Five Standout Moments From On3 CEO Shannon Terry's Episode Of The Turf: Powered By D1
Shannon Terry, CEO of On3 and Rivals, took to The Turf: Powered by D1 to reflect on his career that has pioneered the college athletics recruiting landscape.
His early experience as an athlete in high school and college shaped how he built up these companies and his leadership qualities.
Here are some of the key takeaways from his talk with D1 founder Will Bartholomew:
Watch/Listen to The Turf: Powered By D1 on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
1. Coaches Set The Standard
Terry credited two men as not just coaches, but father figures: his high school coach Bobby Buford and his college coach Don Meyer.
Buford set clear expectations and prepared Terry for the college level, and Meyer took that preparation to another level.
“The success coach Meyer had was from preparation, every day was the biggest day and the biggest game and the biggest play.”
2. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Coach Meyer's culture bled into Terry's, and he believes culture is everything.
He establishes clear guidelines and expectations, and communicates these through entire organizations.
“The mission is everything. And not a mission statement you hang on the wall, but one that you live by.”
3. Leadership Demands Adaptation
Terry recognized that the world of today is different than the one he grew up in, and people have different expectations.
“I wanted to perform because it was built in me and I had a fear of failure. And so, it's a different time now, so adapting to the time now is probably the greatest challenge we have as leaders.”
4. The Best Athletes Are Well Rounded
Early specialization can actually hinder a developing athlete, Terry said.
He recalled a conversation with Andrew Luck's father, Oliver, who said that playing all sports was one of the keys to making a great athlete.
“I think a good basketball player is one that just played everything. Just, backyard two-hand touch, backyard tackle, softball, basketball, baseball, frisbee, you name it.”
5. The Car Ride Home Is More Important Than The Game
“The opportunity for your child on that ride home isn't the performance of that moment. It's 100% the relationship that you guys have together and the life lesson that they're going to actually need when they make mistakes.”
Terry cited unnecessary criticism and parents living vicariously through their children as a major problem for the development of young athletes.
“You should be playing for what sports is meant to be… Everything good thing in my life has come from sports.”
Watch/Listen to The Turf: Powered By D1 on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
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