In the first episode of our Running a Championship System (RCS) series, Pulitzer Prize winning writer and Washington Post associate editor David Maraniss joined us to discuss the life and leadership of Vince Lombardi. In this SGG episode, we discussed: 1.  What David knew of Coach Lombardi before beginning the book project. “I wanted to study that tension between his traditionalism and the world that surrounded him.” 2.  Lombardi’s relationship with the media. 3.  “As a biographer, I’m a profound believer that the early years shape someone’s future in profound ways.” 4.  “I don’t think you can overstate the influence that the Jesuits had on Lombardi as a leader.” 5.  Freedom through discipline. “It’s only through putting in the hard work, of learning something in minute detail that you can then have the freedom to experiment off that.” 6.  What David has learned from freedom through discipline: “It’s only by thoroughly learning the craft that you can have the freedom to improvise off of it.” 7.  How Obama, Clemente, and Rafer Johnson were shaped by early experiences. 8.  Readiness for leadership. “You can’t overestimate being totally prepared in terms of true leadership excellence.” 9.  The precarious status of the Packers franchise prior to Lombardi’s arrival. 10.  How Lombardi became a great teacher. “He taught in a way that didn’t assume anything…And he had a capacity to make complex things simpler, easier to grasp.” 11.  Why Lombardi was “useless” on gamedays. 12.  Lombardi as “master of the psychology of the moment.” 13.  An observation on many great leaders – who are professionally successful but commonly struggle with family: “They’re much better at creating a group of leaders out of strangers than they are out of their own flesh and blood.” 14.  Judging players’ performances in precise, specific ways. 15.  Lombardi as a paradox. 16.  A common sentiment among players regarding Lombardi: “On a daily basis, I hated the guy. But, overall, I loved him.” 17.  Differences between Lombardi and Landry, who referred to Lombardi as “Mr. High-Low.” 18.  Did Lombardi seek difference on his staff? 19.  The limited coaching tree of Lombardi. “The Lombardi coaching tree is just this enormous oak tree and nothing could grow under it.” 20.  The hidden jewel in the story of the Packers: Jack Vainisi, the general manager. 21.  Lombardi’s sense of social equity and justice. 22.  Stewardship and the Packers. “There’s a foundation of community pride.” 23.  “He was proof that this little town in the Midwest could survive against LA and New York and everywhere else. And he gave them enormous pride. That’s part of that community spirit. But the paradox is that he also left because of that.”

Jordi Diaz Gibson is a respected professor at Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, where he teaches and conducts research on leadership, schooling, and social networks. Growing up, he was an elite soccer player, competing at some of the highest national levels. From his office in Barcelona, Jordi joined the SGG podcast. We discussed: 1.  Growing up playing soccer in Barcelona, including the influence of his father. 2.  The disconnect between youth soccer clubs and schools in Barcelona. 3.  “Coaching young people as if they are old people…it was not good. It did not have a training focus.” 4.  Problems associated with focusing on short-term results in youth sports. “They stopped liking the game.” 5.  Playing with Xavi. 6.  The impact of coaches on youth athlete development. “You need to really think about how those talents can improve over time. And how can you shape that talent and the way that the athlete is thinking. And shaping the skills…The decisions you make are very, very important for the success and development of the players and the teams.” 7.  The importance of Xavi’s developmental environment with Barca: “He was in the right place at the right time…and he had a great mindset.” 8.  La Masia: Clear system, clear player type, international scouting. 9.  “The same system is applied across all the years of development.” 10.La Masia developing a “360 program” – holistic child development perspective. 11.Carlos Folguera La Masia: “Your dream must be playing there (in the big stadium). But the probability is that you’re not going to make it. And we want you to make the most of your life beyond soccer.” 12.“I learned how to be a person at La Masia.” 13.“You never know how to best support the dream and reality at the same time.” 14.Making difficult decisions about moving on to a different career than soccer. 15.Lessons learned through high-level sport participation. 16.“I really believe in the power of sports. But, as with all powers, we need to think about how to display them and to support kids in the right way.” 17.Jordi’s early focus on youth sports and human development. 18.Maintaining perspective. 19.The challenge of understanding how the game is evolving…and how it may evolve in the future. 20.The critical roles of Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola in developing modern soccer schemes. 21.“Disrupting” the way the game is played.

Tracy Krueger was a beloved husband, father, teacher, coach, and referee whose impact could be seen throughout the state of Wisconsin. He was widely known to use sports as a vehicle for “growing the good” in the world around him. In this SGG episode, Tracy’s son, Brendan, joined us to reflect upon some memories of his father. We discussed: 1.  The role sports played in Tracy’s life growing up, including participating as an athlete at UW-Stevens Point and UW-Superior. 2.  Tracy’s guidance for his own kids in sports: If you start it, finish it. Remain committed. Never pressured kids to play sports. “Find that passion and share it with others.” 3.  How Tracy made coaching a family affair. 4.  What led Tracy into coaching. 5.  Tracy’s infectious passion and energy in coaching. 6.  Finding joy and fulfillment when young people developed. 7.  Appreciating “unsung heroes.” 8.  Why Tracy became an official and how he went about it. “He was really a people person.” 9.  Why Tracy spent time with and appreciated the maintenance personnel. 10. A note from a former student. “He believed in me.” 11. Celebrating small victories. 12.“I know you can do it!” 13. “He was sharing what he loved.” 14. Tracy as a mentor and supporter of others. “How can I help this person out?” 15. Baking treats for others.

