How to Improve Your Program and District with Data

6 days ago

The Coaches Call

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How to Improve Your Program and District with Data

Season 6 Episode 5

Hosts: Chris Doelle & Libby Pacheco
Guests: Dr. Kyle Craighead, Everise; Dr. Josh Childs, University of Texas at Austin
A continuation of the Episode 4 conversation, this episode moves from why the data matters to what coaches and ADs actually do with it — focusing on the six pillars of effective coaching, how data flows back to individual coaches, and why Texas must stay proactive in defending its education-based athletics model.

Key Takeaways:
• The Six Pillars: Connection, psychological safety, structure, communication, challenge, and skill development — originally developed in the business world in 2008, adapted and validated for student-athlete surveys through Dr. Childs’ ongoing research.
• Psychological Safety as a Foundation: If athletes don’t feel safe to take risks, the other pillars can’t fully function. It’s built slowly through consistent coaching behavior, not in a day or two.
• Skill Development Is the Output, Not the Input: Coaches think they’re primarily developing skills, but skills improve because of the other five pillars. Connection, communication, and psych safety are what make skill development possible.
• Fun Is a Finding: Consistently across the data, fun emerged as a critical factor in student-athlete engagement. When the sport is fun and the coach makes it fun, athletes are more likely to connect, take risks, and develop. A new report dropping in March 2026 will highlight this.
• Personalized PD Through the App: Coaches log in, see their scores across the six pillars based on student-athlete feedback, and get coaching videos from Steven Mackey (Two Words) automatically populated to their lowest areas. One coach reported watching them on the drive to school and implementing changes by 3:00 practice.
• Data Privacy: Student responses are fully anonymous — no IP addresses, no timestamps, no PII. Individual coach data is never visible to administrators; ADs see only district-wide aggregates. It’s a growth model, not an evaluation tool.
• Texas vs. Other States: Texas’s teacher-coach model gives coaches more daily touchpoints with students than coaches in other states, but less dedicated time to focus on sport alone. That makes professional development like coaching school even more critical here. The athletic period is also nearly unique to Texas — and other states are stunned it exists.
• Real-World Impact: Hays ISD used this data to help pass a bond measure. Their superintendent said they may not have gotten it without the research. ADs are encouraged to bring this data to their superintendents — not just for culture, but for attendance, discipline, and funding arguments.
• Don’t Be Complacent: Other states have been fighting to preserve their athletic associations for decades. Texas has to keep proving its worth. The threat is real and coming.

What’s Next:
• New Everise/UT report releasing March 2026 on the intersections and relationships between the six pillars.
• Districts wanting to participate: everrise.ai or contact Kyle directly at kcraighead@everrise.ai.

Mentioned in this episode:
• Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA)
• Everise
• University of Texas at Austin – College of Education
• Steven Mackey / Two Words (coaching video content)
• Lance Moffett, Hays ISD
• Cat Osterman (referenced re: fun and nearly quitting)
• Texas Coaches Leadership Tour
• AnSRS (presenting sponsor)

Produced by Fresh Media Works
http://www.freshmediaworks.com