4 Lessons From Champions

As I enter my third season on the basketball staff at Stetson University, I’m extremely grateful for everything I’ve learned and been a part of. I’ve had the opportunity to be around some great coaches, four of whom have won championships. Donnie Jones (2006 & 2007 Florida Gators), Brendan Suhr (1989 & 1990 Detroit Pistons, 1992 Olympic Dream Team), Shawn Finney (1998 Kentucky Wildcats), and Jonathan Mitchell (2007 Florida Gators). I was thinking about some lessons each of them has taught me that are crucial to becoming a champion. Here are four lessons from people who are champions.

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Donnie Jones is our head coach and one of the kindest people I’ve been around. He treats people the right way and is consistent in doing so. He won two back-to-back national championships at the University of Florida in 2006 & 2007 when he was on staff with Billy Donovan. Anyone who knows Donnie and has been around him echoes these same sentiments. He is a master at building genuine relationships and I believe it’s one of the most important keys to his success. This is the first lesson in becoming a champion.

1. TREAT PEOPLE WELL

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Brendan Suhr was on our our staff my first year. He is a legend in the coaching world and has 45+ years of coaching experience in the NBA and college. He won back-to-back World Championships with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 & 1990 and also won a gold medal in the Olympics with the 1992 Dream Team as an assistant to Chuck Daly. He has coached some of the world’s greatest players over the course of nearly 5 decades and finds a way to communicate and teach in a way that players learn and understand. He doesn’t teach a certain way because “it’s how it’s always been done.” Instead, he adapts and adjusts his teaching style to impact players the way they learn best. This is probably why he has been so great for so long and it’s the second lesson I’ve learned in becoming a champion.

2. ADAPT & ADJUST WITH THE TIMES

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Shawn Finney is joining our staff for his first season, but I’ve been able to be around him for the past 8 months and have seen him in action. He won a national championship in 1998 at the University of Kentucky while on staff with Tubby Smith. One of many things that makes Coach Finney good at what he does is his attention to detail. Whether it’s on the court or administrative work, he is always fine tuning and making sure everything is as close to perfect as it can be. He pays attention to the little things and holds people accountable to them. This is the third lesson I’ve learned in becoming a champion.

3. PAY ATTENTION TO SMALL DETAILS

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Jonathan Mitchell played at Florida and won a national championship in 2007. He is a young coach with a young family, but works extremely hard. He is someone who will put the work in even when it’s inconvenient and tiresome. He has done a fantastic job in recruiting and has grown as a coach because of this. It is the fourth lesson of becoming a champion.

4. YOU CAN’T ONLY WORK ON THE DAYS YOU FEEL GOOD

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While there are many more aspects that go into being a champion, I believe these 4 lessons are some of the most important ones you can control. I also get the privilege of working with two other great coaches who have experienced a lot of success and have taught me a lot. Adam Williams, who played at Kentucky and Marshall, and Luis Guzman, who played at Temple and overseas. I’m excited to begin year 3 with these men and continue learning more about what makes them the best of the best. It’s not every day you get to work with people who have won 6 championship rings.

1. Treat people well.

2. Adapt & adjust with the times.

3. Pay attention to small details.

4. You can’t only work on the days you feel good.

The "Art" of Journaling

I love to journal. It’s always been something I do to put my thoughts on paper and clear my mind. It’s especially valuable during this unprecedented point in our history with the coronavirus. We have more time on our hands than usual to grow, and journaling is one way I do that.

For years, I would write a page or two about what I was learning and how it was impacting my life. It was a great exercise, but I wanted to be more focused on my thoughts and growth.

Three years ago, I noticed how a friend of mine was always drawing pictures to convey what he was learning. I found it intriguing as it was always focused on one or two specific thoughts which were very simple. Although, I’m not artistic by any means, I do love being creative, so I decided to give it a try. I have been using the tool of art ever since and it has impacted me more than I ever expected. I wanted to share with you a few thoughts and hopefully help you grow more through journaling! Don’t worry if you’ve never drawn before. Just give it a try and start small. I also found buying a journal with dots or graph paper is extremely helpful.

