Jamy Bechler

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

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Jun 11 2026

7 Creative Ideas for More Effective Practice Sessions

The Navy SEALS like to say, “Under pressure, you don’t rise to the occasion, instead you sink to the level of your training.”

Very few athletes are true “gamers” in that they can show up on game day and flip a switch. Most athletes need to prepare and build good habits, so they can call upon their skills when needed.

In order to best prepare your athletes to face certain situations during games, you need to inspire them.

Here are seven ways you can make your practice sessions a little more creative in order to increase their effectiveness…

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Sports, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: accountability, Adversity, Allen Iverson, Coaching, conditioning, Culture, Drills, engagement, enthusiasm, fun, Music, Navy SEALs, pace of play, Plan, Practice, Program Building, water breaks, workouts

May 08 2021

3 Ways to be a Verbal Leader

They may take our lives . . . BUT THEY’LL NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM!!!

Most of the time when we think of verbal leadership, we think of Hollywood speeches with the hero inspiring countless individuals to follow him into battle like the movies Braveheart, Gladiator, or 300.

We also might think of Tim Tebow giving the “Promise” speech and then backing it up on the way to a national championship.

We may not be Michael Jordan, Tim Tebow, Kobe Bryant, or William Wallace in Braveheart, but we all can be verbal leaders.

In fact, as long as we have a tongue, we should be verbal leaders.

Let me say that again for the people in the back…

Not only can we all be verbal leaders but we all should be verbal leaders.

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Sports, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: 300, accountability, braveheart, captains, collective responsibility, Communication, Culture, Encouragement, Encouraging, gladiator, information, informing, Leadership, reminding, Responsibility, student leadership, Team Leadership, teammates, The Bus Trip, The Leadership Playbook, Tim Tebow, verbal leader, verbal leadership, vocal

Feb 08 2018

It Is What You Make It

“I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” (Carl Gustav Jung)

“If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.” (Theodore Roosevelt)

Are you going through a mid-life crisis?    “IT IS WHAT IT IS”

Have you been passed over for a promotion?    “IT IS WHAT IT IS”

Is your girlfriend is a nag?    “IT IS WHAT IT IS”

Your parents don’t understand you?    “IT IS WHAT IT IS”

You say your husband doesn’t listen to you?   “IT IS WHAT IT IS”

Are the people around you are idiots?    “IT IS WHAT IT IS”

Hearing “It is what it is” makes me want to punch someone.  And then when they’d complain, I’d just say, “Sorry, but it is what it is”

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Personal Growth · Tagged: accountability, Charles Swindoll, cliches, ownership, Responsibility

Jun 19 2016

Stop Being a ‘BUT’

I heard an interview with MVP Steph Curry the other night after Game 6 of the NBA Finals, in which he made a comment that got me thinking about my pre-maritial counseling.

Wait, what?!?

You mean it’s not natural to associate Steph Curry getting ejected and throwing mouth-pieces with pre-maritial counseling?

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Personal Growth, Sports · Tagged: accountability, Apologies, complaining, excuses, Leadership, marriage, NBA, officiating, Potential, Responsibility, Steph Curry, Success

Apr 11 2012

Another Leader “Crashes”

(Originally published on April 11, 2012)

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.

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Sports, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: accountability, Arkansas, Bobby Petrino, Bruce Pearl, Character, Coaches, ethics, Integrity, Jim Tressell, Joe Paterno, Leadership, lying, Priorities, Responsibility, Student-Athletes

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