paul_roach:

Welcome to the show. And and how are you doing?

steve_bode:

Good, Paul, thanks for having me really appreciate it. It's good to be on with you.

paul_roach:

Oh, thanks very much, gram. you as well, thanks very much for joining us.

graham:

Thanks Paul for having me as well. Yeah, it's good to spend an afternoon with you too.

paul_roach:

All right. all right well, Steve, if you would just introduce yourself a little bit to the listener audience and tell us maybe where you grew up and how you got involved in in sports.

steve_bode:

No,

paul_roach:

How

steve_bode:

absolutely

paul_roach:

you out here?

steve_bode:

for sure. Yeah, so I grew up in the great state of Wisconsin, Grew up in Milwaukee, and M. Yeah, now just you know, I'd say I grew up in a typical athletic family. My, my parents both love sports. My dad in particular, definitely grew up playing all different kinds of sports and then kind of gravitated towards sock. Obviously, as I got older, but was definitely like, multi, short athlete played basketball in high school as well, and M, and then obviously, you know, went on and played in high school college, and then obviously in the coaching world Now. So M, but no, it's Uh, currently the head mens coach at Loyola, and just really excited about the project that we have going on. Um, honored to be a part of the Graham. Honored to continue to try to move this thing forward and continue to find success. So, but that's just a little bit about my, my background.

paul_roach:

All right? thanks, thanks very much, Graham. How about yourself?

graham:

Yeah, a little different than Steve. Born in Dublin, Ireland. You know, grew up over there. My dad was a coach playing like Gaelic football, soccer, those types of things. Came to Chicago age of 12, jumped into the American sports, basketball, baseball, that kind of stuff. But always was kind of staying with soccer and then soccer in high school. Then fortunate enough to end up at Loyola playing soccer there. and kind of always felt like a coach, even as a player sitting on the bench or on the field. Just, you know, probably, you know, seeing my dad as a coach and he coached also like amateur league here in Chicago as well. So just always around coaching. And after Loyola, I worked in finance, Chicago Board of Trade and kind of done early afternoon with that job, so I was always coaching youth up in Wilmet, my early 20s. then got into like older college age players, teams, kind of my late 20s, and just kind of progressed from getting Roosevelt as my first head coaching job in 2012, and then came back to Loyola in spring of 20, just going on three years now back at Loyola.

paul_roach:

I think that's really interesting. I know a lot of people. Wonder how do you get into the college coaching profession? Know whether it's basketball or sack or or whatever. It just seems like such a. There's so many players who graduate every year and there's so few coaches. Uh, Interesting to hear how you did it. How did you do it, Steve. How do you move from player into coach?

steve_bode:

Yeah, it's it's really competitive pool, you know, especially in division one. M. I was really fortunate. Honestly, Um, you know, when I attended University Wisconsin, Milwaukee, When I was done there was drafted by the Chicago Fire. The dream came true for me that you know, I think most college players want to try to get a chance of professional When into training camp Got injured In training camp Quickly had to make a decision. Okay, where do I go from? Her And my previous college coach who is now at Market University called me and said Steve. There's a job opening here as an assistant. M. Would you? Would you like to basically join the staff? Um, So I didn't intend to jump into coaching at twenty three years old. That just kind of that was a great opportunity that came my way at a time that I thought. No, I'm goin to try to play for five years, seven years as long as possible. But anyway, then, being probably the best thing that happened to me at that time, to jump into a divisional one school and start my coaching career and then went to grad school at Marquette at that same time. So it's just learning a lot like learning in the classroom, learning on the field. growing. Um. you know, it kind of set me up to just continue to to you know, move on and and O know. So that's really from the player to coach, Um segue that I took, and similar to gram. S. like I just always felt when I was a player, I tried to look at the game like a coach. I was a center back. I was trying to analyze the game. I tried to take a leadership role on the field, so it just was a natural segu from player to coach. It felt natural based on my background.

paul_roach:

Well, it's amazing how you took what was probably the worst event of your entire athletic career and you know, just turned it into an opportunity and then re directed and got back up on your feet and struck out in a new direction.

steve_bode:

No, absolutely

paul_roach:

It must have been awful day, though, when you got injured,

steve_bode:

No, it was. it was. Yeah and again, it's part of the sport right. And so it's it's again. You know, one door closed and another one opened. And and you know again, I was fortunate and happy about it at the end of the day.

paul_roach:

So how as a coach? how is your mind set different? Not not just necessarily yours, but any coaches mind set going to be different from a player's mindset,

graham:

I mean, for me, it's you're probably you're about a lot more big picture. You know, you're you're I mean, there's I guess layers and layers of things always kind of going through your head of what you're trying to. Not necessarily control, but maybe control and then plan out things that might be coming that are expected down or even unexpected down the road. But like as far as like tactics and those types of things. Yeah, it's it's I always try to equate soccer as a game of chess that 11. guys are playing chess together against 11 guys that are playing chess together and with only one ball. And it's, you know, our job is to try and get our 11 sort of on the same page with a framework and plan of how we want to do things through, you know, kind of principles, roles and responsibilities with positions. And then at the same time, it is soccer's artwork and the players got to go do it and be creative. trying to win in the end. So where I think maybe as a player, you're doing a lot of that, but a lot of it then is just down to the individual and kind of what you can control.

paul_roach:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, what's your? What's your schedule like as a coach throughout the year, or maybe through the season? Other seasons

steve_bode:

Yeah,

paul_roach:

for you as well.

steve_bode:

For sure, Yeah, you know, in college coaches are unique. I think differently from youth coaches, different from pro coaches, and that it's very much like the Fall season is our main competition season, So that means essentially from August till hopefully late November. December. it's extremely busy. Um, all hands on deck. everything from like pre season leading up to this season to one to two games a week. M. you know, you're training Six days a week. If you're not playing, Um, and it's travel, it's it's. It's very, very hectic congested

paul_roach:

It's got to

steve_bode:

and

paul_roach:

be

steve_bode:

that,

paul_roach:

hard on the family,

steve_bode:

Yes, it can be. It can be for sure. For sure. We both you know, married, have kids. and and I think we do our best to try to you know, include them, and in all of this you know, it's it's a choice. It's a life choice. There's a lot of sacrifice and coaching. You know, just time. Why? So it's how can we include them in the, and you know, get to know the players and staff and all of that. So we definitely try to do that. so it's a lot. It's a lot. the spring season is not quite as busy in hectic, So Like the months we're in right now, January, February were limited to how much we can do with the team, so a little bit more flexibility. But then things will ramp up again in March and April, because we'll get back to to really that six days a week on the field rhythm and then we get to play five games. So um, yeah, that's essentially. what? What it looks like?

paul_roach:

And then every day of the year is a recruiting day as well, isn't it?

steve_bode:

Yes,

graham:

pretty much.

paul_roach:

How does that work? Is that gram? is that more your role, or is that both of your roles equally? Or do you

graham:

Not.

paul_roach:

have a field of fifty talent scouts out there? Come

graham:

Yeah,

paul_roach:

in the youth leagues.

graham:

I mean, we have our own spreadsheets, you know, and working documents. We kind of have a master list. And then, you know, I think early on, between myself, Steve and Cal Mouse, the other assistant, we're kind of divvying the group out between the three of us. And then as we're kind of getting more and more interest, Steve will kind of take the lead primarily with somebody, you know, if I started with him, I'm still kind of in the loop. But our recruiting process is, I'd say, a short recruiting process with any recruits, three months. There could be six months. It could be a year. We're seeing somebody play each probably five times, so 15 between

paul_roach:

Wow,

graham:

a staff, especially if they're local. You got different showcase events and things like that to make it a little bit easier. But yeah, it's just kind of what we all do. There's so many recruits, Paul. There's so many emails every day. transfers, local kids. I mean, if we say we're going to an event, we'll probably get 50 emails prior to that event with

paul_roach:

