Synthesis Essay – Dean Smith
SMSgt Michael Denoncour
Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
February 7, 2015
Instructor: MSgt Konnijo Czerwinski Dean Smith
Coach Dean Smith was head coach of the University of North Carolina (UNC) men’s basketball team for 36 years, from 1961 to 1997. He tallied 879 wins during his tenure at UNC, with his teams appearing in 11 Final Fours and winning two National Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships. He also coached the 1976 United States men’s basketball team to an Olympic gold medal. Coach Smith led and mentored many future National Basketball Association (NBA) legends such as James Worthy, Sam Perkins, Vince Carter, Jerry Stackhouse and Michael Jordan, to name a few. His successful basketball strategies and game innovations no doubt contributed to his wins on the court, but as important to his sustained team success was his methodical approach to team building and genuine care for his players as individuals. Dean Smith was both a visionary and ethical leader. This essay will detail how Coach Smith was a visionary leader that fostered an inclusive environment and used transformational leadership, with a focus on individual consideration, to methodically mold his teams. Additionally, the essay will show how Coach Smith was an ethical leader as he avoided falling into the ethical trap of worry over image and used the essential intellectual trait of intellectual perseverance in confronting the ethical
Based on our learning from week one of our class, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the leadership perspectives manifested in both Bobby Knight and Mike Krzyzewski, coaches who have made significant marks in their field in college basketball. I hope to be able to identify the power bases both coaches rely upon, as well as whether their actions are more aligned with either a managerial role or leadership role. In addition, I hope to identify how significant the leadership traits have influenced their leadership, based on the five-factor
Pat Summitt and Mike Krzyzewski are legendary coaches icons that will always be remembered for their lifetime achievements and winning the championships in a unique style. It’s tranquil to say that they are great coaches but what enhanced their ability to be even better was their capability to showcase transformational leadership and emotional intelligence. These two individuals have set a new standard for what the coaches should instill in their personal values to allow them to be consistent in the efforts to inspire a vison, challenge the process, encourage the heart, enable others to act, and model the way.
It all started with an email seeking freshman male in his coaching and administration program. The 2012 graduate of UConn’s Sport Administration and coaching program, William Aloia, says this future success as the Associate Athletic Director for The College of St. Rose started out by almost” falling into his lap”. The New Jersey native began his undergraduate experience with two Division-I parents, and like an abundance of people he knew that working in sport was something he wanted to do. Previously a part of the Kinesiology department under the late Joe Marrone, Will jumped on the opportunity posted through an email and started his freshman year as a basketball manager for the very successful UConn’s basketball program. He explains how this experience “opened his door up”. Will states; “once I started at UConn working with the women’s basketball program and being around collegiate athletics at such a high level it’s really something in itself, and unbelievable experience. I knew it was for me, I didn’t know which part for sure, but I knew this was something I wanted to do.” What Will realized very quickly realized about working in sport is that often times it is a thankless job. However, that did not stop him from finishing his undergraduate career as a four-year manager for the basketball team. The motivation for Will early in his career has been a two-dimensional illustration of success.
Joe Ehrmann describes how he has developed his philosophy of coaching by relating the story of his life in his youth, high school and in college describing two different types of coaches he had played for. The first are coaches who were impersonal, authoritarian, and sometimes abusive which he calls transactional coaches; this is in contrast to the humane coaches he calls transformative coaches. Coaches must face this responsibility because we all remember our coaches. “This is the awesome power and responsibility of coaching: You give your players memories, for better or for worse that stay with them until the day they die” (Ehrmann, 2011 p 46-47). Joe Erhmann goes on to ask, “What is the moral and ethical composition of their program?
Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer that tells the story of a young man who's been in his 20s, went into Alaska alone and died, however their are more about him that we did not think about. That he makes us understand the real Chris McCandless, from a bibliographic point a view. The people he met, his actions, and Chris own ideas to have one reason to go to Alaska. Chris McCandless is a humble person, he went into the wilderness to test himself the feeling of his own belief about taking a break from socially, to journey without the help of friends that to offer him help to make his journey easier. Furthermore he, does not want them and his family to be part of his odyssey journey for the sake of a test for him to survive alone without having
The NCAA recognizes one of its core values as “the pursuit of excellence in both academics and athletics” (NCAA Core Values). This shows that the NCAA is looking to benefit the students at all costs. They want to include the coaching staff of universities in this core value, but much confusion has been found between the NCAA and university athletic staff. This confusion has resulted in a tension and conflict leading to a discussion on the steps of resolution that can be taken to put this core value back into sights for both coaching staff and the NCAA.
