altuve, Bagwell, and Biggio. What you might not know however is after the Oilers left Coach became a Packers fan so we play a Lambeau Leap edition and settle a GOAT debate with names like Favre, Rogers, and Brady. Nick is also an OU fan so we play a Boomer Sooner Gunslinger edition with names like Hurts, Mayfield, and Murray.

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Today's guest has pulled off the rare triple crown of being an Offensive, Defensive, AND Special Teams Coordinator!! He even added the title of Assistant Athletic Director for good measure! He is now the Slots and TE coach and Special Teams Coordinator at THE Mesquite HS, welcome Eric Shon to the show!

Growing up in Baltimore, Maryland before moving to Coppell, TX in 7th grade
It didn't take Eric long to fit-in as a Texan, after having no real organized Middle School Sports back home in Baltimore, he ended up playing football, basketball, and baseball at one of the largest and most competitive high schools in the state of TX!
Leading the Austin College receiving corps including transitioning to being the lead receiver in an option offense
Starting a career in the private sector before realizing he wasn't happy in that career and finding his true passion in coaching
The unique experience of starting a brand new football program in a school that already had a rich athletics tradition at Krum, before moving on to Joshua where he gained valuable administrative experience which prepared him to help his old college teammate, friend, and fellow TPP alumnus Demarcus Harris in leading a remarkable turnaround at Mesquite!
Finally in honor of his Baltimore heritage we ask E-Shon to give us an Orioles Mount Rushmore, and we give him a Ravens Start/Bench/Cut with greats like Reed, Lewis, and Suggs

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Today's guest is the founder of TXHSFBCHAT which has amassed over 21k followers on Twitter! In addition, he's a renowned Marine Biologist and one of the biggest Texas Longhorns Football fans you'll ever meet. He is one of the 1st coaches that Coach Kovo met when he began his coaching career and now coaches the Offensive Line at Fort Bend Ridge Point HS, welcome Chris Fisher to the show!

Growing up in Waxahachie, TX and winning the state football championship in his senior year!
He was born to go to the University of Texas and relished every minute of his time there including proudly taking a victory lap, or two, and meeting the love of his life!
Beginning his coaching career at Fort Settlement Middle School, and the lesson he learned about running some of the plays in the dark recesses of the playbook with his JV team
Coach Fisher reflects on some great teams over the years including several double-digit win seasons and a trip to the State Semifinals
Chris tells us how he was able to be at the forefront of Football Twitter and build a following of over 20,000 strong
Finally following in the footsteps of former TPP alums Brett Sniffin and Jimmy Hamon, Coach gives us his authoritative all-time Ridge Point top 5 Offensive Linemen!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Today's guest has been described by TPP alum Sergio Gonzalez as simply not allowing himself to be out-worked by anyone. He was a part of a momentous turnaround for the Fort Bend Clements HS football team as well as a resurgence on the track as well. Welcome the Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator at William P. Clements High School Jason Haddock to the show!

Moving around a lot as a military kid, including stops at Artesia, NM and finishing HS in Marble Falls, TX
Coach made TPP history by being our first Football/Soccer athlete after meeting a special coach that inspired him to give soccer a try and even to continue pursuing it in college!
Walking on to the football team at Baylor University in Waco, and the special relationships he built there including with a very special Clements HS alum!
Starting a career in the private sector before realizing he wasn't happy in that career and finding his true passion in coaching
Gaining his first DC experience at historic Booker T. Washington HS, a career-changing stint with the incredible staff at Fort Bend Marshall HS under the leadership of the incomparable James Williams, before most recently being part of a storybook season at Clements HS in 2021
Finally Coach's great grandparents immigrated from Italy and settled in Pittsburgh so he is a Steel Curtain-loving, Terrible Towel-waving Steelers fan! We honor his love for great defense with names like Lloyd, Greene, Harrison, Polamalu, and Woodson and finish with a Sic'em edition with legendary Houstonians Mike Singletary (Evan Worthing HS), Santana Dotson (Jack Yates HS), and Heisman Trophy winning-QB Robert Griffin III

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Whether today's guest was in South Houston or in the Great White North at the University of Alaska-Anchorage one thing remained the same: she was a certified bucket getter. After making history by bringing the Aldine Mustangs back to the playoffs after a long drought she is looking to do the same back on the Southside of Town - welcome the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Pasadena Memorial Jennifer Salazar to the show!

Growing up in Pasadena, TX and offering Ranchito's as an alternative to Don'Key's for great Mexican food when in town!
After a great career at SoHo, Jen refined her skills Junior College powerhouse Garden City, before heading up north to the Union's 49th state and trying to win it all at the University of Alaska-Anchorage
Coming home to PISD to begin her coaching career before making a name for herself by leading a dramatic turnaround at Aldine High School complete with a nail-biting 1st round home playoff game in front of a sellout crowd against area power Klein Collins
Call her the Head Coach-Whisperer an astounding number of Coach Salazar's assistants have gone on to lead their own successful programs!
Coming back to her hometown district to lead the new kids on the block at Pasadena Memorial High School
Finally Coach is a standout Flag Football player so we play a Texans Mount Rushmore as well as a USWNT edition of Start/Bench/Cut with names like Rapinoe, Lloyd, and Morgan

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We got Pasa-get-down-dena royalty in the house today! He is the de facto mayor of Pasadena where you can walk up to people on the street and they will know his name...or at least in the area surrounding Sam Rayburn HS. He has gone on to coordinate lock-down defenses at Ridge Point HS and has now been busy making school history as Head Football Coach at Seven Lakes HS stacking wins against the "Maroon Team" up the road and making 3 playoff appearances in the last 4 years - welcome Jimmy Hamon to the show!!

