Archive for the ‘Life Coaching’ Category
Tulane QB Justin McMillan: Will Hall’s offense a work in progress but improving rapidly – NOLA.com
Posted: September 15, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Quarterback Justin McMillan understood exactly where offensive coordinator Will Hall was coming from last week when he labeled Tulanes performance against Auburn humiliating.
McMillan, who went 10 of 33 passing against the Tigers, agreed.
Me and coach Hall talked on the phone a little bit that next day (after Tulanes 24-6 loss to Auburn), he said. I was sick to my stomach myself, so we had the same mindset. Having a guy like that as a leader for us on this offense, I'd run through a brick wall for him.
McMillan encountered much less resistance on Saturday night against Missouri State, rushing nine times for 49 yards and two scores while completing 13 of 16 passes for 122 yards and another touchdown before sitting out the entire second half of the Green Waves 58-6 romp. He will need to be similarly sharp Thursday when Tulane (2-1) opens American Athletic Conference play with a big game against Houston (1-2) at Yulman Stadium on ESPN.
He says Halls passion is driving him.
This is fun for him, McMillan said. This is his life, so when he says (critical) stuff like that, I don't take it as a joke, so I'm going to work my butt off for him in that situation. I feel like the offense all took in on the chin (against Auburn). Were not going to have games like that again just for the fact that coach Hall won't allow us to.
In his rant, Hall criticized his own play-calling, emphasized the offense had plenty of talent and added he would remember the disappointment from the Auburn game for the rest of his life.
After the bounce-back outing against Missouri State, McMillan pointed out the offense was still a work in progress, saying growing pains were inevitable. Hall began coaching his system in spring practice and now has a body of work of three games at Tulane.
Having failed to connect of a multiple vertical routes at Auburn, Tulane hit Missouri States soft coverage with plenty of quick-hitting passes.
We got back to our base offense and pretty much our bread and butter and tried to work that a lot more and get an identity for this team and keep working in that direction, McMillan said. At the end of the day this is still a new offense with a lot of young players. This offense is a nonstop progress for us, and we hope to continue to grow.
McMillan improved to 7-2 as a Tulane starter, and he will get the chance to atone for his other loss against Houston. He threw two interceptions in the second quarter against the Cougars last November as a battle for first place in the AAC West spiraled into a lopsided, 48-17 defeat.
Almost nothing is the same 10 months later. Houston (1-2) is 0-4 against rugged FBS competition since then, losing 52-31 to Memphis and 70-14 to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl last season and to Oklahoma 49-31 and Washington State 31-24 this year (with a win against Prairie View in between).
Tulane has a new offensive coordinator in Hall, and McMillan has been in the program for more than a year rather than three months.
Of course its going to be a different result as far as our effort and our ability to make plays, McMillan said. Like coach (Willie) Fritz said, we have better players. No crack on the guys in the past, but we have a better team this year.
Missouri State provided no real competition, but Tulane improved in one huge area of emphasis, getting only four penalties after racking up 23 through its first two games.
That was much better, Fritz said. We could have gotten away with (penalties) in this game, but we just want to be one of those teams that plays disciplined all the time. We certainly need to do that Thursday evening.
The Wave should be fresh for that game even off a short week. Almost none of the starters played in the second half of a stress-free night against Missouri State, maybe giving them a slight advantage on Houstons front-line guys, who played all the way Friday night against Washington State.
"It was good that we could get up off our feet early and be able to rest, wide receiver Darnell Mooney said. They (Houston) played yesterday, so they are a day ahead of us.
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Tulane QB Justin McMillan: Will Hall's offense a work in progress but improving rapidly - NOLA.com
Homecoming: Former Ole Miss quarterback returns to Oxford as opposing coach – Jackson Clarion Ledger
Posted: at 4:41 pm
Former Ole Miss QB and retired NFL return man Micheal Spurlock now coaches wide receivers at Southeastern Louisiana.(Photo: Courtesy Ole Miss Athletics /Special to the Clarion Ledger)
OXFORD When Ole Miss hosts Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, a familiar face will be roaming thesideline. But he willbe wearing unfamiliar colors.
Former Ole Miss quarterback Micheal Spurlock, who played in 20 games for the Rebels between 2003-05, will return to Oxford this weekend as the visiting team's wide receivers coach. Spurlock, anIndianola native who played eight years in the NFL as a receiver and return man, is in his second season as a full-time college position coach.
This is not the path Spurlock says he expected his life to take.
"No way.If I wrote the story 10 times, it never would've come out with this ending," Spurlock told the Clarion Ledger."But you know the old saying, 'If you love what you do, you'll never work a day?' I feel like I can do this 18 hours a day and not feel like it's work because I enjoy the guys I work with. You spend long hours with them, but they become your family. And then the kids you work with. To me, they've become my kids."
Former Ole Miss QB Micheal Spurlock (under center) now coaches wide receivers at Southeastern Louisiana.(Photo: Courtesy Ole Miss Athletics / Special to the Clarion Ledger)
Spurlock's journey from Ole Miss to Hammond, Louisiana, involved more stops than a bus trip from Los Angeles to New York. Between 2006 and 2014, Spurlock bounced from Arizona to Tampa to San Francisco to Dallas to Jacksonville to San Diego to Chicago before he announced his retirement from professional football. He ended hiscareer with two punt return touchdowns, three kick return touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns.
Upon retiring, Spurlock returned home to Mississippi with his wife and six kids. Boredom set in pretty quick.
"You don't realize it, but most of your life if you're a player, you had someone setting a schedule for you," Spurlock said. "All of a sudden, [my wife and I] would wake up and look at each other and say, 'What do you want to do today?'"
For Spurlock, the answer to that question often involved heading to the local ballpark to watch kids play baseball. Soon after, Spurlock's wife encouraged him to take up coaching, since he obviously liked interacting with and imparting wisdom upon young athletes.
So Spurlock volunteered as a coach at Philadelphia High School. Soon after, he spent some time at Coahoma Community College. Then, in 2016, he startedan internship with the Dallas Cowboys. By 2017, former Ole Miss assistant coach Frank Wilson had offered Spurlock a position as a quality control assistant at UTSA.
It was there where Spurlock met Frank Scelfo. He was UTSA's offensive coordinator, and Spurlock's cubicle was right outside of Scelfo's office. The two would talk every day. So when Scelfo was hired as Southeastern Louisiana's head coach, he offered to bring Spurlock with him.
"People always say 'I want to help you' in this profession," Spurlock said."He was a man of his word."
