Jamy Bechler

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

College of Saint Mary Partners with Bechler Leadership for Basketball Search

The College of Saint Mary athletic director Robbie Shay has announced they are partnering with Bechler Leadership in its’ search for a new women’s basketball coach.

“We believe there’s a lot of potential here,” said Shay. “With our revamped scholarships, first-class facilities, and beautiful location we wanted to maximize the opportunities available to us to get the right coach in place. Bechler Leadership has had great results filling positions at other schools and we’re excited to work with their team.”

[Read more…]

5 Ways to Create More Trust Within Your Coaching Staff

A strong culture requires trust and chemistry among all the team members. As coaches, we usually think of this in terms of our athletes. We look at team-building as something they do, as opposed to something we do.

If you’re trying to maximize the potential of your athletes, the coaching staff must be a cohesive unit that’s on the same page. You can’t expect our athletes to trust one another, communicate effectively with one another, or support one another if you’re not doing that as well.

[Read more…]

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.

[Read more…]

Hall of Fame Reliability

“The greatest ability is your dependability.” (Bobby Jones)

🔊 Click here to listen to a 2-minute audio version of this email.

You’ve no doubt heard of NFL players like Barry Sanders and Tom Brady. They are all-time greats.

But have you heard of Joe Thomas? He is also an all-time great. In 2023, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In football, the guys who score touchdowns are recognized and rewarded. However, it’s important to remember the guys who make those touchdowns possible. Those big guys up front in the trenches protecting the quarterback and creating holes for the running backs are vital to the success of a team.

Joe Thomas was one of those guys.

[Read more…]

2003 British Open Champion Ben Curtis

Ben Curtis won the 2003 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s as a rookie in only his 16th start on the PGA Tour. He became the first golfer in 90 years to win a major championship in his first try. He would go on to win a total of four PGA events. Curtis also was the runnerup at the 2012 PLAYERS Championship and a member of the 2008 Ryder Cup Championship Team. Prior to his professional career, he was formerly the world’s number one ranked amateur after winning three Ohio Amateur titles, earning NCAA All-American honors three times at Kent State University, and reaching the semifinals of the 1999 of the prestigious U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach. He retired from professional golf in 2017.  He now leads the Ben Curtis Golf Academy, as well as the Ben Curtis Family Foundation which seeks to alleviate childhood hunger in Northeast Ohio.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Winning The Open Championship as a rookie
  • Getting married and playing a PGA event on the same day
  • The mental approach to golf
  • Starting a foundation to help alleviate child hunger
  • … and so much more!!!

[Read more…]

The Story of KC Chief Joe Delaney

Long before Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce excited the fans at Arrowhead Stadium, the Kansas City Chiefs had another rising star.

Click here to listen to the 2-minute audio of this article

In 1981, running back Joe Delaney would earn AFC Rookie of the Year honors rushing for more than 1100 yards despite only starting 10 games.

Unfortunately, he would go on to play only two seasons in the NFL.

But Joe didn’t have a contract dispute. He didn’t get arrested for domestic assault. He didn’t have a sideline blowup with teammates or coaches. He didn’t get lazy and lose his explosiveness.

You may never have heard of the former second-round draft pick out of Northwestern State University in Louisiana since he only played two seasons … but it wasn’t because he was a bust.

[Read more…]

Adrian Griffin’s Preparation Pays Off

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” (Thomas Edison)

Adrian Griffin was hired as the head basketball coach of the Milwaukee Bucks just two years after the Greek Freek (Giannis Antetokounmpo) led the team to an NBA World Championship.

His path to becoming the head coach was less conventional than we’ve come to expect, but there are some lessons from Adrian’s story that we can learn from.

[Read more…]

12x All-American Swimmer Riley Gaines

Riley Gaines (12x All-American and 5x SEC Champion swimmer) appeared on the “Success is a Choice” podcast. Together with host Jamy Bechler, they discussed her storied career and her current work with the Independent Women’s Forum advocating for women’s sports.

Follow Riley on Twitter @Riley_Gaines_ and Instagram @RileyGBarker 

The “Success is a Choice” podcasting network consists of different episodes, series, and interviews that provide education, insights, and entertainment on a variety of topics. The network is run by leadership expert, author, and speaker Jamy Bechler.

– – – – 

The Success is a Choice podcast network is made possible by TheLeadershipPlaybook.com. Great teams have great teammates and everyone can be a person of influence. Whether you’re a coach, athletic director, or athlete, you can benefit from this program and now you can get 25% off the price when you use the coupon code CHOICE at checkout. Build a stronger culture today with better teammates and more positive leaders.

If you like motivational quotes, excerpts, or thoughts, then you’ll want to check out Jamy Bechler’s book “The Coach’s Bulletin Board” as it has more than 1,000 positive insights to help you (and those around you) get motivated and inspired. Visit JamyBechler.com/BulletinBoardBook.

Please check out our virtual sessions for parents, coaches, students, and administrators at FreeLeadershipWorkshop.com. These sessions are free and cover a variety of topics.

– – – –

Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a quick review on Apple podcasts. Ratings and reviews are the lifeblood of a podcast. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others.

Thanks again for listening and remember that “Success is a choice. What choice will you make today?”

– – – –

Jamy Bechler is the author of five books including “The Captain” and “The Bus Trip”, host of the Success is a Choice Podcast, professional speaker, and trains organizations on creating championship cultures. He previously spent 20 years as a college basketball coach and administrator.  TheLeadershipPlaybook.com is Bechler’s online program that helps athletes become better teammates and more positive leaders while strengthening a team’s culture. As a certified John Maxwell leadership coach, Bechler has worked with businesses and teams, including the NBA. Follow him on Twitter at @CoachBechler. To connect with him via email or find out about his services, please contact speaking@CoachBechler.com. You can also subscribe to his insights on success and leadership by clicking here.

[Read more…]

Will Roleson of College Sports Communicators

Will Roleson is today’s guest on the “Success is a Choice” podcast, hosted by Jamy Bechler. Will is the Associate Executive Director of the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA). Before working with CoSIDA, Will was an Associate Commissioner with the Horizon League and Sports Information Director at Kent State University.

Connect with Will Roleson …

✅ Twitter.com/WRoleson

✅ CollegeSportsCommunicators.com

✅ Linkedin.com/in/will-roleson

✅ Full Bio: CollegeSportsCommunicators.com/staff.aspx?staff=3

[Read more…]

Episode 149: Clark Kellogg, College Basketball Analyst

Clark Kellogg is one of the most respected voices covering college basketball today. The CBS Sports analyst was once a top college basketball player at Ohio State University, where he earned All-Big Ten Conference honors and won the Big Ten Most Valuable Player award in 1982.

After his junior year at Ohio State, he declared for the 1992 NBA draft and was selected eighth overall in the first round by the Indiana Pacers, and named to the NBA All-Rookie first team in 1983 after averaging 20.1 points and 10.6 rebounds. But his NBA career was cut short after just four seasons due to knee injuries, and he was forced to retire in 1986 at the age of 25.

Clark began his broadcasting journey with ESPN in 1990, and in 1993 he moved to CBS Sports, where he has worked since. In March 2010, Kellogg played a game of H.O.R.S.E. against U.S. President Barack Obama. The game, called “P.O.T.U.S.” for the occasion, was won by Obama.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Playing basketball against President Obama
  • What makes up a great leader
  • Being the parent of athletes
  • Working with Charles Barkley during NCAA Tournament
  • How players can use their platform
  • … and so much more!!!

[Read more…]

Sign Up For Leadership Insights

Join Thousands Of Others Who Follow Jamy On These Platforms: