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Nate Baker's Newsletter

Every Friday, I send out a free coaching education newsletter that uses development to unlock the better coach within you. An essential read for all coaches looking to build special organizations and people.

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NBN118: Coaching the Parents (7 Ways to Build Development Buy-In)

Nate Baker's Newsletter #118 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers Coaching the Parents (7 Ways to Build Development Buy-In) April 25, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 5-6 minutes You grab the equipment, lug it over your shoulder, and start to walk toward your car. You exchange congratulations and smiles with your players and their families. You are overjoyed with what...

Nate Baker's Newsletter #117 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers 13 Years Later: 5 Lessons in Coaching That Only Time Could Teach April 18th, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 5 minutes We met for lunch in Annapolis. Same city, same favorite spot. But times had changed. It was 13 years removed from when we first met—when I was a volunteer assistant and he was a...

Nate Baker's Newsletter #116 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers Trying to Win a Game We Lost a Long Time Ago April 11, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 7 minutes My team equalized in injury time against a local rival. There was short-lived excitement preceding a somber realization. I wasn’t worried about conceding or holding on. We had already had a great day...

Nate Baker's Newsletter #115 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers Creating The “Perfect Practice” > Winning on the Weekend April 4, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 4-5 minutes His answer surprised me. But judging by his wording, it might’ve surprised him as well. “There's no better feeling for me than walking off the field saying ‘that session was fantastic. That was...

Nate Baker's Newsletter #114 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers How to Coach Youth Soccer Without Losing Your Mind (or Joy) March 28, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 5-6 minutes I hadn’t even left the bench yet… My group had finished the season in style with a dominant win over a local rival. The vision was on full display. But that doesn’t mean everyone sees it. Or...

Nate Baker's Newsletter #113 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers 7 Lines Great Coaches Never Cross (The Developer’s Anti-Vision) March 21, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 5 minutes The best version of yourself as a coach begins with a clear understanding of who you can never become. But what if the coach you can never become is the only example you see. That can be...

Nate Baker's Newsletter #112 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers The Match Is NEVER a Proving Ground for the Coach March 14, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 6 minutes | Newsletter Archive Validation is a drug that can turn any match from the next step on the path into a proving ground for the coach. This is true of all coaches, including the Developer. Long-term...

Nate Baker's Newsletter #111 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers How Development Makes Impossible Possible (The Power of Process) March 7, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 4-5 minutes I have a big match this weekend. My group is competing for the right to make playoffs for the first time in the club’s history. Winning would put us in a great position. Losing puts a...

Nate Baker's Newsletter #110 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers 7 Ways Collaboration Can Fuel Your Team’s Growth February 28, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 5 minutes Development thrives on collaboration, yet our soccer culture remains stuck in silos. It’s everyone for themselves. The coach prioritizes career advancement. Players prioritize self-interest. Directors...

Nate Baker's Newsletter #109 "The coaching education newsletter for those dedicated to helping their people pursue their potential." The Culture Rep Essential Reading for All Developers Session Planning 101: 7 Ways to Create the “Perfect Practice” February 21, 2025 | Read on my website | Read time: 5 minutes A yellow legal pad, a pen, and an idea. That’s all he would use to create that day’s session. This was the process for one of the most successful coaches in college soccer history. He’d...