Former Ole Miss QB and NFL return ace Micheal Spurlock now coaches wide receivers at Southeastern Louisiana.(Photo: Courtesy Ole Miss Athletics)
The job has been a blessing for Spurlock. He's only three hours from his hometown and happy to be working in the Southeast again. But more than that, he's happy to have found a job where he can make a difference in the lives of young people.
When reflecting on how important Ole Miss was to his life, Spurlock said the school helped turn him from an 18-year-old kid into a 23-year-old man. Now he's getting to do the same with the players he coaches. It's the relationships that matter to Spurlock, who said he looks forward to getting invites to weddings and birthdays 20 years from now because of the difference he's making today.
It's not as if this will be Spurlock's first return trip to Oxford since 2005. His brother-in-law works at Oxford High School, so he stops by on recruiting trips any time he's in the area.
But the chance to coach at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium this Saturday, even if it's for the opposing team? It'll be a special opportunity for Spurlock.
"There's nothing but family there," Spurlock said of Oxford and Ole Miss. "But just for one day I have to go and compete against them."
More: 'A tear fell': Ole Miss football player shines with his mom watching for the first time
Non-conference games: Could Ole Miss and Southern Miss revive football rivalry?
Ole Miss football: How to watch this week's game
Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or nsuss@gannett.com. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.
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Homecoming: Former Ole Miss quarterback returns to Oxford as opposing coach - Jackson Clarion Ledger
After four months as an intern, Houston Deck takes over as U.S. Ski and Snowboard athletic development coach – The Park Record
Posted: at 4:41 pm
All it took was four months this year for Houston Decks life to change completely.
After traveling to Park City from Auburndale, Florida, where he grew up, Deck took an internship with U.S. Ski and Snowboard in late April. Four months later, after the end of his internship, U.S. Ski and Snowboard offered him the full-time position of Athletic Development Coach for aerials and freeski.
Its exciting for sure, kind of a no-brainer for me when I was offered the job, Deck said. I was originally looking at positions in Florida following the finish of the internship, but they had a job open up and I went for it. I had to do an interview and presentation but it was worth it.
Deck, despite his youth at 24, believes that his age will benefit his coaching as a two-part system that can propel U.S. Ski and Snowboard forward. Having graduated college four years ago, according to him, Deck is much more relatable to the younger athletes. They all have similar common interests and are in similar parts of their lives, being up to date on the latest fashion and pop culture trends and just communicating with one another.
My age was actually something asked of me during the interview process for the job and I told them I think its a benefit because of the relationship I can have with the athletes, Deck said. Compared to the coach who may be older with a family and a mortgage, and not knocking that at all, but with me being younger it allows me to be on a similar level as the athletes are in our respective lives.
The second part of where his age believes will be an asset to U.S. Ski and Snowboard is that Deck will come in with little knowledge of the sport-specific training required. Because of this, Deck says he will constantly ask questions in order to learn more and develop better training regimes.
If youre smartest person in the room, youre in the wrong room, Deck said, reciting a turn of phrase. Having that age factor, Im going to ask a ton of questions. Where some might have obvious answers, some might make the other coaches and staff think as well in ways they might not have considered. Instead of being older and coming in believing I know it all, my youth should help us so much more.
Finding out he got the job was a life changing experience, especially because it allowed him to finally tell his family what was going on. Deck, whos close to his family, kept everything a secret from them regarding the full-time job process because he didnt want to get anyones hopes up.
Accepting the job was the easiest part of the process but telling my family, now that was hard, Deck said. Im really close with my older brother and obviously, he was stoked for me. My mom on the other hand, she wasnt as excited because I was her last son to be leaving home and going across the country. But now shes super excited and beyond supportive of this new journey.
The one person who did know about the process, and actually pushed Deck to apply for the internship in the first place, was his girlfriend Melyssa. According to Deck, because both of their families live on the East Coast, the couple had it in their minds to come out West. The decision to not only apply but then take the job was easy as it comes.
With the new season beginning very soon, Deck is focused on just continuing the culture thats already in place.
He believes its already incredibly so continuing it and establishing himself as someone the athletes can trust and come to you are at the top of his immediate goals. He really expects that once the season ends, he can start working with the athletes in a more strength and condition-based role with his ideas and implement his style to help benefit the athletes.
The best way to describe it is that I want to have more than a weight room relationship with the athletes, Deck said. Its about way more than just making them stronger. I want them to know that Im in their corner and they can trust me and come to me with anything. If I dont know the answer, I will find someone who does.
Deck graduated from Florida Southern College with a degree in Human Movement and Performance before he spent two years working at the Athletic Lab in North Carolina under sport scientist Dr. Mike Young, who deck considers a mentor.
While there, Deck gained valuable experience working with elite athletes and implementing new developments in sports science. He eventually left Athletic Lab and returned to Orlando, Florida, where he worked in the private sector before beginning his masters program online with Liberty University, which he said should be completed around the summer of 2020.
I had a goal for myself that once 2019 started, I wanted to go back to school for my Masters and wanted to get more into the strength and conditioning side of things with athletes, Deck said. Ive been in Florida my whole life besides a couple of years spent in North Carolina. I went out West once and really enjoyed it so I searched online for internships out there and I found this.
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After four months as an intern, Houston Deck takes over as U.S. Ski and Snowboard athletic development coach - The Park Record
Flaherty sees football behind the lens – Fort Dodge Messenger
Posted: at 4:41 pm
Submitted photoThis is A view that St. Edmond graduate Sean Flaherty sees onSaturdays in Iowa City as a student video assistant.
IOWA CITY Football was a part of Sean Flahertys life from as far back as he can remember.
Flaherty, a St. Edmond graduate and former multi-sport standout, found himself missing the game he loved last year.
Thats when a meeting back home helped get the current University of Iowa student back into the sport.
Flaherty is a student video assistant for the Hawkeye football program, working with a team of people just like him to help Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa coaching staff prepare for upcoming games.
Whether it was watching games yelling at the TV with my dad, to going to games with my grandpa, Ive always been around football, Flaherty said. It has always been apart of my life. Football was my favorite sport to play in high school and to be able to be so close with it again is a great feeling.
A key piece to both the St. Edmond offense and defense during his time playing in the green and white, Flaherty admits the feeling isnt quite the same as strapping up on Friday nights and hitting the field.
Its hard not putting the pads on and going at it again like the good old days, he said. But not too many people get an opportunity like this, so Im going to enjoy my time as a video student.
Flaherty found a perfect contact in Tom Little to help him start the process of finding a position with the Hawkeyes.
