The Spartan Code - BixbySpartanFootball.com

BIXBY SPARTAN FOOTBALL
“Bixby Spartan Football will be respected as the very
best program in 6A at developing young men”
Program Goals (See: Spartan Agoge)
Family
- We are a family before all else… We put the team first
Academics
- We want to do something great with our lives and
know that excelling in the classroom is the springboard
Win
- We want to become our very best by reaching our full
potential as individuals and as a team
Fun
- We coach and play the game because it is fun… We
must never lose sight of this
“Those Who Commit Will Be Champions”
D.I.S.C. Leadership
Discipline
- Do the right thing, the right way, every time
- A commitment is a promise
Integrity
- Who are you when no one is looking
- Leadership is influence
Selflessness
- The warrior next to me…
- Faith first, others second and I’m Third
Confidence
- Only the hard…Only the strong
- Believe in yourself
1
Bixby Spartan Football
2013 Schedule
“With This Or Upon This”
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This is Sparta!!!
Spartan History 101: 900 BC – 192 BC
Sparta was a city without walls… Their defense rested solely on their skill in hand-to-hand combat
"The walls of Sparta were its young men, and its borders the points of their spears." King Agesilaos
Spartan’s weren’t the biggest (size or number) or the strongest BUT they were the most
disciplined & courageous soldiers in the entire world!!
The Shield (“Hoplon”):
-­‐
-­‐
-­‐
Made of wood with covered bronze, measuring from the chin to knee and weighing up to 35 pounds… often with the upside down “V” (Lambda: first letter of their capital Lacodonia)!! Soldiers (“Hoplites”) would cover the guy to their left, leaving themselves unprotected Woman would give the shield and say: “With this or upon this” (Win or Die Trying) Training (Spartan “Agoge”):
-­‐
The process to become a citizen and more importantly a solider (Hoplite)… o 7-­‐12… in community with other kids, given only one article of clothing: the red cloak o 13-­‐17… matched with a mentor (seasoned hoplite), continued training o 18-­‐20… special training: often ‘secret police’ to the slaves (“helots”)!! o Main Focus of all training:  Loyalty & Character (Family)  Communication: speaking, reading & writing (Academics)  Military, Stealth & Pain Tolerance (Win)  Hunting, Dancing & Singing (Fun) o At 21, if passed, could fully take part in the ‘Syssitia’ a meal with the men and go to war o Other notable aspects of ‘the agoge’… students were fed just enough to get nourishment but still be hungry so they would be fully pre-­‐pared when they were hungry & tired in battle (also not sluggish but always agile… also, severely punished if caught stealing) The Battle of Thermopylae (“Spartan’s Finest Hour”):
The Battle of Thermopylae was the battle depicted in ‘300’ (King Leonidas and 7,000 men marched
against the Persian Empire (300,000 to 3,000,000 men), after days of fighting a traitor (Ephialtes)
revealed a small path that led the Persian army behind the Greek lines… So Leonidas dismissed the bulk
of the army leaving, 300 Spartans (700 Thespians & 400 Thebans) to take on the entire army!!
Where did they go…
The end of Sparta came with the end of ‘hoplites’… Discipline and the Agoge subsided (4th century,
seen as detrimental to Spartan society since the number of male citizens dwindled after a large
earthquake) and with it the Phalanx stopped working (Rome’s special forces started using the Phalanx)!!
Sword (“Kopis”): “Badboy” weapon, curved for hacking… Secondary weapon to the Spear (“Dory”)
Breastplate: Often bronze: “Linothorax” (Marked w/ symbols of heritage, passed down in the family)
“Phalanx”: Two lines of Hoplites, front row for defense (shield) and the second row for offense (spears
over shoulder’s of the first row)… Each man ‘shielding’ the man on his left!! *The “promachoe”
(front-liners) had to be physically & psychologically fit to sustain/survive the clash between Phalanxes
“Dynamis”: The ‘will’ or ‘ability to fight’ was used to express the drive that kept hoplites in formation
3
“Bixby Spartan Football
will be respected as the
very best program in 6A
at developing young men”
4
Program Goal #1: Family
We are a family before all else… We put the team first
“The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team”
-­‐ John Wooden
“People acting together as a group can accomplish things which no
individual acting alone could ever hope to bring about”
- Franklin Roosevelt
Taken From ‘300’:
Xerxes: It isn’t wise to stand against me, Leonidas. Imagine what
horrible fate awaits my enemies when I would gladly kill any of my own
men for victory.
King Leonidas: And I would die for any one of mine.
Total commitment to your brothers (man on your left)
King Demaratos in explaining why losing a shield was a dishonor
while losing other equipment was not so:
"Because the latter they put on for their own protection,
but the shield for the common good of the whole line."
5
Program Goal #2: Academics
We want to do something great with our lives and know that
excelling in the classroom is the springboard
“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same numbers
of hours per day that were given to: Aristotle, Leonardo daVinci, Isaac
Newton, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein & Martin Luther King Jr.”
