Former college athlete and strength coach David Kitchen, aka “Kitch,” discusses his transition from being a college strength and conditioning coach to focusing on his leadership consulting business.
Kitch shares his personal journey, his challenges, and the decision to step away from coaching. Kitch emphasizes the importance of building relationships with players, understanding their motivations, and balancing challenges with support in leadership.
Kitch also discusses his approach to teaching leadership, the significance of emotional regulation, and the value of execution and continuous improvement.
Show Outline
- 0:17 – Transition from College Athlete to Leadership Consultant
- 4:26 – Decision to Walk Away from Coaching
- 7:03 – Appreciation for the Process of a Game Week
- 7:32 – The summer grind
- 8:56 – Developing leadership skills
- 14:28 – Adapting communication styles
- 16:22 – Building Relationships and Understanding Motivation
- 16:58 – The Influence of Family and Environment
- 18:45 – Personal Drive and Work Ethic
- 24:22 – The challenge of support
- 25:19 – The value of empathy and support
- 29:02 – Different styles of leadership
- 32:17 – The Emotional Dump and Living in the Gap
- 34:32 – Teaching Leadership and Changing the Norm
- 37:10 – Busy Does Not Equal Productive
Quotes from Kitch
“People that can emotionally regulate are naturally more trustworthy.”
“I still get goosebumps, man. I still get fired up. If I could go back and strap it up one more time, I would. I’d probably get hurt, but I’d do it.”
“I want the first person that steps up to say something about me to walk up to that microphone and say, ‘Coach left a legacy for his family to be proud of, you know? He inspired greatness and everybody that he came across. He was honest, he was caring, he was driven, and he was committed to growth.’ And if somebody says that about me at my funeral, and I’m watching it from beyond the grave, I know that I became the man that I wanted to be. So that’s what drives me every single day.”
Connect with Kitch
- Edge Leadership Academy
- @CoachDKitch on TikTok
- @CoachDKitch on Instagram
- @CoachDKitch on LinkedIn
Presentated by Better
Mentioned on the Show
- The Road Less Traveled (Amazon)
- Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t (Amazon)
- New Generation Leader (Amazon)
Episode 54 – Full Transcript
Coming soon!
Show notes may contain affiliate links.