The Process of Improving Sports Performance | Leo Watkins

Leo: 0:00

But it's the mental, so sometimes it's like, Hey kid "I, you know, you can jump on this box. And if they don't believe in it, all that work goes out the door, to be honest with you.

Luke: 0:22

Welcome to the "I Win, the show that focuses on why leaders should focus less on outcomes and more on the journey of changing lives. Thanks for helping the Grow to show, and please continue to share it with those who find value in it. And with that "I, wanna welcome on today's guest Leo Watkins, a sports performance coach? And we're really gonna dive deep into health and fitness and a benefit that we'll have on helping people find the best versions of themselves. Coach, thanks for hopping on today. And "I wanna start with your unique path to becoming a sports performance? Because coming outta high school, you were highly recruited and you went the JUCO route and "I know for myself being a high school coach, that's something that, uh, a lot of parents and players just don't understand. So what would you say are the benefits to go the JUCO route, both academically and athletically for athletes?

Leo: 1:16

Well, a lot of good benefits. "I know a lot of people get caught in the facade of Division "I. Division "I, like there's no other levels. G two D three n a, "I at juco. But for myself personally, now "I can say it, "I was not a good student. Uh, I put all my eggs in one basket and "I was just preached football, football, sports, sports, and was not a good student at the time. And going Juco, "I believe was probably the best route for me. Regardless. Ended up where "I ended up. "I just was able to knock out those general ads. "I went to a small private high school in my class, "I. 12 kids in each class. So even though "I probably had those big division "I type of aspirations, "I would've been in class with class size 40 people to one teacher possibly. And "I don't know how "I would've survived and thrived in that type of environment. So going to JUCO route, "I was pretty much able to hone in on my skills and also able to, you know, knock out some general ed classes and as well as get a nice GPA as well. So pretty much. I started a nice foundation at the junior college level that transitioned to my next university that "I attend.

Luke: 2:27

In fall in your collegiate career, you decided to play professionally overseas, and you did that for four years. So you got to see this initiative that really we're seeing from the f. Fell on down to grow the game of football. So given your experience in Europe, do you think the game of football will catch on overseas and become more of a worldwide game like basketball has become?

Leo: 2:50

I. Believe so. I mean most people probably already know that Soccer. King overseas. So, uh, soccer is pretty much number one everywhere. but I'm actually very impressed how football has, American football has actually grew overseas, even from my last time playing in 2019. And from there I'm talking about the, the leagues have grown, more teams have joined in the payout more the players are, they're getting more money than "I got when "I was over there. Also, the media coverage. going overseas is now a viable option. Most people from N F L C F L that get cut and waved from those teams don't mind going over, uh, overseas because that, that media presence and the, the amount of money that they're given and also the lifestyle. But I'm just. I'm happy how the game grew overseas tremendously. Now, do "I think, will it catch up to basketball? Probably not. Uh, basketball has some years ahead over, uh, football, but "I think for the most part, since 2019, since my last time over there, the game has grew tremendously.

Luke: 3:53

Well, I'm with you, "I. Think there is a a path to growth. "I. Hope it does grow. "I think it's such a great game. Teaches so many life lessons. "I mean all sports. Teach life lessons. "I, just love the ones that football teach and "I think the skills that come out of football are something that's missing in a lot of kids in society today, which is why "I do try to push the game onto people who are not playing it because the idea of. grit and the idea of patiently pursuing a goal and it's the complete opposite of the immediate gratification of the world that a lot of kids are growing up in today. like my son, he plays hockey "I mean he plays 70, 75 games of hockey a season. And you think about like that practice to play ratio. "I mean the games are the fun part and practice. It's the toughest part, but that's really where you learn who you are as a person is due practice. And there's nothing that can mimic the game of football when it comes to practice to play ratio and, uh, "I think that's one of the drawbacks to football for kids nowadays. But "I also think that's the greatest avenue for kids and why they should play. But moving on from there, you had a really unique path in that you enlisted in the Army. Once you stop playing professionally and "I have such an admiration for anyone that's enlisted in any branch in our military. I'm so. For the service of our men and women and "I. I've just always been enthralled with the, for example, the discipline and the selflessness of those that do serve. So, looking back on that experience, what's the most important skill that you learned from your time in the Army that sticks with you today?