ACADEMIC TOP TEN
Spring 2013
1.
Matt Dreyer
4.0
2.
Brandon Dyson
4.0
3.
Chandler Miller
4.0
4.
Peyton Reichert
4.0
5.
J.J. Cantrell
3.6667
6.
Beuade Clark
3.6667
7.
Kyle Rhine
3.6667
8.
Luke Schnare
3.6667
9.
Brandon Turney
3.6667
10. Jordan Johnston
3.5
*
3.5
John Nipps
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Program Goal #3: Win
We want to become our very best by reaching our full potential
as individuals and as a team
“ Don’t tell me how rough the waters are… JUST BRING IN THE SHIP!!”
ALWAYS BE YOUR BEST
“When you think it doesn’t matter
if you fail or pass the test.
Keep in mind the reasons why
you should always be your best.
While the whole world may not notice
if you tried to give your all,
there is a person in you
to whom it matters if you fall.”
The little voice inside you –
which directs your thoughts each day –
will make the final judgment
if you won or lost each day.
Never can you fail yourself
if you give it all you’ve got.
The world extends a hand to you
when you give life your best shot.
For all the really matters
when you’re finished with your test,
is not the final score at all –
but did you do you best?”
-­‐ Tom Krause
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Program Goal #4: Fun
We coach and play the game because it is fun… We must never lose
sight of this
“You must win, but you also must have fun or what’s the use? Football is
but a small part of all of our lives”
- Bum Phillips
“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to
play…It’s as simple as that. God, I love that opportunity”
- Mike Singletary
Decision-Making
Am I Doing the Wrong Thing
for the Wrong Reason?
Am I Doing the Wrong Thing
for the Right Reason?
Am I Doing the Right Thing
for the Wrong Reason?
Am I Doing the Right Thing
for the Right Reason?
8
“Those Who Commit
Will Be Champions”
9
What is Leadership?!
“He who thinks he leads and turns around to no one following him
is only taking a walk.”
LEADERSHIP is INFLUENCE
If you were to ask 100 people for a definition of leadership you would get 100 answers.
Leadership is not a position or a title it is the ability to obtain followers.
“The prominent leader of any group is quite easily discovered. Just observe the people as they
gather. If an issue is to be decided, who is the person whose opinion seems most valuable? Who
is the one other’s watch the most when the issue is being discussed? Who is the one with whom
people quickly agree? Most importantly, who is the one the others follow? Answers to these
questions will help you discern who the real leader is in a particular group.” – Maxwell
You maybe wondering whether or not you are a leader – the answer is yes. Everyone has
influence with someone. We are all leaders in some areas and are being led in others.
The Foundation of Leadership is Character.
Before we dive into the how to’s of leadership we need to build a solid foundation for leadership.
In most material written on leadership Character is what good leadership is built on. I wish
someone who have set me down my freshmen year in high school if not earlier and said “Do you
want to be successful? Do you want to be a leader? Well, if you do then you need to develop
these characteristics.”
“Leadership is more judgment than knowledge, more art than science, more human relations than
savvy. This is why is cannot be learned like a formula or conferred like a title.” - Neuschel
- Leadership is who you are more than what you say.
“The leader needs unswerving strength of character. The choices will be difficult. The
temptations many. Making the right decisions will not be so much intellectual as demanding of
one’s character and judgment.” - Neuschel
People Buy into the Leader, then the Vision.
- When I listen to a politician most of the time I am making decisions about the
character of the person than I am what they are saying.
“Every message that people receive is filtered through the messenger who delivers it. If you
consider the messenger to be credible, then you believe the message has value.”
I want to challenge you to think about and to try to build four essential characteristics of a great
leader. If you can become these four qualities then your influence will be great and your
foundation for leading people in every area of your life will be real and long lasting.
Are you worthy to carry the D.I.S.C.!?
10
Leadership Series Introduction
"The walls of Sparta were its young men, and its borders
the points of their spears"
Character
Mentioned on the last page… Character will determine how big of an Impact and how
long your Leadership will carry on after you’re gone. Do you want to change the world?
Commitment
Commitment is something that seems to be quickly fading from the fabric of our society.
Figure out what you want and what is important to you and commit to it,
commit to being the best. Do not stretch yourself too thin. Do not over commit.
- Commitment vs. Good ideas & intentions
- Does your Name have meaning?
“Men who don’t value their word diminish their worth.”
- Can people trust your Word?
“The honesty of man’s heart, depth of his character, are shown by keeping his word.”
“It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
“Men are alike in their promises. It is only in their deeds that they differ.” – Moliere
“Commitment”
Committed people are often controversial. Because they are working toward something they believe in
with all their hearts and minds, they are not bound by “what other people think,” and they’re not afraid
of the disapproval or disagreement of the masses. They know that they are doing what is right for them,
and they have an inner peace from committing themselves fully to such a decision.
Committed people are loyal. They have their priorities in order. They do not switch from one thing to
another or do something halfway. Most important, others know they can count on them. They know the
“committers” will be there in good times and bad. Both friends and associates know they are in the game
until the final whistle.
