Kevin and Brenita Jackson are a husband and wife team who work together to offer coaching in sports, business and life. KBJ believes in empowering people to win in their mind, body and spirit!
One thing that I always enjoyed about playing sports was being apart of something that was bigger than me. I truly believe that anyone who has ever been apart of a team, understands how that dynamic can help you get through the highs and lows of life. You draw closer together during loss and you celebrate with each other when you succeed. Things that seem impossible alone, become attainable when we know someone is there to support us. It becomes your community.
As we continue to grow older, we move at times and join new communities. We have some people leave our communities. I believe one of the most valuable things we can create in any job, school or neighborhood is to establish a sense of community. When you have a community, you have unity. You have people who care for one another. You will also have people that support you even when you feel like giving up. The best part about a community is that you are never alone. You have people that look forward to seeing you and miss you when you are gone. Who doesn't want to belong to a community? We were created to connect with one another.
We at KBJ Academy are working on building our community and we want you to know what we are doing. Your support is appreciated by both of us - Kevin & Brenita Jackson. We want to support your business, family, work, church or school just as much as you have for us.
How can we stay connected? You can E-mail us at kbjacademy to subscribe to our e-mail list. You can also connect with us on Facebook. Also you can call or text 469-844-8KBJ anytime. Thank you again for supporting the KBJ community!
One of the most under-appreciated acts of preparation in the work place today is training. If you think about the typical year for an athlete, they spend all year long preparing for just a few games where they will actually perform. With each college basketball season, teams have 30 guaranteed games to play. The amount of training that goes into preparing players for the season is happens daily throughout the year!
College Basketball Season Breakdown:
Off Season: May - July
Weekly Individual Training; Weekly Team Practices; Weekly Weight Training and Conditioning
Pre-Season: August - October
Daily Individual Training; Daily Team Practices; Daily Weight Training and Conditioning
Season: November - March
Daily Team Practices; Team Meetings with Scouting Reports and Game Plans; Weight Training a couple days per week; Games twice a week or more
Post Season: March - April
This is the time of the year every team has prepared for. PLAY OFFS! Win or go home. The teams that win - advance in the regional and national tournaments. This is the most important time of the year to every team.
My question is, what if we prepared our employees in the same way that coaches prepare their athletes? What if training our team of employees took priority to leadership all over this world? Our businesses would thrive if they were being conditioned the way that athletes are. Companies would have much higher morale and unity among their staff members IF the value in training was understood the way coaches use it.
Think about it. Coaches never schedule a game without first practicing. So as a business owner, you cannot expect to put an employee on the job and expect high performance regardless of their experience or background without training them first. No matter someone's credentials, they still need training on your company's expectations and processes. As a coach, we don't say "this player was an All-American in high school so she/he doesn't need to practice." Those kids still need to learn our way of playing the game. They need to learn our system.
In conclusion, I encourage all companies/businesses to review their value in training their employees with the following strategies:
Train like a coach: Training should be consistent and practical. Make each expectation clear and concise to your subordinates. Coaches need to be present and engaged at all practices just like managers should be. Keep expectations fair and attainable.
Lead by example: Do not expect your subordinates to be organized and meet deadlines if you do not first give them all the necessary tools to succeed. You cannot expect a person to make lemonade out of bananas - so give them what they need which is your example to them.
Give Feedback: In a post back in November, we published a blog about feedback and the proper way to execute Feedback. Please read the entire post, but the overall theme with feedback is to not to give constructive criticism because it is still criticism. Instead, the objective is to feed them the knowledge or insight necessary to complete the task. Remind yourself that they are not to the level of comprehension that you are - so be patient with them. You are a teacher of the sport so teach and re-teach them what you know.