FIND THE FOCUS

As you’re reading or listening to content, find something that jumps out to you. It can be a verse, a lyric, a quote, or an image. Read enough to understand its context, and then stop. Write it down and begin to think about what it means. But don’t stop simply by putting words on paper.

FOCUS ON THE DETAILS

Once you’ve found the focus, you can focus on the details. This is where the creativity will help you immensely. Whatever your focus is, begin to draw that scene. As you think about each word of your focus, you will force yourself to recite it over and over in your mind. The more you can break it down and detail it in your drawing, the more you will grasp the lesson to be learned.

AN EXAMPLE POST

Below are a few from my experience, but here is an example of how I would approach my journal each day. Let’s use the example with the chess pieces. As I’m reading, “In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson, I come across a quote saying,

“You have no idea what your next move should be, but God already has the next 200 moves planned out. Some of his moves won’t make sense. We just need to trust the Grand Master.”

— Mark Batterson

I would think on that quote and develop a word picture and begin to draw. In the book, he used an example of chess, so I find a picture of chess pieces and draw them. As I’m drawing, I’m constantly thinking about these quotes and what they mean to me in my current situation.

“God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get to where God wants you to go.”

— Mark Batterson

I think through ways I can take these lessons and apply them to my life. With every detail, I allow myself to focus deeper and deeper into the lesson. I always like to write the source down as well in case I ever want to go back and read it again.

One of my favorite times to write is when I’m outside listening to worship music and God speaks to me through a lyric. Music is so powerful and oftentimes I am able to use vivid word pictures to help make God’s word come alive. Give it a try yourself!

It’s nothing fancy or deep, but rather simple. Drawing your journal allows you to spend more time thinking about something, which allows your mind and heart to focus on the details. It will challenge your critical thinking and broaden your perspective on what the words are saying. Your brain will be sharpened and enjoy doing something unique and creative. I like to go back and look at past entries on certain dates or when a similar situation comes up in my life I know I’ve been through before. I would love to see your “art” journal, so please share any with me on social media!

Hang Up

Leaders are constantly in a state of communication.  Whether it’s in a meeting, on social media, text messages, live videos, or phone calls, we seem to always find ways to consistently stay in touch with our people and what is going on.  While thorough communication is good and necessary, sometimes what we perceive as good is hindering us in other ways.  One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received was to hang up. 

One of my favorite places to make phone calls is while I’m driving in my car.  It’s quiet and there is often enough time to have a valuable conversation with someone before I arrive at my destination.  But as a young leader I would find myself pulling into my driveway, deep in conversation with a recruit or a mentor with no end in sight.  Although my conversation on the phone was going well, I would fall into one of two traps.  I would walk inside, where my family was waiting to greet me, still on the phone, or I would stay talking in the car parked in the driveway for the next several minutes while my family waited inside for me to come in.  Both traps seem trivial, but they hindered my relationships with my family even though I was building relationships with others. 

“Anytime I’m having a phone conversation in the car I need to begin wrapping it up when I’m halfway home.”

— Andrew Wingreen

The advice I received to hang up looks like this:

Anytime I’m having a phone conversation in the car I need to begin wrapping it up when I’m halfway home (assuming it’s a local trip appx. 20 min or less).  We all know some phone calls can take a few minutes to talk through the final details and say goodbye, so knowing when you are halfway home is a good reminder to begin shutting it down.  Once I pull into my driveway, I always end the conversation and make sure to walk inside with my attention fully devoted to my family.  This transition is crucial and helps me go in with the best mindset possible.  It gives me time to decompress and get my emotions to a place where I will be the best I can be for my family, no matter how the phone call went.  I can schedule calls for later in the evening or the next day if there was some sort of topic we still needed to discuss.  I learned if I waited until I was home to start ending a conversation, it was too late.  This small piece of advice has allowed me to transition smoothly and be more present with whoever I am meeting at the destination. 

Next time you’re deep in conversation while you drive, make sure to begin ending the call halfway to your destination.  It will give you the clarity of mind to transition smoothly into your next phase of the day!