Committed people are dreamers. They base their futures on something they cannot see – namely, their
faith and their goals.
Commitment brings out a special toughness. Committed people do not quit. Commitment brings out
special endurance. If you are committed to a good cause or effort, and you know you are going to make
it work, something amazing happens. Suddenly you have more energy, both physical and mentally.
Suddenly you have incredible endurance and a positive, excited outlook.
Committed people blur the line between work and play. They love their work and they want to do more
and more, not less. Work becomes a pleasure and a challenge, even with its problems.
Commitment is habit forming, a way of life. Most committed people reach their goals and do not even
realize it. By that time, they have upgraded their goals to even bigger ones and they are off and running.
Probably most important, committed people have something to live for. People everywhere are dying to
be “happy.” Committed people are happy. They have a different direction in life. They have made a
commitment to something they believe in.
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Courage
“Courage is not the absence of fear, it is going anyway despite the presence of fear.”
- Do your life goals require courage or will they happen naturally?
- Is it possible for you to become all that you are supposed to be without courage?
- Do you want to be someone special in this world?
You have to decide whether or not you want to be a man of courage in your own life before you
can begin to think about leading others.
“Two roads diverged in a wood. I took the one less traveled by and that made all the difference.”
– Robert Frost
People “settle” and or opt for the easy way out for many reasons:
- Fear of failure/unknown
- Satisfaction with mediocrity
- Lack of Vision
William Wallace (Braveheart) definitely lived a courageous life. He lived life with passion and never
settled for anything less than the best. His famous words should be an inspiration to us all:
“Every man dies, but not every man really lives.”
One way to live life to the fullest is to set Goals. If you do not know who you want to be and
what you want to do how can you achieve anything significant?
Example: John Goddard
**Goal Setting 101 Exercise
Courage in leading others.
We have to be able to demonstrate courage in our own life before we can attempt to make
courageous decisions that others will follow.
“Leadership always requires courage. In fact, the word courage comes from the French
word coeur, meaning heart. A leader must have the heart to communicate his vision no
matter how absurd it may sound to others, to risk defeat in the face of bitter odds, to put
himself and his reputation on the line, and to reach out to others in order to take them on
the journey. After all a leaders courage is ultimately not for himself, but for all the
people depending on him to lead.” P. 34 – Maxwell The Right To Lead.
It is one thing to be courageous with your own life, to take the road less traveled – it is another
thing to take others down that road with you.
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often
stiffened.” - Billy Graham
Leading others in a new direction becomes especially challenging when adversity strikes or
obstacles arise. This is often when a leader finds out how effective they really are.
“Leadership is lonely, prepare for it.” – Colin Powell
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience,
but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
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Leadership Series: Discipline
“Doing the Right Thing, the Right Way, All the Time”
Bob Knight and many others have said that Discipline is doing the right thing the right way and
doing it all the time.
Tom Landry said it in another way – Discipline is ‘Making yourself do what you don’t want to
do in order to achieve what you want to achieve.” Tom Landry p. 279
Example: An old man wandering around the Olympic Games looking for a seat was jeered at by
the crowd until he reached the seats of the Spartans, whereupon every Spartan younger than him,
and some that were older, stood up and offered him their seat. The crowd applauded and the old
man turned to them with a sigh, said “All Greeks know what is right, but only the Spartans do it”
We are our own worst problem.
“Where I go, I go too, and spoil everything.” – Samuel Hoffenstein
“When we are foolish we want to conquer the world…
When we are wise we want to conquer ourselves.”
Discipline is an essential character quality of leadership.
“All great leaders have understood that their #1 responsibility was for their own
discipline and personal growth. If they could not lead themselves, they could not lead
others. Leaders can never take followers farther than they have gone themselves, for no
one can travel without until he or she has first traveled within.” - Maxwell
We have to have control over ourselves before we can even begin to think about leading others.
The mastery of the self through discipline is essential.
Organize your life.
- Prioritize what is important
- Manage your Time
Prioritize what is important
Have you figured out what is important to you in life? Have you sat down and made a list of
what you want out of this life? If you do not have a set of values or principles and a direction in
which you are headed you will be disorganized and headed in every which direction.
“As I work with different groups, I tell them that the essence of effective time and life
management is to organize and execute around balanced priorities. Then I ask this question: if
you were to fault yourself in one of three areas, which would it be:
1) the inability to prioritize
2) the inability or desire to organize around those priorities
3) the lack of discipline to execute, to stay with your priorities and organization?
Most people say their main fault is a lack of discipline. On deeper thought, I believe that is not
the case. The basic problem is that their priorities have not become deeply implanted in their
hearts and minds.” Covey p 157-158
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Once you know what your priorities are you have to develop the ability to say “NO”. Mike
Singletary said that the word “No” is the most important word in the English dictionary. His
advice was to write down what you wanted to do and be in life on the top of a piece of paper and
then to draw two lines down from the center top spot to look like an upside down V like this: ^
He then went on to say that anything and everything that fell outside those lines you say No to.
