Leadership is a mindset. Anyone can be a leader as long as they are willing to take action, voice their opinion, be vulnerable, all inclusive, and ready to lead by example.

In my many years of basketball I had one coach who exemplified the qualities of a great leader. He was my eight grade basketball coach and that was one of my most difficult years of playing yet allowed me to grow as a player and person. Every practice our coach had our team run so many down and backs I could hardly keep count. He screamed at us in moments we were not playing as a collective team or not playing with enough heart. While during some of these times it felt unnecessary I knew it was only for the best. He wanted the best out of all of his players and he made sure give us sound advice as to how we could improve upon our mistakes. One of his greatest qualities was his ability to be relatable and be our friends. During some drills he asked us about school or our families. This was crucial because it made us players know he realized we were simply kids trying to enjoy the sport of basketball. His intensity, passion, and understanding of the game and of his players made him one of the best leaders I have been around in my life.

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