In this episode of The Searchers Podcast, Atem Bior and Kirron Byrne sit down with Ashley Proud — an educator, coach, and primary school teacher whose approach to teaching and basketball goes far beyond the court.
Ashley opens up about the art of building strong relationships — with students, players, and parents — and how leadership principles in the classroom and on the court often overlap. From developing culture to improving communication, his insights bridge the gap between education, sport, and life.
The conversation also explores the state of basketball in Queensland and Australia, the rise of Victorian talent, and what it takes to create systems that actually nurture players instead of burning them out. It’s equal parts funny, practical, and inspiring — the kind of episode that reminds you why The Searchers Podcast is one of Australia’s most valuable platforms for conversation and growth.
For new listeners, The Searchers Podcast is about sharing experiences on this collective search for truth, love, and self— the big questions we all ponder but rarely express. As humanity, we’re all friends on this journey. So join us on The Search, and enjoy the ride.
💬 Timestamps
1:34 – Ashley’s background and early journey
2:32 – Why basketball development thrives in Victoria
4:32 – Queensland’s golden age of basketball talent
11:06 – Building good culture: lessons from AFL
15:15 – The parallels between teaching and basketball coaching
19:32 – How to form strong relationships as a teacher or coach
21:27 – “Ask Mr. Proud Anything”: house fire or cancer? (yes, we went there 😂)
29:40 – Are Australian basketball systems broken? How to fix them
38:31 – Boomers performance on the world stage
55:28 – Modern NBA vs. the 90s — what changed
1:06:00 – Basketball skills trainers & USA tours: helpful or hype?
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Tags
the searchers podcast, atem bior, kirron byrne, ashley proud, basketball podcast, teaching and coaching, education and leadership, qld basketball, nbl1, afl culture, australian basketball systems, building culture, leadership podcast, sport and education, australian podcast, youth development
coaching mindset, how to build strong relationships, classroom and court leadership, player development australia, teacher insights podcast, modern nba vs 90s, boomers australia basketball, athlete mentorship, sports psychology podcast, culture and communication, education podcast australia
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