Leo: 5:30

Well, I learned a lot of things in the military, but "I will say if one thing in particular that "I can mention is attention to detail. didn't really have attention to detail. "I thought "I did until "I went to the military. But then just to hone on, just attention to detail, being meticulous at what you do, because in the military, it's like a lot of stories where, hey, go. 50 kilometers north and someone goes 60, then boom, landmine. So it's like, wow. Or just going one mile or a little bit to the left or to the right. That can be life or death for you or your battle buddy. So it was like, wow. Like when they say do something, really do it and be meticulous about it. So "I, gotta say attention to detail and probably patience as well. In the military. It's a lot of hurry up and wait. So being patience was I pretty much. We call it military bearing. Having military bearing and it was pretty much patience, everything, hurry up and waiting and it's like, man, what's going on? What's going on? Just, just sitting there waiting. So "I was able to be more of a patient person within being discharged after my three years being in the.

Luke: 6:36

Well, "I think those are two really important skills, attention to detail and patience, and those that are very attentive to the details. "I hate to use the term little details because it implies they're not important, but if everyone's attentive to the details. And you are patient and able to take the long, the long road, and usually that's the hard road. Success is usually on their side of that. So yes, "I think the Army has helped prepare you for your now professional life and let's talk about that professional life. "I said in the introduction that this is a podcast dedicated to why we should focus on changing lives rather than just focusing on outcome. And in my opinion, one of the most impactful yet underutilized ways to change someone's life is through health and fitness. And that is something that you work with every single day. And you work with, youth, kids all the way through high school, collegiate and professional level ages and "I. Wanna start with what are the efficiencies that you are seeing in athlete? Today, is it, for example, lack of flexibility? Is it poor nutrition? Is it living to, uh, sedentary of a lifestyle? What do you see in other athletes today?

Leo: 7:50

I see a laundry list of issues to be honest with you.

Luke: 7:53

Well, let's, list them out. Tell me what you're seeing. You're kind of, you know, sticking with that military term. You're, you're on the front lines. What do you, what do you see in an athletes? What, that laundry list look like?

Leo: 8:02

okay, so right now what I'm noticing within athletes that athletes are now "I don't really seem to be very athletic anymore, to be honest with you. And what I've noticed now, "I. Everybody is specializing in a sport now and trying to get that competitive edge. Like right now, basketball has no off-season. So from basketball training goes to aau. Then you might have summer league with your school. So within that time, for example, if you need to jump higher, when do you learn if you have a defensive running, when would you learn how to run? So these, these parents and also coaches is kind of preaching that competitive like, Hey, you gotta stay this, that and the other. Don't get me wrong, these kids can shoot, they can shoot the basketball, but they cannot create their own shot. Or I've seen six, four guards not as fast as you can as they should be. And also running their mobility. Like I've noticed even besides basketball, even football players. they're crafting in on one game. And what "I tell athletes, like each sport teaches a different motor mechanic. And it seems like these kids aren't, Hey, "I gotta get it. "I have to play this sport. And what they don't know or realize that is most of these athletes at the professional level then craft onto a certain sport until they got to college. Like most of these guys were two sport athletes. If you look on their. Roster pages, track all Americans and shot putters and wrestlers is just a laundry list of accolades, and it's now I'm saying like, man, and also between mobility issues, not being able to run correctly. it's a mental brattle too, and mentality is everything cuz anybody can go and steal a work ethic in a person. But it's the mental, so sometimes it's like, Hey kid "I, you know, you can jump on this box. And if they don't believe in it, all that work goes out the door, to be honest with you.

Luke: 9:55

Well, there's a lot of things "I wanna go back to. And "I answer, "I wanna first start with the multi-sport athlete? "I. "I definitely agree and we're seeing less and less than that. And I kind of understand why, cuz it, it's kind of counterintuitive and "I have high school aged kids and there's just so much pressure. My daughter plays soccer, my son plays football and hockey and there's so much pressure to focus and you know, sometimes it's explicitly said, sometimes it's kind of implied and coaches would be like, oh, what do you mean you're going to not play, for example, spring hockey or you're not gonna do indoor soccer. and maybe they don't mean it to come off that way, but it does put a lot of pressure on you. You feel like, man, maybe "I should sign my kid up for, I'm speaking as a parent now, cuz you don't want your kid to be left behind. But yet what "I know as a coach is all the studies say otherwise. And all the best athletes have done otherwise. So "I do underst. parents are thinking, what kids are thinking. Cuz it would make sense, right? Like "I want to be a great basketball player, "I need to be in the gym all year. It makes sense. But as you said, that's really not the path. So how do we combat this? Because I'm not sure if we could put the toothpaste back in the tube at this point because more and more kids at younger and younger ages are specializing despite what we.

