CVASPS The Podcast

Matt Gildersleeve on trust, authenticity, and rebuilding onboarding for a faster college football worldJay DeMayo welcomes back Matt Gildersleeve for a wide-ranging conversation about coaching philosophy, staff development, family life, and the increasingly demanding reality of college football roster management. Matt shares how his program rebuilt its onboarding process to gather better injury, leadership, and learning-style information before athletes ever hit the weight room.We also discuss why trust is built through character, competence, and connection, why coaches should be their real selves instead of copying someone else’s style, and why young coaches need an extra skill beyond hard work if they want to stand out.Key topics In this episode, Matt makes the case that coaches can live full lives outside the weight room and still be excellent coaches. He emphasizes that family, marriage, and travel are not distractions from coaching, but part of a healthy and sustainable coaching life. Matt and Jay revisit the idea that trust is not something you ask for, but something you build through repeated actions over time. Matt breaks trust development into three parts: Character Competence Connection He argues that coaches should not copy another coach’s personality or style, but should lead with their own authentic voice. Matt explains how his program audited a full year of training and realized they were wasting the first four weeks with transfer athletes. The transfer-portal era forced his program to become much more aggressive and detailed in pre-training evaluation. His onboarding now includes: Full injury history review Weight-room modification history Additional movement screening Leadership and personality questions Learning-style questions Direct contact with previous strength staffs Matt says the goal is to know every athlete before the first whistle, so training starts with context instead of guesswork. He and his staff also learned that many athletes are kinesthetic learners, which changed how they approach teaching and film work. Matt explains why he prefers face-to-face conversations over mass questionnaires for building real connection. A major theme is that hard work is expected, but young coaches also need an “and” - something beyond effort that makes them valuable. He believes coaches should be able to explain their unique value, not just say they are early, energetic, and hardworking. Matt closes by stressing three responsibilities for anyone in the profession: Take care of the athletes Take care of the team Take care of the industry

This week we welcome Matt Aldred of the University of Michigan to The Podcast to discuss preparing basketball athletes for performance—and what it means to be a strength and conditioning coach beyond the weight room. Matt shares how he adjusted summer training after a long season, why he prioritizes keeping players fresh, and how he builds individualized plans around each athlete’s goals, movement, and needs.In this episode, the focus is on thoughtful coaching systems that support both athletes and coaches: managing training volume, adapting programs, creating athlete buy-in, and explaining the purpose behind the work. Matt and Jay also have an honest conversation about the emotional demands of coaching, the pressure to make work your identity, and the importance of protecting relationships and life outside the profession.Time Stamps00:00 - Welcome and why this conversation matters for young strength coaches01:40 - Matt’s coaching journey from Alabama Huntsville to Michigan04:21 - How a long postseason run affected the offseason05:46 - Reducing summer training intensity and session length07:12 - Keeping summer work in perspective and preparing for the season10:03 - Adapting training around travel and player availability10:58 - Using coach feedback and movement observations to individualize programs11:56 - Setting specific summer goals with athletes13:12 - Aligning player, coach, and program priorities14:41 - Listening to athlete ideas while staying grounded in training principles15:10 - Explaining training choices and building trust16:31 - Making athletes co-authors in their development18:41 - Building relationships through intentional one-on-one conversations19:38 - Using visuals and practice examples to explain the purpose of training21:19 - Shifting the conversation from coaching to identity22:30 - Coaching as experimentation and learning23:00 - How work follows coaches into life outside the gym24:26 - Separating professional success from personal identity25:52 - “Leasing the jersey” and letting go of ego27:20 - The challenge of switching off after work28:48 - The uncertainty of evaluating strength and conditioning work31:16 - Why coaches keep thinking about work during personal time32:13 - The emotional swings of wins, losses, and close games33:36 - The value of talking openly about the strain34:03 - A reminder to keep family and personal priorities in view35:55 - Supporting relationships through the demands of coaching36:08 - Communicating when work changes family plans37:17 - Checking in with your partner and creating boundaries38:16 - Being present instead of letting work and ego take over39:50 - Matt’s suggestion for a future podcast guest41:38 - Finding practical ways to help athletes42:56 - Closing thoughts and thanks

