What happens when you transition from player development, where you work directly for a head coach, to student athlete development, where you serve the entire athletic department? The dynamics change, the expectations shift, and the role requires a new mindset.

In this episode, I share the 9 critical questions I would ask every head coach before stepping into student athlete development. These questions cover personal wellness, community impact, career development, academics, recruiting, game day expectations, programming, alumni engagement, and access to the team.

Instead of assuming, listening first opens doors, builds trust, and uncovers resources that strengthen both the coach and the athlete experience.

Whether you are a player development professional, athletic administrator, or coach looking to better understand the role, this conversation gives you a clear roadmap to succeed in student athlete development.

Tune in, take notes, and use these 9 questions to guide your next step in serving athletes.

-

The Player Development Guide → https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

Player Development Accelerator Assessment → https://edward-jones-po11g9mt.scoreapp.com

Is Your Program Player Development READY? → https://edward-jones-0amn1dyi.scoreapp.com

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

100 Tips of Player Development → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/09c6129dc1

Player Development 101 → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/pd101

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

One of the most common questions I get is about programming—what it looks like, how to structure it, and what actually makes it effective.

In this episode, I break down the 3-Part Programming Framework I’ve used across youth sports, high school, college, and the pro level to create intentional, impactful programming athletes don’t just attend—they remember.

You’ll discover:

Why starting with a Talk brings clarity and sets the tone

How bringing in a Guest Speaker provides the outside expertise athletes need

Why ending with an Activity makes the program practical and actionable

I even share an example from Duke Football’s Leadership Week, where athletes capped off the experience with a trip to Epic Games—the creators of Fortnite—for real-world career discovery.

If you’ve ever struggled to make your programming stick, this episode will give you a proven framework you can plug in right away.

-

The Player Development Guide → https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

Player Development Accelerator Assessment → https://edward-jones-po11g9mt.scoreapp.com

Is Your Program Player Development READY? → https://edward-jones-0amn1dyi.scoreapp.com

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

100 Tips of Player Development → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/09c6129dc1

Player Development 101 → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/pd101

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

In this episode of The Player Development Pod, Keionna Banks sits down with international speaker and motivator Will Baggett.

We cover:

• Why alignment puts you in the right rooms

• How to see pressure as privilege, not burden

• The importance of self-investment over self-sacrifice

• What it takes to pour into others without burning out

Will has been a longtime supporter of Beyond The Field and his perspective is a reminder that true leadership is rooted in service, excellence, and consistency.

Listen in and get inspired to redefine what pressure, leadership, and impact really mean.

-

The Player Development Guide → https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

Player Development Accelerator Assessment → https://edward-jones-po11g9mt.scoreapp.com

Is Your Program Player Development READY? → https://edward-jones-0amn1dyi.scoreapp.com

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

100 Tips of Player Development → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/09c6129dc1

Player Development 101 → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/pd101

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program