A Leadership Model from "Ike the Soldier"

"I never give up a battle until I am licked, completely, utterly, and destroyed, and I don't believe in giving up any battle as long as I have a chance to win." - Dwight Eisenhower from "Ike the Soldier" by Merle Miller 

Dwight Eisenhower had a storied career as Supreme Allied Commander during WWII and later as an American President. 

His leadership model was framed around three principles:

• Ability
• Opportunity
• Craft

Ability 

• intelligence 
• self-confidence
• risk-taking
• embracing change

Practical rec: Track what you did daily to grow skill, game IQ, physical and emotional preparedness. It could be something simple, "I invested seven minutes in mindfulness which increases focus and lessens anxiety. Or, "I watched the fifth set of Burlington...taking notes on where we improve.”

Opportunity 

Depended "mostly in the hands of others." That has special importance in the hands of teachers, coaches, and mentors. To highly motivated and competitive student-athletes, embrace asking for mentoring. Coaches recognize the privilege of helping others achieve their dreams. 

You need chances to prove yourself under both routine and pressure situations. 

Practical rec: Track "coachability" - how you interacted with coaches and mentors to seize opportunity. 

Craft

We choose a profession and both invest and sacrifice to excel and develop expertise leading to successful execution of that 'mission'. 

"His enormous emotional intelligence...permitted him to constantly put himself in the shoes of his teammates and use his understanding to motivate them..."

Leadership, especially within the team, has great importance to results. Leadership takes time and there's no scale or yardstick to quantify. It appears in many forms - communication, confidence, energy, resilience, and the intangible savoir faire - the capacity to "know how to do it."

Practical rec: Focus on team building activities. Work out with a teammate. Praise teammates for their commitment and teamwork. 

If one were selecting an All-Time team of MVB standouts, one must include Victoria Crovo, maybe the best player never to win a sectional title. The "V-Rex" played with a competitive spirit and ferocity among the highest I have seen in a student-athlete. 

As a team, manifest leadership with teamwork, focus, competitive spirit, and resilience - a refusal to "give in" or waver from your goals. 

Lagniappe. For the love of the game... 

Jayson Tatum on playing in Boston:

“It’s a great place to be in because they expect more so it raises your level. You come into the arena and there’s only championship banners, we don’t hang for making the conference finals. It’s championship or nothing.” pic.twitter.com/In2hTGpuXu

— jb (@lockedupjb) January 31, 2026

Lagniappe 2. Find ways to enjoy your daily 'practice'. 

James Clear: Embrace the fact that life is continual and look for ways to enjoy the daily practice. pic.twitter.com/B6kYgUX4sq

— Reads with Ravi (@readswithravi) January 30, 2026

 Lagniappe 3. AI key takeaways from "Ike the Soldier"

Here are three pivotal leadership lessons from Ike the Soldier that translate cleanly—and powerfully—to student-athletes.

1. Leadership Is About Coordination, Not Heroics

Ike’s reality:
Eisenhower was not a battlefield tactician charging hills. His greatness lay in orchestrating coalitions—managing egos (Patton, Montgomery), aligning allies, and synchronizing logistics across nations. Victory came from coordination, not individual brilliance.

Student-athlete lesson:
Teams don’t win because one player “wants it more.” They win because roles are clear, timing is right, and everyone pulls in the same direction.

• Your value increases when you connect pieces, not dominate them.

• Knowing when to screen, rotate, talk, or move the ball is leadership.

• Glue players matter more in big moments than volume scorers.

Volleyball translation:
Leadership is often invisible. If everything looks easy, someone is doing it right.

2. Emotional Control Is a Competitive Advantage

Ike’s reality:
Eisenhower operated under relentless pressure—D-Day timelines, casualty projections, political scrutiny. He absorbed stress without broadcasting it, allowing others to function. He famously accepted responsibility in advance for failure, shielding subordinates.

Student-athlete lesson:
Your emotional regulation sets the temperature of the team.

• Composure after mistakes is leadership.

• Body language is communication.

• Blame outward weakens trust; responsibility inward strengthens it.

Volleyball translation:
The leader is not the loudest voice—it’s the calmest presence when things wobble.

3. Humility Builds Trust—and Trust Wins

Ike’s reality:
Eisenhower consistently gave credit away and took responsibility upon himself. This wasn’t weakness; it was trust engineering. His humility made others more willing to follow, sacrifice, and tell the truth.

Student-athlete lesson:
Teammates don’t follow titles. They follow fairness, consistency, and respect.

• Praise teammates publicly.

• Accept coaching without defensiveness.

• Measure success by team outcomes, not personal stats.

Volleyball translation:
Humility doesn’t mean shrinking yourself—it means making space for others to be great.

One-sentence takeaway for players

Leadership isn’t about standing out; it’s about holding things together when pressure rises.