2026 Conference Schedule & Speakers
Building Community
We are thrilled to welcome you to the 21st annual Play Like a Champion Conference!
Browse this year's Conference Schedule and read more about our featured speakers below.
2026 Conference Schedule
*All Times Eastern Daylight Time
Wednesday, June 10th: Building Beloved Community
Location: Foley's in O'Neill Hall
11:30 AM
Daily Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Optional)
Basilica of the Sacred Heart
12:00 PM
Tour of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Optional)
Basilica of the Sacred Heart
12:00 PM
Conference Registration and Lunch Available
Foley's in O'Neill Hall
Pre-Conference Retreat
1:30 PM
Opening Prayer Service
Foley's in O'Neill Hall
1:45 PM
Retreat Sessions
Foley's in O'Neill Hall
3:00 PM
Reflective Walk to Charles B. Hayes Sculpture Park
3:30 PM
Reflections on Art at the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Opening Conference Dinner & Social
6:00 PM
Cocktails & Appetizers
Foley's in O'Neill Hall
6:30 PM
Dinner
Foley's in O'Neill Hall
7:15 PM
Opening Remarks
Foley's in O'Neill Hall
Play Like a Champion's Executive Director Dr. Clark Power and Program Director Kristin Sheehan welcome attendees to the 2026 Play Like a Champion Today Sports Leadership Conference.
Dr. Clark Power
Kristin Sheehan
Thursday, June 11th: Building a Champion Community
Location: McKenna Hall
7:30 AM
Registration, Breakfast & Networking
2nd Floor McKenna Hall
8:30AM
Opening Prayer and Icebreaker
McKenna Hall 215/216
Begin the second day of our conference with prayer and get to know your fellow conference participants!
9:00 AM
Join long-time college and professional basketball coach Mike Brey as he talks coaching, leadership and more!
Mike Brey
9:30 AM
Mike Brey is joined on-stage by Thursday Evening Keynote speaker Roy Hibbert. The two competed against each other during Hibbert's collegiate career when Brey was the coach at Notre Dame and now they'll bring their expertise and friendly rivalry to the stage for a fascinating conversation.
Mike Brey
Roy Hibbert
10:15 AM
Break
10:30 AM
Carli McGregor
Early sport-specialization, professionalization of youth sport, family dynamics, performance pressures, and self-expectations are just some of the common issues that plague today’s youth athlete. In navigating these, our youth are susceptible to experiencing low self-worth and elevated perfectionism. As a result, mental health, relationships, attitude, and athletic performance are negatively impacted. Youth sport stakeholders have an opportunity to create a sport environment that assists athletes in developing more helpful relationships with themselves, their sport, and their performances. This session will discuss how an athletic community can support youth-athletes’ sense of self, and consequently, positively impact well-being and development.
11:15 AM
Thad Hawkes
Athlete Development
McKenna Hall 215/216
Hawkes is the Manager, National Events Engagement and Experience at the United States Tennis Association (USTA). In this presentation, he'll talk about the work the USTA is doing in positive youth development and how organizations in all sports should view this important area to nurture long-term athlete development.
12:00 PM
Lunch
2nd Floor McKenna Hall
1:00 PM -
5:00 PM
Play Like a Champion Coach Clinic Train-the-Trainer
New Youth Coach Clinic
McKenna Hall Room 202
New High School Coach Clinic
McKenna Hall Room 204
Join Play Like a Champion trainers for a journey through our acclaimed Coach Clinic.
Kristin Sheehan
Peter Piscitello
1:00 PM
Breakout Sessions #1
Returning Youth Partners Roundtable Conversation
McKenna Hall Room B01
Returning High School Partners Roundtable Conversation
McKenna Hall Room B02
Returning partners will enjoy roundtable discussion with updates on material and best practices, as well as discussion on important topics in their communities.
A Team for Every Child: Building Community
Children, Families and Neighborhoods
McKenna Hall Room 215/216
Sports are transformational when the sport culture, the system and policy all work together for the good of all entities building safer communities that serve the common good.
2:15 PM
Break
2:30 PM
Breakout Sessions #2
James Driessen
Lending Calm: Coaches' Role in Creating a Leadership Culture through Mindset and Performance Psychology
McKenna Hall Room 215/216
Team culture does not begin with athletes, it begins with the emotional presence and leadership of the coach. This interactive workshop explores how coaches can utilize mindset and performance psychology to “lend calm” during high-pressure moments, shaping the emotional climate of their teams. Participants will engage in practical strategies to regulate pressure, model composure, and intentionally build a culture rooted in trust, accountability, and connection.
A Team for Every Child: Student-Athlete Panel
McKenna Hall Room B01
Join this group of young people to hear the value of sport for whole development and engage in discussion to ensure sports are accessible and formational.