Wow,

graham:

kids that are either. So it's just...

paul_roach:

Well, you know I, I still have a year of eligibility left, but I think at fifty five I might have lost a step or two.

graham:

Well, what position? We were looking for, we're looking to fill about two more spots.

paul_roach:

M. Well, I was normally center half

graham:

I think we're full there.

paul_roach:

All

steve_bode:

Yeah,

paul_roach:

right,

steve_bode:

we're pretty

paul_roach:

All right,

graham:

Yeah, you're safe,

paul_roach:

All right,

graham:

you're safe.

paul_roach:

All right. one last one last question on coaching before we move on. If that's all right is I know. people always kind of wonder what is the community of coaches like amongst yourselves when there's none when there's none of us around and nobody else around. What's that community? like you know, you got to play each other and it's a pitch battle on the field. But then after the game do you you know, go back to Hanging out again Or how does that work? There's a

steve_bode:

Correct.

paul_roach:

Bug's Bunny episode I remember of I think, The The Chicken Hawk And about anyway, we'll skip Bugs Bunny.

steve_bode:

Grab you one. take this one.

graham:

Yeah, I mean, I guess Paul's like you, you're, I'd say 99% of the time, like you're pretty good friends with the other coaches. You know, like Steve said, there's only 207 division one programs. So it's not, there's not thousands and thousands of guys out there, but, you know, obviously depending on like Chicago guys, you know pretty well, I live next to UIC. I had good relationship with their staff, 10, 15 years, especially from my previous school. But like even now, like St. Louis, the St. Louis assistant, I'd call him one of my very close friends and we would, prior to us going to the A10, we'd probably talk once a week. Now it's maybe every two weeks. Don't

steve_bode:

M.

graham:

wanna

paul_roach:

Wow,

graham:

give up

paul_roach:

Yeah,

graham:

too much info, but and we support each other. He was there very much like, they wanted us in the tournament, makes the A10 look good, makes them look good. But yeah, maybe less phone calls the week or two prior to playing a particular program. And then you

paul_roach:

Right.

graham:

pick

paul_roach:

you

graham:

it

paul_roach:

don't

graham:

back

paul_roach:

want to

graham:

up.

paul_roach:

slip.

graham:

Yeah.

paul_roach:

All right.

graham:

Yeah.

paul_roach:

Well, what? what would you say? Why should a kid consider playing college sports? It's such an investment and it's such a completely engrossing commitment. You know, if you're trying to talk some kid into playing, let's say he's a great athlete or she is. And but they're burnt out. They're not sure if they want to play in college. What would you? What would you tell him?

steve_bode:

I tell them, don't do it unless you're all in.

paul_roach:

Yeah,

steve_bode:

You know, unless you really want to do it, you know, and it's like we talk a lot in the recruiting presses about like Just it's like two full time job school socker and that's not even like a social life right, so I think it's like you got to love it. You got to love it. You got to be into it. You got to be passionate about it if you really want to do it. Because the reality is like division one. There's other options. You know. I mean, Division three is also like Great option. It's not as intense as Division one. Like our guys are working extremely hard right now. In January and February, we're not even playing any games, but they're doing

paul_roach:

Hm,

steve_bode:

stuff days a week. weight room on the field, trying to get better Division three, most division three schools, for example, are not doing that, so yeah, I guess I would say is like you got to love it because the ability to burn out is always going to be there. Um, you know, but I think I think again, as Coaches we try to like make it fun to make it competitive. Have perspective. especially these times a year of like, we're going to work hard. We're going to push these guys, but also also make it fun. Um, so, but now I think it's I think it's there's so many. I mean, we all experience what it was like, you know. And and there's so much like from a comradery friendship, lifelong. Um, you know you're the team. There's nothing Like you know. The feeling that I go back to like even from twenty twenty two is like the feeling at Saint Louis, on the field all together where we're just like all exhausted, you know, but we're just trying to keep pushing through all together to make it happen, you know, and that's

paul_roach:

Yeah,

steve_bode:

like such a powerful feeling you don't get. I mean, it's hard to replicate that normal life you know, just like, but you feel it, and it's an amazing thing to be a part of when when you get that

paul_roach:

Well, that's awesome and it's a great seguet for the focus I wanted to have for our discussion today, which is you know, the the issue of soft skills and character development, and my, my personal thought on on that is kids go to school. They learn the technical aspects of whatever. They're gonna need to know, whether it's business or you know, pre health, pre law, whatever. But where do they learn all the character Rats you know, such as resilience and team work, and and commitment like that has to come from somewhere else and businesses are currently all saying, Oh, we need more soft skills. we need more soft skills, And I think of four years on a college team as sort of like a four year graduate seminar or four year laboratory in building, You know, character development issues like perseverance and team work and determination and precision, And and I wanted to ex, Or how you guys address that subject with your players? Like How do you build that in a person? Because it isn't something that you can just say. All right, you know, we're going to teach you perseverance today.

graham:

True, true Paul. But I think for us, like what helps us a little bit with that is just the recruitment process on the front end

paul_roach:

Yeah,

graham:

of just trying to really bring in guys that are well-rounded, good students, good athletes from good families. Again, that recruiting process that's three months, six months, it's really trying to get that part right on the front end. that these guys would have maybe a lot of these traits or some of them already starting to cultivate. And then we're gonna try and push that along and pull that out. Maybe Steve can get into like even our team monitors and those types of things, which help us with that too.

steve_bode:

For sure. Yeah, I think it's yeah. this, this like word emotional intelligence comes to mind, You know. it's know these soft scales. It's yeah. we're always trying to find ways to to help the guys you know push, push them along in these areas. And yeah, I can see why businesses would want this. I think there's there's a huge, You know, lack of it. You know, there can be a lack of it. We, you know, twenty twenty two, we talked as a staff and we talked about the direction of the program. One of the ways that we wanted to try to really bring the team together. Have a mantra. Um, and we call it like team first, And really it's not rocket science. It's exactly what it's supposed to be, but we felt Though the team needed. Um, you know, twenty eight, eighteen to twenty two year old young men, egos that all want to have the glory and success. We get it. We've been there,

paul_roach:

Yeah,

steve_bode:

but the fact is the most successful college teams, in my opinion, was the ones that can come together. work together. put the team before the individual and buy into that and that's hard to get them to buy into that, But kind of over emphasising it to make a point of Okay, If we can. If we can do this, we can really try to push each other. Someone else scores. The success comes to that individual. They're as happy as the other guy. Okay, One way, I think that we, that that looked that team first mentality came about was when we scored. You probably noticed that a lot of times we would celebrate as a team.

paul_roach:

Yeah,

steve_bode:

Now, my

paul_roach:

yeah,

steve_bode:

critlyso, Running ahead, you know, to the corner flag, you know, but in the guy, but like celebrating as a team versus the okay. P. L. look at. Look at the name on the back of the shirt, you know, and it's all for for the individual glory. So just one example that we try to just pull that out. And I think that leads to character belt development because at the end of the day it's try to be that selfless. How do I get that selfless nature out? Because I am a part of a team which shall be a part. A business may be down the road. Um. and how can I be the best you know, individual cog within the bigger. Um, you know machine. If that makes sense,

paul_roach:

