Full disclosure: I just went to a college football game and questioned why my team kept flipping sides at the quarter instead of the half.
That is my foundational knowledge of football.
So why then would I choose to submit my final paper for my most recent doctoral course on one of the more prominent figures in football today?
To this end, this paper will attempt to review the evolution of Coach Prime’s persona, examining his adept utilization of social media, his motivational tactics, and his unique brand of authenticity as avenues through which he shapes his message and wields influence. It will also investigate how his coaching philosophy resonates with the broader conversation around race, representation, and social responsibility in collegiate athletics.
Cabeen: final Paper for COMMUNICATION AND POWER IN LEARNING SETTINGS
Sometimes to get better at something we do, we need to look at who is doing it the best in other fields. After hours of watching documentaries, scrolling his social media, and reviewing articles on his current and previous coaching positions I found four key aspects of Coach Prime that I can utilize in my own leadership opportunities as an online high school leader.
- Do I want to be liked, or do I want to lead?
“I expect to be great. I expect to do what hasn’t been done. I expect to provoke change.”
Deion Sanders
Too often I can freeze or procrastinate making a decision not because it isn’t right, but because I know I won’t be liked. Coach Prime says many things, much of which won’t get him a 5-star review on Yelp, but what he does say stays true to his calling and commitments on and off the field.
- Own it and move on.
“When we have public success we also have private struggles.”
Deion Sanders
Vulnerability comes before trust. Those you lead will lean into your leadership when you make mistakes, own it, and move on from it. Just watch Coach Prime’s responses on social media after a loss-he owns his part and has a plan for moving forward. How often do we learn more from our mistakes and failures than when a plan is executed without a single flaw? It can be a public faliure, or a private flaw, regardless work towards moving on from it, not sitting too long in it.
- Don’t shy away from social media.
“If you don’t believe in yourself how will somebody else believe in you?”
Deion Sanders
Post-share and celebrate your school’s success. As an online high school principal I am learning that in order for families across the state of Minnesota to know about our school-they need to see it. It could be our most recent #TeenTranslator on TikTok or highlighting our fall activities and athletic scholars, whatever we are posting we are doing it to highlight the incredible opportunities students have in our school as a way to invite others into our virtual classrooms.
- Stay connected to your calling.
“Whenever you make a promise, you have a responsibility to that promise.”
Deoin Sanders
Coach Prime’s unwavering faith is incredible to watch from the TV or his social media feed. To be grounded in the underlying effects power and communication have in leadership, it is essential to start with the impact knowledge has on those who have the power. As a leader we all have power, it is how we choose to use it and for what purpose.
So walking away from this paper, and a little more understanding of the game of football, I have learned a few ways I can build my own leadership capacity and the influence I have to help others.
…….if only I could figure out the difference between a scramble and a blitz.
Want More?
Deion Sanders: The Best Quotes From Prime Time – On3
Sanders, D. (2023, September 17). Deion Sanders: The 2023 60 Minutes Interview [Video interview]. Interviewed by J. Smith. 60 Minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8PSWeRLGXs
Sanders, D. (2022, August 30). The Devil is a Lie. Retrieved from Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ch4pzn6gRqQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=fcc54021-4c92-4650-b0f6-6bc7ffcbaba1
Strahan, C. S.-M.-G. (Producer), & Gleaton, M. (Director). (2023). Coach Prime [Motion Picture].
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