Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA

Husband, father, Global Leadership researcher, leadership and management scholar, football coach, educator, leadership professor and management consultant.

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

Celebrating the 96th commencement ceremony! My 11th here! Congratulations to all the students especially our COB and MBA students!!

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

Latest episode dropped last week! Had a blast talking with @courtneyannbeck founder of Plenty of Positivity, former collegiate gymnast, podcast host and professor.

https://t.co/xoByT0YJOv

[William Payne @TweetsbyCoachP]

RECRUITS ARE LOST AND CONFUSED

One of the biggest misconceptions about recruiting is that more information and more opportunities have made the process easier.

On the surface, recruiting appears simple.

Create highlights.
Attend camps.
Contact coaches.
Perform well.
Make the grades.
Get recruited.

But beneath the surface is a world of competing voices, conflicting advice, and constant pressure that many families struggle to navigate.

They’re being pulled in every direction.

Parents have opinions.

High school coaches have opinions.

Travel coaches have opinions.

Trainers have opinions.

Friends have opinions.

Former players have opinions.

Social media has opinions.

One person says stay close to home. Another says leave the state. One says focus on academics. Another says chase the highest level possible. One says be patient. Another says commit now. Everyone sounds confident, yet nobody fully agrees.

AND college coaches often have opinions that completely contradict everyone else’s.

At the same time, recruits are surrounded by more noise than any generation before them. Every day they see commitment graphics, rankings, scholarship announcements, campus visits, transfer portal news, and highlight videos. They’re constantly comparing their journey to someone else’s best moments.

The pressure of “D1 or bust” only makes things harder. Many athletes grow up believing that if it’s not Division I, it’s not success. The reality is that incredible opportunities exist at every level:

D2, D3, NAIA, JUCO, USCAA, NCCAA, and more

But too many recruits spend their time chasing someone else’s definition of success instead of defining it for themselves.

They’re also trying to please everyone. Their parents. Their coaches. Their teammates. Their friends. The people who invested time and money into them. All while trying to figure out what they actually want.

And perhaps that’s the hardest part. Recruiting isn’t just choosing a school. It’s choosing where you’ll live, who you’ll learn from, who you’ll compete with, and what the next chapter of your life may look like. All while trying to decipher what the financial aid package really means for their future!

That’s a lot of pressure for a 16, 17, or 18 year-old who is still trying to figure out what tomorrow looks like and who to truly trust.

The recruits who navigate the process best aren’t usually the ones who listen to the loudest voices. They’re the ones who eventually learn to tune out the noise, stop comparing themselves to others, and define success for themselves.

Because recruiting was never meant to be about impressing the most people.

It’s about finding the place where you can grow, belong, and become the best version of yourself.

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

Honored to be on the podcast Football Talk with @ChipSeagle
https://t.co/EMYCZbRVbj

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

The latest episode is out! @ChelseaAlePhD is on the show sharing insights on diving, leadership, coaching, accountability, and so much more!!

https://t.co/z1sYiTWaJC

[Coach Jeff Barnes @JeffBarnes52]

As an AD, I constantly remind our coaches what a captain really is. It is not always your best player, even though that is the ideal. It is the player who lives out your program’s culture every single day. The one who holds teammates accountable, shows up and works, puts the team first, and does the little things right when no one is watching.

A captain is not just a talented kid who makes plays. It is the standard everyone else should follow.

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

I choose taste! This is my #PepsiEntry for a chance to win $25K playing the @Pepsi #PepsiTasteWins jackpot! Tap below and post to enter to win yourself! U.S. res, 18+. Ends 2/8/26, 9:45pm ET. Rules: https://t.co/FhBCU3oB2x

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

Hard episode to record but I was glad to do it.

https://t.co/YQse8641Rj

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

The trailer for season 3 has been released! Exciting guests have been lined up for this season!

https://t.co/uuH68p68vv

[Redlands Bulldog Football @UofR_Football]

2026 Redlands Football June Camp Series - 6 Dates are set!

Camps will be separated into two sessions:
Skill Positions
OL/DL

Get signed up at: https://t.co/Reu9IszTYu

More schools to be added soon!

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

Not good for high school players, schools going to have no spots open for at least a couple years if this passes.

[College Transfer Portal @CollegeFBPortal]

BREAKING: Pending committee approval, players can now play in NINE games and keep their redshirt instead of the current FOUR game rule.

Complete game changer 😳

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

Some LG Tigers on the 4A list!

[OSAA @OSAASports]

🏈 The 2025 OSAA All-State Football teams have been selected! 🏈

To find out who made 1st team, 2nd team, 3rd team and Honorable Mention for all classifications, head to https://t.co/N95K7WZw0w

#opreps

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

One of my favorite episodes to record and favorite topics to talk about! Sports is so much more than X's and O's. Beyond the scoreboard is my motto.
https://t.co/zMKXHWrBfg

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

@Coach_Mathieson @CoachRon10 Coach Ron is one of the best!!

[Adam Grant @AdamMGrant]

The most underrated career skill is the ability to receive tough love.

Acquiring knowledge is easy. Obtaining constructive criticism is hard. If you can't handle the truth, people stop telling you the truth.

The people who grow the most are the ones who take feedback the best.

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

The latest episode features Rob Miller with Proactive Coaching LLC. Rob share his philosophy of positive demanding, leadership and his music taste.

https://t.co/HPdJeseSip

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

My latest episode features Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching. Listen in on his positive, demanding philosophy, leadership, and musical interests!
https://t.co/gKeRg3Yk1S

[MLB @MLB]

Major League Baseball today announced a strategic investment in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), marking a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive partnership with a women’s professional sports league.

The new pro softball league launches its inaugural season with Opening Day on Saturday, June 7th with games in Rosemont, IL and Wichita, KS.

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

My latest episode of Most Things. I discuss the mental toughness and championship mindset training we do for athletes, and how it can be used for businesses and professionals as well. https://t.co/DrDe1iWiAJ

[Michael Fields, Ph.D., MBA, RAA @michaelkfields]

Such an honor to be invited to QB Code podcast with @mattlasker of @playrbook_

https://t.co/5Z9u2DQNQ0