Have you ever spent much time around a “difference maker”, someone who has really impacted
the world. If you have you probably have noticed that they have a vision, and are driven to see
the vision materialize. Because of their drive they have an unnatural amount of self-discipline.
Saying “No” is even more difficult when your choice becomes something that you would rather
do than stick with your priorities.
Manage Your Time
– Rick Pitino says to make a daily to do list. Do the things you want to do least first to get
them out of the way. (The things you want to do least will bog you down all day)
– Do Projects one at a time & Organize your work space.
– Develop systems that work for you i.e., computers, iphones/ipads, calendars, to do lists, etc.
Find out how you work best and develop that system.
Directions: Make a weekly schedule. First, fill in all of the hours when you know what you will
be doing: classes, work, meals, sleep, meetings, etc. Secondly, plan your study & rec. time.
Tips for planning:
1. Study your most difficult subjects at the times when you are most alert.
2. Use daylight hours to study.
3. Eliminate dead hours. (Use a spare 50 minutes to review for a class instead of a break)
4. Plan recreation & study breaks.
5. Know your sleep pattern and put it in your schedule.
6. Allow time to eat well-balanced meals.
7. Avoid too much detail in your plan.
Commitment & Discipline Exercise:
Think about something in your life that you want or need to do but have been unable to do. Do
not think about life goals but something smaller and more manageable to achieve in a 30-day
period. It is best to choose something that requires daily discipline. The key to this exercise is
realizing something that you want to do. The second step is to make the commitment for a 30day period and the final step is to discipline yourself to follow through.
*Remember if you cannot lead yourself, then you will never be able to lead others.
My commitment:
Signature:___________________________
Date:______________________
14
Leadership Series: Integrity
“Who are you when, you think, no one is looking”
Who are you really? When you are at school are you different than when you are at home? Are you
different with women then you are with men? Are you different in class than you are in your living
unit? Are you different on a job interview than you are after having been on the job for a while?
A leader is going to be found out. Whether you are in a public arena or among close friends, at some
point your true person will be revealed. Decide who you are and be that person. Be consistent.
“It is never too late to be what you might have become: - George Elliot
STORY NUMBER ONE
Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He
was notorious in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was his lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very
good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.
To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but also, Eddie got
special dividends. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all
other conveniences. The estate larger than an entire Chicago City block.
Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on
around him. Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it
that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education.
Nothing was withheld. Price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie
even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was. Yet, with
all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good
name or a good example.
One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done. He
decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface" Capone, clean up his
tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify
against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great.
So, he testified. Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street.
But he gave his son the greatest gift he could offer, at the greatest price possible.
Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a
magazine. The poem read:
The clock of life is wound but once,
and no man has the power
to tell just when the hands will stop,
at late or early hour.
Now is the only time you own.
Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in time.
For the clock may soon be still.
15
STORY NUMBER TWO
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare. He was
a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific. One day his entire squadron
was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had
forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to
his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and
headed back to the fleet. As he was returning to the mother ship he saw something that turned his blood
cold: a squadron of Japanese aircraft were speeding their way toward the American fleet. He couldn't
reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the
approaching danger.
There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet. Laying aside all thoughts
of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as
he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now
broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.
Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of
damaging as many enemy planes as possible and rendering them unfit to fly. Finally, the Japanese
squadron took off in another direction.
Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon arrival, he
reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his
plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet.
He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft. This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action
Butch became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional
Medal of Honor. A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29.
His hometown would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O'Hare Airport in
Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man. So, the next time you find yourself at
O'Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue and his Medal
of Honor. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.
SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?
Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son.
INTEGRITY EXERCISE:
Integrity takes time to develop…the key is the ‘want’ to have it. The challenge for all of us is to make
“Five Integrity Decisions”. When you get into a situation or have a decision to make that would
compromise your integrity, whether anyone would ever find out or not, I want you to make the right
choice and write it down. The right thing is usually the most difficult thing to do but is always the best
thing to do. *They will be a reminder that doing things right is always the best way of doing anything.
1.
Date:
2.
Date:
3.
Date:
4.
Date:
5.
Date:
16
Leadership Series: Selflessness
“In the end, a man’s true strength is the warrior next to him. So
give respect and honor to him, and it will be returned to you.”
“I’m Third”
1) God/Value system First
2) The other person Second
3) I’m Third.
Selflessness is arguably the most difficult character trait to possess and to develop. It is
difficult to truly live this characteristic out for two major reasons:
I.
Our nature
II.
Our society.
Our nature is one of self-preservation. We instinctively want to take care of our own needs
before the needs of others. We think of ourselves first in most every situation, it is the
natural for us to do so.
Society inundates us with the mentality of “me.” We live in a world that promotes and
encourages selfishness. We are to take care of ourselves first. We are to lookout for number
one. We are to be all that we can be despite the cost to others.
“Self-preservation is the first law of nature; self-sacrifice the highest rule of grace.”