Before I came to Iowa City, I was working at Hy-Vee and met Tom Little. His son, Matt, was working the student video job. I reached out to Matt and he got me an interview. It really worked out great because I needed to find a job in college and what better way to work than be around football again.
The position begins bright and early many days for Flaherty and his fellow workers, setting up cameras to start filming what is to come.
On gamedays we arrive about four hours before kickoff so we can get into Kinnick Stadium and set up tripods and camera angles for the game, he said. After that, we get some free time before to walk around the stadium. About half-an-hour before kickoff, we get to our spots so we are ready to film.
During the week, the crew will film practice to give the coaches eyes on all the players from all the angles of the field.
There are several cameras used to film offensive, defensive and team drills, Flaherty said. During practice, we have several people importing the film on to computers so the coaches can immediately view film of the day after practices. They use that film to help coach the student athletes.
GLEN ELLYN, Ill. The Iowa Central football team moved to 10th in the latest NJCAA rankings.If the Tritons ...
EAGLE GROVE The St. Edmond football team took care of business here on Friday night, posting a 40-8 victory ...
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Flaherty sees football behind the lens - Fort Dodge Messenger
For Billionaires, Like The Rest Of Us, Without Trust, Life Goes Horribly Wrong. And Not Only On TV – Forbes
Posted: at 4:41 pm
Succession, HBO series created by Jesse Armstrong, featuring Hiam Abbass, Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Peter Friedman, Natalie Gold, Matthew Macfadyen, Alan Ruck, Sarah Snook, Jeremy Strong, and Rob Yang,
As a coach who has worked with individual Forbes billionaires and their families, I've been hooked on two excellent TV series that are, in my experience, excruciatingly, forensically, true to life. But do they help us understand how billionaires experience the world?
'Succession', from HBO, created by Jesse Armstrong, centers around the Roys, a media dynasty, whose patriarch is played by Brian Cox.Showtime series 'Billions' stars Damian Lewis, a hedge fund billionaire, Bobby Axelrod andPaul Giamatti who plays New York district attorney, Chuck Rhoades.
From the Inside Out
Both Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and Logan Roy (Brian Cox) epitomize the ruthless, at times maniacal drive to beat theircompetition, which Ive seen before in self-made billionaires. And while we all imagine that billionaires lives must surely be shinier and happier than ours, in reality, billionaires are ordinary, complex, flawed human beings whose lives and longings I have not found to be sated by the number of houses, yachts or helicopters they own. In my experience,
Both series do a great job of showing howhuge wealth can set people apart from the rest of humanity, andhow
From the Outside In
What sets these two TV series apart is the way in whichhouses andpossessionsnever dominate. There are noextraneous shots of helicopters or yachts because the makers of these shows clearly understand that, while the viewer may be fascinated by all the bling, for the billionaires themselves, boats, planes, and supercars, all of which billionaires tend to lease rather than buy, are simply trappings.
Likewise, there arenosweeping pans of sumptuous interiors, because for billionaires a house is seldom their home. Most billionaires own at least six properties (all of which arepermanently staffed) and they seldom spend more than a week or two at a time inany of them.
For me, it is how all possessions are shown to be incidental, rather than central to the characters' lives, which gives both series their feel of authenticity.
Trust
Billionaires are affected by a profound lack of trust, equivalent to that experienced by people who have been systematically abused.
Imagine a world in which everyone you meet wants something from you. Whether itstheir kids high school principal or the new friend they just met at a party, billionaires always suspect (usuallywith just cause) that it is not their humor, intellect or personality which is most highly prized. Sooner or later, it seemsto many billionaires, everyone, even their closest relatives, asks them for money.
When you consider that emotions associated with trust include companionship, friendship, love, agreement, relaxation and comfort, you begin to understand what a life without trust might look like.
Because it is in such short supply for them, trust becomes what billionaires want more than anything, and as you can see so clearly in Succession and Billions, they end up testing it to the point where they themselves are responsible for breaking trust or preventing any chance of it being built.
When Bobby Axelrod, as the most powerful person in his firm, orLogan Roy as the head of his family, test their family members' trust to beyond breaking point, as Bobby does with Taylor Mason and Logan does with prettymuch everyone, it is because Bobby and Logan aresubconsciously seeking to control and break trust, before they canbe hurt by someone else breaking it first.
This is why billionaires often feel safest with paid friends (art advisers, personal trainers, etc) where theyknowthe relationship is transactional from the outset. Fortunately, when I work as a coach to billionaire clients, Im beingpaid to be direct and truthful. And Im not their friend. So the coaching relationship works because it is both understood to be transactional as well as honest. On more than one occasion I have been told by these clients that they had their office check to make sure I was charging them the same as other clients. Fortunately, I was.
Billions, Showtime series created by Brian Koppelman, David Levien, and Andrew Ross Sorkin, starring Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis and supported by Maggie Siff and Asia Kate Dillon, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey DeMunn, David Costable.
Two distinct Billionaire family dynamics
As with so much in life, it all comes down to parenting. I have worked with a billionaire family where the parents values included pursuing their own passions (for science and the arts) and philanthropy. They were grateful for what they had and they passed these values onto their children, who from a young age were encouraged to engage with pursuits that brought them joy. The kids were even taught to apportion a percentage of their pocket money to a charitable cause of their choice. In this family dynamic, money is seen as something which makes life easier and more comfortable, but also as something which is not a right and not the only (or even the most important) measure of success
Often, those who have been born into great wealth are quite pragmatic, living in a way which other billionaires would think of as modest. Nan Pierce and her family, who own the liberal media conglomerate which Logan Roy would like to buy, exemplify this 'more European' billionaire lifestyle. Nan, played by Cherry Jones, brings a roast joint of meat from the kitchen and even invites her maid to join her guests for a drink. This kind of billionaire tends to see money as a legacy to be preserved and passed on.They keep only two or three homes, with a small staff.These 'ordinary billionaires' are often relatively content, largely because they derive joy from who they are and how they spend their time rather than expecting possessions to do the trick.
In comparing themselves to others who are less well off, these 'ordinary billionaires' regard themselves as very fortunate in material terms and they explore and value qualities such as talent and intelligence, in themselves and others. Crucially, they dont compare themselves to other billionaires.
Ive also seen a billionaire family where the parents values were all about money and achievement in purely financial terms, and the benchmark had already been set impossibly high by the patriarch. In this dynastic dynamic, as with Logan Roys family in Succession, Love is not about acceptance. It is a very specific expectation to live up to. Can you do (even half) as well as me? Love is transactional. So, no one feels safe. Here, everything the children do is seen by the parent as a test, ultimately for how suited they are to dynastic succession.
