Jamy Bechler

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

Episode 096: Toronto Raptors Guard Lorenzo Brown

Lorenzo Brown was the NBA’s 2018 G-League Most Valuable Player and is a member of the Toronto Raptors. He also played with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and Phoenix Suns. The six-foot-five combo guard played college basketball at NC State. He led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in assists as a junior before leaving early to enter the NBA Draft. He was drafted 52nd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA draft.

During Brown’s MVP season, he helped lead the Raptors 905 to the G-League Finals while averaging 18.8 PPG, 8.8 APG, and 5.2 RPG. On  January 12, 2018, Brown became the first player to score in both a G-League game and an NBA game on the same day. He had 24 points and 12 assists for the 905s earlier in the day and then suited up that night against the Lebron James-led Cleveland Cavs on national TV. Brown would play 19 minutes in the 34-point blowout win, scoring 6 points and dishing out 5 assists.

Brown initially attended Centennial High School in his native Roswell, Georgia, where he averaged 20.8 points as a senior and was named a fourth-team Parade All-American and the Georgia 5A player of the Year. He would eventually spend a post-graduate year at Hargrave Military Academy. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • His basketball journey and lessons he’s learned
  • What he’s learned from Demar Derozan and Kyle Lowry
  • What makes Toronto’s “Bench Mob” so valuable
  • How he embraces his role on the team
  • Qualities of a great coach
  • … and so much more!!!

[Read more…]

Episode 086: Bernard Robichaud from Trailer Park Boys

Boston-born, Canadian-based, actor, writer and comic, Bernard Robichaud, known to fans worldwide as Cyrus, the gun toting, drug dealing nemesis from the hit television series Trailer Park Boys, started his life in the spotlight as a sought after model. That is, until the day he crossed paths with a Toronto talent agent, who insisted he missed his calling and should try his hand at acting. With that advice in mind, Bernard enrolled in the Theatre Arts program at Dalhousie University and later honed his skills under the private tutelage of esteemed vocal coach Dorothy Ward, and later under the wings of award winning director Tom Kerr at the prestigious Neptune Theatre.

Believe it or not, this athletic man who grew up playing hockey and basketball and today is an avid golfer was hired to voice the characters of both Robert and Becky in the CBC radio drama In Becky’s Name. Governor General Award winning playwright and author, Kent Stetson, took the liberty of contacting ACTRA on Bernard’s behalf, stating that anyone who could play a man and women on radio in their first performance deserved to be given their professional status…and he was, and he hasn’t looked back.

His uncanny talent of being able to transform himself into a rough and tumble lowlife to a ruggedly handsome good guy has garnered Bernard a variety of most interesting roles over his career including performing alongside such Hollywood icons as James Caan and Kathy Bates. Most recently he was seen in Sea Change on Lifetime movies, based on New York Times best selling author Aimee Friedman, which everyone hopes will go to camera in the near future as a series. He also starred in Blue Seduction co-starring Billy Zane and Estella Warren, and American Sunset, co-staring with his friend, the late Corey Haim. Bernard also had a recurring role as Kirk in the hit Showcase TV series, Haven.

Bernard was very unexpectedly diagnosed on Oct 6, 2017 with Prostate Cancer after a routine visit to the doctor. He is now cancer-free and is an advocate for the fight against cancer. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • Growing up playing hockey and basketball
  • Why he doesn’t watch any of his movies or TV shows
  • Battling prostrate cancer and what advice he has for others
  • His acting career

[Read more…]

What a Leader is Not

“It is better to stay silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” (Abe Lincoln)
“If the mailman stopped to kick every dog that barked at him, he’d never deliver the mail.” (Roy Williams, Hall of Fame Basketball Coach)

 

My 7-year old son was mad yesterday.  He was carrying on in a way that many of us have seen before when a young child is really tired and is not getting his way.  [Read more…]

Episode 063: Travis Daugherty, Sports Parenting Author and Basketball Coach

Travis Daugherty is the author of “The Lens: Raising a Champion Athlete and Man in Today’s Myopic World”. He is also the head boys basketball coach at Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville, Indiana.  Entering the 2017-18 season, he has a career record of 172-122 in 13 seasons as a head coach. Daugherty’s head coaching career started at Tipton High School from 2004-2009, where his teams won back-to-back sectional and conference championships. In 2008, he received the Indiana Basketball Coach’s Association Bob King Coach of the Year award.  From 2009-2013, Travis served as the Head Coach at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis, and he started at Mt. Vernon in 2013-14.  He won a state championship for Alexandria-Monroe H.S. and then went on to have a stellar collegiate career at Anderson University. In addition to coaching responsibilities, Travis also serves as a high school English teacher at Mt. Vernon.  His most important job in life is his role as a husband and father.  He and his wife, Jessica, were married in 2003 and have three children:  Aden, Owen, and Leah.  

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • Why he wrote a book on parenting
  • What good and bad parenting looks like
  • How writing this book has changed him as a coach and parent

[Read more…]

Episode 046: Southeastern University Basketball Coach R-Jay Barsh

R-Jay Barsh is the head men’s basketball coach at Southeastern University. The 2017-18 season marks his sixth season at the helm of the Fire program. At the time of this episode being released, Barsh just won his 100th game moving the 7th ranked Fire program to 12-2 on the season.

In only his second season, he was a finalist for the Don Meyer National Coach of the Year Award as he guided the Fire to a 27-7 record and the program’s first-ever NAIA National Tournament appearance. Before coming to Southeastern, Barsh was the assistant coach at Tacoma Community College.  While at Tacoma, he was considered one of the top recruiters on the West Coast and was even featured in The Bleacher Report for being a main catalyst for the Titans recruiting and developmental success. He also coached at Pugent Sound University, as well. Before he began his coaching career, he enjoyed a successful playing career at Tacoma Community College from 2001–2003. In his first season, he led the Titans to a NWAACC title and a 30–3 overall record. In 2003, Barsh was named Second Team All-Conference and found himself in a unique position, having won NWAACC titles as both a player (2002) and a coach (2012).

Off of the hardwood, Barsh has always felt the call of God on his life and has used basketball as the vehicle to deliver the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For over the past 10 years, he has been an integral part of Northwest Basketball Camps (NBC), which is a Christ-centered camp that utilizes basketball to impact the hearts and minds of young people through Jesus Christ. Through NBC, Barsh has led several camps around the world, including in Italy, the United Kingdom, and Alaska.  He is also the founder of SkyMotivation, which is a ministry he uses to help young people grow in Christ. His website for the ministry has testimonies, devotionals, and even an area where viewers can ask questions about their faith.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • How he defines and measures success as a college basketball coach
  • What he is doing to help develop his players both on and off the court
  • Advice he has for a coach (or leader) going through a losing streak

[Read more…]

Episode 029: Fantasy Football Expert Adam Levitan

Adam Levitan is a fantasy football expert that helps thousands of casual and serious players each week. He is a DraftKings analyst. Along with Fantasy Football Millionaire Maker Winners, Peter Jennings and Al Zeidenfeld, they co-host The Daily Fantasy Football Edge pod. Levitan is also an analyst and writer for Fantasy Labs. He is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writer Association award winner. In 2015, PlayingLegal.com named Levitan as one of the Top-50 Influential People in Daily Fantasy Sports. Not only does he have a loyal following of people wanting fantasy sports advice but he also provides entertaining answers to listener questions each week on his “solo pod” fantasy edge podcast.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • Advice for individuals wanting to play fantasy football
  • Playing a tennis match against a frying pan-wielding tennis pro.
  • How to handle trolls or criticism on social media
  • What motivated him to get into better shape this year

[Read more…]

Episode 004: Orlando Magic Senior V.P. & Co-Founder Pat Williams

Pat Williams is a co-founder and the Senior Vice President of the NBA’s Orlando Magic. He is the father of 19 children, including 14 of whom are adopted. He has climbed Mt. Rainer and run more than 50 marathons. In 1996 he was named as one of the most influential people in NBA history. He played professional baseball before becoming an executive. In 1983, he won the NBA World Championship as the General Manager of the Philadelphia 76ers. Williams has authored more than 100 books, with his most recent book being “The Intersection of Success”.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • The secret of success
  • How to parent and raise kids in today’s culture
  • Why people don’t always live up to their potential
  • How he finishes at least 1 book per day

[Read more…]

Episode 016: Crossroads League Commissioner Larry DeSimpelare

Larry DeSimpelare is the commissioner of the Crossroads League, which is arguably the best NAIA conference in the country when it comes to combining national-level competition and an emphasis on character-building. The Crossroads League has schools from the state of Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Before becoming a commissioner, Larry served as a collegiate men’s basketball coach at Cleveland State University, Rutgers University, Kent State University, Eastern Michigan University and Concordia University. Along the way, DeSimpelare helped guide those programs to three league titles, eight NIT berths and four NCAA bids, where he helped Eastern Michigan take out Duke and Cleveland State upend Wake Forest in a pair of opening round upsets.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • The importance of loyalty and how he stayed with head coach Gary Waters for more than 20 years and at 3 different jobs
  • His journey to becoming a collegiate conference commissioner
  • Future Hall of Fame football player Antonio Gates playing basketball at Kent State University

[Read more…]

Episode 031: Real Estate Team Builder Brandon Patrick

Brandon is a real estate expert that has managed close to a Billion dollars in residential and commercial sales. He is co-owner of the Global Real Estate Education Network (GREEN) and hosts their podcast. Global Real Estate Education Network is an online real estate education company that combines live, interactive coaching and training with a nationwide investor club network and a powerful network marketing business opportunity.

Brandon began training agents in Best Practice Marketing and strategies for many years. He traveled consistently around the US, and trained agents in online and offline marketing. He became the CEO and Co-Founder of Busy Agent Pro, and enjoyed helping agents reach toward their potential.  As he got further and further into technology, he helped Co-Found a content curation company called HyPRcast.com.  Brandon has also acted as the Principal Broker and Vice President to numerous companies including REMAX, Keller Williams, EXIT Realty and Crye Leike Realtors.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • What it takes to build a successful team
  • Knowing your role and purpose on a team
  • How praising and recognizing people motivates them to be their best and buy into roles

[Read more…]

Kirsten Moore Overcomes Adversity

The following excerpt is from Bill Plaschke’s article in the L.A. Times (originally posted on March 31, 2013) about Kirsten Moore, the head women’s basketball coach at Westmont College.  She recently led her team to the NAIA National Championship.  This story is an amazing example of perseverance and overcoming adversity.  Kirsten is a first-class individual and is well-respected in the coaching profession.  She certainly has a bright future ahead of her in the coaching world, but as you’ll see from Plaschke’s great article, it is her past which fuels her present and future.

[Read more…]

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