How Skip Bertman Built a Dynasty for LSU: Winning, Leadership, and Building Champions
5/18/20261 hr 29 min
In this unforgettable episode of The Determined Society, Shawn French sits down with legendary LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman, alongside former LSU Tigers Ryan Theriot and Blair Barbier, for a powerful conversation on leadership, character, culture, brotherhood, and building champions beyond the game.
When Skip arrived at LSU, the program had no national championships, only a few hundred fans in the stands, and a culture still waiting to be built. Through vision, belief, discipline, and a commitment to high-character players, he helped turn LSU baseball into one of the greatest dynasties in college sports.
Don't forget to get a copy of his book at https://www.skipbertman.net/tds
But this conversation goes far beyond baseball.
Shawn, Ryan, and Blair reflect on the lessons Coach Bertman instilled in them: believing before the world believes, putting team above self, building trust, visualizing success, and understanding that character wins long after the scoreboard fades.
This episode talks about: • How Skip Bertman transformed LSU baseball • Why character matters more than talent alone • The leadership principles behind championship culture • The power of visualization and belief • How great teams police themselves • Why “everything matters” in sports, business, and life • The brotherhood and legacy of LSU baseball • How Skip Bertman built men beyond the game
This is not just a baseball episode. This is a conversation about leadership, family, legacy, and becoming the kind of person others can trust when it matters most.
The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms.
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Clips
Showing 10 of 11Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSkip Bertman· Guest0:00
You don't have to make the big leagues to succeed.
Shawn French· Host0:02
Mm.
Skip Bertman· Guest0:02
You can be successful in your business, touch other people's lives, and do the things that you've learned to do. And as Ryan said, put it into the business. You can't run your business if you don't know how to be a good team. You have to come up with the concept that you're part of an organization, and you have to do your part, and you have to root for the other guys to do their part as well.
Shawn French· Host0:28
In 1983, Louisiana State University put an ad in the paper for a new head baseball coach. This man with me today responded to the ad. The Louisiana State University had zero championships. No one believed, but this man to my right, Skip Bertman, came along and instilled culture. After everything that you've been through, everything you accomplished in your life, what does true determination mean to you?
Skip Bertman· Guest0:52
Um...
Shawn French· Host0:52
In 1983, Louisiana State University put an ad in the paper for a new head baseball coach, and this man with me today responded to the ad. And the u- the Louisiana State University had zero championships, 200 people in the stands, all there just to wait until the football season. They didn't even understand what baseball was here in Louisiana. The loudspeaker was busted. No one believed, but this man to my right, Skip Bertman, came along and instilled culture and belief