🏐 Heather Pavlik on Recruiting, Character, and Building Champions 💯

What makes a recruit stand out beyond stats and highlight reels? Juniata College Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Heather Pavlik—fresh off leading her team to three straight NCAA Division III National Championships and earning 2024 AVCA National Coach of the Year honors—shares her perspective on what truly matters in the recruiting process.

From evaluating athletes for more than just talent, to guiding parents on how to best support their daughters, Heather blends toughness with compassion in a way that helps young women grow into champions on and off the court.

✨ If you’re a student-athlete, parent, or coach, this episode is packed with lessons on what it takes to get recruited the right way.

👉 For more episodes, my book Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes, the Recruit’s Journal series (including the new Volleyball edition), online classes, and weekly blogs—visit CoachMattRogers.com
.

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🏆 Heather Pavlik: Building a Dynasty with Toughness and Compassion

What does it take to build not just a winning team, but a dynasty? Juniata College Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Heather Pavlik has done exactly that—leading her program to three straight NCAA Division III National Championships, including back-to-back undefeated seasons. Along the way, she’s replaced key players, sustained the highest level of performance, and proven why she’s an 8-time Landmark Conference Coach of the Year and the 2024 AVCA National Coach of the Year.

In this episode of Significant Coaching, Heather shares the balance that defines her leadership: toughness that drives excellence on the court, paired with compassion that shapes her players as people off the court. From teaching her athletes to focus only on the voices that matter, to creating a standard of accountability and love, Heather Pavlik epitomizes what it means to be a significant leader.

Subscribe, favorite, and share this episode—it’s the best way to support the growth of this podcast. And don’t forget to visit CoachMattRogers.com
for my book Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes and the brand-new Recruit’s Journal series, including the new Soccer edition, to help athletes and families navigate their recruiting journey with confidence and clarity.

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Learn more and connect with Matt Rogers here: https://linktr.ee/coachmattrogers

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🎙️ Bridging the Gap: Sue Webber on Playing, Coaching & Recruiting

In this episode of the Significant Recruiting Podcast, I sit down with Sue Webber — former Division I player, coach, and now a leader in the volleyball recruiting space. 🌟

Sue shares her unique perspective from every angle of the game: what it takes to succeed as an athlete, how coaches evaluate recruits, and the practical steps families can take to stand out. Her advice is direct, insightful, and full of takeaways for athletes, parents, and coaches alike.

👉 Follow Sue on Instagram @coachsue11 and check out her videos on YouTube and Facebook for more recruiting wisdom. You can also connect with her professionally on LinkedIn: Sue Webber.

⚡ Don’t forget — the Recruit’s Journals are now available for Volleyball, Baseball, Basketball, and Softball, with the Soccer Recruit’s Journal dropping later this week. These tools are built to keep you focused, organized, and confident throughout your recruiting journey.

Find them all at CoachMattRogers.com

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Learn more and connect with Matt Rogers here: https://linktr.ee/coachmattrogers

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Did you like what you heard and want more?
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🎙 From Practice to Peak: Mental Training Lessons with Dawn Grant

In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Dawn Grant, renowned mental trainer for professional athletes, whose clients include Olympic champions, PGA Tour winners, and elite performers across multiple sports.

Dawn breaks down the myths around mental training and hypnosis, showing how simple and practical it can be for athletes, coaches, and parents. One of her most powerful messages: raise athletes to be practicers, not just gamers—because the way you train mentally every day determines how you’ll perform under pressure.

This episode is a master class in mental performance and emotional resilience that you won’t want to miss.

👉 Learn more about Dawn and her work: DawnGrant.com

👉 Follow her on social media:

• Instagram: @DawnGrantMentalTraining
• Facebook: @DawnGrantMentalTraining
• Twitter/X: @DawnGrantMind
• LinkedIn: Dawn Grant

And don’t forget—you can grab the new Baseball, Volleyball, Basketball, and Softball Recruit’s Journals and sign up for the Significant Recruiting Launchpad classes at CoachMattRogers.com

Send us a text

Support the show

Learn more and connect with Matt Rogers here: https://linktr.ee/coachmattrogers

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

🎙 “Which Kid Wants It More?" Recruiting Lessons with Brandon Elliott

🥎 Virginia Wesleyan University’s Brandon Elliott has built one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division III softball—3 national championships, 11 ODAC titles, nearly 700 wins, and back-to-back trips to the College World Series. But when it comes to recruiting, his message is simple: the athletes who show they truly want to be there are the ones who stand out.

