Note sull'episodio
In this episode, I sit down with a longtime friend from our NKU days, Justin Holthaus, the Head Boys Basketball Coach at Cooper High School. Justin is a husband to Ashley and a proud father of five boys — a full team at home and on the court!
With 16 years under legendary Cooper coach Tim Sullivan, Justin has done it all: Freshman coach, JV head coach, Girls Varsity head coach, and now leader of one of the top boys’ programs in Kentucky. During his time as the Girls Varsity coach, he held nearly an 80% win percentage, led Cooper to the state semifinals, and even took over the program during the chaos of 2020 — using Zoom meetings to build trust, connection, and culture with his team.
We dive deep into:
🏀 Coaching boys vs. coaching girls — how communication, learning styles, and leadership impact each group
📚 The days he helped me as a JV coach at Ryle by sharing books and resources
💡 Why girls often want to understand the why and how behind basketball concepts 📋 The power of preparation, collaboration, and not coaching with an iron fist
🔥 Our shared love for author and speaker Jon Gordon, and Justin reflects on Jon’s recent visit to Cooper (which I was there for!)
🎯 Coaching every kid differently while still uniting them toward one collective mission
🧠 The evolving mental health landscape for young athletes
📱 How cell phones, comparison culture, and social media are reshaping identity and confidence
⚖️ Why performance should never define a player’s worth as a human being
This conversation is a blend of coaching philosophy, leadership growth, culture-building, and authentic friendship. Whether you're a coach, parent, player, or someone passionate about mental performance, this episode has something for you.