Youth Inc. Recommends: The Best Youth Sports Coaching Podcasts

The impact of a great youth coach can last a lifetime. Whether it’s the way you handled a tough loss, the lesson you taught about perseverance or the words you said after a kid made a mistake—your influence sticks. 

But coaching today isn’t easy. You're juggling pressure from parents, balancing development and competition, and trying to connect with kids who are growing up in a completely different world than you did. 

These podcasts are for coaches who want to do more than just drill skills—they want to inspire, lead, and grow right alongside their athletes. 

Way of Champions Podcast 

What it is: Hosted by John O’Sullivan (of Changing the Game Project) and sports psychologist Dr. Jerry Lynch, this show is one of the most respected in the space—drawing from decades of leadership experience across Olympic and elite youth programs. 

Why we like it: Every episode reminds us that coaching is about building people, not just players. The guests—coaches, psychologists, educators—go deep on culture, trust, and transformational leadership. Whether you're a rookie coach or have been doing it for 30 years, this show helps you level up your impact, without losing your heart. 

Coaching Culture Podcast 

What it is: Hosted by J.P. Nerbun and Nate Sanderson, this podcast tackles one of the most important—and often overlooked—aspects of youth coaching: culture. 

Why we like it: If you’ve ever asked yourself, “How do I get this team to buy in?” or “Why does it feel like something’s off?”—this podcast is your playbook. It offers weekly, bite-sized lessons on communication, trust-building, and team identity. What makes it stand out is that it’s not fluff—it’s grounded in research and real-world experience, with tools you can implement tomorrow. 

Dr. Michael Gervais 

What it is: Dr. Michael Gervais is one of the world’s leading experts on high performance psychology. His website and podcast, Finding Mastery, explore how the best athletes, coaches and leaders build resilience, confidence, focus and purpose under pressure. His work offers deep, science-backed insights for coaches who want to help athletes thrive both mentally and physically. 

Why we like it: Coaching is about unlocking potential and no one teaches that better than Dr. Gervais. His content gives coaches powerful, practical strategies to build mentally tough, emotionally resilient athletes—and to lead with greater clarity and intention themselves. 

Coach Your Brains Out 

What it is: What started as a side project by volleyball coaches John Mayer, Billy Allen and friends, has become one of the smartest and most engaging coaching podcasts out there—especially for those interested in motor learning, psychology and skill acquisition. 

Why we like it: This is where science meets the art of coaching. It’s thoughtful, curious and often funny. The hosts geek out on learning theory, failure, feedback and how kids actually absorb and retain skills. But it’s never too heady—they always bring it back to what matters: helping athletes grow, love the game, and reach their potential. 

The Coaching DNA Podcast 

What it is: Hosted by former college coach and leadership consultant Travis Wyckoff, The Coaching DNA Podcast features in-depth conversations with some of the best coaches in the country. Each episode explores leadership, culture-building, lessons learned and the real work that goes into developing elite teams and strong athletes. 

Why we like it: If you want to hear real stories, real mistakes and real lessons from top coaches across sports, this podcast delivers. It's a goldmine of coaching wisdom for anyone serious about leading athletes the right way.