Jamy Bechler

Providing Insights on Leadership and Success. Coach Bechler is a John Maxwell Leadership Team Member.

Episode 116: Jim Carr, NAIA President

Jim Carr is the president of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NAIA provides opportunities for more than 65,000 student-athletes to play sports at the collegiate level. The NAIA is headquartered in Kansas City. The men’s basketball tournament is the longest running basketball tournament in the nation. Under Carr’s leadership, the NAIA has grown a great deal and has been at the forefront of innovative programs such as the “Champions of Character” and the “Return on Athletics”. 

Carr joined the NAIA in July 1998 as Managing Director and General Counsel and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, while retaining the title of General Counsel, in 2000.  In September 2006, Carr became the seventh President and Chief Executive Officer of the NAIA. He is a graduate of Millsaps College, has an M.S. in sports management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a J.D. from Duke University.  He serves on various boards and councils, including USA Basketball, the Kansas City Life, Baptist Trinity Lutheran Foundation, the Police Athletic League of Kansas City, Missouri Bank and Trust and the Downtown Council of Kansas City.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Recruiting tips for parents
  • Qualities that make a good coach
  • Differences between the NAIA and the NCAA
  • Opportunities for student-athletes to grow and develop
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 115: Kaya Jones, Recording Artist

Kaya Jones was one of the singers for The Pussycat Dolls, which is one of the most popular girl groups in history having sold more than 15 million albums & 40 million singles worldwide. She was discovered and first signed to a deal by R. Kelly in 1999 (when she was 13 years old). Kaya has worked with Britney Spears, Mick Jagger, D12, R.Kelly, Dada Life, Calvin Harris, Backstreet Boys, Eminem & Katy Perry to name a few. Kaya has also developed the Hollywood Doll brand, which designs and manufactures a line of dolls, and fashion and beauty products for young girls. And, at the age of 26, Jones became the youngest female in history to start her own record label, HueMan Race Records. Kaya has brought her own sound to the masses and developed her career as a solo artist.

 

In 2017 her song “What The Heart Don’t Know” shot up the chart to #3 behind Taylor Swift and P!NK. She stopped the promos for the song in order to focus on raising money for Hurricane Harvey and was successful in raising almost 3 million dollars for the relief efforts. She also went to Houston to help feed and distribute clothing to churches and food to victims, as well as first responders. In 2017, Kaya became a very out-spoken supporter of President Trump. On October 1, 2017 she was in Las Vegas and on stage with Big and Rich one hour before the worst mass shooting in US history. She became an Ambassador for the NDC (National Diversity Coalition for President Trump) and also a Director for the URC (Urban Revitalization Coalition for President Trump. In 2018, Kaya had the honor of singing the National Anthem for the President and Vice President of the United States over the course of two days at CPAC.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Signing a recording contract as a 13-year old
  • The time spent with the musical group The Pussycat Dolls
  • Being part of a Grammy nominate country album
  • Her political and religious views
  • … and so much more!!!

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Jamy Bechler Speaks at Midway University

article originally appeared at GoMidwayEagles.com on January 24, 2019

MIDWAY, Ky. — Midway University student-athletes began the second semester in a positive way when nationally recognized leadership expert, speaker and author, Jamy Bechler visited campus and spoke to the student-athletes.

Not only is Bechler a professional speaker, a leadership trainer and an executive business coach, but he also authored an Amazon Best Seller, he has been published in the Huffington Post and is a regular guest on various radio stations and podcasts.

“My desire is to add value to people,” noted Bechler. “I want to see people reach their true potential and achieve their goals. Success is a choice and I love seeing individuals choose to develop and utilize their talents.”

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Episode 114: Bob Wilson, NAIA Hall of Famer

Bob Wilson served as the athletic director at Vanguard University for more than 20 years. He earned the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Athletic Director of the Year honors twice (2002, 2012). Wilson also coached basketball at the collegiate level for more than 24 years. Wilson served the NAIA in significant ways over the years, including chair of NAIA Region II, chair of the National Administration Council, president of the Basketball Coaches Association, men’s basketball rater, and chairman of the NAIA Basketball Tournament. In addition, Wilson served as vice president of the GSAC, and was a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He conceptualized the Champions of Character initiative on the Vanguard campus when he created VU’s Gold Pride program. During his tenure, the department won 16 Champions of Character Team awards, two student athletes were voted Leroy Walker winners, and two head coaches were named Coach of Character. In March 2007, Wilson was inducted into the NAIA Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame. He is the author of “The Ripple Effect” and currently serves as a partner with Comprehensive Athletics Consulting, LLC.

