446: Using the Power of Hockey to Develop Life Champions | Justin Simpkins Part 1

Podcast accessible on: iTunes | Spotify | YouTube

Justin Simpkins built Prairie Hockey Academy in 2017 on a simple but countercultural idea: hockey is just the vehicle. The real goal is developing life champions — young men and women who know how to lead, serve, and grow. In this conversation with JP and Nate, Justin opens up about his own rocky college hockey career, how a post-career encounter with a leadership coach changed everything, and what it's actually taken to build a program that puts character at the center. Spoiler: it's been messy, humbling, and completely worth it.

Key Takeaways

Meekness isn't weakness — it's power under control. Justin challenges coaches to ask: am I demanding or demeaning? The difference usually comes down to heart posture. If we haven't done the inner work, the demeaning version shows up uninvited.

Hiring for heart beats hiring for credentials. One of Justin's biggest lessons learned was chasing coaching resumes over mission alignment. PHA now recruits former players who already get it — people committed to growth, not just a stepping stone.

Structure your values, don't just post them on a wall. PHA runs weekly character sessions, small groups, and player development plans — and employs a full-time Director of Team Development. When those conversations drop off, the results-first mentality creeps back in fast.

First things first. Athletes expecting a pure hockey program get a gentle redirect. Borrowing from C.S. Lewis: put first things first (education, character, growth), and the hockey takes care of itself.

Every detail reflects your culture. From a clean facility to how coaches greet athletes in the hallway, nothing is too small. PHA uses the Ritz-Carlton 1-3-5 greeting principle so athletes feel seen as people — not just players.

Love the kids first. Justin's bottom line: if you genuinely love your athletes, everything else follows — practice prep, game-day energy, culture. It all flows from that foundation.

Impactful Quotes

"To be a coach, your number one skill is just to love the kids. If you do, everything else gets taken care of."

"As soon as wins and losses become the focus, it's usually because we've lost track of the development conversation."

"There are enough spaces that judge people on performance. We've been really intentional about not being one of them."

Action Items for Leaders

✓ Know your why. Spend 10 minutes with Joe Ehrmann's four foundational questions from Inside Out Coaching. If you can't answer them clearly, that's the work right there.

✓ Audit your staff room talk. For one week, notice whether your coaching conversations are above or below the line. Are you problem-solving around athletes — or just complaining about them?

✓ Greet intentionally. Commit to acknowledging every athlete by name — with eye contact and genuine warmth — every time you see them. It takes seconds. It signals everything.

🌐 TOC Culture: https://tocculture.com

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🏒 Prairie Hockey Academy: https://www.prairiehockey.ca/

📚 Significance Over Success: https://www.amazon.com/Significance-Over-Success-Redefining-Obsessed/dp/B0G3KBGBSK