Selflessness is a radical character trait, especially in today’s world, however, it is the key to
success and happiness in nearly every aspect of life. It is the answer to a winning team, real
relationships and a strong family. It is the key to business success, and it is the foundation of
the most effective form of leadership. It is the crux of many major religions.
Teams: Michael Jordan was the best in the NBA, however the Bulls won 0 championships until
he realized that he had to make those around him better. When he became unselfish the team
won championships. In interviews right after the Patriots won the Super Bowl players and
coaches alike talked about their teammates instead of themselves when asked about the reason
for their success.
“It’s surprising how much you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
- Abraham Lincoln
Marriage (relationships): Putting your spouse before yourself is the key to a healthy marriage.
You spend your whole life up until that time trying to find what is right for you only to learn that
love isn’t about what you want but about serving.
Business: The business world they say is a dog eat dog world. Meet the right people, be political
and move your way up the chain. However the CEO’s and the President’s of the world’s largest
companies and organizations sing a different tune. Instead of being a self-promoter the great
one’s talk about how it is about treating people right. The old business adage rings true:
“the way to achieve what you want to achieve is by helping others achieve what they want to achieve.”
Helping others is the key to business success.
17
Leadership: Most people do not usually associate great leadership with selflessness. Our first
thought of a leader is a dominant personality that gets people do to extraordinary things.
However, it the exactly selflessness or serving others that makes leadership most effective at the
deepest level. ‘Ich dien’ appears prominently on the crest of the Prince of Whales: It says so
simply, “I serve.”
Sun Tzu the 5th Century B.C. Chinese war lord told his commanders, “Treat your soldiers like
you own beloved son and they will walk through the valley of death with you.”
Religion: Despite what you believe or what religious beliefs you might have the fact is that
many major religions talk about selflessness. Christianity for example is not designed to make
people miserable but instead it claims to provide the best life possible. A life filled with peace,
hope, and constant adventure. The Christian Bible speaks about being selflessness but in being
selfless your life become fulfilled.
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For
whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”
- Luke 9: 23-24
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than
yourselves.” - Philippians 2:3
Selflessness Challenge:
Before the season is over do something significant for someone who will never know what you
did and tell no one. (Write about it: how did you feel, what happened, why did you do it, etc.)
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Leadership Series: Confidence
“Only the hard and strong may call themselves Spartans…
Only the hard. Only the strong”
Believe in yourself.
Confidence is one of the most important character qualities in terms of making it in this world.
Scott Peck wrote “Life is difficult” in A Road Less Traveled, and he is right. Think about your
life starting in Jr. high School and how brutal kids were. Think about the intensity of peer
pressure. Making it through unscathed was nearly impossible. To survive at all it took selfconfidence. Even when Middle School became High School the importance of self-confidence
remains one of the most essential character qualities in making it through today’s society.
Unconfident people get swallowed up by others. They have no back bone and end up going the
same way as the mainstream whether they like it or not. They let society shape them because
they do not stand up for who they are or who they want to be.
“It is not fear that grips him. Only a heightened sense of things”
Why are you or why are you not self-confident?
- Parental influence:
Did they help or hurt your confidence? Build up or tear down.
Did / do they believe in you?
Should this be the source of your confidence?
-
Experience:
Overall, has this helped you or hurt your confidence?
What experiences have helped shape you? Did you succeed or fail
through these experiences?
Should this be the source of your confidence?
-
Society:
Has society’s influence helped you or hurt your confidence?
What does society say should give you confidence?
How has peer pressure impacted your confidence?
Should this be the source of your confidence?
-
Faith:
Does this help you or hurt your confidence?
Should this be the source of your confidence?
What is the source of your confidence? Can it be shaken? All of us have reasons to be selfconfident. We all have reasons to believe in ourselves.
“Offer support when needed, tough love when required…expect greatness when greatness is possible.”
Another way to help with self-confidence is to know your gifts/talents and the strengths of
your personality. Everyone has gifts. Understanding these gifts and personality strengths
should allow you to be confident of who you are.
**Exercise: Personality Profile
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Confidence through preparation.
To be self-confident you have to believe in who you are. This confidence will permeate into
everything that you do. However, you also need to be confident in specific tasks or situations.
This confidence comes from preparation.
When you are prepared for a situation, when you have done everything possible to put yourself
in the best position possible for success you will be confident. Lack of preparation leads to
uncertainty and doubt.
“Having confidence enables you to perform up to your capabilities. It gives you the freedom to
perform without the fear of failure and without holding back. Confidence is not totally mental or
physical, but a combination of the two. The skills gained from hours of practice enable you to
have mental confidence in yourself. The mental confidence enables your body to excel.
Together, mental and physical confidence will give you an edge. A coach cannot tell a player to
have confidence, although many do while others criticize their players for lacking confidence.
