Cornfields to Gold Medals

Book by Don Showalter

Coach To Lead is a platform designed for connecting, networking, and sharing the game. Philosophically, I believe in the phrase Coach To Lead. My purpose is to coach players and to build leaders.

Welcome to the Coach To Lead book club. I’m excited to share more about a phenomenal book I recently finished, written by coaching legend Don Showalter, titled Cornfields to Gold Medals. As a six year high school coach, this book hit home as I embarked on this coaching journey with Coach Showalter as he sought to advance and live out his basketball career through clinics, connection and teaching.

Coach Showalter grew up on a family farm in Iowa, working through humble beginnings before having a successful playing career. Coach then takes you through his coaching journey, making stops at different high schools across the state of Iowa, including his alma mater.

One of the most awe inspiring accounts of the story is Coach Showalter’s involvement with USA Basketball. As a coach from a smaller town, in a state that isn’t necessarily known for high level basketball recruits (although progress is being made), I felt the pride of achievement and impact as Coach Showalter led Team USA’s Junior Basketball teams to a 62-0 record, accumulating 10 gold medals. Coached passed up opportunities for what some may see as bigger jobs or bigger opportunities, even as his success on the national scene ballooned. He put his family first, poured into high school student athletes in Iowa and made his impact globally. As a father and husband, I felt a deep pull toward these values and achievements.

This story is a great reminder that anything is possible. You may feel at a disadvantage due to certain circumstances, but you can achieve what you set your mind on. It begins by investing in yourself!

Intertwined in this personal narrative, are 10 leadership lessons that can be applied on or off the court.

• Gold Lesson 1: Work Hard, Stay Humble, and Surround Yourself with Good People
• Gold Lesson 2: Actions That Require Zero Talent
• Gold Lesson 3: Culture Supersedes Success
• Gold Lesson 4: End On A Positive
• Gold Lesson 5: It’s Not What You Teach but How You Teach It
• Gold Lesson 6: The Four C’s That Separate Talent
• Gold Lesson 7: Do a Good Job Where You Are
• Gold Lesson 8: Success Is the Sum of Repeated Effort Each Day
• Gold Lesson 9: You Never Graduate from a Skill
• Gold Lesson 10: The Five Pillars of a Good Coach (Teacher, Authentic, Organized, Humble, Adaptable)

I highly recommend giving Cornfields to Gold Medals by Don Showalter a read if you’re looking to go on an enjoyable coaching ride, all while enhancing your coaching and leadership skills.