Affirm the good behavior to see it be replicated and reciprocated: I'm telling you what I know! When you give affirmations of correct actions, you will see it again and again. Others will do it because they want to hear the same affirmations. It will be reciprocated when players start seeing each other do the right things and acknowledge one another in their right actions. I even had players tell me during a time out "good play coach." This is the affirmation being reciprocated because I have set a tone that we don't just correct, we also uplift! In running a business, your employees will mirror the behavior that is affirmed as correct. Their confidence will increase as you acknowledge what they are doing right. Still give necessary correction through teaching and training, but acknowledge what they have done correctly.
Today was a blessing to see another chapter or KBJ Academy unfold. This new chapter is called The Right Size Shoe which teaches young girls to trust God in all circumstances. We are aware that young people are pressured by society to fit in. We want to empower them to find their identity in Christ where they can find all confidence and reassurance in what God has created them to be.
If you want more information on the #TRSS mentor program developed by KBJ Academy, visit the following link. #TRSS
With March Madness in Full Swing and the Final Four Basketball Championship soon approaching, I wanted to put out a post that speaks to my passion for basketball. My love for the game started over 17 years ago and one skill that always stuck with me is Rebounding. I was taught by my first coach, that no matter how tall or small you might be, ANYBODY can rebound. So I set my mind to rebound as a player.
A rebound is what we call a missed shot. So after every missed shot, there is a rebound that players battle to get to. I learned quickly, that by keeping my eyes on the ball, I was able to see the rebound quickly and get to it before anyone else. I was taught by my coach in high school to assume every shot is a miss - so pursue the basketball expecting to get the rebound. This strategy stuck with me even into coaching. As a coach, I studied some of the best teams in the country - Tennessee's dynasty with Pat Summit was a great rebounding team. UConn's dynasty under Geno Auriemma is still a great rebounding team. These are just two of my favorite programs to study and watch play because they rebound so well. I began to develop my rebounding philosophy and teach the craft in much greater detail. These are the steps and techniques that can help any team improve by Rebounding to Win:
See the man and the ball at the same time!
Say "SHOT" on every shot to remind your body and your teammates.
Box out by putting your body on your opponent's body with two hands high in the air.
Pursue the ball with two hands and two feet (Explode up and Land on Balance).
Finish it by chinning it strong with elbows out.
These five basic steps will lead to better rebounding. We would practice rebounding everyday, during every drill. As sure as shots are going up, rebounds are coming down. We need to train our body to get to every rebound first. Our goal was - no rebounds hit the ground! If it does, we are not working!
To wrap up, I want to incorporate these same techniques into every day life because I believe that sports are a great way to teach life skills. Lets say you take a "shot" which will simulate going to work, or maybe start a new job, take a test at school, or practice learning a new instrument. In every thing we do, we may or may not succeed in it. Let's say you go to work and get hit with a new project that seems overwhelming and you are off to a rocky start. So in this situation, you can't just give up, walk away and give it to someone else to do. You have to "Rebound" the missed assignment. Let's break it down:
See your daily routine and your new project at the same time.
Say "I can do this" to remind yourself that you were given the task, because you can do it!
Box out any doubt in your mind that could prevent you from getting it right this time.
Pursue the project with confidence and commitment that you will succeed.
Finish it by reviewing and asking for help if you need it.
We all "MISS" sometimes in life, but don't give up and just walk away from what was meant for you! Reevaluate your positioning, stance and timing then go back after it with these simple steps. I hope you all continue to persevere on in life and remember to Rebound to Win!
KBJ Academy is so humbled and thankful for all our supporters that believed God to do a mighty work through us. It is with your help that we can move the Kingdom forward! Our upcoming event Revamped for God's glory is currently sold out and only by the grace of God are we even able to have this event. We have been chosen by the King of Kings and Revamped for His glory!
If you want to be added to our mailing list to learn about future events so you do not miss out --- please email kbjacademy@gmail.com so we can connect.
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In the game of basketball, the game between two opponents is and forever will be about who outscores who when the game is over. Now with that being said, both opponents need to play some DEFENSE when one is on offense trying to limit their opponent's scoring to help with being called the winner at the end of the game because they outscored the other. Defense takes pride, commitment, technique, will, and mentality if you want to be a good defender and when watching a game, if any of these are lacking in one individual or a team, the score of a game will reflect that.
