
In The Huddle
The world of US college sport is both expansive and exciting, and international student-athletes are signing up in their droves for their shot at a scholarship opportunity.
In The Huddle is the creation of Study & Play USA, widely regarded as the GO TO experts in facilitating the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders in this industry: US college coaches and recruiters, local high schools, families of student-athletes and most importantly the student-athletes themselves.
So as you jog on the treadmill, drive to work, school or training, tune in to hear from industry leading experts, US college coaches, parents and student-athletes and learn how to best approach this pathway to maximise your opportunity and set yourself up for your most successful life.
Episodes
57 episodes
EP#58: NPL Does Not Automatically Mean NCAA D1 with Indian Hills Men's Soccer Coach Zac Newton
Prepare yourself for an eye-opening journey through the world of collegiate soccer with our special guest, Coach Zach Newton from Indian Hills Community College. Hailing from Australia, Coach Newton's path from player to coach is nothing short ...
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44:09

EP#57: Take Division Out of It with Junior College Softball Coach Erin Sharpe at Northeast CC in Nebraska
Unlock the secrets of junior college softball recruitment with our expert guest, Coach Erin Sharpe from Northeast Community College in Nebraska. Gain insights into what truly matters in the eyes of a college coach: it's not just about stats but...
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Episode 57
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28:17

EP#56: Junior College Tennis Beyond the Stereotypes with Jones College Coach Brooks Buffington
Continuing with our junior college podcast series, Chris Bates sits down with Coach Brooks Buffington, the newly crowned 2024 National Women's Junior College Coach of the Year at Jones College in Mississippi, to uncover the truth behind the oft...
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Episode 56
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54:02

EP#55: The Customer vs The Explorer: College Recruitment with Cloud County Community College Track/XC Coach Drew Mahin
This podcast episode dives deep into one of our most frequently requested topics: Junior College, also known as JUCO or NJCAA. Coach Drew Mahin from Cloud County describes the recruitment process in a way for everybody to understa...
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Episode 55
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1:08:38

EP#54: Fuelling student-athletes for performance both at home and College with Sports Dietitian Lyss Koenan.
How do you balance athletics and academics while ensuring proper nutrition?In this episode, Director Alexia Bates sits down with Sports Dietician Lyss Koenan to discuss nutritional choices for high school and college aged athletes. Alex...
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Episode 54
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48:07

EP#53: Unpacking Junior College Basketball with Dodge City Community College Women's Basketball Coach Landon Steele
In this episode, Claire sits down with Junior College Division 1 Women's Basketball coach Landon Steele, from Dodge City Community College. They discuss a wide range of topics from what Coach Steele looks for in a recruit, why he enjoys recruit...
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Season 3
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Episode 17
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58:54

EP#52: From Golf Recruit To Recruiting Mentor: Introducing Our New Team Member, Jarrod Mann
What if you could navigate the challenges of being a student-athlete in a foreign country while chasing your dreams of professional sports? Meet Jarrod Mann, our newest team member and recruiting mentor at Study and Play USA! Jarro...
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Season 3
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Episode 16
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17:25

EP#51: Bridging High School and US Pathways: The Geelong College’s Approach To Connecting Sport & Academics
Ever wondered how student-athletes juggle academic excellence with top-tier sports performance? Join us in this inspiring episode where we sit down with Nathan Brown, the Director of Sport and Performance Pathways, and Adrian Blades, the Head o...
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Season 3
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Episode 15
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36:50

EP#50 More than just running with NCAA Division 1 Women's Track/XC Coaches at St Mary's College of California
Prepare to be propelled into the dynamic world of college athletics as we sit down with Marty Kinsey and Mark Kaiser from St. Mary's College of California. Discover the enduring bond between Australian athletes and St. Mary's sports programs, a...
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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1:00:55

EP#49 Mastering the Game: Navigating College Sports Eligibility for International Student-Athletes
Embark on a journey into the heart of the college sports world as Chris and Alexia Bates from Study and Play USA join us to dissect the academic eligibility maze for international student-athletes. This episode is not merely a conversation; it'...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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49:22

EP#48: Introducing our newest team member Conor - Returned College Rugby player
Study and Play USA has a new staff member, recently returned from his 4 year college experience at Iona University, playing rugby! In this episode, Conor chats with Alexia about his journey using Study and Play as a high school student to now w...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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18:16