These billionaires who have made their fortune in their lifetime frequently believe that their vast wealthshouldmake them vastly happy. They frequently measure their success only in financial terms and compete with and compare themselves only to other billionaires. Consequently, they spend money, as Bobby does, in order to 'fill a void' which, like 'winning' it sadly never does. Someone always has a bigger yacht or a better sports team and, in a world without trust, having more stuff simply does not bring lasting joy.
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For Billionaires, Like The Rest Of Us, Without Trust, Life Goes Horribly Wrong. And Not Only On TV - Forbes
Halep and Cahill to get band back together for ’20 – Tennis.life – Tennis.Life
Posted: at 4:41 pm
It seemed more a matter of when, not if.
Coach Darren Cahill stepped aside at the end of 2018 to devote time to his family.
But it seemed he was never far from wherever former charge Simona Halep was this season.
And on Thursday a bit lost amidst the Kim Clijsters comeback campaign Halep announced that Cahill would officially be back as her coach in 2020.
After a year without him on my team, Im happy to announce that Darren will be back by my side next season. So, D, last time I killed you. And Im planning to kill you again, Haleo said on her social media Thursday morning. Welcome back. Cant wait to finish what we started. See you soon.
Halep began the season without a coach.
Although, as you can see by the photos below, Cahill was sitting courtside from her early practices at the Australian Open.
Early in the season she had a trial run with Thierry van Cleemput, who had just ended a long coaching association with David Goffin.
But they quickly realized they werent a good fit.
Halep announced after Miami that she would be working with fellow Romanian Daniel Dobre, a coach she had worked with before and knew her well.
With Dobre on board, she won Wimbledon for the first time. (Hes not even mentioned in the WTA website piece about Cahills return).
Halep isnt the first player this year to reunite with a longtime coach who brought his player to the highest heights.
At the US Open, there was plenty of drama as Kamau Murray, who had taken on Monica Puig after a break was announced with American Sloane Stephens, dumped Puig and returned to Stephens.
WTA Musical Chairs, Part MMCXI: Murray dumps Puig for Stephens
In this case, no such drama, as Cahill was most definitely a free agent.
Halep, who turns 28 in a few weeks (time flies), didnt have the hard-court summer shed hoped for after that momentous Wimbledon victory.
She returned in Toronto, but retired after losing the first set to qualifier Marie Bouzkova in the quarterfinals. The official reason was a lower leg injury.
It didnt seem all that serious, but in the weeks before a Grand Slam, you take no chances.
She did return in Cincinnati the following week and won a marathon over Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round. Halep then was beaten 7-5 in the third set in the third round by eventual champion Madison Keys.
At the US Open, after winning the first set routinely against Taylor Townsend in the second round, she ended up being eliminated in a third-set tiebreak.
Then, she pulled out of a planned participation with countryman Horia Tecau in the mixed doubles.
She was to have played the inaugural event in Zhengzhou, China this week, but withdrew with an ankle injury.
Halep remains entered in the Premier 5 in Wuhan the week of Sept. 23, then the Premier Mandatory in Beijing.
She currently stands No. 2 in the race to the year-end final in Shenzhen, with Karolina Pliskova and Bianca Andreescu right behind her. But youd expect her to make that event, as well.
The announcement was for 2020. Were told Halep will continue to work with Dobre during the season-ending swing in Asia.
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Halep and Cahill to get band back together for '20 - Tennis.life - Tennis.Life
Theyre gay, married and coach volleyball together on same college team – Outsports
Posted: at 4:41 pm
It might seem unusual to find coaches on the same college volleyball team who are gay men and married, but that describes our situation and we couldnt be happier or more honored as we run the program together.
Were Coleman Lee and Garrett Case and we coach the womens team at Central Methodist University in Missouri, a Division I NAIA school. After serving at separate colleges, we were given the opportunity to be with the program together last season at Central Methodist.
This will be the first season we will lead the team together as husbands.
After a season as an assistant coach and then recruiting coordinator and interim head coach, Coleman was named head coach prior to the season. Garrett joined the Central Methodist team last season as an assistant when Coleman was recruiting coordinator. That year, the school reached the NAIA National Tournament for the first time while also breaking into the Top 25 poll.
Weve done all this openly gay men and now husbands, meeting with nothing but support from the administration, students and faculty. Were happy to share our stories.
I grew up in Raymondville, Missouri, a town of 475 people and lived on a dirt road where my parents owned and operated a small business.
Throughout my childhood my brother and I played pretty much every sport imaginable, but volleyball was not offered for boys in our area. In high school, I focused my attention on basketball while also serving as the manager of the volleyball team.
Once high school was over, the only thing on my mind was going to a university in a city much bigger than mine where I could meet other people like me. I spent two years at the University of Missouri, Columbia, before transferring to Drury University in Springfield.
After transferring to Drury there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to coach and teach, but mainly I wanted to be a part of giving kids of all backgrounds a positive experience in life.
My dad was one of the hardest workers I have ever known and my mom is still my biggest fan coming to games in my adulthood where I both coach and play. We were raised in a religious household and God has always been the foundation for everything that I do.
I lost my father in 2007, marking by far the most difficult time of my life. There were times that I didnt want to face the day, but instead of letting the tragedy question my faith, I dug deeper into my belief knowing that God still had a purpose for me even if it had to be without the man who taught me everything about life.
There isnt one day that goes by when I dont thank God for the blessings that he has given me in my career along with the greatest blessing of all, which was bringing Garrett into my life.
After my first year as a middle school math teacher and the high school varsity coach at Fulton High, I was offered the assistant coaching job at Westminster College, a Division III school in Fulton, Missouri.
During my time at Fulton I met Garrett at an adult open gym in Springfield. I had given up on the chance of being married after several long-term relationships that didnt work out and I struggled to meet anyone who shared my interests and goals.
Meeting Garrett was an eye-opening experience. At the time he was on staff at Missouri State and we had so much in common. We dated throughout my time at Westminster, but at the time neither of us had told many people that we were gay and I had no intentions of revealing anything that would cause problems in the relationships I had with my students.
My coming out story went as smoothly as one could hope. My mother had several questions, my brother vowed to be my lifetime bodyguard if anyone bothered me and my sister in law swore that she knew since the day she had met me. I was lucky enough to have one of the coming out stories that everyone hopes for.