Growing up in Pasadena, TX and the funny story behind Coach Kovo's claim that Jimmy really could be the mayor of Pasadena after a chance encounter at Don'Key's
Playing college baseball and Coach Hamon's humility that we are just now finding out he was on the mound for a 5-0 victory over a certain school in the Hill Country with orange uniforms
Coming home to Rayburn to begin his coaching career before finding lightning in a bottle at Ridge Point
After several great seasons at Ridge Point, Coach got his 1st shot as the head man at Seven Lakes but just can't seem to escape Ridge Point as they have met in the 1st round of the playoffs 3 of the last 4 years!
The time he had to turn his back on a bootleg to North Shore's (along with UT and Lions draft pick) Cory Redding. Tune in to find out if Jimmy was able to carry out his fake without getting blown up in the backfield!
Finally Jimmy was a crafty RHP back in his day so we play an Astros pitching edition of Start/Bench/Cut with names like Oswalt, Wagner, and Verlander before the Ridge Point Faithful getting to hear Coach Hamon's all-time top 5 defensive players list

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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TPP is heading up to the beautiful Pacific Northwest for today's very special guest. He has been featured on a 2015 ESPN E60 episode and now he is the Head Football Coach at Lincoln HS in Tacoma, Washington. As a fellow coach of Japanese descent Coach Kovo has been looking forward to this one for a long time; please welcome Masaki Matsumoto to the show!!

Growing up in Fujisawa, Japan (about an hour SW of Tokyo) until the age of 7 before moving to Seattle
Immediately falling in love with the game of football under Coach Jim Shapiro at King HS (as of 2022 he is still there) before "reluctantly" falling in love with track as well
Heading all the way from the rainy PNW to the frosty Midwest for college at Chicagoland's Trinity University
Heading back Out West to begin his career in sunny San Diego before staking his claim to fame under the shadow of the Hollywood Sign at Helen Bernstein HS
Taking over for a legendary ex-NFL QB at Lincoln HS and how many a times taking over a winning program can have as many or more challenges as taking over a losing program
Finally Coach Matsumoto is Seattle to his core so we play a fun Seahawks edition of Start - Bench - Cut with names like Cortez Kennedy, Steve Largent, and Walter Jones as well as a Mariners edition with Ichiro, the Big Unit, and Ken Griffey Jr!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We got our 1st team sport State Champ as a player in the house y'all! In her senior year at Lincoln HS in South Dallas she led her team to a storybook undefeated season and for good measure she was able to lead Lincoln back to the state title game in her 1st year coaching them. She has since been back to state title game twice more with her current team the Humble Summer Creek Bulldogs, is slated to coach the Team USA U17 World Cup Team, AND she was the 2022 Houston Chronicle COACH OF THE YEAR! We are honored to welcome one of our most decorated coaches in TPP history, welcome Carlesa Dixon to the show!!

Growing up in South Dallas and carrying on the winning tradition at Lincoln, while also shooting a fitness video with an All-Pro Dallas Cowboy and pursuing her love of ballet and tap-dancing!
Heading out to the bright lights of the Vegas Strip and UNLV before finding her home at "The Roundhouse" and the amazing fans at Wichita State!
Beginning her career in the Metroplex, taking her alma mater back to State in her first year, before eventually finding her new home in H-Town with two more trips to the state title game at Summer Creek
We settle the G.O.A.T. debate with Coach between Lebron, MJ, and Kobe before playing some Metroplex Start/Bench/Cuts
Finally Carlesa went toe-to-toe with WNBA and University of Tennessee legend Tamika Catchings 3 times in HS, you want to miss her WNBA all-time Mount Rushmore list.....old Houston Comets fans will be very satisfied with her selections!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Buckle up your chinstrap, get under center, and get ready to run the option in today's episode of TPP! Football in the state of Texas can be a family business with famous names like Dodge or Joseph, and one could certainly put the name Gage on that list! His dad was a 2x State Championship winning coach in the 90s with the Lewisville Fighting Farmers and his son is looking to follow his Hall-of-Fame legacy. He is the Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator at Alvin High School, welcome James Gage to the show!!

Growing up in Lewisville and what it was like being a coach's kid
Deciding between staying at Hardin-Simmons or joining his father at Austin College.....and the time he went 4 for 4 at Baker Field on the campus of Austin College only to be overshadowed by a monster 9 RBI afternoon from his friend!
Getting his 1st Head Coaching job at the young age of 28 at S&S Consolidated before deciding he wanted to coach at a big school like he had grown up in, and coach tells HIS side of the story of how he met his wife on Twitter (stay tuned for a future Team Player Podcast episode where his wife Lindsey (Head Softball Coach at Ridge Point and a state finalist and Coach of the Year from her time at Anna) gives her account of what she says really happened!
You don't normally keep score in scrimmages but James can give you a blow-by-blow recap of the 2 times he scrimmaged his dad's team!
Finding a perfect fit with his expertise in Option Football as the OC at Alvin HS
Finally it's not easy being a Dallas sports fan in the Bayou City but Coach Gage braves the jeers in the coaches office and is loyal to his teams. We play some Mavs, Rangers, and Cowboys Start/Bench/Cuts with big names like Nowitzki, Nash, Luka, Ryan, Rodriguez, Smith, and Irvin

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We got another Austin College linebacking legend in the house today y'all, he picked up that torch passed on from TPP Ep.17 alum Marvin Nash and ran with it becoming a tackling machine for the Roos in his final 2 seasons. Now he is the Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator at Mesquite HS, welcome DeMarcus "Mace" Harris to the show!

