"The First Thing To Go Is Professional Development:" Women in Coaching - WeCOACH CEO Vanessa Fuchs

In this episode of Coach Talk Live, high school swim coach Jenn Gosline shares her experiences of coaching at the same school for over 20 years. Originally from New York, Jenn explains how joining a swim team after moving to Florida became her "saving grace" during high school. She reflects on starting her career feeling untrained and unprepared, even being told by her athletic director that she wouldn't make it, but has since developed her skills to become a 16-time Polk County Coach of the Year.The discussion also explores Jenn's professional growth and the realities of modern coaching, including:FSU Master's Program:Why she enrolled in the FSU Master’s in Athletic Coaching to prepare for a future as an athletic director and to continue her lifelong pursuit of learning.Financial Challenges: The difficulties of low coaching salaries and the lack of financial support for swim programs compared to other sports.Declining Commitment: How the commitment levels of students and parents have changed, particularly following the pandemic.Recruitment Strategies: Her unique approach to recruiting swimmers through school "job fairs," mentoring, and community involvement.Whether you are a veteran educator or a new coach, Jenn's story provides a candid look at the dedication required to lead a successful high school athletic program for over two decades.

High school basketball coach Kevin Sutton shares his journey through college and high school coaching, detailing the challenges and joys of the job. He discusses the realities of being a coach who can be fired at any time and how it impacts the family. He shares some of the strategies he has used to build programs and explains why he ultimately chose high school coaching over college.

Omar shares his coaching journey in soccer, explaining what he does on a daily basis, what he's learned coaching at different professional levels, and how he balances winning with development.

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Ramjit from the Florida Coaches Coalition joins us to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing high school sports today: the lack of fair pay for coaches. We dig into the realities of coaching in Florida, why so many talented leaders are leaving the state, and what can be done to create real change. From personal stories to policy issues, this conversation highlights the passion, struggles, and advocacy efforts driving the fight for better support of those shaping young athletes’ lives. Whether you are a coach, parent, or sports fan, this episode sheds light on an issue that affects the future of sports across the state.

Author Henry Abbott discusses his book "Ballistic" and shares his knowledge about injury prevention. He discusses several topics, including the importance of hip mobility, how to jump and land correctly, why shoes are not as helpful as we might think, and what we can do to ensure mobility throughout our lifespan.

Renee Saunders shares her experiences as a volleyball coach in high school. She discusses sports specialization, how she evaluates a season with exit interviews, how she works with parents, how she balances club vs. high school sports, the challenges of coaching, and offers advice for other coaches.

Yolanda shares her coaching journey and explains how she built a successful program and why she left it to begin again. She shares the challenges of coaching along with its joys. Last, she shares advice for other coaches seeking to improve their skills.

Nassim shares how and why she left her executive job to become a mental performance coach. She explains what she does and how she helps athletes and coaches improve their craft, explaining the benefits of breathwork, visualization, and positive affirmation. Last, she provides advice for coaches.

Vanessa Fuchs shares her journey from collegiate AD to CEO. We discussed the landscape of women in the coaching profession, how WeCOACH is helping to support this challenge, the benefits of professional development, and advice for coaches.

Simon shares his coaching journey and explains some similarities and differences between coaching in the United Kingdom and the United States. We discuss various topics, including volunteer coaches, the need for proper coach remuneration, coach education and development (and lack thereof), and the importance of self-promotion.