Kicking off Episode 1 of the Truth In The Arena Podcast, longtime track coach and retired chemistry teacher Tony Holler speaks with host Nate Huffstutter about the intersection of coaching, personal values, and political beliefs.

Holler’s Feed the Cats model is based on “inarguable” valuable props, such as “Make practice the best part of a kid’s day” and “kids are good at what they like and obsessed with what they love.” In the conversation, Holler discusses how coaching transcends sports and serves as a platform for teaching life lessons and fostering community.

Holler shares insights on the importance of evolving perspectives, the challenges of navigating personal and professional identities, and the need for coaches to engage with political issues while maintaining their core values. As with the “inarguable” values of Feed The Cats, he expands on how his support for the progressive movement and Bernie Sanders is driven by inarguable points such as “having cancer shouldn’t make you also go bankrupt.”

Holler shares insights on the importance of evolving perspectives, the challenges of navigating personal and professional identities, and the need for coaches to engage with political issues while maintaining their core values. As with the “inarguable” values of Feed The Cats, he expands on how his support for the progressive movement and Bernie Sanders is driven by inarguable points such as “having cancer shouldn’t make you also go bankrupt.”

Chapter List

00:00 Introduction to Coaching and Values

02:35 The Influence of Personal Principles on Coaching

05:50 Navigating Personal and Professional Identities

09:27 Evolution of Perspectives in Coaching and Politics

13:23 Connecting Coaching Principles to Political Views

18:34 Challenges in Political Pragmatism and Progressivism

25:50 Voting Against Self-Interest

28:31 Media Diet and Misinformation

33:48 The Toughness of Coaches

36:27 Evolving Perspectives

41:47 Progressivism as Patriotism

45:56 Finding Common Ground