When we launched “Extra Points,” our main goal was to create a podcast for the entire Pop Warner community — athletes, parents, coaches, and volunteers — and sports fans everywhere.
The opportunity to sit down with Pro Football Hall of Famers and other influential voices was exciting. However, I quickly realized that access alone wouldn’t guarantee the podcast’s success. If I wanted Extra Points to be a reliable resource and a platform that supports the Pop Warner brand, I needed a clear process, not just good intentions.
Before recording the first episode, I established five guiding pillars to turn each interview into more of a conversation. I believed that if I consistently executed on those principles, each episode would succeed and, over time, the series would matter.
Now 12 episodes in, this approach has shown that preparation is key to elevating every episode.