In this episode of the Significant Recruiting Podcast, Coach Elliott explains what coaches are really looking for when deciding between two equally talented players, how genuine investment and communication can set a recruit apart, and why “want-to” often outweighs raw ability. His insights give student-athletes and families a clear picture of what separates prospects who get recruited from those who get overlooked.

For families navigating this process, I’ve created tools to help you take ownership of your recruiting journey:

📚 Available now on Amazon:

• The Basketball Recruit’s Journal → https://amzn.to/428PDQd
  
  
• The Baseball Recruit’s Journal → https://amzn.to/4lO9ivT
  
  
• The Volleyball Recruit’s Journal → https://amzn.to/45I3WOb
  
  
• The Softball Recruit’s Journal → https://amzn.to/4lSXY1E
  
  
• Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes → https://amzn.to/4nXiTCO
  

🔑 You can also find all of these resources at https://coachmattrogers.com/.

Send us a text

Support the show

Learn more and connect with Matt Rogers here: https://linktr.ee/coachmattrogers

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

🥎🎙 Championship Lessons from Brandon Elliott

Brandon Elliott has built Virginia Wesleyan into one of the most dominant softball programs in NCAA Division III history. With three national championships, a national runner-up finish in 2025, 11 ODAC titles, and nearly 700 career wins, he’s the winningest coach in program history—and a leader whose impact stretches far beyond the scoreboard.

In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Brandon shares the blueprint for sustaining excellence year after year. We talk about how he’s cultivated a culture that drives buy-in without shortcuts, why speed and pressure have become the DNA of his program, and how he’s evolved as a leader over nearly two decades at the helm. He also reflects on the mentors who shaped his journey, the highs and lows of championship runs, and what it takes to lead a program with clarity and conviction.

Whether you coach softball or any other sport, this conversation is packed with lessons on culture, consistency, and championship leadership.

For more info, visit CoachMattRogers.com

New + Available on Amazon:

• The Softball Recruit's Journal: https://amzn.to/4lSXY1E
• The Baseball Recruit's Journal: https://amzn.to/4lO9ivT
• The Volleyball Recruit's Journal: https://amzn.to/45I3WOb
• The Basketball Recruit's Journal: https://amzn.to/428PDQd

Send us a text

Support the show

Learn more and connect with Matt Rogers here: https://linktr.ee/coachmattrogers

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

🏆 Baby = Culture: Sue Enquist on Team Ownership and Lessons from John Wooden

On this episode of the Significant Recruiting Podcast, I’m joined by legendary coach and consultant Sue Enquist for a powerful look at recruiting, leadership, and team culture. Sue shares one of her signature philosophies—“Culture is a baby, and the players are the babysitters”—and challenges recruits and parents to rethink how they approach building and protecting team culture.

She also opens up about her mentor, the late Coach John Wooden, affectionately called “Papa”, and the timeless lessons she learned from one of the greatest minds in sport.

Whether you’re an athlete, a parent, or a coach, this episode is full of wisdom on standing out in the recruiting process and thriving within a team.

For more recruiting tools, visit CoachMattRogers.com and check out my new book, The Volleyball Recruit’s Journal, available August 27 on Amazon.

Send us a text

Support the show

Learn more and connect with Matt Rogers here: https://linktr.ee/coachmattrogers

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 100 – Legendary Leadership with Sue Enquist

It’s a milestone moment on Significant Coaching with Matt Rogers—our 100th episode—and there’s no better guest to celebrate with than Sue Enquist.

One of the most respected coaches in college athletics, Sue helped lead UCLA to 5 NCAA Division I National Championships and another 6 as a player and assistant coach. Today, she’s a sought-after consultant and speaker whose influence reaches far beyond softball. Most recently, she worked with the USA Women’s Volleyball team at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, helping them capture the silver medal by focusing on culture, values, intentional leadership...and FUN!

In this powerful conversation, Sue shares timeless lessons on building championship teams, creating human-centered cultures, and helping athletes and coaches thrive mentally, physically, and emotionally. Whether you’re a coach, a parent, or a leader in any field, this episode will inspire you to raise your standard.

And don’t miss Part 2 of our conversation on the Significant Recruiting Podcast, where Sue talks directly to families navigating the recruiting journey.

For more resources, visit CoachMattRogers.com, and check out my new book, The Volleyball Recruit’s Journal, now available on Amazon.

Send us a text

Support the show

Learn more and connect with Matt Rogers here: https://linktr.ee/coachmattrogers

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.