The Leave It Better Podcast
Explore how to Leave it Better: in life, through the sport of Volleyball. Nebraska Hall of Fame Coach Janice Kruger speaks with the world’s best Volleyball coaches and athletes about the lessons the sport of volleyball has taught them about how to “leave it better.” Are you looking for inspiration on your path of self-discovery? Do you want to build a life with meaning? This is the podcast for you. For more than 30 years Janice Kruger has taught and coached young women leading them to become the best versions of themselves in both sport and life. Each one of her gu...
The Reason Winning isn't Everything, with Tyler Carey

Winning isn’t everything if you’re not winning cleanly. Coach Tyler Carey believes in pushing his players to be accountable for every point… even the ones the refs don’t get right.
Tyler helped start the “Power of Pink” volleyball tournament, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for breast cancer research. He talks with Janice about how a brush with death helped him find a renewed passion for life, and helping others.
Links mentioned:
For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the side-out organization on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sideoutfndn/Have suggest...A Coaching Career Built on Incredible Connections, with Ruth Nelson

If you want to be the best, you need experience. That’s where Ruth Nelson shines. As a volleyball coach at all levels of the sport over many decades, Ruth walks us through her lessons with some of the most influential volleyball figures in the history of the sport. A must listen to episode for young and aspiring coaches! Veteran coaches will appreciate Ruth’s stories and connections.
Links mentioned:
For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the side-out organization on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sideoutfndn/Have suggestions for the podcast? Email Janice: leav...Demanding More from Players, with Penn State Coach Russ Rose

In the world of women’s volleyball, one coach has racked up more wins than any other. His name is Russ Rose. He spent 40 years at Penn State and picked up seven NCAA Division 1 championships, among numerous other huge successes. So what does it take to not just get to the very top level, but stay there?
Russ’s coaching style holds players accountable. Hear what he sees as problems on the court today.
Links mentioned:
For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the side-out organization on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/side...Winning Wisdom & Fun Stories with 2x Olympic Medalist and NCAA Champ Haleigh Washington

Hot off the court from the 2025 Paris Olympics with her Silver medal, Team USA’s Haleigh Washington shares the heart-pounding moments, the skills that carried the team, and how American volleyball can change its messaging.
Also, get Haleigh’s take on who the best players in the world are right now.
Links mentioned:
For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the side-out organization on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sideoutfndn/Have suggestions for the podcast? Email Janice: leaveitbetter@side-out.orgFrom the Volleyball Court to the Lab – Our Fight Against Cancer, with Dr. Emanuel Petricoin

A special episode with a unique message of hope. The sport of volleyball is the carrier for the Side-Out Foundation’s mission to end breast cancer. On the frontlines of that mission is Dr. Emanuel Petricoin. He’s a pioneering researcher in personalized medicine, and Co-Director of the Center of Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine at George Mason University. Hear how his work with the Side-Out Foundation is helping transform how we treat breast cancer.
Links mentioned:
For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the side-out organization on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digpinkHave sugges...Handling the Pressure of Winning and Keeping the Streak Going, with Candace Moats

What does it take not only rack up an impressive win streak, but to find the confidence to keep that streak going?
In 2023, Indiana Wesleyan University’s Candace Moats was honored with multiple ‘Coach of the Year’ awards, in part to her team finishing with a flawless 38 wins and zero losses season (the first time in 6 years for any NAIA volleyball team to accomplish).
Coach Moats has been coaching volleyball competitively for 40 years. She shares her advice for not caving to the high-stakes pressure. We also hear about the benefit of surrounding yourself with people that yo...
Empowering Lives Through Sport - Lori Okimura's Passion

Everyone should have a chance to play the sports they love. As the President of ParaVolley, Lori Okimura helps players with various physical disabilities come together to compete on the volleyball court. Whether it’s using coconut trees for net posts, communicating through cultural barriers, or playing at the age of 92, as Lori tells Janice, if there’s a will, there’s a hundred ways.
Links mentioned:
For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the side-out organization on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sideoutfndn/Have suggestions for the podcast? Email Janice: leaveitbetter@side-out.orgGrowth Requires Discomfort, with Juniata Head Coach Heather Pavlik

Whether you’re training professional athletes to reach their peak, or raising kids to deal with everyday pressures, Juniata Head Coach Heather Pavlik has the experience everyone can benefit from. With a family in sports, Heather knows how to move past failures in a positive way to reach success.
She tells Janice how straightforward honesty helped her gain the respect of her players and fellow coaches
After coming off her second National Volleyball Championship victory, losing only a single match in two full seasons, Heather shares her recipe for winning on the court and off.
...The Perfect Team Demands this Essential Environment, with Coach Dan Fisher

As a coach, would you choose a player with a small role on a winning team, or take a player with a big role on a losing team? University of Pittsburgh Head Volleyball Coach Dan Fisher has built a VERY successful career out of recruiting players from all types of backgrounds. He tells Janice about his methods and philosophies when it comes to standing out in an extremely competitive field.
Also, discover the superstitious habit Coach Fisher got hooked on after leading his team on an incredible win streak.
Links mentioned:
For more information...After Losing His Wife, Olympian Steve Grotowski Continues His Battle Against Cancer

Steve Grotowski and his wife Capri were taking beach volleyball to the next level. Steve was competing in the Olympics in Beach Volleyball, and Capri was the Head Coach of Florida Atlantic University, with Steve as her Assistant Coach. Then Capri was diagnosed with breast Cancer. She fought on for almost a decade, while still coaching with Steve nearly the entire time. Capri died in 2022. Hear how Steve keeps her memory alive as he works to defeat the terrible disease that killed her.
Links mentioned:
For more information go to www.side-out.org. Follow the side-out o...