Oh yeah, yeah, very much. And you know there's a inherent tension or dynamic where the player has to invest so much by themselves. You know. It's all this stuff that you do in the off season. It's all the things you're doing when the coaches aren't around that determine whether you're going to make the team or start on the field. You're you're doing extra stretching. You're doing extra sprinting, You're doing extra weight lifting. All of that stuff. that's all by yourself, and then you get on the field and it's like okay. Now forget about yourself. You're just a team mate, you know, And it's uh, you have to concentrate so hard on yourself to get there. But then once you're on the field, you got to be selfless Interesting problems. so when you're recruiting, how much would you say those soft skills impact your decisions like, let's say you've got a tremendous player. I can think of some kids that I grew up playing against who were some of the best players in the country, But they had so many Behavior problems that people didn't didn't want to deal with him. You know, I was talking with Steve Watson last night at. There was a loyal Rome event and at the basketball game and he was there talking and he was seeing how great his job is because across all the different sports, all the people recruited and playing are such great individuals and the doing great at school And there you know good people. He felt like he was the luckiest athletic director in the country. Well at he. That's what he's telling us. Yeah,

steve_bode:

What do you think, Grant?

graham:

No, I think, you know, I mean, an easy way to put it is like, if recruit like is you just see it on the field, like, are they a captain? You know, like, again, a lot of a lot of, you know, guys are recruiting, we know their coaches pretty well, and we're calling them for their input. You know, you're talking with the recruit and his parents. But I think a lot of it is just trusting ourselves and our experience and seeing them on the field, seeing them at a training. talk with them if it's in person on a Zoom. And just yeah, just doing enough homework to make sure we're getting it right.

paul_roach:

Well, I really want to move into this subject of of this, you know, is a captain in the leadership. The soft skills as a term was, was first developed in the U S Army in nineteen sixty or so, and they were looking for. You know, Aside from the technical aspects, how how can you lead people, whether it's into combat or you know whatever else you're doing, And then me as a military guy. I've always been interested in that. How do you guys In terms of looking for leadership traits? And how do you think you identify a leader? Like, what are the characteristics you're looking for? And then on the field? how do you? Maybe I'm asking too many questions at once, but how do you? as coaches, take the leash off and let them lead and not lead from the sidelines. Because you know there's only so much space, and if you're doing the leading, they can't, and if they're not leading, you have to.

steve_bode:

I think From the recruiting side of things, Paul, it's not an exact science for sure, Right And and we can, we always are like. Can we do more to find out more family background? Talk to a high school councilor. You know, stuff that's not even like, Go and watch them play and their ability on the field. But like, what's their character like Off the field. What's their ability to persevere through difficulty in a class or you know whatever it is? So we're always trying to do as much Homework as we can. The reality is as we just can never do enough. Um,

paul_roach:

Hm.

steve_bode:

like Gram said, though is like a lot of times we are developing relationships with this recruit and family over three, six, sometimes year, So it's assessing that, what's the background they're coming from And then what are they like you know, And what makes some tick? What's their character? Like All that kind of stuff, So we do that intentional building the relationship to kind of like All right. Is this going to be a good Fit or not? You know? And and so, but at the end of the day is you know? it's not exact, and we get it wrong is as well at times. But is he a leader on the field? even if he's not a captain, are others following him? You know like

paul_roach:

Hm,

steve_bode:

what is his personality on the field? Does he communicate? Is he you know? verbally non verbally. That's something you know, is he? I think a lot of times it's like for me, like leading is modeling right. Like you know, There's traits, but like at the end of the day for us as coaches. If you kind of go now to that is like, how are we modeling the behavior that we want to see out of the players? You know, Because we set the standards. So what does that look like? Are we giving a picture that you know as much as like they're going to follow what we say. Ten percent of the time

paul_roach:

Yeah,

steve_bode:

seems like

paul_roach:

at least ten, yeah,

steve_bode:

right, maybe fifteen. you know, Spaniards. five percent,

paul_roach:

Uh,

steve_bode:

you know.

paul_roach:

uh,

steve_bode:

it's as T is like what we do, you know, and how we do it. And okay, you know, just setting the standard of modeling that and then if we're modeling it well, I think it's going to be more effective on the field what we're trying to get across, And the guys are seeing that at the end of the day, it's hard as a coach. If you're not modeling. It is like all right, coach. But what about you? You know you're not doing it, So why should I do it? And

paul_roach:

