Coaches need to coach, parents need a parent, officials need to officiate, and just everyone's stay in their lane and things will go pretty well. And I really believe that because there's a lot more that goes into it than just forty minutes of a game or whatever the parents are seeing.
And I tell for players that all the time.
I mean, no one's going to understand what we're about outside of this room, because we're the ones who are in it every day.
This is the Reform Sports Project.
I'll podcast about restoring healthy balance and perspective in all areas of sports through education and advocacy. Hi, this is Nick Bonacor from the Reform Sports podcast. I'm thrilled to share that today marks our two year anniversary as a podcast. I want to thank all of our guests for sharing their expertise with us and our audience for their continued support.
I'm proud to work with such a dedicated team.
Here at Reform Sports, and we have a number of exciting initiatives in development as we continue to build up the Reform Sports platform. With that being said, we'll be adjusting the release of new episodes of the podcast from weekly to every other week to help balance out current and future content offerings. We'll be sharing more with you soon. Now enjoy today's episode with J. C. Hoyt, head women's basketball coach at Oklahoma State University prior to taking over the OSU program.
In March of twenty twenty.
Two, Coach Hoyt was named the twenty twenty Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after coaching Kansas City to their first regular season conference championship in program history. A former multi sport athlete and collegiate basketball player at Wichita State, jac and I discussed why she recruits players who have a competitive spirit, why athletes who play multiple sports typically have a higher ceiling for growth, and the value of
coaches telling players the truth. I just said to this awesome coach, I'm like, thank you for not blowing the whistle on me and like having me thrown in prison for harassment. I've been shaking her down for the last year, trying to get her come on. She's obviously in varian demand, having a great starter to her career coming into her second year as the head women's basketball coach at Oklahoma State.
JC Hoyt Coach, hoy thanks so much for hopping on.
Thank you, I'm excited to be with you.
Well, I appreciate it, and I want to start here now that you're you know, you take over a big time program, like was that something that you always had your eye on to get to this, you know, continue to progress because you've seen to move up the cult of ranks pretty quickly.
Yeah, you know, I mean I think for me, I've always just wanted to be the best that I can be in anything, whether that's coaching or just other other things in my life. But with coaching, you know, I think just with that comes wanting to have opportunities.
To compete against the best.
And I wouldn't say that I was ever or it was still not really someone who you know, is looking for the next thing. But I did always know that I wanted to be at the highest level possible eventually, but it just happened a little faster than I maybe thought originally.
Well, that's awesome. I love how you use the word compete.
You know. One of the things that I hear a lot from college coaches. Doesn't matter the sport or does, they love competitors. They love folks that want to get in the fight, you know, want to be competitive doesn't matter the sport. In fact, I often hear coaches say they love to see kids play different sports because they see them compete in different arenas, different settings. You know, maybe a star in one particular sport, but maybe a six man or you know, a role player in another,
and that brings down a different element. What is it about the compete factor? How is that something that you see? Let's say, if you're going to an AAU tournament, you're on the recruiting trail, how can you tell, you know, a young woman, young man, whatever is like an ultra competitor.
Well, I think it's just you know, you can tell when someone is not happy if they're losing or you know, I would even say if they're winning, just that will and that desire to continue to get better and just to play the same no matter what the score is.
I know that sometimes it is kind of corny or cliche, but it really is true, you know.
I mean, if you're just competitive and you're just trying to be the best that you can be and help your team, you know, play at the highest level whatever that looks like for you and your given team, I think that you can just tell versus someone who maybe is kind of going through the motions or not going to give.
You know, full effort because of what the scoreboard says.
Is there a situation where, you know, for instance, let's say a kid's not a starter, you know, a kit comes into your program. Some when you recruit, they have to work the around.
It's easy to fold in those situations. But at the same time, is it intrinsic motivation.
Does it take a coach to really bring that out of them or do you need to be somewhat And when it comes to competition, does a lot of that need to come from within?
