PURPOSE BEYOND THE GAME

By Brock Sawyer, Vision Sporting Goods The turning of the calendar brings with it something powerful—a collective exhale, a clean slate, a chance to reset. For coaches, athletic directors, and student athletes, the new year represents more than just another season ahead. It represents possibility. The Power of Starting Fresh There's a reason why new beginnings resonate so deeply with the human spirit. Throughout Scripture, we see God as the author of fresh starts. "Behold, I

By Brock Sawyer | Vision Sporting Goods The scoreboard will eventually go dark. The crowd will file out. The final whistle will blow on the last game of your career. Whether you're a first-year student athlete just beginning your journey, a veteran coach building a program, or an athletic director shaping the future of competition, this truth remains constant: the game itself is only part of the story. As we approach Christmas, we're reminded of a profound truth that transcen

By Brock Sawyer | Vision Sporting Goods Key Takeaways For Athletic Directors: Winter sports need facility space and budget flexibility for weather-related scheduling challenges Spring sports require access to strength training facilities and early season planning now Mental health resources and academic support systems are critical during finals week Mid-year program reviews in December allow time for meaningful adjustments For Coaches: Winter sports: Focus on smart adjustmen

by Brock Sawyer, Vision Sporting Goods Thank You for Making Us Part of Your Team Every Tuesday, I write about leadership principles that drive success in sports and life. But this week, as we find ourselves in this season of thankfulness, I want to set aside theory and simply say thank you. Leadership isn't just about vision, strategy, or motivation. At its core, leadership is about relationships—the connections we build, the trust we earn, and the communities we serve togeth

As coaches and athletic directors, you're constantly balancing a hundred priorities: practice schedules, game preparation, equipment maintenance, budget constraints, and most importantly, the health and performance of your athletes. In the midst of managing all these moving parts, one of the most impactful investments you can make often gets overlooked until there's a problem—proper hydration and nutrition management. The reality is that dehydration and poor fueling strategie

Photo by Jeffrey F Lin  on Unsplash by Brock Sawyer | Vision Sporting Goods As the season winds down and we approach a time traditionally reserved for thanksgiving, it's worth pausing to reflect on what truly matters in athletics. Beyond the scoreboards, the championships, and the highlight reels lies something far more enduring: the relationships we build, the character we develop, and the gratitude we cultivate along the way. The Foundation of Gratitude "When you wake up ev

by Brock Sawyer, Vision Sporting Goods The alarm pierces the darkness at 5:30 AM. Outside your window, rain hammers against the glass in sheets. The temperature hovers just above freezing. Your bed is warm, your muscles are sore from yesterday's session, and every fiber of your being screams at you to hit snooze. Just this once. Nobody would know. Nobody would blame you. This is the moment. This is where champions are forged. The Uncomfortable Truth About Excellence We love t

“Where no oxen are, the stable is clean, but much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.” — Proverbs 14:4 There’s a verse in Proverbs that doesn’t sound like a leadership lesson at first glance. It sounds… agricultural. Oxen. Stables. Hay. But don’t let the farm talk fool you — this verse is one of the most practical, hard-hitting truths for any team, coach, business, or ministry. Because it’s not really about barns. It’s about growth  — and the mess  that comes with it. Th

You had a vision. You trained hard, set goals, built chemistry, dreamed big. But now the season hasn’t played out the way you hoped....

Winter sports are here—basketball, wrestling, swimming, track, cheer. For some athletes, it’s the start of the season. For others, it’s...

Photo by Michelle Myers  on Unsplash The scoreboard shows you're halfway through the season. The initial excitement has settled into...

Photo by Chris Leipelt  on Unsplash As we gear up for another exciting school year, student-athletes across the country are preparing to...

The summer days are waning, and the echoes of school bells are just around the corner. For student-athletes, back-to-school preparation...

Fall success begins in summer sweat. July mornings come early. The sun hasn’t quite stretched across the sky, but the grind has already...

Every coach has stood at the edge of a field, a gym floor, or a dugout, and wondered: "Am I just preparing them for the next game—or...

“The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.” — Joe Paterno July doesn’t look glamorous. It looks like blistered...

Photo by Jeffrey Betts  on Unsplash While the world waits for back-to-school season to ramp up in August, athletic directors, coaches,...

Photo by Ty Dennis  on Unsplash A good coach draws up plays. A great one draws out purpose. In the fluorescent-lit gymnasiums and...

Photo by Karollyne Videira Hubert  on Unsplash #TeamTuesday | Vision Sporting Goods | Purpose Beyond the Game Every successful play...

In the roaring arenas of sports and the high-pressure rooms of leadership, we often glorify the loudest voices, the flashiest plays, the...