Jamy Bechler

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

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Jan 16 2019

Episode 113: Kara Lawson, WNBA Champion & Basketball Analyst

Kara Lawson is the Washington Wizards’ TV analyst and former star player at the University of Tennessee, as well as in the WNBA. She first joined ESPN in 2004 as a women’s college basketball analyst while playing point guard for the Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA. She has served in a variety of capacities – game and studio analyst, play-by-play and sideline reporter while covering men’s and women’s college basketball as well as the NBA. Lawson was a member of the Women’s Basketball Olympic Team, which won a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and she captained the US Team to a gold medal in the 2011 World University Games. Overall,  in addition to winning an Olympic Gold Medal, she has won a WNBA title, been a WNBA all-star, won two high school state championships while also competing in the NCAA Final Four as a member of the Lady Vols. Off the court, Lawson is a passionate advocate for fitness and personal health. She is a member of the Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Campaign, is active with Race for the Cure and also volunteers for the American Cancer Society. In 2010, Lawson began working with various chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss: 

  • Playing for Pat Summitt at Tennessee
  • How athletes can be better leaders
  • What qualities make up a great coach
  • . . . and so much more!!!

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Podcast Episodes · Tagged: Alan Stein, Athlete Leadership, dwane casey, Eric Platte, ESPN, Geno Auriemma, Kara Lawson, Lady Vols, Lorenzo Brown, Mike Hamilton, NBA, Pat Summitt, Tennessee, Washington Wizards, Women's Basketball

Nov 09 2018

Will You Reach for the Summitt with Your Legacy?

photo credit: Patrick Murphy-Racey

(originally posted on June 28, 2016)

Today is a sad day not only in Tennessee, but across the nation.

I first wrote those words in April of 2012, when she left coaching at the too young age of 59 after a legendary and unprecedented career and I proclaimed that she was the best ever.

This morning we lost one of the greatest leaders as Pat Summitt her battle with Alzheimer’s type dementia.

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Sports · Tagged: Alzheimer's Disease, Influence, John Wooden, Lady Vols, Legacy, National Championship, Pat Summitt, University of Tennessee, WNBA

Jan 04 2018

18 for ’18: 18 Books To Read In 2018

“It’s what you read when you don’t have to that will determine who you are when you can’t help it.” (Oscar Wilde)
“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” (Margaret Fuller)

It’s often said that all great leaders are readers. John C. Maxwell talks about leadership being about influence, nothing more and nothing less. If this is the case, then in order to be more influential it makes sense that you would want to gain knowledge and a greater understanding of the world that you know and that you don’t know.

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Personal Growth · Tagged: Adam Grant, Amy morin, Arianna Huffington, Books, books to read, Coach Burt, Coach wooden, condoleezza Rice, Culture of Good, Extreme Ownership, Frances Hesselbein, gary vaynerchuk, intentional living, Jocko Wilink, John C. Maxwell, John Wooden, Jon Gordon, kareem abdul-jabbar, Kelly Roach, Lolly Daskal, Mel Robbins, Micheal Burt, Pat Summitt, Positive leadership, ryan mccarty, Sheryl Sandberg, Success is a choice podcast, The Huffington Post, The Leadership Gap, The Leadership Playbook, Tim Ferris, Viktor Frankl

Apr 18 2012

Why Pat Summitt is the Best

(editor’s note:  published on April 18, 2012)

Today is a sad day not only in the state of Tennessee but across the nation.  Pat Summitt, all of 59 years young, 8 national championships, nearly 1,100 wins (most all-time, men or women) and countless branches on her coaching tree, stepped down from being the Lady Vol head coach.  Coach Summitt’s associate head coach, Holly Warlick, will take over the reigns full-time.  Head Coach Emeritus is the new title that Coach Summitt has earned.  Just like everything else she has done in her career, I am sure that she’ll be the best at this position.  [Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Sports, Teams & Organizations · Tagged: Champions, Class, Coaches, Coaching, Dean Lockwood, Holly Warlick, Humility, Lady Vols, Leadership, Mickie Demoss, NCAA, Pat Summitt, Toughness, University of Tennessee, Vee Young

Apr 16 2012

15 Best Books for Coaches

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
(John Wooden)

In a previous post, I talked about some of the best books for leaders, whether you are a coach or not.  Today, I will recommend the books that will help a coach in nearly any sport at any level.  A couple of the books may seem sport specific, but contain information and insight that can help you regardless of what you coach.  Even if you are not an avid reader, flip through some of these books and steal one or two ideas to implement with your teams or to strengthen your coaching philosophy.  These are 15 books that are different than my list for leaders.  However, I would definitely suggest looking at those books as well.

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Sports · Tagged: Books, Coaches, Growth, John Wooden, Leadership, Mike Krzyzewski, Nick Saban, Pat Riley, Pat Summitt, Phil Jackson, Resources, Self-Improvement

Mar 31 2012

15 Best Books for Leaders

“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” (Abraham Lincoln)
As a basketball coach, I have a tremendous opportunity to lead and influence people every day.  Certainly leadership involves a great many things, however, I have found that constantly learning and re-learning methods, strategies, and insights gives me a better chance to lead in a positive manner.  Reading books is one of the key resources that I utilize in trying to sharpen my leadership skills.  Every once in awhile, I’ll even read a book again because it was so good.  Below are some of the books that I’d recommend highly for anyone seeking to be a better leader.

[Read more…]

Written by Jamy Bechler · Categorized: Leadership, Personal Growth · Tagged: Abe Lincoln, Bill Belichick, Books, Coach K, Coaches, Colin Powell, Good Leader, Harvey Mackay, John Maxwell, Larry Winget, Leadership, Pat Summitt, Pat Williams, Resources, Self-Improvement, Stephen Covey

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