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.

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!

See Jesus In Me

My desire as a coach is for people to see Jesus in me.  Through the way I work, the way I behave, and the way I care, I want Jesus to be at the center of it.  My heartbeat is to see those around me grow closer to Jesus because of the way I live.

However, I'm really bad at it most of the time.

My work becomes focused solely on wins & losses.  I work a certain way for certain hours, so that people will give me their approval.  I do what I do because I want the praise and glory for myself.

My behavior lacks character too often and I fall victim to Satan's attacks.  I allow my feelings to dictate my actions, which often leads to sin.  I behave the way I do because I'm prideful and want to do what only makes me happy.

My care for others is non-existent  because their needs are not more important than my own, obviously.  I focus on what I want and lookout for me, myself, and I.  I lack the care that I need to have because I'm selfish.

I COULD GO ON.

I've been struggling lately to be a light; to be the example that God created me to be.  He called me to coach and he enabled me to have the opportunity to impact young men and other coaches.  I'm passionate about fulfilling that call with the gifts that God has given me.  I want to embrace the responsibility that I have because I know the impact those with the same calling had on me.  So here's what I'm going to do:

PRAY

I believe that prayer is powerful and God desires to have that communication with us.  As a coach, I need to make this a daily occurrence with intentionality throughout the day.  However, I'm really bad at praying.  I don't do it enough and more often than not I fail to do it well.  Please pray for me to grow stronger in my prayer life!

READ

God's word is powerful.  It speaks truth and breathes life.  I need to dig deeper into the word of God and find out more about what he is all about.  I'm really good at reading it on a surface level, but I desire to dive deeper and grow closer to God.  

DO

I want to do more.  Not because I think it will earn me favor with God, but because I want to impact people.  I want to genuinely love them and show them who Jesus is by the way I live life.  I want my words to speak truth and I want my actions to display love.  I want the gospel to resonate with the people I come in contact with every day, so Jesus can do a work in their life.

I want people to see Jesus in me. 

Fueling Your Heart

Each day we are given opportunities to choose the influences we want in our lives.  The videos we watch, the music we listen to, the books we read, and the people we spend our time with.  Each decision we make fuels our hearts with a worldview that will ultimately impact the way we carry ourselves.  So, the question is, what is fueling your heart?

It’s easy to gravitate towards popular content the world is selling to us daily, but it’s important to understand what those stories are telling us.  Just because something is portrayed as “cool” or “relevant,” doesn’t mean we should be consuming it.  We need to be intentional about fueling our hearts with substance, promoting growth and excellence in all we do. 

Here’s a few examples of what I mean:

Spotify has over 140 million users that consume over 1.7 billion hours of music each month.  Currently, the song that is streamed the most and sits at #2 on the Billboard Top 100, is “Rockstar” by Post Malone (Feat. 21 Savage).  The first lyrics that millions of people are actively choosing to put into their hearts when they listen to this song are, 

“Ayy, I’ve been f****** hoes and poppin’ pillies. Man I feel just like a rockstar.”

— Post Malone

WHAT MUSIC IS FUELING YOUR HEART?

Last month, the top grossing movie at the box office was “It,” earning $290,775,232.  It has played in over 4,000 theaters countless times, entertaining millions of people across the globe.  I understand the thrill and excitement that comes along with horror movies, but at what cost?  The description that lures people to buy a ticket to this movie is, “A group of bullied kids band together when a shapeshifting demon, taking the appearance of a clown, begins hunting children.”  Really?

WHAT MOVIES OR VIDEOS ARE FUELING YOUR HEART TODAY?

In 2016, 68% of high school seniors said that they tried alcohol with their friends.  Their friends claimed they were going to harmless parties and having “fun” participating in drinking games.  Statistics also say that alcohol causes the most harm in people under the age of 21 and is responsible for over 4,300 deaths each year. 

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DO YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH?

The point of this article is not to tell you what not to do.  However, I think it’s important for us to ask ourselves the question, “what is fueling my heart?”  If we think about it, the shows we watch, the music we listen to, the content we read, and the people we spend our time with, influences our lives in a huge way.  If we want to be the best we can be, why wouldn’t we fuel our hearts with content that is positive and full of truth?  For me, it’s a battle every day.  I want to have fun and satisfy my need for entertainment, but I constantly need to examine what I’m fueling my heart with.  I encourage you to think about the influences you allow into your life every day and ask yourself if the fuel you’re putting into your heart is the fuel that will get you to your desired destination. 

Storytelling Through Social Media

A little over a year ago, I wrote a post for this blog entitled “Social Media: The Age of New Recruiting” (if you have a couple minutes, give it a quick read).

In that article, I talked about the importance of storytelling in recruiting both players and fans for your program. Whether it’s through photos, videos or written content, fans LOVE to know more about what’s going on with your team!

Any time I write an article, give a presentation, or talk one-on-one with people about storytelling through social, I always get positive responses. People are excited about the possibilities for their own programs because they themselves love consuming content from their favorite sports teams. However, when it comes to implementing those ideas, those same people are seemingly paralyzed with fear.

The perfect photo, the highest quality video, the best written blog post – the chance that what they produce might not be exactly “right” or as good as someone else keeps them from doing anything at all.

SO WHAT'S THE SOLUTION?

Get out your phone and just go. Don’t overthink, just try. In reality, chances are if it’s the kind of thing that interests you (a sports fan), then it will probably be interesting to those who follow your program (other sports fans).

You may be thinking still, “I don’t even know where to begin.” Here are a few suggestions of things that have worked on our team pages:

•          Game photos
•          Team pictures at special events
•          Congratulatory milestone photos and graphics
•          Videos of players competing (on the court, in the weight room)
•          Video documentaries of trips
•          Pictures and/or videos of community service events
•          Instagram and/or Snapchat “mini” stories of 4-5 photos/videos
•          Group photos

See, the goal isn’t perfection. The goal is to emotionally connect with your fan base. And the best way to do that is simply to story tell by regularly documenting your team’s journey. Don’t wait any longer. Start storytelling!

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Tony Miller is an assistant men's basketball coach and head of the sports management program at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina.  His blog, "Coach.Teach.Lead", contains more coaching and leadership resources.