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If you have any questions or other advice regarding this, please send me an email at coachwingreen@gmail.com.

Catching Fire: The Art of Being in the Flow

In today’s episode (Ep. 883) of the “Increase Your Impact with Justin Su’a | A Podcast For Leaders,” he talks about being “in the zone” and “catching on fire.” He uses the example of starting a fire with two sticks and what is necessary for that process to be successful.

TWO STICKS

The autoignition temperature, or the lowest temperature at which wood will spontaneously ignite into flames, is anywhere between 424-475 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’ve ever tried to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together you know it is not an easy task. In your mind, you are giving everything you have to make a fire, but you rarely experience a flame. Why? In the podcast, Su’a gives us two principles to create fire.

PRINCIPLE #1 - YOU NEED TO BE RELENTLESS

PRINCIPLE #2 - YOU NEED TO BE CONSISTENT

As it holds true in igniting a fire with two sticks, you need to be both relentless AND consistent. One without the other will not result in a spark. There needs to be an intensity to the process and an ability to rub the sticks together in the exact same spot over time in order to raise the temperature to spontaneously ignite the wood.

The reminder Justin gives us with this analogy is to do everything “on purpose, with purpose.” We can’t attack every day relentlessly without consistency, and our consistency doesn’t matter if we don't pursue our daily tasks without energy and passion. If we can put both of these principles into practice, we will have a simple recipe to perform at our highest level. So if you want to “be in your bag” and catch fire in what you do every day, pursue a relentless and consistent mindset.

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You can listen to the audio of this podcast on iTunes or by clicking this link: Catching Fire

Justin Su’a is the mental skills coach for the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Browns. He recently contributed to a World Series while serving in the same position for the Boston Red Sox. You can follow him on social media @JustinSua.

All Things

At 3:00am on May 9th my phone alarm went off.  I woke in excitement as my 30-hour journey back to Malawi, Africa began— a place that I fell in love with the previous summer.  I travelled with a non-profit organization called Circle of Hope International, who has partnered with the Grace Alliance Church to build an amazing place known as the Grace Center.  The Grace Center consists of a boys and girls orphanage, church, school, feeding program, and soon to be medical clinic and maternal center.  It has grown tremendously over the years and continues to grow despite the many obstacles that stand in the way.  

Almost all research companies rank Malawi as a top-5 poorest country in the world and some even have it ranked as number one. Most kids only have a couple articles of clothing and do not own shoes. Most kids eat the same thing for every meal: beans and nsima. Nsima is maize flour mixed with water and it literally tastes like nothing.  Many of the kids who live in the orphanage have lost one or both of their parents; others were abandoned and some were rescued from abusive situations.  But you will not hear them complain.  In fact, these kids are the most joyful kids I have ever been around.

“Many of the kids who live in the orphanage have lost one or both of their parents; others were abandoned and some were rescued from abusive situations.  But you will not hear them complain.  In fact, these kids are the most joyful kids I have ever been around.”

— Tad Glibert

FALLING IN LOVE

It doesn’t make sense to fall in love with a place that I only spent 3 short weeks in.  To fall in love with people who don’t speak the same language as me and who live a life that is so different than mine.  But I did.  And so have so many other people.  I would say it’s rare to find someone who experiences The Grace Center and doesn’t want to go back.  My wife, Karly, is on the board of directors for Circle of Hope and this year was her fifth trip to Malawi. She spends countless hours collecting and organizing medical supplies to send each year. To say Malawi is her passion would be an understatement. Our Chicago condo is completed covered with pictures of the kids of the orphanage. I really didn’t understand why she loved it so much until I went myself.

Because of unfortunate circumstances, my wife had landed in Malawi about a week before I did.  Pastor Phiri, the man who was in charge of the daily activities of the Grace Center, suddenly passed away.  Because he did so much for the compound, the future of the Grace Center was very uncertain.  My wife, along with a small team, had to get to Malawi as soon as possible.  They arrived during a memorial service and were greeted by members of the community, weeping about the loss of Pastor Phiri. The kids of the orphanage were heart-broken once again. They had already lost their real parents, now they had lost their father figure who provided them with a home, food, security, and schooling. Over the next several days, the children were reassured many times that they would still be cared for despite experiencing another devastating loss.

