The Rising Coaches Podcast

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Chris Capko, Associate Head Coach at SMU. Coach Capko has built his career through a number of stops across college basketball, including roles at Marshall, Stetson, Georgia Southern, USC, FIU, and a return to USC before eventually following the staff to SMU. Along the way he’s developed a reputation as a strong recruiter, player developer, and someone who has helped programs build and sustain success. In this episode we discuss how to gain trust from your head coach and fellow assistants when you’re new to a program, how coaches can instill confidence into their players, and ways assistant coaches can separate themselves from the majority in the profession.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Mike Kosich, Assistant Coach and Chief of Staff at UC Davis. Coach Kosich has built his career through a variety of roles across the college basketball landscape, with coaching stops at La Salle, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, South Alabama, San Diego State, and now UC Davis. Throughout that journey he’s gained experience in everything from operations and program management to on-court coaching and staff leadership. In this episode we discuss how coaching has changed his perspective from the beginning of his career to now, ways young coaches can gain trust and respect from a staff while working in manager or operations roles, and what the “Chief of Staff” position entails and how that role helps impact team success.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Debbie Antonelli, a longtime sports analyst with decades of experience around elite programs and championship-level coaches. A former player at NC State, Debbie moved into coaching and administrative roles with stops at Elon, Ohio University, Kentucky, and Ohio State before building an outstanding career in broadcasting. She brings amazing insight into what truly separates the best in the business. In this episode we discuss what differentiates elite coaches from good ones after years of observing them up close, how meaningful the beginning of a shootaround or practice really is and how to make it more effective, and advice she would give young coaches on communicating clearly and confidently in film sessions and practices.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Amanda Butler, former High Major head coach and current assistant at the University of Louisville. Coach Butler is a former standout player at Florida and has built an accomplished coaching career with stops at Florida, Austin Peay, Charlotte, and Louisville, along with head coaching tenures at Charlotte, Florida, and Clemson. She’s led major program turnarounds, including taking over a last-place team and guiding it to a 20-win season and NCAA Tournament appearance. In this episode we discuss how she rebuilt a struggling program into a winner, how she learned to coach and develop her assistants during her time as a head coach, and how those experiences now allow her to add value in new ways as an assistant.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Matt Santoro, Director of Video and Strategy at the University of Kentucky. Coach Santoro has built his career through a variety of roles at Pittsburgh, Gwynedd Mercy, BYU, and now Kentucky, gaining experience in film, scouting, and game preparation along the way. His path reflects steady growth behind the scenes in high-level programs. In this episode we discuss what’s first on his checklist when breaking down a new opponent, how he tailors film differently for assistants versus players, and advice he would give to managers—or those hoping to become one—who want to use that role to launch their careers.