Feed the Cats Podcast
Feed the Cats Podcast
Coach Tony Holler
When Tony Holler’s name is mentioned, SPEED is the subject… maximum velocity sprinting. Tony Holler is a track coach, most recently the head coach at Plainfield North H.S. Tony retired from teaching chemistry after 38 years in the classroom and has 44 years of coaching experience (football, basketball, and track). Tony Holler is a member of Illinois Track & Field Hall of Fame and Co-director of Track Football Consortium along with Chris Korfist. Holler created the revolutionary "Feed the Cats" in 1999.Tony Holler is the son of 47-year high school and college basketball coach Don Holler. Tony is the father of four, including two successful coaches, Alec Holler (Edwardsville H.S.) and Quinn Holler (Andrew H.S.). Tony Holler has diversified his “Feed the Cats'' message for all sports and the classroom. Tony has consulted with the New York Yankees who started feeding the cats in their 2022 spring training. He’s also consulted with college lacrosse (Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Penn, Arizona State, and Northwestern). Princeton made the NCAA Final Four in 2022 for the first time in 18 years with the battle cry of “Feed the Tigers''. Hundreds of high school football teams now use a FTC approach (also known as “Sprint-Based Football”). At least 12 states have football teams who have won state championships by prioritizing speed over conditioning. Tony also has a Sprint-Based Football Podcast. Tony Holler has presented his content in 30 different states. In addition, he’s done multiple presentations in England, Ireland, and France. Tony is also a frequent presenter at football and lacrosse clinics. In the past year, he's delivered two presentations on "Coaching the Classroom" for teachers. Tony has done several Feed the Cats Seminars which include nine hours of instruction over a 24-hour period. FTC Seminars are usually a one-man clinic. Tony Holler’s Feed the Cats DVD was the #1 best-seller for Championship Production for ALL SPORTS in 2018. It has been the #1 best-seller from 2018 to 2025 in the track and field category. Holler’s most recent content can be found at CoachTube, where he is #2 in sales, all sports, all time. Tony Holler was named as a “Prime Nine Speaker” by Glazier Football Clinics. 
EP20: The Leadership Secrets Behind 70 Straight Wins & 5 State Championships with Steve Jones
Steve Jones was one of the most successful high school football coaches in America, leading Kimberly High School to 70 consecutive wins, five state championships, and a remarkable 129-9 record. But as you'll hear in this conversation, sustained success isn't about X's and O's—it's about building a championship culture through intentional leadership. - Link to The Twin Thieves - https://amzn.to/4f4kymA In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, Steve shares the leadership principles that ...
Jul 11
1 hr 1 min
EP19: How to Develop Athletic Kids: Speed Training, Movement Skills & Multi-Sport Athletes with Jeremy Frisch
How do you develop athletic kids in today’s youth sports environment? In this episode, Jeremy Frisch joins the podcast to discuss youth speed training, movement skill development, multi-sport athletes, and long-term athletic development. Find more from Jeremy here: - https://www.instagram.com/jeremy_frisch17 - https://x.com/JeremyFrisch Jeremy specializes in youth athletic development, strength & conditioning, and the Speed Demons program, helping young athletes build athleticism ...
May 29
1 hr 27 min
EP18: Can You Teach Speed? Breaking the Biggest Myth in Sports with Dr. Dillon Martinez
What if speed isn’t genetic… and can actually be taught? In this episode, we sit down with Dillon Martinez, author of Breaking The Speed Barrier, to discuss the science and coaching methods behind real speed development. - Link to Dillon's book: https://amzn.to/3P4OPc8 We dive into why most coaches struggle to teach speed effectively, the biggest mistakes in traditional conditioning programs, and how elite coaches develop faster athletes through proper sprint mechanics, teaching progressio...
May 17
1 hr 28 min
EP17: How to Combine Strength + Speed Training for Maximum Performance with Zac Goodman
In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, I talk with strength and speed coach Zac Goodman about how to properly combine strength training and speed development for maximum performance. Too many athletes fall into the trap of doing too much—too much volume, too much conditioning, and not enough intent. Zac shares how the most effective programs focus on high intensity, maximum output, and full recovery. We break down why strength training should mirror speed training principle...
Mar 18
1 hr 21 min
EP16: How Alec Holler Helped Shape Feed the Cats (From Athlete to Championship Coach)
In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, I sit down with my son Alec Holler to talk about his journey through sports and coaching. Alec shares his experiences as a high school athlete, his college years, and how those experiences ultimately shaped the coach he is today. Along the way, we discuss how his athletic career influenced the development of the Feed the Cats speed training philosophy. Coach Tony Holler originally began searching for a better training experience for Alec when he w...
Mar 8
1 hr 10 min
E15: The First School to Go ALL IN on Feed The Cats (K–12 Athletic Department Transformation)
What happens when an entire athletic department decides to prioritize speed, eliminate mindless conditioning, and pursue the disciplined pursuit of less? In this Feed The Cats Podcast episode, Bill Brindley, Tyler Thielges, and Brent Strickland share why Augusta Christian (Georgia) is becoming the first premier K–12 school to implement Feed The Cats principles across all sports and P.E. classes. This isn’t just a football change. This is a complete athletic culture shift. We discuss: - Wh...
Feb 13
52 min
E14: Training Game Speed, Acceleration & Why Speed Must Be the Priority with Tony Villani
In this episode, legendary speed coach Tony Villani joins the podcast to break down what truly matters regarding game speed. Tony has trained some of the world’s top athletes, including Travis Kelce, Randy Moss, Anquan Boldin, Jamal Lewis, and many more. His philosophy centers on making speed the priority, training with intent, and ensuring athletes are fresh when sprinting — principles that closely align with Feed the Cats–style training. We dive deep into: - What game speed really means (...
Feb 8
1 hr 18 min
EP13: How a State Champion Distance Coach Builds Complete Athletes with Andy Derks
What does it really take to build a championship distance program — and are miles enough? In this episode, I sit down with Andy Dirks, head cross country coach at Plainfield North, fresh off a state championship, to break down how he develops complete athletes, not just distance runners. We explore the parallels between distance training and speed development, including: Why sprinting still matters for distance athletesHow strength training fits into a championship XC programMoving beyond “ju...
Dec 28, 2025
1 hr 18 min
EP12: How Sprinting Changed Everything: The Birth of Feed the Cats with Brian Weiss
In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, Coach Tony Holler sits down with Coach Brian Weiss — a standout 400m/800m runner from the 1999 Harrisburg championship team and now the head coach at Triad High School. Brian was part of the very first team to experience the Feed the Cats philosophy in action — when Coach Holler shifted from traditional high-mileage training to a focus on speed, recovery, and max velocity. That season ended with a state title and marked a turning point in sprint-...
Oct 31, 2025
1 hr 11 min
EP11: How Knees Over Toes Guy Builds Healthier, Faster & Stronger Athletes with Ben Patrick
In this episode, I sit down with Ben Patrick, a.k.a. Knees Over Toes Guy, whose training methods have taken the internet by storm. His mission is simple: less knee pain and more knee ability — with or without equipment. We dive into how Ben’s approach aligns with Feed the Cats Speed Training principles: - Avoiding overtraining to stay fresh and explosive - Building athletic skills that make you faster, stronger, and healthier - Training smart to extend your career and performance Whether yo...
Sep 5, 2025
50 min
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