On May 10th, I arrived in Malawi. I was definitely excited to see the kids that I had formed great relationships with last summer. Our team had a productive first couple of days. We painted and prepped the clinic before the rest of the medical team arrived and I played a lot of soccer with the kids in my free time. Last summer, I did a fundraiser to get the school's soccer team new uniforms and cleats (thanks to all who donated)!  This may not a big deal to you and me, but most of these kids have never owned soccer cleats and usually have to play barefoot. On my second day, they held a special school assembly to present the uniforms to the kids. It was a great day to experience with them!

NEVER FORGET

May 12th is a day that I will never forget.  Just before midnight, Karly and I woke up in our tent to a horrible noise. We had no idea if it was person or an animal. I thought to myself, “this is Africa, you hear noises at night all the time.”  But there was something different about this noise. We then heard the metal front gate violently clang back and forth and soon after we heard glass break from the pastor’s house. It confirmed our suspicion that something was terribly wrong. Loud pounding from the house followed. People yelling. We could see lights and shadows outside our tent. We heard quick footsteps run down by our tent followed by the sound of someone being beaten. They finally stopped and went back inside the house. The man was Len, the husband of the director of Circle of Hope.  Eventually he limped by our tents saying “we are getting robbed, hide yourselves.” Karly and I sorted through our belongings in the dark, trying to find anything that we could use as weapons.  We decided that a small pair of scissors and Karly’s stethoscope was the best that we could do. In that moment, the thought of dying became real. My wife was next to me and my mother-in-law and sister-in-law were in the tent next to us.  Karly and I turned to each other and said, “I love you.” I remember I closed my eyes and prayed over and over for God to protect us. I could still hear noises coming from inside the house. I felt helpless. I didn’t know what to do. Do I stay in my tent? Do I take off running in the pitch black and try to get help a mile a way? After the noises stopped, we continued to stay quiet in our tent.  It felt like forever but the whole robbery and waiting time ended up being about 45 minutes.  Following the silence and some whispered phone calls to other team members, we ran to the house. 

“Karly and I sorted through our belongings in the dark, trying to find anything that we could use as weapons.  We decided that a small pair of scissors and Karly’s stethoscope was the best that we could do.”

One by one we gathered in the living room.  For every person who entered, a brief wave of relief hit, but we were still missing some people and the tension was thick.  I’m sure it was only minutes before the three pastors supporting Len came to the door, but each second seemed to drag on.  As he entered through the door, the visible evidence of the beating he took knocked the wind out of us.  The medical people in the room tended to his wounds, while others barricaded the broken house door with the kitchen table. We were still missing one more person— Isaac, one of the Malawian men that was staying with us. Eventually there was another knock at the door. The room fell silent and I called out asking who it was. “Isaac” he replied.  The room filled with sobs of relief.  Isaac had run a mile down the hill in the dark to get help and returned with some villagers.  Over the next hours, more villagers gathered around the house and eventually the police came and took statements.  They left two armed police officers at the house for the rest of the night but no one went to sleep. 

We quite literally counted down the minutes until daylight.  That morning, our team met to decide what to do next.  There were 12 additional team members on their way to Malawi, including my dad.  They would land in a few hours. Do we go home? Do we stay? Where do we sleep at night? We were all a combination of dazed, traumatized, and in shock. We decided to stay at a hotel in Lilongwe, about an hour away. Although it was much more expensive, safety was our first priority.  As we left the Grace Center to go to Lilongwe, we met with our kids.  We told them that we were going to Lilongwe for the day but that we would return tomorrow.  The children gathered in a circle and prayed for us to send us off.  When we picked up our team, we broke the news to the team in the airport parking lot. We had to give them the option of turning around to go home. All but one person decided to stay. 

