Building the Team

Building the Team

by You Can Play Project
Self-ImprovementSports
Season 2
World Cup, Gay Games, and YCP Updates
Executive Director Kurt Weaver and Education Director Ren Dawe sit down and discuss the upcoming World Cup, the Gay Games, and some team updates before Pride 2026!
S2 · E3
May 18, 2026
56:58
Para Sport + Policies That Work with Alex Mangione-Smith
In this episode, Ren sits down with Alex Mangione-Smith, founder of CP Soccer Arizona, NIRCA’s DEI & Title IX Officer, and a coordinator with one•n•ten, to talk about what it really takes to build inclusive spaces in sports. From adaptive soccer to college policy to LGBTQ+ youth work, Alex shares how access, not just inclusion, shapes who gets to play, and who gets left out. They dig into the gap between policy and lived experience, what coaches often misunderstand, and why small actions can have a lasting impact. You can learn more about Alex's work here: CP Soccer: https://www.cpsoccer.us/ one-n-ten: https://onenten.org/ NIRCA: https://clubrunning.org/
S2 · E2
May 18, 2026
38:10
All Caps All Her + Playing With All Your Heart with Zoey Pellowitz
In this episode, we sit down with Zoey Pellowitz (she/her), Youth Hockey Coordinator for the Washington Capitals, to talk about what it really means to coach with care. From growing up in hockey and playing Division III, to shifting from college coaching to working with five-year-olds, Zoey shares how joy, listening, and meeting players where they are can shape confidence and belonging. We explore uncomfortable but necessary coaching conversations, modeling healthy team behavior, navigating queerness in sport, and the power of initiatives like All Caps All Her to bring more girls, women, and families into the game. https://capsyouthhockey.com/all-caps-all-her/
S2 · E1
Apr 27, 2026
35:34
Season 1
Collaborative Questions + Reviving Values with Erin Kennedy
This week on the You Can Play Podcast, we’re joined by Erin Kennedy, CEO and founder of Girls Rugby. We talk about building confidence through sport, expanding access for girls and gender-diverse athletes, and why rugby has become a powerful vehicle for leadership, belonging, and change. https://girlsrugby.org/about/
S1 · E12
Apr 13, 2026
45:13
Flow State and Belonging in Sport Psych with Lauren Bonzell
In this episode of the You Can Play Podcast, Lauren Bonzell (she/her) — a graduate student in Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology at Long Beach State — shares insights from her ongoing thesis on LGBTQ+ athletes’ experiences in recreational and competitive sport. Lauren discusses two key psychological frameworks guiding her work: the Minority Stress Model, which helps explain how chronic exposure to discrimination and internalized stigma affects health and identity, and the Flow State Model, which captures the joy, focus, and motivation athletes feel when they can truly be themselves. She explores how systemic bias, exclusion, and locker-room culture disrupt that flow — and how affirming spaces can restore it. Through her research and personal reflections, Lauren challenges common narratives about fairness and trans inclusion, reminding listeners that the real threats to women’s sports are power imbalances, abuse, and a lack of women in leadership, not transgender participation. As she prepares to graduate, she shares what keeps her grounded: gratitude, perspective, and the belief that every researcher — and every athlete — deserves to know they’re on the right path.
S1 · E11
Mar 30, 2026
34:19
Ripple Effects + Building Respect in Solo Sports with David Thibodeau
In this episode of the You Can Play Podcast, David Thibodeau — a longtime swim coach, Canada Games board member, and policy professional for the Government of Canada — reflects on what it means to bring your full self to sport. David shares his journey from coming out as an athlete to later coming out as a coach, and the fears that came with being openly gay while working with young swimmers and their families. He speaks about the power of visibility, signals, and symbols — from small cues like rainbow shoelaces to big ones like inclusive signage at major events — and how these gestures set the tone for belonging before anyone even dives in. He also talks about recognizing exclusion in subtle moments — a comment, a lane assignment, a missed conversation — and how coaches can respond with empathy instead of judgment. His message is simple but vital: authenticity isn’t just freeing for the coach; it improves performance, deepens trust, and reminds every athlete that being yourself is the real win.
S1 · E10
Mar 16, 2026
32:44
Shin Taps, Trust, and Humanity in Hockey with Brock Robinson
In this episode of the You Can Play Podcast, Brock Robinson Barclay — lifelong athlete, hockey and baseball coach, and sport management professional — joins us to talk about how culture is built, one small moment at a time. Drawing on experiences across locker rooms, teams, and community events, Brock shares how trust and teaching are the foundation of a healthy team environment. From addressing slurs on the ice to celebrating players’ individuality off it, he reflects on what it means to create a space where everyone feels like they belong — not just as athletes, but as people. Brock talks about moving away from “punishment culture,” the difference between discipline and teaching, and how tiny gestures of care — like a shin tap — can rebuild trust when words fall short. His philosophy is simple but powerful: “If someone feels safe enough to be themselves on your team, that’s a win.”
S1 · E9
Mar 3, 2026
45:48
Grand Entrances + Big Finishes with David Smith
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.”
S1 · E8
Feb 23, 2026
54:58
Resilient, Not Invincible with Jonas Worth
In this episode of the You Can Play Podcast, Jonas Worth — Canada West Commissioner, soccer coach, and lifelong educator — joins us to talk about what it really means to model the values we teach. From coaching through injury to addressing harmful language on the field, Jonas shares how small choices — a word, a tone, a question — can shift a team’s entire culture. He reflects on the difference between punishment and teaching, the courage it takes to say “I don’t know”, and the importance of vulnerability and boundaries in leadership. Whether he’s helping athletes return from injury or guiding teams through tough conversations, Jonas reminds us that great coaches aren’t invincible — they’re resilient, curious, and willing to grow right alongside their players.
S1 · E7
Feb 17, 2026
33:50
From Punishment to Empowerment with Juliana Jack
This episode of the You Can Play Podcast features Juliana Jack (she/her) — a student advocate, assistant volleyball coach, and founder of McMaster University’s LGBTQ2SA+ Athletic Advocacy Group (LAAG). Juliana joins us to talk about accountability in coaching, and how reframing discipline as an opportunity to teach, not punish, can help young athletes grow in confidence and character. Drawing from her experience coaching girls aged 15–17, Juliana shares insights on creating team cultures rooted in empathy, empowerment, and respect, where every athlete feels seen and supported — on and off the court.
S1 · E6
Feb 3, 2026
1:32:05
1 of 2