HeyJaredThe Player Development Pod
The Player Development Pod explores how to build programs that care for athletes beyond the game. Hosted by Edward Jones II—former Director of Player Development and founder of Beyond The Field—each episode delivers real stories, proven strategies, and expert insights from…
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 14
- Latest publication
- Sep 26, 2026
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- Jul 8, 2026
Latest episodes
5 Mistakes I Made in Player Development and What They Taught Me (opens the original)
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The Player Development Pod is back. In this episode, Ed Jones II shares five mistakes he made while working in player development at the University of Houston, University of Kansas, and Baylor University, and the lessons those experiences taught him. From trying to build programs before understanding the resources already available to entering a new role without enough clarity, Ed breaks down the decisions he would handle differently today. You'll hear why player development professionals should
Open the Door: Creating Opportunities for Athletes Beyond Sports (opens the original)
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What opportunities are you creating for your athletes beyond their sport? Only a small percentage of athletes will go on to compete professionally. That means coaches, athletic administrators, and player development professionals have a responsibility to help athletes prepare for opportunities that extend beyond competition. In this episode, Edward Jones II continues breaking down the BEYOND Player Development Framework with the "O," which stands for Opportunities. Drawing from his experiences a
Who Are You Beyond Your Sport? Helping Athletes Find Their Purpose (opens the original)
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Who are you beyond your sport? For many athletes, that can be a difficult question to answer. From an early age, athletes can build their identity around their sport, their performance, and the dream of reaching the next level. But an athletic career represents only a small portion of a person's life. Player development should help athletes discover who they are beyond the game. In this episode, Edward Jones II continues breaking down the BEYOND Player Development Framework by exploring the "Y,"
Stop Being Random: How to Educate Athletes With Intention (opens the original)
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What do you actually want athletes to learn while they are in your program? That question sounds simple, but too many programs rely on random programming, passive learning, or the hope that athletes will simply "pick up" leadership, accountability, communication, and maturity along the way. In this episode, Edward Jones II begins the Education portion of the BEYOND Player Development Framework. Drawing from his experience at the University of Houston, the University of Kansas, Baylor University,
The Summer of Belonging: How We Built a Championship Team Culture (opens the original)
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How do you intentionally build belonging before the season even begins? In this episode, Edward Jones II closes out the Belonging portion of the BEYOND Player Development Framework by sharing one of his favorite player development initiatives from his time at Baylor University: the Summer of Belonging. The program was coming off a disappointing season, navigating the effects of COVID, adding new players to the locker room, and preparing for another demanding season. The goal was simple. Create b
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