5| Dr. Tim DiFrancesco: DPT but Call Him "Coach" & Lessons from High Performing Athletes

Do you introduce yourself as Coach or Clinician? Dr. Tim DiFrancesco is a Doctor of Physical Therapy that prefers "Coach". Whether working with a high performing athlete or an everyday person who needs help and reassurance- listen to learn why the "Coach" title helps Tim empower people most. 

Doctor Tim DiFrancesco is the President & Founder of TD Athletes Edge. He graduated from Endicott College in 2003 with his B.S. in Exercise Science & Athletic Training. He went on to the University of Massachusetts Lowell where he earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2006. Upon graduation, Tim spent 3 years working as a physical therapist in the outpatient sports medicine clinic setting.

From 2009-2011, Tim held the position of Head Athletic Trainer and Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA-Developmental League. In December of 2011, he was named the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. While traveling with the Lakers for over 6 seasons from 2011-2017, Tim built TD Athletes Edge. It all started as a series of online channels for top fitness and health guidance. After leaving the Lakers in 2017, he dedicated his full-time efforts to building TD Athletes Edge with his team. TD Athletes Edge is nationally renowned for its evidence-based and scientific approach to training, nutrition, and recovery for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. 

- Follow Dr. DiFrancesco on Instagram at @tdathletesedge 

- Listen to The Basketball Strong Podcast, hosted by Dr. DiFrancesco HERE. This podcast is not just for basketball junkies. It is for anyone who wants to learn how to be Basketball Strong on and off the court through a combination of human stories and science.

Learn about physical therapy services at Reload here
Learn about fitness services at Reload here
IG: @reload.pt

Diggin' the intro/outro jam? Check out my friend, Joe Spinelli on SoundCloud! 

Chapters

• 1:13 Tim's story
• 3:42 The big piece of basketball that Tim loves
• 6:30 Strength & conditioning professional vs physical therapist
• 7:45 Why basketball?
• 9:40 Why identify as S&C coach first?
• 11:10 Do physical therapists truly understand exercise prescription?
• 12:57 Who taught Tim high level application of S&C?
• 14:55 Advice to entry level coaches
• 17:40 Biggest lessons learned from high performing athletes
• 22:25 Making healthcare about people again
• 25:00 The problem: clinicians believing they are the fixer
• 27:17 The power in telling clients “you’re normal”
• 28:45 Embracing the uncertainty
• 30:23 The best thing a clinician can do
• 32:10 Why TD Athlete’s edge
• 35:40 Lens of “durability”
• 41:10 Basketball Strong Podcast
• 43:50 Tim’s advice to a younger version of himself