Rick Polk is the athletic director at Vincent High School in Milwaukee. He also started the OWN IT mentoring program that aims to support young people in the community and beyond. He’s positively impacted thousands of young people and families over the years. In this SGG episode, we discussed: 1.  Learning life virtues from his parents and other adults. 2.  Growing up on 23rd and Locust in Milwaukee: “It was a village.” 3.  The playground at Emmaus Lutheran Church: “That’s where the village started.” 4.  The life-long benefits of sports. 5.  The joy that “two free throws” made by a child instilled a deeper awareness of how much sports mean to young people. 6.  Helping give kids voice: “The small things can go so far in life.” 7.  Directing a youth sports program that offers new sports to kids. 8.  The Growing Up Milwaukee documentary that tells the story of youth in the city and shows how Rick creates space for their voices. 9.  How he became known as “Uncle Rick.” 10.  His “OWN IT” mentoring group. 11.  His journey through difficult life challenges…and the origins of OWN IT. 12.  The importance of bringing the community together. For more, refer to sportandthegrowinggood.com.

Ryan Hoover was a wildly successful college and professional basketball player. His career spanned over 20 years in the US and Europe. After retirement, Ryan went on to play a critical role at a leading sports technology company and he still serves as an AAU basketball coach on the Under Armour circuit. In this episode of the SGG podcast, we discussed: 1.  His sports experiences playing growing up – and always looking for the highest levels of competition. 2.  Scouting out the best spring and summer sports experiences during the summers of his youth—and using his allowance wisely to make the most of these experiences! 3.  Today’s AAU basketball world which, unfortunately, includes fewer multi-sport athletes. 4.  How participating in multiple sports can foster humility. 5.  Coaching with KC Run GMC on the Under Armour circuit. 6.  The “Extra Mile” program in his team’s program. Focusing on life skills and holistic development. 7.  How young players are developed in Italy. Weighing costs/benefits of pro teams and junior teams instead of college and high school teams. 8.  Playing with 17-year-old Danilo Galinari, who would later go on to NBA stardom. 9.  Communicating with families in the AAU setting. “We just want them to be a part of a great team.” 10.  His team roles in skill development, career development, and family care. 11.  “Whether we want to accept it or not, technology is having a huge impact on our game.” 12.  Working at Shot-Tracker. 13.  How Scott Drew and Baylor Basketball’s early adoption of technology has paid off.

Karissa Niehoff is the executive director of the National Federation of High School Associations. She is a key national leader in promoting robust education-based sports and activities. Karissa is a former athlete, teacher, and coach – with tremendous insights to share. In this SGG episode, we discussed: 1.  The people who influenced her development: parents, coaches, and teachers. 2.  Memories of her Latin teacher: “He was consistent. He was encouraging in his own way. And he just had a way of making you want to do well.” 3.  Her central task at NFHS: “Being a champion for education-based activities.” 4.  Education-based activities as “the second half of the school day” and an “intentional environment where many adults are supportive of the experience.” 5.  Concerns in the broader youth sports environment, including early specialization and under-trained coaching. 6.  Examples of how youth sport involvement can be described and taught in age-appropriate ways. 7.  Lessons learned during Covid times, including remaining nimble and the loss that can occur when sports are removed. 8.  The resilience and creativity of coaches and teachers. “Our school professionals really are the heroes of the year.” 9.  The new era of sports streaming online. What the NFHS offers and possibilities for the future. 10.  The NFHS Network operating in 46 states. Almost 20,000 high schools around the country. 2 free cameras for each school. Hundreds of thousands of events streamed each year – boys and girls, all sports, diverse activities. 11.  Concerns associated with the network. 12.  Words of advice for developing coaches: “Remember why we’re there. Remember why the kids are there…Remember that our kids are individuals…Remember that everything can be done with a positive spin. Every single thing can be done positively.”

