Play Like a Champion Today
Sports Leadership Conference
Save the Date! The 2025 Play Like a Champion Today Sports Leadership Conference will take place June 18-20, 2025 on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. This annual event will again bring together our national community to connect with each other, learn from an outstanding group of speakers and be inspired in our role as mentors for youth. Registration is now open, with additional speakers and a full schedule to be announced in the coming weeks.
Inspiring Collective Leadership
This year's theme is "inspired" by the tremendous group of speakers and attendees who will gather this summer to share their own stories and learn from fellow leaders in youth and high school sports. Together, we'll work to create a positive impact and to develop the next generation of leaders in the student-athletes we serve.
New Schedule for 2025! This year's conference will begin on Wednesday, June 18th with our annual Pre-Conference Retreat.
All attendees are invited to attend the retreat, which is included in the price of regular registration. Following the retreat, the conference will officially commence on Wednesday evening with our new Opening Social! The conference will continue with a full day on Thursday and conclude on Friday, June 20th following lunch (approximately 1:00 pm EDT).
The Play Like a Champion Today Sports Leadership Conference is the premiere annual gathering of youth and high school athletic administrators, coaches and leaders from across North America. The conference celebrates the three pillars of connection, education and inspiration, with each year offering a unique opportunity to interact in kinship with like-minded sport leaders while learning core elements of the Play Like a Champion approach. The fantastic speakers and stimulating break-out groups are sure to inspire all! This summer's conference will once again offer particpants the opportunity to collaborate on strategies for building a brighter, healthier and more just sport culture for student-athletes. Join us to learn from an exciting group of speakers and interact with an amazing network of leaders from our national community!
Who Should Come? Administrators, coaches and community leaders involved in youth and high school sports or concerned with the health and well-being of children across America. This conference is for those who want to learn from experts, engage with peers, and find ways to take action in their own communities and schools. Whether you're an athletic director or coach, a business executive or a community leader, you will find valuable discussion, learning, and kinship at this unique annual gathering.
"The experience last year was truly transformative for me, both spiritually and professionally.
Not only did I learn invaluable lessons on leadership, team building, and character development, but I also gained profound insights that deepened my spiritual journey. The guidance shared during the sessions was incredibly impactful, and I’ve been able to immediately apply many of these teachings in my role as a director." - 2024 Participant
2025 Featured Speakers
The 2025 Play Like a Champion Conference features an accomplished lineup of speakers making real change in the world of youth and high school sports! Here are just a few of the men and women we're excited to welcome to the conference this year. Check back as new speakers are announced in the coming weeks!
James Driessen
Founder, Bullish Drive
James Driessen is an accomplished mental performance coach and consultant with a wealth of experience in psychology. Holding a Master's degree in Forensic Psychology, he has acquired certificates in various fields, including developmental psychology, criminal psychology, play therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy. Driessen served as the head coach for the Rochester High School Rugby Club, leading them to four consecutive state championships and has acted as a coach consultant for several other teams. In addition to his coaching endeavors, Driessen has excelled as a mental skills coach and scrumhalf specialist for the University of Minnesota. Over his extensive career as a player-athlete, Driessen held the role of starting scrumhalf for several other esteemed men's clubs. Through his expertise in mental skills coaching, psychology, and rugby coaching, he has helped coaches, athletes, and teams enhance their mindsets, boost their meta skills proficiency, and achieve remarkable levels of performance. Driessen is also an accomplished musician, playing piano, violin, guitar, bass and drums. His unwavering passion for helping individuals and teams elevate their mindset, enhance their skills, and unlock their fullest potential shines brightly in every facet of his remarkable journey, working one on one from 8 year old athletes to NBA players and everything in between.
Dr. Santia Deck
Women's Football, Entrepreneur
Dr. Santia Deck has charted an extraordinary path from collegiate track and field athlete to being offered the largest contract in women’s football history. Her athletic prowess is matched by her entrepreneurial spirit, evident in her founding of TRONUS, the innovative footwear brand that marked her as the first female athlete to own a shoe company. In addition to her athletic and business endeavors, Santia is fervently dedicated to advocating for athlete mental health and navigating life after sports. She focuses on empowering athletes to build personal brands, create wealth, and secure Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, with a special emphasis on supporting female athletes. Her mission encompasses guiding athletes to recognize their value beyond their sports careers and equipping them with the tools necessary for success in all life aspects. Santia recently launched Winning Her Way, a media platform aimed at amplifying the voices of female athletes, helping them with visibility, empowerment, and economic opportunities.