Leo: 11:21

Yeah. Uh,

Luke: 11:22

Tough question. "I know

Leo: 11:23

it is, but it is, that's very tough question. But "I think it's like a, it's a lack of knowledge. That's all. So what "I, what I've noticed, and "I actually like really deep dive in this mentally, and it's just for my profession. So "I can get the most out of these athletes, but. It is. It is hard. It's hard. It is definitely hard because you definitely, you want the competitive advantage. You want to be good at your sport. You don't want to be behind, but it could be the coach, but it's just a, the lack of knowledge that's just floating around due to the right now, like your coach, you have to be. You gotta be the dean, the football coach, the dad, the strength and conditioning. And right now strength and conditioning, the science has changed. So sometimes it's, Hey, we gotta do four sets of 10 or this, that and the other. "I like to call those Olympic type of lifts. That's the Arnold Schwarzenegger Veto Stallone type of lift. I'm 30 years old and "I did that. "I talked to Mike dad, he did that type of workout. And we're still doing that with the workouts to these kids today. And what "I noticed, sports performance is a totally different. We're kind of set back in the Midwest when it comes to sports performance. What I've noticed from my knowledge, and down south has it, east Coast have it, Northeast has it, and also the West Coast, California, Washington, all those places. The Midwest is kind of still a little bit lagging behind in that aspect.

Luke: 12:44

Yeah. "I think that is important. Education "I. Think coaches have to be educated. "I think that like for example, I'm a football. and "I know that my kids playing some other sports, not only are they gonna enjoy their high school experience more, but they're gonna be better football for football players for me ultimately as well. And vice versa. Take for example, basketball. That's a great example. Like there's a lot of great basketball players that could be phenomenal football players. and what they reali, what they don't realize is playing football is also gonna make them better basketball players as well. And that just comes with knowledge and that comes with education. And like you talking about sports performance. "I know, we've even at the school, "I work at, we have changed the way we approach it. We, we call it athletic performance. That's what we're trying to do. Like we are developing complete athletes. We're not body building, we're not bulking. We're not gonna hurt your shot in basketball, we're not gonna ruin your flexibility in baseball and all these arguments that we sometimes get from people. What we're going to do is allow you to be more explosive, jump higher, hit farther, and just overall be more flexible and hopefully reduce the risk of injuries. There's no way "I totally prevent it, but hopefully we could reduce it. And "I do think that that education amongst coaches and then they spread it to. Could possibly help combat these things that we're talking about with the, single sport versus multi-sport athlete.

Leo: 14:12

Almost definitely "I. Agree. "I tell 'em all the time. Each sport teaches a different motor mechanic. And my gym is crazy. Like when "I do, when "I teach, change the direction my soccer athletes kill my football players. And it's like they're been preached, hey, a hundred miles per hour north and south, running forward and back pedaling then change the direction it's, it is foreign to them and they like get so discouraged. Cause these little soccer players are moving east to west at the stop of a hat and pick back up zero to a hundred. And I'm like, yep. Each sport teaches a different motor mechanic.

Luke: 14:45

Yeah, there's no doubt about it. And, and the one thing that really bleeds into every single sport and something that's completely missed. Is nutrition you know, I've been fighting this battle and it's such a tough, overwhelming battle for US coaches, especially high school and youth level, because we just don't have the resources. So what would be your recommendation where we even begin to help our players and our parents to understand the importance of.

