Jamy Bechler

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

Hall of Fame Reliability

“The greatest ability is your dependability.” (Bobby Jones)

🔊 Click here to listen to a 2-minute audio version of this email.

You’ve no doubt heard of NFL players like Barry Sanders and Tom Brady. They are all-time greats.

But have you heard of Joe Thomas? He is also an all-time great. In 2023, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In football, the guys who score touchdowns are recognized and rewarded. However, it’s important to remember the guys who make those touchdowns possible. Those big guys up front in the trenches protecting the quarterback and creating holes for the running backs are vital to the success of a team.

Joe Thomas was one of those guys.

[Read more…]

Willing to Adapt?

Despite breaking the school record for total offense during his senior year with the Kent State Golden Flashes, Julian Edelman was not invited to the NFL combine. 

Click here to listen to the 2-minute version of this article on the “Success is a Choice” podcast network.

He was a successful college quarterback but NFL scouts did not see much of a future for him. It was looking bleak for this college star but then hope.

At the end of 7th and final round of the NFL draft, he received a phone call. 

[Read more…]

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 092: Jerod Ward, Former Pro Basketball Player

Jerod Ward was the #1 high school basketball player in the country in 1994. As the top recruit, he could choose to play college ball anywhere and he chose The University of Michigan. Multiple knee surgeries kept him from achieving his NBA dream but he still had a solid four year career for the Wolverines helping them beat Duke three straight years, win the National Invitational Tournament and the Big Ten Tournament. Jerod then went on to have a long career playing professional basketball worldwide. Jerod now travels across the country as a professional speaker. He has even been on stage for a Tedx Talk presenting on the topic of EATing Adversity. Even though he is retired from playing basketball, Jerod still stays close to the game he loves as he works as a college basketball analyst with networks including ESPN, FOX Sports. Jerod lives in Sarasota, Florida with his wife Tricia and daughter Violet.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • His decision to attend college and not turn pro out of high school
  • What it was like being the best high school player in the nation
  • The Lebron James vs. Michael Jordan debate
  • Playing professional basketball for 14 years
  • How we can overcome adversity we face in life

[Read more…]

Episode 090: Former NFL Tight End Brandon Bostick

Brandon Bostick is a former NFL Tight End. He is originally from South Carolina and starred at West Florence HS before going to Newberry College. While at Newberry, he played Wide Receiver and scored 19 touchdowns in only 39 total collegiate games (24 starts). Brandon’s journey has been a story of overcoming the odds to achieve his goals. He played two full seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He would also spend time with the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Jets during his NFL career. Unfortunately, on January 15, 2015 in the NFC Championship Game, he was involved in a play that would be the low point in his career. He fumbled an onside kick, which gave the Seattle Seahawks one last chance to score. The Seahawks scored and would eventually win the game in overtime, advancing to the Super Bowl. Despite this setback Brandon has maintained a positive attitude. He is a good example of a person being resilient and understanding how blessed he is. He had a great career and got to play with some of the best to ever play the game of football. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • His journey to defy the odds and become an NFL player
  • What it was like playing with Aaron Rodgers and in Green Bay
  • The qualities of successful NFL players
  • Advice for bouncing back and overcoming setbacks in life

[Read more…]

Episode 089: Former Yankees Strength Training Coach Dana Cavalea

Dana Cavalea spent 12 years with the New York Yankees Organization, many of those years  as the Director of Strength and Conditioning & Performance Enhancement winning a World Series in 2009. 

In addition, he was the recipient of the 2009 MLB Nolan Ryan Award. This award is given to MLB’s top Strength Coach as voted by his peers. During his career, Dana has had the opportunity to train greats such as Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Justin Verlander, and more.

Currently he is a high performance speaker and consultant to Pro Athletes, Entrepreneurs, Business Executives, Workforces and Universities on lifestyle strategies to reduce stress, improve work/life balance, and most importantly improve daily performance/outcomes. All of this is known as Performance Enhancement.

Dana has formulated plans and strategies to improve sleep, reduce pain, lower stress, improve body composition, speed-strength-power, as well as mindset training for maximal performance. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • His journey in Major League Baseball
  • Why the Yankees were so successful
  • Advice for coaches and parents of athletes

[Read more…]

Episode 084: PGA Tour Wife Brittany Horschel

Brittany Horschel is the wife of PGA Tour pro and 2014 Fed Ex Cup Playoff Champion Billy Horschel. After Billy won the Byron Nelson tournament in May 2017, she publicly announced that the weekend had marked her one year anniversary of being sober. Since then she has appeared on Good Morning America and started TheSoberModernMom.com blog to help others going through similar situations. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • Life as a PGA Tour wife
  • Picking out clothes for her husband
  • Her battle with alcoholism
  • Advice for people who know someone battling addiction

[Read more…]

Episode 080: PGA Caddie Paul Tesori

Paul Tesori is the caddie for professional golfer Webb Simpson. Paul was on the bag when Webb won the 2012 U.S. Open and 2018 THE PLAYERS Championship. In addition to Webb Simpson, Paul has caddied for some of the best golfers in the world including former #1 player Vijay Singh. In total, he has more than 20 wins as a PGA caddie. 

We caught up with Paul between THE PLAYERS and the Open Championship (to be held at Carnoustie, Scotland). The memories of the record-setting performance at THE PLAYERS was still fresh in his mind (especially since it is played at TPC Sawgrass, which is Paul’s home course). Webb led THE PLAYERS Championship from start to finish. Along the way, he equaled the course record with his 2nd-round 63, and also the 36-hole and 54-hole PLAYERS scoring records. With the win, Webb became just the 9th player to have won THE PLAYERS and a U.S. Open. The victory also made Webb World Golf Hall of Fame eligible in the future. 

Paul is a Florida native and attended the University of Florida. He grew up loving sports and played golf and baseball. He was such a good golfer that he even played 21 events on the PGA Tour himself. Paul and his wife Michelle run the Tesori Family Foundation, which was founded in 2009. The foundation helps supports various charities throughout the country with focuses ranging from childhood homelessness to battered women’s shelters, from children battling disease like cancer to animal rescue charities like the Jacksonville Humane Society. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • Webb’s runaway win at the 2018 Players Championship
  • Why mental toughness is important in golf and life
  • What he says to a golfer during a round
  • Caddie-Golfer relationships, especially after breakups

[Read more…]

Episode 074: JJ Birden, Former NFL Wide Receiver

JJ Birden played 9 years in the NFL as a Wide Receiver after a stand out career as a star track athlete at the University of Oregon, which is known as “Tracktown, USA”.  A 5’10”, 157-pound wide receiver, JJ was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 1988 NFL Draft and played nine seasons (Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons). To play nine years in a profession where the average players career last an average of 3.2 years is something special. Two of those nine years was with Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Montana. He certainly was not the biggest, strongest, or fastest guy on the field, but he knew how to seize his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and maximize his success through dedication and hard work.

He is now a motivational speaker and representative for the health and nutrition company Isagenix. He is an engaging communicator and a leading expert at helping individuals seize their opportunities in life. In his presentations, JJ shares lessons from his experience as a small man in a big man’s game. JJ’s time in the NFL helped shape the message that he now delivers to audiences around the world. After seeing the successes and failures of others at the highest level, he developed a set of principles that others could follow to achieve greatness, no matter how they defined it or what they’re pursuing.

JJ has also written a book entitled, “When Opportunity Knocks: 8 Surefire Ways to Take Advantage.” He and his wife Raina have 8 kids, including 5 that are adopted.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • Catching footballs from Joe Montana
  • Playing 9 years in the NFL
  • Adopting 5 children
  • Staying positive in any situation
  • Whether this world-class sprinter ever got caught from behind

[Read more…]

Sign Up For Leadership Insights

Join Thousands Of Others Who Follow Jamy On These Platforms: