Sideline Ascent
Developing People & Teams: A podcast and professional development program for coaches and athletic leaders in independent schools.
The Sideline Ascent Podcast
Sideline Ascent is a podcast for coaches, hosted by Mike Marich and Taryn Sheehan.
Most coaching conversations stop at X’s and O’s. We talk about the rest: how you build trust, run a locker room, handle a hard parent, and lead a program that outlasts any one season.
Each episode is practitioner to practitioner. No theory for theory’s sake. Just what works, what doesn’t, and what we wish someone had told us sooner.
New episodes drop weekly.
Live Workshops: Coaches Workshop
Sideline Ascent also takes the conversation on the road.
In October, we brought a full professional development day to Pomfret School. Mike and Taryn led two sessions built around one idea: the best programs put relationships first and tactics second.
What We Cover
We worked through the 4 C’s, in this order: Connection, Communication, Culture, and Craft.
Craft matters. It just comes last. When coaches build real connection and clear communication, culture follows, and the technical work lands harder.
We also worked on a coaching style built on asking athletes questions instead of only giving instructions, because players own what they help build.
Who It’s For
Coaches across a whole athletic department, working on vertical alignment and shared values
Head coaches ready to go deeper on program leadership, practice planning, and communication
Athletic directors and heads of school who want athletics to carry the school’s culture
What Pomfret Said
“Mike and Taryn gave our coaches a shared language for the 4 C’s: Connection, Communication, Culture, and Craft, the building blocks of effective coaching. Their practical, peer-level approach kept our audience engaged throughout the day, while the breakout sessions sparked meaningful conversations and idea-sharing among colleagues. The result was a day of learning that brought our coaches together around a common purpose and provided practical takeaways they can put into action.”
- Colin Sullivan, Director of Athletics and Afternoon Programs, Pomfret School
Meet the Hosts
Mike Marich
Mike Marich is the founder of Mindset Curated Advisory Services, where he partners with heads of school and athletic directors to develop people, strengthen relationships, and build the systems that let both thrive. A former Head Boys’ Lacrosse Coach and Athletic Director at The Frederick Gunn School, he is a three-time Coach of the Year who recruited and coached five All-Americans, after years in human resources at Citi, Morgan Stanley, and Deloitte. He has served on the NEPSAC Executive Board and as District IV President.
Taryn Sheehan
Taryn Sheehan is a nationally recognized collegiate cross country and track & field coach who spent 2019-2024 at Yale University, where she coached multiple Ivy League champions and an NCAA runner-up in the steeplechase. Her career also includes stints at Western Michigan and Louisville, and she worked with Team USA on the 2024 Under-23 NACAC coaching staff. She currently serves as Commissioner of the NEICAAA and adjunct teaches “Coaching Methods” at Sacred Heart University.
Bring Sideline Ascent to Your School
Athletics is the greatest cultural asset a school has. We help you use it.
If you want a professional development day for your coaches, your captains, or your whole department, let’s talk.