Yeah,

steve_bode:

that's that's natural. So

paul_roach:

How

steve_bode:

yeah,

paul_roach:

do you pick? How do you pick a captain or an assistant captain? Is it just something that you innately sense, or do you have a process?

steve_bode:

So I think every team is a little different, Paul. I think that. So give you an example. what we've been doing at Loyal. We have a leadership council and you know a group of, let's say five to seven players that we've picked That might that might be from Okay are assessment of the players as a staff. like First, Who are guys that Okay guys are following guys are gravitating towards. For whatever reasons it is age all that, then it's feedback from the players individu Meeting. Say who do you respect most on the team? who do you look up to most? Okay now we have the players telling us this play. This players come up four times now in meetings. Okay, now we're getting that feedback. So then we kind of like form this leadership council, then from the leadership council, which tends to be kind of like different ages and classes throughout the team. Then we end up saying Okay now from a leadership standpoint who's actually wearing the arm band? What makes most Sense for each team? You could probably build off that grand. but that's kind of how we've done it. You know, at least up until now at Loyola

graham:

Yeah, I think I mean even with Steve likes it to be at the top one or two guys, you know So we're just trying to influence one or two rather than the group of five or seven, you know We meet with the five or seven maybe once or twice a month and get their full You know opinion buy-in that those types of things but it's really like Those those maybe those older players have you know put in a lot into the program in their previous two three years You can see they're kind of natural leaders that players look to and follow. They're also good on the field. I think that's, it's not a requirement, but it definitely helps a lot that they're better players, top guys that have maybe been a starter for a couple of years type of thing and kind of with these things. They model that every day in training, they give you 110%. And it's how they treat their teammates as well. Steve's done a good job with certain guys that they might need to tweak a thing or two and he's been good at guiding them and giving them reminders of like, be a bit more aware maybe of this or that thing.

paul_roach:

I imagine who who you pick really influences the character of of the of the team? You know, if you've got a leader, who who folds and starts getting angry at the first time they're fouled or something, versus somebody who's a lot calmer and more determined, probably impacts everybody else.

steve_bode:

For sure. For sure. Yeah, I mean, we went with Billy, hence, and Mark Tereus, for example, last year, and Billy much more models. By what he does on the field, You know, in terms of his talent, you need a goal. He's probably going to step up and give it to you in the locker room, and, and even just like vocally, he's not like you wouldn't say like, Oh, he's a clear leader, clear captain, you know, and even Billy West

paul_roach:

Hm,

steve_bode:

say that himself. you know. So we try to help him. like With those soft skills and like, Hey, like what you say on the field and how you do this is going to impact your teammates, Younger guys. They look to you with all that kind of stuff. Mark, Teres, maybe has a little bit more carisma and a little bit more of that kind of natural leadership. From the standpoint of communication, How he um gets his teammates to buy in? He's kind of a glue guy. I call him. like guys gravitate towards him off the field like Let's play cards together. You know, He's just kind of more

paul_roach:

Hm,

steve_bode:

like that. He's also a junior. Oh, wait, we're going to need leadership for next year. Let's plan for the future. Okay, now he's a senior. Okay now, it's not like starting all over again.

paul_roach:

Yeah,

steve_bode:

Plan, you know, and cultivate those guys as they're younger, and identify Okay as a sofhmore or junior. Okay, even freshman, like where they act, they have leadership traits. How can we help cultivate that as they get older, to keep The leadership machine moving forward?

paul_roach:

And you know that's a. That's a subject. I'd like to expand a little bit more, and unpack is the maturation of players. You know, whether it's on the field or like For us in the military, you'll have a junior officer who is you know, got to grow and evolve into a field grade officer. Some day, you know, first a company officer, then field grade, and then maybe even senior. So with the freshman, Soften junior senior, do you guys see a characteristic pat Of growth or is everybody doing their developing at their own rate? You know. Is there something that you can say? Oh, that's typical of a freshman, or that's typical of a junior. Or is it much more individualized than than that?

