Jamy Bechler

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

Honoring Fallen Teammates

“Did you ever know that you’re my hero and everything I’d like to be? I can fly higher than an eagle for you are the wind beneath my wings.” (Bette Midler, Wind Beneath My Wings)

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Dustin Hale was only a year older than me, but I thought the sophomore basketball player was a pretty cool guy. We didn’t really hang out away from the basketball court, but he meant a lot to me.​

That summer he passed away as the result of a freakish accident.

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Labor Day

“Whatever you are; be a good one.” (Abraham Lincoln)

For many of us in the United States, Labor Day is the unofficial end of the summer and is filled with cookouts, pool parties, and college football.

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But Labor Day began as a way to recognize our nation’s workers and their accomplishments.

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Halfway Point

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In a 2022 NASCAR race in Phoenix, Joey Logano’s pit crew executed a flawless pit stop late in the race, putting him in the lead.

This crucial moment was the turning point for Logano, as he went on to win the race and clinch his second NASCAR Cup Series Championship.

Today is July 1st meaning it’s essentially the halfway point of the year.

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Choose to be better

“You either get bitter or you get better. It’s that simple. You either take what has been dealt to you and allow it to make you a better person, or you allow it to tear you down. The choice does not belong to fate, it belongs to you.” (Josh Shipp)

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At 27 years of age, I was the youngest women’s basketball head coach at the NCAA level. Four years later, I was allowed to take my talents elsewhere.

I got resigned.

How kind of them to let me voluntarily resign.

No matter how you spin it, I was fired.

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9 Barriers Coaches Face When Communicating

Communication is perhaps the most important skill you can possess. It can make or break your relationships, friendships, and partnerships — and it’s the difference between your team reaching their potential or not.

Billionaire businessman Richard Branson says “Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.”

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Getting the Most Out of Your Coaching Mentors

The leadership expert and author John C. Maxwell says, “We all need someone to help us in our pursuit of intentional growth and the right mentor helps you take massive leaps forward.”

Even coaches need coaches. Maxwell talks about “intentional growth”. This is when you make the conscious decision to make yourself better.

One of the best ways to do this is with a mentor.

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Roger Penske and My Dad

As a youngster, my dad would serve as a firefighter for the races run at Michigan International Speedway.

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M.I.S. was less than 10 miles from my house. My brother and I plus one lucky friend would look forward to the four or five races each summer we’d attend.

This was before the era of luxury boxes and suites, so we’d sit behind pit row with the racer and pit crew families. I got to meet a lot of cool people and collect my share of autographs.

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4 Ways to Change How Your Athletes Serve Each Other

Great teams have great teammates. No disagreements there, but it isn’t easy to find great teammates. Not everybody that makes your team will come in as a great teammate — and that is where your presence and team culture kicks in.

The clearest signal that you have an athlete that is a great teammate is their desire to serve others. When athletes have the mindset of serving other team members, the entire program benefits. Legendary basketball coach John Wooden put it well when he said, “It’s amazing what you can achieve when you don’t care who gets the credit.”

Serving others is at the very core of sports — and it’s paramount to your team’s success.

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Brother’s Keeper

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
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Basketball was everything to me. It was my favorite sport. When I was in 7th grade, I was riding the bus home after school. My brother, who was three years younger than me was acting up quite a bit on the bus that particular day.

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Content of Our Character

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!!!

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I absolutely love that we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and have a day set aside for him. I am glad that my son asks questions, and we get to talk about what Martin Luther King stood for, fought for, and died for.

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