Hardwood Hustle

This week we're joined by Head Coach, Steve Gomez. With over 30 years of experience Coach Gomez is headed into his 19th season as head coach at Lubbock Christian University. They recently transitioned from the NAIA to the NCAA Div. II level and in their 6 seasons of being eligible for postseason, they've won 3 National Championships. They're also the first Division II program to have two undefeated seasons. In this episode we talk about fast paced practices, how they teach and execute over 100 set plays, and the importance of senior leadership in their program.Send us a Message.

This week we have a special guest, Head Coach Tony Bennett. He’s a 3-time National Coach of the Year and is entering his 16th season as a head coach. In 2019, Coach Bennett led Virginia to their first Final Four and rebounded from a loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament the year […]Send us a Message.

This week we’re joined by Bo Hanson, Founder and Director of Athlete Assessments. He’s a four time Olympian, medaling three times with the Australian National Rowing Team. For the past 20 years he’s worked with countless coaches, athletes, and businesses helping leaders and teams work together and reach peak performance. In this episode, Bo shares […]Send us a Message.

In today’s episode TJ and Sam talk about the danger of having “sometimes” players or being a “sometimes” coach. How do we strike the right balance? How do we handle frustration and fatigue? Can we or our players have a bad day or take a day off? After listening to this conversation you’ll have a […]Send us a Message.

This week, Kiesha Brown shares how she’s used her experience as an accomplished player, which includes 10 years of professional basketball overseas and in the WNBA to build a successful high school program. She was a standout for Georgia women’s basketball, competing in a Final Four, and after her playing career she’s now a head […]Send us a Message.

This week Nick Pasqua, head coach at Southern Wesleyan University openly shares his successes and failures with coaches. In 2020, Nick’s second season at Southern Wesleyan, his team was the most improved in NCAA Division II and went 20-11. In that historic season, they also won the university’s first ever Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship. Hear […]Send us a Message.

For a head coach, building a staff may be the most important thing you do for your program. In this episode TJ, Sam, and Lisa discuss how coaches can go about selecting their staff and prioritizing the most important things for them and their program. Everyone needs to decide what their non negotiables are whether […]Send us a Message.

This week, Josh Merkel, head coach at Randolph-Macon joins TJ and Sam to discuss what its like to takeover a program, implement systems and strategies, and build and sustain a culture of excellence. Josh shares from his 10 years of head coaching experience and is no stranger to success. His program has gone 67-6 over […]Send us a Message.

TJ & Sam discuss Xs and Os from this year’s NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four matchups. There’s always a lot to learn from watching the systems and strategies of teams who are winning at the highest level. This episode will help you start thinking about what’s going to help you win next season and […]Send us a Message.

In Part 2, TJ and Sam share how parents and players can navigate youth basketball, player development, and finding teachable moments and learning opportunities. It’s a discussion about stepping back and seeing the big picture within the game and ensuring we all contribute to a positive sport experience in whatever role we’re in.Send us a Message.

This week we’re starting a two-part series about how to run better programs and grow the game of basketball. Referees, coaches, players, and parents all factor into our basketball experience. Our next two episodes will help you understand these four roles better especially when it comes to creating the right competitive environment for your program. […]Send us a Message.

Players today have more choices than ever and it’s becoming all too common for players to transfer to another team for a variety of reasons. In order to equip ourselves as coaches to better serve our players and programs, TJ and Sam discuss how we can do both. Listen to this episode to hear where […]Send us a Message.

How do we help our players build their confidence? Too often it feels like trial and error as balancing the right amount of encouragement and challenge for each player can be difficult. In this episode, TJ and Sam discuss the best approaches coaches can take to help players earn and develop their confidence.Send us a Message.

This week special guest, Joni Taylor, Head Coach for Georgia Women’s Basketball join us on the podcast. With almost 20 years of coaching experience Joni is racking up the honors as a head coach. Just this season she was named Coach of the Year in the SEC Conference and took Georgia to the SEC Tournament […]Send us a Message.

In the spirit of March Madness we dive into how and why championship habits make for special teams and special achievements this time of year. Every coach wants to win and be successful and one thing that can separate us from our competition, are the little things we invest in every day. In this episode, […]Send us a Message.

This week we take on four quick topics in our “4 Quarters” episode. TJ, Sam, and Lisa discuss how coaches may approach each topic and what could shift late in the season. – Is there ever a good reason to quit? How do the best teams get late season wins? Can transition offense win you […]Send us a Message.

In honor of Black History Month, we invited special guest, Ken Friedman on the podcast to share the untold story of how Willie Cooper broke the color line at the University of North Carolina in 1964. Ken worked behind the scenes under legendary coaches Frank McGuire and Dean Smith, and in this episode he sets […]Send us a Message.

Choosing your defensive system and strategy is critical to your success. In this episode, TJ and Sam discuss the importance of understanding why you would choose a man or zone defense as your primary system and the factors that guide a coach’s decision. In part one, they cover player development implications and appropriate age and […]Send us a Message.

Identifying and clarifying player roles is critical. In this episode, TJ and Sam are joined by Tyler Coston, Director of Player Development and PGC+ for PGC Basketball to discuss where coaches may be missing opportunities in this area. Hear ideas and strategies for creating an objective system so you can bring more clarity and inspiration […]Send us a Message.

TJ and Sam dive into the critical topic of player leadership. They provide tips for mentoring your players into leadership roles that are best for them and the team. Equip yourself and your players with the right expectations so you can answer the question, does your best player have to be your best leader?Send us a Message.