There is an ART to playing defense that can come out to be a beautiful picture when executed the right way. My wife and I when we ran different programs started everything we wanted to do on the basketball court behind the bases of defense. Our motto "You can't score unless you have the ball!" We taught our players without telling them this specifically but training their mentality first to think these three things when it comes to defense:1. Guard the ball. 2. What's our technique? 3. What's our scheme?
Notice I said, Guard the ball for #1. It's a big difference between guarding the ball and guarding your man. Some coaches use the term, "guard your man" when trying to tell their players to guard the ball. Players understanding concepts were very big keys for us, so we talked and taught in a way of such thing. Guarding the ball meant to our players, that if you are guarding someone who currently has the ball, then you are guarding the ball, eyes on ball using your technique to move with the ball. Guarding your man refers to if you are guarding some one currently without the ball. Now #2, What's your technique, simply is the defensive techniques you teach in whatever defensive scheme you are running from one possession to the next. For example, if you are defending the ball at the top of the key in a man defense, are you forcing the ball handler left or right sideline to baseline? #3, What's your scheme, simply means what kind of defense we are playing during one possession or another and the actions we are doing out of them. For example, in a 2-3 zone defense are we trapping in the corners or just playing an area? All of these things would help us paint the picture for our players so they can display the artwork on the court.
For coaches out there, I want to give some tips you can use with your team to prepare them to make some great DEFENSIVE ART on the court:
1. Make sure your players are conditioned to play the style of defense you want to play. They are not going to play 40 min of press defense if they are only conditioned to play 2-3 zone all game.
2. Make sure your players understand the style, concepts, techniques, and the schemes in the defenses you want to run in the game. Remember, a player's understanding is not just from them saying they understand but also showing they do.
3. Make your defensive practices become a mentality for your players so it becomes their habitat.
These tips along with a lot of other things my wife and I implemented within our programs helped us produce some great DEFENSIVE ART that led to a lot of success and I hope some of these things can help you as well.
Sunday, March 12, 2017
We have a special Announcement!
Our podcasts are now available on itunes under KBJ Academy! To God be the glory for this opportunity and we give Him all the honor and praise.
We ask that you subscribe, listen and share the podcasts with someone you know. Give us your feedback on your thoughts!
We are piloting a 4 week podcast called Hoops with KBJ Sunday nights where we will talk all things BASKETBALL!!! Tune in on spreaker, Facebook live or itunes!
Coffee with KBJ cranks back up Monday, April 3 at 7:30 pm. Season 2 is going to get you fueled up for work! Get your coffee mug, take pictures and tag us! We love to see your support!
I have written several times about unity focusing on the value of it. In today's selfie taking, social media liking society --- we tend to think we can do things by ourselves. I can even say I fell victim to this when I first started in business management that I can get things done better if I do it myself. What I found was that I was overworking myself, getting frustrated and not embracing the potential team I had around me. So I had to make changes within myself to get rid of the "I can do this better by myself" mentality to begin to find ways to use those around me to their strengths.
I recently spoke to a group of start-up businesses owners here in the North Dallas area and gave them some simple business strategies that will help them win in their entrepreneurial journey. I decided that the struggles I experienced were not just for me to improve, but once I share them with others --- they could avoid them and have success! So one main strategy I learned and want to share with you is the value of a SWOT analysis.
Many businesses use a SWOT analysis to evaluate all aspects of their business operations and I actually used this concept with each team I coached and staff I managed. The SWOT analysis helps you get an authentic evaluation of your team which goes hand in hand with goal setting. I believe that goal setting is imperative to the team to understand the little steps we need to accomplish today in order to fulfill the vision at the end of this season.
This video is something we use to break the ice in regards to team building and it really helps set the tone for our team building retreats. This video gives animation to the basic concept players must commit to in order to have a "Successful Team." Success is measured by your team's goals, desires and what they are willing to sacrifice. You define what success looks like to you.