graham:

I mean, for me, I think you could say stuff is typical of a freshman just because they're like thrown in the deep end. You know, you're 18 years old, you've just moved away from home, you're probably like maybe failing for the first time of your soccer career, like you're the best guy in your team, probably the best guy around, and then, oh, I'm playing with these 21, 22 year old guys, they're very good too, and now I'm not playing, so I gotta deal with that. the mental side of that as well. But I think like what I've seen the guys is like, bit through time, a bit through kind of maybe their overall level of maturity individually, there's just that, there's kind of that, there's always a progression, but some is just more accelerated than others. And then it's like how quickly can they get comfortable in the environment and then really be who they are. If they're always nervous, they're always kind of struggling, they can settle, If they get that confidence, and we've seen it with some of these freshmen now just from how they were in the fall to the spring, that they've already kind of learned from the fall, put it behind them, and they're performing at a higher level already here in the spring. Yeah, not as much. It's not as stressful, but it sort of is. They want to play well. They want to show every day, and you can already see the growth kind of starting to accelerate a little bit.

paul_roach:

Excellent? Excellent, thanks. very much. So you know, let's say you're a high school player. listening to this and you want to. You want to get better in that you know I want to be more of a leader. You know, I'm I'm wondering. there probably isn't any sort of off the shelf thing that they can tap into. There's no book they can buy or anything, but either of you have any. I don't know if it would be examples, or you know what could a high school player athlete do if they want to grow in that regard? Like I can even remember my own self. I know, Led on the field. Really, until college, you know, just, I never saw that as as my role. Even in high school I just played. I didn't really think of the other guys as much might show. That Might show on a little self centered or something. I don't know. But what would you? Is there anything that you can point to or you? Just like No, You've got to just sort of figure it out on your own.

steve_bode:

Yeah, I'm trying to think back on my high school. You know career. I had a coach and went to Jesuit high school Market University High school, M, old school kind of militant style coach. Um. but he put me in a position as like a softmore to be a captain, and like I was kind of thrust into that role. Um, you know, and I didn't know. Like you said Well, I didn't know. Like What am I supposed to do here as a captain, But obviously he saw something in me and put me in a position to be a leader. you know, And so I just think it's like a lot of times it's like you know. it's getting different experiences. Um, I think leadership in high school or whatever age you are is like How well do you know yourself, you know, and how like The self awareness piece Is just so important. Becaus If you don't have that and you're not working towards that how you're gonna be able to have perspective for others, like lead others, so that I think comes through different experiences and sets of experiences. Probably like all three of us have had, even just going through like jesuit schools of like, I'm going to do a service project and I'm going to go. You know, Like experience, you know, helping a soup kitchen or whatever you're like, Whoa, this is like. I didn't even know this exists. What does that mean In trying to process through that? you know, I think even that kind of stuff off the field helps you. Then you know as a high school player on the field. Okay, all right now, I have a little bit more perspective of who I am in that whole development as a person. so that's kind of where my mind goes to it when when you bring that up ball,

paul_roach:

It's interesting like you can't just target it directly. Like, like you can't say. I'm going to learn how to be happy. You have to. You can't just say I'm being happy. Now you know you got to do everything else except I think with the leadership too, you're like you're describing. You want to learn how to lead first. Go help somebody out of a soup kitchen or something. That's at least the Jesuit kind of mentality.

steve_bode:

Hm,

paul_roach:

All right, Well, let's say you're the dean of a university and you have to make a decision about athletics. Let's say you're talking to the dean or the president, you know, and you're You're arguing for an athletic program in terms of the dean's priorities, not not in terms of the school. So so what can you tell the dean like? Oh, you should really have a sacre team Because we're going to do all this for the school Or basketball or women's golf. or you know, swimming. In terms of building, the dean is trying to raise all these good citizens, and in your trying to help the dean raise these good citizens, you know what I mean. So if if this question makes any sense, like how do you, how do you approach the dean and say yeah, We're important. we build people. You know, We are creating better graduates in X Y and Z dimension. I thought of this.

