Blog | Coaching The Block One Collective – Iron Sharpening Iron

Author / Danny Stein

5-7 minute read

This year, in lieu of the annual Power Athlete Symposium, founder and HMFIC of Power Athlete John Welbourn decided to do a more private gathering for Block One Coaches – The Block One Coaches Collective, held at Power Athlete HQ. The result: Block One Coaches from across the globe got to come in for a once in a lifetime experience in what was the largest gathering of Vans and black shirts with skulls ever recorded. The weekend was one of learning, laughs, libations, and connection! We welcomed the newest additions to the family as more seasoned Block One Coaches met the most current class of coaches that earned their Blocks. Each of us learned from one another and got to share in so many experiences throughout the weekend. Here’s my personal experience from this incredible Collective weekend.

Iron Sharpens Iron:

The first thing that comes to mind as I recall my Collective weekend experiences is how many amazing Block One coaches there are! It’s truly an honor and a humbling experience to walk into Power Athlete HQ and see so many driven individuals! Some of those individuals presented their passion for excellence and wealth of knowledge, including the nutrition ninja tag team of Samantha Flaherty (@samantha__flaherty) and Rob Exline (@ptrob1967). Adam Lane (@oakperformance) and Bryce Wolcott (@bryce_wolcott) brought their classroom teaching experience to the forefront in their presentations. Hands on practical sessions by Matt Erdman (@coach_erdman) with his Change of Direction practical, Zack Nagle (@zack_nagle) with sprinting technique and mechanics, and Johnny Durrett (@johnnydurrett) sharing self-defense techniques for us to take home. These coaches gave us new tools for us to implement with not only our athletes, but families as well. We also learned about the lives, trials and tribulations of three of our own: Brian Dunn (@lifewelldunn), Christopher Bean (@coach.christoher.bean), and Colby Wartman (@coach_wartman). The panel guided by Harry Shaw (@harryboomshaw) on some of the experiences they had gone through, and how it impacted them left the room speechless!

Hearing and seeing all of these coaches pour their hearts into their passion only fueled ours more. Their way of communicating was not only engaging, but made you want to do your best! When they were given an opportunity to fill our cups with their knowledge they didn’t hold back! It brings to life the old saying that bears repeating after a weekend like this….Iron sharpens iron!

Best of the Best:

The Best of the Best is more than just an underrated 1989 martial arts film starring Eric Roberts and James Earl Jones. It’s what was delivered at the Block One Coaches Collective! Coaches who are considered the best in their fields dropped knowledge bombs on our Block One crew. Power Athlete founder and CEO John Welbourn (@johnwelbourn) reminded all of us what true athleticism is, while Power Athlete Director of Training Tex McQuilkin (@mcquilkin) taught us how to build a true Power Athlete! You’d also be hard pressed to find coaches and pioneers such as Paul Carter (@liftrunbang1), Derek Woodske (@derekwoodske), Doctor Kirk Parsley (@kirkparsley), and nutrition specialist Brian Sanders (@foodlies) all in one place anywhere else. Each one of them was an open book that poured out everything we could ask for. The in-depth practical sessions and presentations were first class and allowed us to learn new skills to take home and implement right away. And, what made this weekend even more unique was that we got to know the guest speakers as individuals off stage, sharing drinks and swapping stories with them later in the evening at our social event (which included a performance by musician JD Casper (@jd_casper)) that blew us all away! All of this truly makes you appreciate the Block One network that much more. Not everyone gets to have access to world class coaches, yet here we are having a drink with them and talking shop. It’s one of the most gratifying experiences that I’ve been fortunate enough to have!

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We Are All the Same, but Different:

All of us drawn to the Power Athlete Methodology are alike in many ways. We all want to empower the performance of ourselves, our children, or our athletes/clients. All Block One Coaches have that innate desire to better ourselves and others. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t have made the investment into the Power Athlete Methodology and put ourselves through the fire at our respective Block One tests. We’ve all been through that adversity, and it binds us together as one big Block One family. The Block we receive upon earning the title of “Block One Coach” embodies those qualities. The hardened steel and the fire that has bound it together is truly the greatest symbol of that commitment. As similar as we all are in our drive and passion for performance, we are also very different. And that’s OK! It’s similarities AND our differences that draw us closer together. We all come from different walks of life. Those different backgrounds and life experiences are what make each of us unique. It’s also what makes each of us a genuine coach. Each Block One has a specific set of skills that allow us to reach our clients on a level others may not be able to.

Making real life connections with the people you see on social media was by far my favorite aspect of this Collective weekend! The laughs, the meals shared, the long talks about our families, life, and our goals. This is what the Collective is all about! Filling your cup with knowledge, with gratitude for new friendships, and a chance to rekindle old ones. After it’s all said and done, you leave the weekend knowing that having your cup filled means that this time next year we will have an opportunity to empty it yet again for more learning experiences.

Don’t Miss Next Year!

So…what are you waiting for? Don’t miss out on next year’s Block One Coach’s Collective! Give yourself the opportunity to learn from the best in the business as well as share your passion with others. If you’re not already, you can become part of the Block One family, earn your Block, and be a part of next year’s Collective! The first step is to head to the Power Athlete Academy page and sign up for the Power Athlete Methodology course! Get plugged into a network of fire breathing coaches and empower not only yourself, but the lives of others. Like Michael Scott said, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, so take yours today and we’ll see you next year!

SOURCES

Tagged: be the hammer / Block One / Block One Coach / empower your performance / Growth Mindset / Iron Sharpens Iron / Mindset / Power Athlete / Power Athlete Academy / Power Athlete HQ / Power Athlete Methodology

AUTHOR

Danny Stein

Danny graduated from University of Central Florida in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Education. He spent 16 years as an offensive line and strength coach at the high school level at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, FL. During that time, he helped over 20 young offensive linemen successfully sign to play college football at a range of schools from D1 FBS to JUCO. Danny also has experience coaching at a local CrossFit gym for 2 years. He stepped away from coaching football and CrossFit to better himself and his family. Starting in September of 2020, he would earn the title of Block One Coach and go on to start his own personal training business called SteinerTime Training. Using the Power Athlete Methodology, he teaches and trains a variety of clients ranging from middle and high school athletes to those in the general population. Danny resides in Port Orange, FL with his wife and daughter where he pursues his passion of empowering his clients to be the best version of themselves possible!