In team environments, we consistently teach our athletes they need to be willing to be THE ONE: whether it’s winning a 50-50 challenge, coming through with a clutch hit, or stepping up to take a charge, effective players bypass the “maybe someone else will do it” instinct.

In Episode 5 of the Truth In The Arena podcast, Coach Ken Vick discusses the need for coaches to be willing to step up and be the ones to offer leadership beyond the team setting and to enforce norms of acceptable behavior at the community-state-national levels. We bring up the widely-accepted coaching truism, “your team culture is set by the worst behavior you are willing to tolerate” and expand that to broader applications where our social and political cultures are set by the most toxic, corrupt, or divisive behaviors that WE are willing to tolerate.

In addition, we cover the need to have a foundation of “first principles” to guide important decision-making and the dangers of black/white absolutist thinking, whether in terms of online debates over exercises and methods or in arguments on hot-button culture war issues. Those first principles are also crucial for the notion of America as a meritocracy, as the country’s prominence as a “land of opportunity” is based on guiding principles of hard work, know-how, courage, expertise, honesty, and ability being the tools to open doors to those opportunities. Coach Vick also emphasizes the importance of curiosity, a willingness to learn from failure, and resilience—these qualities are crucial for growth and progress in any environment. Finally, Vick advocates for a non-partisan version of patriotism that is based on the respect for shared values that fellow citizens are willing to stand up and fight to protect.

CHAPTER LIST

00:00 Introduction to Coaching Philosophy

03:51 The Role of Sport in Personal Development

08:47 Leadership and Values in Sports and Society

12:47 Navigating Absolutism in Coaching and Life

16:50 The Importance of First Principles

20:55 Patriotism and Meritocracy in Coaching

24:55 Engaging in Political and Social Issues

“What if I don’t speak up? What’s going to happen?”