Canada Basketball Podcast
- Dec 15, 2025
- 1 min read
On this episode of the Canada Basketball Coaching Podcast, Mike sits down with Micaëlla Riché — former NCAA Division I athlete, coach, Executive Director of Layup Basketball, and now a doctoral researcher exploring coaching methodology and athlete psychosocial needs.
Key Topics Discussed
1. Coaching as Stewardship & the Human Side of the Game
2. Her Playing Journey & Shift into Leadership
3. Layup Basketball: Access, Belonging, and Community Stewardship
4. Creating Psychological Safety & Trauma-Informed Coaching
5. Autonomy, Competence & Relatedness (Self-Determination Theory)
6. Coaching Methodology & the Constraints-Led Approach
7. The Cook → Chef Coaching Continuum
8. Regenerative Leadership & Co-Constructed Learning Communities
9. Helping Kids Fall in Love with the Process
Why This Episode Matters
This conversation is a masterclass in modern coaching that centres human development over tactics. Whether you coach elite athletes or 6-year-olds at a community centre, Micaëlla offers a powerful roadmap for creating environments where kids feel safe, motivated, connected, and inspired to grow — on and off the court.
Absolutely loved this deep dive into human-centred coaching — so many takeaways on psychological safety and helping kids enjoy the process. Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful conversation. Also, great idea to visualise coaching concepts with giant posters —rasterbator makes it super easy to print and assemble wall-sized diagrams for team workshops or office walls. Highly recommend for any coaching or classroom setup!
The conversation around trauma-informed coaching and psychological safety is exactly what youth sports have been missing—so much of what Micaëlla shared about autonomy and competence applies directly to how we structure practices. I’ve been digging into similar frameworks lately, and this pairs perfectly with what I’m finding over at https://dreamina-ai.pro
The point about trauma-informed coaching and creating psychological safety really resonates—so often we focus on X’s and O’s and forget the athlete is a whole person first. Micaëlla’s blend of academic research and grassroots work with Layup is exactly the kind of stewardship the game needs more of. I’ve been digging into similar frameworks over at https://revid-ai.com
This episode is a must-listen for anyone rethinking what coaching truly means — it’s about people first, not just plays. The conversation on psychological safety and the “cook to chef” continuum really reframes how we build growth-minded athletes. Highly recommend pairing it with some cursed images for a full range of human experience.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone who coaches with heart — Micaëlla’s take on psychological safety and the cook-to-chef continuum totally reframed how I see player development. If you’re into thoughtful, human-first coaching, don’t skip this one. Also, if you enjoy brain-teasers on the side, check out this arrow puzzle while you listen.