What they should really be pointing out is that the player lacks preparation – he hasn’t worked
hard enough. Even if the coach doesn’t know the real reason for the player’s lack of confidence,
the player will know. The greatest pep talk in the history of locker-room coaching won’t help
the player who has cheated on his preparation. An athlete is either ready or he’s not. If he is not
ready it is because of a lack of preparation – not because of a lack of confidence. Get yourself
ready, pay the price, earn the right to have confidence.” The Edge p. 4-17
Self-Confidence: The Key to Leadership
People will follow you if they know that you believe in yourself and if they know you are headed
somewhere.
People buy into the leader and then they buy into the vision.
This order is very important to realize.
The key to having followers is being self-confident. When you are in front of others in a
leadership role, the people are listening to what you say but they are really looking inside you to
see if you truly believe in yourself and what it is that you are saying.
Watch your Thoughts,
they become your Words.
Watch your Words,
they become your Actions.
Watch your Actions,
they become Habits.
Watch your Habits,
they form your Character.
Watch your Character,
It’s your Destiny!
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VISION CASTING
“Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time”
Vision
What is it? “A Picture of the Future that Produces Passion.” – Bill Hybels
A picture – you see it
- What is the picture (vision) that Henry Ford had?
- What was the picture (vision) that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had?
- What was the picture (vision) that Adolf Hitler had?
- What is the picture (vision) that Sam Walton had?
A picture – you feel it
- The picture has to evoke energy and passion.
- Dr. King and Hitler died for their vision.
- The vision for Spartan Football
How do you get a vision?
Find out what your passion is or what you are passionate about. Spend time thinking deeply
about what you want. Think big, think outside the box.
What motivates you, what gets you excited?
- In a group, team or organization not everyone receives a vision initially.
Some people get a vision by seeing another person’s vision. An existing
vision can be incorporated and made into your own.
What “Can’t you stands no more” – Popeye, Olive Oil, Brutus – Spinach – I’ve stood all I can
stand and I can’t stands no more.
- Often a Vision will come out of your defiance. When something becomes so intolerable
that you just say I or We are going to change this.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- William Wallace – as a kid his father and brother were killed. As a man he came back to
grow crops and raise a family – peacefully. When they murdered his wife – everything
changed. A Free Scotland became his vision.
Why is a Vision necessary?
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” - Proverbs 29:18
-
“Your organization will prosper or die as a result of your ability to create, embody, and
communicate a vision.” – Donald Phillips, MLK JR. On Leadership
“The vision becomes the energy behind every effort and the force that pushes through all
the problems. With vision, a leader is on a mission. His or her contagious spirit is felt
among the crowd until others begin to rise alongside.” - John Maxwell
“An effective vision may provide an effective mechanism that can truly overcome the
natural tendency to resist change.” - Donald Phillips, MLK Jr. On Leadership
“If the working troops understand what is expected of them, what the organization is
trying to accomplish, then it becomes possible to make important decisions on lower
levels, thereby creating a climate in which results and progress continually occur.” –
Donald Phillips, Lincoln on Leadership p. 164
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-
-
“None but men of strong passions are capable of rising up in greatness.” – Honore’
Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de Maribeau
You can’t get people to respond to anything if they aren’t stimulated.” – Donald Phillips,
Lincoln on Leadership
“Vision creates energy that moves people into action. It puts the match to the fuel that
most people carry around in their hearts and yearn to have it ignited.” – Bill Hybels,
Courageous Leadership
Do you remember the two characteristics of every leader?
1) They know where they are going
2) They have people following them
Leaders know where they are going. A vision is the destination and you have to have that in
your mind in order for people to actually follow you. People won’t follow you if you aren’t
headed somewhere. You all have an idea in the back of your mind of what you want your future
to look like. You might have a vision for your family. You might have a vision for your career.
As upperclassmen and soon to be seniors you can have a vision for what your final season(s) will
look like.
How do you Cast a Vision?
- “Everywhere you go, at every conceivable opportunity, reaffirm, reassert, and remind
everyone of the basic principles upon which your organization was founded.” – Donald
Phillips, Lincoln on Leadership p. 169
- When you have a vision you talk about it constantly. It is always on your mind and one
way for others to see it is to talk about it.
- A vision can be so strong that it motivates all you do. When you are motivated on a daily
basis to realize the vision, others begin to see that the vision is actually there.
- When the vision is clear to you it will be easy to paint a clear picture and to have
confidence that the vision will come to fruition. When others see your confidence the
vision will become more believable to them.
“Build strong relationships with people. PEOPLE BUY INTO THE LEADER, THEN THE
VISION. Begin by building a bridge between the vision of the organization and their personal
goals.” – John Maxwell, Developing the Leader Within.
BRAVEHEART
- Did William Wallace have a Vision?
- If so, what was it?
- Was he passionate about his Vision?
- How did he cast his Vision?
- How often did he talk about his Vision?
- Did he build strong relationships with those who he was trying to adopt his vision?
- What was the state of Scotland before Wallace went into action?
- Do you think that the relationship between England and Scotland would have changed in
the foreseeable future without Wallace’s Vision?
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LEADERSHIP is INFLUENCE
“Give them respect & honor, and expect respect & honor in return”
“He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.”