Leo: 15:18

That's, that's tough to talk about nutrition. That is. But um, "I try to go as basic as "I can, as far as like, Hey, here's the food pyramid. you can't go wrong with any e eating anything out of this food pyramid. Then "I, try to educate them on like, what does fried food and fast food do to the body? So it's kind of hard to tell somebody what to eat due to the fact that, like "I said, logistics wives, some people can't afford the healthy foods. The healthier foods are actually more expensive than the fast foods. So it's like that's what, okay, hey, after a good workout, need some quick, you're gonna go depend on economic status or where you live at. That might be the only options. There is a McDonald's Burger King or whatever the case may be. But like "I said, "I try to just, Hey, this is the food pyramid there. It gets a visual. They can see the visual like, okay, "I know if "I can eat some of this. Fill it checks off the box. Then after that "I, just tell them what is the detriment of eating fast foods. "I know sometimes even when "I was in high school, "I just ate fast food before the. Then as "I got older, I'm like, man, "I feel sluggish. I'm like, "I don't feel like peak performance and nine times outta 10 "I probably start cramping up and just thinking like, where is this? I'm just sweating. I'm just playing hard. Nah, it's about what "I put in my body. And once "I start eating right, then I'm able to tell the difference. Like. "I I. Don't wake up. S slugs. "I feel good. I'm like, man, it's like even mentally you feel better. So once "I feel like once a, a athlete, a young athlete actually starts getting into that route of eating better and can actually feel the difference. And like, man, "I ate, "I ate those chicken wings before the game last Friday and this game "I had pasta. And you could start feeling the difference like, oh, "I played a good game off eating a pasta "I. Bet you that becomes your game ritual cuz it is gonna make you feel good. It's like, okay "I gotta keep that.

Luke: 17:07

You bring up a great point about the cost of trying to eat healthy, and it really frustrates me because all we hear about is how our kids. you know, their diets are terrible, right? And, obesity is, an epidemic in this country. But yet, as you said, it is so expensive to eat correctly. And yet what's really financial feasible for a lot of families is the processed cheap food. So, with that said, do you have any suggestions of just some simple but healthy, very cost effective? Food sources that we could be helping our athletes to understand. For example, I've always been a big pusher of, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, So do you have any of those little tips that you could put out for all of our coaches listening, they could help their, that all players of socioeconomic status could have at their fingertips.

Leo: 18:01

Yes sir. Protein I, tell everybody, get a jug of protein. The more calories the better. Due to the fact that in each protein powder, maybe we don't get what's in the food pyramid. Uh, on a everyday basis. So with that protein within those calories, it's everything mixed in there that you don't receive. If you don't receive a, a balanced meal, if you don't get the breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or if you're not even eating the proper stuff for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Simple, easy protein, that being said, Hey, you lactose, you got silk milk, almond milk, whatever the case may be, throw some milk in there. And "I always put fruit in there. "I "I. Feel like that's the easiest. Dish to make a kid due to the fact that some people might have a peanut allergy. So it's a lot of things. That's why "I said with nutrients, it's kind of hard to tell this kid this, that, and other, because some kids might peanut allergies, some might be lactose. But as far as protein, "I feel like you can never go wrong with having a bulk of protein and you can add your own milk to it. Ice cream, dairy products, even fruit to mix it in there. For a healthy, sedentary lifestyle, and also to add some both and plus you, uh, you're taking in those proteins that you might not get on an everyday basis, so can't go wrong with any type of protein.

Luke: 19:13

and speaking of, supplements and things we put into our body that are, really needed and easy to get. What are your thoughts on creatine? Because it's unbelievable how many questions "I field. From parents and players on creatine, and it's just so misunderstood. So what are your thoughts on creatine?

Leo: 19:29

Me personally, I'm a fan of cine. Uh, "I was probably Creatine's number one, spokesman in high school. "I took so much cine, uh, but that was pretty much my first type of, uh, supplement that "I had took. when "I got into football, our bodies already PR produced creatine. So that's why "I said that's what "I liked it about. It, it was, it's a natural substance. We just add a little more to it. and just drinking a lot of water with it. But just educating yourself. Most people was gonna tell you all these cons, but everything has pros and cons. And for a high school athlete, I'm gonna say it's a lot of pros and taking CRI team the right way. So meaning balancing it off, working out properly, and drinking water.

Luke: 20:12

And another thing that's really debated is resistance training. And the age that is safest to do it. again, depending on who you talk to, some people are really opposed to youth age lifting. And what I'm talking about is sixth, seventh, eighth graders. There are people out there that say, well, it's, not safe. what are your thoughts? What's the age that you think kids can start safely involving themselves in resistance training?

