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A holiday thank you turns into a masterclass on building a champion when Gary Gilmore, the recently retired head coach of Coastal Carolina, joins us to unpack how a mid-major beat the blue bloods in Omaha. From overlooked recruits to a dogpile on the final out, he takes us step-by-step through the strategy, the culture, and the belief that changed everything.

We start with the foundation: recruit athletes, not résumés; redshirt for strength and skill; and teach the details that win close games. Gary breaks down why regionals are a bullpen marathon and why Omaha rewards clarity and roles, then shows how Coastal became brutally hard to beat—leading the nation in home runs and sacrifice bunts while stealing bags, defending cleanly, and placing pressure in every inning. If you care about baseball player development, college baseball culture, or winning in the NIL and portal era, this conversation is packed with takeaways you can use tomorrow.

Then we go inside the moments that defined the run: the LSU Super Regional ninth inning where a freshman error threatened to derail everything, the bold 3–1 slider call, the perfect steal break, and the sequence that sent them to Omaha. Gary shares the postgame locker room where he asked his players to lock hands and eyes, then laid out a plan that unfolded almost pitch-for-pitch in the championship—converting an All-American reliever to start, bridging with the best inherited-run stopper in the country, and trusting a career starter to record the final strikeout as a reliever. Woven through it all is his why: lead with love, hold a high standard, and let belief carry talent further than pedigree.

If you’re a coach, parent, or player, you’ll leave with practical tools for culture-building, recruiting overlooked athletes, and preparing staffs for postseason stress. If you’re a fan, you’ll relive the chills of a true David vs Goliath story. Follow the show, share it with a baseball friend, and leave a quick review to help more coaches find it. What part of Gary’s plan will you try first?

Join the Baseball Coaches Unplugged podcast where an experienced baseball coach delves into the world of high school and travel baseball, offering insights on high school baseball coaching, leadership skills, hitting skills, pitching strategy, defensive skills, and overall baseball strategy, while also covering high school and college baseball, recruiting tips, youth and travel baseball coaching tips, and fostering a winning mentality and attitude in baseball players through strong baseball leadership and mentality.

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A roster full of talent won’t save a season if communication fractures. We sat down with Travis Davidson from Team Sports Consulting Group to unpack how a simple five‑minute survey can transform culture, reveal real leaders, and help coaches read stress before it derails a game. From high school diamonds to College World Series runs, Travis shows how relational science turns “culture” from a buzzword into a repeatable system you can coach.

We dig into the four core traits that shape how players think, lead, and learn—and how those patterns show up under pressure. You’ll hear how to stop forcing your best hitter into a role he hates, use side‑by‑side profiles to resolve coach–player conflicts, and set your team’s environment on purpose: locker pods, bus assignments, even hotel routines that preserve energy for the moments that decide seasons. Catchers get a special spotlight as we explore pitcher–catcher scans that equip them to spot backup styles, slow the game down, and anchor tempo when the count and crowd tilt against you.

Travis also challenges a myth: there’s no single personality that makes a great coach. The real separator is self‑awareness. Whether you lean gut or analytics, the edge comes from knowing your style, speaking in each player’s language, and building a shared map of how your team works. With clear pricing designed for high schools and a no‑risk offer for head coaches, the path from guesswork to clarity is closer than you think.

Ready to turn communication into a competitive advantage? Listen now, claim the free head coach scan, and share this with a staff member who picks captains. If this conversation helped you think differently, follow, rate, and leave a review so more coaches can find it.

Join the Baseball Coaches Unplugged podcast where an experienced baseball coach delves into the world of high school and travel baseball, offering insights on high school baseball coaching, leadership skills, hitting skills, pitching strategy, defensive skills, and overall baseball strategy, while also covering high school and college baseball, recruiting tips, youth and travel baseball coaching tips, and fostering a winning mentality and attitude in baseball players through strong baseball leadership and mentality.

X - @TravisSkol

Support the show

• Follow: Twitter | Instagram @Athlete1Podcast
• Website - https://www.athlete1.net
• Sponsor: The Netting Professionals
• https://www.nettingpros.com

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What does it take to move one seat over and keep a winner winning? We sit down with Hilliard Darby’s new head baseball coach, Andrew Ozbolt, to unpack the real work of inheriting a high-performing program: protecting standards, earning trust, and evolving without erasing what made the team great.

Andrew shares how 11 years as an assistant under Hall of Famer Chris Fugitt prepared him to lead with clarity. He explains the habits that travel—punctuality, defensive communication, and small ball—and why bunts and steals still play deep in the state tournament. We get practical about facilities too: the ongoing grass vs turf debate, how a well-kept natural surface stacks up, and why reliable outdoor reps can tilt development. Inside Darby’s hitting facility, he walks through winter stations, HitTrax feedback, modern pitching routines with bands and plyos, and the art of cycling groups for high-volume, high-quality work.

We also go behind the clipboard on staff building. Andrew outlines what he looks for in assistants—teachers who connect, simplify, and show up year-round—and how securing a proven pitching coach was priority one. The schedule won’t blink for anyone, and the league is a meat grinder loaded with champions. Andrew’s definition of success is honest and actionable: compete daily, handle humbling moments, enjoy wins without rushing past them, and be ready to peak when brackets drop.

If you’re a coach, player, or parent who cares about player development, practice design, team culture, and winning baseball strategy, this conversation will give you tools you can use today. Subscribe, share with a coaching friend, and leave a review to help more coaches find the show. What’s one standard your team won’t compromise this season? Tell us after you listen.

Join the Baseball Coaches Unplugged podcast where an experienced baseball coach delves into the world of high school and travel baseball, offering insights on high school baseball coaching, leadership skills, hitting skills, pitching strategy, defensive skills, and overall baseball strategy, while also covering high school and college baseball, recruiting tips, youth and travel baseball coaching tips, and fostering a winning mentality and attitude in baseball players through strong baseball leadership and mentality.

Support the show

• Follow: Twitter | Instagram @Athlete1Podcast
• Website - https://www.athlete1.net
• Sponsor: The Netting Professionals
• https://www.nettingpros.com