🎧 There Is a Place for You | Jordan Willis on Recruiting, Fit & Communication

🏐 Florida Tech Head Volleyball Coach Jordan Willis returns for Part II of his conversation with Matt Rogers, and this time the focus shifts to recruiting.

But this isn't a conversation about rankings, stars, or chasing the biggest name on the front of a jersey.

Instead, Jordan shares his thoughts on character, authenticity, communication, fit, self-awareness, and why there truly is a place for every student-athlete who wants to continue playing at the next level.

Throughout the episode, Coach Willis discusses what he looks for beyond talent, why culture matters in recruiting, how coaches identify red flags, why recruits should never ghost college coaches, and how honest communication can open doors rather than close them.

The conversation also explores one of the biggest challenges facing recruits today: understanding who they are, what they want, and finding the college experience that truly fits their academic, athletic, social, and financial goals.

Whether you're a recruit, parent, club coach, high school coach, or college coach, this episode offers practical advice and valuable perspective on navigating the recruiting process.

Topics Include:
✅ Finding the Right College Fit
✅ What College Coaches Look For Beyond Talent
✅ Character, Culture & Recruiting
✅ Why Recruits Should Never Ghost Coaches
✅ Communication During the Recruiting Process
✅ Self-Awareness & Decision Making
✅ Transfer Portal & Modern Recruiting
✅ There Is a Place for You

🎧 Listen to all episodes at coachmattrogers.com/podcast

📺 Watch at YouTube.com/@CoachMattRogers

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📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

...

🏐 Building Winners Without Losing Yourself | Jordan Willis, Florida Tech Volleyball

Jordan Willis, Head Volleyball Coach at NCAA Division II Florida Tech, joins Matt Rogers for one of the most enjoyable and insightful conversations of the year.

After leading the Panthers from a 9-win season in 2023 to a 20-win campaign and one of the best conference records in program history in 2024, Willis shares the leadership principles, culture-building strategies, and people-first philosophy that are helping transform Florida Tech Volleyball into one of the Sunshine State Conference's rising programs.

In Part I, Coach Willis discusses rebuilding programs, developing All-Americans, creating sustainable success, navigating adversity, and why authentic leadership matters more than ever in college athletics.

Whether you're a coach, athletic director, teacher, parent, or leader in any profession, this conversation is packed with practical lessons on building teams and developing people.

✅ Program Building
✅ Leadership & Culture
✅ Developing All-Americans
✅ Team Standards & Accountability
✅ Sustainable Success
✅ College Athletics Leadership

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Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to leave a comment or recommend your favorite athlete, coach or leader to be on the show!

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

...

🏐🎧 Why Recruits Should Visit Colleges More Than Once | April Elsbernd

How many college visits should a recruit take before making a commitment?

According to Coe College Head Volleyball Coach April Elsbernd, probably more than one.

In Part II of our conversation, Coach Elsbernd shares her recruiting philosophy and explains why finding the right college fit requires more than a quick visit and a fast decision. We discuss culture fit, evaluating potential teammates, communicating with college coaches, the realities of club volleyball, and the important role parents and high school coaches play throughout the recruiting process.

Coach Elsbernd also provides practical advice for recruits on how to stand out in their communication with college coaches and why authenticity matters far more than mass-produced recruiting emails.

Topics Discussed:

✅ Why recruits should visit colleges multiple times
✅ The importance of meeting current players
✅ What college coaches look for beyond athletic ability
✅ How to write better emails to college coaches
✅ Club volleyball myths and realities
✅ Advice for parents navigating recruiting
✅ The role of high school coaches in recruiting
✅ Why culture fit matters

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to leave a comment or recommend your favorite athlete, coach or leader to be on the show!

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

...

🏐 Returning Home: April Elsbernd on Leading Coe College VB

In Part I of this conversation, Matt Rogers sits down with Coe College Head Volleyball Coach April Elsbernd to discuss her journey from growing up in small-town Iowa to becoming one of the most respected coaches in NCAA Division III volleyball. The two fellow Coe College alumni explore the unique impact of a liberal arts education, the importance of diversity and perspective, international travel experiences with student-athletes, and why coaching is ultimately about helping young people become the best versions of themselves.

Coach Elsbernd also shares her path from the University of Dubuque to Augsburg University and ultimately back home to Coe College, where she now leads the Kohawk volleyball program.

🏐 In this episode:
✅ Returning home to Coe College
✅ Why coaching is a calling
✅ Building culture through relationships
✅ The impact of international travel on student-athletes
✅ Leadership lessons learned over 15+ years as a head coach
✅ Helping athletes grow beyond the game

🎧 Listen to the Significant Coaching Podcast:
https://coachmattrogers.com/podcast

📚 Subscribe for full access to weekly blogs, newsletters, recruiting resources, coaching tools, and leadership content:
https://coachmattrogers.com

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

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Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to leave a comment or recommend your favorite athlete, coach or leader to be on the show!