graham:

back to earlier in the podcast when you're saying the businesses are looking for these athletes. You know, it's

paul_roach:

Yeah,

graham:

like,

paul_roach:

yeah,

graham:

it's that environment that the athletics creates that, you know, allows these kids to fail and get up again and go again and persevere and have teammates to, you know, help them in their struggles and coaches when they're struggling. And it's like Steve said, it's not easy. It's a grind. So like, you're I think it would be a lot easier at any university to get up in the morning, go to class, go home, do your homework, and have all that time. Our guys right now are in the weight room at 7 a.m., get done with training and everything at 11, so there's five hours already of the day gone and then have to manage

paul_roach:

Wow,

graham:

the rest of the thing. So those, our guys in particular, they're coming out ready for the real world to some degree.

paul_roach:

Yeah, that's that's incredible discipline. A bit more disciplined than I know. I was back at that age.

graham:

Times have changed.

paul_roach:

Yeah, really. really. All right. Well, for my last, my last question will be Will make it L U specific. in terms of these soft skills and character trade, development and leadership development. Is there anything that you guys do at Liola, that might be secret industry secret? You don't want to tell. But maybe you do that you feel makes you guys special. Makes you different from any other program.

steve_bode:

Yeah, well, I just go back to some of the things we were talking about. You know this team first mentality. I don't know if every program is doing that, you know, and trying to intentionally bring the team together, and and you know, form this selfless all in for each other. Um, you know, we do really try to cultivate these guys off the field as much as we are on the field. It's we're dedicated to that. It's Loyola's way. But it's our way to. So you know, and I just think Paul. the reality is is like, Professional sucker is the dream for a lot of these guys. But the reality is it's even some of the most talented players in college. They're not going to get and achieve that dream. That's okay. That's okay like it's it's It's all right, Because then they're going to be set up for a business or go to law school. Be a doctor. Whatever it is, it's still. It's valuable, you know experiences that they're going to take into the real world, So Um, now we're realistic with that, you know, and we're not like a soccer factory. You know, I come here because that mean you're going to be a pro. No, there's not a guarantee that we've had prose. We're going to continue to have prose. We want that talented players. But at the same time it in Magali got the opportunity right and said, Now, listen soccer for me. That was a part My life. Now I'm going to go down this path, you know, and that's awesome to we. We like. Yeah, promote that and want that just as much as if it's just all about the pro path, So I think that's unique.

paul_roach:

All right, very cool gram. Any

graham:

Yeah,

paul_roach:

any actual thoughts?

graham:

Steve also brought in an outside speaker that focused on leadership and team bonding and selflessness and those things. So it was all, and we met with this guy, you know, probably in person four or five times and he would check in after certain games with emails and follow-ups and, you know, a different voice, you know, echoing a lot of what we were saying, but presented maybe a little differently and kind of. pointed points throughout kind of last spring and into the fall. And I'd say it is, it is an industry secret, but he does work with a lot of teams. So,

paul_roach:

Yeah,

steve_bode:

Oh,

graham:

and he's had some success, but it definitely benefited our guys at different points of the year.

paul_roach:

Well, they had a great year this past year. Congratulations on that. well, all right,

steve_bode:

Thanks.

paul_roach:

ladies and gentlemen, Thanks very much for tuning in. and if you have any questions or what not, please just write at letters at Paul Brian Roach dot com at P, l, B, r, a n, r, a c, h, dot com. I want to say a warm thank you to Gram and Steve for joining us in and sharing some of the wisdom and experience that you got on these subjects.

steve_bode:

Thanks for having us, Paul.

graham:

Thanks Paul, see you out in the field soon.

paul_roach:

Yeah, all right, I'll get stretched out. I mean, maybe that last year of eligibility I can still capitalize.

graham:

Keep an eye out.