Dawg Blog on Team Building

Below is an article from our university’s media services department director, Tom Weber, about my work with the Men’s Basketball team. I think he summed up my role with this team pretty well.


Roger Lipe can't teach Saluki basketball players the finer points of trapping the high ball screen or how to execute a pick-and-roll, but the expertise he has brought to this year’s team cannot be underestimated.

Lipe is an expert at team-building — bringing players together from all walks of life and teaching them how to interact and work together for the good of the unit. There's a spiritual component, as well, but a player doesn't have to be a Christian to benefit from Lipe's teaching.

Ever since Jerry Kill was head coach, Lipe has worked with Saluki football — doing team-building exercises during training camp and leading team chapel on game days. He leaves the Xs and Os to the coaches.

"What I am doing is working on what is going on between their ears and in their heart," he explained. "It gets down to commitment level and values."

Like most Saluki fans, he wondered how a basketball team with so much talent could finish in ninth place last year.

So last summer, he got together over coffee with Coach Lowery to offer his assistance. Lowery welcomed the idea.

Lipe's sessions with the team began immediately and with two goals in mind.

"First, I wanted to create a sense of community — where they know each other, trust each other and are committed to each other as teammates," he explained. "The second part was to develop a culture that is shaped by values. What do we care about? What do we think is important?"

These sessions with the team took place in the player lounge — a comfort zone for the team, where guys can open up and speak frankly.

"We are able to talk about what makes a winning community," he said. "It was a matter of getting to know each other on a successively deeper level so they are committed to each other as teammates."

The team agreed that there were chemistry problems on last year's squad.

"You could tell a lot of the players were contemplating what did happen last year," Lipe explained. "They said that will not happen again. You could tell there was more of a sense of self-discipline growing. That came from the values that Chris has for this program. It is just a different voice and a different way of approaching it. Sometimes, the coaches are saying it all the time, and it can be helpful to have an outsider's voice come in, especially someone older."

Lipe said he was struck by the negative body language of the players on the bench at times last year.

"Watching last year's group and this year's group — it is like night and day," he said. "This group likes each other. They really enjoy playing with each other and work hard for each other. They are not jealous of minutes or things like that. It has also helped develop leadership."

At a recent Saluki game, Lipe kept a careful eye on a player who was pulled from the game and had to sit on the bench for an extended period of time.

"He sat on the bench quite a while, but what I was impressed with was that he was engaged the whole time," Lipe said. "He wasn't pouting or griping because he wasn't getting minutes. That comes out of a community that likes each other and wants to play together, and they understand the values of the program."

As players understand each other better, they are more likely to make sacrifices and play hard for one another, Lipe said.

"The problem is in human nature — I'm not going to commit to someone I don't trust," he said. "We ask questions and discuss topics that are right to the core of who each person is. Guys self-reveal and show what they are about and what they are committed to. All of that gets you to play selflessly as opposed to selfishly."

The basic principles Lipe espouses are religiously based.

"When we do chapels, I am talking about the same principles that were discussed in team-building," he said. "I just illustrate it from what I see in scripture. Last week we talked about how championship teams love the game and make sacrifices for it. Instead of talking just basketball, I also illustrate it from the life of Jesus and how he showed great commitment and love in the sacrifices he made."