The Coachers Podcast
Welcome to The Coachers Podcast 🤙🏽 — hosted by Keanu Yamamoto.
Each episode features raw, unfiltered conversations with coaches from every level and sport, sharing their real journeys: toughest moments, biggest wins, best practices, and the hard-earned lessons that build tougher athletes, stronger teams, and better leaders. From forging a culture and mental toughness to balancing life beyond the whistle, this is your go-to vault for authentic inspiration on coaching, leadership, and team building. Coaches, athletes, parents, and fans — dive in for stories that unite and motivate across the game. New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe now and join the conversation! ⛳️🗣️
The Coachers Podcast
Coach John Lamanna: Building great decision makers, Virtue, Find your Vocation
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In this episode of The Coachers Podcast, Keanu Yamamoto interviews Coach John Lamanna, the head basketball coach at Whitman College. Coach Lamanna shares his journey from a student assistant to a successful collegiate coach, emphasizing the importance of finding one's vocation in coaching. He discusses his coaching philosophy, the significance of building relationships with players, and the role of leadership within a team. The conversation also touches on recruitment strategies, handling setbacks, and the evolution of basketball. Coach Lamanna's insights provide valuable lessons for aspiring coaches and athletes alike.
Coach Lamanna has a great story that will relate with many. The adversity of being winless in his first two seasons as a head coach led him to Adoration at 1:00 AM. Sitting in the pew, in the early hours of morning he began to read a book by Curtis Martin, titled “Boys to Men: The transforming Power of Virtue”. He had a revelation about the concept of virtue and its attainment, which led him to solidifying his foundation and philosophy as a coach. He established what he calls as his four pillars of the program, which mirrors the Cardinal Virtues of: Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, and Justice. From winless to sustained excellence, Coach Lamanna’s vocation is to develop men of character and build great decision makers. Coach Lamanna was nominated as the coach of the year in 22’ and 23’ when the Blues’ program was crowned the NWC regular season champions. Coach, thank you for your time and insights!
Photo Credit: Whitman Athletics
Takeaways
- Coaching is a vocation that brings immense joy.
- Building relationships with players is crucial for success.
- Unity and love are essential components of a team.
- Players should take ownership of their roles.
- The ball finds energy; effort and enthusiasm are contagious.
- Coaches must adapt to the evolving mental makeup of athletes.
- Developing good decision-making habits is key to player growth.
- Experiencing setbacks can lead to valuable growth opportunities.
- Joy in the game is vital for both players and coaches.
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