Growing up in Pittsburg, America: Coach Harris gives us a history lesson on how cool of a little town Pittsburg (no H) is and shares the story behind his nickname
The story of his longtime relationship with his HS football coach Steve Bragg who kicked him off the team is sophomore year but would still give him a ride when he needed it, and is someone he keeps in touch with to this day
Coach shares the stories of his time at Austin College including his signature Jordan cleats, playing Point Guard for an Intramural Basketball Dynasty, the village of Roos that watched over him and pushed him to graduate, and for a 4th time in a row an Austin College guest shares their favorite Coach Norman stories!
DeMarcus reflects on his coaching stops including the time he had his DC title ripped from him after a rough game against the Sherman Bearkats, and how that low point coupled with an 0-10 season at Richardson High were necessary to prepare him to take the Cedar Hill Longhorns all the way to state as their Defensive Coordinator!
Coach Harris and Kovo share in that they have been in charge of programs that have won a state championship in the past, and how DeMarcus has been working to remember that 2001 State Championship every single week
Finally Mace reflects on how a kid from a small East Texas town has had the good fortune of playing or coaching alongside so many future pros. I task him with the difficult task of picking which 4 of those young men he would choose to be alongside him with the State Title on the line.

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We got a real one in the house today! He's a powerhouse in the weightroom and on the field, and now he is the Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator at Pasadena Sam Rayburn HS, welcome Sergio Gonzalez to the show!

Growing up in Jacinto City and Woodforest and deciding whether to attend North Shore or Galena Park for high school
Going to school at UH and moving right across I45 to lay the foundation for a historic turnaround at HISD's Stephen F. Austin HS
From there coach strategically added tools to his toolkit under heavy-hitters in the Houston area like James Williams, BJ Gotte, and Kevin Berneathy
After that Coach was ready to lead an athletic department of his own and took over at Houston Chavez before taking over at Pasadena Sam Rayburn. Circle Friday September 16, 2022 on your calendar. This is the night that Coach will take his Rayburn Texan team to play....get this, his old team at Chavez......and it's homecoming!! It's a setting straight out of a movie and one where both sides are going to be playing with a lot of heart and something to prove!!
Coach loves watching his daughter play softball and he drops some serious gems on what is really important in youth athletics and the time he had to nicely pull a coach aside and give a reminder of what the point of youth sports is. This wasn't a sports parent over-stepping their bounds, this was an example of a necessary reality check!
Finally you're not going to find a bigger Houston sports team fan than Coach Gonzalez, although he is not afraid to voice a critical opinion when it is warranted! In that vein we play an all H-Town edition of Start/Bench/Cut with names like: T-Mac, Clyde the Glide, and the Beard. Coach is an authority on defensive line play so we played a 3-tech edition with names like JJ Watt, Aaron Donald, and Warren Sapp! Finally we get to the bottom of who was really at the heart of the 'Stros turnaround with names like Correa, Altuve, and Springer!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We are bringing it back old school as Coach Kovo brings one of his original hoops mentors into the Team Player "Kingdom" - he is one of the realest Kansas City Chiefs fans (since '89) - welcome the Head Coach of the Northbrook Boys Basketball team Jason Campbell to the family!

Growing up in Mo City (Missouri City, TX) and going to school with future rap star Z-Ro!
Being inside the winning tradition of the Willowridge High School Basketball Program before taking his talents to a TAPPS powerhouse at Westbury Christian.
Attending The Great Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, TX before moving to San Antonio to start a public school coaching career and meeting his wonderful wife
It was on one of the best coaching staffs of all time at Fort Bend Clements HS in Sugar Land, TX that Jason crossed paths with Coach Kovo. This is where Jason took a young Coach Kovo under his wing and taught him how to be a better basketball coach and the value of a good inbounds play!
After one more stop to sharpen his skills under legendary Spring Branch Memorial HS Head Coach Dave Lay, Coach Campbell was ready to strike out on his own to take over at Spring Branch Northbrook! Next year will mark 10 years as head man for the Raiders!
As a renowned Tom Brady is NOT the GOAT truther we pose a QB1 edition of Start/Bench/Cut with names like Brady, Montana, and Mahomes, along with a Basketball GOAT edition with MJ, Lebron, and Kobe! Finally as the President of the Chiefs Fan Club we have coach give us his Kansas City Chiefs Mount Rushmore!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We got an Austin College football legend in the house y'all!! He is the Co-Offensive Coordinator at San Marcos High School, along with being one of THE pre-eminent Recruiting Coordinators in the state and the host of one of Coach Kovo's favorite podcasts: "The iCoach Podcast" (subscribe right now, you won't regret it!!), welcome Marvin Nash to the TPP family!

Growing up in New Waverly, TX and starting his 1st varsity game at 13 years old!!
Not one for spending time on the sidelines he arrived at Austin College in Sherman, TX and immediately proceeded to start as a 17 year old Freshman!
Marvin shares some fun stories from his Austin College career and is our 2nd guest in a row and 3rd overall whose life has been touched by the legendary Kangaroo Head Coach and Athletic Director David Norman!!
Starting a career in Finance before quickly realizing his heart was out on the grass, "being that coach he needed when he was younger"
Much like TPP alumnus Cirilo Ojeda, Coach Nash started coaching in the middle school ranks and he is also very thankful that he did. From there he is gained valuable experience at several stops including with fellow Austin College alum and successful Head Coach Jeff Riordan
Coach Nash is a sharp x's and o's coach as OC but it's his "why" and love for kids that has propelled him in the Recruiting Coordinator world. Listen as he shares what it takes to be successful in this realm and how best to help kids play ball beyond high school
Coach Kovo is always looking to sharpen his skills as a podcaster, and this is one guest equipped to that!! In a span of 48 hours Coach Kovo binged Marvin's entire back catalog and walked away inspired and even more thankful for coaches in our society!! Subscribe to "the iCoach Podcast" ASAP!!
Despite being so stoic and fearsome on the field of Jerry E. Apple Stadium as a player, you can tell from listening to the first 30 seconds of the iCoach Podcast the incredible intellect that Coach Nash possesses and he is an absolute artist with words. So it comes as no surprise to me that he writes poetry and prose, but you may not have known he is the self-proclaimed "biggest Marvel Comics nerd ever".
Coach is a huge Ravens fan and his beloved hometown Houston Rockets lost him after Hakeem the Dream ended his career in a Raptors uniform. So in his honor we play a Mavs edition of Start/Bench/Cut with names like: Kidd, Nash, Doncic, Nowitzki, and Finley, and in honor of his Ravens fandom he ranks the greats like Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis, and Ed Reed. Finally as one of the best middle linebackers in Austin College history we play an MLB edition with names like Lewis, Seau, and Urlacher

