The Coaching Evolution with Randy Waldrum, Head Coach of Nigeria Women’s National Team and Pitt Women’s Soccer

In Episode 139, Randy Waldrum, Head Coach of the Nigeria Super Falcons (WNT) and Pitt Women’s Soccer, former Head Coach of the Houston Dash, Baylor Soccer, Notre Dame, University of Tulsa, and the Trinidad & Tobago WNT, husband, and father, talks with Phil and Paul about lessons learned during his incredible coaching journey, including founding the Baylor Soccer program, getting the Nigeria WNT job without even applying, and winning National Championships at Notre Dame, his passion for helping young coaches and how he is doing it, learning from difficult times, what he would ask Sir Alex Ferguson at a dinner party, the importance of learning from people outside your discipline, why we need to evolve our coaching and leadership, his thoughts on the highs and lows of US Soccer right now, his defining moment, and much more. Specifically, Coach Waldrum discusses:

·      His personal story, including how he grew his passion for soccer, leadership, coaching, and how he developed his love for coaching the women’s side of the beautiful game (4:15)

·      How he landed the coaching gig with the Nigerian Women’s National Team without even applying for it (11:20)

·      His new Telegram group and how he wants to use it to help young coaches develop their coaching (14:27)

·      His personal why and life purpose and how he is living it out today (19:41)

·      Some of the highlights and difficult times from his incredible year with the Pitt Panthers and Nigerian Women’s National Team (23:24)

·      What he learned from losing 9 games in a row (37:59)

·      Lessons he learned from starting a new program, taking over a national powerhouse as a young coach, and working to revive a struggling program at different points of his career (40:06)

·      Lessons he has learned from his incredible coaching career that he wants to share with younger coaches (46:16)

·      What he would ask Sir Alex Ferguson at a dinner gathering and why those questions (52:37)

·      The importance of learning from people outside of our own discipline and evolving our coaching styles with the culture and the game (55:54)

·      His defining moment in his soccer career and what he learned from it (47:39)

·      His most influential coaches and how he is using the lessons learned from them in his life today (53:36)

·      His thoughts, good and bad, about the current state of US Soccer (1:05:30)

·      How he is using lessons learned from the beautiful game in his marriage and parenting (1:15:00)

·      His recommendations (1:17:51)

Resources and Links from this Episode

·      Video of the Episode

·      HSEL Facebook Group

·      Warrior Way Soccer

·      Providence World (Donations to HSEL Podcast)

·      Coaching the Bigger Game Program

·      Phil’s email for DISC Training

·      The Gold Standard: Building a World-Class Team, Mike Krzyzewski

·      Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . and Others Don’t, Jim Collins