At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua Stop Waiting for the Perfect Opportunity & Start Taking Action | Suzy Merchant
Suzy Merchant is the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Michigan State University. She has accumulated 300+ wins as Head Coach at Michigan State and 500+ wins in her career as a head coach.
In my conversation with Suzy, we get an inside look at her accomplishments, big decisions, and her powerful core values, covering her time at Michigan State University and beyond. A born winner, Suzy has also fielded her fair share of challenges and hurdles, and it has been her standards and heart that have kept her moving on, reaching new heights at every point. Suzy takes us behind the curtain of how she leads the program, recruits players, and has built a standard of excellence at MSU. Make sure to tune in to hear it all.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Looking back at Suzy's childhood, family, and upbringing in Traverse City.
- The roots of Suzy's passion and talent for sports.
- How Suzy's high school basketball coach influenced her philosophy and mindset.
- Emotional intelligence and finding the right avenue for effective communication with a team and its individuals.
- Suzy's move to Michigan and the main motivations for this choice.
- Reflections on time spent at Central Michigan University and some of the losses that stuck with Suzy.
- The lasting legacy of Suzy's parents' values on her attitude towards winning and sacrifice.
- Graduation, time in Florida, and Suzy's subsequent move to Saginaw.
- Competitiveness and guidance; the two things that drew Suzy to coaching as a career.
- Some stories from Suzy's time at Eastern Michigan University and the conversations that convinced her to take the job.
- Advice from Suzy for future coaches regarding authenticity, confidence, and passion.
- The requirements that Suzy has for players and recruits.
- Differences between hard work and hard workers; Suzy talks about measuring real dedication.
- Challenges in nurturing fighters and champions in the current climate.
- Suzy shares some standout moments from her Olympic coaching career.
- Items still on Suzy's bucket list and why travel is at the top.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Michigan State University
Central Michigan University
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At The Podium with Manuel Amezcua on Spotify
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