Today's guest is a teacher, coach, and great friend from Xavier High School in Middletown, CT - Mike Cunningham. Mike is coming off of a State and State Open Championship Season as the Head Coach of the Xavier Wrestling Team and is currently teaching from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine. Mike and I discuss his development as a leader and coach, some of the challenges he faces in teaching and coaching leadership, how he overcomes those challenges, and how he prepares each off-season for the next wrestling season (lots of reading!). In addition, Mike shares his valuable insight about how to build culture in athletics.
Leadership Notes and Other Highlights:
Mike's thoughts on the parallels in coaching very different sports (wrestling and golf)
Mike shares insight about the abrupt ending to Winter Sports at the high school and college level
The importance of commitment, authenticity, passion, support and trust in developing and sustaining team culture
Mike's music choice to get him FIRED UP!
His favorite movies and the book he is currently reading (Calling Up: Discovering Your Journey to Transformational Leadership)
