New Coach

Eric Gunnarson establishing Core Values
"To grow as a person, you have to make yourself uncomfortable."



In order to elevate student-athletes to achieve personal and team-based success, a coach must instill in the athlete a clear understanding of what is to be expected; not only for themselves as athletes but from the coach leading as well. The focus should entail having a fun, winning and working hard.



The reason many people participate in sporting events is that they want to have fun, experience success, and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. In order to have the most fun, ultimately, a team must win. As a coach, my priority must be teaching my athletes to compete and prepare well enough that they will (within the rules of the game) win. Winning is not the most important aspect of participation in sports, but it is the foundational purpose for playing the game. Winning does not come to the weak; it is for those athletes willing to work hard, sacrifice and commit themselves to their teammates. Learning the basic skills/rules of the game, physically and mentally pushing athletes to their limits, and instilling the discipline necessary to compete will create greater opportunities for success.



Core Values



Integrity: Having integrity means respecting the game, the people involved, the individuals that support us, and the process of participation. When we have integrity, we are not competing for outside adulation; we are competing against ourselves and are becoming the best that we can be.



Discipline: Discipline is one of the greatest values that can be obtained by participating in sports. Having discipline creates opportunities for athletes to discover their personal values, their commitment level, and mental toughness.



Sacrifice: Successful athletes must make sacrifices to contribute to the success of the team. This might involve the sacrifice of time with friends and family. Sacrifice might require less sleep or personal glory; learning to make appropriate sacrifices will help athletes realize their part in the universe is small compared to the “big picture.”



Teamwork: The acronym T.E.A.M: together everyone achieves more is a solid team building block. Using football as an example, the quarterback might get the most praise (and sometimes the most scrutiny), but without the offensive line to block or receivers to catch or running backs to run, there would be no overall team success.