Leadership is not a position or a title it is the ability to obtain followers.
“The prominent leader of any group is quite easily discovered. Just observe the people as they
gather. If an issue is to be decided, who is the person whose opinion seems most valuable? Who
is the one others watch the most when the issue is being discussed? Who is the one with whom
people quickly agree? Most importantly, who is the one the others follow? Answers to these
questions will help you discern who the real leader is in a particular group.” – Maxwell
You may be wondering whether or not you are a leader – the answer is yes. Everyone has
influence with someone. We are all leaders in some areas and are being led in others.
1. What goals and aspirations do you have as an athlete?
2. How are you working to achieve those – what is your plan?
3. What goals and aspirations do you have professionally?
4. How are you working to achieve those – what is your plan?
5.
When you die, what do you want to be remembered as?
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Commitment
How well you do in your future depends on your commitment. You cannot lead without
commitment to the cause.
“The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless
of their chosen field of endeavor.” Lombardi
“Contrary to the opinion of many people, leaders are not born. Leaders are made, and they are
made by effort and hard work.” Lombardi
“To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow
someone who doesn’t know where he’s going.”
Demand a high commitment level and give them your commitment – your work ethic is
essential.
You can only commit to a very limited number of things. Choose wisely when you commit to
something. There are three things I am committed to:
-­‐ God -­‐ Family -­‐ Football team The Principal of Paying Forward
“It is very seldom in life that you can pay back the people who have invested in you, but you can
always pay forward.” –Woody Hayes
Who paid forward in your life?
What do you want to be remembered as?
The greatest way to pay forward is through family
We need men in our society to pay forward – families are a mess right now because men are not
leaders in their home.
Father Leadership = Influence
Leadership is influence. Usually you choose where you want to be an influence. As a husband
and father you will have an incredible influence to your children. This is not a choice!
I want you to leave here inspired to commit to paying forward in others lives by being a good
husband and father, and thinking about what you can do to make it happen. (refer back to
opening questions)
What influence did your Dad have on you?
Assignment: Look at the pyramid of influence. Where does your dad fit on this? What did your
dad do well and what did he do poorly? How can you be better?
Application: Find a way to practice “paying forward”. If you can do it with kids, observe
behavior you see and how it is linked to home life.
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How Bad Do You Want It?
There was a high school football team that practiced near a small lake. Across
the lake lived Coach Jones, the most successful coach in the history of the
state. Coach Jones had accumulated more victories, League Championships
and State Championships than any other coach in the state’s history. Coach
Jones was now retired.
For years this high school team would come out and practice, and practice
very hard. As hard as team the could possibly practice. However, no matter
how hard they practiced, they just could not seem to win the “big one”. Every
day the retired coach would sit across the lake in his lawn chair and watch
them practice.
One day the captain of the team decided he was going to go talk to Coach
Jones and ask him what the team was doing wrong; why they couldn’t win the
“big one”. So the captain of the team went around the lake and said, “Coach, I
know you watch us practice every day. I know that you see how hard we
practice. You are an experienced winner! Is there anything that you can tell us
that can help us win the Championship?”
Coach Jones put his arm around the player and walked him near the edge of
the lake. Suddenly, the coach grabbed the captain, thrust his head into the
water, and held him down under the water.
When it appeared that the team captain was about to drown, Coach Jones
pulled him up and said, “When you want to win that Championship game as
much as you wanted that next breath of air, then that is when you will win it”.
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Goal Setting 101
“Keep your head and your heart in the right direction and you’ll
never have to worry about your feet”
Why set them?
-­‐ “If you aim at nothing at all, you’ll hit it every time” -­‐ “It’s only a dream until you write it down” -­‐ “The process can be just as beneficial as the final result” How do you set them?
-­‐ Set them high but be realistic -­‐ Clearly define them by writing them down -­‐ Break the overall goal into smaller attainable steps that are measurable What makes them work?
-­‐ You have to commit to the goal -­‐ You have to be disciplined to stick to the daily plan -­‐ You have to be focused in your pursuit of the goal Example: John Goddard
Perhaps the most dramatic record of personal purposes and goals available in modern times was
published in a story appearing in LIFE Magazine in 1972. At fifteen years of age John Goddard
set down 127 “goals” (lifetime purposes) for his future. By age 47 he had achieved 103 of them.
-­‐
-­‐
-­‐
-­‐
-­‐
-­‐
Exploring Rivers: Nile, Amazon, Congo, etc.
Climbing Mountains: Everest, McKinley, Kilimanjaro, etc.
Underwater Exploration: Coral reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Red Sea, Everglades, etc.
Visiting: Great Wall of China, Galapagos Islands, Vatican City, Taj Mahal, etc.
Special Programs: carry out a career in Medicine, visit every country in the world, study
Navajo and Hopi Indians, learn to fly an airplane, retrace the travels of Marco
Polo/Alexander the Great, ride a horse in the Rose Parade, and master Photography.