 
In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Developing student leadership
  • Creating a championship culture
  • Hiring and job search tips
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 113: Kara Lawson, WNBA Champion & Basketball Analyst

Kara Lawson is the Washington Wizards’ TV analyst and former star player at the University of Tennessee, as well as in the WNBA. She first joined ESPN in 2004 as a women’s college basketball analyst while playing point guard for the Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA. She has served in a variety of capacities – game and studio analyst, play-by-play and sideline reporter while covering men’s and women’s college basketball as well as the NBA. Lawson was a member of the Women’s Basketball Olympic Team, which won a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and she captained the US Team to a gold medal in the 2011 World University Games. Overall,  in addition to winning an Olympic Gold Medal, she has won a WNBA title, been a WNBA all-star, won two high school state championships while also competing in the NCAA Final Four as a member of the Lady Vols. Off the court, Lawson is a passionate advocate for fitness and personal health. She is a member of the Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Campaign, is active with Race for the Cure and also volunteers for the American Cancer Society. In 2010, Lawson began working with various chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss: 

  • Playing for Pat Summitt at Tennessee
  • How athletes can be better leaders
  • What qualities make up a great coach
  • . . . and so much more!!!

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Playing One String

The legendary Italian violinist Niccolo Paganini was playing a difficult piece of music before a large audience. Suddenly one string on his violin snapped, yet he continued to play, improvising beautifully. Then two more strings broke, and he completed the composition playing with only one string.

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Episode 112: Justin Kittredge, CEO of ISlideUSA

Justin Kittredge is the CEO and Founder of ISlide USA, which manufactures, markets, and sells premium custom athletic sandals.  The company was founded in 2013. In 2016, he appeared (along with NFL star Antonio Brown), on Shark Tank asking for an investment. Ultimately, he turned down an offer of $500,000. ISlide’s can be found on the feet of some of the world’s biggest celebrities, including Tom Brady, Ellen DeGeneres, Ice Cube, and Lebron James.  Justin spent a decade working as the Director of the Basketball Product Division at Reebok. Justin and his team worked to create, market and sell NBA basketball shoes throughout the United States and abroad. Justin was the Guinness World Records™ holder for the most completed basketball free throws in two minutes in 2010. By completing 64 free throws in 120 seconds, averaging a basket every 1.875 seconds, Justin beat the previously held record of 60 shots by Olympic silver medalist and basketball star, Laurent Sciarra, of Paris, France. He also holds the record for most completed blind folded free throws in two minutes and is in the process currently of getting a new record approved.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss: 

  • Boston sports figures
  • Turning down $500,000 on Shark Tank
  • The unique celebrity marketing strategy of ISlide
  • Hiring the right people
  • . . . and so much more!!!

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Episode 111: Elise Auxier – ICF Certified Life Coach

Elise Auxier is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified, professional executive and life coach and the owner of Gulfcoast Coaching in Tampa, Florida. Elise has 30 years of professional selling and sales management experience in corporate America, has owned and operated 2 successful small businesses and currently own and manage 4 pieces of commercial property.

She supports high performing women as they increase their courage and step into their confidence. With Elise’s guidance, clients break through obstacles of uncertainty, fear and limiting beliefs, and replace them with clarity, confidence and goal achievement.

 Contrary to personality assessments, the Energy Leadership Index (ELI) is a behavioral assessment which illuminates how current perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors either enhance ability to lead or detract from it. It measures how people really “show up” in life on a day when things are going pretty good and when they are under stress.

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Episode 110: Former White House Speechwriter John Corcoran

John Corcoran has worked in Hollywood, written speeches for President Bill Clinton and lost his job when Arnold Schwarzenegger became the Governator. Even though he’s lived in California most of his life, he is the world’s worst surfer, although he does speak Valley Girl fluently. His day job is working with small business owners and entrepreneurs as a lawyer and business advisor. He created a website called SmartBusinessRevolution.com where he shows small business owners and entrepreneurs how to use relationships to attract more clients, customers and revenues. John’s podcast has been named by Inc. Magazine as one of the “Top 10 Podcasts for Entrepreneurs to Learn Personal Finance From.”

In Today’s Episode We Discuss: 

  • Building a network without being sleazy
  • How to be the most interesting person in a room
  • What it was like to write speeches for President Clinton
  • Contributing to an episode of “The West Wing” TV show
  • . . . and so much more!!!

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