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Coach Kovo gives it the ole Austin College "try" (let the Dad jokes commence) as we make TPP history with our 1st ever Rugby guest!! Our summer "road trip" continues as we chase the Rocky Mountain High all the way out to the great state of Colorado. It was here in a scene straight out of Hollywood set to a rare May snowstorm that our guest won the 2022 D2 Colorado HS State Championship!! Welcome the Head Rugby Coach of Boulder Rugby FC and fellow Austin College Kangaroo Pat Abernathey to the show!!

Growing up in Silsbee, TX and playing alongside future WWE star Mark Henry!
Moving to Austin, TX and rubbing shoulders with Longhorn football stars before heading North to another Austin, Sherman's Austin College that is! Here he was a part of a motley crew led by a inspiring Football Coach that took the baseball program from perennial cellar-dwellars to knocking on the door of a winning record!
While beginning a career in sports journalism at UNT in Denton, Pat experienced a spiritual conversion of sorts at the altar of Rugby!
It was never the same after that and after stops in College Station, Austin, and now Boulder, CO one thing was always the same; Pat was playing or coaching Rugby!
Listen to the thrilling story of finally breaking through to win the State Championship with Boulder Rugby FC in a driving, rare late-spring snowstorm!
Finally in honor of the beautiful game of Rugby we play a GOAT edition of Start/Bench/Cut with the Legendary All-Blacks: Dan Carter/Richie McCaw/Jonah Lumu and Pat educates Coach Kovo on the nuances between Rugby Union and Rugby League

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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In honor of Coach Kovo's 20-yr HS reunion we are bringing another Fort Bend Austin Bulldog into the Team Player Studios. She has completely revolutionized the face of AHS Girls Basketball and has about every piece of hardware from the 2022 season to prove it including 20-6a Co-District Champion and Coach of the Year, AHS Coach of the Year, and Vype Coach of the Year for the entire Houston area! Welcome Queisha Dickerson to the show!

Growing up in Oklahoma City and playing under the leadership of the legendary Arnelia Spears at Milwood HS
Coach stumps for the value of the Junior College experience while looking back fondly on her time at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, OK. She shares about the relationships she built at Lamar University in Beaumont, TX before setting her sights on impacting the lives of young people
It's another TPP first as Coach is the 1st alum to return to both her HS and College Alma Mater with stops at Milwood and Northern Oklahoma before spending 4 great years down in The Valley at UTRGV before coming back to the HS ranks and the funny story of how legendary State Finalist Coach Stephen Reese almost pulled off the Steal of the Century landing coach in the 9th grade B team spot on his staff at Mayde Creek
You could call her the Program Builder as she led massive turnarounds on both ends of Fort Bend County - first at Lamar Consolidated and now at Fort Bend Austin
In perhaps the biggest brush with fame in TPP history coach shares how she became a close friend of legendary Hall-of-Famer Sheryl Swoopes!
Finally in honor of Sheryl and perhaps one of the greatest sports dynasties of all-time we play a Houston Comets edition of Start/Bench/Cut with the Big 3: Sheryl Swoopes/Cynthia Cooper/Tina Thompson along with a WNBA game-changers edition with Dawn Staley, Tamika Catchings, and Diana Taurasi

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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In a long-awaited episode we bring in one of the best in the business, a man synonymous with the success of the Ridge Point High School football program and the man who mentored Coach Kovo and gave him his shot. A true program-builder who helped open Ridge Point's doors in 2010, he helped lead Ridge Point to a playoff appearance in its 1st varsity season and he didn't stop there racking up 8 straight playoff appearances and 5 straight district titles. He has made the move to CenTex and is now the Head Football Coach/Campus Athletic Coordinator at Belton High School, welcome Brett Sniffin to the show!

Growing up in Waterloo, Iowa where he never sniffed (no pun intended) playoffs as a player, but immediately found the highest levels of success as a first year coach down the road in Hudson, IA
Despite all the success on the gridiron many may not know that it was actually baseball that was Coach's first love and where he played his collegiate ball due west of Waterloo at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls
Coach shares the fateful story of how while at a teaching job-fair back home in Iowa, he initially wanted to take his talents out to the desert in Arizona but that line was too long. He hopped in the Texas line and the rest so they say is history!
Once he got to Texas he jumped at the opportunity to coach Middle School C team football where he immediately started having success before moving up to the HS ranks at Lamar Consolidated and really finding a home on a special staff at Fort Bend Clements where he was a huge part of a storybook 13-1 school-record season that included a run all the way to the Regional Final against the vaunted Katy Tigers with a team quarterbacked by a current NFL star
Then it was off to Ridge Point HS where his legacy was really written. Coach describes the challenges of opening a school and starting a football program in the midst of a RIF (Reduction in Force) and how the Panthers were able to grow into a mainstay on the Houston HS football landscape
After all of the success at Ridge Point coach decided to play out the next chapter of life by moving with his family to Central Texas where he now leads the Belton Tigers
Being from Iowa he is naturally an Iowa Hawkeyes and Minnesota Vikings fan as well as being a fan of the Houston Texans, but what you might not know is that Coach is a huge fan of the US Men's National Soccer Team and often watches their matches along with supporting other Americans in International Competition like former Ridge Point star Bryce Deadmon in the 2020 Summer Olympics
This week instead of Start/Bench/Cut we did his all-time top-5 Ridge Point football players - Panther fans won't want to miss this!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation.