Leo: 20:39

to be honest with you, "I feel like that's more so relative to the young athlete. So right now, uh, in my gym, for example, "I put everybody in class by age and ability. Now with that being said, sometimes you're gonna have some anomalies, some physical specimens. Like, Hey, how old are you kid? And I'm in eighth grade and it's like, man, you look like me. So what do you tell them? They can't do resistance training or hold them back. So for me, I preach calisthenics first. And also just trying to control the body. Cuz my thing is you can put a resistance band or anything, but if they can't control their body, that band is pretty much controlling them. It's moving them so they're not getting the full effects of it. So "I introduce every young athlete to calisthenics "I know, most of the time it is like everybody likes. The, the prize and not the process. And "I tell 'em, enjoy the process. Meaning like, Hey, we get, we gotta go through these esthetics, we gotta get these pushups, white "I like, oh man, I'd rather do a dumbbell bench press. I'm like, man, you can't do 10 pushups correctly. "I don't feel right trying to advance you. And "I and "I do a math analogy like, all right, well, Let's do pre-cal today. "I was like, pre-cal "I, like we can, and it's, it's foreign. I'm like, okay, it's, it is levels to it before we start to use the dumb bills. And for me to have put a weight on your back and do some squatting, and like "I said, everybody likes to prize. They like what they see on tv, but then it's like the process is foreign to them. It's like, man, what is this? This, no one likes the basics. But for kids that age, that sixth, seventh to eighth grade mark, definitely start them off with some calisthenics. Then depending on how advanced they are as far as their movements and how well they move their body, then "I said that's probably, it's not really much relative to ages resistance training. If they can do it, "I will put a resistance band on.

Luke: 22:31

Yeah, that's great advice and something that we do, in our program, and we have a strength coach at our school that does a great job of, he talks about like being. Weight room ready, right? We have to prepare you for the weight room cuz we work with sixth, seventh, eighth grade kids. We're a high school, but we do have camps for sixth, seventh, eighth grade kids, and they wanna come in and start benching and squatting and deadlift. I'm like, hold on a minute. You can't even do a pushup. A pullup, you can't even hip hinge correctly. So let's just slow up and let's prepare you to lift weights before you actually start lifting weight. And it's not sexy, it's not fun. The kids don't like it, but. It's process, right? You have to stick with the process and then long term you'll have better outcomes. And along those same lines, let's talk speed training, which is. Something "I know you, you really specialize in. And you know, there, there's the thought out there that you can't teach speed. "I personally disagree. "I "I personally think that players can become faster. "I, yes. "I Think some athletes are innately faster than others. Just like some are stronger than others. Some may be able to jump higher than others, but you always can't improve. So, Am "I wrong? Can athletes be taught how to run faster?

Leo: 23:47

Yes, they can coach. So, uh, a lot of people do have that misconception. Hey, you're fast. You're fast. "I can't teach you how to be fast, you're slow, you, it is what it is. you could definitely tee speed. So what "I? The same person that said you can't. Tee speed also tells athletes that to get bigger, faster, stronger, so impossible to get bigger, faster, stronger. You can get faster, stronger. You can get bigger, stronger. Can't get bigger, faster, stronger. If you get bigger speed diminishes. So that's why I'm pretty sure "I done. Never heard of Staves Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger busing out four, four forties.

Luke: 24:20

Right. Yep.

Leo: 24:21

But, for the most part, yes, you can see speed. So how, uh, "I give you a couple secrets here, but, uh, and speed games is pretty much cleaning up mechanics. So even when you gotta understand, I'm gonna use, um, your average Oline D-line at the NFL combine, you got like 280 pound to 315 pound men running now. Close to four fives 4 6 4 sevens and. They have the strength to do so. The power, but it's the mechanics of running. So what I've noticed now, some kids don't know how to run, right? And who's teaching these kids how to run? So "I understand the logistics in high school. Like, hey, X amount of kids on the track team, everybody's not gonna run professionally. And it's like, Hey, you, you, you, you guys on my four by one team, man, everybody else kinda, all right, well, not fairly fast. I'm gonna stick you where "I need you to be at and you grow from there. But the mechanical drills. The warmups that most kids Bs are the speed drills needed to get faster. Those warmups Right. knee that we all do, all athletes do very lethargic. And those hip mobility things and those fast claw motions, we do 'em lethargic. So, but those are the motions that's gonna get us ahead as far as speed. So understanding what speed is, what top speed is acceleration. Definitely can pinpoint things to get athletes faster. So

Luke: 25:49

So,

Leo: 25:49

can speed.

Luke: 25:50

Sorry, let's dive deeper and get a little bit more specific. Give away some of those secrets cuz coaches need to know these things. So, mechanically speaking, is it issues with lack of arm drive? Is it foot strike? Is it shin angle? Like "I know it's, but like, what are some areas that coaches really need to start focusing on to help these athletes get.

