Prepare to Win

July is here. That means one month left until the start of official practices for many athletes. How will you spend this month? Will you be prepared when October and November asks you to pay up for what you did in June and July? 

Bobby Knight used to say “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”.

When I was a college basketball coach, I would say, "Basketball may be played in the winter but players are made in the summer."  The same is true for the other sports, as well. Great players don’t train because they love training. They train because they love winning.

Think back to last year? Did the last game end well? Did you have regrets? Do you wish that you had work harder or been more ready? Was the role on the team what you wanted?

Two years ago, our basketball team (of which I was the athletic director) lost in the opening round of the playoffs.  After the game, I spoke to two of the best juniors.  They were very distraught and there were even some tears shed. I commented to them “remember this game, remember this feeling…let it motivate you for next year.”  This year, they won the school's 8th State Championship. 

EVERY GOAL NEEDS A PLAN OR ELSE IT’S JUST A WISH

While watching ESPN’s 30 for 30 entitled “Broke”, I heard Herm Edwards say "Every goal needs to have a plan or else it's just a wish."  The context was regarding athletes and the way they handle money, but I thought it was a perfect quote for more than just money.  As someone that works with college students on a regular basis, I see this problem all the time.  People want things but they don’t always know how to get those things.  Even worse are the people that don’t really want to work for those things that they say they want.  I’ve often said that hope is not a strategy.  Sure we want to have hope but that can’t be all.  It’s very similar to wishing.  Wishing is also not a very good strategy.  The Bible even has a verse that says ‘Faith without works is dead’.  The late singer, Rich Mullins, wrote similar lyrics when he said ‘Faith without works is like a screen door on a submarine’.  You can’t just want or wish for something to happen, you need to do something about this.  You need to work up a plan to achieve your goal.  Author John Ortberg has stated that ‘If you want to walk on water than you’ve got to get out of the boat.’  This is similar to what I heard Bobby Knight say once ‘Every one has the will to win but not everyone has the will to work to win.”.  Yes, having faith or dreams is a start, but action has to go into these goals in order to have a better chance to be successful.  What are your goals?  It’s important to define them.  But go further, what is your plan to achieve them?  Former NFL quarterback, Todd Blackledge, once said ‘Work will win when wishing won’t’.  Just remember that it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.

 Jamy Bechler is the executive director of U-Leadership and a John Maxwell Certified Leadership Speaker and Coach.  Contact him at CoachBechler@CoachBechler.com to find out how you or your team can be more successful.  Click here to signup for THE ENCOURAGING NEWSLETTER

"My Pleasure"

Endless roads.  Hour after hour we drove.  A college women's basketball team and myself.

"Are we there yet"? 

"How much longer"? 

The questions are endless. 

Then the big-one ... The question to end all questions ... The grand-daddy of them all ...

"COACH, WHERE ARE WE EATING?"

What am I gonna do?  What do I say?  All of my years of experience and training now must come into play.  I try to remember what they like and don't like.  Where did we eat last time?  Yikes.  My head is spinning.  Then I see it.  The girls see it.  The day has been saved.  A billboard with cows.  Chick-fil-A is at the next exit!  Good food, a playground and service with a smile.  More importantly, they love it as much as their coach.