Providing Insights on Leadership and Success. Coach Bechler is a John Maxwell Leadership Team Member.
Today’s guest on the “LEADERS GROWING LEADERS” series is John Gray, athletic director at Kankakee Valley HS in Indiana.
During the “Leaders Growing Leaders” series on the Success is a Choice Podcast Network, Jamy Bechler talks with leaders about how they are growing and developing other leaders.
The series tries to examine how various leaders are making the people around them better and building a stronger, healthier culture.
Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is the executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is the first female to head the national leadership organization for high school athletics and performing arts activities and the sixth full-time executive director of the NFHS, which celebrated its 100th year of service during the 2018-19 school year. She previously was executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference for seven years.
Bob Gardner has been the executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations since May of 2010. He will be retiring from this position in August of 2018 after nearly 50 years of serving in secondary education. Gardner was only the fifth full-time executive director for the NFHS since 1940.
During his 18 years on the NFHS staff in Indianapolis, participation in high school sports has increased by almost 400,000, including the expanded opportunity for students with disabilities in high school sports. Gardner has led the organization’s focus on risk minimization in high school sports, with particular emphasis on concussion awareness, and has brought a heightened national presence to the work of the NFHS and its member state associations.
In addition to the continual expansion of the NFHS Learning Center during his tenure, Gardner is credited with starting the NFHS Network, the first-of-its-kind digital coverage of high school sports with more than 25,000 events covered during the 2016-17 school year.
He spent his career in Indiana as a teacher and coach at three schools for eight years and as an athletic director. In 1978, Gardner became principal of Milan Junior-Senior High School, followed by a stint as superintendent of the Milan Community Schools.
After serving on the Indiana High School Athletic Association board of directors during his time at Milan, Gardner joined the IHSAA staff in 1985 as assistant commissioner. He served 10 years in that role prior to becoming commissioner in 1995.
Gardner joined the NFHS staff in 2000 as chief operating officer and served in that position for 10 years prior to becoming executive director. During this time, he chaired the NFHS Rules Review Committee and was responsible for day-to-day operations of the organization. He has served on the board of directors for USA Football, USA Basketball and the Indiana Sports Corp. He is a member of the Indiana High School Wrestling Hall of Fame.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
It has often been said that sports build character. Sports allow people to learn many lessons. The games themselves, though, don’t necessarily build character. Instead, they reveal character. Just like a test that you might take in school doesn’t build your knowledge base, but it reveals what you already know. The homework that you’ve done or not done is revealed when you take a test. In the same way, what you’ve done in practice and your workouts is revealed during the games. Your habits can make or break you.
WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace College is excited to host the first annual The Educators Leadership Learning Summit (TELL) on Oct. 30.
The Summit, held at Grace’s Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center, is specifically created for school superintendents, administrators, principals, athletic directors and coaches. The TELL Summit will bring in numerous top state educators and motivational speakers to share their experiences in the world of education.
The Grace College Athletic Department created the summit, providing an educational event that is unique across the state of Indiana.
Click here for a complete schedule of speakers and topics.
The TELL Summit is designed to inspire current and future educators in the high school world. This TED Talk-inspired event was created to spark new learning ideas, stimulate deep discussion and provide networking opportunities among like-minded educators.
“We are honored to host the TELL Summit at Grace College. We feel that professional development for educators in the athletic world is critical to help student-athletes in their development,” said Grace Director of Athletics Chad Briscoe. “We hope that providing an experience for high school educators to grow and sharpen one another will be a great benefit to sports leaders at the high school level across the state.”
Included among the 14 presenters in the 2017 Summit are Bobby Cox, IHSAA Commissioner; Sandy Searcy, National Federation of State High School Associations Director of Sport; Seth Maust, Five Star Life President; and Jamy Bechler, John Maxwell Coach. Three school superintendents will be speaking, including Warsaw’s David Hoffert, as well as three athletic directors, a principal and three high school coaches.
Click here for a complete information packet on the event.
To register for the summit, contact Grace’s athletic office at 574-372-5100 ext 6266 or email chad.briscoe@grace.edu.
Bobby Cox is the Commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association. He became the 8th commissioner in Indiana history when he took the reigns in 2011. Prior to that appointment, he had served as assistant commissioner since 2000 administering the sports of football, boys’ golf, boys’ and girls’ track and field, and wrestling. Previously, Cox was a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee serving as the Chairman of the Research subcommittee from 2008-2011. Additionally, Cox served as a member of the NFHS Coaches’ Education committee from 2002-2006 and as an advisor to the Commission on Sports Medicine of the Indiana State Medical Association. Prior to joining the IHSAA, Cox had spent the previous 21 years as a teacher, coach, and athletic administrator in the Carmel Clay Schools.
The summer typically brings vacations and down time for many people.
However, for Jamy Bechler, a motivational speaker and John Maxwell leadership coach based in Atlanta, his life kicks into high gear as this summer approaches.
He will be speaking to thousands of athletic directors and coaches at a number of large and prestigious conferences this summer.
It seems that every high school and college student-athlete is using some form of social media almost constantly. With the advent of smart phones, it is easier now than ever before to communicate and share opinions and thoughts. With this greater opportunity comes a greater responsibility to be wise.
(originally published on January 25, 2015)
Some Marion High School student-athletes are learning how to be better leaders in order to help their teams on the field of competition and improve the world around them.
About 25 student-athletes from various teams at Marion met weekly this past semester before school to learn about different leadership concepts.