What happens when you transition from player development, where you work directly for a head coach, to student athlete development, where you serve the entire athletic department? The dynamics change, the expectations shift, and the role requires a new mindset.

In this episode, I share the 9 critical questions I would ask every head coach before stepping into student athlete development. These questions cover personal wellness, community impact, career development, academics, recruiting, game day expectations, programming, alumni engagement, and access to the team.

Instead of assuming, listening first opens doors, builds trust, and uncovers resources that strengthen both the coach and the athlete experience.

Whether you are a player development professional, athletic administrator, or coach looking to better understand the role, this conversation gives you a clear roadmap to succeed in student athlete development.

Tune in, take notes, and use these 9 questions to guide your next step in serving athletes.

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The Player Development Guide → https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

Player Development Accelerator Assessment → https://edward-jones-po11g9mt.scoreapp.com

Is Your Program Player Development READY? → https://edward-jones-0amn1dyi.scoreapp.com

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

100 Tips of Player Development → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/09c6129dc1

Player Development 101 → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/pd101

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

One of the most common questions I get is about programming—what it looks like, how to structure it, and what actually makes it effective.

In this episode, I break down the 3-Part Programming Framework I’ve used across youth sports, high school, college, and the pro level to create intentional, impactful programming athletes don’t just attend—they remember.

You’ll discover:

Why starting with a Talk brings clarity and sets the tone

How bringing in a Guest Speaker provides the outside expertise athletes need

Why ending with an Activity makes the program practical and actionable

I even share an example from Duke Football’s Leadership Week, where athletes capped off the experience with a trip to Epic Games—the creators of Fortnite—for real-world career discovery.

If you’ve ever struggled to make your programming stick, this episode will give you a proven framework you can plug in right away.

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The Player Development Guide → https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

Player Development Accelerator Assessment → https://edward-jones-po11g9mt.scoreapp.com

Is Your Program Player Development READY? → https://edward-jones-0amn1dyi.scoreapp.com

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

100 Tips of Player Development → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/09c6129dc1

Player Development 101 → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/pd101

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

In this episode of The Player Development Pod, Keionna Banks sits down with international speaker and motivator Will Baggett.

We cover:

• Why alignment puts you in the right rooms

• How to see pressure as privilege, not burden

• The importance of self-investment over self-sacrifice

• What it takes to pour into others without burning out

Will has been a longtime supporter of Beyond The Field and his perspective is a reminder that true leadership is rooted in service, excellence, and consistency.

Listen in and get inspired to redefine what pressure, leadership, and impact really mean.

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The Player Development Guide → https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

Player Development Accelerator Assessment → https://edward-jones-po11g9mt.scoreapp.com

Is Your Program Player Development READY? → https://edward-jones-0amn1dyi.scoreapp.com

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

100 Tips of Player Development → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/09c6129dc1

Player Development 101 → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/pd101

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

In this episode of The Player Development Pod, I break down exactly how my book The Player Development Guide will transform the way you serve athletes.

This isn’t just another resource. It’s a blueprint designed to give coaches and administrators a superpower — the ability to impact athletes holistically, both on and off the field.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• ✅ How to create a real development plan for your current athletes

• ✅ Why former athletes (alumni) are your most overlooked resource — and how to engage them

• ✅ How to use player development to build trust with future athletes and parents during recruiting

• ✅ The 10 core areas of player development that elevate programs beyond competition

Whether you’re leading youth, high school, or college athletes, this episode will show you how to stop guessing and start building systems that last.

Resources & Links:
📖 Get the book: The Player Development Guide
📝 Take the free assessment: Player Development Program Readiness Quiz
▶️ Watch the full video on YouTube: Beyond The Field Channel

👋 I’m Edward Jones II, founder of Beyond The Field, where we develop people and elevate programs. If you’re ready to create generational impact in your program, this episode is for you.

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Player Development is not optional—it’s essential.

In this episode of The Player Development Pod, I break down the three main areas where a Player Development professional transforms a program:

1. Players — creating belonging and situational awareness so every athlete feels valued.

2. Program & Staff — supporting academics and recruiting so coaches can focus on coaching.

3. External Relations — strengthening trust with families and alumni to build lasting culture.

I share real stories from my time at Houston, Kansas, and Baylor, including how one recruiting adjustment helped land a future first-round draft pick, and how simple situational awareness calmed a nervous freshman before his first game.

📖 Learn more in The Player Development Guide (pg. 67).

The Player Development Guide → https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

Player Development Accelerator Assessment → https://edward-jones-po11g9mt.scoreapp.com

Is Your Program Player Development READY? → https://edward-jones-0amn1dyi.scoreapp.com

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

100 Tips of Player Development → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/09c6129dc1

Player Development 101 → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/pd101

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

Every high school coach wants to win games, but the true measure of a program is built on three groups: your incoming freshmen, your current team, and your graduating seniors/alumni.

In this episode of the Player Development Pod, I break down why these three groups are the lifeline of your program and how you can strengthen each one.

Here’s what we cover:

Incoming Freshmen: How to build your pipeline and set clear expectations from day one (and even before they arrive).

Current Team: Why your current players are the proof of your culture and the best recruiting tool you have.

Graduating Seniors & Alumni: The most overlooked group, and how investing in them creates long-term program credibility.

I also share stories from my six years as a high school coach in Houston and my time as Director of Player Development at Houston, Kansas, and Baylor. Whether you coach football, basketball, soccer, or any sport, these principles will help you move from building teams to building legacies.

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The Player Development Guide → https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

Player Development Accelerator Assessment → https://edward-jones-po11g9mt.scoreapp.com

Is Your Program Player Development READY? → https://edward-jones-0amn1dyi.scoreapp.com

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

100 Tips of Player Development → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/09c6129dc1

Player Development 101 → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/pd101

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program

Every high school coach wants to make an impact — but not every coach defines what that truly means. In this episode, I break down the three questions head coaches must answer if they want to create lasting impact for their athletes:

1. What impact do you want to make?

2. What is your commitment level?

3. Who will help you?

These questions go beyond wins and losses. They shape how your athletes will remember you 10 years from now.

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The Player Development Guide → https://amzn.to/3TtnaA8

Player Development Accelerator Assessment → https://edward-jones-po11g9mt.scoreapp.com

Is Your Program Player Development READY? → https://edward-jones-0amn1dyi.scoreapp.com

Player Development Newsletter → https://substack.com/@btfprogram

100 Tips of Player Development → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/09c6129dc1

Player Development 101 → https://beyond-the-field-player-development.kit.com/pd101

🎙 About Ed Jones II:

Founder of Beyond The Field | Author of The Player Development Guide | Host of The Player Development Pod | Creator of the Player Development Summit

Follow Ed:

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/edjonesii/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/btf_program/

Twitter → https://twitter.com/BTF_Program