In 2015, I started a volleyball club in the mid-Missouri area. Along with Garrett, I created a coaching staff dedicated to ensuring athletes in our area the opportunity to play at the next level. In 2017, Garrett was offered a job at Seward Community College. We made a very tough decision to move to Liberal, Kansas, in order to pursue Garretts coaching career.
We were married May 27, 2017, and in early July while we were in the process of moving, I was offered the assistant coaching position at Central Methodist. At this time, we were both open with our relationship and working for head coaches whom we absolutely adored.
The only problem is we were living eight hours apart. After my first season at CMU, I expanded my club to the Kansas City area. I knew that I would not be able to spend the time in the office and focused on my CMU team that I believe they deserved, so the administration at CMU allowed me to assume a part-time position as the recruiting coordinator while Garrett was able to join our staff as the full-time assistant.
After the most successful season in the history of the Central Methodist Volleyball program in 2018, our head coach accepted a position at another school and I was named interim head coach.
In early July, following the arrival of vice president of student life and athletics Natasha Wilson, the interim title was removed, officially announcing Garrett and myself as being in charge of our own program.
I have always treated my students and players like family and that is still a hashtag I use for my club girls. I wanted to work for a university that valued inclusion as much as I did and I found that along with the sense of family at Central Methodist.
Even after Garrett and I married, I never planned on us working within the same program. We had many conversations about the reality of two married men both coaching volleyball at the collegiate level.
Not only did Central Methodist give us the opportunity to work within the same program, but not once in my time at Central Methodist have I been treated differently than other colleagues. I am grateful for the opportunity not only to work alongside my husband, but to work for a university that celebrates unity and not uniformity.
I would like to thank Vice President Wilson, Dr. Joe Parisi, and Dr. Roger Drake for this opportunity and for establishing an environment at CMU where all students, faculty, and staff are celebrated for their differences. We are very blessed to work for a university that promotes unity and not uniformity.
I grew up in Sparta, a town in Southwest Missouri with a population of 1,000. I lived down a gravel road outside of city limits with my mom, dad and two sisters.
Growing up I was very focused on my academics, my faith and almost all the extracurricular activities school offered.
I didnt play sports in high school but I was president of the drama club, speech and debate team, National Honor Society and managed the girls volleyball team since there wasnt boys volleyball offered.
I was very active in church and attended youth group every Wednesday. I graduated from high school as valedictorian of class of 40. I was offered a volleyball scholarship for a NAIA school in St. Louis, but my mothers health wasnt good, so I chose to stay close to home and go to Missouri State.
Coleman and I first met at an open gym in Springfield on Aug. 1, 2014. My friend Jake Barreau, who was the assistant coach at Missouri State University, asked me to go with him.
To be honest, I dont remember seeing Coleman at the open, but I did get a Facebook friend request and message from him afterwards. He said it was fun playing with me and he hoped to see me around at other open gym nights. I ignored the message.
At the time I wasnt fully OK with myself being gay. I was raised in a household that made me think I couldnt be gay and be born again Christian (I now feel very confident in both my sexuality as well as my relationship with God).
When Coleman messaged me, it was easy to just brush it off. A few months later, he messaged again asking about volleyball at MSU and how the team was doing. It sparked up a conversation that lasted weeks, with nonstop texting.
On Dec. 6, 2014, we found a free weekend to hang out for the first time, and I now consider it our first date. Coleman was the first guy I had ever been on a date with and we had a lot of fun.
On Dec. 14, 2014, I asked him to officially be my boyfriend (because Im a romantic like that). It was less than a month, but I knew that God had brought him into my life for a reason. For the first time in my life it felt like things finally made sense just being with him. All the confusion I felt growing up and the questioning of what was right or wrong just answered itself.
Coleman was the answer. I knew that God made me the way I am, no mistakes, no flaws. I knew for a fact that I was gay and I was finally being true to myself, my friends and my family.
Having the courage to come out to people was the toughest part. I sat down with Jake one day and just cried uncontrollably telling him about Coleman and that I was gay.
Telling him made me feel so much more confident, and from then on I havent felt the need to come out to anyone else. I dont hide my relationship with Coleman, but also dont feel a need to announce it to everyone I meet. I post about him on my social media, so I think its pretty clear we are together.
On March 30, 2016, I asked Coleman to marry me. I do consider myself very lucky to have found my soulmate so early in my life. Not many people get to say that their first relationship is also their only relationship.
It still seems crazy to me that we could actually work at the same program together; its something I never thought possible. To say we are blessed would be a huge understatement! The staff at CMU has been so supportive of us and our vision for the program.
We work so well together that it does blow my mind at times. I dont know how many people would be able to spend 24/7 with their spouse at home and work, but I truly love it. I cannot thank God enough for the situation he has put us in. We are so lucky to be able to do what we love with the person we love.
The main thing that we would like to say to anyone who reads this message is that God is love.
Both of us struggled with the idea of being gay while also being religious and after meeting each other and starting this journey it was clear that God had a plan for us all along. Instead of excluding us from his wonderful promise, He did everything possible to bring us together to share in His word.
We should all live our lives in the same manner, celebrating differences and rejoicing uniqueness.
We were lucky enough to find a community and a university that supports us in our success and embraces who we choose to love.
Our hope for anyone struggling with their sexuality is that they find a support system where they can flourish as an individual.
While we were both lucky to have families that were understanding and supportive, there are still people in the world who encourage uniqueness and diversity. Those are the people that we should surround ourselves with on a daily basis.
We hope that our story opens peoples eyes to the fact that there is no need to hide who you are. Instead, your journey and goal should be finding people, organizations or churches that base their judgment off of what you do and not who you love.
Coleman Lee, 33, is head womens volleyball coach at Central Methodist University and also runs the H2 Columbia Volleyball Club. He can be reached via email clee@centralmethodist.edu and on Instagram (@colemanj32)
Garret Case, 24, is assistant womens volleyball coach at Central Methodist University and has also coached club volleyball for six years. He can be reached via email gcase@centralmethodist.edu and on Instagram (gcase1470)
Story editor: Jim Buzinski
If you are an out LGBTQ person in sports and want to tell your story, email Jim (kandreeky@gmail.com).
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Theyre gay, married and coach volleyball together on same college team - Outsports
Life has changed for Raptors coach Nick Nurse in wake of NBA title – Toronto Sun
Posted: at 4:41 pm
SHANGHAI, China Less than 24 hours after he popped that first bottle of bubbly in celebration of the Raptors NBA championship last June, Nick Nurse began to see just how much life had changed.
