Five Questions About Leadership and Legacies

1. What aspect of college dodgeball made you want to captain an NCDA team?
College dodgeball offers a team camaraderie that can’t be found in any other sport. Until I played in a college game, I never fully understood the importance of teamwork and good communication. When you’ve got red rubber projectiles flying at your head at upwards of 60 mph, you have to play as a family if you want to survive. Everyone has to be on the same page. Playing every game with this type of mentality helps build strong friendships with your teammates. I love my players and play this great game for them.

2. What are the main principles that you emphasize to your team?
In keeping with the spirit of dodgeball, I’ve always stressed two important principles to my players. The first is to have fun. Yes, we’re going to work hard during practice so we can keep improving and win games. But at the same time, we’re playing college dodgeball. We don’t get rings or shoe deals for being the best. There’s a fine line between being competitive and being obsessed, and I think we toe that line pretty well at WKU. The second principle is taking care of our teammates. I treat my team like a big family. On or off the court, I want my guys to have each other’s backs.  

3. How do you want your team to remember you after your captaincy is over?
I want my guys to remember me as a big goofball who always acted with their best interests at heart. I have the best teammates in the world and I always strive to be somebody they can respect away from the game. I want my guys to remember how I played the game and the principles I stressed to them in practice. If I can leave that kind of impression with them, I can die a happy man.

4. What characteristics will you look for in your successor?
First and foremost, I want someone who loves the game of dodgeball as much as I do. Having that type of passion can never be undervalued. Second, I want someone that’s a stand-up guy and the type of person that my players can respect. Finally, he has to be someone that’s going to maintain the lighthearted attitude I’ve established with my team. I don’t want us turning into a bunch of slackers or a group of dodgeball Nazis after I’m gone.

5. As a captain, what's your biggest priority for the league going forward?
My biggest priority is recruiting more teams into the NCDA. Before we can accomplish any of our other goals, we must first establish more of a national presence. More schools mean more possibilities. Also, my team cannot improve without opponents in close proximity. Traveling costs money and we’re all ridiculously broke. So to help the league and ourselves, we have to raise up new programs in our state and across the country.