Game Changers with Molly Fletcher Kelvin Sampson on How to Build a Winning Culture
Mar 16, 2023
Kelvin Sampson, a veteran college basketball coach with over 700 wins and multiple Final Four appearances, shares insights on building a winning culture at the University of Houston. He discusses the importance of investing in facilities and securing donor support to enhance recruiting. Sampson explores the balance of tough love and unconditional care in coaching, emphasizing player-led culture and accountability. He also reflects on managing tournament pressure and his legacy of servant leadership, offering a richly textured view of success in sports.
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Childhood In A Segregated Tobacco Market
- Kelvin Sampson describes working in a segregated tobacco market as a child, seeing separate bathrooms and water fountains labeled by race.
- That experience put a lasting chip on his shoulder and motivated his competitiveness.
Confront Issues Early
- Confront problems early to prevent them from growing into larger issues.
- Treat confrontation as containment: stop a brush fire before it becomes a forest fire.
Return To College Fueled By Family And Facilities
- Sampson explains his return to college after his father's advice and his assessment of Houston's poor facilities and apathy.
- He negotiated facilities improvements into his contract and committed to a full rebuild of the program.