The day after that Game 6 win over the Golden State Warriors in Oakland sealed the deal and after a long night of celebration, the first-year NBA head coach awoke to a video invitation on his phone from Chicago Cubs organist Gary Pressy.
Nurse still has the invite on his phone and was only too happy to play it for a couple of journalists who have made their way to China to chronicle the Nurse-coached Team Canada journey through FIBA World Cup play.
Nick, great job on the great run to the championship, bud, Pressy begins on the video. That was super. Now make sure I see you in the summer here at Wrigley Field. Make sure you bring the hardware and make sure you bring your singing voice because wed love to have you do the stretch. And theres a song here that fits the moment.
Pressy then turns around to his organ and starts playing Take me Out to the Ball Game.
Growing up in Carroll, Iowa, a town of about 10,000, the Cubs dominated Nurses summers long before basketball became his focus, so you can understand just how monumental that moment was for him.
Over 11,000 kilometers and some seven weeks later, Nurse still cant believe his boyhood dream of singing complete with the Harry Carey glasses, no less Take Me Out to the Ball Game at a Cubs game has been realized.
Melvin Ejim of Canada listens to Nick Nurse, head coach, during a Canada training session at Bendat Basketball Centre on August 14, 2019 in Perth, Australia. (Will Russell/Getty Images)
The Cubs were well aware of Nurse by the time the Raptors won. He made the journey to Chicago soon after he was named the Raptors head coach to pick Joe Maddons brain about leadership ideas.
Nurses turn to take the mike at Wrigley came about a month later and he did so in front of friends and family and his entire coaching Raptors staff that was in Chicago for a year-end retreat.
I just kind of always wondered how I could get myself (to do) the seventh-inning stretch, a to-this-day Cubs-crazy Nurse said. I just never really had any ideas of how to get there and now I have one. Winning an NBA title is a pretty good way of doing it.
Nurse admits he didnt practice too much for the big moment but with 2 1/2 year old son Leo just learning to sing, dad may have got a little practice in singing those famous words just a few times each night before young Leos bedtime.
His life ever since that winning night in Oakland has been a daily reminder of how quickly change comes with the kind of transcendent success that accompanies an NBA championship.
Certainly in Toronto Nurse gets stopped constantly by well wishers and enthusiastic fans wanting to tell him how much they appreciate the job he and the Raptors did throughout that championship run.
But even while in Australia, where the Canadian team spent more than two weeks getting ready for this FIBA tournament, Nurse was stopped time and again by well wishers.
Thats the biggest lifestyle difference, Nurse said, seated in a meeting room at the Team Canada hotel in an upscale Shanghai neighbourhood. Of course, all over Toronto its happening. Getting on flights, you know but Im not sure how I feel about it. I try to be as gracious as I can about it. Im not sure. Its just wild to me, I guess. Its just different. Its just so different. Five months ago my life was pretty normal.
Nurse does recall one time where the attention got awkward and it had nothing to do with the well wishers themselves.
Nick Nurse encourages his team during a timeout during the friendly against the Australian Boomers at RAC Arena on August 17, 2019 in Perth, Australia. (James Worsfold/Getty Images)
One thing that felt a little uncomfortable to me was (in) Winnipeg with this team, Nurse said of a stopover to play an exhibition game against Nigeria before the team continued on to Australia. When we went to Winnipeg it felt like all of a sudden I was more of the focus than the team was. I didnt really like that very much.
Presumably, the good has far outweighed the bad for Nurse these past few months.
He puts that realization of a boyhood dream in Chicago right up there with his Arkells performance (not bad for a guy who just learned how to play the guitar) as the highlight of a real whirlwind three-month run since helping deliver the Larry OBrien trophy north of the border.
I would say both the Cubs singing and the (on-stage performance) with Arkells were right up there, he said. Hard to beat either one of them.
But in reality, every day since he and every member of the Raptors held that OBrien trophy aloft, there is a reminder of how that success has altered his life.
In China, before every game and following the playing of the national anthems, Nurse walks across the floor to shake hands with the opposing head coach. Invariably, almost consistently, comes the congratulatory message. The coaching fraternity is a tight-knit one and when one meets the man behind the reigning world champs, the accolades flow.
A lot them have gone out of their way to be very gracious in congratulating me, Nurse said. To say, Hey, we watched it or I watched and we were really pulling for you. It has been really nice. You walk across there to shake hands before a game and give them a Canada pin and a lot of them are like Man, we were watching every game and we were really pulling for you.
Ask the players here in China playing for Canada about the best parts of the experience and one of, if the not the first mention, is playing for Nurse, an NBA champion.
The level of coaching is amazing, centre Owen Klassen said earlier in the tournament. These guys are the top coaches in various leagues and Nick Nurse, obviously you could say hes the best coach in the world right now if you wanted to.
But whether it has been Klassen or Orlando Magic big man Khem Birch, Nurse and his staff have been getting rave reviews from the players.
Having achieved a number of his life goals this calendar year, one, or at least one that Nurse is ready to talk about, remains coaching a team in the Olympics. He was there as an assistant in 2012 with Great Britain but on his bucket list is to get there as a head coach.
He believes the possibility is there with Canada.
Yeah, I think from that moment (in London) I would have said I wonder how I could ever be involved again, Nurse said of his initial Olympic experience.
Great Britain went 1-4 in that tournament, beating China and almost knocking off the eventual silver medallists, Spain, before losing by a single point.
Nurse got a taste of the Olympic experience but he wants more. He did manage to meet the Queen in the Olympic Village in London, even shook her hand, but he missed out on marching in the opening ceremony.
Nurse signed on with Canada for this summer believing he would be coaching NBA talent for the most part and with a definite eye towards another Olympic experience.
That NBA talent he envisioned on his roster didnt materialize for this summer, but he remains optimistic it can down the road, perhaps as soon as next summers Last Chance Olympic qualifying tournament.
The disappointment of not having perhaps the best roster Canada could construct has in no way taken away from the enjoyment of the tournament or the lead-up to it.
Theres been lots to enjoy, Nurse said of his first summer with Canadas national team. First, from a logistics or tactical thing, its been a really overview learning experience for me to figure out where were going. Ive learned a lot about the setup, the team, the structure of FIBA, just everything. Im ready now. I see where we need to go and Im really ready.
And if that sounds like Nurse has plans, you are hearing right.
One hundred percent, 100%, he said. I feel really good about theres a lot of things, answers that got filled in for me.