Leo: 26:11

Okay, so. for me. So for basic "I, try to pinpoint the athletes. So every athlete that "I see "I, give them a poster assessment. "I assess their kinetic chain. So my thing is, if you, if you got a weak hip flexor, that thought drive gonna be pretty low. It's not gonna get up. So those are little things and also like little minimum things that you can change, that you can see right away as a coach arm. some people don't. That arm crosses the midline. Or maybe it's a weak arm swing. If that arm swing is weak, it's gonna be a knee, a weak knee drive. So one thing can control another. So you got a weak arm swing. That knee drive not gonna be high. If it's crossing the midline, that knee drive not gonna go up. And you got a weak hip flexor that li that knee ain't gonna drive too hard. Not a lot of power being pushed, uh, force being put into the ground. So after we "I assess, Arm action. Look at knee drive foot placement. Where is the foot striking the ground? Is it striking the same place? Also, when "I look at it, some kids "I know, have a mean leg whip. Some kids don't get they knee up and it turns into a butt kick, No knee fold. No knee drive. And most times it turns into a butt kick. So there's no type of acceleration and it's pretty much covering no ground but taking a lot of steps. So "I try to make sure "I use analogies cuz "I understand the science. My job is to get the athlete to understand so, oh, okay coach, that's what you mean. This is, this is what you wanna. And also the ball of the foot. Most people, "I see most athletes, it's the toes heavy on the toes. So like "I said, that foot contact for me. So those are like pretty much the major parts. The arm action, the knee drive, the leg fold, the recovery. So those are some big things that "I try to hone in on. Then once "I do that, great dividends,

Luke: 28:02

Hey, we appreciate you sharing your secrets, "I. Love it. And you know, going back to, you talked about like the warmup and "I know, it really frustrates the heck outta me. And what we are just constantly embedding in our athletes is the warmup, is the workout. The warmup is the workout, just so we don't even talk about warmup necessarily anymore. And the other thing "I notice is "I try to always vary what the. Warmup is because it just becomes cliche that they just don't have that sticktuitiveness anymore to just be able to, to do the same things and get better at 'em. So "I have to change it up and that arm drive "I can't believe how many kids don't run with their arms anymore. And maybe that's because they're not going out to the playground and climbing monkey bars. "I don't know what it is, But you know that lack of arm drive. So we say, Hey, like you talk about parts of your body controlling each other. Fast arms being fast feet, guys, you wanna run fast, move those arms fast, type of thing. And you know, we talk about hip, pocket eye socket, and just all these different. Little sayings that we're trying to work out with the athletes because you want to get faster, you better teach 'em the run coaches, because they're not doing on the run anymore. No one goes to plays, pick up basketball. No one goes and plays pick up football anymore. No one's doing these things. No one even plays tag anymore. It's unbelievable. Like we do tag for speed work, you know? And the kids are like, oh man, this is so awesome. "I. Go, guess what guys? You could do it for free anytime you. You don't have to wait for just, your coaches to do it. It's called tag. And they just, they don't do these things anymore. So appreciate you sharing, those secrets. And another thing "I need you to share with us is motivation. That's something if it's you, as a sports performance coach, as it me, as a head coach at a high school level, if it's, you know, the head coach of a professional team, we're all seeking ways to motivate athletes or what are some secrets you. To motivate athletes to be able to endure the process that we've been talking about.

Leo: 30:01

It is definitely a psychology behind it. It's definitely a psychology behind it. Um, every athlete is different. some athletes you gotta really take to the side and talk to them one-on-one. Some athletes, you can't talk to them in front of people a certain way, but, um, for me, myself, I use competition as a factor, as an athlete. I deal with a lot of competitive athletes, so it's kinda like, player comes in, doesn't fulfill his reps, or not pushing themselves hard enough. Go back to they sport. Like, Hey man, you remember when that guy dunked on you? Right? This is why we do those squats. Or, Hey, it doesn't feel good coming in that lasting race and having to get clapped in. Oh, you right coach you right. Let. Get the mind going, make them feel that low moment and like, yeah, it didn't feel too good, did it bro? It didn't feel too good to get ran over and this that. So that's why that next rep, that's why that you got it, coach. So "I use things like that, those type of analogies to try to get the best outta my player.

