Fresh off an NCAA D2 World Series championship in Texas, West Chester‘s Jad Prachniak was exactly where you’d think he would be when I caught up with him for this interview. That’s right — recruiting. Specifically, he was sitting in his car (sweltering!) under an overpass for I-94 after completing a long day of scouting.
This week’s episode is not your regular coach interview. Instead we’re taking a brief time out to talk to you about some exciting changes here at Top Coach and Cornbelt Sports. We are thrilled to announce a new website that will debut in late June/early July, AthleticOps.com. This new site will focus on the
Couldn’t believe it is only our fourth trip to the great baseball state of Michigan! Only the fourth, but we’re making it count with someone who’s been able to sustain success for 25 years at Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan. Head coach Craig Rainey has seen an incredible run the last 15 seasons or so,
In what we hope becomes an annual tradition at Top Coach, Jeremy Sheetinger, college division liaison for the ABCA, gives our first ever Top Coach Commencement speech. Consider this a “sending off” for new coaches, as well as words of wisdom and encouragement for newer and veteran coaches. This episode is going to knock your
In the talent rich state of Georgia, there’s some awfully good baseball being played. Over the last 20 years there’s maybe no place that’s been winning more consistently than Columbus State University. During that span, head coach Greg Appleton has guided the Cougars to over 700 wins, three trips to the NCAA D2 World Series,
I’ve known Jim Collins for years. Although we met through baseball, it just so happens that Jim and his three siblings grew up a couple of houses away from my wife and her three siblings in the tiny town of Towanda, Illinois, right on Route 66. I wish that my interview with Jim in this
He got his start in the NCAA Division 3 ranks in New York state and jumped to the biggest of big time, landing in Clemson, South Carolina on Jack Leggett’s staff for six years. When the Leggett era ended at Clemson, Dan Pepicelli had a decision to make and it appeared that the door opened
This is only the second time that we have presented a previously aired episode as our regular episode of the week. You’ll absolutely not want to miss this episode. I’m often asked for my favorite episodes of Top Coach. That’s a difficult list to put together, but I can tell you this — West Virginia
Something special is happening in the state of Arizona. Jay Johnson came into Tempe with little on the resume that would give an indication of how things would play out. To say he’s been a pleasant surprise would be an understatement. University of Arizona baseball is on a roll in this, Johnson’s second season, and
I guess you can just credit dumb luck, but we’re on a roll when it comes to the state of Georgia and successful high school programs. After great interviews with Tony Wolfe and Chan Brown, we’ve found another coach who’s been drinking at the Mysterious Well of Success in the greater Atlanta area. Like our
Recruiting is a difficult proposition at best. What if I shrink your potential recruit pool exponentially? That’s what I imagine that Todd Carroll is up against at MIT. Coach Carroll, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at one the nation’s elite academic institutions, would tell you that his task is actually made easier because of what
Next up to the plate in a long line of great coaches at Tulane University is Travis Jewett. When Rick Jones retired a few years ago after a wonderful run at Tulane, David Pierce stepped in briefly before he got plucked by Texas to replace Augie Garrido. That left Tulane in a tight spot, opening up
Often overlooked, the junior college coach provides a pipeline to nearly every major NCAA D1 program in the country. What has always amazed me about what these guys do is the continual recruiting process that they have to manage — both coming and going. This episode’s guest is no stranger to the hard work that
My goodness! For as big a baseball hotbed that is Oklahoma, I just realized that this is only our second visit to the state and the first at the collegiate level. Well, we’ve got a good one for you, that’s for sure! Matt Parker is the head coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, one of the
This week we’re back in Connecticut, talking to old friend, UConn head baseball coach, Jim Penders. We had a tremendous visit with Coach Penders back in episode 140, where he shared a lot about coaching your son and being coached by your father. Now he’s back for a long overdue part two and you won’t
Click here! Mention TOP COACH and receive 10% off your entire order at Burbank Sport Nets! This week we’re talking to Rusty Stroupe (pronounced Strap) of Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. As we’ll find out, many things in his orbit are not pronounced the way they’re spelled (see Chair’-a-vul). Coach Stroupe is no
Click here! Mention TOP COACH and receive 10% off your entire order! You asked for it, you got it! After our first conversation with Scott Malone, we’ve got an incredible amount of feedback commenting on that episode. The Texas A&M Corpus Christi coach knows how to pack some energy into every answer. This native Texan was more than happy
by Jack Warren One of my all-time favorite films is the Coen Brothers classic, O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? A combination of a great story, wonderful setting, great acting, and a superbly written script make this a film that I have watched at least 15 times. In the broadest sense, it’s a story about three
by Jack Warren There is exactly one TV show that I make a point to watch every week. Believe it or not, it’s Little Big Shots with Steve Harvey (NBC, Sunday night). Why do I love this show so much? Yes, it’s cute. Yes, it’s entertaining. Yes, Steve Harvey is funny. The thing that compels
by Jack Warren Three to four times a week, the midpoint of my run is the transportation center in downtown Normal, Illinois, where I stop for a drink of water. The first thing I typically see upon entering the building is the Amtrak departures and arrivals board. And because I run about the same time
We’re glad to have old friend Gina Parris back on Top Coach to talk this time about listening. What an important topic for a coach. This is something that we all need. Some of the things that Gina covers in this episode: Listening to understand Silence Eye contact Getting buy-in Leadership is influence Be a
In part two of our Operations video series, Jack talks about how Operations can help you and your team, program, or organization break through to a new level of efficiency. Jack also talks about putting the operations function into the right and and providing your staff with the right information. Get more information and reserve
Operations is a vital part of any organization and it has, over the last 5-10 years, become more visible as a part of a dynamic athletic team or organization. Please take a couple of minutes to watch this video as Top Coach host Jack Warren explains just exactly what Operations entails and how it can
by Jack Warren A few months ago, I called my cousin, a retired school teacher and coach who lives in southern central Tennessee, to let him know that we’d be passing his way and asked if he’d be around. He told me he’d be in Louisiana that weekend. When I asked what was taking him
by Jack Warren, host and editor of Top Coach Podcast Last weekend marked my first opportunity to attend the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association in Waco. I not only had a good time, the event thoroughly exceeded my expectations. They say that everything is bigger in Texas. Well, that’s certainly true of their coaches’