Nurse is not the least bit daunted by the absence of the NBA talent this summer. He is as proud of this group as he possibly could be and has enjoyed coaching them. Only three of a possible 17 NBA types committed and only two Cory Joseph and Khem Birch wound up playing after Kelly Olynyk got hurt during an exhibition game.
I dont think were a million miles away from (getting) those guys, Nurse said of an NBA talent base that includes Jamal Murray, Dillon Brooks, RJ Barrett, Dwight Powell, Shae Gilgeous-Alexander and more. Its not like Im looking up this huge Jamal Murray mountain to climb, and figuring out how Im going to get there. (That goes for) a number of players, so I dont think its going to be as big a mountain to climb as everybody thinks.
Its at this point that Nurse pauses and gets a little uncomfortable with the subject.
I dont quite want to get into talking about that, he said. Lets finish it off with this group first, because a big chunk of this group has earned their way forward, right? So, I think that theres not going to be that many spots available next (summer).
But that doesnt mean Nurse isnt going to be out there working the NBA front lines to ensure hes got plenty of options.
One can, and Nurse has, imagined what it would be like to have his pick of the growing Canadian talent base in the NBA, but thats not his focus right now.
You can, I try not to, he said. Its not really going to make a difference to imagine until were done and then get to work and get some commitments.
And it glosses over the sacrifices this group has made. Nurse does not want to do that.
Nurse will be the first to tell you he has had one hell of a summer since winning an NBA championship.
Clearly, he has plans to keep the good times rolling. That goes both for the Raptors and for Canada Basketball.
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Life has changed for Raptors coach Nick Nurse in wake of NBA title - Toronto Sun
Not Tending to Detail May Be Hogs Offensive Coaches Failing – THV11.com KTHV
Posted: at 4:41 pm
When Arkansas fans criticize the play-calling in last Saturdays 31-17 loss at Ole Miss, they should also consider that at least four plays that night were well-designed and perfectly set up in the play script to result in touchdowns, if not for the Hogs poor execution.
So, maybe it would be fair for fans to shift their criticism from play-calling to whatever is happening on practice field, where one would hope the Hogs execution would have been ironed out before game time.
Remember these plays?
Still, those were all great designs that flopped due to execution. Any one of those plays going for a touchdown changes Arkansass attitude about winning this game in hostile surroundings, the confidence soars. Instead, the Hogs plodded through four quarters offensively it seems like this has been the case since Chad Morris and Co. first arrived.
Bobby Petrino, appearing before the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Monday at a downtown hotel ballroom, recalled several stories from his four years as Razorback coach, and one illustrated his amazing attention to detail that provided his program with a winning edge (21-5 his last two years, 34-17 overall): The game-breaking fourth-down touchdown pass from Ryan Mallett to Joe Adams in 2010 vs. LSU, a 31-23 win in Little Rock that sent Arkansas onto the BCS Sugar Bowl against Ohio State, was the result of detail and practice that dated back to the previous spring.
Petrino noted Monday that he and his staff had picked up something in the previous years LSU matchup: In similar down-and-distance for a medium yardage fourth-down call, LSU would play its safeties at the sticks meaning even with the first-down marker. In this case, defending this day was the precocious youngster who a year later would become the acclaimed Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu. Joe Adams clicked his feet before finishing his double move on the safety; if the safety did something unexpected and dropped beyond the first-down line, Mallett would hit Adams there. If the safety maintained his spot at the sticks, Adams was by him in a flash. Mathieu froze, and Mallett hit Adams stride for a 39-yard scoring pass that pretty much finished that game.
Forget all the great designs, as we know Petrino had a file cabinet full of them. It was the attention to detail that amazed observers (and no doubt frustrated many players, who nevertheless played above beyond their perceived capabilities because of the coaching) during Petrinos four years as UA head coach. And, in this case, running that same play for months on end, knowing maybe you might see the scenario again at the end of November, then it comes to pass and sends you to New Orleans? Thats a prescience that exceeds most football coaches abilities.
The media sees little if any of Chad Morris practices, whether in spring or in August or week to week during the season. Who knows what level of detail he and his staff apply to everyday activities and whether its in the ballpark of previous Hog coaches like Petrino and Lou Holtz? Morris, when he took the Arkansas job, brought an awfully young and collegiately inexperienced staff from SMU for the offensive side, while he turned the defense over to a mostly SEC veteran crew led by John Chavis. Fourteen games into his UA tenure, Morris still deserves trust from supporters that hes been around big programs (Clemson) and knows good coaches, and that he made quality hires to assist him.
All we can tell from 14 games so far is, if you toss aside the current trope that the talent level left him was poor, it appears Morris and his staffs attention to detail severely lacking on the offensively side and with special teams. You dont dream up installing a surprise WildHog formation for Ole Miss, with weeks to prepare, and it look so feeble, or try to pull off an assortment of trick plays (including some mentioned above) and fail on all of them simply through lack of execution. It seems more like an attention to detail that falls way short not just of a Bobby Petrino level, not just of an SEC coaching level, but of a college football level, period.
If this issue continues this week, Colorado State is good enough to beat the Razorbacks by two touchdowns.
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Not Tending to Detail May Be Hogs Offensive Coaches Failing - THV11.com KTHV
Ramsey’s road: A dog, a chain and a fast path to becoming the strength coach at Kansas – KUsports
Posted: at 4:41 pm
The weight room gains of dozens of current and future Jayhawks eventually will be traced back to a dog named Hunter.
Years before new Kansas basketball strength coach Ramsey Nijem became the youngest strength coach in the NBA, it was Hunter, a black lab/pit bull mix, whose digging in Nijems Bay Area backyard uncovered a gold chain that Nijem thought was lost forever.
While dozens of classes, three universities and countless hours in weight rooms on the west coast all contributed to the foundation of Nijems career, it was that chain that started it all.
At age 19, fresh out of high school and in search of what would come next, Nijem, now 28, attempted to walk-on to the UC Santa Barbara basketball team but did not land a spot.
After the setback, Nijems brother suggested he become a personal trainer. Thats where the chain came in.
It was a basic braided gold chain and attached was a pendant that said love in a Chinese character with diamonds on it, Nijem recently told the Journal-World of the gift given to him by his mother.
Needing money for his first personal trainer certification test, Nijem took the chain to a local pawn shop. The man behind the counter said he didnt need the diamonds but thought he could melt down the gold and offered Nijem $800.
Done deal, said Nijem, collecting the exact amount he needed for the test. Thats when it took off.
From there, Nijem sought out training internships during his sophomore year at UCSB. None existed. Instead of moving on, he kept asking every couple of days.