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We are starting off summer right with a "road trip" up the Pacific Coast to Gold Beach, Oregon! It's here we meet a real coaching legend with 2 Oregon HS State football championships and Coach of the Year awards to his name, along with gracing the cover of the AFCA magazine. He is the retired AD/Head Football Coach at Gold Beach HS, welcome Kevin Swift to the show!

Growing up in the SoCal, more specifically Dana Point in South Orange County, before the urbanization of the area when you could still literally smell the Orange Trees as you drove only 40 minutes to all the way across town
Of course we would be remiss to talk about the great waves in the area and Coach is surfer to his core. However he was also a football standout at Servite and remembers big-time rivals like Mater Dei, and even the time he was on the wrong end of a buck sweep with NFL Hall of Famer Tony Munoz! Football even led him to a stop to the Midwest to play football at Northern Iowa of all places! There may not have been a beach in Cedar Falls but he still looks back fondly on his time there although he was eventually called back closer to home at the University of Redlands.
The man from the land of Hollywood and movie stars had a story that was fit for the silver screen! We would cast Kevin Costner for the role! Hear how he went from getting trash and dead animals throw on his lawn to winning 2 state championships once he finally convinced a special class of players to buy-in
Finally we play a fun game of QB Start/Bench/Cut with the former Defensive Mercenary with legendary names like Namath, Montana, and Bradshaw followed by a Bean Town edition with some heavy hitters like Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Manny Ramirez and deciding who to send to the bump between Cy Young, Pedro Martinez, and the "Rocket" Roger Clemens.

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We are coming with firsts again as we welcome our first Softball coach into the Team Player Studios: she is THE Co-District Coach of the Year for 2022 in 20-6A and Head Softball Coach of the 2022 20-6A DISTRICT CHAMPION Travis Tigers, welcome Katie Kilgore to the TPP family!!

Growing up in the Sugar Land community of New Territory, and the split before HS that broke up a potential girls sports dynasty
Coach patrolled Centerfield at 3434 Pheasant Creek Dr (just in time for my 20-yr reunion this summer we are both FB Austin HS grads) for 4 years and even considered joining the track team. Don't let her 5'5 stature deceive you, Coach has hops!! Even bringing home the bronze in the High Jump at her 8th grade District track meet!
Katie made the trip up I-45 to enroll at Sam Houston State University and major in Criminal Justice. But like so many of our TPP alums it wasn't until later that she found her passion for teaching and switched majors realizing she could help society in a different way.
She also shares with us the valuable role her parents played when she realized that even as a 4-year starter on a 6A playoff team that was perfectly capable of playing college ball that she simply no longer wanted to...and that's OK!! Certainly did not stop her from achieving professional success as a coach with a brand new Coach of the Year and District Championship trophies sitting in the office!
No you're not seeing double, there really is a player on her roster that shares the same last name as your humble host! No relation, and Coach Kovo and his younger brother certainly cannot hold a candle athletically to this Kowalewski. She is the 2-time District MVP, and guess what....she still has one more year to go! Coach shares what it's like to coach someone like AK-47 and how her character and intelligence outweighs even her immense athletic talent
The coincidences don't stop there as Coach Kovo takes a trip down memory lane as two of his former HS classmates went from HS sweethearts to Softball parents as their daughter is yet another C/O 2023 player that returns to the defend the District Championship next year
Finally we play a fun game of 'Stros Start/Bench/Cut with Altuve, Springer, and Correa followed by a USWNT edition with some heavy hitters like Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, and Alex Morgan! Tobin Heath received exempted status as Coach's all-time fav!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Even more firsts for the Team Player Podcast! We welcome our first alum who was a professional comedian and a member of the Groundlings cast so you know this is going to be a fun episode: he is the Head Boys Coach of my alma mater the Fort Bend Austin Bulldogs, welcome Chris Owor to a Laugh Out Loud edition of the TPP!

Growing up in Alief and the time he ran up on a certain Lamarcus Aldridge at an AAU tournament - lobs from half-court did transpire
Coach describes the heated Hastings-Elsik rivalry - did you know there were after-parties tied to each one of these matchups??
Coach wins the award for most unique journey to coaching hands down! From a walk-on attempt, to hooping in Canada (we're talking Atlantic Ocean Canada complete with pirate diddies sung downtown), to hiring an agent to pursue a pro career overseas, to moving to LA to take a shot at Showbiz before being called to Coach
Coach settles the question for us: where is hoop better Houston or LA???
He gives advice on transitioning from a championship contender as an assistant coach to leading your first program with 2 playoff appearances in 27 years
Coach put his improv skills to full effect in a hilarious round of Start/Bench/Cuts (Coach Kovo advocates for replacing Stephen A. Smith with Coach Owor and pairing him with JJ Redick on First Take) where we threatened his ability to ever return to Alief in a Houston heavy hitters edition with names like Rashard Lewis/Emeka Okafor/TJ Ford along with Jimmy Butler/Clyde Drexler/De'Aaron Fox. Then we traveled to LA for a City of Angels edition with names like Russell Westbrook/James Harden/Reggie Miller and Paul George/Paul Pierce/Kawhi Leonard and finally we close it out with a Vintage 'Dubs Run TMC edition with Mitch Richmond/Timmy Hardaway/Chris Mullin

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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More firsts for the Team Player Podcast! Today we welcome our first guest from North of the Mason-Dixon line, she is the Head Girls Basketball Coach of the Aldine MacArthur Generals welcome Chris Danzer to a Pure Michigan edition of TPP!