James Driessen
3:30 PM
Break
3:45 PM
Breakout Sessions #3
Jim Lefebvre
Lessons in Leadership from the Life of Knute Rockne
McKenna Hall Room 215/216
He’s known as one of the greatest coaches in history. And what Knute Rockne did in leading his players at Notre Dame, and mentoring coaches across the country, is truly legendary. We’ll look at Rockne’s philosophy and methods that resonate today — in organization, preparation, communication, motivation and above all, human relations.
A Team for Every Child: Radical Hospitality
McKenna Hall Room B01
How we approach building community relies upon making people (athletes, parents, officials) feel welcome. What efforts can we make in our communities to ensure this radical sense of kinship.
Jim Lefebvre
5:00 PM
End of Day Community Meeting
McKenna Hall 215/216
Head back to the main room as we wrap-up the day's discussions with takeaways and action items.
Dr. Clark Power
Kristin Sheehan
5:30 PM
Experience Red Ball Tennis
McKenna Hall Lawn
Red Ball Tennis is a FUN social experience designed to bring new players to your courts and have them playing the game in 10 minutes! With modified equipment and an all-inclusive package, learn how this version of the sport can supercharge the success of athletes and bring a new level of energy to your school or league.
6:30 PM
Dinner, Drinks & Thursday Evening Keynote Featuring Roy Hibbert
Stand Tall Start Small
Downes Club in Notre Dame Stadium
Roy Hibbert
Stand Tall, Start Small is about understanding that talent alone isn’t enough—you earn confidence through daily work. This talk breaks down how small habits, discipline, and mental toughness stack up over time to create real success. It challenges athletes to lead themselves before expecting to lead anyone else.
9:00 PM
Grotto Walk
Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto
Bring Thursday to a close with a short candle-lit community walk to the beautiful Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto on Notre Dame's campus.
Friday, June 12th: Building a Community of Light
Location: McKenna Hall
8:00 AM
Daily Mass
Location TBD
A Catholic Mass will be celebrated for those who wish to attend.
8:00 AM
Tour of the Notre Dame Campus
New around here? Meet at the entrance to McKenna Hall and join fellow conference participants on a 45 minute tour of the University of Notre Dame campus.
8:00 AM
Breakfast & Networking
2nd Floor McKenna Hall
8:45 AM
Opening Prayer
McKenna Hall 215/216
Begin the final day of our conference with prayer!
9:00 AM
DT Shackelford
Dr. DT Shackelford’s journey was shaped by three defining beds: an uncomfortable twin bed, a prison bed that held the man who raised him, and a casket bed that held his biological father. Rather than extinguishing his future, those pressures forged his leadership capabilities, identity formation, and his ability to overcome adversity. Through the metaphor of bioluminescence, he reveals a powerful truth for leaders: when external light fades, champions learn to generate their own while forging a new path for others.
10:00 AM
Morning Breakout Session
Cathyana Marcel, MSW
Kevin Love Foundation
Everyone is Going Through Something
McKenna Hall 215/216
Join The Kevin Love Fund for a 75-minute professional development session designed for coaches, athletic staff, and educators. This training will demonstrate an evidence-based approach to helping student-athletes express their emotions and cultivate tools that support well-being. This session provides a practical framework for you to reinforce these skills within your teams. You will learn how to leverage your unique position to build trust, create a team culture that actively reduces stigma, and solidify your role as a trusted adult.
Cathyana Marcel
Parent Like a Champion Workshop
McKenna Hall Room 202
Join Play Like a Champion's Kristin Sheehan as she takes attendees through the Parent Like a Champion program, a one-hour workshop that has transformed the culture at youth sports organizations across the country.
Kristin Sheehan
Peter Piscitello
11:15 AM
Break
11:30 AM
Fr. Nate Wills, author of Pray Like a Champion, will share stories from his journey as Notre Dame football chaplain while discussing the intersection of sport and spirituality.
Fr. Nate Wills, CSC
12:00 PM
Lunch & Closing Community Meeting & Ceremony
McKenna Hall 215/216
Let's wrap-up the conference experience with takeaways discussing how we will each use the information to inspire us to impact our local communities.
Dr. Clark Power
Kristin Sheehan
Digital Handouts
Connect with fellow attendees and check out these important resources referenced during the conference!
Featured Speakers
Speakers Listed in Alphabetical Order
Mike Brey was widely considered one of the most likable coaches in men's college basketball across his 23 year tenure as the Head Coach at the University of Notre Dame (2000-2023). Now an Assistant Coach with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, he's been advocate for Play Like a Champion since the program's beginning and a fan favorite at past conferences. Brey's personality and coaching acumen have earned him national acclaim. Across 28 seasons as a college head coach at Delaware and Notre Dame, Brey amassed 582 wins. He was named AP Coach of the Year in 2011 and Big East Conference Coach of the Year three times (2007, 2008, 2011). His teams reached 15 NCAA Tournaments, which included 3 trips to the Sweet 16 and two more to the Elite 8. Yet it's his commitment to the people he coaches that has made him such a beloved figure.