In the collegiate world of sports, basketball has become an increasingly recognized sport among African Americans, predominantly males. The hope of any young basketball player is that one day a scout will come and recruit them into stardom The question that presents itself as a problem to the lucky few who are chosen to go professional, is whether or not an education is more important than a million dollar shoe deal, “The NCAA's (1998) annual six-year study reported that only 33% of Black male basketball players graduated, (Chronicle of Higher Education, 1999). Individually, basketball reported the lowest graduation rate in all divisions,” (Robinson, 2004:1). Basketball players have become so idolized in the eyes of young
It has recently been brought to my attention that our school is looking to adopt a sustainable menu into our meal program and I would like to give my viewpoint on the matter. As one many students here at Oxford Academy this change will affect me directly. Although people may at first oppose this conversion I think if we are able to overcome the first obstacles, this change would bring a great positive impact to the environment and the health of our students.
Throughout today’s society, media contributes to almost everyone’s daily life. From informative news channels to comical television shows, media proves to be effective in advertisement, releasing messages and informing the audience. Although media proves to be wildly effective in advertising, releasing messages and informing the audience, periodically destructive and misleading messages are provided to the audience and directly influencing women. Cultural critics widely agree that media tends to negatively influence women and all the critics point to research which supports the belief that women are portrayed as subordinate to men, having no
Coaches and athletic administrators are leaders and models for good sportsmanship and ethical behavior. They are responsible for upholding the codes of conduct, standards of behavior and integrity of all members of the program from the coaches and support staff to the student athletes. For this reason those who lead and set the example for others must clearly understand the virtues and/or civic responsibilities that they are to uphold. The Ten Christian Virtues and Civic Responsibilities of Coaches and Administrators as Leaders of Sport in the 21st Century is a guideline for the men and women who teach, coach and lead. (Appendix H) Relational, ethical and enthusiastic are three of the
Coach Carter also displays transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is the ability of a leader to get people to do more than they originally expected to do in support of large scale innovation and change; the leader inspire and excite followers to high level of performance (Nelson & Quick, 2013). According to Marquis & Huston (1992), there are five key qualities of a transformational leader. One of the qualities is having the passion and ability to inspire. Transformational leaders show passion in their work and have the capacity to pass this passion on to others. Coach Carter is successful in achieving this through setting clear expectations and demonstrates passion when doing this. At their first team meeting, Carter hands each student a contract, setting out his expectations of the contracts. If they do not sign and follow it, they do not play. Coach Carter aims to pass on his passion to the players enabling them to succeed in playing sports and succeed in their education. Another quality transformational leaders possess is the ability to pass their values on to others. According to Marquis & Huston (1992), people admire leaders that support their own values and beliefs by enabling others to understand how their own values make them who they are. Coach Carter encourages a team ethic throughout. Carter ensures his team takes this on board by stopping everyone from playing – academic achiever or not. He’s teaching that successful teams succeed because of
To begin, Work and life is a way for people to make money and survive. We can find that our truth by comparing the sources and see what correlates and what put them together. In each state, they have different minimum wages and different effects per person for it. Americans even though in Massachusetts they have the highest minimum wage they have to work many hours. The taxes and the prices of many different items have gone up so even though people have been payed more money for their work they still have to work more hours still to pay their bills. just like jewels walkers father said he goes paycheck to paycheck because of the low income but it’s not only that it has to do with the place that you live in if you have more money because you got a higher minimum wage the place you live most likely
Sports organizations and those athletes that participate in them have become increasingly competitive. This competiveness is not simply derived from an on field perspective. Competiveness can be from an athlete who wants to participate in the Olympics to an overzealous parent who dreams of a free college education in the form of a scholarship for their child. Sports has become more than a game it’s become a business. Because of this there is an increased concern by administrators over the moral and ethical conduct by coaches. The end result is for coaches to develop an ethical model to solve new or familiar problems they may encounter on their team.
Charles Barkley once said, “I am not a role model. I am not paid to be a role model. I am paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models. Just because I can dunk a basketball does not mean I should raise your kids.” No adult has a choice as to whether a child looks up to him or her, but parents are responsible for raising their children as best they can. The first role models or leaders in most children’s lives are in fact their parents; although they may not be the best role models, they are often the figures that children first learn from. Even if there was a perfect parent, that should not limit a child from observing other leaders. John Wooden, considerably the most successful basketball coach in NCAA history, led the UCLA Bruins to 10 NCAA championships with an all-time win-loss coaching record 885-203 (UCLA site). A Game Plane for Life: The Power of Mentoring, is a collection Wooden’s anecdotes related to leadership and the applications of those methods to his coaching practices. Observing leaders from the past allowed Wooden to envision clarity in the future; a clarified vision of the future gave Wooden more power in the present. John Wooden was a consistent and prepared leader who fostered a community of trust and knew his values.
A day in the life of Erin is jam packed. She is one busy beaver. On a typical day, Erin will have diving and school but much more than that happens. Every morning, Erin wakes up at 5:45 am. Her mom has this crazy idea that she needs over an hour to get ready for school. For this reason, every morning Erin wakes up at this ghastly hour and washes her face, then returns to her room to make her mom think that she is preparing for school. However Erin simply turns on the news on her TV in her room and sets a second alarm for 6:30 am. She then falls back asleep most mornings until that alarm goes off. Once the alarm goes off, Erin forces herself to get up and get dressed which usually consists of leggings and a sweatshirt. She