Well, I think that the majority needs to come from within.
I just, you know, it's unrealistic to think that you're always going to have a coach or someone in your life that is, you know, helping bring that out of you. However, I do think that even for the most intrinsically motivated people, you know, it's just so beneficial to have those positive people, whether they're coaches or you know, whatever their title is, just you know, helping you understand that maybe there's more in you.
And you might think that you've you.
Know, reached your peak, but you can just take a one step further and continue to climb. So I think it's a balance, but I do think that it's you.
Know, important.
I mean, I've learned, you know, I don't I don't care how good a coach is.
You We've got to recruit kids who just.
Have that competitive spirit and that will to win, regardless of whether we're in the room or or in the gym with them or not.
So you were a you were a multi sport athlete, you know, growing up. Obviously I read your bio and saw in high school you were a standout basketball player and you know, volleyball player. Was it all different sports for you coming up through your youth, you know, for your youth playing experience, it.
Was throughout high school, I was always a three sport athlete. I also ran track and uh, you know just I mean she played about every sport that was out there in.
The little towns that I lived in. But for sure throughout high school, you know, just playing in those different sports.
I mean, I think I can look back on my career and even my my coaching career now and just see how beneficial those lessons were for me that you.
Know, maybe basketball couldn't always teach me.
I mean, track, for example, you know it's it's you versus everyone.
I mean, no one's going to bail you out. You know, you got to step up to the line and you.
Got to you got to compete on your own. Volleyball is a sport that you know, has a lot.
Of different skill.
Sets and in different lessons with teamwork and training. So I just think that whatever the sport is, that there's a lot to be learned from those and I'm very thankful for just the well rodded experience that I got to have as an athlete.
Do you feel like, you know, in today's youth sports culture, everything is year round. I mean, it doesn't matter you know what sport it is, you can play it all year long. In fact, in a lot of cases, I hear parents tell me all the time like they're getting pulled, you know, they're getting almost like you know, parents and kids, even at really young ages, are almost being cornered like, hey, it's either we need a year round commitment or you got to go find another club.
You know.
Do you see that from your experience on the recruiting trail over the last several years of your coaching career, that it's more challenging to find multi sport athletes or do you do you still see them and do you have a preference when recruiting Without a.
Doubt, I definitely see exactly what you're referencing of, you know, just the year round athletes and expectations from you know, others, And I think that you know, to each their own.
I mean, I think that there are.
Benefits to doing both, but I think for me personally, to be honest, I love it when an athlete that we're recruiting is, you know, competing in.
Other sports outside of just basketball.
I think that, like I said earlier, just the different lessons. You know, We've got a player on our team right now that comes to mind.
Her timing to rebound.
And and to block shots is just probably the best I've ever seen, and she would attribute that to her volleyball playing days, you know. So I think that there's a lot of different takeaways. But I also think that when I'm recruiting a player that is involved in other sports, I know that they still have a really high ceiling and that they still can improve drastically once they do
commit to just playing basketball for us. And so I always kind of feel like the ceiling is a little bit higher maybe if you know they're involved in other sports just because they haven't fully committed to basketball, and you know, there's there's still some stones that are interned with the game of basketball for them.
But I mean it's you.
Know, some of the best players in the world have only played you know, one sport, and that's okay too.
But I definitely am not opposed to multi sport athletes.
I love that.
And it's funny because of that tug of war, that push and pull and and parents are feeling. I mean, it is a it's tough for sometimes for folks to navigate, you know, what's the right answer?
What's the right answer?
A lot of that comes down to listening to your kid, you know, using a little bit of common sense, because there's a big you know push.
You hear about it.
With overuse injuries, and you've seen it and you see in the NBA, you know, you're basically seeing players, you know, being limited to minutes and such. And do you find that, like the overuse injury piece of it, are you seeing more and more injuries as a result of that.
I actually do see more injuries.
