26 Years. Two Dynasties. No Participation Medals. Doug Soles on Buy-In, the 2009 Loss That Still Haunts Him, and Why He Walked Away at the Peak
About this episode
Doug Soles discusses his coaching career, the challenges of leadership, and his decision to step down from Herriman High School.
Doug Soles just walked away from the most dominant program in the country, and he's not done building. The two-time NXN champion coach joins Dominic to reflect on 26 years of head coaching and his recent decision to step down at Herriman High School. Soles opens up about the toll of 12-hour days, his choice to leave teaching first, and why he's leaving his next move "wide open" rather than rushing into another job. He traces his evolution from a rookie coach in the desert heat of Palm Springs with just three athletes to building two national powerhouses, crediting the shift from copying others to developing his own philosophy as the real turning point. Much of the conversation centers on buy-in: how Soles convinces five-flat milers they're capable of greatness, why travel to big meets reframes how kids see the sport, and how he handles excuses, transfers, and kids who are "half in, half out." He's candid about losses that still haunt him, the 2009 state title he let slip away, and the lessons that shaped everything after. Soles also discusses coaching Jackson Spencer through an undefeated season and why he believes in earning success rather than handing out…
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