From Stories to Systems: How Athlete Experiences Should Shape the Future of Coaching
In this blog from the Sore to Soaring Podcast, Coach Leo Young reflects on what we can learn from Brannon Sneed’s journey—and how the challenges faced by athletes in the past should directly shape how we train coaches and design systems for the future. Performance isn’t enough. Coaches must be equipped, athletes must be protected, and development must be intentional.
FROM TRAINING TO TRIUMPH - WHAT MILITARY AND SPORTS TEACH ABOUT LEADING, WINNING, AND GROWING IN LIFE
Coach Leo Young
3/31/20252 min read
Great Athletes. Good Coaches. Missing Pieces.
Behind every injury, every overuse issue, every missed opportunity in youth sports—there’s a story.
Some are obvious. Some are subtle. But each one reminds us that coaching isn’t just about building players—it’s about protecting people.
As we wrapped our five-part podcast and blog series featuring Brannon Sneed, former college pitcher, I found myself reflecting on a simple but powerful truth: these stories must inform the systems we build next.
Who is the best coach you ever had and what made him/her the best? Drop your response in the video comments, we'd love to hear from you.
Brannon’s story is not unique. He was a high performer. A record-setting pitcher. A hard worker with discipline and drive. He had access to good coaches—committed, passionate, experienced in the game.
But he still lacked pitching-specific guidance. He still faced injury from systemic gaps. And he still represents what thousands of athletes experience every day in youth baseball.
That’s not a coaching failure—it’s a structural issue in the way we prepare, educate, and equip our coaching community.
If We Don’t Learn From These Stories, We’ll Keep Repeating Them
The most dangerous thing we can do is look at Brannon’s success on paper and assume the system is working. The system didn’t build his success—it almost broke it.
What saved him were his values—discipline, resilience, leadership—and a mindset that he now carries into business, family, and life. But how many others aren’t so lucky?
That’s why we must shift from stories to systems.
What Coaches Need Now
If we want to stop reading these same stories in a different jersey every season, we need to invest in:
Specialized coaching education
Injury prevention tools and recovery systems
Pitcher workload tracking methods
Athlete monitoring processes beyond just stats
Mentorship and leadership development that lasts past the field
That’s what Sore to Soaring is doing. And it’s what we hope more organizations will begin to prioritize.
What We Owe the Next Generation
The next generation of athletes deserves more than inspiration—they deserve infrastructure.
They deserve a system that protects their health while developing their talent. A coaching model that evolves with the demands of the sport. And a community that values character development just as much as velocity and exposure.
We can’t wait until another player shows us their elbow scar to take action. The time to build smarter systems is now.
Key Takeaways
Athlete stories reveal the structural gaps in youth coaching
Good coaches still need better tools, education, and support
We must build systems that protect athletes—not just train them
Injury prevention, mentorship, and leadership development must be built in early
The future of sports is shaped by the decisions coaches make today
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Disclaimer:
The views shared are those of the guest and do not represent an endorsement by Lupos Initiative Inc., DBA Sore to Soaring. This content is for informational purposes only and not medical or training advice. Always consult a qualified professional before starting any exercise or throwing program. No affiliation or compensation exists between Sore to Soaring and any for-profit entity mentioned
If you wish to learn more about Brannon Snead’s work, visit Peter Boulware Toyota at: peterboulwaretoyota.com.