This week we welcome Allison Wade of LSU to The Podcast to share with us how sports nutrition fits into a sport performance system, specifically in basketball. Allison explains how she works alongside strength and conditioning, athletic training, and coaches to individualize hydration, fueling, and recovery without losing sight of the team-wide routine.In this episode, the focus is on practical nutrition systems that actually work in a team setting: sweat testing, plate coaching, mandatory snacks, recovery strategies, and how to build athlete buy-in through consistent habits. Allison also shares how her background in private practice and her relationship-driven approach shaped the way she works today.Key topics Allison’s path from private practice to NC State and then LSU Individualized sports nutrition for basketball athletes Collaboration between dietitians, strength coaches, athletic trainers, and coaches Building trust through daily interaction with athletes Baseline testing, including blood work, DEXA scans, and injury history Using weekly performance meetings to identify each athlete’s biggest need Sweat testing, hydration, and sodium-loss measurement Individualizing water bottles with carbohydrates and electrolytes Mandatory shakes, snacks, and dinners for athletes trying to gain weight Plate coaching for athletes with limited food preferences Why small nutrition changes are more effective than drastic overhauls The importance of carbohydrates for performance and recovery Nutrition strategies for athletes with a history of cramping Recovery nutrition based on player load and practice demands Turning nutrition strategies into daily team habits Action items Build a simple nutrition system around collaboration, not one-off fixes. Use sweat testing and weigh-in, weigh-out data to educate athletes visually. Match fueling strategies to individual player needs instead of giving every athlete the same plan. Focus on carbohydrates as well as protein when athletes are under-fueled or cramping. Introduce small, realistic nutrition changes rather than forcing a complete overhaul. Create consistent opportunities for snacks, shakes, and recovery nutrition throughout the day. Make nutrition part of practice and recovery routines so buy-in becomes habit. Help athletes understand their own fueling needs so they can become more independent. Timestamps00:00 - Welcome to the show and why nutrition matters in performance01:56 - Allison’s move from NC State to LSU and her relationship with Coach Wade03:26 - Why her private practice background made her more individualized06:16 - Building a performance system through collaboration and baseline testing08:39 - Mandatory shakes, extra calories, and hands-on weight gain strategies13:00 - Sweat testing, hydration data, and showing athletes what they lose15:49 - Using carbohydrate powder and electrolyte strategies in practice17:14 - Building a halftime routine into practice for fueling and recovery19:33 - Cramping, carbohydrate under-fueling, and fixing the real issue23:26 - Learning why athletes are picky and meeting them where they are26:46 - Why carbohydrates are often the missing piece—not more protein29:55 - Why observation and communication beat blanket nutrition rules31:07 - Creating opportunities throughout the day instead of forcing every meal34:31 - How recovery nutrition is tied to player load and practice demands35:52 - Smaller-volume recovery shots, smoothies, and anti-inflammatory support37:50 - Making team nutrition habits part of the culture40:25 - Who Allison wants to hear from next

In this episode, Jay DeMayo sits down with Robert “Handy” Handerhan, a deeply experienced strength coach whose journey spans over 27 years of coaching at the highest levels of college basketball. Handy reveals the core mindset that transformed his coaching—from leveraging deep networks of mentors and peers to distilling training down to three fundamental ways to get stronger: move heavier, move faster, move more.You’ll discover:The importance of coaching in its purest form—knowing the athlete, technique, and the right doseHow legendary influences like Louis Simmons and Buddy Morris shaped a practical, results-driven philosophyThe real value behind traditional KPIs: availability, body composition, and capacity for work—and why they outperform high-tech solutionsHow to adapt training and rehab for different environments, from suburban gyms to city arenasWhy simplicity and coaching intelligence are still king in an era obsessed with data and gadgetsThis conversation isn’t just about training routines—it’s about the timeless art of effective coaching, understanding human biomechanics, and building a network that elevates everyone. Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or performance enthusiast, you’ll come away with actionable insights to elevate your approach and stay ahead in an ever-changing game. Perfect for those hungry to deepen their understanding of athlete development and the core principles that last decades.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Handy and His Journey02:48 The Evolution of Strength Coaching05:46 Influences and Inspirations in Strength Training08:41 Adapting Training Methods for Different Athletes11:52 Key Performance Indicators in Strength Training14:43 The Role of Technology in Coaching17:47 The Importance of Coaching and Mentorship20:44 Final Thoughts and Future Aspirations