CoachCraft explores the art and impact of coaching youth sports through in-depth conversations with renowned coaches from grassroots to professional levels, revealing how exceptional mentors use athletics to shape character, build confidence, and positively impact young lives.
Owen Miller on the Flow State and What It Really Takes to Develop Players
Send us Fan Mail Owen Miller is the co-founder of Flow Soccer, a year-round player development and mentorship program based in the Boston area. He played college soccer at UMass Lowell, where he served as team captain, before spending six months in Spain coaching a gap year program and observing academy training at Villarreal, Valencia, and Levante. Back in the US, he served as a volunteer assistant at Boston College and worked in the club system for several years before stepping away to laun...
4 Mar 2026
Paul Barry on Coaching the Decision, Not the Outcome
Send a text Paul Barry is a UEFA A licensed coach developer and the current Head of Coaching for the Foundation Phase at Crystal Palace FC — and in this conversation, he brings the principles that shape one of England's top academy programmes directly to grassroots coaches. We talk about one of the most common mistakes coaches make: judging players on outcomes rather than decisions. Paul explains why praising a young player's intention — even when the execution falls short — is the foundation...
28 Jan 2026
Maya Lanfer on ACL Injury Prevention for Female Athletes
Send us a text ACL injuries sideline thousands of young female athletes every year—but it doesn't have to be this way. In this episode, 17-year-old high school soccer player Maya Lanfer shares what she's learned from researching this injury, interviewing sports medicine professionals, and creating educational resources for coaches and players. Maya breaks down why female athletes are more susceptible to ACL tears, what the research says about prevention, and the simple warm-up exercises that ...
18 Dec 2025
Tommy Geis - How Coach Education Changed My Life
Tommy Geis, Massachusetts Youth Soccer Technical Director, discusses how coach education reshaped his understanding of youth development and coaching methodologies in this interview with Alf Gracombe.
5 Dec 2025
Strategies for Better Player Feedback with Temisan Williams and Mike Smith
Alf Gracombe interviews Temisan Williams and Mike Smith, who share strategies for providing effective player feedback that considers cultural backgrounds and promotes individual growth.
16 Nov 2025
Caroline Foscato on Building Grassroots Soccer Unity in Boston
Caroline Foscato, President of Soccer Unity Project, discusses building a grassroots soccer organization in Boston that prioritizes diversity and community, in an interview with Alf Gracombe.
24 Oct 2025
Ben Weber on Advocating for Youth Sports: A Boston City Councilor's Perspective
Boston City Councilor Ben Weber discusses advocating for youth sports infrastructure and addressing resource disparities facing young athletes in Boston, highlighting the need for improved support, in an interview with Alf Gracombe.
30 Sept 2025
Chris Hoeh Remembers Dean Conway
Chris Hoeh remembers Dean Conway's profound impact on youth sports, his coaching philosophy, and the community he built through soccer in a conversation with Alf Gracombe, honoring Conway's legacy in youth sports; this is an interview.
12 Sept 2025
Neil Harris - Person Before Player: 21 Years at Manchester United Academy
Coach Alf Gracombe interviews Neil Harris, former Manchester United Academy coach, about prioritizing player well-being and building trust for impactful youth development.
10 Jul 2025
Joe Cummings Remembers Dean Conway
Joe Cummings recounts his four-decade relationship with Dean Conway, highlighting Conway's impact on American soccer and offering insights into his leadership, in this interview with Alf Gracombe.
6 Jun 2025
Edu Rubio - Premier League and UEFA Pro Coach
UEFA Pro Coach Edu Rubio recounts his journey from youth coaching to the Premier League, emphasizing authenticity and positive environments in a conversation with Alf Gracombe.
23 May 2025
Meotis Erikson - Creating Better Journeys for Young Female Athletes
Meotis Erikson shares her journey from elite soccer player to coach, discussing the evolution of the women's game and the importance of healthy environments for young female athletes in this interview with Alf Gracombe.
19 May 2025
Michael Paule-Carres - Head of F7 Methodology at RCD Espanyol
In this conversation, Alf Gracombe speaks with Michael Paule-Carres, head of F7 methodology at RCD Espanyol, about his journey from the U.S. to coaching in Spain. They discuss the importance of values-based player development, the application of Montessori methods in coaching, and the significance of understanding player development stages. Michael emphasizes the role of methodology in coaching, the cultural values at Espanyol, and the benefits of mixed-age training. They explore constraints-...
3 Apr 2025
Biso Nkosi - A Coaching Journey from South Africa to Japan
In this engaging conversation with Biso Nkosi, we explored the journey of a coach whose football education spans multiple continents. From his childhood playing on the dusty streets of South Africa to coaching youth players across various cultures, Biso offers a unique cross-cultural perspective on youth development in football. He shares insights about the structural differences between nations like Japan, Spain, Brazil, and South Africa, explaining how early exposure to ball mastery and tec...
19 Mar 2025
David Shapiro - Youth Sports, Mentorship, and Inclusive Communities
In this episode of the CoachCraft Podcast, host Alf Gracombe speaks with David Shapiro, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. They discuss David's journey from youth sports to nonprofit leadership, emphasizing the importance of relationships over outcomes in coaching and mentorship. David shares insights on creating inclusive communities through sports, the dynamics of coaching diverse groups, and the significance of mentorship in youth development. The conversation also touches on...
8 Feb 2025
Temisan Williams - Premier League Youth Academy Coach
In this episode of the CoachCraft Podcast, Temisan Williams shares his journey from a young football enthusiast to a dedicated coach. He discusses the importance of grassroots football, the differences between coaching at grassroots and academy levels, and the significance of effective communication and structured training. Temisan emphasizes the need for patience and the power of silence in coaching, advocating for a coaching philosophy that allows players to learn and develop through experi...
12 Jan 2025
Rick Fenoglio - Sports Science, Neurological Development, and Youth Sports
This episode features Rick Fenoglio, an American-born sports scientist and soccer development expert with over three decades of experience working with top clubs in the UK, including Manchester United and Manchester City. The conversation explores Fenoglio's journey from playing multiple sports in Illinois to becoming a leading advocate for small-sided games and science-based youth development approaches in soccer. Fenoglio explains how the human body's 30 trillion cells adapt specifically t...
19 Dec 2024
Mike Smith - Developing Young Athletes Across Different Cultures
In this conversation, Mike Smith shares his journey from a young sports enthusiast in England to a college soccer player at Harvard and later a coach in the U.S. He reflects on the emotional impact of the 1966 World Cup, his experiences in organized football, and the vibrant community of the Portuguese league in Massachusetts. Mike discusses the evolution of youth soccer in America and his passion for coaching, emphasizing the importance of patience and understanding in developing young playe...
2 Dec 2024
Jon Rudzinski - A Life of Sports, Player Development in the Grassroots and High School
In this inaugural episode of CoachCraft, host Alf Gracombe interviews Jon Rudzinski, a veteran soccer coach with over two decades of experience in youth sports. Jon shares his journey from a sports-loving childhood to becoming a dedicated coach at Boston Latin School and Jamaica Plain Youth Soccer. He discusses the evolution of coaching philosophies, the importance of player development, and the transformative impact of grassroots soccer programs. Jon emphasizes the significance of community,...
Who has been a guest on CoachCraft with Alf Gracombe
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Tommy Geis
Temisan Williams
Mike Smith
Caroline Foscato
Ben Weber
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
48
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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