Believe it or not, I was voted “Teacher’s Pet” in my graduating class. To this day, I don’t know how that was the case. Regardless of whether I agreed with it, I had to take a yearbook picture with Judith Shannon, my dreaded English teacher.
Team-Building During Covid
“Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.” (John Wooden)
Since March 2020, sports have been different. Covid-19 has made coaches and athletes adjust, adapt, and change the way they approach their sport. I have done countless zoom calls and consultations with teams on how to make the best of these unprecedented and challenging times we are all experiencing.
There is no doubt this pandemic has affected your team in some way – from games or the season being canceled, to quarantining and experiencing isolation, to wearing masks and staying six-feet away from teammates. No matter who you are, you’ve been affected in some way to some extreme.
Here are some ideas for making the best of a bad situation and trying to have a healthy and strong culture throughout this pandemic.
Episode 079: Kevin DeShazo from Fieldhouse Media
Best-selling author of Leadership Interrupted: daily inspiration to become the leader you were meant to be, and iAthlete: Impacting Student-Athletes of a Digital Generation, Kevin DeShazo is the founder of Fieldhouse Media. He is a sought after speaker, having presented on over 80 campuses as well is a regular presenter at conferences and conventions, including NACDA, CoSIDA, the NCAA Convention and the Collegiate Athletics Leadership Symposium. He has also been quoted on ESPN.com, The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sports Business Journal and a variety of other national and local media outlets. Kevin is also the founder of Culture Wins Championships, helping leaders in the sports industry build a championship culture with their team. Kevin was also honored as an Innovator of the Year for FieldTrack, our web-based platform that monitors social media activity of student-athletes and coaches. Oklahoma City is home for Kevin along with his wife Megan and their three boys, Gabe, Noah and Asher.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
- What practical tips coaches need to know about social media
- How student-athletes can use social media as a tool
- Why his new book “Leadership Interrupted” is different than other leadership books
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.
Motivational Speaker Visits Schools
“It was a fun time visiting schools and adding value to their students”, said Bechler. “It is always an honor and privilege to speak to our next generation of leaders.”
Branding Yourself on Social Media
How do I get my teammates to listen to me?
In our most recent Student-Athlete Leadership Team meeting, a student asked a question that had the rest of the group nodding in agreement and adding their two-cents worth to the conversation.
“How do I get my teammates to listen to me”?
There are many variations to this question, but they all come down to student-athletes wanting to influence their teammates in some way. John Maxwell, the #1 leadership expert in the world, says that “Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Marion Student-Athletes Learning Leadership Skills
(originally published on January 25, 2015)
Some Marion High School student-athletes are learning how to be better leaders in order to help their teams on the field of competition and improve the world around them.
About 25 student-athletes from various teams at Marion met weekly this past semester before school to learn about different leadership concepts.
Solution to NCAA’s Transfer Problems
This is the NCAA’s lucky day (originally published on May 22, 2012) because I have the solutions for their transfer policies, which have come under considerable fire in recent weeks and months (e.g. Maryland Football, Wisconsin Basketball, St. Joseph’s Basketball). To set the stage before I give you the solution, below are a few articles that should provide further insight on the topic.
Another Leader “Crashes”
(Originally published on April 11, 2012)
Joe Paterno, Jim Tressell, Bruce Pearl, the list goes on and on. You can now add former University of Arkansas head football coach to the list of great coaches . . . great leaders, that fell short of their obligations as individuals of character.