March Madness Inspiration...and J's Birthday!

I have loved watching the Butler men's basketball team shine during the month of March for the past two years. I love it not only because I am a Hoosier at heart (born and raised in the great state of Indiana) but because I really respect the way coach Brad Stevens handles himself and his team. The more I have read about this man, the more I appreciate about his approach to life and basketball. He leads by example and simultaneously displays confidence and humility. His faith in Christ is the most important aspect of his life and he strives to be a better follower of Jesus everyday. That's the kind of focus that I would like to emulate myself and inspire in my team!

Brad sums up the goals of his team in The Butler Way. "The Butler Way demands commitment, denies selfishness, accepts reality yet seeks improvement every day while putting the team above self." (http://www.butlersports.com/) I think this articulates well the ingredients to building a cohesive and competitive team. We'll be talking about this at practice tonight. :)

We'll also be celebrating the birthday of Jeren Lanoue, who we all know as J. J, a 2008 Gordon alum, has been my assistant coach for the past two seasons at Gordon. He's dedicated, organized, always pushing himself to learn more, and willing to do whatever I ask of him. Happy Birthday, J, and thanks for being such a big part of Gordon volleyball!

Me and J at Homecoming 2010