Jamy Bechler

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

Roger Penske and My Dad

As a youngster, my dad would serve as a firefighter for the races run at Michigan International Speedway.

Please click here to listen to the 2-minute audio version of this email.

M.I.S. was less than 10 miles from my house. My brother and I plus one lucky friend would look forward to the four or five races each summer we’d attend.

This was before the era of luxury boxes and suites, so we’d sit behind pit row with the racer and pit crew families. I got to meet a lot of cool people and collect my share of autographs.

[Read more…]

Mr. Frank

The Dos Equis guy might be called “the most interesting man in the world” but to me, Frank Bechler held that title. 

Please click here to listen to the 5-minute audio version of this email.

This weekend is special for me.

December 10, 1943 was my dad’s birthday.

Even though he is no longer here physically, not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. His impact on me has been what you’d hope a dad’s impact would be. 

Many of you have read “The Bus Trip” or “The Captain”. Mr. Frank, the bus driver, is a recurring character who pops up periodically providing wisdom and a story at just the right time.

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Bechler Shares Tale of Last-Minute Delivery

This story originally appeared on www.GoRedHawks.com on November 19, 2012

Usually, five days is more than enough to prepare until a big game is played, a paper is due, or a special anniversary or holiday.

But how about having only five days’ notice that you will be a first-time dad?

That was exactly the scenario Martin Methodist women’s basketball coach Jamy Bechler encountered three years ago as he and his wife, Tabitha, received the call from Bethany Christian Services, an adoption agency based in Nashville, Tenn., that they would have the opportunity to become parents. [Read more…]

Piles of Mail

“First get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats, and then they can figure out where to drive it.” (Jim Collins, Good to Great)

During the summer of my first year as an AD, we hired a brand new secretary. On her first day, she put all the mail that had been piling up for the last month into a big black trash bag and threw it in the dumpster.

In all fairness, it looked like a big pile of trash with all of the catalogs from equipment, award, and apparel businesses. But there were a few letters and other important stuff mixed in.

Obviously, I was not happy. However, she was just trying to help out and we were in the midst of redecoration and redesign of the athletic department so she thought this was right in line with what we were trying to do.

Regardless, I went dumpster diving and also learned a great lesson.

[Read more…]

How to Take a Team from First to Worst

“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing that it doesn’t go into a fruit salad.” (Miles Kington)

After two different head coaching stints, I was presented an opportunity to coach at a dream job. It was the same type of school I was currently at but had more resources, more stability, a much nicer campus, and nearly every key player was returning from the prior year’s Top-25 team. The coach had left to take a big-time Division I head coaching job and they wanted me to replace him.

When you listen to coaches speak at clinics and conferences, they are quick to outline what they’ve done to rebuild a bad program. Most stories present an example to follow or a cautionary tale. In that dream job, I took the program from first to worst. That’s right, I ruined that team in just one year.

Not only did we have one of the worst seasons in school history and a 16-win DECREASE but we also lost twice to the team that I had just left.

#Oops.

[Read more…]

Bet on Yourself

Fred VanVleet got paid. I mean HE GOT PAID!

FVV’s contract of 4-years $85 million might not be the largest contract in NBA history but it is the largest contract ever for an undrafted free agent.

Bet on yourself. That has been Fred’s mantra – his philosophy – for a long time. 

In fact, he even has his own Bet on Yourself apparel line.

[Read more…]

100 Favorite Books

“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.” (Mark Twain)

I love to read but it wasn’t always that way. We were made to read in 1st grade and I hated it. However, all that changed in 2nd grade.

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Episode 139: Rising Coaches Elite CEO Adam Gordon

Adam Gordon spent 17 years in the coaching industry, making stops from the JUCO level to High-major Power 5 basketball. In 2010, along with Andy Farrell, he co-founded a company called Rising Coaches with the mission of servicing the coaching industry. In June of 2019, he stepped away from his coaching career and decided to run Rising Coaches full-time. He is now growing his passion project which has an incredible following, support and brand awareness into a profitable business that helps basketball coaches all across the country. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • What qualities the best coaches possess
  • How Rising Coaches helps young coaches develop
  • Tips for young coaches
  • The Rising Coaches conference in Phoenix and Atlanta
  • … and so much more!!!

[Read more…]

Leaving a Legacy

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” (Mae West)

My dad was a throwback to a different time. A different era. He could fix anything. Build anything. Seemingly do anything.

He had been a fire fighter, police officer, truck driver, elected official, army vet, and Hillsdale College maintenance worker. 

He was featured in the top lawn and garden tractor magazine (he was so excited that he was finally a centerfold model). He also got more than half a million views on Facebook for his customized John Deere lawn mower/fire truck. In all, he built 5 custom tractors that have seen their fair share of parades. 

[Read more…]

Two Types of Leaders

I was in high school band but I didn’t enjoy being in the class because I was an athlete and thought band was not cool. My attitude was bad and my actions reflected that.

My friend and I decided to make up a game to alleviate some of our boredom.

[Read more…]

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