Growing up Dearborn Heights and turning around the program at Dearborn High School while also building fond memories in Motown and at "The Joe" the famed Joe Louis Arena
Coach Danzer was a problem on the court and instantly became a bucket-getter in high school, listen to some battles she had with a future D2 National Player of the Year along with the daughter of infamous Pistons Bad Boy and former Las Vegas Aces WNBA Head Coach Bill Laimbeer!
You know a place is cold when someone from MICHIGAN says she had to eventually escape those Moorhead, Minnesota winters! But in the process Coach fulfilled all of the TEAM objectives that led her to head "Up North" in the 1st place
Another TPP first: Coach is the first person who always knew she wanted to be a teacher, BUT did not plan on coaching until she got down to Texas. Hear how she started her career in a Kindergarten classroom before finding her way to the hardwood, and how this certified "Dime Dropper" got an "assist" from her future husband in her 1st year of teaching

-MAC basketball is all about family. Hear how her coaching mentor Ann Fuller isn't even "coach" to her anymore, she's family

-If it wasn't enough to watch 2 TPP alums battle it out on the court this year, I put Coach Danzer up against the OG, TPP Episode 1 guest Kendra Venzant, in a game of Point Guard Start-Bench-Cuts!!

Start/Bench/Cuts are brought to you by our good friends at MVP Marketing Group: A Turnkey Solution for Schools. Check out their website at mvpmarketinggroup.org to learn more. Reach out to CEO Mike Vogelaar at CEO@MVPMarketingGroup.org or (254)640-1094 to talk about how they can help ease the stress of attracting and retaining sponsors for your program. Tell him Coach Kovo sent you by for a Team Player Podcast discount!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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It's another night of firsts on the Team Player Podcast as we welcome Coach Ochee into the building - Grand Oaks RBs Coach Steven Ochoa. This is the first time Coach Kovo has coached a guest.... this time it was in PeeWee Football!!

Growing up in the New Territory community of Sugar Land, TX and splitting off from his childhood friends to become a part of a new Program at Travis HS
Dealing with shoulder problems early in his HS career before going all-in to offseason before his year and being a literal Jack-of-all-Trades along the Offensive Line in his Senior Year
His unique path to coaching HS football that started with several seasons at the youth level including running his 1st program as a 19-year old!
Being a part of a Viral moment in the closing seconds of a playoff game at St.Pius X with a 12-lateral desperation last play!
Coach is H-Town through and through but oddly enough he also reps for the "U"! We play a Canes and Astros edition of Start/Bench/Cut with names like McGahee, Portis, Edgerrin James, Micheal Irvin, Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Jose Altuve, Nolan Ryan, Justin Verlander, and Roy Oswalt

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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It was a late night of recording here in the Team Player studios because this week's guest loves the grind and keeps her schedule filled at all times. She is one of the more well-rounded guests we have ever brought on the show with interests ranging from Dance and Olympic Lifting to Tackle Football! In one of the more motivational episodes of the show she teaches us to not allow ourselves to be boxed into any one path in life, and shone the light on the importance of Dance Directors and Athletic Trainers in the Coaching Universe. Her story as one of the very few Female High School Head Strength and Conditioning Coaches has been featured on several Houston-area media outlets. Welcome THE Aldine High School's Aislinn Garza to the show!

Growing up in Hebbronville, TX before moving to Katy, TX while still heading back home every other weekend, all holidays, and almost every summer
Her time in high school as a Katy Taylor Pacesetter and the budding rivalry with the Fillies of Kingwood High!
She headed off to Baton Rouge for college at LSU and found a love for Crossfit and Olympic Lifting
Returning home to Katy ISD to teach and coach before connecting with an important mentor and rediscovering exactly what role she wanted to fill
Hilarious stories of learning how to do laundry the "right way" and her future husband "sliding into the DMs" mid-2000s style!
Shoutout Houston Energy! Houston's longest-running Women's Professional Football Team! Listen to Coach recount her tryout process and how much this opportunity means to every member of the team
Forget being our first ever Strength and Conditioning guest on the TPP, or the first ever Dance Director on the show, Aislinn is also the first Team Player Alumnus to make demands and have conditions for coming on the show!! The rest of y'all don't be getting any ideas!! :) In all seriousness, it was as simple as making a switch to play Coach Garza's Mount Rushmore of Coaches she would like to work with instead of our customary Start/Bench/Cuts!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

If you're digging the Team Player Vibe we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We've got an all Austin College edition of the Team Player Podcast today; where all my Roos at?! Sherman, TX where you at?? We did it again with more TPP firsts: this time we have our first Austin College alumnus in the building AND we have the first ever TPP alum that Coach Kovo actually coached against...when he was a PLAYER. He's the QB coach at Alvarado HS, welcome Ben Moran to the show!

