In this episode of The Samson Strength Coach Collective, DeJuan Hathaway joins us to tell his story. DeJuan is the Human Performance Director and Program Manager at the 15th Air Support Operations Squadron.
He provides incredible insight that will prompt any listener to really search for what allows us to have the biggest impact in our current space. DeJuan is a great guy and his thoughtful words make this episode a great one!
Episode overview
DeJuan Hathaway, Human Performance Director and Program Manager at the 15th Air Support Operations Squadron, shares the experiences that shaped his work and challenges listeners to consider where they can create the greatest impact in their current space. The conversation gives strength and conditioning professionals a practical way to think about coaching beyond sets and repetitions. It connects day-to-day training decisions with communication, leadership, athlete development, and the realities of working inside a larger organization.
Key themes from the conversation
Finding the place where you can make an impact
Hathaway’s story encourages coaches to look closely at the needs immediately in front of them. Meaningful work often begins by understanding the mission, the people, and the constraints of the current environment. As you listen, pay attention to the decisions behind the approach: what problem the coach is trying to solve, what information matters most, and how the idea can be adapted to a different team, age group, or training environment. That context is more useful than copying a drill or program without understanding why it was selected.
Leading within a human-performance program
A director and program manager must connect coaching practice with planning, communication, and organizational priorities. The conversation offers a useful reminder that leadership involves creating conditions in which other specialists can do their best work. As you listen, pay attention to the decisions behind the approach: what problem the coach is trying to solve, what information matters most, and how the idea can be adapted to a different team, age group, or training environment. That context is more useful than copying a drill or program without understanding why it was selected.
Serving a specialized population
Tactical settings bring distinct operational demands and responsibilities. The broader lesson is to learn the population deeply, respect the mission, and avoid importing a sport model without examining whether it fits. As you listen, pay attention to the decisions behind the approach: what problem the coach is trying to solve, what information matters most, and how the idea can be adapted to a different team, age group, or training environment. That context is more useful than copying a drill or program without understanding why it was selected.
Why this episode matters
DeJuan Hathaway’s perspective is useful because the role of a performance coach is never limited to writing a program. Coaches must earn trust, explain expectations, adjust to the people in front of them, and keep training aligned with the competitive calendar. This episode invites listeners to examine how professional growth and better athlete outcomes often come from the same habits: asking better questions, communicating clearly, reviewing results honestly, and staying willing to refine an approach.
For head coaches and administrators, the discussion also offers a window into the responsibilities carried by a strength staff. A successful program depends on shared standards, useful feedback, and collaboration across sport coaches, athletic trainers, medical staff, and performance specialists. The details will look different in every setting, but the need for alignment remains constant.
Who should listen
This episode is especially relevant for tactical human-performance professionals, program managers, strength coaches serving specialized populations, and leaders defining their sphere of influence. It is also a strong professional-development resource for interns and graduate assistants who want to understand how experienced practitioners evaluate problems, build relationships, and grow into greater responsibility. Listen once for the story, then return to the sections that connect most directly to the challenges in your own program.
Turn the conversation into action
After listening, write down one idea that confirms your current practice, one idea that challenges it, and one question you want to discuss with your staff. Choose a small action that can be tested without disrupting the entire program, define what improvement would look like, and review the result after an appropriate training block. That simple process turns a podcast insight into a useful coaching experiment while keeping the athlete and the program’s goals at the center of the decision.
Explore more interviews on the Samson Strength Coach Collective, where coaches and performance leaders share the experiences, systems, and lessons shaping their work.
