Jamy Bechler

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

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May 16 2023

Will Roleson of College Sports Communicators

Will Roleson is today’s guest on the “Success is a Choice” podcast, hosted by Jamy Bechler. Will is the Associate Executive Director of the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA). Before working with CoSIDA, Will was an Associate Commissioner with the Horizon League and Sports Information Director at Kent State University.

Connect with Will Roleson …

✅ Twitter.com/WRoleson

✅ CollegeSportsCommunicators.com

✅ Linkedin.com/in/will-roleson

✅ Full Bio: CollegeSportsCommunicators.com/staff.aspx?staff=3

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Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Podcast Episodes, Sports, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: Athletic Departments, Athletic Directors, Communication, CoSIDA, Gary Waters, Internship, Kent State, larry desimpelare, marketing, NACDA, NAIA, NCAA, Sports Industry, Sports Information, sports management, Sports Marketing, Sports Trivia

Feb 28 2022

Leaders Growing Leaders: Mark DeMichael

Today’s guest on the “Leaders Growing Leaders” series is Mark DeMichael, the VP of Student Life and Athletics at Indiana Wesleyan University.

During the “Leaders Growing Leaders” series on the Success is a Choice Podcast Network, Jamy Bechler talks with leaders on 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.

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Podcast Episodes, Sports, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: Administration, Athlete Leadership, Athletic Department, Athletic Director, Athletic Directors, Chad Briscoe, Covid, crossroads league, Culture, Greg Tonagel, Indiana Wesleyan, IWU, larry desimpelare, leaders growing leaders, Leadership, Marion, Mark Fauser, NAIA, Podcast

Oct 05 2021

The Coachable Coach: Jared Ronai

Today’s guest on “The Coachable Coach” series is Jared Ronai, head men’s basketball coach at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

“The Coachable Coach” series on the Success is a Choice Podcast Network goes beyond the X’s and O’s as Jamy Bechler talks with some of the best sports coaches.

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Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Podcast Episodes, Sports, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: basketball coach, Basketball Coaching, Brent Ellis, crossroads league, Culture Matters, Culture Wins, Developing Leaders, larry desimpelare, Lead by Example, men's basketball, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, NAIA, Ryan Cottingham, Team Captains, Team Leadership, Team Retreat, The Coachable Coach, The Leadership Playbook

Aug 29 2019

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!!!

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Podcast Episodes, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: Antonio Brown, Coaching, Jon Steinbrecher, larry desimpelare, Leadership, Leveon Bell, MAC, MACtion, Mental Health, NCAA

Jun 03 2019

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!!!

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Podcast Episodes, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: anton goff, Bob Vecchione, Bob Wilson, Chad Briscoe, Christopher Parker, Coaching, Jacqie McWilliams, Jim Carr, larry desimpelare, Leadership, Martin Methodist College, Mike Hamilton, NACDA, NACMA, NAIA, NCAA, NJCAA, Rob Miller, Rusty Kennedy, Tim Hall, Tim Selgo

Feb 13 2019

Episode 117: Jacqie McWilliams, CIAA Commissioner

Jacqie McWilliams became the first female commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 2012. As the first African American female commissioner in the NCAA, McWilliams is a sought after speaker and is recognized on a local, regional, and national level. She has served on numerous boards, and currently sits on Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards, John B. McLendon Foundation Board, NCAA Board of Governor’s Cultural Diversity Committee, Hampton Nation Advisory Board, M&F Advisory Board and the Black Enterprise Charlotte Convention Steering Committee.  She is active in her church community and chairs the HBCU initiative committee for the Crown Jewel’s LINKS of Charlotte, of which she is a member.

The CIAA conference, based in Charlotte, N.C., consists of 13 Division II institutions. Twelve of those schools are historically black colleges and universities. The annual CIAA basketball tournament, the largest of 16 CIAA championships in a variety of sports, features 22 men’s and women’s games in the same week. It generates more than $55 million in economic impact for the host city. McWilliams earned a bachelor’s in psychology from Hampton University, where she played basketball and volleyball. She earned a master’s in sports management and administration from Temple University and went on to work as a college coach and administrator for the NCAA.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • The importance of Historically Black Colleges & Universities on student’s lives
  • How the CIAA is impacting student-athletes
  • Career advice for the athletic administration path
  • … and so much more!!!

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Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Podcast Episodes, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: Alicia Jessop, Betsy Butterick, CEO, CIAA, larry desimpelare, Leadership, NCAA, R-Jay Barsh, Rob Miller, Rusty Kennedy, Sue Enquist

Feb 11 2019

Episode 116: Jim Carr, NAIA President

Jim Carr is the president of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NAIA provides opportunities for more than 65,000 student-athletes to play sports at the collegiate level. The NAIA is headquartered in Kansas City. The men’s basketball tournament is the longest running basketball tournament in the nation. Under Carr’s leadership, the NAIA has grown a great deal and has been at the forefront of innovative programs such as the “Champions of Character” and the “Return on Athletics”. 

Carr joined the NAIA in July 1998 as Managing Director and General Counsel and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, while retaining the title of General Counsel, in 2000.  In September 2006, Carr became the seventh President and Chief Executive Officer of the NAIA. He is a graduate of Millsaps College, has an M.S. in sports management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a J.D. from Duke University.  He serves on various boards and councils, including USA Basketball, the Kansas City Life, Baptist Trinity Lutheran Foundation, the Police Athletic League of Kansas City, Missouri Bank and Trust and the Downtown Council of Kansas City.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Recruiting tips for parents
  • Qualities that make a good coach
  • Differences between the NAIA and the NCAA
  • Opportunities for student-athletes to grow and develop
  • … and so much more!!!

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Podcast Episodes, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: Bob Wilson, Brent Ellis, CEO, Chad Briscoe, Champions of Character, Greg Tonagel, larry desimpelare, Leadership, NAIA, NCAA, NCCAA, R-Jay Barsh, recruiting, RJay Barsh, Rob Miller, Rusty Kennedy, The Blind Side, UNLV

Jan 23 2019

Episode 114: Bob Wilson, NAIA Hall of Famer

Bob Wilson served as the athletic director at Vanguard University for more than 20 years. He earned the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Athletic Director of the Year honors twice (2002, 2012). Wilson also coached basketball at the collegiate level for more than 24 years. Wilson served the NAIA in significant ways over the years, including chair of NAIA Region II, chair of the National Administration Council, president of the Basketball Coaches Association, men’s basketball rater, and chairman of the NAIA Basketball Tournament. In addition, Wilson served as vice president of the GSAC, and was a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He conceptualized the Champions of Character initiative on the Vanguard campus when he created VU’s Gold Pride program. During his tenure, the department won 16 Champions of Character Team awards, two student athletes were voted Leroy Walker winners, and two head coaches were named Coach of Character. In March 2007, Wilson was inducted into the NAIA Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame. He is the author of “The Ripple Effect” and currently serves as a partner with Comprehensive Athletics Consulting, LLC.

 
In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Developing student leadership
  • Creating a championship culture
  • Hiring and job search tips
  • … and so much more!!!

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Podcast Episodes, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: Brent Ellis, Champions of Character, dwane casey, Greg Tonagel, Jim Carr, larry desimpelare, NAIA, Rob Miller, Russ Davis, Search Firm, Student-Athlete Leadership, Tim Selgo, Vanguard University

Dec 13 2018

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!!!

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Podcast Episodes, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: Basketball, Bryce Drew, Chad Briscoe, Chris Oliver, Christian, Coaching, Culture, dwane casey, Homer Drew, Indiana, Indiana Wesleyan, Indiana Wesleyan University, IWU, jason romano, Jesus Christ, Jon Gordon, larry desimpelare, Leadership, Marion, Marion Giants, Marion High School, NAIA, Todd Gongwer, travis daugherty, Valparaiso University

Oct 29 2018

Episode 095: Tim Hall, UMBC Athletic Director

Tim Hall is the Director of Athletics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). He was also appointed President of the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (ADA) in the summer of 2017 and has served as the chairman of the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics. During the 2018 NCAA Tournament, the UMBC Retrievers Men’s Basketball team made history when they became the first ever No. 16 seed to beat the No. 1 seed when they beat Virginia by 20 points, 74-54. Tim has previously served as the Athletic Director at the University of Missouri at Kansas City.  Before heading up his own departments, he was the assistant A.D. at Eastern Kentucky University, Saint Xavier University, Youngstown State University, and Kent State University. 

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • The historic upset that the men’s basketball team had in the 2018 NCAA Tournament
  • Social media creativity of UMBC athletic communication staff during the tournament
  • Ways to build a mid-major athletic program
  • Hiring and keeping good team members
  • What makes UMBC so special

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Podcast Episodes, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: Alan Stein, anton goff, Athletic Director, Brian Stanchak, Chad Briscoe, College Athletics, dwane casey, Glen Wright, head coach training center, Hiring, Human Resources, Jay Korff, Jr., Kent State, Kent State University, Laing Kennedy, larry desimpelare, Leadership, Maryland Baltimore County, men's basketball, Mid-Major, Mike Hamilton, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, Ryan Odom, Teamwork, Tim Hall, Tony Bennett, UMBC, Virginia

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