Change for the Better

Big Blue Nation and the University of Kentucky recently won its' 8th NCAA men's basketball national championship.  Head coach John Calipari and his much publicized dribble drive offense finally got his first national title after a near miss with the University of Memphis in 2008 against the Kansas Jayhawks.  Though Coach Cal added to his already spectacular career, the dribble drive did not really add a national championship to its resume.  The last two months of the season, including the tournament, saw the Wildcats run more set plays than many of Coach Cal's past teams.  This was not because it doesn't work.  It wasn't because the dribble drive was even bad for this group of talented players.  No, he went away from it because they were good running it but not great running it.  They were #1 in the nation running it, but there was some doubt that they would win a national championship in March running the dribble drive offense.  Like Coach Cal, I love the dribble drive.   My team runs it.  But, just like Coach Cal, I love winning even more. 

Why Pat Summitt is the Best

(editor's note:  published on April 18, 2012)
Today is a sad day not only in the state of Tennessee but across the nation.  Pat Summitt, all of 59 years young, 8 national championships, nearly 1,100 wins (most all-time, men or women) and countless branches on her coaching tree, stepped down from being the Lady Vol head coach.  Coach Summitt's associate head coach, Holly Warlick, will take over the reigns full-time.  Head Coach Emeritus is the new title that Coach Summitt has earned.  Just like everything else she has done in her career, I am sure that she'll be the best at this position.  What follows are just a couple of reasons why she may just be the best coach ever...in any sport.  I can hear the outcries now...what about Lombardi?  What about Wooden?  What about Bear Bryant?  No argument from me that if there was a Mount Rushmore of Coaches, they'd certainly be considered. However, I have no doubt whatsoever that Coach Summitt's likeness would be etched in stone...and not just because she is the best female coach or the best coach of a female sport.  

1.  She Humbly Understands Her Importance--In meeting a new woman in the movie Anchorman, Ron Burgundy, proudly proclaims "I am what you call a big deal around here.  People know me!"  Like the anchorman, Coach Summitt may be a big deal but unlike the anchorman, she is humble in her actions.  I have seen Coach Summitt on multiple occasions working intensely trying to run a camp or evaluate a prospect at an event when somebody approaches her for an autograph or picture.  Not only does she grant the request, she does it with a pep in her step, a smile, and a genuinely positive attitude.  She didn't become the first millionaire women's coach just because she won.  She was also worth that money because she is a brand.  She is a larger than life figure that provides hope and an example to thousands of people per year (plus she is not afraid to don a cheerleader outfit on occasion). It is no coincidence that the Lady Vols are at the top of the nation year in and year out in attendance, as well as occupying quite a few seats on the road.  In addition, her players have become an extension of her in the community and the arenas.  They are well-mannered and always willing to show appreciation to fans.  This past October, we took a four-hour trip to Knoxville to visit the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (one of our players, Vee Young, has her jersey hanging up) and to watch a Lady Vol practice.  After the practice was finished, Coach Summit came over to our group and talked to them for a few minutes.  She then volunteered to take a picture with us.  This was a highlight for so many of our players that grew up Lady Vol fans.  This was after a tough early season practice and less than two months after the announcement of early onset dementia.  Why did she spend time with us?  Because Coach Summitt knows no other way to act.  Coach Summitt has that special gift of making fans of all ages, shapes and sizes feel a part of the program. 

