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The Culture Captain: A 4-Level Framework for Athletes: Know Yourself, Lead Yourself, Lead Others, Lead the Team
"This book gives athletes the ultimate roadmap to becoming the type of leader every coach wants on their team." — Dusty May, Head Coach, University of Michigan (2026 NCAA Champions)
"A must-read on how to lead with integrity and authenticity—characteristics we need now more than ever." — Brad Stulberg, New York Times bestselling author of The Way of Excellence
Leadership isn’t for the chosen few; it’s the responsibility of everyone.
Most athletes want to be a difference-maker, but few know how. Most coaches want leaders, but few have a system to build them.
The Culture Captain provides the practical leadership tools and coaching every athlete needs. Drawing on J.P. Nerbun’s coaching conversations with over 100 elite athletes and research into the world’s greatest athlete leaders, this transformational guide is designed to be experienced, not just read. Through the fictional story of Lily and real-world examples of elite leaders, you will be coached through a proven 4-level leadership framework:
Know Yourself: Discover the values that drive your personal best.
Lead Yourself: Master your internal state and become an example worth following.
Lead Others: Build connections and master hard conversations.
Lead the Team: Become a designer of elite team culture and chemistry.
Whether you are a starter, a bench player, or a veteran captain, leadership is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and mastered. Packed with practical examples, tools, and exercises, The Culture Captain is the ultimate guide for any athlete ready to lead themselves, lead others, and lead the team.
"A must-read on how to lead with integrity and authenticity—characteristics we need now more than ever." — Brad Stulberg, New York Times bestselling author of The Way of Excellence
Leadership isn’t for the chosen few; it’s the responsibility of everyone.
Most athletes want to be a difference-maker, but few know how. Most coaches want leaders, but few have a system to build them.
The Culture Captain provides the practical leadership tools and coaching every athlete needs. Drawing on J.P. Nerbun’s coaching conversations with over 100 elite athletes and research into the world’s greatest athlete leaders, this transformational guide is designed to be experienced, not just read. Through the fictional story of Lily and real-world examples of elite leaders, you will be coached through a proven 4-level leadership framework:
Know Yourself: Discover the values that drive your personal best.
Lead Yourself: Master your internal state and become an example worth following.
Lead Others: Build connections and master hard conversations.
Lead the Team: Become a designer of elite team culture and chemistry.
Whether you are a starter, a bench player, or a veteran captain, leadership is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and mastered. Packed with practical examples, tools, and exercises, The Culture Captain is the ultimate guide for any athlete ready to lead themselves, lead others, and lead the team.
276 pages, ebook
Published June 9, 2026
About the author
J.P. Nerbun
7 books10 followers“A must-read book on how to lead with integrity and authenticity—characteristics we need now more than ever.”
—Brad Stulberg, author of The Way of Excellence
J.P. Nerbun is a world-renowned leadership coach and the founder of TOC. With over 15 years of experience coaching basketball across three continents and at every level—from high school to the professional ranks—J.P. now partners with elite leaders in sports and fortune 500 companies build connected, high-performing teams.
He is the author of the best-selling books Calling Up and The Culture System, and the host of the Coaching Culture Podcast. His practical, system-based approach has been implemented by programs at Stanford, Harvard, and the University of Texas. J.P. lives in Ireland with his wife and three children, where he is an avid ultra-marathon runner and community leader.
—Brad Stulberg, author of The Way of Excellence
J.P. Nerbun is a world-renowned leadership coach and the founder of TOC. With over 15 years of experience coaching basketball across three continents and at every level—from high school to the professional ranks—J.P. now partners with elite leaders in sports and fortune 500 companies build connected, high-performing teams.
He is the author of the best-selling books Calling Up and The Culture System, and the host of the Coaching Culture Podcast. His practical, system-based approach has been implemented by programs at Stanford, Harvard, and the University of Texas. J.P. lives in Ireland with his wife and three children, where he is an avid ultra-marathon runner and community leader.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 13, 2026
I've read a lot of leadership books over the years, and this is one of the few that doesn't just make you think about how to lead, it actually helps you become a better leader.
What I appreciated most was how practical it is. It doesn't just share great ideas, it gives you tools, activities, and resources you can start using right away. For e.g., the section on the Drama Triangle really stood out to me because it gaves a simple framework to recognize unhealthy patterns and respond differently in conversations with others.
Whether you lead at work, coach a team, or simply want to build stronger relationships, there's something in this book you'll be able to apply immediately.
The book combines a fictional backdrop, with research, and practical exercises that makes the lessons stick. I found myself reflecting on my own leadership throughout the book and coming away with specific actions I wanted to take.
Highly recommend this to anyone who wants to grow as a person, and make a positive impact on the people around them.
