Dale Lennon\'s 3 Keys to Success...

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You don’t just win the Division II national championship without a plan. And University of North Dakota head coach Dale Lennon had one of his very own. The Fighting Sioux alumnus and former assistant coach returned to Grand Forks, North Dakota, and within three short years guided the Big Green to the national title. Recently American Football Monthly had the opportunity to sit down with Coach Lennon as he shared his winning philosophy. Coach Lennon’s “Three Keys to Success” are:

1) DO YOUR BEST - Attitude, commitment and perseverance are three ingredients that are necessary for any athlete to do their best.

Attitude - The poem by Charles Swindell entitled “Attitude” really sums it all up. It basically states that we have a choice every day which attitude – good or bad – we embrace. And that is where you challenge your players as far as what attitude they are going to chose in regards to going to the practice field or going to class. A bad attitude can tear apart the best organization and a good attitude cancarry you a long way.

Commitment - Our phrase here is “keeping the main thing the main thing.” Of course, it is very important to make your commitment initially, but the most important thing is to be able to follow through. How you finish is the most important. Remember, you can’t make the commitment without the proper attitude.

Perseverance - To be a winner or - more importantly - a champion, you can never give up. Our team last year that won the NCAA Division II national championship is a perfect example of perseverance. We were trailing Grand Valley with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter with a fourth down situation. Our players, including those on the sidelines, refused to give up. And we found a way to win in the end (17-14).

2) DO WHAT’S RIGHT - This is a matter of choices, such as getting up and going to class or practice. I try to keep things simple with these three rules, because I believe the players can easily refer to them when confronted with obstacles during their daily routine. People know what is right and wrong, it’s just that sometimes we need to remind them not to be afraid to make good decisions and smart choices. If you make enough right choices throughout the day, your chance of success will be much greater.

3) TREAT OTHERS LIKE YOU WANT TO BE TREATED - This is the “Golden Rule.” If you respect your fellow man, they will respect you back. The big emphasis here is respecting your team and your community. A player should always respect his coaching staff and his fellow players and always look to give something back to the community. Everything your athletes do is a direct reflection of the players, the coaching staff and the program.

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