Winning Culture: #1 Vision

Motivational experts talk about the importance of goals. There are various versions of “you have to see it to achieve it.”

To be successful, players and teams must have a “vision” of what they want to be, and what they want to become. Often our vision is inspired by a role model or the excitement of an event we witness. It is kind of like, “We want to be like Mike.”

Molly Watson was one of the greatest play for Galesburg, and she went onto play for DePaul University. Once I asked her what inspired her. She described going to Galesburg vs Limestone game with her dad when she was in junior high. Both teams were ranked in the top ten in Illinois, it was a good game. She described how the players were good, the game was exciting, and there was a great crowd. For her, it clicked, she wanted to be part of all that- it inspired her. She had a vision of what she wanted to become as a player.

Our 1994-5 team was an example of a team with a “shared vision.” Galesburg teams had won the Regional title and 20 plus games for 7 years in a row. In the summer before the season, the team developed a theme of “going beyond tradition.” While it seems like a simple thing- it was a powerful force for the group. At first “going beyond tradition” was about outcomes the team wanted, but it quickly evolved into a vision which applied to the process. Players realized they needed to “go beyond tradition” when it came to how they prepared in the off-season, how they practiced, and how they played.

An individual “player’s vision” is important in driving a player to greatness. A player must have a dream that pushes them through the hard times and drives them to work hard. A “team’s shared vision” produces championships. Players must have a sense that they are in it together. A strong “team’s shared vision” is what pulls players together and builds trust.  

Our 1995 team did go "beyond tradition." Three results to show the power of their shared vision:

1- They won the WB6 title, and were the first Streaks team to win a Sectional title and advance to the Supersectional. 

2- Midway thru the season, Coach Peachey commented about how easy the group was to coach and work with. It was one of those rare seasons in which I don't remember dealing with any internal conflicts or dealing with any individual attitude issues. This seems hard to believe but honestly I believe it worked out this way because they were a group totally focused on their vision. They were on a mission together.

3- Lastly I have posted an "editorial" in the school paper written by another student. I believe the positive comments about the team are a result of the player's total commitment to each other, total commitment to the process, and total commitment to vision of success. When teams have a shared vision, they give themselves up to something greater than themselves. And when WE becomes more important- it results in many of the positives this author describes. 





Players need to develop their vision of who they want to be as a player, what they want to achieve as a player, what they want their to team to be about, and what they want to have their team achieve. Ultimately the question players need to answer-  What is going to be your legacy?