EP#47: Preparing Athletically for the Rigours of College Sport with Stewart Briggs, former US College Strength & Conditioning Guru and Founder of Acceleration Australia
This is a must listen for ALL budding student-athletes. Tune in and gain a WEALTH of knowledge from an industry leading expert who understands the nuances of the US approach to strength, conditioning and general athletic training and how ...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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48:28

EP#46: Maximise Your Summer!
In this super short episode, Chris discusses the sometimes unknown life changing opportunities available to student – athletes to set themselves up for a successful sporting and post sporting career. Chris provides some tips for maximising your...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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14:03

EP#45: Supporting Student-athletes Beyond College With Industry Leading Recruitment Agency Robert Walters
In this episode Chris Bates chats with Robert Walters Associate Director Hamish Winterbourn, about that the characteristics that international student-athletes possess like resilience, time management, team work and discipline make them some of...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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23:38

EP#43: Undergrad in the USA and Post Grad in the UK - Our Partnership with Play Overseas
In this episode, SPUSA Director Alexia sits down with the Director of Play Overseas, Harry Newton to announce their new partnership which will help US graduates obtain graduate opportunities in UK. Together, Harry & Alexia chat with an NCAA...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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56:55

EP#42: Set yourself up for life through US College Rugby with UCLA Rugby Coach Harry Bennett
In this episode, Study and Play Director Chris is joined by Australian born UCLA Rugby Coach Harry Bennett. They discuss the power of rugby as a connector and network tool for student-athletes.
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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51:01

EP#41: The Danger of Letting Other's Opinions Get in the Way of Your Dreams with WA Softballer Mackayla Denney
WA Softballer Mackayla Denney sits down with Talent Coordinator Claire to discuss her regrets and mindset shifts she had to make in her softball recruiting journey. Filled with "say it louder for the people in the back" moments, Mackayla is a p...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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57:36

EP#40: Key Tips: How attitude and mindset impact the US College Recruiting Process
In this episode, Study and Play Director Alexia is joined by Talent Coordinators Chris and Claire to discuss common mindset barriers they have encountered over 20 years with student-athletes athletes and their families during the US recruiting ...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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33:33

EP#39: NAIA Women’s Soccer Player Katie Jones: The Support Network For Student-athletes at US College
In this episode of ‘In The Huddle’ Director Alexia Bates and current soccer student-athlete Katie Jones discuss her journey from Australian high school student to Sophomore at NAIA women’s soccer program at SOKA College in California. Tog...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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36:38

EP#38: A deeper insight into US College admissions with founder of Internationally Educated and former US admissions officer Debbie Shively
In this episode, Director Alexia Bates takes you into the world of US College admissions with founder of Internationally Educated and former US admissions officer Debbie Shively. They discuss the differences between admissions here in Australia...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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43:52

EP#37: Reflections from my first Semester at College with Water Polo player Izzy Lumley
In this episode, our Director Alexia sits down with Freshman Water Polo player Izzy Lumley to reflect on her first semester in College in the US. They discuss how the recruiting process itself helped prepare Izzy for College, how she was able t...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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44:10

EP#36: What Coaches Look for During Recruitment with NCAA D3 Women's Soccer Coach at Piedmont University, Timmy McCormack
In this episode, Chris is joined by Talent Coordinator Claire Mulligan and USA South Coach of the Year 2021, NCAA Division 3 Women’s Soccer Coach Timmy McCormack. They discuss what coaches from all sports look for in a recruit, rec...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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51:51

EP#35: Water Polo Player Philippa Piper on her journey from Brisbane to a National Championship
Philippa Piper has just graduated from 4 years playing Water Polo at an NCAA D2 program. Alexia catches up with Pip to hear about her time in College from Conference Championships, the recruiting process, competing with the men’s ...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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56:46

EP#34: My First Year Of US College: With Decathlete Jackson Willis
In this episode, Chris sits down with decathlete Jackson Willis who reflect on his first year as a student-athlete in North Dakota, all the way from Orange, in country New South Wales!
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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26:59

EP#33: How the Other Half Lives : A Chat with Study & Play USA Talent Coordinator Claire Mulligan on the key differences between being recruited in the USA and Australia
Claire is the latest Talent Coordinator to join the SPUSA team! Hear about her journey, her soccer career, and why she is so passionate about the US College pathway for Aussie Student-athletes!
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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40:45