James Driessen is the founder of Bullish Drive and an accomplished mental performance coach and consultant with a wealth of experience. Holding a Master's degree in Forensic Psychology, he has acquired certificates in various fields, including developmental psychology, criminal psychology, play therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy. Driessen served as the head coach for the Rochester High School Rugby Club, leading them to four consecutive state championships and has acted as a coach consultant for several other teams, including mental skills coach and scrumhalf specialist for the University of Minnesota. Through his expertise in mental skills coaching, psychology, and rugby coaching, he has helped coaches, athletes, and teams enhance their mindsets, boost their meta skills proficiency, and achieve remarkable levels of performance. Driessen is also an accomplished musician. His unwavering passion for helping individuals and teams elevate their mindset, enhance their skills, and unlock their fullest potential shines brightly in every facet of his remarkable journey, working one on one from 8 year old athletes to NBA players and everything in between.
Roy Hibbert leaped into the spotlight as an All-American basketball player at Georgetown University from 2004-2008, going from fan-favorite to NBA prospect over four years. The 7'2" Hibbert was drafted 17th overall and traded to the Indiana Pacers, where he played most of his career before retiring in 2018. Along the way he made two NBA All-Star teams and an NBA All-Defensive Team (2014), earning a reputation as a hard working presence in the middle of the paint, capable of both scoring points and locking down opposing post players. Since retiring from the NBA, Hibbert has served as a Player Development coach for the Philadelphia 76ers and a college basketball analyst for CBS Sports, as well as sharing his story with audiences across the country, encouraging people to "stand tall" in the face of self-doubt.
Jim Lefebvre is one of the nation’s leading college football historians, specializing in the Rockne era. Jim authored the definitive, award-winning biography Coach For A Nation: The Life and Times of Knute Rockne. He is also the executive director of the Knute Rockne Memorial Society and leads the annual Knute Rockne Spirit of Sports Awards. Jim writes the Irish Echoes column in each issue of Blue & Gold Illustrated and enjoys presenting on Rockne’s philosophy and methods that still resonate today — in organization, preparation, communication, motivation and above all, human relations.
Cathyana Marcel, MSW is an educator, life coach, and mental health and wellness specialist at the Kevin Love Fund. With a master’s degree in social work from Florida International University and over ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Cathyana brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her roles. Her background—providing highly engaging training and development experiences in higher education, and delivering direct services nationally and within her community—allows her to engage with individuals in transformative ways, fostering environments where participants are empowered to step into their stories and take ownership of their mental health. Reflecting on her experience delivering the Kevin Love Fund curriculum, she shares, “Living in a culture that caters too easily to silencing our inner struggles, the Kevin Love Fund provides a life-giving and empowering experience for participants to share their stories with pride. Only when we finally express our stories can we be free.” Cathyana is a lifelong learner, a lover of stories and leadership development, and is passionate about creating brave spaces that empower individuals to thrive.
Dr. Carlie McGregor is a licensed psychologist embedded in the University of Notre Dame athletic department. In her role as a sport psychologist, she provides individual and group psychological services. She works with athletes to address mental health concerns and to enhance athletic performance with the goal of collaboratively elevating well-being, optimizing athletic performance, and, ultimately, helping student-athletes develop into their best selves. Her areas of interest include multicultural identity empowerment, sport performance, interpersonal patterns, identity development, and self-worth concerns. McGregor earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of New Mexico (UNM) in 2015. She then went on to complete her Master of Science and PhD in Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis in Sport and Performance Psychology, at the University of North Texas.
Dr. DT Shackelford is a transformational leader, a former Division I student-athlete at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and founder of DT Shack LLC, a leadership platform focused on identity, resilience and adversity. Raised amid incarceration, loss and absence, he transformed a legacy of correction into a mission of cultivation, earning his Doctorate of Higher Education by age 28 and grounding his work in purpose-driven, servant leadership. Dr. Shackelford has dedicated his professional life to empowering others, serving as a non-profit leader and supporting holistic student-athlete development with the Ole Miss Athletic Foundation. Through compelling storytelling, workshops and speaking engagements, he equips students, educators and organizations to turn adversity into opportunity and to lead with clarity and conviction.
Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, serves on the faculty of the Alliance for Catholic Education's Remick Leadership Program at the University of Notre Dame and is the chaplain of the Notre Dame football team. As an education professor, he directs the "Higher-Powered Learning" program, which helps teachers and leaders leverage technology to meet the needs of all learners in K–12 classrooms. As football chaplain, he is known for his warmth and humor, serving coaches and student athletes while making complex spiritual themes accessible and inspiring. Fr. Nate earned a master of divinity in theology and a master of education from the University of Notre Dame, as well as a doctorate in education leadership and policy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was ordained in the spring of 2006 and is currently the priest-in-residence in Keough Hall.