The pride of Tomball, TX he was a part of the first ever graduating class of THE Tomball Memorial High School, and he recounts what it was like as a player starting a new program, "that team up North", and bouncing back against said team in one of the greatest games in TISD history
Coach "wasn't fooling anybody" when he initially tried the pre-med route. He's a coach at heart and has been blessed to learn directly from some of the most respected coaches in the Houston area like Tommy Kaiser, Finis Vanover, Monte Huggins, Sterling Doty, and John Snelson
Listen to Coach describe his love for Austin College, Division 3 football (our second TPP alum in a row that played D3 football), and how he started a unique path of actually coaching on the Austin College staff before his eligibility had run out
Coach contrasts coaching in college to coaching in HS and explains why he enjoyed being on the road recruiting, and the time he coached against an NFL player at the Division 3 level
He may bleed Austin College Crimson and Gold but his first love was Texas A&M so we hit him with an Aggie edition of Start/Bench/Cuts, laced with some Wrecking Crew throwbacks and a potentially eye-raising decision at Quarterback with names like Coryatt, Nguyen, Miller, Richardson, Tannehill, and Manziel

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

The Team Player Lifestyle is a Vibe. If you're digging this show we want to hear about it! Hit us up at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we lift up our own inside Team Player Nation. Many of our Team Player alums started out as fans of the show that reached out, or, were recommended by other Team Players Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We're talking to a 3-sports all-stater today from our good friends east of the Sabine River in Louisiana! Whenever a former guest says Kovo you have to bring someone in we listen, especially when the recommendation is coming from our OG, Ep.1's Kendra Venzant! He is the DC of the Nimitz Cougars, he is a true Team Player as he has listened to the entire Team Player Podcast catalogue, and even pulled off a TPP first by referencing other episodes! He is the pride of Leesville, LA welcome Earl Westbrooks to the show!

Leesville born and raised, he grew up in fertile Football grounds as he recounts names like LSU's Cecil "The Diesel" Collins and the Jets Hall-of-Famer Kevin Mawae
Coach has pulled off another Team Player Podcast first as he has broken the streak of TPP alumni who entered college majoring in something else, he basically came out of the womb with a whistle around his neck!
Listen to how he fell in love with Marshall, TX during his time at East Texas Baptist University, and how his team thumped Coach Kovo's alma mater Austin College the one time they played, while Kovo had to dust off the record books to find the 15-11 Kangaroo victory over ETBU in 04
"Styles Make Fights" listen to Coach Westbrooks describe the style his D plays, and how his attention to the "ART" of detail has paid off in getting lined up right
Coach describes how much he has learned coaching alongside retired Nimitz Head Coach, Rich Slater, and how his DL set the tone for an outstanding year on defense, and why he is buying up the Baylor team shop after the commitment of the best player he's ever coached
Listen to the story of how he met his wife who is a fellow coach, and how she helped him to get his start in coaching, as well as why he has Campus Athletic Coordinator written all over him with his love for all of the other sports on campus
Coach lists his favorite teams as the Saints, LSU Football, S.Carolina Women's Basketball (shoutout Dawn Staley and shoutout Nat'l Champs!), and the Lakers. Coach was an all-state point guard and he knows his women's hoops so we give him some tough Start/Bench/Cuts, one of which may never allow him to show his face in Louisiana again! It's another tough segment with names like Taurasi, Augustus, and Cynthia Cooper, followed by Brees/Burrow/Mahomes then OBJ/Jefferson/Chase and finally MJ/Lebron/Kobe.

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

Send us stories about coaches that made an impact in your life at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we may read your story at the end of an episode or maybe your story will be the inspiration for a new episode of the show

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We got our first STATE CHAMP in the house y'all!! She's all about making history: being our first ever Volleyball guest, ending her team's 30 Year playoff drought this past season, or getting that championship ring as she came oh so close to bowling a perfect game....Team Player Nation let's welcome Carmen Solis Martinez!

Pasadena born and raised, including 3 generations of Solis women at Pasadena High School next fall
Being coached by her mom in High School while also having her dad being her most passionate fan at all of her Volleyball games
Coach racked up all the Turkeys throughout her career on her way to winning the State Bowling Championship in her senior year
5 out of 5 now Team Player alumni who were not planning on coaching when they first entered college - Coach recounts how the love for her brother helped keep her close to home
Making the playoffs for the 1st time in 30 years!! Listen to coach recount that storybook season and how the boys basketball team helped set the tone
Coach drops all kinds of truth bombs about the relationship between High School and Club Volleyball. We know she's all about making history including taking the 13yo team to nationals for the first time in club history....oh and did I mention for an encore she also earned 2019 COY
Listen to Carmen give some great advice regarding the 4 different roles that exist at every game and how best those roles should be filled
This week instead of Start/Bench/Cut we did our 1st ever Fav5 - Coach tells us who she would roll with in a 1-game winner take all Volleyball match with $1million on the line, you might be surprised to hear who she picked!
it was like the movie Love and Basketball in the Jackson Intermediate gymnasium when Coach went from tutor to partner, listen to the incredibly romantic story of how she met her husband who plays pro basketball in El Salvador as well as being a member of the National Team!

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives.

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

Send us stories about coaches that made an impact in your life at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we may read your story at the end of an episode or maybe your story will be the inspiration for a new episode of the show

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Jam-packed episode with the new Head Football Coach/Campus Athletic Coordinator at Aldine High School and Secretary of the Hispanic TXHSFBCA, welcome Cirilo Ojeda to the Team Player Podcast!

