In this episode, Phil and Greg interview Coach Brian Smith, who has been the head coach of the University of Missouri (Mizzou) Wrestling program for 25 years. When he started, the program was in need of significant reform. He implemented a philosophy entitled “Tiger Style,” which helped turn things around. Tiger Style is all about doing the little things right, being respectful, and taking on leadership roles.

Taking risks can lead to great rewards if things fall into place, as they did for Coach Smith. He looks for athletes that fit the "Tiger Style" mold; this includes placing at national tournaments, having good academics, and being a great teammate. He has found that this formula leads to success.

Listen to the show to hear Coach Smith emphasize the importance of growth mindset. Find out what kind of language he uses with his team and discover why he believes that relationships are also the key to success in any business.

Keypoints:

1. ∙ Mizzou’s Wrestling Coach Brian Smith is the 2022 Big 12 Coach of the year. Brian has coached 29 All Americans, six Tigers to nine national championships, two Olympians, and won 11 straight conference championships. With a .746 career winning percentage, he is the winningest coach in program history.
2. ∙ In 1998, Coach Smith took over an unranked program and turned it into a powerhouse.  
3. ∙ After three or four years of hard work, the program was noticeably different.  
4. ∙ Because the program needed a lot of improvement when he arrived, he took a lot of short steps over a long period of time to elevate it. At Sea Captain Coaching, we call this One-Degree Shift.  
5. ∙ There are approximately 550 student athletes who are part of the University of Missouri’s athletic programs, and Coach Smith makes a concerted effort to collaborate with the coaches of the other sports as well as the Athletic Director.  

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