Coaches and Captains Preseason Meeting

Last week I met with a Division III Women's basketball head coach, her new assistant coach, and her three team captains to discuss team leadership development ideas and how to help their team embody their team culture's values.

I have known the head coach since she was a freshman at Southern Illinois University. After her freshman year, a knee injury and surgery, we had a coaching staff change, leading her to transfer to a D-II program. In her senior season she was a national player of the year and her team won a national championship. After playing some professional basketball in Europe, she returned to the USA and began her coaching career. We have stayed in touch across the years and often conversed about challenges she was encountering. It has been and continues to be a privilege to invest in her coaching career and life beyond basketball.

Below are the notes I sent to the head coach ahead of our meeting. They served as the outline for our discussions. I had an hour with the coaches and captains, and then another hour with the head coach and assistant.

Millikin WBB

Captains - (60 minutes)

Introduction -  Leadership = Responsibility

Not that your teammates are responsible to you; rather you are responsible for them.

Leadership levels - (from a John Maxwell book).

◦ Lead by Personhood (highest)

◦ Lead by Elevating others

◦ Lead by Production

◦ Lead by Permission

◦ Lead by Position (lowest)

Team Captains are responsible for: C.A.U.S.E. characteristics (translate to on court & off court matters).

• Complete - developing skills (drills / class). “I see Chris becoming more complete by….”

• Authentic - be real (no drama, no lies). “Abby has been totally authentic through a really tough week.”

• Undeniable - persistence (we never quit). “Jenny had several opportunities to quit this week, but wouldn’t.”

• Selfless - Reward passers, screens, loose balls, taking charges. Clean up the locker room and bus. Off court acts of selflessness). “Makenzie took three charges in Tuesday’s game.”

• Every Day - Consistency (Work ethic, on and off court). “Jill was in the gym for extra shooting four times this week.”

Captains recognize, “Teammates in the CAUSE” weekly at a practice.

Coaching staff discussion:

1. Meet with the captains how often? For leadership development? For CAUSE review?

2. When are you each at your best?

3. What responsibilities can you (head coach) reasonably entrust to an assistant?

4. Do those responsibilities seem possible for you (assistant coach) to do?

5. The goal is to free Coach Lett to operate at a higher level.

We had a tremendous conversation with the coaches and captains, and they seemed enthused to lead their teammates in the process of developing their team's culture. They played deep into the NCAA tournament last season, and believe they have an opportunity to challenge for a national championship. The group of three captains include a junior guard who was an All-American last season.

I am excited to follow the Millikin Women's Basketball team this season. I hope our discussion of leadership, responsibility, and CAUSE will help them achieve greatly.

Encouraging Notes

In late August I received a couple of very encouraging notes from two Character Coach teammates in response to different interactions.

The first was from Lindsay Moncrief of the FCA staff at University of Arkansas. She was one of the people participating in the FCA Character Coach training I led in the first week of August. She was recently preparing for her first meeting with the Women's Basketball team and wanted to refresh her understanding of the 360 Sports Matrix that was part of the training. We had a good conversation and she went on to the meeting. The text message below was her reply to my text message asking, "How did your meeting with the team go?"

Lindsay replied, “I’m so sorry I forgot to text you. I left on such a high and then in awe of God and His goodness.

The meeting went so well, and I even got some extra time with them because they couldn’t get in the weight room right away.

We got on the topic of relationships and girls that would avoid me when I would come in to the gym were asking me so many questions about my experience in college, and with my husband. Many of them opened up to me, and some even came up to me and asked for a one on one.”

The other encouraging note came from the Nations of Coaches Character Coach at the University of Alabama - Huntsville, John Ryberg. His note is below.

"Hello Coach,

Thanks for this timely and helpful message. My first official talk with the UAH Men’s Basketball team is on Sunday evening. I had been planning to start with the subject of identity, with some discussion about how our self worth is affected by our relationships. Our starting 5, and the defacto leader of the players just returned from a mission trip with Real News in Germany and the Netherlands. On the trip, he experienced a very powerful awakening in his awareness of God that has changed the way he thinks about basketball and competition.

When we had lunch together, he shared that does not have the same anger and animosity while playing. He now sees that God can do something bigger through his play. He still plays with great intensity and skill, but he is in control and enjoying the competition. He shared that he has a different understanding of who he is, because he knows whose he is. Very exciting development for the start of the season and how he can help the other guys grow in their faith.

The presentation you shared was very helpful, because there is often a false narrative that condemns the other layers of identity that are not religious. You have given me some great food for thought as I am preparing to talk with the team tomorrow evening. Blessings to you Coach!"

Notes like these two, the stories you share with me, the ways you respond to any sort of encouragement, resources, or input from me are fuel for my fire. This stuff enriches my soul. Thank you for your selfless and faithful service. When you encounter moments of God's grace like Lindsay and John have, please drop me an email, a text message, a phone call, a smoke signal... anything. Thanks!

Faithful Service Story from a Coach's Family

We recently received a note from a coaching family that moved across 3/4 of the USA to their new coaching assignment. The way the Nations of Coaches Character Coach served the coach and his wife is a great example to us all. Thanks to you, one and all, as you serve faithfully and selflessly. The story is below.

Over the summer my husband received a new coaching job across the country. Although there is excitement and adventure that comes along with moving, there are also a lot of challenges.

As my husband was learning his new role, I was carrying the weight of mentally, emotionally and logistically making the move. When I learned our new program had a Character Coach, I was put in touch with his wife. I instantly felt like I had a local advocate and support on the other end of the trip who could assist with this transition into a new community.

She didn't need to be "my newest best friend" or even help unload the moving truck, but she was willing to be a smiling face and an accessible resource for even my most basic questions. Her kindness allowed me to feel seen in an area where no one knows my name.

-A coaching family who is grateful for their new program’s Character Coach and his wife.