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

...

🏀 Kevin Clifford’s 6 Rules of Recruiting | Significant Recruiting Ep. 179

On Part II of the Significant Recruiting Podcast, Matt Rogers is joined by Kevin Clifford to break down the realities of college basketball recruiting, NCAA Division II athletics, scholarships, player development, and what recruits and families truly need to understand during the recruiting process.

Coach Clifford shares honest insight from years of coaching and rebuilding collegiate programs, including leading Roberts Wesleyan University to its first NCAA Division II Tournament Sweet 16 appearance.

Topics include:

• What college coaches really evaluate
• NCAA Division II vs Division I vs Division III
• Scholarship realities
• Leadership and culture
• Mental health and player support
• What recruits misunderstand about recruiting
• The importance of fit over labels
• How families should approach the recruiting process
• Player development in today’s game

If you’re a recruit, parent, coach, or athletic director, this episode provides outstanding perspective on navigating modern college athletics.

🎧 Listen to the podcast:
coachmattrogers.com/podcast

▶️ Watch more episodes:
Coach Matt Rogers YouTube Channel

Suggested Chapters

00:00 Introduction
01:45 What Coaches Really Look For in Recruits
06:20 NCAA D1 vs D2 vs D3 Basketball
11:15 Scholarship Realities Explained
16:10 Recruiting Mistakes Families Make
21:30 Player Development in College Basketball
26:00 Mental Health & Athlete Support
31:40 Why Fit Matters More Than Labels
36:10 Leadership & Team Culture
41:00 Final Recruiting Advice

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to leave a comment or recommend your favorite athlete, coach or leader to be on the show!

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

...

🏀 From Coaching Ron Artest to the NCAA Sweet 16 | Kevin Clifford

On this episode of the Significant Coaching Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Kevin Clifford, Head Women's Basketball Coach at Roberts Wesleyan University for a fun and wide-ranging conversation about leadership, culture, recruiting, mental health, and the realities of coaching college basketball today.

Coach Clifford shares stories from his journey rebuilding programs at multiple collegiate stops, leading Roberts Wesleyan University to its first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance and Sweet 16 run, and even coaching former NBA great Metta Sandiford-Artest as a 15-year-old coach.

The conversation also dives into:

• Building belief inside a program
• Mental Health Mondays
• Relationships in coaching
• NCAA Division II basketball
• Recruiting realities
• Leadership growth
• Old-school hip-hop and DJ life
• The changing landscape of college athletics

Find more coaching and recruiting resources at coachmattrogers.com.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to leave a comment or recommend your favorite athlete, coach or leader to be on the show!

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

...

“Auntie Dani” on Recruiting, Relationships & Finding the Right Fit | Part II

Danlynn Silva, the new Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at Cameron University, joins the Significant Recruiting Podcast for a powerful conversation on recruiting, relationships, communication, and helping student-athletes find the right college fit.

Drawing from her experiences as a player, longtime club director, parent, and now NCAA Division II head coach, Danlynn shares honest insight into what college coaches are really looking for during the recruiting process. She discusses the importance of body language, communication, effort, trust, and why families need to stop focusing only on Division I labels and start focusing on fit, growth, and long-term happiness.

This episode also explores the Hawaiian concept of relationships and family culture, including why Danlynn prefers her athletes call her “Auntie” instead of “Coach.”

Topics include:
🏐 What college coaches notice immediately
📧 How recruits should communicate with coaches
👀 What stands out during evaluations
🌺 Hawaii culture and relationship-building
🎓 Why fit matters more than division
👨‍👩‍👧 Advice for parents, club coaches, and recruits

🎧 Listen at:
coachmattrogers.com/podcast

📺 Watch at:
youtube.com/@CoachMattRogers

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to leave a comment or recommend your favorite athlete, coach or leader to be on the show!

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

...

Danlynn Silva on Ohana & Building Cameron Volleyball | Significant Coaching

Danlynn Silva, the new Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at Cameron University, joins the Significant Coaching Podcast to discuss leadership, culture, family, and the Hawaiian concept of ohana.

Danlynn shares her unique journey from high-level player to successful club director, business owner, parent, and now NCAA Division II head coach. Throughout the conversation, she explains why authentic relationships, long-term development, and family-centered culture remain at the core of how she leads.

This episode explores:
🏐 Hawaii volleyball culture
🌺 Building a program around “ohana”
📈 Athlete development and leadership
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Coaching alongside family
🎯 Creating sustainable program culture
💬 Why her non-traditional path prepared her for this opportunity

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to leave a comment or recommend your favorite athlete, coach or leader to be on the show!

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

...