The Gravity of Sport

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own.  

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High school student-athletes develop their 'ethos', their philosophy and character. 

The best players are those who make those around them better, both individually and as a team. Support and energize your teammates with positive energy, setting an example of excellence.

What 'specifics' can you apply to improve your teammates?

• Work out with a partner, for skill development or strength and conditioning. 
• Group reading... what books do I recommend? Jamie Bechler's The Leadership Playbook or Jay Bilas's Toughness. 
• "Do five more," minutes of video study with a teammate. Exceptional teams win the serve and serve-receive battles. Challenge yourself and teammates to do that. 

Lagniappe. 

Book summary, The Leadership Playbook (from ChatGPT)

Here’s a refined and comprehensive summary of Jamy (often spelled Jamie) Bechler’s The Leadership Playbook based on multiple sources:

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📘 Overview & Scope

• Audience & Purpose: A 174-page playbook crafted for student-athletes and coaches, but applicable to anyone wanting to build leadership within teams reddit.com+14theleadershipplaybook.com+14winningyouthcoaching.com+14.

• Structure: Each chapter features a storyline, practical insights, and reflective elements. Key chapters include:

  1. Introduction

  2. Foundational Principles

  3. Leadership Defined

  4. Leading Yourself

  5. Leading Others

  6. Leading Regardless of Role

  7. Positional Leadership

  8. Verbal Leadership

  9. Teamwork

  10. Outwork Your Talent podchaser.com+5coachtube.com+5theleadershipplaybook.com+5.

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Core Principles & Highlights

1. Everyone Can Lead

• Moves beyond formal roles: leadership isn’t exclusive to captains or coaches.

• Emphasizes “positional” vs. “A‑leader” mindset—challenging every team member to lead where they stand theleadershipplaybook.com+2spreaker.com+2podchaser.com+2.

2. Integrity

• Defined as “the sum total of all our everyday choices.”

• Builds credibility through small, consistent actions (e.g., doing the right thing even when no one’s watching) coachtube.com+8spreaker.com+8podchaser.com+8.

3. Leading Yourself

• Emphasizes self‑management, patience, and preparation as precursors to influencing others.

• Draws on examples like Bill Walsh’s 49ers turnaround: “Luck = opportunity + preparation” coachtube.comtheleadershipplaybook.thinkific.com+3spreaker.com+3podchaser.com+3.

4. Leading Others

• Leadership through action:

  • Larry Fitzgerald’s work ethic influencing teammates without needing to be vocal theleadershipplaybook.com+2spreaker.com+2podchaser.com+2.

  • Walk‑on Josh Pastner’s support role and attitude at Arizona, turning influence into leadership jamybechler.com+9spreaker.com+9winningyouthcoaching.com+9.

5. Positional vs. Verbal Leadership

• Positional leaders (captains/star players) can inadvertently allow others to coast, so the book promotes rotating leadership responsibilities jamybechler.com+8spreaker.com+8podchaser.com+8.

• Verbal leadership—picking up teammates through encouragement, prompting “Every missed shot is a pass” theleadershipplaybook.com+5winningyouthcoaching.com+5spreaker.com+5.

6. Culture & Core Values

• Culture isn’t aspirational—it’s built through habits and choices that team members buy into.

• Defines core values like integrity, mental growth, toughness, and rebounding as essential to sustaining culture coachtube.com+1jamybechler.com+1winningyouthcoaching.com.

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Supporting Insights

• Coach-Athlete Perspective: Bechler transitioned from focusing on X’s and O’s to prioritizing character and leadership, acknowledging that people problems often underlie athletic challenges jamybechler.com.

• Practical Application: The book includes downloadable handouts, chapter discussion guides, and an online program to convert lessons into team action coachtube.com+1jamybechler.com+1.

• Real-World Impact: Bechler’s 2014 team earned the national “Champions of Character” award, showcasing how leadership practices translate to actual outcomes theleadershipplaybook.com+10jamybechler.com+10theleadershipplaybook.thinkific.com+10.

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🎯 Why It's the Most "Comprehensive" Summary

• Depth & Breadth: Covers internal (self), interpersonal (others), verbal behaviors, positional roles, teamwork dynamics, culture building, and practical coaching resources.

• Evidence-Based Examples: Uses high-performing teams and notable figures to illustrate principles (Fitzgerald, Walsh, Pastner).

• Action-Driven: Built around activities, stories, handouts—designed to be a living playbook, not just theory reddit.com+5coachtube.com+5jamybechler.com+5spreaker.com+1podchaser.com+1.

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Suggested Companion Materials

To turn high-level ideas into tangible steps:

• Chapter Discussion Guides — available on Bechler’s website: delve deeper into every chapter theleadershipplaybook.com.

• Online Program — 2-minute video lessons, assessments, culture tools for teams jamybechler.com.

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TL;DR Summary Table

Key Theme	Highlight
Everyone Leads	Leadership isn’t just for captains. Everyone influences.
Integrity Matters	Built through everyday, ethical choices—even unseen ones.
Self-Leadership First	Preparation + patience = influence.
Action Over Words	Leading by example builds respect and culture.
Role Inclusion	Every role can exercise leadership, not just positional leaders.
Culture Is Habitual	Sustained through values and consistent behaviors.

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Conclusion: For a student-athlete, coach, or team leader seeking an actionable blueprint—The Leadership Playbook delivers practical frameworks, illustrative stories, and engaging resources for fostering leadership at all levels.