2.  The Lady Was Tough--Coach Summitt's players were first-class and were certainly "Lady" Vols off-the-court.  However, on the court, Coach Summitt treated them like athletes.  They were competitors because she was a competitor.  She didn't have time for excuses and preached taking responsibility for actions.  It wasn't okay to miss a layup or turn the ball over just because you were a girl. Be a player. Be a champion. Arguably, the Lady Vols were the flagship program of women's athletics for the past 30+ years.  However, they rebounded and defended like they were backed into a corner and had to scrape and claw their way out.  For years, Lady Vol players demonstrated how you could be a female and at the same time still sweat, bleed, and compete at the highest levels of athletics.  I love the story about her being on a recruiting home visit when she went into labor.  Just the thought of working away from home that close to the due date is pretty incredible.  She was tough enough to not have the baby (Tyler) until she was back in Tennessee.  Some might roll their eyes as if she had anything to do with that, but anyone that has followed her career will know that with Coach Summitt, it is hard to discount any story about her toughness or business like approach. Additionally, think about her career at UT and how many teams she coached and how many players took to the court.  You would be hard pressed to find examples of idiots or criminals.  Instead you find example after example of Academic All-Americans, future coaches, fine citizens and first-class student-athletes.  That consistency is amazing and demonstrates why the Lady Vol brand has lasted and flourished for so long.

3. She Surrounded Herself with Winners--Think about the last few coaches that have been a part of her staff.  It has been a who's who of basketball coaching respectability.  Some may not be household names to the average basketball fan, but to the diehards, her staff have represented a sort of all-star team.  Coming into this year, her three assistants were Holly Warlick, serving more than 30 years as a Lady Vol coach and player; Mickie DeMoss, former head coach at Kentucky and Florida; and Dean Lockwood,  a  men's college head coach for 12 years, in addition to a men's assistant at Tennessee, Central Michigan and Army.  If you watch them practice or observe the behavior on the bench during games, it doesn't take long to notice that they know what they are doing.  They are not "yes" people; they are solution people.  They are successful people.  That is who Coach Summitt surrounds herself with.  My fellow Michigander, Dean Lockwood, once told me that there are few things out there that could pull him away from working with Coach Summitt.  He didn't say "for".  He said "with".  He couldn't say enough about her and the trust she bestowed upon her assistants and the loyalty that they felt from her.  And this was all before she gave them each a brand new Mercedes Benz.  When Stephanie Glance, the long-time associate head coach for Kay Yow was passed over for the full-time job at NC State, Coach Summitt hired her on staff.  She was overqualified, but Coach Summitt wanted another great mind around her and Coach Glance probably wanted to work for a great "boss".  Even the last few coaches to leave all did so for head coaching positions (Nikki Caldwell--UCLA; Stephanie Glance--Illinois State; Mickie DeMoss--Kentucky/Indiana Fever).

At the end of the day, what makes Coach Summitt the greatest is that she achieved unparalleled success on the court while doing it without even a hint of inappropriateness.  Nearly every positive leadership and coaching characteristic could and has been applied to her.  She is a model for so many people in some many walks of life.  Even the grace and strength of character she has shown during the last year has been impressive.  She didn't hang on like a pro athlete clinging to something that he once was.  Coach Summitt didn't embarrass herself or lose touch with the game.  Yes, this talented senior class did not achieve all that was expected of them, but in all fairness they were still very successful.  Losing to eventual national runner-up Notre Dame last year and this year, bowing out to the eventual National Champion, Baylor Bears, is not at all a failure.  Coach Summitt might not have won a championship in her last year, but she certainly went out as a champion.

All of the following books are highly recommended if you are a coach, leader or fan of Coach Summitt:  "Sum It Up", "Reach for the Summitt", "Raise the Roof"

Jamy Bechler is a John Maxwell Certified Leadership Speaker, Trainer and Coach.  Contact him at CoachBechler@CoachBechler.com to find out how you or your team can be more successful.   You can also subscribe to his leadership insights & newsletter by clicking here.

15 Best Books for Coaches

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."
John Wooden

In a previous post, I talked about some of the best books for leaders, whether you are a coach or not.  Today, I will recommend the books that will help a coach in nearly any sport at any level.  A couple of the books may seem sport specific, but contain information and insight that can help you regardless of what you coach.  Even if you are not an avid reader, flip through some of these books and steal one or two ideas to implement with your teams or to strengthen your coaching philosophy.  These are 15 books that are different than my list for leaders.  However, I would definitely suggest looking at those books as well.

