Great Records in Sports!

There are so many…. The Miami Dolphins perfect season,  John Wooden and UCLA's dominant basketball teams, Cal Ripken's remarkable consecutive games played, Emmett Smith’s rushing record, the Yankees World Series wins and so on and so on…

Well, I have to share one with you that you probably are not aware of, 79-1.

Ever since Jim Rohn and I partnered together in 1993, I’ve lived in a small suburb of Dallas/Ft Worth – Southlake, TX (about 25,000 people). As you may know, high school football down here is big and something I have grown to love. Seeing the discipline, hard work and commitment from young students including the football team, the band, the cheerleaders and the drill team – it's exemplary!

In fact so much so, that many of our Monday morning JRI meetings would include comments I would have about the previous Friday night's football game.

Why? Because I would see so many success principles at work each Friday night as I watched a group of ordinary kids, playing in the highest classification (and a public school), in the most competitive football state in the country, go 79-1 over 5 years, win 4 state championships and be named 3 consecutive years in a row the High School National Champion!

At the beginning of this remarkable run in 2002, I wrote in my journal that I wanted to interview the head football coach of this team, Todd Dodge (former quarterback from Univ. of Texas). Little did I know he would go on to win 79 out of 80 games (the lone loss by 1 point was the 2nd of his 5 consecutive state championship game appearances).

Todd, in December of 2006, got offered a Division 1 coaching job at the University of North Texas. Upon his arrival and subsequently the vision and game plan he has instilled, their season tickets by May of 2007 (4 months before the season opener against Oklahoma) had surpassed all of the previous seasons' sales, and to date through August of 2007 they are almost 50% over all of last year's ticket revenues. Plus they had one of their best recruiting classes in years – all in his first 8 months.

Todd is a visionary, a teacher, a leader and most importantly an incredible person. His caring and mentoring of his kids is amazing. For Todd it is ultimately about the kids in his program! Plus he does win!

So for me, 5 years later reaching the goal I had written in my journal in 2002, on July 20, 2007 to interview Todd Dodge for 3½ hours, was not only exciting but also a huge honor. We touched on a variety of leadership and sports topics including:

- Instilling a vision and winning attitude

- The opportunity to affect kids the rest of their lives

- Coaching is more than just x's and o's. What makes a good coach?

- Selling the dream

- Objectives, 10 Game Day Expectations and 12 Absolutes

- Advice to leaders, parents, coaches and kids

- Early lessons learned

- Coaching camaraderie

- Teaching character classes

- Coach Dodge's mentors and influences

- SLC Dragon's Recipe for Success (list of 50)

- and much, much more!

If you would like to view a 6-minute special clip from this interview, go to
Todd Dodge Interview

Yes, this interview has many Southlake Carroll highlights and conversations (just like Michael Dell stories and lessons would include many Dell references). But listen to the great strategies and ideas Coach Dodge shares – THEY are applicable to everyday life and success.

And by all means if you know anyone who is a coach, a teacher, a business person or has teenage kids (and they want them to succeed in sports and life), I highly recommend that you forward this link to them.

In closing, here are just a few of the hundreds of lessons Todd shares on this 3 hour in-depth interview:

In life and sports, do not play it safe. Always play to win!

Regardless of criticism or praise, always maintain your confidence and belief.

Whether coaching a team, running a business, or in your own family, always carry strong tradition from the past into the future.

When adversity comes, and it surely will, choose not to panic. Instead, choose to face it head on with confidence.

Insurmountable odds also have the potential to be the defining moments of your future success.

Part of being a good leader is helping your team grow in their personal lives and become better all around people.

Trust and honesty is essential. I can't help you if I can't trust you.

You can't start a plan, a team, an organization or a business without stating what you want to accomplish.

Since the interview, here at JRI, we reference and talk about everyday the lessons and the concepts Todd shares and strive to reach higher and grow into our potential.

Again, if you love football, you will love this; but more importantly, if you own a company, manage others, have high goals and/or want to help your kids achieve more – this interview will EMPOWER you to do so.

If you would like to view a 6-minute special clip from this interview, go to Todd Dodge Interview

To Your Success,

Kyle Wilson
President
Jim Rohn International

PS - See comments below from Bill Parcells and Mack Brown about Todd: