Education Opens The Door. Sports Build the Character for Success

In a world of win-at-all-costs, D1-or-bust, and Daddy Ball, we start the Beyond the Game Podcast journey by looking at the extended classroom and building character for success. We start by looking at youth sports the way they are supposed to be, a classroom that teaches us about life. 

So, if you played organized sports and now are in the workforce, you probably know that the lessons you learned playing are driving your success now. This is what the Beyond The Game (BTG) Podcast will be about: the lessons we learn through sports. My hope is that we can share our stories and teach the next generation of leaders the same lessons. 

I hope this podcast becomes a teaching tool for those nearing the end of their careers and looking ahead to their next chapter. I hope that we can share our stories and help the next generation of leaders, teachers, parents, and coaches. 

Before we really jump into this journey, I want to share a little more about me, your host, Steve Boehle.

Our first episode is going to be an interview with me, and I hope you enjoy it. 

A Job That Started It All

It started with a job that turned into a passion. I actually thought I was going to land a marketing agency client, but I left with a job that changed my entire outlook on business, school, and life. 

Academy 48 and the BTG podcast both started with a job in K12 nutrition (NSLP programs), originally as the marketing director, but I soon took over product and customer success because I cared so much about the end user—the kids. 

I saw firsthand how education is needed in the lives of these kids and how we need to ensure they all have the opportunity to learn. I also saw that there is a whole world out there that is more worried about the next meal than about playing club or travel sports; they never had the chance to play. 

I now believe this job is the starting point for A48 and BTG (Beyond The Game). I just did not know about it yet. 

BTG & Academy 48

Beyond The Game was built from Academy 48, a tuition-free Sports Academy, and our core mission: using sports to help prepare our players for life after sports. As we began building our nationally recognized leadership curriculum, we knew there was more to it than just teaching our students. We needed a way to reach more athletes who needed these stories, this education, and a reminder of what truly matters in sports. 

Furthermore, we knew there were countless stories from ex-athletes who learned more on the field than they ever thought possible. We knew there was a community ready to share their stories with the young athletes out there; we just needed to capture them. 

We teach our students these lessons to ensure that sports help them become successful once their playing days are over. We believe that these stories will help share the next generation of leaders. 

Education Opens The Door…

We have a saying around here. Education opens doors. Sports build the character for success. 

I believe that my education has opened many doors in my life. I believe that because of my MBA and M.S. in Leadership, I have been given opportunities I only dreamed about when I started college. I believe I was given the at-bats because of these 2 pieces of paper. 

But I believe now more than ever that the success I have seen in any project, startup, or company is due to the skills and character I built through sports. The lessons that I learned while playing are as valuable, if not more valuable, than those two pieces of paper. 

Failure & Adversity

“I chase perfection to fail 7 out of 10 times.” – Steve Boehle

How do I handle failure and adversity? Well, I played baseball. When you play baseball, you are a walking failure. You are always chasing perfection and fail at least 7 out of 10 times. 

For me, this was one of the best lessons I learned while playing sports. You win some, you lose some, but you always have a tomorrow. Learn from your failure because every strikeout, pop out, foul out, or ground out is a step closer to your next hit. 

Dealing with failure and adversity is in my blood. I grew up playing baseball. 

Everyone Has a Plan

“Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face”. – Mike Tyson

I love the saying from Mike Tyson. I am a big fan of planning, don’t get me wrong. I love a good brainstorming session or marketing offsite. However, sports taught me how to pivot and move quickly. Just like in a game, your plan is only as good as your execution. You need to be ready to make a change quickly and readjust on the fly. 

Don’t spend too much time trying to control the uncontrollable; learn to pivot and adjust as you go. Sometimes, this is during your current at-bat, the next game, or even next season. 

The point here is you need to get out and execute; you can plan all day, but nothing matters until you do. 

Lesson Still Used Today – Work Your Butt Off

“Your next level starts at 300 swings per day.” – Coach Eubanks

This lesson was from my Varsity Baseball Coach. The lesson was clear. If you are going to make it, in whatever you choose, you need to show up and do the work. Every day you have a chance to move closer to your goal, to the finish line, to your next level. 

• If you want to get better at baseball, show up in the cage. 
• If you want to be a better basketball player, show up to the gym.
• If you want your business to thrive, show up every day. 

This is a lesson that I use to this day: if you want something, it is going to take work. It is going to take everything you have to make it happen. There is no half-in; success takes 100% effort. 

What Does Teamwork and Leadership Look Like – Posted

“Servant leadership is all about making the goals clear and then rolling your sleeves up and doing whatever it takes to help people win.” – Ken Blanchard

I believe a great leader and teammate is someone who is ready and willing to jump in, get their hands dirty, and help when needed. A leader, to me, is someone who helps their teammates, co-workers, or players understand and move forward. They set the direction and help get it done. 

We have all had that coach or boss who keeps telling, yelling, and shouting, but never shows you how to get it done. Eventually, you stop listening. We need to remember that leaders should be serving their players. This means you might need to get in there and do the work with them, maybe even run with them for conditioning. 

A leader to me is someone who serves and leads by example. 

What Would You Tell Your Younger Self

Show up.

It is really that easy. 

If I could go back in time and tell myself one thing, it would be to show up to that interview, that mentoring session, free camp, or that unpaid mentorship. 

It is easy to say “not today” or “I will do it tomorrow”. It is easy to put that report off until next week. Doing nothing is easier than doing something. But reality is you only get one chance at life. You only get so many opportunities. If you do not show up, you will never know what you missed. 

So, if I could jump in the DeLorean with Doc Brown and tell myself one thing, it would be to show up. Not to get the Sports Almanac (IYKYK), but just be there when you are needed. 

Character for Success Conclusion

Man, I had a blast recording this session, and I can’t wait to keep this going. I know we are going to share the character for success through sports. I hope you enjoyed this podcast and my perspective on things.