1. "A Season on the Brink"  (John Feinstein)
2. "The Bowden Way: 50 Years of Leadership Wisdom"  (Bobby Bowden)
3. "Coaching Team Basketball" (Tom Crean)
4. "The Men of March:  A Season Inside the Lives of College Basketball Coaches"  (Brian Curtis)
5. "Runnin' the Show:  Basketball Leadership for Coaches and Players"  (Dick DeVenzio)
6. "Catch Them Being Good"  (Tony DiCicco & Colleen Hacker)
7. "Education of a Coach" (David Halberstam)
8. "Sacred Hoops:  Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior"  (Phil Jackson)
9. "Inside Women's College Basketball:  The Anatomy of a Season"  (Richard Kent)
10. "Five Point Play"  (Mike Krzyzewski)
11. "The Winner Within"  (Pat Riley)
12. "How Good Do You Want to Be"  (Nick Saban)
13. "Raise the Roof"  (Pat Summitt) 
14. "They Call Me Coach"  (John Wooden)
15. "Practical Modern Basketball"  (John Wooden) 

 Jamy Bechler is a certified John Maxwell leadership coach, speaker and trainer.  You can contact him at Jamy@CoachBechler.com.  You can also subscribe to his leadership newsletter by clicking here.

Are You Growing?

“Do or do not...there is no try” the Jedi Master, Yoda, said to the young Luke Skywalker. I was a youngster when The Empire Strikes Back was in theaters. I loved that line then and I love it today. It can be used in a variety of settings.  However, as I have been thinking about leadership the last few weeks, it has become apparent that some of us get stagnant and don’t really commit to growth as leaders. We say we’ll try, but we don’t really.

Greener Grass?

In his book WINNING EVERY DAY, the former Notre Dame football coach, Lou Holtz, tells the story of the Trappist monk who was allowed to say only two words every three years. After the first three years, he met with the his order’s Brother Superior and  said, “Bad bed!” 3 years later, he came back to say, “Bad food!” After 3 more years of silence, the monk said, “No TV!” Another 3 years passed. This time, when the monk met with Brother Superior, he handed him his robes and sandals and announced, “I quit!” Brother Superior said, “Well don’t expect me to try to dissuade you. You’ve done nothing but complain since you got here!”

Complaints, excuses, envy, ambition...we’ve all been there.  Unless you are in a perfect place (which would make you an Angel), the grass may appear to be greener on the other side of the fence. The truth is that every job, every person, every situation has some flaws.  Until you own your circumstances, you will never truly maximize the potential of your situation.

What's Important to You?

In light of the recent Bobby Petrino debacle at the University of Arkansas, I thought it would be appropriate to reprint an article I wrote for the May 2011 issue of THE ENCOURAGING LEADER.

As an avid Michigan football fan, I appreciate the following story.  An Ohio State student and U of M student were taking a graduate school entrance exam.  Afterward, the proctor called both of them into an office and proceeded to tell them that they both missed only one question on the test, but that the Michigan student was receiving an “A” and the OSU student would fail.  When prompted, the proctor replied that the UM student had answered “I don’t know” for one of the questions.  Ironically, that was the same question the OSU student missed.  Except the OSU student answered “I don’t know either”.  Lately, it hasn’t pained me to see Ohio State football in the news for apparently violating NCAA rules. But, I can appreciate Jim Tressel’s success as a coach.  He seemed to be a class leader that did things the right way.   Is Jim Tressel a cheater?  Is he a bad person?  I don’t know for sure.  However, I can say that it appears his moral compass was off, at least for a moment.

Another Leader "Crashes"

Joe Paterno, Jim Tressell, Bruce Pearl, the list goes on and on.  You can now add former University of Arkansas head football coach to the list of great coaches...great leaders, that fell short of their obligations as individuals of character.  As leaders of young men (or women), it is imperative that a coach abide by higher standards.  Character and integrity do go hand in hand with what a college (or high school) coach's expectations should be.  At these levels, a coach is expected to help develop character in their players.  It is a difficult task, made nearly impossible if a coach doesn't model an acceptable behavior themselves.

