Honesty Builds Trust: Coaching Athletes Beyond the Scoreboard
By Mike Herbert (January 31, 2026)
In today’s coaching climate, many times coaches struggle to be truly honest with their athletes because there is concern that the truth hurts. With the growing stories about parent backlash and entitlement, it is a scary thing to hold student-athletes accountable for their actions or behaviors. Justin Clymo, long-time coach and administrator, would argue that this is the most important time to be honest with our kids. In a recent episode of The #beBETTER Podcast, Justin discusses why his honesty is essential to developing people, not athletes. This episode is a great reminder that coaches who build trusting relationships with their athletes will have a better opportunity to be honest and help their athletes grow into great people.
In Episode #20_California HS Athletic Director of the Year and podcast veteran, Justin Clymo, spends some time talking about the process and not the outcomes.
The #beBETTER Podcast was created with the simple mission of helping people be the best versions of themselves day after day. Along with Justin Clymo, the #beBETTER Podcast shares conversations with Div. 1 coaches, a world-renowned horse trainer and former student-athletes who all talk about the things that have helped them to be better throughout their lives. Follow the podcast and listen to more episodes at https://thebebetterpodcast.buzzsprout.com/
Dr. Mike Herbert’s 20+ years in education have been focused on helping people to be better teachers, coaches and people. He started his career in athletics as a basketball coach and has coached as well as taught at several different levels including middle school, high school, junior college and NCAA Div. 2. He has taught a course in movement education at Southern Oregon University and has developed courses such as the theory of coaching, sport psychology and sociology of sport for Southwestern Oregon CC where he was most recently the Dean of Health, PE & Athletic. He is currently the Assistant Athletic Director for Community Partnerships at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, CA. In his time away from his duties in athletics, Dr. Herbert spends his time conducting coaching and parent clinics for youth sports organizations and school districts. He also spends his free time supporting his own 2 student-athlete sons and his accomplished wife, Megan Corriea, head softball coach at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, CA. His newest adventure was launching The #beBETTER Podcast earlier this year on Apple and Spotify. The podcast is a resource for all coaches, parents, administrators and people trying to be the best versions of themselves. Mike earned his Ph.D. in HPE with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of New Mexico and a minor in educational psychology in 2007. You can also follow him on Instagram @bebetter.dr and on his Facebook page: Bebetter.