Now. I don't know that that's necessarily because they're only playing one sport. I think that just the demand to play a lot more is I mean, it's way more than when I played, you know, just every single day and multiple practices.
And games each day.
So I think it's more overuse, maybe in just the amount that they're playing.
But I do think that, you.
Know, there is something to be said about just your body kind of having to take the same hits and you know, those same.
Movements day in and day out.
So I just I really try and caution our players and even the players that we're recruiting, you know, just to understand that there's got to be somewhat of a balance there, and there's a fine line between you know, pushing yourself and doing everything you can to be your best, but also making sure that you're able to perform by being healthy.
When we come back, coach Hoyt and I talk about responding to failure and what that says about a person's character.
Welcome back.
Where we left off, Jasey and I were about to discuss why she views herself as a truth teller and the importance of coaches being honest with players. We try to get as much info from college coaches and folks that are out there because parents are trying, like I said, trying to navigate this and help their kids get in the best position. And I have heard from so many coaches that they have been basically onto a kid like, man,
we like this kid, this player. I want to keep an eye on them, and they'll go watch them at a game and they'll see their parents acting a fool in the stands, and it's almost like, man, I don't know if I really want to bring that element into my program. I mean, is that something that is real? Like I've heard coaches tell me they recruit the family, you know, when sometimes that's a that sucks for the kid. But I mean I want parents to understand, like, is
their behavior is there over zealousness at times? Could it hurt potentially during the recruiting process.
Well, no doubt about it.
You know, we talk as a staff about really trying to vet out realistically, you know what that could look like if a parent is maybe a little bit over the top or overly involved or or critical.
You know.
I mean, I try and pay attention to how parents don't just cheer for their own kid, but for the other kids on the team, you know, and that to me is competitive. I mean, if you want to talk about winning and losing, it's like, you know, you got to pay attention to do they really care about winning and losing or do they care about you know, personal.
Gain and stats and in those type of things. And so I do think.
You have to be cautious, and it is unfortunate when players have parents that maybe don't understand that. And I think, really, at the end of the day, you know, I've heard it said, and I think it's so well said.
And I'm bringing officials into this.
But coaches need to coach, parents need to parent, officials need to officiate, and just everyone's stay in their lane and things will go pretty well. And I really believe that because there's just, you know, there's a lot more that goes into it than just that forty minutes of a game or whatever the parents are seeing, you know.
And I tell our players that all the time. I mean, no one's going to understand what we're about outside of this room, because we're the ones who are in it every day and fighting these battles and grinding together, and not everyone is going to understand that. And sometimes those people are the people that love you the most in
your life, and that's your parents. But I think it's important just for parents to understand, you know, how they can negatively affect their kids' experience while they're playing, and then you know for sure their ability to be recruited.
And as far as like the communication piece, you know, when you start contact with the potential recruit, I would think that you'd want to build that relaylationship, right.
I know.
I just went through with my son, and the coaches want to get as much contact as they can to build the rapport to see what they're all about. And if the parents responding to the emails or doing all the texting, or when they go on a visit, they're doing all the talking, give the kid the opportunity to advocate for themselves, to speak like.
I guess it's easier so than that.
I have six kids, as many of the audience knows, and I try my best to make sure that those lessons are instilled at young ages. But how critical is it because once they're on campus, I mean, parents aren't there, so it's like, shouldn't we as parents or would you advise for those parents to like, hey, let's get these kids prepared to be able to stay on their own two feet and handle themselves way ahead of the game.
So it's not hey, not only are we dealing with, you know, being in a brand new program at a large university, getting used to the whole college experience, the whole college life, as well as being a student athlete, and now we've got to figure out how to do our laundry on our own or how.
To talk by ourselves.
Do you see a difference between kids who have that experience or that comf versus those that don't when they get on campus.
Well, I definitely see a difference just in their in their confidence levels and their belief in themselves to you know, just be dependent on themselves and not dependent on other people, you know, whether that be their parents or their coaches or.