Defense Wins Championships

All of us sports fans have heard it said that "Defense Wins Championships".  Though that axiom has a lot of legitimacy, it is hard to say whether it is 100% true.  Lots of things go into winning a championship. However, I must say that this year, it seemed that I noticed more winning coaches praising their team's defensive efforts as the main reason for their success.  This has gotten me to thinking about my team and whether or not we should emphasize defense even more next year. It probably can't hurt. Regardless, here are some of the examples that I am talking about when it comes to defense helping a team win a basketball championship.

James Justice Wins College Slam Dunk Championship

Congratulations to James Justice, the 5'9 All-American guard from Martin Methodist College, for winning the 2012 State Farm College Slam Dunk Contest.  He beat out seven NCAA Division I players, including Miles Plumlee from Duke University.  If you didn't see it on ESPN, then I highly recommend it.  If nothing else, seeing the judges (including Bobby Hurley and John Salley) react after James' last dunk is priceless.  Here is the footage (courtesy of SBnation.com).

http://www.sbnation.com/2012-ncaa-tournament/2012/3/29/2913006/ncaa-slam-dunk-contest-highlights-gifs-final-four

15 Best Books for Leaders

"I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday."

ABE LINCOLN

As a basketball coach, I have a tremendous opportunity to lead and influence people every day.  Certainly leadership involves a great many things, however, I have found that constantly learning and re-learning methods, strategies, and insights gives me a better chance to lead in a positive manner.  Reading books is one of the key resources that I utilize in trying to sharpen my leadership skills.  Every once in awhile, I'll even read a book again because it was so good.  Below are some of the books that I'd recommend highly for anyone seeking to be a better leader. These are not necessarily coaching books, but a variety of books that hit upon a number of key leadership areas. With summer fast approaching, maybe go to your local library or go online and get a copy of any of these books that you haven't read.  You won't be disappointed with the valuable insights in these books.

1. "How to Win Friends and Influence People" (Dale Carnegie) 
2. "Good to Great"  (Jim Collins) 
3. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"  (Stephen Covey)    

4. "Leadership Is An Art"  (Max De Pree)

5. "Leadership"   (Rudolph Giuliani)

6. "The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell"  (Oren Harari) 
7. "War Room: The Legacy of Bill Belichick & the Art of Building the Perfect Team" (Michael Holley)
8.  "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln"   (Doris Kearns Goodwin)
9.  "Leading with the Heart"   (Mike Krzyzewski) 
10. "Reach for the Summit"   (Sally Jenkins)
11. "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty"   (Harvey Mackay) 

12. "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership"  (John Maxwell)
13. "Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners"  (Joe Torre)
14. "The Paradox of Power"  (Pat Williams)

15. "It's Called WORK For A Reason"   (Larry Winget)

Championship Lessons Learned at NAIA National Tournament

From March 10-20, I spent time serving on the NAIA National Tournament Committee.  It was a bittersweet experience.  Meeting all the coaches, watching all the games, observing many practices and helping the tournament run smoothly was great.  However, it was difficult watching the teams play knowing that we had been fairly close to qualifying ourselves.  If only we'd won 1-2 more games, we might have been one of the 32-teams that earned a bid.  I must say that Rob Edmission's Oklahoma City University team was extremely impressive throughout the entire tournament.  They beat Union University in the championship game, which is no small feat.  As I watched the games and thought about how to get my team to the tournament, I came up with some observations. In no particular order, I have listed them below.  

