In this episode, I host Luke Reynolds, Associate Head Coach for the Pepperdine University men’s volleyball team and one of the most respected international coaches working in the United States today.Luke grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where his passion for volleyball began long before he ever set foot on an NCAA court. After playing collegiately at Brandon University in Canada, Luke embarked on a coaching path that would take him across multiple continents and competitive environments — from professional clubs in Europe to national team programs and now into the heart of U.S. collegiate volleyball.His journey has been anything but easy. Luke opens up about the challenges he faced transitioning from player to coach, adapting to different cultures and professional expectations, and the resilience it took to build a life and career in a sport he now influences on both sides of the Atlantic.Luke’s coaching career spans head coaching roles in Europe’s top leagues, including in Germany’s Bundesliga and Poland’s PlusLiga, as well as significant international work with the Australian National Team before he brought that experience to the U.S. volleyball scene.We also explore big-picture ideas: how volleyball cultures around the world can share knowledge in player development, how the international volleyball community can learn from each other, and what Luke believes American volleyball can evolve into in the coming years.Luke is an exceptional coach with extensive experience across professional, national team, and collegiate levels, and is undoubtedly a future Division I head coaching candidate to watch.Welcome to the Club.#volleyball #international #coaching #Pepperdine #USA

In this episode, I host Sarah Straton, a Beach Volleyball Olympian who represented Australia at the 2000 Sydney Games, a longtime professional player, a coach, and a mental performance instructor who works with players, coaches, and parents.Sarah shares her journey as an athlete and explains what led her to focus on the mental side of the game. She talks about why passion and love for the sport matter so much, and how, without them, athletes struggle to grow and reach their potential. We discuss the common barriers that hold athletes back and the practical tools Sarah teaches to help them move through those challenges.Sarah competed for Australia on the FIVB World Tour from 1995 to 2000, earning a bronze medal in Osaka in 1996, and then spent a decade playing on the AVP Tour until 2010. She later joined the UCLA Beach Volleyball coaching staff as an assistant in 2014.In 2011, she founded Evergrowing, an organization dedicated to helping parents and coaches create the environment young athletes need to thrive. She now works with families, colleges, and sports organizations and has become a trusted voice at the intersection of high performance and healthy development.Welcome to the Club.🎧 Listen here:▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InternationalCoachesClub🛜 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2gSvhZ4hPjNXEv4jizYhSm🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-coaches-club/id1852331462📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/international_coaches_club/ ​

In this episode, I host Cesar Benatti, Head Coach of Florida Southern College, and one of the most respected international volleyball coaches in the U.S.Cesar built his career across clubs and universities before moving to the United States, where he joined Western Nebraska Community College as an assistant coach. During his time there, the program won a National Championship in 2010.From there, Cesar moved to Cal State Bakersfield, coaching both indoor and beach volleyball. He was part of two Western Athletic Conference championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances (2014 and 2017), and became the winningest coach in CSU Bakersfield Beach Volleyball program history.His success led LMU Head Coach John Mayer to bring him onto the Lions’ staff in 2023. Cesar helped guide the program all the way to the NCAA National Championship match.Along the way, he has also served as a Head Coach in the National Team Development Program, mentored thousands of coaches through clinics, and continues to mentor young coaches as they build their careers.Welcome to the Club.