Coach Rod Conrad: A True Hero

John Gagliardi was a very decorated coach at St. Johns college in Minnesota. John is also the most winning coach ever in the NCAA with 484 wins. To coach this long and have the amount of success John had, is unbelievable. The amount of effort and time he put into his job is what made him accomplish so much. His style of coaching was unique and he found his own way to win games. Not tackling in practice, not using profane language were one of his techniques in coaching. John demanded a level of respect for his players, and in return John would respect them. St. John’s practices were always a fun time, as well as serious. John was able to find a good balance to keep his teams winning.

Basketball is one of the most popular which is beloved sports that is played today. Michael Jordan, who played for the Washington Wizards and the Chicago Bulls once said, “Just play, have fun, and enjoy the game” (BrainyQuote 2016). Whether playing with friends for fun or by professionals for entertainment or simply watching from home, basketball is very enjoyed all over the world. Beginning with a unique history, basketball has evolved over time from a simple idea into a professional career choice for those with the unique skill set.

Coach Ken Carter truthfully exclaimed, "You get to become a winner. Because if there’s one thing I know, it is this: The losing stops now. Starting today, you will play like winners, act like winners, and most importantly, you will be winners. If you listen and learn, you’ll win basketball games." Ken Carter accepted the tedious job of being the boys' basketball coach of the Richmond Oilers. He had hopes for the team and courageously acted to carry out his wishes. Throughout the movie, Ken Carter and the Richmond basketball team demonstrate Christian virtues, morality, and solidarity.

Coach Steve Rocker is one of the most successful high school basketball coaches in Kentucky’s history. Coach Rocker was very successful in previous years. Strangely, this year was very different for him. For the first time in his professional life, he is falling short of his expectations, the community expectations, and the team’s expectations. His team lost a lot of games, but most importantly the boys had no motivation or desire to bring the team out of the rut they found themselves. His players have lost their will to win, their love for their teammates, and their passion to play. Coach Rocker’s motivational methods that have always worked before and resulted in success are now failing, and he doesn’t know why. He argues that his players have become selfish and bored with winning because they have been so successful in previous years. “And there’s no question that my guys have lost their drive to win because they’ve won so much in the past. Now all they want is individual ‘wins’…which just doesn’t cut it on a team” (Gongwer, 2010, p. 17).

With the right influence, communication and skill development is the key to a valuable coach. Without my two outstanding high school coaches, I wouldn’t have the love for basketball and track the way I do today. They have taught me everything I needed to know for the present, along with tips for the future. Coach Lewis and Coach Kohler have done more for me than what I’ve ever deserved and I will never be able to pay them back for all their help and encouragement. But I hope they have understanding of how much of a change they can make on someone's life, someone's life like my

Joe Ehrmann describes how he has developed his philosophy of coaching by relating the story of his life in his youth, high school and in college describing two different types of coaches he had played for. The first are coaches who were impersonal, authoritarian, and sometimes abusive which he calls transactional coaches; this is in contrast to the humane coaches he calls transformative coaches. Coaches must face this responsibility because we all remember our coaches. “This is the awesome power and responsibility of coaching: You give your players memories, for better or for worse that stay with them until the day they die” (Ehrmann, 2011 p 46-47). Joe Erhmann goes on to ask, “What is the moral and ethical composition of their program?

In the world of sports, men have traditionally tended to be the leaders on the court or on the field. This statement is particularly true in terms of coaches. However, at one college in East Tennessee, the coach’s name that is synonymous with greatness is that of a female. Pat Summitt, arguably one of the nation's most renowned and prestigious coaches in all of NCAA women's basketball, lived an interesting life that was cut short by the devastating illness of Alzheimer’s disease.

It all started with an email seeking freshman male in his coaching and administration program. The 2012 graduate of UConn’s Sport Administration and coaching program, William Aloia, says this future success as the Associate Athletic Director for The College of St. Rose started out by almost” falling into his lap”. The New Jersey native began his undergraduate experience with two Division-I parents, and like an abundance of people he knew that working in sport was something he wanted to do. Previously a part of the Kinesiology department under the late Joe Marrone, Will jumped on the opportunity posted through an email and started his freshman year as a basketball manager for the very successful UConn’s basketball program. He explains how this experience “opened his door up”. Will states; “once I started at UConn working with the women’s basketball program and being around collegiate athletics at such a high level it’s really something in itself, and unbelievable experience. I knew it was for me, I didn’t know which part for sure, but I knew this was something I wanted to do.” What Will realized very quickly realized about working in sport is that often times it is a thankless job. However, that did not stop him from finishing his undergraduate career as a four-year manager for the basketball team. The motivation for Will early in his career has been a two-dimensional illustration of success.

