Grand Entrances + Big Finishes with David Smith
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Grand Entrances + Big Finishes with David Smith
-
Narrated by:
-
By:
About this listen
In this episode of the You Can Play Podcast, David Smith — a strength and conditioning coach, mental performance coach, and sport & exercise science lecturer — joins us to explore the intersection of performance, psychology, and inclusion in sport.
David shares lessons from years coaching across disciplines — from cheerleading to football to basketball — and how every great team starts with trust, not hierarchy. He talks about psychological safety as the foundation of performance, and why coaches must balance challenge with care: creating spaces where athletes can be uncomfortable enough to grow, but safe enough to stay.
From redefining “banter,” to responding to exclusion, to supporting LGBTQ+ athletes with confidence and compassion, David offers a coach’s perspective grounded in science and empathy. His advice? Build relationships. Check in often. Be curious. And always — as he says — “make a grand entrance and a big finish.”