FROM THE BLEACHERS-758
BY DR. JACK WELCH

Opportunity Still Matters

There is something special about watching a man get a second chance. This past weekend, as the United Football League kicked off its spring schedule, you could feel it. The games were crisp. The effort was real. The hunger was undeniable.

These weren’t just games. These were opportunities. You saw players flying around the field with something to prove, not because they were already stars, but because they were chasing the chance to become one. That’s what makes this league special.

When opportunity meets preparation, special things happen. Austin Reed stepped in as a rookie quarterback and, in his very first game, set the UFL regular-season single-game passing record, throwing for 376 yards in a 36–17 victory. He completed 26 of 40 passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions, making the most of his moment from the start.

That kind of effort comes from knowing this opportunity may not come again. That’s what opportunity does. It reveals who you really are. Watching those games brought to mind junior college and NAIA athletics. In many ways, the UFL feels like junior college and NAIA football. It’s about giving someone a second chance. Maybe they were overlooked. Maybe they needed time to grow. Whatever the reason, junior college and NAIA have always said, “Come prove it.”

At the major college level, things have changed. With the transfer portal and NIL, many programs now build rosters like professional teams. Free agency has made its way to campus. While players cannot be blamed for taking advantage of opportunities, the system has shifted and, in my opinion, failed student-athletes.

Development has taken a back seat to acquisition. Loyalty has become temporary. Rosters turn over year to year. Graduation is not a consideration. That’s the reality.

That reality is why leagues like the UFL, and levels like junior college and NAIA matter more than ever. They remind us what the game is supposed to be about: opportunity, growth, and earning your way. As a college athlete, these levels are still about receiving an education.

Not everyone starts as a five-star recruit. Some have to fight for it. Prove it. When they finally get their shot, something special shows up. That’s athletics at its purest form. From where I sit, that’s still worth watching.

Thought for the Week, “Opportunity does not guarantee success, but without it, success is impossible.” Jack Welch

Dr. Jack Welch serves as President of Fort Scott Community College. With a career spanning professional sports, public education, and rural community development, he brings a servant-leader mindset and a passion for building trust-driven cultures that empower people to thrive in the classroom, on the field, and in life. He is also the author of Foundations of Coaching: The Total Coaching Manual.

FROM THE BLEACHERS-757

BY DR. JACK WELCH

 Trust the Team, Trust the Mission

Does a leader show love and demonstrate trust? When you’re dealing with people, you’re not just dealing with skills and responsibilities, you’re dealing with fear, uncertainty, and sometimes even past hurt. Scripture gives us a simple but powerful truth in 1 Corinthians 8:3: “But whoever loves God is known by God.” That verse reminds us of something important, leadership is not just about being known for what you do. It’s about how you love and how you treat people along the way. When people know they are valued, respected, and they matter, that’s when trust begins to grow.

Now here’s the reality, not everyone walks into your organization full of confidence and trust. Some have been burned before. Some have seen decisions made that didn’t go their way. Some are carrying fear; fear of change, fear of losing their role, fear of the unknown. Fear has a way of whispering things that aren’t true. It tells people to pull back. It tells people to doubt. It tells people to protect themselves instead of trusting the team, but here’s the truth: Fear has never made a team better. Fear tightens people up. Trust frees them.

One of the greatest examples of this kind of leadership comes from Abraham Lincoln. He led during one of the most divided and fearful times in our nation’s history, the Civil War. He had every reason to rule with force and authority alone. Instead, he led with dignity. He listened to people who disagreed with him. He surrounded himself with individuals who didn’t always see things his way. When he had to make difficult decisions, decisions that impacted thousands of lives, he never lost sight of treating people with respect. Lincoln understood something every leader needs to understand: You can make the right decision and still care deeply about the people affected by it. That’s leadership.

Now here’s the other side of that coin. Those being led also have a responsibility. When change comes, you have to choose trust over fear. You may not see the whole picture. You may not understand every decision, but if you’re part of a team, there comes a moment where you either pull together or you drift apart. Fear doesn’t help you. Not one bit. It doesn’t improve your performance, strengthen your relationship or build anything worth keeping. All it does is hold you back. Some resort to gossip and slander. Trust, on the other hand, moves teams forward.

Consequently, whether you’re leading a team or part of one, remember this: Treat people with dignity, communicate with honesty, lead with love, and when change comes, choose trust over fear because the best teams aren’t just built on talent, they’re built on trust.

Thought for the Week, “Fear divides. Trust unites. Choose the one that builds your team.”  Jack Welch

Dr. Jack Welch serves as President of Fort Scott Community College. With a career spanning professional sports, public education, and rural community development, he brings a servant-leader mindset and a passion for building trust-driven cultures that empower people to thrive in the classroom, on the field, and in life. He is also the author of Foundations of Coaching: The Total Coaching Manual.

FROM THE BLEACHERS-755

BY DR. JACK WELCH

No Honor Among Thieves

If you spend enough time around teams, businesses, or organizations, you eventually learn an important truth: not everyone in the room is pulling in the same direction.

Some people spend their time building others up. Others spend their time tearing people down. They smile in the boss’s office and then mock him in the hallway.

The interesting thing about people who gossip and backbite is they often live-in constant paranoia. They assume others are talking about them because they know exactly what they say about others. I have always believed there is no honor among thieves. The person who talks bad about someone behind their back will eventually do the same to you.

I recently witnessed an employee who worked in an office where the boss had just finished speaking to the staff about the direction of the business. After the meeting, several employees gathered in this person’s nearby office. The young lady started poking fun at the boss’s message, mimicking his tone and joking about his ideas while others laughed.

What they didn’t realize was the boss had left the meeting shortly after and was walking down the hallway. As he passed the office, he could clearly hear the conversation. He didn’t stop. He didn’t say a word. He simply kept walking.

What the young lady never knew was that the boss had been considering her for a promotion. She was talented and doing good work. Leaders look for more than talent. They look for character, loyalty, and trust. What do you think about the possible promotion? Good leaders pay attention to how people behave when they think no one is watching. So how do you deal with people who gossip and tear others down?

First, recognize who they are. Not everyone deserves the same level of trust. Second, try to help them if you can. Sometimes people fall into gossip because they want attention or approval. Third, pray for them. People who tear others down often have something broken inside themselves.

Most importantly, be wise enough to understand their character. Great teams are built on trust and people can change. Teammates defend one another, support one another, and speak well of one another. The truth is simple. If someone constantly tears others down behind their back, eventually they will do the same to you.

Remember, there is no honor among thieves.

Thought for the Week, “Character is revealed not by what people say in front of others, but by what they say when others leave the room.” Jack Welch

Dr. Jack Welch serves as President of Fort Scott Community College. With a career spanning professional sports, public education, and rural community development, he brings a servant-leader mindset and a passion for building trust-driven cultures that empower people to thrive in the classroom, on the field, and in life. He is also the author of Foundations of Coaching: The Total Coaching Manual.