After putting all of our stories together, we discovered that 15-20 masked men had robbed us. They broke into every room of the house except the room that our director was staying in. That was the room that had our passports and money in it.  There were 6 tents surrounding the house, and 5 of them were occupied. The robbers sliced through the only empty tent with a machete—a tent that we had set up about 5 hours before the attack. If they had come to any of the other tents they would have found people, money, and valuables leading them to check all the other tents. Also, there is typically a light on the house that shines down toward where our tents are set up. However, a team member turned it off that night, and she doesn’t know why she did it. Although it was a traumatic experience, it could have been far worse. As we prayed to be hidden, we believe God blinded the men to our five occupied tents.  If the attack happened one night prior, we would have probably cancelled our team’s flights to Malawi and we would have all gone home. If the attack happened one night later, there would have been people in the tent that was slashed open. God’s timing was perfect. And He protected us that night. 

The robbery took more from us than just physical items. It robbed us of the full African-experience. Bucket-showers, going to the bathroom in a hole in the ground, sleeping in tents, walking up a long hill everyday, eating food that most of us would not normally pick—all the stuff that we typically joke and complain about became the things we missed so much. That night also robbed us of time with the kids—time to love them after they had been through so much.  It stole over an hour of socializing and chapel with our kids in the morning and over an hour of playtime in the afternoon. Everyday before we left to go back to the hotel, an 8-year old boy named Josephe would ask if I had to go back to Lilongwe today. When I told him yes, he would walk away with watery eyes. And every day my heart broke all over again.

“The robbery took more from us than just physical items. It robbed us of the full African-experience.”

Circle of Hope had to cancel the trips of all the summer teams that were coming after us. Some people were robbed of experiencing this amazing place for the first time. Others were robbed of returning to a place they fell in love with. Sponsorship was also impacted—many people that come for the first time develop a special relationship with a child and leave sponsoring them. As team members tell friends and family about their trip, that leads to more sponsorship. The kids are used to having Americans with them the whole summer, something they really enjoy. This year, three teams worth of time and love was taken from them.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

My trip to Africa this year was crazy. But it was still an amazing trip. From a medical perspective, we accomplished everything we set out to do. We did medical checkups for nearly 700 kids. We had a dentist and an optometrist come this year—both a first for the organization. The support we received from the Malawian community was incredible. Hundreds of villagers and chiefs demonstrated their support through standing outside the house, searching the fields to find and return some of our stolen objects, meeting together to improve community-based security, and building a fence around our future doctor’s home. A Member of the Parliament quickly started working to establish a police station at the Grace Center. He also told us that he would be able to help us out with any other future projects, such as registering the medical clinic and maternity center once they are ready. The four men that are a part of the new leadership team at the Grace Center have done an amazing job since the loss of Pastor Phiri. They are men that love God and want to make a difference in the lives of the children and members of the community. I am confident the the Grace Center is in good hands.

Romans 8:28 is the verse that God spoke to me over and over again during this trip: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” It doesn’t say all things are good.  It doesn’t say that God causes all things.  But it does say God can use all things for good.  ALL THINGS.  Not just some things but all things. This verse is a promise to us, followers of Jesus. It shows us how powerful and good He really is despite the attacks of Satan and men. Through all the trials on this trip— even more than I have discussed here— it is clear that God is working at the Grace Center.  He is making it a safer place for Malawians and Americans.  He is establishing favor with a government official who will help accelerate the work being done at the grace center.  He is stirring the community to invest in the center that invests in them.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

— Romans 8:28

The men that were physically injured are all healing. I ask for your prayers for all those who experienced that night. Please pray for the men who are leading during this time of difficulty and transition.  I also ask for prayers for the kids, who have had a very tough month.

Adjusting to life after Africa is challenging. It’s hard to explain to people. I never really understood it until I experienced it myself. I miss the kids. I miss the people. I miss the joy that they express on a daily basis. There is something beautiful about living a simple life and being rid of all the distractions that we have in America—distractions of things that don’t truly matter. I miss their mindset of doing two things: Loving God and loving others.

If anyone wants to know more about Circle of Hope or is interested in sponsoring a child, please reach out to me!