One thing in particular that I want to focus on for the point of this post is the part where it says that each person brings their BEST GIFT to the team. How can we measure what is someone's best gift? Coaches, I implore you to have your team perform a SWOT analysis of themselves and each other. We have done this anonymously to see what players thing about each other and we have done this openly where players get to hear what their teammates think their strengths are.
Our locker rooms were always a safe place where we told our teams there was no judgement, no negative talk about our sisters and absolutely no laughing at other's individuality. I wanted to make sure our team environment first embraced diversity before we went deeper to allow an open forum for evaluations. It is so necessary for growth and confidence building because most of our role players would struggle when they were the best player in high school and now they are being asked to focus on a specific role. When we would have these SWOT analysis meetings and have each player talk about or write down the strengths of their teammates - you would be surprised how low they think of themselves. So this is a time to openly correct and give feedback to the lack of confidence. This is a time to empower your players to know how valuable they are not only to you - but to their sisters.
First we would start with evaluating each player's individual Strengths. We would have them write down their thoughts, then we would share. Next we would address their Weaknesses. Now this part can be hard for some players because they don't want their "friend" to be mad at them but I would always explain that becoming aware of what we need to work on is apart of growing so if you say it with love, then you are helping her. This also helped us as coaches see where our team's IQ was and how realistic they were.
After this, I would have the individual tell the team based on what she just heard, what opportunities can she think of that she can take advantage of to help our team win? The usually gave answers such as "come to the gym early to work on my free throws" or "commit to getting better with my on ball defense." We typically had real and authentic answers during this portion and for a moment they girls were vulnerable which allowed us all to deepen our respect for one another. Finally I would ask what threats can you foresee that could hinder you from bringing your strengths to this team every day and developing your weaknesses? They would usually say answers like "push myself when I want to give up in the weight room" or "make sure I discipline myself to keep working on my shot."
Now the best part about this team building activity is seeing the girls open up, become more aware and increase their confidence in knowing that we ALL have things to work on and we are in this journey together! So as my husband and I have stated so many times before, we believe in teamwork and unity! We believe in working together and bringing everyone's strengths together to make a dynamic team.
The last thing I want to address in recruiting for coaches or even business owners that this SWOT analysis will help you connect with the right people. Knowing and understanding your strengths and weaknesses is so important. When you recruit a staff, make sure you hire people that are strong in areas that your are weak. This will make your team more dynamic and stronger. Understand that you should never fight alone and if you are a leader, develop those around you to identify their strengths so you can operate in your strength. When you prepare others to effectively do their job - then your job is done!
If you would like some help with team building then I encourage you to reach out to us at kbjacademy@gmail.com for a customized quote within 24 hours to book us. Having a strong team fighting together will cover up deficiencies or lack of talent. Teamwork truly outweighs talent when you can get a group of people on the same page and committed to the goals! Please share this article with someone you know and feel free to like us on FACEBOOK for a chance to win a KBJ Academy coffee mug.
Do you work for someone right now that was elevated without being properly prepared? In the great world of sports, that's one of the greatest pitfalls to see coaches intensely pursuing elevation without proper preparation. The unfortunate reality is, we have countless examples of leaders that were not effectively trained nor prepared for the position they are in and everyone suffers because of it.
I can approach this topic from several angles, but I don't want to just identify problems. I want to stretch your thinking and offer solutions that would help with the problem.
GET PREPARED:
Write down notes 1-2 pages of what you did the FIRST 6-12 months on your job. Include important reminders that you learned the hard way so you can share with others so they do not have the same growing pains as you did. What were your failures? What were your successes?
