This week I’m joined by John Baines, head men’s basketball coach at Elmhurst University, one of the premier Division III basketball programs in the country.

During his time leading the Bluejays, Coach Baines has built a nationally respected program in the CCIW, leading Elmhurst to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, conference championships, and a run to the 2022 NCAA Division III National Championship game after a historic Final Four season.

But what stands out most about Coach Baines is not just the winning.

It’s the way he builds people.

In this conversation we discuss:

• Developing toughness and resilience in players
• Building leadership inside a team
• Practice design and daily standards
• Managing emotional momentum during games
• Teaching accountability and responsibility
• Why telling players the truth matters

This episode is packed with insight for coaches, athletic directors, and leaders who care about building strong cultures and developing young people through sport.

To learn more about Coach Baines and his career at Elmhurst, visit:
https://elmhurstbluejays.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/john-baines/1092

For blogs, books, recruiting resources, and speaking opportunities visit:
coachmattrogers.com

And make sure to come back Monday for Part II of this conversation, where Coach Baines and I tackle the world of college basketball recruiting.

Send a text

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📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

🥎 Softball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qd4PFp

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

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

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In Part II of my conversation with Traci Murphy, Vice President for Athletics at NCAA Division II Daemen University, we dive deep into the college recruiting process and how athletic departments evaluate prospective student-athletes.

Understanding the college recruiting process can be difficult for families navigating it for the first time. Parents and athletes often focus on scholarships, playing time, and offers, but the recruiting process is much more complex than that. Athletic directors and coaches are evaluating character, academic preparation, leadership ability, and how a recruit fits within the culture of a program.

Traci Murphy brings a unique perspective to this discussion because she has worked in nearly every corner of college athletics. Her career includes experience in athletic training, compliance, student-athlete support services, and athletics administration, and she now serves as the President of the Division II Athletic Directors Association (D2 ADA) within NACDA.

Because of that experience, Traci understands the college recruiting process from the perspective of both coaches and administrators. In this conversation we discuss how athletic departments define championship culture, how coaches identify the right recruits for their programs, and what families should be observing during campus visits.

We also discuss several questions parents and student-athletes should ask during the recruiting process, including how to evaluate team culture, academic support systems, and the overall student-athlete experience.

If you are a high school athlete, parent, coach, or athletic administrator, this conversation will give you a clearer understanding of how the college recruiting process actually works inside an athletic department.

🎧 Listen to more episodes of the Significant Coaching Podcast
https://coachmattrogers.com/podcast

📚 Explore recruiting resources, books, and journals
https://coachmattrogers.com

🎤 Schools and organizations can schedule Matt Rogers to speak about navigating the college recruiting process

Send a text

Support the show

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

🥎 Softball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qd4PFp

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

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 y...

🎙 Learning Leadership the Right Way with Traci Murphy

What does it take to lead a thriving college athletics department?

In this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Traci Murphy, Vice President for Athletics at NCAA Division II Daemen University and the current President of the Division II Athletic Directors Association within NACDA.

With more than three decades of experience in intercollegiate athletics, Murphy has built a career rooted in service, mentorship, and developing environments where student-athletes, coaches, and administrators can thrive.

Matt and Traci discuss the many paths to leadership in college athletics, the value of learning from seasoned mentors, and the lessons that come from building a career step by step. Murphy also shares insights on leading a rising Division II athletics program, building culture across an entire department, and preparing the next generation of leaders in college sports.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that great leadership isn’t built overnight—it’s developed through experience, humility, and a lifelong commitment to learning.

You can listen to more episodes, read the Blog of Significance, explore recruiting resources, and learn how to schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school, conference, or organization at CoachMattRogers.com.

Learn more about Traci Murphy at Daemen University AD Traci Murphy

Send a text

Support the show

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

🥎 Softball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qd4PFp

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

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 y...