Visit the Circle of Hope International Facebook page by clicking here.

Tad Glibert is the Assistant Director of Operations for Northwestern Men's Basketball.  You can contact him directly at 2tadglibert@gmail.com.  

Contesting Shots Matters!

The distance at which your team contests shots on the perimeter will directly impact your wins and losses.  10 of the top 25 defensive FG% teams in the NCAA made the tournament this year.  One of those teams is Coach Eric Musselman's Nevada Wolf Pack, who first shared the importance of this analytic with me a few years ago.  It's no secret that a low defensive FG% is necessary to consistently win games, but how can you ensure that you do just that?  

In 2016-17, I began tracking the distance at which we closed out to shooters.  (You can read more from that study here: Contesting Shots Matters & Here's Why.)  Throughout that season, I became convinced there was a correlation between winning, losing, and how well we contested shots.  So in the 2017-18 season as I took a new position at Bethel College in Indiana, I tracked this stat every game to see how it would hold up in a tough league.  

The data below is over the span of our 33 games.  There are two parts to this study that I'd like to share with you: 

1. The distance at which you contest a shot affects defensive FG%
2. How often you contest a shot from each distance affects winning and losing.

First, the distance at which you contest a shot affects defensive FG%.  There are three distances that I track: closely contested (0-2 feet), moderately contested (2-4 feet), not contested (4+ feet).  This is slightly different from Coach Musselman, as he tracks four distances.  Here are the overall statistics from this past season:

SEASON (Defensive FG%)

0-2 feet - 20.5% (67-327)

2-4 feet - 39.5% (161-408)

4+ feet - 51.8% (86-166)

Plain and simple, when our players closed out to the ball well, we had an incredible defensive FG%.  When our players did not close out well, we gave up a lot of points.  To conclude the first part of this study, I believe that it is obvious that the tighter a shot is contested, the lower the FG% becomes.  This is why closeouts are extremely important and you should work on them often throughout the year.  Have a plan and be really good at executing a simple closeout.

The second part of the study is the one that impacts winning and losing.  It is that how often you contest a shot from each distance will directly affect your win/loss record.  Here are the statistics from our wins and our losses this season:

WINS (Defensive FG%)

0-2 feet - 18.6% (45-241)

2-4 feet - 39.1% (105-268)

4+ feet - 53.7% (57-106)

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LOSSES (Defensive FG%)

0-2 feet - 25.5% (22-86)

2-4 feet - 40.0% (56-140)

4+ feet - 48.3% (29-60)

While the defensive FG% remained fairly consistent in both wins and losses, the biggest difference is how often we contest shots from each distance.  In our wins, every 4 out of 10 shots was contested within 0-2 feet, every 4.3 out of 10 shots was contested within 2-4 feet, and every 1.7 out of 10 shots was contested at 4+ feet (See charts above).  Our closely and moderately contested shots were much more balanced, thus our closeouts were more consistent in our wins.

In our losses, only every 2.9 out of 10 shots was contested within 0-2 feet, every 4.9 out of 10 shots was contested within 2-4 feet, and every 2.2 out of 10 shots was contested within 4+ feet (See charts above).  Our consistency and balance in our losses is much more out of sync than in our wins.  Because of this, we struggled to keep points off the board.  The graphs give a visual of the balance in consistency.

So while our defensive FG% remained consistent in wins and losses, the real difference was in our ability to closely contest shots more often.  The margin is not huge, however, it is a crucial detail in the deciding factor of games.  The difference between a win and a loss could be as little as 4-5 shots per game being contested just a foot tighter.

I hope the data in this study will help you realize the importance of closeouts and how the distance and rate in which we contest shots matters.  If you have any questions or comments, I would love for you to reach out so I can talk with you more.  I would also appreciate any feedback or other information to take into consideration for this.  

Surrender the Outcome

Tonight we lost in the first round of the NAIA National Tournament.  I typically don't write when I'm emotional, but I wanted to capture the feelings of this before they faded away.  

IT SUCKS.