growing up in South Houston before making the move to rival Pasadena
the stories of pranks with the mascots Hector and Baldy, and reliving one of the Golden Ages of Texas HS FB
forget calling him Coach Ojeda, we may as well call him the Pitmaster! This guy wants all the smoke when he fires up the pit
4 out of 4 now Team Player alumni who were not planning on coaching when they first entered college - Coach recounts why he loves the University of Houston and why the Original Frenchy's on Scott Street is the best
listen to the story of marrying his HS sweetheart, how she always has his back, and the one time she had to hit him with the honest truth to put him back on track towards his goals
Coach recounts the hilarious story of his first lesson coaching 7th graders as well as all the things he learned from various programs along the way, including my old stomping grounds: Ridge Point HS
the incredible story of how he went from 8 kids in the bleachers when he first arrived at Sharpstown, to contending for a playoff spot just one year later - Coach dropped gems all throughout the episode including his blue print for bringing Aldine back to its former glory and insights into being an effective leader on campus
we put Coach on the hot seat for real with this week's edition of Start/Bench/Cut. It was an All-QB edition with names like Ware, Klingler, Keenum, Moon, Marino, Elway, Kelly, Manning, Brady, and Rogers
finally Coach talked about the role and mission of the Hispanic TXHSFBCA and why visibility and representation matters

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

Join the Team Player Revolution! The biggest help is to leave a 5-star rating on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. This is what moves us up the rankings so more people can hear the stories of coaches changing lives. Send us stories about coaches that made an impact in your life at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - we may read your story at the end of an episode or maybe your story will be the inspiration for a new episode of the show Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Bringing the energy into the Team Player Studios: the Spirit Day Legend, the Graduate Student, the leader of the best season of girls soccer at Cy Springs HS in the past decade, welcome Caitlin Riley to the show!

growing up in CENTEX before finding her way to the Houston area - shoutout Fort Bend County!
a woman of many talents off of the pitch as well, with a voice so sweet she earned herself a 2nd scholarship...gotta have more cowbell!!
her formative years coaching at Lamar Con, where she was the spirit day MVP, made Athletic Coordinators regret 1v1s, and found a special stand-in officiant for her wedding
speaking of weddings, the made-for-Hollywood story of how she went from biggest fan to future wife of a local Rugby star
the incredible workload she takes on at school, with about as many class preps and leadership roles as she has letters tied to her name from her graduate program - didn't know there were enough hours in a day for all that!
taking a program from zero wins the year before, to in the hunt for the playoffs with 2 top 20 scorers in the league, and how she motivates her players to believe and buy-in to the team's identity
we put Coach in a no-win situation for this week's edition of Start/Bench/Cut asking her to pick between some USWNT all-time greats and then pitting some of her favorite Spurs big-men against an H-town legend, Rockets Twitter may want to cover your ears for this one

Join the Team Player Revolution! Send us stories from your community about coaches that made an impact in your life at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - Who knows maybe we will read your story at the end of an episode or maybe your story will be the inspiration for a new episode of the show!

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr.

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms.

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We got a very powerful episode today with another heavy hitter, who openly shares his struggles growing up with the goal of helping the next generation. He is THSCA COACH OF THE WEEK for March 14th, 2022, representing Waltrip HS, Coach Adam Ramirez!

the hilarious story of "half-speed" walk-throughs vs edge speed-rushers - growing up in Houston's Northside and navigating family dealing with drug and alcohol addiction and incarceration - playing under legendary Coach Zucc, Anthony Zuccarini, at Waltrip and the joys of 2-a-days, Romaine Lettuce, and X-box - finishing top ten in his class with a GPA that resembled an elite 40 time and getting school paid for academically at A&M, before finding his path as a coach back home at UH - starting his coaching career at North Forest HS where he got his first taste of coaching soccer and finding a kicker - coming back home to Waltrip (our 2nd straight team player alumnus to come back to lead their alma mater), and building a girls soccer program that does not cut players, all while doing whatever it took to sharpen his toolkit - Coach Ramirez is like Kovo, a former Offensive Lineman that grew up thinking he was a hooper, listen as he plays 3 entertaining rounds of Start/Bench/Cut with names like Olajuwon, Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq, Robinson, Ewing, Yao, Drexler, Harden, and McGrady - it's been a rags-to-riches story for Waltrip Girls Soccer, listen as Adam and Kovo recount him winning his first-ever game at Waltrip against their rival, only to lose every single game the rest of the season, to winning 4 out of 5 district titles and making 8 straight playoff appearances

Join the Team Player Revolution! Send us stories from your community about coaches that made an impact in your life at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - Who knows maybe we will read your story at the end of an episode or maybe your story will be the inspiration for a new episode of the show!

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr.

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms.

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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We got one of the best coaches in the city of Houston in the house today with the hardware to prove it: 2021-2022 14-6A DISTRICT COACH OF THE YEAR, representing Aldine Nimitz HS, Kendra Venzant aka Coach K!

growing up in Houston's 5th Ward playing ball at the park against grown men
playing under legendary coach Debbie Jackson at Nimitz and the one year she spent playing alongside WNBA Superstar Brittney Griner
the fun of playing ball at Kilgore Junior College and finding her path as a coach at Huston-Tillotson University
starting her coaching career at Aldine HS on a staff with 4 future head coaches and everything she learned under coaching mentor Jennifer Salazar
Coach K loves her some point guard play, listen as she plays 2 entertaining rounds of Start/Bench/Cut with names like Penny, Stockton, Kidd, Nash, CP3, and Morant
it was a storybook year for the Nimitz Cougars, listen as Coach K and Kovo recount long-distance dimes, going back to fundamentals in pre-game, crazy good fan support, surprise post-game water bottle celebrations, and the beginnings of a legacy of Floor Generals at "Point Guard High"

Join the Team Player Revolution! Send us stories from your community about coaches that made an impact in your life at teamplayerpodcast@gmail.com - Who knows maybe we will read your story at the end of an episode or maybe your story will be the inspiration for a new episode of the show!

Get TPP updates on Twitter @coach_kovo

Art for the Team Player Podcast was created by Kaiser St. Cyr.

Music for the Team Player Podcast is from the single One More/Good Enough by Avrion - available on all platforms.

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Team Player - Stories of Coaching and Leadership: Recent Episodes

James Kowalewski