CoachCraft with Alf Gracombe

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.

CoachCraft with Alf Gracombe is a sports podcast hosted by Alf Gracombe, with 19 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Alf Gracombe hosts CoachCraft with Alf Gracombe, a sports show with 19 episodes published.

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  Episode #3

  Owen Miller on the Flow State and What It Really Takes to Develop Players

  Mar 23, 20261h 10mS2

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>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 launch Flow Soccer with co-founder David Gydus.</p><p>In this conversation, Alf and...

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  Episode #2

  Paul Barry on Coaching the Decision, Not the Outcome

  Mar 4, 20261h 8mS2

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>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.<br/><br/>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 of developing real game intelligence. We also get into what "winning" actually looks like a...

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  Episode #1

  Maya Lanfer on ACL Injury Prevention for Female Athletes

  Jan 27, 202633 minS2

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>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.</p><p>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 can significantly reduce risk. She also discusses the emotional toll these injuries take on young athletes and makes a co...

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  Episode #16

  Tommy Geis - How Coach Education Changed My Life

  Dec 17, 202544 minS1

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>Tommy Geis, Technical Director at Massachusetts Youth Soccer, joins us to explore why coach education transforms not just how we coach, but how we understand youth development itself. With over 40 years in the game, Tommy shares his journey from thinking he knew everything about soccer to discovering "how much he didn't know" through formal coach education. We discuss the critical difference between telling kids what to do versus helping them discover their own solutions, why coaches need to see the game through children's eyes rather than adult perspectives, and how to meet players...

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  Episode #15

  Strategies for Better Player Feedback with Temisan Williams and Mike Smith

  Dec 5, 202559 minS1

  <p>Send us Fan Mail</p><p>In this episode of the CoachCraft Podcast, Alf Gracombe engages in a deep conversation with coaches Temisan Williams and Mike Smith about the critical role of player feedback in youth development. They explore how cultural backgrounds influence feedback reception, the importance of individual coaching versus team coaching, and the necessity of specific, actionable feedback. The discussion also touches on the use of technology in coaching, the significance of player agency, and the evolving role of coaches in fostering a positive learning environment for young athletes.</p><p>For more information about CoachCraft, visit...

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