I would be lying to you if I told you it didn't hurt.  The way we lost.  When we lost.  None of it was enjoyable.  Walking into the locker room afterwards was particularly tough.  The faces of the men in that room told a story.  The dazed look in their eyes of complete shock, wondering how we got to this point.  The tears flowing from our four seniors who just saw their college careers end.  The mood was raw.  It wasn't fun, but it was real.  We came into this tournament with a confident belief that we were prepared and we were ready to make a run.  Unfortunately, things didn't go our way.

BROTHERHOOD DEFINED

As the emotions set in, we realized our family was too strong to be broken apart by any loss.  The love teammates showed to each other showed me how much this brotherhood means.  Guys shared hugs, thanked the seniors, and picked each other up with encouragement and a positive outlook.  They knew they would bounce back and be better for it.

Before the game, I tweeted this as I knew I would need it as a reminder no matter if we won or lost:

Surrender the outcome.

— Andrew Wingreen (@CoachWingreen) March 7, 2018

For me as a coach, I take losing hard.  But I've been challenged by my #OneWord for 2018, "Surrender."  I thought it was awesome that we embraced that call this week leading up to the tournament.  Surrender the outcome.  God is good all the time and he is sovereign over us.  He already knew the outcome of that game and there's peace in knowing that God is in control.  While it still sucks and I hate that we lost, there are lessons to be learned and growth to be made in order for us to return to Sioux Falls in 2019 to make a deeper run.  As for now, I'm thankful for the opportunity God gave us to be here.  It's my personal goal to glorify Jesus through the game of basketball and that gives me contentment to surrender the outcome to his will.  

Strong Face

The way we respond to both our mistakes and our success will often put our toughness on display.  When we mess up, how do we respond?  When we experience a big win, how do we respond?  Our body language speaks volumes, and through the highs and lows we need to have a strong face.  

I arrived early to the University of North Carolina's morning shoot around at Notre Dame.  The UNC team bus hadn't arrived yet, but there were two guys that came early with the managers;  Seventh Woods and Joel Berry.  As I watched them go through their workouts, I became intrigued with the way Joel Berry performed.  Not because he was doing unique drills or making every shot, but because of the body language that he displayed.  He communicated a strong face.

When he made shots, he had a strong face.  When he missed shots, he had a strong face.  Even when he air-balled his fourth miss in a row, he had a strong face.  His body language never waivered and he had a "Teflon" memory, allowing both the good and the bad to bounce off of him.  He transitioned to the "next play" every time.  He never cussed and he never allowed his emotions to overcome him. 

As I watch players workout, there is always a wide spectrum in which they respond to makes and misses.  Some celebrate every make as if it was the first time they ever made a shot.  Some will drop and F-bomb every time they miss as if they are a 100% shooter.  Some will hang their head at the first sign of failure and give up.  Players need to learn how to have a strong face and move on to the next play.  Negative reactions to imperfection is not acceptable and it is an obvious sign up immaturity and lack of toughness.

Duke head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said, "Next play is the absence of fear.  You have moved on."  Negative reactions are excuses and indicate that there is a fear of failure.  Your body language  will communicate to others if you are mentally tough enough to move on or not.  

“Next play is the absence of fear.”

— Mike Krzyzewski

In his book, Toughness, Jay Bilas writes, "'next play" not only leads to consistency; it leads to composure too, because when you take the next play mentality, you are firmly in the present and prepared to make the most important play: this play."

Whether you are a player or a coach, the idea of having a strong face is vital.  It's important on the court and it's important off the court.  Make it a point to challenge yourself and those around you to respond to their success and failures with a strong face, willing to move on to the next play.  

Surrender: One Word 2018

My One Word for 2017 was "faith."  God couldn't have put a better word in my heart when I chose that last year.  For 2018, I prayed that God would keep building on my faith and place a focus in my mind again.  For the past couple weeks, no word felt right as I tried to pick one word for this year.  But today, God gave me my word for 2018: Surrender.

SURRENDER

As I think of the ways that God tested my faith last year, I'm very aware that he may call me to surrender in uncomfortable ways.  To be honest, it scares me a little bit.  But whatever he has in store for me and my family in 2018, I want to surrender it all to Jesus.  