DON'T BE A TWIT ... twitter rules to live by

I am fairly new to the world of social media, especially twitter.  I have an account and have composed some tweets.  However, don't expect me to twit anyone back.  I also just learned in the last week that "dm" isn't short for "you da man".  "Direct Message" makes more sense. I kind of thought that it was strange when people would keep asking me to "dm" them.  Okay, whatever dawg...u da man!  Anyway, I believe the twitter universe is here for the long haul and I must get used to it.  More importantly, my players have embraced it so I guess I need to learn a little something about it.  I came across two great articles about tweeting.  The first is "100 Twitter Rules To Live By", which was written by Darren Rovell (a sports business expert for CNBC).   The second "50 Twitter Tips for Division I Student Athletes" was written by Tom Satkowiak, who works in the athletic media relations off at the University of Tennessee, is a good read for anyone but especially college athletes.  Some of my favorites are:

March Madness Brackets

Let the Madness begin!  The brackets were revealed yesterday, which means today was not a good day for "going green".  How many trees we are responsible for killing is probably a number that will never be known.  However, if you are like me, you'll be printing out a bunch of different brackets.  You'll have your 'upset' bracket, your 'favorites' bracket, your 'pick with the head' bracket, your 'pick with your heart' bracket, your 'mascot' bracket, your 'school colors' bracket, and finally your 'bracket of integrity', which is never the one that wins the office pool.  Keith Lipscomb, a college buddy of mine, is an editor for ESPN Fantasy Games.  He just released an article on ESPN.com that is the ultimate in getting information for filling out your bracket and giving you the best chance to beat out your wife and her crazy picks! Click on the link below for all the information you need.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/page/tcmen12trends/2012-men-ncaa-tournament-bracket-trends-consider-making-picks-field-68

The "I GOT FIRED" Club

Springtime.  March Madness.  What a great time of the year.  The flowers are blooming, the weather is nicer, yard sale signs are going up and basketball tournaments are providing us with great excitement.  However, it is also a difficult time of the year for some folks in the coaching profession.  The internet is beginning to be littered with stories and rumors of coaches being fired or getting "resigned".  As fans of basketball, this is natural and expected.  Our team isn't performing like we want them to be and so we want change.  For coaches everywhere, this is also a normal occurrence, though not one that we want our friends and acquaintances to go through.  And by all means, we don't want to go through it ourselves.  It is said that coaches are hired to be fired.  If you are a coach and haven't been fired (or had your contract renewed, or asked to resign, or been re-assigned, etc...) then you are either a relatively young coach or one of the very few fortunate ones.  Notice, I didn't say that you are one of the good coaches.  Bad coaches get fired.  Average coaches get fired.  Good coaches get fired.  Men get fired.  Women get fired.  Alums get fired.  Coach of the Year winners get fired.  No one is immune to this phenomenon.  Sometimes we see it coming; other times it blindsides us.  As a member of one of the biggest clubs around, I wanted to make mention of a couple of things you should keep in mind if you should find yourself joining (or getting your membership renewed in) The "I was fired" Club.  

Best Basketball Coaches Not on TV

Union's Mark Campbell, winner of 4 NAIA National Championships and 89% of his games in 13 years as coach

A recent blog posting by Helen Wheelock got me thinking about coaching job searches and who administrators hire.  Seems like most of the talk always centers around the DI coaches, especially the “up-and-comers”.  I do not profess to know exactly what makes a good coach in all situations.  Good coaches in a bad situation can lead to struggles and failures, whereas unproven coaches (i.e. assistants) in good situations can lead to success and excitement.  I decided to put together a list of some of the best coaches I know.  These coaches are not necessarily up-and-comers.  They are just individuals that know what they are doing and have proven they can get the job done.  Isn’t that what is important for an A.D. anyway?  Coaching X’s and O’s are pretty much a common language across the divisions. 

Fight for Justice

Men's Basketball - Fri, Feb 24, 2012

CHICAGO, Ill. - Martin Methodist's senior guard James Justice has moved on to the final four round for the "Dark Horse Dunker" competition, and Martin Methodist College needs your votes. "Dark Horse Dunker" nominees are under-the-radar players who have what it takes to compete against the D-I field in New Orleans. The winner is decided through a bracket-style voting contest on Facebook, and will compete at the NCAA Division I Final Four dunk contest held in New Orleans, Lousiana airing March 29 on ESPN at 9 pm ET.  

