Jamy Bechler

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

Leaving a Legacy

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” (Mae West)

My dad was a throwback to a different time. A different era. He could fix anything. Build anything. Seemingly do anything.

He had been a fire fighter, police officer, truck driver, elected official, army vet, and Hillsdale College maintenance worker. 

He was featured in the top lawn and garden tractor magazine (he was so excited that he was finally a centerfold model). He also got more than half a million views on Facebook for his customized John Deere lawn mower/fire truck. In all, he built 5 custom tractors that have seen their fair share of parades. 

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Episode 124: Jon Steinbrecher, Mid-American Conference Commissioner

Dr. Jon Steinbrecher is the commissioner of the Mid-American Conference. He has held the position since 2009. He was previously the commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference. 

In July of 2019, Steinbrecher became the first Division 1 commissioner to be elected to a NCAA council leadership position when he was elected as vice chair of the NCAA Division 1 Council.

Steinbrecher has previously worked on the NCAA Football Oversight Committee and the NCAA Football Competition Committee, and currently serves on the NCAA Transfer Working Group, as well as the Developmental Model Council of USA Football.

Steinbrecher is the only commissioner in the NCAA’s first division to serve as a commissioner at all three levels of the first division, which includes the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Football Championship Subdivision and the rest of Division 1. Steinbrecher was previously the commissioner of the D-1 Summit Division (1994-2003) and the Ohio Valley Conference (2003-2009.)

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • The significance and origins of #MACtion
  • Student-athlete mental health
  • Developing student-athlete leadership
  • Issues such as transfers and paying players
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 123: Heather Macy, Author of Two Feet Forward

Heather Macy is a college basketball coach and author of “Two Feet Forward”. She is also the founder of the non-profit Influence and Impacters.

Macy is a highly requested speaker at civic organizations, hospitals, schools, non-profit organizations, plus in private industry. During these presentations, topics like teamwork, accountability, and discipline to achieve success are explored. One of only 300 coaches in the country Macy received a Certification in Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in 2016. She currently travels speaking to teams and organizations on how to use EQ to become an elite performer.

She has been a successful coach everywhere that she has been. She is the all-time winningest coach at NCAA Division I East Carolina University. She has coached at Spartanburg Methodist College, East Carolina University, Francis Marion University, Pfeiffer University, UMBC, High Point University, Lenoir-Rhyne College, and Catawba College. 

Heather Macy logo - hm in a circleMacy was the lone women’s basketball head coach invited to speak at the NIKE Championship Basketball Clinic in Las Vegas, Nev., in May 2015. The Las Vegas clinic is widely regarded as the largest college basketball clinic in the world. She spoke at the same clinics in Orlando, Fla., and Las Vegas in 2011, while being chosen as a featured speaker at the 2008 South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association clinic in North Charleston, the 2009 Triad Coaches Clinic in Winston-Salem, N.C., and the NIKE Coaching Clinics in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Cleveland, Ohio and Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • The process of writing her first book
  • Lessons learned as a college coach
  • Positively influencing student-athletes
  • … and so much more!!!

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Live to Forgive

Gandhi once said that “an eye for an eye makes the world world blind.” 18-year old Brandt Jean applied this principle in his life when he made headlines for what he did in a Dallas courtroom in October of 2019.

After Amber Guyger was sentenced in the 2018 murder of Brandt’s brother Botham, he said that he forgave her and asked the judge if he could give her a hug.

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Episode 122: Bob Vecchione, NACDA Executive Director

Bob Vecchione is the Executive Director of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. NACDA is THE professional association for individuals working in college athletics. Nearly 16,000 individuals and 1,700 institutions belong to NACDA.

During his tenure, NACDA has initiated a multitude of programs that provide value-added benefits to the ever increasing membership. Programs such as the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup, NCAA Football, the Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year Award, the NACDA Daily Review, the Disney Institute and the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) are examples of those value added membership benefits created under his tutelage. Vecchione was honored with the Tony Snow Award from the WWP in 2013.

Vecchione is also a member of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame National Board of Directors, the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission Board and is on the advisory Board of the College Sports Video Summit. He previously chaired the NCAA Football Youth Initiatives Committee.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • What kind of impact NACDA has on athletic programs and student-athletes
  • How athletic directors can best lead
  • Advice for people wanting to become involved in college athletics
  • … and so much more!!!

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