After all of my interviews and observations of Coach Payne, I find myself blessed to have known the man. He is nothing more than a man who lives his life how he wishes and sees himself. He lives it like a king. He assists more and more students every year, and becomes a more influential member of the Iowa Falls Community. This just shows the gratitude given by the town of Iowa Falls to this

Dr. Camden Wood Selig is the athletic director for Old Dominion University. Dr. Selig was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina but grew up right here in Norfolk, Virginia. He’s in his sixth year as ODU’s athletic director and his impact has already been felt. At first glance, his nonchalant attitude doesn’t strike me as a college athletic director. I expected an upbeat, go-getter persona, after all he is in one of the highest professions in college sports. But I don’t think he necessarily doesn’t have that side to him. His “Championship Effort” motto that he has introduced to his athletic program can be shown through his accomplishments, ultimately he is a “doctor”.

Pat Summitt proved everyone wrong. She dealt with so much adversity throughout her coaching career. Her courageous coaching, determination to overcome challenges, and her powerful leadership set her apart from her opponents. Summitt was a great coach and leader because she did not just want to help make a great player, she also wanted to make her players great people. She truly proved her courage and determination when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's when she chose to fight through one more season to prove that she was the toughest coach that ever coached women’s

When it’s third and long, the stakes are high, and all the pressure is on you to do your job or lose the game, you can’t afford to break under pressure. Only the greatest football players thrive in tough conditions on and off the field. One person who came to mind when pondering who to interview was former Miami Hurricanes national champ, Canadian Football League retiree, and current Plano High School and Boom Football coach Brad Kunz. My goal in life is to play college ball and become a football coach later on in life. Coach Kunz is a master in high school football coaching and recruiting, knowing the ins and outs of what it takes to play college football, and how to coach a successful athlete and team.

Basketball teams need a coach that believes in them. The team needs a coach that will work hard to help them achieve the goal of winning. They need a coach that communicates and shows interest in each of the players. On the other hand, they need a coach that can be directive, but also supportive. In the case study this week, Shirley was quite the opposite. Conflicting enough, by all appearances she did not have a total grasp of the concept of leadership in coaching basketball. Factors that could cause the lack of leadership could be confidence or even lack of knowledge (Cohen, 2000). In this paper, Shirley’s leadership style and behavior will be discussed, along with looking at situational factors and other leadership styles that

“To this day, after being in this business … the best day on a college campus is graduation, When I see kids I had a relationship with … graduating, you feel like you had a part in that.” David Williams, Athletic Director of Vanderbilt Athletics. Being around sports my whole life and now currently coaching a basketball team, I have encountered a few athletic directors and their supporting cast, which in a high school, it’s the principal and the administration staff. In some circumstance, especially from most coaches’ point of view, it is always about the result of the team and how good the players are. For some athletic directors, it is the same, but at the school I coach, it is also about

Charles Barkley once said, “I am not a role model. I am not paid to be a role model. I am paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models. Just because I can dunk a basketball does not mean I should raise your kids.” No adult has a choice as to whether a child looks up to him or her, but parents are responsible for raising their children as best they can. The first role models or leaders in most children’s lives are in fact their parents; although they may not be the best role models, they are often the figures that children first learn from. Even if there was a perfect parent, that should not limit a child from observing other leaders. John Wooden, considerably the most successful basketball coach in NCAA history, led the UCLA Bruins to 10 NCAA championships with an all-time win-loss coaching record 885-203 (UCLA site). A Game Plane for Life: The Power of Mentoring, is a collection Wooden’s anecdotes related to leadership and the applications of those methods to his coaching practices. Observing leaders from the past allowed Wooden to envision clarity in the future; a clarified vision of the future gave Wooden more power in the present. John Wooden was a consistent and prepared leader who fostered a community of trust and knew his values.