Win the Day

As I write this, it is January 1st.  It's the first day of the new year.  This is a day of new beginnings.  It is a day that gets people thinking about change.   I went to the gym this afternoon for my normal exercise session.  There were a number of new people there that I haven't seen before.  I think this will become the new normal...at least for a month or so.  New Year's resolutions abound.  Promises are made.  Commitments are revealed.  The start of a new year is a great time to re-evaluate where you are personally and professionally.  There is no magic to a new year but the perception exists that wonderful things can be accomplished and that we have a clean slate.  It is always good to make long term plans and seek to improve our lives.  However, I think New Year's resolutions can sometimes be a little daunting.  New beginnings are great but what if our goals are rather large? 

Gunner Kiel "Commits"...again

Gunner Kiel committed to play quarterback at LSU today.  For those of you that don't know who Gunner Kiel is, then here is a snapshot (plus it is really all I know of him since I have never met him, seen him play or befriended him on facebook).  He is a senior quarterback at Columbus East High School in Indiana (40 miles from Indiana University).  He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Indiana.  He threw for about a million and a half yards with only a handful of interceptions--and he can run, as well.  His team made it to the state semi-finals.  Oh yeah, and he committed to Indiana University and new coach Kevin Wilson (former Offensive Coordinator at Oklahoma) this past summer.  Two months ago, he evidently decided to help re-write a section of Webster's dictionary. The word commitment must no longer mean to promise or pledge something because Gunner "decommitted" from Indiana University and reopened his recruitment..  Gunner is not the first, nor will he be the last athlete to be confused as to what a commitment actually is.

Leadership Lessons from the Christmas Story

This article was written by Dan Foster on December 22, 2010 for his website (www.CoachDanFoster.com).  With permission, it was edited for “The Encouraging Leader”.  The entire article is worth reading at:  http://www.coachdanfoster.com/2010/12/leadership-lessons-from-the-christmas-story/

As a leader, I’m always looking for leadership lessons in the lives of other leaders, books, articles, and my own life experiences. With us approaching Christmas, I recently read the different biblical accounts of the arrival of Jesus’ on earth. While reading these Christmas stories, a few leadership lessons jumped out at me that I thought were worth sharing.

"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.

ULeadership website launched

My business and vision of Hoops Plus, LLC has taken another step in having an impact on people's lives and helping others to reach their potential and become successful.  The leadership component of Hoops Plus, LLC has evolved into what I have termed ULeadership.  It will become the leadership training & development division of Hoops Plus, LLC.  The purpose of ULeadership is to help individuals achieve more success in any and all endeavors of life while assisting them in furthering their leadership qualities. ULeadership utilizes various methods to give individuals the opportunity to experience greater success in life, as well as positively impacting those around them.  We believe that everyone can demonstrate leadership qualities and that...

"Leadership begins with U" 

If you can become a better leader then you can also begin to influence the world around you.  ULeadership will be assisting teams, companies and individuals to develop their leadership potential.  I am extremely excited about this because leadership is a passion of mine.  I will continue to develop the Hoops Plus, LLC brand, but I wanted something that addressed the leadership side of Hoops Plus, LLC but without limiting it to just basketball people.  I hope that you enjoy and gain valuable insight from this new leadership website.

Are You Prepared?

The Penn State University scandal is a situation that we all must pay attention to and learn from.  I will not be writing an Op-Ed piece, nor passing judgment in this brief column.  Rather, I encourage all coaches, administrators, teachers...anyone that is reading this to take heed and examine how you would handle this kind of situation.  More importantly, how would you handle other situations that may be once in a lifetime situations.  Joe Paterno, Penn State's football coach and the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history was unprepared for a situation that arose under his leadership.  Did he ever think something like this would happen?  Should a coach have to deal with the stuff he had to deal with?  Is an error of omission worth losing your job over?  No matter what your opinion, the facts remain that he was unprepared.