Whoever when they get to campus.
I mean just the ability to you know, have that independence for yourself and the confidence that you can handle your business and handle it on your own, and of course you're always gonna have people there to help you. But I do think that that makes a huge difference. But it's also hard, and you know, I don't have kids yet, but I also imagine that when that time comes, you know, I'm gonna want to help them in every single way possible and make sure that they're well taken care of.
So I'm sure that that, you know, is hard to kind of balance and.
Manage, but I do think that there's a great benefit in you know, helping your kids to understand how to operate on their own.
I would imagine same would be said about failure.
I would imagine you're recruiting some of the best players in the country. Do you like to see experiences maybe that kid has has struggled, you know, where they had to overcome some adversities. You know, they've had moments of failure where they had to pick themselves up. Because I mean, really, no matter how good you are, you're going to have
adjustment periods. And how you respond to that when you get to that next level, whatever that level is, you know, whether it's going from middle school to varsity, varsity to college, whatever, there's a change, and how you're able to build resilience through the struggles is really it's a light Like you mentioned the lessons of life lessons, but how important is it for parents to be able to say to their kids or allow them to struggle and fail and learn how to deal with it.
Well, I think that you know, you're not always going to be able as a.
Coach to control, you know, for me recruiting, like, there are some kids that you know, maybe haven't had to experience that much failure, and then there are kids who you know, maybe through an injury or just things that are you know, out of their control have happened today. And I think that in those cases where I have seen them experience failure and failure, I mean, who hasn't
experienced it? Honestly, right, Like we're all going to experience it on you know, a daily basis, whether that's just maybe not you know, winning every game or you know, making every shot. I mean, it's just a part of life, and it's certainly a part of athletics.
And I always really like to see the kids.
That we're recruiting go through those different types of things, whether it's.
You know, maybe a bad game or you know, an.
Injury, And not that we ever want anyone to experience an injury, but you know, I think it just says a lot about their character of how they're going to
respond in those moments. And I do believe that life is all about responding to things and how you respond to things, and so I think that there's a lot to be said, you know about a person's character and grit, you know, when when they experience those kind of hardships, because it's it's not going to change, you know, it's only going to continue to be a part of the process in.
Whatever you're doing.
So I think it's really important just to see what kids character looks like when those failures come.
All right, Coach hoy I can't thank you enough for coming on here. There's a lot of student athletes, a lot of parents. They're going to hear this, and these kids they want to know what they need to do to get on J. C.
Hoyt's radar.
They want to come play at Oklahoma State or play in college at some level. Right, not everyone can play for you or at that level, but they there is a lext level for them. They want to know the best way to get on the radar. How can they start getting recruited. What's the best way to get on somebody's radar, like yourself.
The biggest thing is just you know, obviously, like you got to put the work in and once you do that, you know the results will start to come. I think it's really important to try and position yourself to be seen by coaches.
Whatever that looks like.
If that's you know, playing with the right teams, they're going to help get you that exposure.
But I just always feel like if you work hard and your game gets.
To the level that it needs to be, then the people who are supposed to find you will find you and your game will speak for itself when that time comes.
So my biggest thing is just to work hard and be the best teammate you can be. I think that's.
Really important and everything else will work itself out.
Cool toy.
I cannot thank you enough. I wish you the best of luck this season. Keep kicking, but love following you in your program. And where can people find you? I know you're on Twitter? Are you're on Instagram? What are your handles? How do they connect with you?
Yeah? I'm on both Twitter and Instagram and my handles are the same for both.
Coach juc perfect, Well, go follow coach JC. Can't thank you enough for coming on and sharing. Coach really appreciate you.
That's j C.
Hoyt, head women's basketball coach at OSU. Thanks for listening to the Reform Sports Podcast. If you've enjoyed this episode, we would appreciate it if you took a moment to.
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