The Rising Coaches Podcast

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jackson Johnson, Head Coach at the Newman School. Jackson’s basketball journey started as a player at Tulane before moving into coaching with assistant roles at Tulane and Northfield Mount Hermon prior to taking over at Newman. Since becoming head coach, he has helped sustain success at the national prep level while guiding players through the ever-changing recruiting landscape. In this episode we discuss the value of coaching multi-sport athletes and how to navigate that as a coach, what real player development looks like in prep basketball today, how a coach can help players navigate the college recruiting process in the transfer portal era, and how he’s maintained success within a nationally recognized prep program.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Matt Ambrose, Director of Player Development at Purdue University Fort Wayne. After finishing his playing career at Calvin University, Matt worked his way into the coaching profession and has continued to grow within the Purdue Fort Wayne program. His path reflects the importance of bringing value, building relationships, and finding ways to impact players every day. In this episode we discuss what he did to break into the industry as a young coach after his playing career, how he looked to add value as a new coach early within his program, and we take a deep dive into player development, including how to build an effective development plan for each player.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Kate Popovec-Goss, Head Women’s Coach at Boston College. Coach Popovec-Goss has built her career through assistant roles at La Salle, Northwestern, and Colgate before stepping into head coaching positions at Bradley and now Boston College. Her path reflects steady growth through multiple roles within a program and a strong understanding of how to build and lead a team. In this episode we discuss how she grew in the industry from between roles without prior experience and attacked each opportunity, what people often underestimate about rebuilding a program as a head coach, and the first things she is focused on when taking over as a new head coach.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Ben Peterson, Head Coach of the Perry Lakes Hawks in Australia. Peterson has built his career across the international and professional levels with assistant roles at the Perth Wildcats, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Otago Nuggets before stepping into his current head coaching position. His background gives him a strong perspective on player development and team building across different levels of the game. In this episode we discuss how young coaches can earn more responsibility early in their careers, a deeper look into player development on the international level, and how veteran players can play a key role in helping lead and stabilize a program.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Andrew Cobian, former NBA G League coach and Division I assistant. Cobian has built his career through stops at NYIT, Pace, Hofstra, the Long Island Nets, and Loyola Chicago, gaining experience across both the college and professional levels. His path reflects steady growth and the ability to adapt in different environments. In this episode we discuss his unique journey to landing a role with the Long Island Nets, what working in the NBA taught him about what truly drives player improvement compared to the college game, and effective ways coaches can build trust and respect with their players.