Luke: 31:00

Find that competitive edge. We all have it in us no matter what. It's just a matter of somehow finding it, picking at it, and, and getting them to respond to it and, My last question to you, you know, you have a unique perspective in that you get to work with individual athletes. "I know you do group settings in some team settings. My point is like, you get to hear the different side of athletes. Just like, so I'm a head coach. the kids will talk to me differently and they talk to their parents, for example. So you get to work with our athlete. So what are you hearing from these kids as they talk about their head coaches and their assistant coaches, their positional coaches? who are the coaches they like the most? Obviously I'm not talking about specific coaches for you to name. I'm talking about characteristics what are players saying to you? What are athletes saying to you like, man, "I, like the coaches that do X, Y, and Z, or Man "I really dislike when a coach gets in my face and Huffs and puffs and yells at me or what? What are you hearing from those?

Leo: 32:01

so it's more so of. What they're not doing in school and what they think they should be doing. And "I try to go back. And to be honest with you, "I, tell them like the coach is, right. And sometimes most of the players go in cahoots, so, oh, what they think recruiting is, oh, my coach is not looking out for me. Or whatever the case may be. And "I try to, I'm a neutral party. "I. "I, definitely understand where a player comes from from that standpoint. But "I, also "I am a. And "I try to put in perspective that, oh, this is all the things. These are underlining the issues and this is what's really going on. So for example, like, Hey, my coach does this, that and the other. But then I'm like, Hey, your coach has a lot of duties. Like he has to help you recruit and get some more kids in to play. He's a dad, he's the teen dad, the, the dean and everything. So "I think more so the players and it's crazy. Right now the players like player. Uh, maybe it's cause the time we and the era we live in, but it seemed they like more laid back coaches. hey coach, can "I do this? You do this. TikTok with me and "I know some of the coaches. It's fairly new. "I. Don't get on TikTok myself, but "I know that's a avenue that the kids like. Like, Hey, can you do this with me? All man coach sat down and did this TikTok with me. And that goes long ways with the kids. Oh, coach is cool. And even when you see a. On Twitter and keeping up with the Times on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, whatever the case, those are the coaches that seem to have the kids trust and hey, "I wanna play for that guy? Oh, he's cool. Uh, he's doing this on social media. So "I feel like the ones that actually take the time to grow as the era grow. Even like I. Remember Coach K from Duke some things growing up, watching Coach K from Duke, then towards the end of his career, and I'm sitting like, man, wow. Like "I didn't expect him to do that. He's dancing. "I never seen him dance in the locker room. Very stern about his business. Squared away focused. But then the athletes that he broke, "I, gotta "I, gotta understand my athletes. They're dancing. "I seen him, never seen Coach K dance until a couple years ago. I'm like, wow, he cutting a rug. Okay, coach K. So "I think the coach that's able to reach the player that can understand them, like, okay, you know, "I, take the time to understand why you guys are doing this. Or let me get on TikTok. Let me see the, what's the trend? So I think those are the ones that's gonna win these players.

Luke: 34:27

Yeah, you gotta meet them where they're at and it's really tough. "I. "I am getting older and you know, it's, it's harder to relate to them. Uh, I'm definitely not a dancer. I'm definitely not a guy that you want to even see on TikTok, but you're right, they just appreciate you involving yourself in their world, and it really goes a long way. Now, "I, don't advocate the creepy videos like that Brian Kelly thing. At LSU that he did last year. Like that was just bizarre to me. But yeah, "I mean, it's just, it's the world we're in today. You have to meet 'em where they're at. So thanks for sharing that and giving us, reaffirmation that we all need to make ourselves a little bit more vulnerable on social media. And with that, uh, if there's a coach that's listening at wanting to get in contact with you, maybe they wanted to have some athletes trained, through your gym, can you share your contact info right now?

Leo: 35:16

Almost definitely, uh, "I always tell people to, uh, you know, go ahead and follow me on Instagram at Coach Leo underscore two. Or they can reach out to me on my cell phone, 773) 679-0076. Call, text. I'm always up woke and ready to talk so.

Luke: 35:33

Awesome. Well, thanks for sharing your thoughts on not only how you got to where you're at now, but also about just the complicated world of health and fitness and athletes, and there's just so many misperceptions out there. So "I really appreciate, like you said, bring in your expertise, in your science to something that all of us coaches really need to get a handle of them better understand so we can help our athletes excel at championships level. So, Thanks very much for being on the "I Win Podcast today.

Leo: 36:01

"I appreciate you and I'm glad to be on.