#196 - Person before Player w/ Carsten Dohm

In this episode, Carsten Dohm shares lessons from over 30 years in coaching, from his earliest football memories to building a philosophy centered on developing the person before the player. He explores what it takes to produce “A+ players,” while emphasizing the importance of long-term development over early performance outcomes. His approach focuses on creating environments for accelerated learning, deliberate practice, and maximizing the “golden window” of development. Drawing on his experience helping shape San Diego FC, Carsten reflects on the challenges of youth development in the U.S. and the importance of designing integrated learning ecosystems that combine education, culture, and football. He discusses building a “third culture” that blends global expertise with local identity, the growing importance of coaching skills like attention design and the need to prioritize potential, character, and adaptability. Timestamps; 00:00 - 10:21 - Person First 10:22 - 30:04 - USA 30:05 - 48:48 - A+ Players 48:49 - 1;00:54 - Compass 1:00:55 - 1:27:31 - Path to Mastery 1:27:32 - 1:33:56 - Future Get in touch; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/ YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie