Jamy Bechler

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

Bechler Inspires Rotary Leaders at District Conference

Kennewick, WA (June 1, 2023) – Leaders and members of Rotary District 5080 and District 5100 joined forces to host a remarkable Joint District Conference, centered around the theme “Friends and Neighbors: the Magic of Rotary.”

This event was held May 18-21, 2023 in Kennewick, WA, and consisted of Rotarians from the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Canada). Among the many highlights of the event was the captivating keynote address delivered by renowned leadership expert and former college basketball coach, Jamy Bechler.

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Episode 170: Jake Kelfer, Professional Basketball Combine

Jake Kelfer is the 2x bestselling author of Elevate Beyond and Elevate Your Network, as well as a motivational speaker and the founder of Professional Basketball Combine. His first book Elevate Beyond, released in 2016, originally began as a series of blog posts for his friends and is a real-world guide to standing out in the job market and discovering your passion. Elevate Your Network, his follow-up book which was released in 2018, is all about how to build extraordinary relationships in life and business. His company, Professional Basketball Combine, provides NBA draft prospects an opportunity to raise their draft stock and achieve their dream of playing pro basketball through private workouts, combine testing and team interviews.

Click here to read more about Jake Kelfer.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • The greatest Laker of all-time
  • Who was the player he pretended to be for last-second shots
  • Being more important than Jerry West for 14 seconds.
  • Retiring on the same day as Kobe Bryant
  • What it takes to be an NBA player
  • … and much more!!!

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Episode 133: Jim Johnson, A Coach and a Miracle

Jim Johnson won more than 400 games as a high high school basketball coach. He only had one losing record in his 30 years of being a head coach. However, he is probably best known for what he did in 2006.  His kindhearted gesture of giving an autistic student (now known affectionately as “J-Mac”) on his team the chance to make his dream come true has captivated the hearts of millions of Americans. How could it not? With the help of his teammates, J-Mac scored twenty points (including six three-point baskets) in just over four minutes, becoming an instant national celebrity.

Coach Johnson has been featured in major news outlets around the country, making a number of radio and television appearances, including the Oprah Winfrey and Jim Rome shows. He has met President George W. Bush, Governor George Pataki, and Senator Hillary Clinton, to name just a few luminaries. His team was paid a visit at school by NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and J-Mac’s magical moment won the ESPY for “Best Sports Moment” at the ESPN awards show later that year.

You can find out more about Coach Jim Johnson and his book “A Coach and a Miracle” by visiting www.CoachJimJohnson.com

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • The inspirational story of J-Mac
  • Getting fired after his first year of coaching
  • Building a culture & turning programs around
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 132: Compete Every Day with Jake Thompson

Jake Thompson is the Founder & Chief Encouragement Officer at the global lifestyle brand Compete Every Day.  He is a speaker, writer, & active participant in life. Prior to launching CED, Jake spent years in both the sports representation industry & later, as a creative & strategic marketing consultant. Now, he is focused on utilizing his passion for changing lives to remind all that their life is worth competing for. For Jake everyday is a competition against pride, comfort zone, fear, complacency, snooze alarms, bad habits and bad relations. Jake teaches people through speaking podcast and popular apparel brand to compete everyday.

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • How to win each day
  • Dealing with comparisons
  • Handling the haters
  • … and so much more!!!

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Episode 105: 2x Super Bowl Champion Gary Reasons


Gary Reasons spent nine years as a linebacker in the National Football League.  He was a fourth round draft pick in 1984 by the New York Giants and was instrumental in helping the team win two Championships, Super Bowl XXI & XXV.  As a team leader, he was elected by his teammates to the NFLPA Board of Directors and was further elected by the Board and served 6 years as Vice President on the NFLPA Executive Committee. He is also an inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Following his playing days, Gary has enjoyed a 23 year television broadcast career as a college football analyst with ABC Sports, ESPN, and FOX Sports. Concurrent to his broadcast work, Gary has utilized natural leadership, expert communication skills, and technology expertise to lead several prosperous businesses. Gary’s technology background includes solution strategy and development for global technology firms such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise Services and NTT Data. 

Reasons is now a motivational speaker and consultant to businesses. He is the Co-Founder of PRO ATHLETES TEAM, where he serves as President and oversees all aspects of the organization.  As a senior business executive, Gary has more than 20 years of experience within the IT industry and over 30 years of experience within the Sports, Media, and Entertainment industry.  

In today’s episode, we discuss:
  • Being a fellow linebacker with Lawrence Taylor
  • Whether he knew Bill Belichick would be a great head coach
  • The great athletes that have come out of his college
  • … and so much more!!!

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Speak like a Champ

“There are two types of speakers: Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” (Mark Twain)

My 6th grade year was coming to a close. It had been a good year.

I had won my fair share of kickball games at recess.  My “Killer B’s” tag team won homemade wrestling belts at our improvised events during lunch.  And maybe most memorably, I received my first kiss from a girl not named “Mom”.

But there was one thing left to do…

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Episode 057: Motivational Speaker Tony Gaskins, Jr.

Tony Gaskins Jr. is a motivational speaker, author, and life coach who has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show.  Tony built his brand from scratch to where he now has more than 1 million followers on social media. At 22, he became an author. At 23, he became a husband and father. At 25, he started his first company, Soul Writers LLC. At 25, he also got himself on globally televised shows to tell a portion of his story. Tony decided to turn his pain into purpose and live a life of service. Raised in the church and being the son of a pastor, there was something about service that stuck with Tony.

 

Tony made his fair share of mistakes like most young men from areas like where he grew up. Many of his childhood friends are serving life sentences in prison. Although Tony was introduced to the street life between the ages of 18–23, he finally found his way. At 23, he allowed love to change his life. His wife was unwilling to be with a man who wouldn’t live up to his full potential. That tough love pushed Tony to be more and to do more.

By combining all of his passions Tony became an author, life coach, and speaker.  In 2015 Tony began working with an NBA team as the team life coach.   Tony also became the life coach for several college teams. His message comes from his mess. He believes that we all are coaches because we’ve all learned lessons that can help someone else. Operating in his gifts also took him around the world as a highly sought- after speaker. Tony has spoken in two other continents and over 10 different countries and counting. Tony was able to accomplish these feats by the tender age of 31.

He doesn’t believe in boxes. “Don’t put me in a box until I’m going in the ground,” he says. He covers a wide range of topics in the areas of life, love, and business. He’s written several books on those subjects with his latest work being The Dream Chaser published by Wiley and available everywhere books are sold.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

  • His appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show
  • How his background helped shape who he is now
  • Writing books to help people
  • Working with and connecting with NBA players 

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Bechler Selected as Opening Speaker at TELL Summit for Educators

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.

Bechler Prepares for Busy Summer

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.

Guest Blog Post written by Melanie Williams

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Umpqua CC and Sutherlin HS Welcomes Motivational Speaker

Craig Jackson, the Umpqua Community College athletic director, introduced motivational speaker Jamy Bechler as probably the only John Maxwell leadership coach to ever speak in Douglas County.

Bechler came to Oregon and spoke at Sutherlin High School and Umpqua CC students and coaches on February 23-24.

Bechler is a certified John Maxwell Leadership coach that travels the country working with businesses and teams to maximize potential and develop leadership skills.  John Maxwell, author of more than 100 books, is widely considered the top leadership expert in the world.

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