Victor Barnett started the Running Rebels over 40 years ago on an outdoor basketball court in Milwaukee. Today, Victor and Dawn serve as co-executive directors and the Running Rebels has flourished as a robust community organization that includes sports and much, much more. They joined the SGG podcast to discuss: 1.  The origins of the program. Victor: “I always knew I wanted to change the world, to make a difference.” 2.  Recognizing talents and skills within young people. 3.  How the “Running Rebels” name came to be. 4.  Why basketball was the place to start. “I introduced them to everything…But I asked, ‘where is the passion of the young people?’ and it was with basketball. And there was a court right down the street…I had to find a way, if I was going to make a difference, how can I get them to want to be with me every day? It wasn’t because I was a great guy. It was because of the basketball.” 5.  Examples of success stories: a basketball player and an engineer. 6.  What is “the full circle?” Dawn: “We pour into young people. We plant seeds in hopes that they will come back around to help the next generation.” 7.  Dawn: “The greatest satisfaction is seeing them become really connected parents in a way that they themselves didn’t have. But because of what was poured into them, they learned how to be there…That’s generational change.” 8.  Victor: “We want to put them in a position to be successful.” 9.  Kevon Looney: Even after he got a scholarship to UCLA and then went to the pros, remained committed to helping the young people in the community. “Can you imagine the example that he gives other people when he’s humble? He’s steady and level-headed.” 10.  Dawn describing how many young people see Victor as a father figure. “When you have that sort of an influence, and you’re able to give guidance, even when a young person didn’t have that in their life, you fill that gap and you show them, ‘This is what a parent looks like. This is what positive guidance feels like, this is what’s instilled in them.” 11.  Dawn: We want to help the community from within. The role models that our young people are looking for are right here in the community.” 12.  Living with integrity and what it means to be a role model. 13.  Using sports terminology beyond sports (e.g., “assist”) and using sports as teaching tools. 14.  Parents and coaches don’t send the right messages in sports – how competitiveness can bring out the worst in people. “When it’s about winning more than the development of young people, then we have a problem.” 15.  Deciding not to pursue AAU basketball anymore. “It become so negative and difficult to stay right in something that is so wrong. So we changed our model…We wanted to step back and be the big brother organization that does it the right way…that helps others.” 16.  Guiding from the side: “Teaching the skillset of making healthy decisions.” 17.  Having a non-judgmental approach in working with young people. 18.  Connecting youth to several adults in the network – the family approach. 19.  The importance of physical space for doing their work: “If we dreamed 40 years ago of what we would like to have, we have it.” 20.  Not forgetting where the program came from. 21.  Taking on a holistic approach to working with young people. 22.  Instilling, understanding, and taking pride in work and life skills. 23.  Collaboration with others in the community, including Work Milwaukee and Quad Graphics. 24.  Unity.

David Bell is a professor in Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a leading expert on injuries in youth sports. In this re-edit as part of the special SGG series on youth sports, we discussed: 1.  What should parents and youth coaches know about sport 2.  The impacts of physical activity in youth and young adulthood years. 3.  Why more and more kids are dropping out of sports at younger ages. 4.  The definition of youth sport specialization. What “highly specialized” means. 5.  What does puberty have to do with specialization? What should parents know… 6.  Why there are higher rates of specialization among young female athletes. 7.  The importance of the triad between coach, parent, and athlete in creating healthy sporting experience. 8.  Recommendations: delaying specialization as long as possible; play on one team at a time; don’t play a single sport more than eight months per year – especially before puberty; play a sport no more hours per week than your age; and take two days off per week. 9.  What can college-level coaches and leaders do to help foster a healthy pipeline? 10.  Previous injury predicts future risk.

Derrick Mayes was a great college and NFL football player. But today, much of his energy is directed toward parenting an elite young basketball athlete. He joined the SGG podcast to discuss: 1.  His sports experiences as a youngster—including playing contact football starting in 2nd grade. 2.  “Hindsight (into his own sports experiences) gave me 20-20 vision on how to do things with my son.” 3.  The difficult decisions he’s facing as a parent of a young athlete: 1) no tackle football until at least high school; 2) load management in basketball (but, “there’s a lot of work you can put in that doesn’t put wear and tear” on the body); 3) deciding on which high school to attend (“It’s important to know who’s going to be developing him.”). 4.  Public vs. Private school decisions for talented young athletes. 5.  Social media: “I am adamant that sports stay merit-based. Your talent will show through.” 6.  Social media: “It gives a false narrative of what’s important.” 7.  A benefit of today’s high-level youth basketball: Access to innovation in training. 8.  Analytics: “I’m thrilled that my son can apply some of the math stuff to something that he cares about.”

Estella Moschkau excelled at basketball at Edgewood HS, Stanford University, and UW-Madison. Her sports journey also included years of AAU basketball at regional and national levels. Reflecting on the lessons she learned across diverse teams and settings, Estella joined the SGG podcast to discuss: 1.  Being placed on the “B” team during her first AAU basketball experience – and the lessons she learned. 2.  Playing five years with Wisconsin Elite. 3.  Her difficult decision to play for North Tartan, a Nike-sponsored AAU program in the Twin Cities. 4.  Not initially starting on the North Tartan team. And the value of humility. 5.  High level competition on the EYBL circuit. “I would highly recommend it…It helped toughen me up.” 6.  The family commitment required for making travel basketball work. 7.  Taking a trip to France, Paris, and Amsterdam with her AAU team. 8.  The ins and outs of competing on a national team. 9.  The challenges of keeping a positive team culture in elite youth sports environments where everyone has high expectations for their own experiences. 10.  The new social media environment in youth sports, including the increasing presence of self-promotion (e.g., “I’m blessed to receive an offer…”). “It’s so gossipy!” 11.  “I think every experience you can learn something from...I would go through it again. I learned discipline…I learned something from every experience I had on the court and it’s transferred into everyday life.” 12.  Coaching for Wisconsin Elite. “I just hope that I give them a positive experience…Just to lift them up and make the experience fun…And hopefully to love the game more…I think for young girls, it’s especially important to be positive.”