Dr. Gerard Gioia
Director, Safe Concussion Outcome, Recovery and Education (SCORE) Program
Gerard Gioia, PhD, is the director of the Safe Concussion Outcome, Recovery & Education (SCORE) Program at Children's National Hospital, as well as a professor at George Washington University School of Medicine. He directs the Neurobehavioral Core research laboratories for Children’s National’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center. He has been the Principal Investigator of several multi-site CDC-funded research studies of pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) with a focus on the development of methods/tools for the evaluation of the executive functions and post-concussion neuropsychological functioning. He has developed several smartphone apps and works closely with the CDC on their “Heads Up” concussion educational programs. He is the team neuropsychologist for the NHL’s Washington Capitals and the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, school systems, and numerous youth sports organizations in the Baltimore-Washington region. He consults with the local and National Governing Organizations of ice hockey, lacrosse, football, rugby and soccer related to concussion management and is on the Medical Advisory Committee for USA Football and the National Advisory Board of the Positive Coaching Alliance.
Dr. Paul Putz
Director, Faith & Sports Institute at Baylor University
Dr. Paul Putz serves as program director for the Master of Arts in Theology and Sports Studies and as director for the Faith & Sports Institute, where he helps to lead and develop online programming and curriculum as well as assisting with communications and strategic planning. Paul received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Grace University, where he played basketball. He went on to get a PhD in history from Baylor. He has over a decade of experience as an educator in the high school and college classroom and his research and writing has been featured at Christianity Today, Slate, National Public Radio, Religion News Service, and more. His first book, The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big-Time Sports, was published with Oxford University Press in 2024.
More Speaker Announcements Coming Soon!
Annual Pre-Conference Retreat
Our 10th annual pre-conference spiritual retreat was themed "Sacred Echoes" and was held on the Wednesday before the 2024 Conference. The retreat is an opportunity for athletic leaders to pause after a busy year, reflect on the graces they have encountered, and re-energize so that they can continue to pour themselves out to the athletes and staff entrusted to their care. The retreat allows participants to experience the beautiful campus of the University of Notre Dame while providing time for prayer, reflection and discussion. New in 2025: this year's Pre-Conference Retreat will be included in the cost of registration for the full conference and all attendees are welcome to attend. We hope to see you there!
"This is my favorite conference I have attended." - 2024 Participant
Play Like a Champion is committed to assuring that all children have an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of youth sports in a safe and fun environment. Through our annual conference, coach and parent education, and initiatives like A Team for Every Child, this work is improving the lives of children in communities across the country. If you are unable to make the conference this year, please still consider a tax-deductible donation of $100 or more to support Play Like a Champion's mission. Click the link below to donate today!
What are people saying about the Play Like a Champion Today Conference?
100% of participants attending our last conference said it met or exceeded their expectations.
“I love the feeling of family this conference leaves you with.”
“It’s always the people at the conference and the opportunity to engage in discussions with them about how they live out this mission within their own schools and leagues that is powerful. This is a phenomenal group committed to the well-being of our children and the mission of virtue driven sports. It’s your biggest asset as a program and this conference allows the group to get together in one place and interact.”
“Seeing the conference first-hand was great. Athletics today really needs your message! Great values and strong character can and should be the results of an athletic program, but they have to be at the forefront of the program. You are reinforcing those concepts to all of your participants and that will be a great help to all the kids playing in their programs!”
“ I met such wonderful people from all over the place. I gained great new ideas from them and different perspectives on life. Also, the conference was very well run and professional by a wonderful organization with such committed energetic people.
“This is a fantastic conference that exceeded my expectations. It was organized and professional. The speakers were very impactful and inspiring! All the content was relevant, informative and thought provoking. The conference created collaboration with seminar formats and close interaction with presenters and colleagues.”
“It is a summer ritual to attend the conference to be inspired and motivated to prepare for another year in coaching and education.”
"I loved the subject matter of this conference – it was both informative and inspirational. These are subjects most people are uncomfortable discussing and the conference presented it in a very positive and professional light."
