the people behind the progress
bringing experience to softwarethe people behind
the progress

Behind every platform is a team with a story worth telling. On this page, you'll discover how two coaches from Tennessee evolved into the driving force behind a comprehensive organizational platform.

Team collaboration and progress Team collaboration and progress

Our story

A Better Way began in Tennessee, born from the real-world experiences of Heath Eslinger and Eric Phillips. After years of coaching, they recognized a troubling pattern: athletes, parents, coaches, and organizations were losing sight of the true joy that should define the athletic journey and life itself. Too often, the pressure to win overshadowed the fundamental purpose of sports, growth, connection, and empowerment.

Determined to restore this lost joy, Heath and Eric founded A Better Way to train coaches and educate parents on discovering what truly matters in youth sports. They developed an innovative online educational system that provided practical tools to help the youth sports community remember why they fell in love with sports in the first place.

Word of their approach spread throughout Tennessee, and local organizations began reaching out to Heath and Eric to speak at events and training sessions. They recognized a critical need in smaller schools where math teachers, English teachers, and other educators were being asked to coach sports without proper training. These dedicated teachers wanted to help their students succeed, but lacked the coaching fundamentals that could make the difference between a positive and negative athletic experience.

2016 Discovery
2016
discovered gaps in youth sports education
2020 Library
2020
launched online educational library
2023 Relocation
2023
relocated the team to richmond, virginia
2017 Training
2017
began training local organizations
2022 Partnership
2022
joined forces with software experts
2025 Platform
2025
evolved into holistic activities platform
2016 Discovery
2016
discovered gaps in youth sports education
2017 Training
2017
began training local organizations
2020 Library
2020
launched online educational library
2022 Partnership
2022
joined forces with software experts
2023 Relocation
2023
relocated the team to richmond, virginia
2025 Platform
2025
evolved into holistic activities platform
DNA strand with arrow representing evolution and progress

Our evolution

As the impact of their work grew, so did their vision. Upon moving to Richmond, Virginia, Heath and Eric partnered with experienced software professionals to expand the company's capabilities and reach. Together, this enhanced team transformed A Better Way from its educational roots into a comprehensive task management and strategy platform.

While we remain committed to serving the sports community that shaped our foundation, we've expanded our reach to help organizations across all industries streamline their operations and achieve their goals.

Our journey continues

Our journey from restoring joy in youth sports to empowering organizational success reflects our core belief: when people have the right tools and support, they can focus on what truly matters. Along the way, we've seen how clear communication, streamlined processes, and strong connections can transform everyday challenges into opportunities. That's why we continue to build solutions that not only simplify the work, but also strengthen the communities behind it.

Climbing toward progress

meet the founders

Each founder brings decades of experience as an athlete, coach, educator, and mentor. What ties them together is their shared recognition that the current athletic landscape had lost its way, and their commitment to being part of the solution rather than the problem.

Heath Eslinger

heath eslinger

co-founder & chief education officer

I was a head coach at both the high school and Division I level and both jobs offered no support, development or training to help me navigate this difficulty world of sport successfully. I believe we have proven strategies and practical tools that can help a young coach get started, a struggling coach get back on track or a veteran coach stay encouraged to keep making a difference.

In 2012 I realized just how bad the culture in the athletic world had become at all levels. I knew that I had 2 options; I would either be a part of the problem or a part of the solution. I resolved to be a part of the solution and since that time have been traveling around the country speaking to coaches and parents on how to zoom out and focus in on what matters most.

I was fortunate enough to have a great high school and collegiate wrestling career and have been surrounded by some outstanding people. The qualities I learned at home and that were cultivated on the sports journey remain a big part of why I do what I do today. State Championships and Conference titles pale in comparison to the relationships and experiences I had during my athletic career.I was a head coach at both the high school and Division I level and both jobs offered no support, development or training to help me navigate this difficulty world of sport successfully. I believe we have proven strategies and practical tools that can help a young coach get started, a struggling coach get back on track or a veteran coach stay encouraged to keep making a difference.

Eric Phillips

eric phillips

co-founder & chief operating officer

My 26 years of teaching and coaching has offered an awesome opportunity to observe and to work with young men and women on a daily basis across all different backgrounds and circumstances. The longer I teach and coach, the more I realize that kids today are fundamentally the same today as they were 26 years ago.

I am convinced that athletes, like all humans, simply want to be loved, accepted, and successful in their endeavors regardless of their skill level or background. If coaches, teachers, and parents have the tools and strategies to help them feel valued while making sports relevant to the success of their individual futures – kids would prosper and thrive in today's competitive sports world.

Sports was they only area in my life that I ever felt like a success. I grew up in Miami, and sports came natural to me from an early age. I played nearly every sport during its season with passion and dedication. I signed to play football at Eastern Arizona during my senior year of high school. However, I lost in the state semi-finals in wrestling that year and was so devastated that I decided to go wrestle at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1985.My 26 years of teaching and coaching has offered an awesome opportunity to observe and to work with young men and women on a daily basis across all different backgrounds and circumstances. The longer I teach and coach, the more I realize that kids today are fundamentally the same today as they were 26 years ago.

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