What I appreciated most was how practical it is. It doesn't just share great ideas, it gives you tools, activities, and resources you can start using right away. For e.g., the section on the Drama Triangle really stood out to me because it gaves a simple framework to recognize unhealthy patterns and respond differently in conversations with others.
Whether you lead at work, coach a team, or simply want to build stronger relationships, there's something in this book you'll be able to apply immediately.
The book combines a fictional backdrop, with research, and practical exercises that makes the lessons stick. I found myself reflecting on my own leadership throughout the book and coming away with specific actions I wanted to take.
Highly recommend this to anyone who wants to grow as a person, and make a positive impact on the people around them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Culture Captain is a must read for athletes learning how to lead. Through illustrations and real-life examples, JP Nerbun offers a holistic and relatable resource filled with practical, tangible, locker-room-ready insight that athletes can immediately apply right now, whether you’re a captain, a veteran player, or someone trying to earn a leadership role.
Preparing from the inside out, The Culture Captain is about authenticity, consistency, accountability, and living the standard when no one is watching.
It will push you to reflect honestly on how you show up every day. For athletes learning how to lead, this book will serve as a playbook to assess, guide and shape your leadership style. It’s straightforward, impactful, and easy to revisit throughout a season. This is a five-star read because it doesn’t just inspire—it gives you the tools to actually lead.
Preparing from the inside out, The Culture Captain is about authenticity, consistency, accountability, and living the standard when no one is watching.
It will push you to reflect honestly on how you show up every day. For athletes learning how to lead, this book will serve as a playbook to assess, guide and shape your leadership style. It’s straightforward, impactful, and easy to revisit throughout a season. This is a five-star read because it doesn’t just inspire—it gives you the tools to actually lead.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Culture Captain is an essential roadmap for any athlete looking to elevate their game and their impact on a team. What sets this book apart is its focus on self discovery; it doesn't just tell you how to lead others, but challenges you to understand yourself first.
It serves as a masterclass in leading with authenticity, stripping away the clichés of leadership and replacing them with genuine, character-based influence. I loved how easy this was to read and apply immediately. The book is packed with relatable examples from the sports world and provides practical tools that athletes can use in the locker room or on the field today to foster growth.
If you want to be more than just a person with a title and become a leader who actually changes the culture, this is the book for you. Highly recommended!
It serves as a masterclass in leading with authenticity, stripping away the clichés of leadership and replacing them with genuine, character-based influence. I loved how easy this was to read and apply immediately. The book is packed with relatable examples from the sports world and provides practical tools that athletes can use in the locker room or on the field today to foster growth.
If you want to be more than just a person with a title and become a leader who actually changes the culture, this is the book for you. Highly recommended!
Review of advance copy received from Author
JP really hit a home run with this book. I couldn't put it down....an engaging format mixing fable and non-fiction. This is a must read for every young athlete to overcome many of the obstacles that beset them. I've been many team book studies over the years and I've never been more excited to buy a group set to read with the teams that I work with. There is nothing else out there like it. It is a game changer written for the perspective of athletes...both female and male. Leadership for young adults made easy!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the BEST book available for athletes and aspiring team leaders, full stop. JP takes the reader on a familiar journey weaving real-life stories into a fable that many athletes will find familiar. The framework provides the perfect scaffold for a leaders to grow personally and in their ability to lead a team. This is not a book of platitudes or cliches, it is a pathway for self-discovery that leaders from all sports and backgrounds will find transformative. I cannot recommend it highly enough!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a great resource for coaches and athletes, as well as business leaders. JP does a great job of correlating a real life athletes and coaches with real life lessons in leadership and connection. Looking forward to sharing this resource with all of our coaches and student-athletes in our football program.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book will change your program. It is great for a coach to read to understand how to lead, but it is also perfectly designed to have a team read together or an individual athlete that inspires to lead or maybe needs the nudge to lead.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Great insight and information that J.P. provides to bring the framework alive through the storyline that athletes and coaches can relate to. I am looking forward to getting this my captains and leadership council at the high school level.
Review of advance copy received from Author
J. P. Has written the book that all veteran coaches have wished they had had at the beginning of their coaching careers. Wisdom, structure and quotables come in this entertaining and highly valuable work that coaches will be able to apply immediately.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read a lot of books on how to be a better leader and developing leaders and this book is as good as any of them. This a great book to read to improve your own leadership skills or use with your team or captains of your team.
June 21, 2026
It takes you on a journey to learn, reflect and challenge yourself as a leader in sports with practical examples that can be applied to each persons own leadership journey stage. Not only a great read, but a great resource.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book lays the groundwork that will empower athletes to lead not only themselves but their teams as well. It is an incredible resource for coaches, parents, and players!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I can’t wait to put this book in the hands of my coaches and athletes.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is not your typical leadership guide. It’s a road map for finding fulfillment and building character through sports. A must read for any young athlete and the people who love them.
Want to Read
July 7, 2026Still waiting for it.🤔
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews