Jamy Bechler

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

Team-Building During Covid

“Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.” (John Wooden)

Since March 2020, sports have been different. Covid-19 has made coaches and athletes adjust, adapt, and change the way they approach their sport. I have done countless zoom calls and consultations with teams on how to make the best of these unprecedented and challenging times we are all experiencing.

There is no doubt this pandemic has affected your team in some way – from games or the season being canceled, to quarantining and experiencing isolation, to wearing masks and staying six-feet away from teammates. No matter who you are, you’ve been affected in some way to some extreme.

Here are some ideas for making the best of a bad situation and trying to have a healthy and strong culture throughout this pandemic.

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9 Ways to Become the Most Valuable Parent on Your Kid’s Team

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Thank you for being a parent and thank you for letting your child play sports, as it can build and develop so many characteristics that can help them be successful later in life. Frederick Douglass once said, “It is easier to build up strong children than it is to repair broken men.” Parenting is hard – unless being perfect is natural for you.  Parenting an athlete can be even harder at times because it is so public.  It might not seem easy to build up strong children and raise them the right way – especially, when it comes to their athletic careers – but it is so worth it. All we must do is turn on the TV, scroll through social media, or interact with people on a daily basis and we see the need for more positive values such as respect, responsibility, and gratitude. When we positively develop our children, we are helping to influence and shape the future. Our children are the future leaders. How will they be taught to lead? Sports is a microcosm of life and a great means by which to teach our children lessons that they might not experience as much or as quickly otherwise. Just like we want our children to be better members of the community, we also want them to be the most valuable teammate that they can be for their team. In the same way, as parents we can also play a big part in making the team better. Here are 9 ways that you can be the most valuable parent on your child’s team …

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10 Things All Athletes Can Do

Every athlete has a different skillset and level of athletic ability. Not every player will have the natural talent of a Lebron James, Serena Williams, Lamar Jackson, or Maya Moore. But for every all-world player that makes it, there are countless others that had the talent but lacked the intangibles. Talent can only take an athlete so far. In fact, talent doesn’t equal good. The extra stuff can take a talented athlete and make them good. Likewise, there are plenty of athletes that have limited talent but have excelled at the intangibles, leading to success and them becoming valuable members of their team. Talent is only a starting point. No matter how much or how little talent an athlete has, here are 10 things that every athlete can do.

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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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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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Episode 121: Kevin Eastman, Former NBA Coach & Executive

Kevin Eastman is a corporate speaker and an internationally-known basketball clinician who brings his knowledge and experience in sports to the business world. He speaks on various topics, including championship culture, teamwork, leadership, motivation and individual success.

Over his 40 years in the game, Kevin has coached basketball at all levels, including 13 years in the NBA. He was a top assistant to Doc Rivers with the 2008 NBA World Championship Boston Celtics, and most recently served as an assistant coach and Vice President of Basketball Operations with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kevin was raised in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and attended the University of Richmond, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He was a scholarship student-athlete at Richmond and in recognition of his unique qualities as a basketball player, the University created the Kevin Eastman Award. The award, which has been awarded just five times in program history, is given to a player who exemplifies the qualities of team leadership, dedication, and outstanding play. He was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame at both Haddonfield Memorial High School and the University of Richmond.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • What makes the best the best
  • The absolute most important word needed for success
  • How to be truthful and “keep it real” with team members
  • Being the best assistant or #2 possible
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 120: Dan Hughes, WNBA Championship Coach

Dan Hughes is the head coach of the WNBA’s Seattle Storm. In just his first year with the Storm, he helped lead them to the 2018 WNBA Championship. Nobody has coached more games in the WNBA than Hughes. He has been the head coach of the Charlotte Sting (1999), Cleveland Rockers (2000-2003), San Antonio Stars (2005-2009, 2011-2016), and the Seattle Storm (2018-current). He has also coached both men and women at various college levels. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Coming out of retirement to coach the Storm to a championship.
  • What makes Gregg Popovich so good as a coach.
  • How to be a great assistant.
  • Creating a championship culture quickly.
  • His non-traditional coaching journey and how it helped him be a better coach.
  • The male and the female player he would have liked to coach.
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 106: Greg Tonagel, Indiana Wesleyan University Basketball Coach

Greg Tonagel is the head men’s basketball coach at Indiana Wesleyan University. Tonagel and the Wildcats have won three NAIA Division II National Championships in a five year spans with titles in 2014, 2016, and 2018. Since Tonagel took over the program in 2005, he has become the winningest coach in program history both in total wins and winning percentage. Prior to coming to IWU, Tonagel served as Director of Basketball Operations at Valparaiso University, where he also played for legendary Homer Drew and appeared in four NCAA Tournaments as the starting point guard. He also led his LaPorte High School team to the last single class state finals in 1997. Much of the unprecedented success of the Wildcats can be attributed to the culture Tonagel built at IWU.  The IWU culture is built around two Biblically transforming principles; I am Third and Fearless. This has helped the influence of IWU basketball to extend far beyond the court. Tonagel and his staff have been committed to using basketball as a platform for discipleship.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • What any coach can do to create a better culture
  • Why IWU is so good year in and year out
  • How he convinces great players (including DI transfers from IU and Kansas) to come to IWU
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 104: Chris Oliver, Founder of Basketballimmersion.com

Chris Oliver is the founder of Basketballimmersion.com and is one of the most respected basketball coaches and clinicians in North America. He regularly speaks at top coaching conferences and clinics, including CoachingU in Las Vegas. Chris is also currently the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Windsor, a position he has held since 2005. He is a 3x recipient of the Ontario University Athletic Conference’s Coach of the Year award. Chris graduated with a Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster University, a Bachelor of Education degree from Brock University, and a Master’s in Physical Education and Coaching Studies from the University of Victoria. Oliver is also an NCCP Level Four coach.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Having “less boring” practices
  • Building a better culture in your program
  • Ways that players can make better decisions on the basketball court
  • … and so much more!!!

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