Most people have a pretty fixed idea of what physical education and school athletics look like.
What they often do not see is how meaningful those environments can become when they are built with intention.
That is part of why my conversation with Coach Randy Narciso on Episode #22 of the B.U.I.L.T D1FF3R3NT Studio Podcast felt worth sharing.
A Quick Introduction
If we have not met before, or if this is your first time coming across this blog, I am Nicolas Lepine.
I have spent close to two decades working in Montessori physical education and athletics, trying to be thoughtful about how competition fits into a learning environment and what students actually take from it.
In this episode, I had the chance to share some of that background and how the program has developed over time.
About Coach Randy and the Podcast
What stands out about Coach Randy’s work is the intention behind it.
The B.U.I.L.T D1FF3R3NT Studio Podcast is not built around quick tips or surface-level conversations. It is a collection of coaches, educators, and leaders who each bring a specific area of expertise and perspective.
The show has also started to gain wider recognition. It was named a Top 100 podcast on Apple Podcasts in the Education category, ranking #53 and #55 across 2025 and 2026. That kind of consistency reflects the quality of the conversations and the people being featured.
Hosted out of Los Angeles, the weekly podcast focuses on performance, mindset, and personal development for student-athletes, educators, parents, and leaders who care about long-term growth.
More than anything, it creates space to learn from others who have put real thought into their systems, their standards, and how they approach development.
I was grateful to be included in that group and to be part of the conversation.
What We Talked About
Our discussion centers on how competition can be used as a meaningful part of education.
We spend time on how to prepare students before they compete, how to define sportsmanship in a way that is clear and usable, and how athletics can connect back to the classroom.
A lot of the ideas may sound familiar on the surface, but the value is in hearing how they are applied in practice and how they evolve over time.
A Simple Standard
One idea we come back to is how we define sportsmanship:
Be fun to play with.
Be fun to play against.
It is simple, but it gives students something concrete to understand and apply.
Take a Listen
If you are interested in how different coaches and educators approach their work, this podcast is worth exploring beyond just this episode.
Coach Randy has created a space where those ideas can be shared openly, and there is a lot to take from hearing those different perspectives.
If you have some time, listen to the full conversation and see what stands out to you.
If you are an Apple Podcast listener, here is the link if you prefer: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-22-nicolas-lepine-b-u-i-l-t-d1ff3r3nt-studio-podcast/id1868792577?i=1000757752456