I felt that "surrender" was the right word tonight while I was listening to the song "Gracefully Broken" by Matt Redman.  You can listen below.

The lyrics say, "Here I am, God, arms wide open! Pouring out my life, gracefully broken...I surrender."  I know there are so many areas in my life that I have not surrendered to God.  I'm excited to see how God changes my heart over the next 365 days and draws me closer to Him!  I ask that you pray for me as I strive to surrender my thoughts, my actions, and my life to Jesus.  Here's to 2018...Happy New Year!

2017 - FAITH (Read More)

2016 - PERSISTENT (Read More)

2015 - SERVE

2014 - IMMEDIACY

The Impact YOU Have

One reason that I love the game of basketball is because of the impact it has on people of all ages.  The game engages the craziest fanatics daily and engrosses an entire nation during March.  It captivates an audience and it will not let some of them go.  But one of the most significant influences the game has is the way it enamors a child's heart and inspires them to be like YOU.

3...2...1...

I'm willing to bet that every player and coach grew up with a basketball dream.  For some it was reenacting the final play of the game when your team is down 2 and the ball is in your hands.  You audibly count down the game clock...3...2...1...and hoist up the game winning shot.  If it went in you celebrated the win; if you missed you were obviously fouled.  

BE LIKE MIKE

For others it was watching Michael Jordan and trying to "Be Like Mike."  You would run out of the tunnel to the Bulls starting lineup song, "At 6'6, from North Carolina, number 23, Michaellll Jorrrrdannnnn!"  You would stick your tongue out on your way to the rim and attempt to impose your will on your friends with that fade away jumper.  And you're lying if you never tried to dunk the basketball while spreading your legs just like the Jordan logo.  

THE BATHTUB

Maybe you were that die-hard player that would shovel the snow off the driveway in 14 degree weather to get shots up.  Of course, the cold temperature and snow would make your ball flat, so you had a couple more basketballs in the rotation.  You would put the flat ball in the hot bathtub you had filled in order to warm up the balls to be ready to go again in 15 minutes.  True dedication.

PEOPLE WHO MADE AN IMPACT

These were all stories from my life growing up, but no matter what your dream was there was someone that made an impact on you.  Someone that you wanted to be like and imitate as a player or a coach.  For me it was my next door neighbor, Nick Hancock, and his teammate Tony Romo.  Yes, THAT Tony Romo.  I remember going to their games at Burlington High School (now Karcher Middle School) and watching them play.  I would go home and imitate everything they did.  Their shooting technique, their hustle, their willingness to dive on the floor for loose balls, etc.  My eyes were on them and they made an impact on me.

From a coaching perspective, my aunt and uncles were a huge impact on me.  They were all coaches and I would grow up going to their games.  At family gatherings I would listen to them talk about those games.  I'm not sure if they ever realized how I hung on to every word they said, but I did.  And those words have stuck with me to this day as a coach.  

There is a poem that I love to share with people called "Little Eyes Upon You."  It goes like this:

“There are little eyes upon you and they are watching night and day.

There are little ears that quickly take in every word you say.

There are little hands all eager to do anything you do;

And a little boy who’s dreaming of the day he’ll be like you.

You’re the little fellow’s idol, you’re the wisest of the wise.

In his little mind about you no suspicions ever rise.

He believes in you devoutly, holds all you say and do;

He will say and do, in your way when he’s grown up just like you.

There’s a wide-eyed little fellow who believes you’re always right;

And his eyes are always opened, and he watches day and night.

You’re setting an example every day in all you do;

For the little boy who’s waiting to grow up to be just like you.”

— Author Unknown

So next time you go out and do your job with the game of basketball, keep in mind that there are little eyes watching you and they are soaking up everything you say and do.  Your actions, your words, your energy, your responses - they are setting an example for the next generation of players and coaches.  I believe we have a responsibility to be a light to all of those around us.  Take your platform to heart and do your best to use the game we love to impact other people in a positive way!