Identify Key Points of Contacts which are people that are directly connected to you and the things you need. Before I left each program that I coached at, I left a 1 page paper of POC's with their preferred method of contact, for example it looked like this:
Athletic Director: Prefer's E-mail - ABC@XYZ.EDU
*Send him an e-mail with final game schedule and appointment to finalize eligibility
Athletic Secretary: Send E-mail and follow up face to face - ABB@XYZ.EDU
*Send her and Purchase Orders, Room Requests and final game schedule
Academic Advisor: Call (Ext 0990)
*Set up time for individual academic counseling for each player by August 31
Document what works well that you would continue if you were elevated to a higher role, and outline what you think needs to be changed and why. It is important that you identify the why, because it could change. So if the circumstances change, this "good idea" could actually turn into another concept that does not work well. Keep in mind most things start out as a good idea, but as the time changes - we have to be willing to change with them.
Describe in detail your job duties, description and include an annual calendar of your deadlines and expectations. This is what I call a "Season Planner" which is something I have had since 2010 when I got my first head coaching position. This helped me to train, communicate and effectively lead my teams and I still use it to this day with my business. A Season Planner helps you outline peak seasons verses rest seasons. As a business owner, it is important to know supply and demand based on the season we are in. Know the trends of your industry and the same is true for sports. Know the season and what the priorities are during each season.
Last but not least - sit down and define your Core Values. What are the top 5 things that you believe matter most to you and prioritize them. These are your non-negotiables and no matter what opportunity or predicament comes your way - these are things that will not change. It is important that you think of this write it down because as a coach, a player, career person or student, you are going to encounter many people that will try to tell you what you should do and how to do it. You need to have your standards in place because if you don't, one day you will look up and find that you have compromised who you TRULY are.
SPORTS: Within a team, it is necessary to constantly train and develop all players. As the season progresses, you never know what injuries might occur so players need to be equipped to fulfill the missing role as necessary. Any coach that blames losing games in injuries - really is saying "I did not train my back ups to be prepared for elevation when their opportunity came." Train and prepare everyone on your roster because you never know what will happen tomorrow. You must have everyone trained, prepared, equipped and empowered to step up when you need them!
BUSINESS: As far as business management goes, this is something that could tremendously benefit the workplace morale and productivity. Have your staff fully prepared for their current position and talk to them about what you do as their manager. Tell them how long it takes you to prepare and how tough it can be to keep everyone on the same page. Not in a complaining way - but to make those around you aware that you have responsibilities to fulfill, just like they do.
On the flip side, if you do not follow these steps and are elevated without preparation - then your subordinates will not have any respect for you. Without respect, there is no buy in and without buy in, how will you win?
I encourage you to PREPARE TODAY! Thank you for reading and supporting KBJ Academy!
When it comes to the game of basketball and you think of scoring from the guard position, one of the first things that will come to most people's minds is scoring from the 3pt line. Guard play in basketball has become attached to the word "perimeter" especially in todays game because of high volume 3pt shooting. Over the years as a basketball coach, I have always believe that guards have the whole "94ft" to score the basketball and every guard that I have ever coached, I've trained with that mentality.
I know that when it comes to the make-up of a basketball team, every player has a certain role to fulfill. Some players play in the paint, some facilitate, some are go to scorers, some are a specific scoring specialist, or some may be a defensive stopper. When it comes to scoring at the guard position, if you have a willing and capable guard on your team, I believe you should train them to be a well rounded scorer. Even if your guard is a 3pt specialist, they can still develop to be a well rounded scorer. "They will just be a 3pt specialist who can also score from other areas" hints, Klay Thompson from the Golden State Warriors. Klay is the perfect example of a 3pt specialist who can also score in the mid-range, off the dribble, and get to the rim for a layup.
Here are some areas to work on with your guards when it comes to being an all around scorer:
1. Attacking the basket 2. Low Post scoring 3. Mid-Range jumpers 4. 3pt shooting 5. 3pt shooting off penetration 6. Half court shot 7. Full court shot 8. Jump shooting off penetration 9. Attacking basket off a ball screen 10. Jump shooting off a ball screen 11. Pick & Pop 12. Catch & Shoot off down, cross, flare screens
