Vern Gambetta is currently is the Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems. As a pioneer in the field he is considered the father of “Functional Sports Training.”

He is recognized internationally as an expert in training and conditioning for sport having worked with world-class athletes and teams in a wide variety of sports. Vern has been the a conditioning coach in Major League Soccer as well as the conditioning consultant to the US Men’s World Cup Soccer. He is the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox and Director of Athletic Development for the New York Mets.

Vern’s coaching experience spans 45 years at all levels of competition. His background is track & field, having coached at all levels of the sport. In addition Vern served as the first director of the USATF Coaching Education Program, an innovative program designed to upgrade the standard of track and field coaching in the US.

“I believe coaching is giving the athlete problems to solve and then shutting up and getting out of their way.”

In This Episode:

• Learning to control his temper growing up
• Being impacted by his dad’s strong worth ethic and mom’s appetite for learning
• Not wanting to be labeled anything but “a coach”
• Being fascinated by what it takes to be the best in the world
• The importance of knowing what it takes to prepare
• How he helps people focus on the present moment
• The common qualities he sees in great coaches
• Finding the right work/life balance
• Learning to enjoy the moment rather than focus on what’s next