Adventure Achievement & Cultural Development: become an Eagle Scout, dive in a
submarine, ride an elephant/camel/ostrich/bronco, dive to forty feet, holding breath for
two and a half minutes, catch a ten pound lobster, play flute/violin, type 50-words a
minute, make a parachute jump, learn water/snow skiing, go on a church mission, bag
camera trophies of elephant/lion/cheetah/buffalo/etc., learn to fence, learn jujitsu, teach a
college course, build his own telescope, write a book, publish an article in the national
Geographic Magazine, high jump five feet, broad jump fifteen feet, run a mile in five
minutes, perform two hundred sit-ups and twenty pull-ups, learn French/Spanish/Arabic,
visit the birthplace of Grandfather, ship aboard a freighter as a seaman, read the Bible
from cover to cover, read the works of Shakespeare/Plate/Aristotle/etc., light a match
with a .22 caliber rifle, visit a movie studio, become proficient in the use of a
plane/motorcycle/rifle/microscope/football/etc., watch fire walking ceremony, milk a
poisonous snake, circumnavigate the globe, marry & have children.
Thus ended the dreams, fantasies, hopes, and ambitions of a fifteen year old lad. But they did not
really end. He recorded them and began a guided life adventure. www.JohnGoddard.info
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Don’t Die Wonderin’
20 Things I want to do or be before I die:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
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Personality Profile
Instructions:
In the space provided, identify the degree in which the following characteristics or
behaviors most accurately describes you at home or in the relationships with others.
Please use the following scale:
0 = not at all
1 = somewhat
I
II
2 = mostly
3 = very much
III
IV
__ Likes control
__ Confident
__ Firm
__ Likes challenge
__ Problem solver
__ Bold
__ Goal driven
__ Strong willed
__ Self- reliant
__ Persistent
__ Takes charge
__ Determined
__ Enterprising
__ Competitive
__ Productive
__ Purposeful
__ Adventurous
__ Independent
__ Action oriented
__ Enthusiastic
__ Visionary
__ Energetic
__ Promoter
__ Mixes easily
__ Fun- loving
__ Spontaneous
__ Likes new ideas
__ Optimistic
__ Takes risks
__ Motivator
__ Very verbal
__ Friendly
__ Popular
__ Enjoys variety
__ Group oriented
__ Initiator
__ Inspirational
__ Likes change
__ Sensitive
__ Calm
__ Non- demanding
__ Enjoys routine
__ Relational
__ Adaptable
__ Thoughtful
__ Patient
__ Good listener
__ Loyal
__ Even- keeled
__ Gives in
__ Indecisive
__ Dislikes change
__ Dry humor
__ Sympathetic
__ Nurturing
__ Tolerant
__ Peace maker
__ Consistent
__ Reserved
__ Practical
__ Factual
__ Perfectionist
__ Detailed
__ Inquisitive
__ Persistent
__ Sensitive
__ Accurate
__ Controlled
__ Predictable
__ Orderly
__ Conscientious
__ Discerning
__ Analytical
__ Precise
__ Scheduled
__ Deliberate
___ Total
___ Total
___ Total
___ Total
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Spartan Football Expectations
“Honor the D.I.S.C.”
As a Bixby Spartan Football player you are now a part of very special family. In order for us to live and
play in harmony with one another we must have an understanding of the kind of code we will live by in
the football program. There are two basic concepts that if you honor you will not only live within the
ideals of the program, but will also be known as a person of integrity and class.
The first concept is to Do Right. Life is full of choices and the reality is that you can be influenced
differently by different people in various situations, the bottom line however, is that you ultimately
control your own actions. You decide whether to do right or wrong. You have the opportunity to do the
right thing, the right way, all the time, and to the best of our ability in every situation you encounter.
The second concept is to Be First Class in everything you do. Class in this sense is not a reflection of a
social or economical status. Class is the way in which you hold yourself. First Class people not only do
things right but they do them the best. First Class people have very high standards for themselves and
they have integrity and self-discipline to hold themselves to this standard.
Little Eyes Upon You
There are little eyes upon you
and they're watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly
take in every word you say.
There are little hands all eager
to do anything you do;
And a little boy who's dreaming
of the day he'll be like you.
You're the little fellow's idol,
you're the wisest of the wise.
In his little mind about you
no suspicions ever rise.
He believes in you devoutly,
holds all you say and do;
He will say and do, in your way
when he's grown up just like you.
There's a wide-eyed little fellow
who believes you're always right;
and his eyes are always opened,
and he watches day and night.
You are setting an example
every day in all you do;
For the little boy who's waiting
to grow up to be just like you.
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Bixby Spartan Fight Song
Cheer Cheer for Old Bixby High
Pick Up the Ball Boys Don't let em by
Spartan Team is here to win
We've got spirit, say it again,
We never stumble, we never stall,
We never fumble, we never fall
As our royal team goes marching
onward to victory.
Rah, Rah, Rah!!
Special Thanks to Coach Chris Creighton (THE “Go-Getter”)
Creator of the original Champions Manual and author of the Leadership Series
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