I think eventually they realized there were two options that they had say no or say yeah, Nijem recently recalled on the PJF Performance podcast. Either way, I was going to keep showing up.
Just before Year 3 at UCSB, Nijem met sports performance director Jeremy Bettle and the two set up an athletic training internship.
Coaching 20 hours a week and taking 18 hours of classes, Nijem threw himself into the strength training world morning, noon and night.
If the question is, How do you get to be the youngest NBA strength coach, I dont think (the answer) has a lot of Netflix involved, Nijem said on the podcast.
After graduating from UCSB in three years, Nijem went on to Cal-State Fullerton, where he sought a master's degree in sport performance and worked with a man named Jared Coburn.
During one of their first meetings, Nijem asked what it would take to complete the master's program in a single year. Coburn smiled and said it was extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get through it that fast.
Nijem pushed back and asked again, Yeah, but what would it take?
That year set the stage for his first full-time job as the head strength coach at Santa Barbara City College, where he worked two years before joining the Sacramento Kings.
He definitely took the harder route and did it in a shorter amount of time, Coburn told the Journal-World. It was very impressive that he was able to pull that off.
Throughout their time together, Coburn marveled at Nijems drive and desire to carve out his own path.
As a coach, you can just sort of copy what people do, Coburn said. But Ramsey questions things. He has sort of a skeptical approach, hes an innovator and he wants to generate new knowledge.
Nijems thesis, on which Coburn assisted, and his doctoral dissertation, which he successfully defended to earn a doctorate from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in 2018, were geared toward innovation and highlighted his passion for learning.
When I got done with my master's, I bought a backpack just because I felt like that would keep me true to continue learning, Nijem said. Learning encourages growth, and growth is one my core values.
While Nijems rise through the academic ranks was fast-tracked by his determination, it moved at a snails pace compared to the path that led him to Kansas.
On Friday, Aug. 16, one day after news broke that former KU strength coach Andrea Hudy was leaving for Texas, Nijem received a voice message from KU coach Bill Self.
Nijem called Self back that same day and, a week later, was on KUs campus, touring the facilities and talking to Self and his staff about the job.
Seven days after that, on Friday, Aug. 30, Nijem officially accepted KUs offer, and this past Friday the newest Jayhawk wrapped up his first week at KU by closing out Week 1 of boot camp.
It happened fast, said Nijem, whose girlfriend and current dog plan to join him in Lawrence in the near future. I packed two bags, hopped a Southwest flight and got to work. It had to be the right move at the right time, and it came out of nowhere. The fact that my first day was boot camp, I love it. I just want to work.
Nijem is not limiting himself in any way. Rooted in academics and science, Nijem believes character, buy-in and old-fashioned effort are every bit as important as numbers and data.
Well focus on everything, Nijem said. Strength, explosiveness, speed, injury risk reduction, character building, leadership, previous injury history, (NBA) combine preparation, everything. The science is the foundation of everything we should be doing in this. And then at that point it just becomes, OK, who am I training and what am I training for?
The reason the Bay Area native opened his mind to the idea of leaving Sacramento for Kansas was multifaceted. And it started with Self.
For me to be a fly on the wall and learn from a Hall of Fame coach about coaching, and not just coaching basketball but coaching humans and young men, thats an opportunity that I was excited about, Nijem said.
He added that KU was the only school for which he would have left Sacramento, and his interest was piqued further by KUs status as a blue blood in the basketball world.
The tradition of Kansas basketball is definitely like no other, he said. ... So for me to be a Jayhawk and work on Naismith Drive, thats a cool story.
It became even cooler on Day 1, when he received a box of Kansas gear from KU equipment guru Larry Hare.
The contents of the box have become Nijems uniform his scrubs or suit and tie and it did not take him long to embrace wearing them.
To open that up and have that new logo and the colors and be a Jayhawk, it feels good, Nijem said. I dont necessarily have a strong collegiate tie, and I have buddies that have been to Arizona, Arizona State and other schools. So when the tourney starts and they start talking their talk, now I can engage in that and have a good time with it. I look forward to being 50 years old and watching the tournament and cheering for the Jayhawks.
In some ways, Nijem already has been rooting for Jayhawks. Former KU guards Frank Mason III and Ben McLemore were two of Nijems favorites back in Sacramento, and they provided him with a deeper understanding of what Kansas was about when the opportunity arrived.
Both called me and I called them, said Nijem, whose Twitter cover photo is the iconic picture of Mason in a KU uniform, arms spread, eyes up to the sky. Those are my guys, man. We could talk about them all day.
Theres little doubt that both players, along with other Sacramento stars, like Buddy Hield, DeAaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III and more, will come up often as Nijem trains the Jayhawks.
Marvins 20 years old, Nijem said. Weve got players on this roster that are 20 years old. And Ive already had a conversation with certain guys about the things that leave an impression with the GM and trainers and strength coaches. Part of my role is not only to prepare you mentally and physically, but also to prepare you as a leader, for the charisma, too. Its about more than being good at basketball at that level.
Nijem believes the skills that served him best with Sacramentos young roster will continue to benefit him at Kansas. And Self said Nijems age and ties to the NBA were big time bonuses to his candidacy.
Ive never felt like its held me back, Nijem said of his age. Some people will size you up and say, Whos this young guy? But I dont get into the whole ego thing. Im here to help young players and thats it. Being able to relate to players culturally and through social media and Instagram and music and talk the way they talk, those things help create buy-in.
With all of those factors working for him in the NBA, too, the obvious question is why leave? The answer ties in nicely with the way Nijem raced his way to multiple degrees in such a short time: his drive.
I used to have dream jobs, he said. And the NBA was a dream job. But that was part of my decision-making here OK, youve achieved that. Now I think I just have a dream life and purpose... I had to take a step back and say, Wow, this is a great opportunity; for me to turn it down would be stupid.
As Nijem moves through his first month with the program, its all about learning again. Thats why the boot camp beginning was the perfect starting point. Boot camp is most definitely Selfs show. And that fact has afforded Nijem the opportunity to observe and ease into his new gig.
Sit back and take some notes, is the way Nijem explained it.
Ive got a little clipboard on me and Im jotting down notes and its not just how theyre moving, he said. Its attitude, whos talking, how are they talking, whos quieter and things like that. Quiets not a bad thing, but do I need to check in with him a little more because hes not as forward with his thoughts? For the first month Im getting to know all those things, and the rest of the time Im diving into it.
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Ramsey's road: A dog, a chain and a fast path to becoming the strength coach at Kansas - KUsports