Erika Lambert, Head Women's Basketball Coach at the University of North Florida entering her fourth season, joins the show to reflect on what she's learned making the jump from a 15-year assistant career into leading her own program.

We dive into why she builds in non-negotiable time to think and plan each week, how she's learned to delegate recruiting and other responsibilities she used to own herself, and why "the people are the job" has become her filter for a to-do list that never actually ends.

Coach Lambert also breaks down how she built a weekly hour into her limited practice-time budget to make her program's five core values a living part of the culture rather than words on a wall, and walks through why her hardest leadership decisions have come through roster management.

We also get into the balancing act of coaching and parenting and trying to find how much to push your kids in their sports.

🔗Check out more from Coach Lambert 👇

Instagram:

@OspreysWBB

@Coach_lambert

@Momsincoaching

This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches.

Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success.

👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here].

Chapters

00:00 Intro

02:02 Assistant to Head Coach: What Actually Changes

05:35 Building In Time to Think Amid the Chaos

08:52 "The People Are The Job"

12:54 Learning to Delegate as a Head Coach

16:04 Showing Your Staff What You Want, Not Just Telling Them

18:42 Recruiting for Character and Fit

20:57 Turning Core Values Into a Living Culture

30:44 The Hardest Decision: Rebuilding the Roster the Right Way

38:51 Coaching, Parenting, and Knowing How Hard to Push

51:14 The Sleeping Bags at the Track

53:16 Closest to Purpose: Coaching as Ministry

EP 66: Erika Lambert | The People Are The Job

The Strength In Numbers Podcast

EP 66: Erika Lambert | The People Are The Job