Building teams and training for a great season

One of Ohio’s most beloved coaches kicked off this year’s conference with a talk designed to motivate and inspire teamwork in the audience.

Jim Tressel, former head coach at Ohio State, lauded the university’s turf program and athletic field managers before delving into his main topic: the importance of working together as a group to achieve a greater goal. 

 “There is nothing more important than the group. We are totally insignificant to the rest of the group,” said Tressel, who now works for the University of Akron teaching a class called “Principles of Coaching.” 

In any organization that operates in a highly competitive environment – whether it’s a sports team, golf course or business – success comes from everyone involved working together to execute the basic fundamentals, he said, and serve the ultimate goal of the larger group.

“Leadership is not a position. Leadership is an action one takes to serve others,” he said. “The best leaders – the ones you’d dive in front of a railroad car for – serve others.”