"FAILING FORWARD"

2007-08-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

"FAILING FORWARD"

A JOHN MAXWELL LEADERSHIP CONCEPT
BY
HARRY MAHOOD

“Dedicated to the players, coaches, fans and supporters of the
2001-02 Phoenix Polar Bears”

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up” Thomas Edison

There is no doubt in my mind that there are many ways to be a winner, but there is really only one way to be a loser and that is to fail and not look beyond the failure.
April 16 2002 will live with me and the 2001-02 Phoenix Polar Bears Tier 2 Junior Team for the rest of our lives.
On August 16 2001 a special group of players, coaches and supporters began a journey to capture a league championship and a national championship. It began with an “ALL BUSINESS” player meeting August 16, 2001.

The coaching staff presented a plan in great detail. The plan described the goals and expectations of the upcoming season. The players would be required to lay down all personal goals for the accomplishment of a special collective reward. In our meeting we talked about character, dedication, sacrifice, courage, challenging each other, leadership, preparation, fitness, respect, not accepting failure, raising our standards, leaving comfort zones, playing with pain, managing school, managing family, managing friends, leading a healthy life style, being pro active, parking distractions, energizing ourselves daily, staying focused on the process, seeing ourselves as champions and more than anything there was no room for anyone who was living life in between, “you were either in our you were out.”

As we moved into the season, the question was not, “what if we have problems? – but rather how are we going to deal with our problems when they arise?” Were we going to FAIL BACKWARD OR FAIL FORWARD?

“Most teams train for success when they should be training for failure. Unfortunately failure is far more common than success.” John Maxwell

Early in November 2001 I received a call on my cell phone from one our top forwards, who we were counting on to lead and score. He said, “Hoody I think I need new line mates, my current line has no chemistry.” It was our first crisis of the young season and one that if not managed properly could have a big impact on our team’s success. Rammer had lost patience and was losing confidence and FAILING BACKWARDS. I said to Rammer that there is no way we are changing lines without our top player having a positive attitude and providing leadership everyday. Furthermore, he should stop thinking and start shooting the puck under the bar. Rammer was forced to face his fears and grow as a player. Rammer went on to score a remarkable 165 points in 70 games, tops in the United States for Junior Hockey. What Happened? What was different? How did Rammer FAIL FORWARD, rather than BACKWARD. Well to begin with Rammer finally stopped blaming others and started to take responsibility. He stopped repeating mistakes and started learning from them. He recognized that failure is a part of progress. He developed a positive attitude and was determined to never fail again. He was a player who was previously stereotyped and wanted to challenge outdated assumptions about his play. He started to take risks and was no longer limited by his mistakes and more importantly, Rammer did not quit, he persevered.
Rammer together with our other team captains (Josh Joles, Evan Johnson & Nick Karastamatis) led our team to a perfect regular season record of 38-0. This leadership continued into the play offs with 4 straight wins as we captured our first WSHL Tier 2 Junior Hockey Championship. Our league championship earned us a place in the 2002 National Tournament as the number 8 seed of eight teams April 12-16, 2002 in Blaine, MN.
Our captains led us to an undefeated round robin at the National Tournament and a convincing 7-1 victory in the National Semi – Final. The table was now set for us to complete our goal and capture a National Championship.
“Fear makes come true, that which one is afraid of.”
Viktor Frankl
A wise coach once said, “for some players, a fear of failure brings about absolute paralysis.”
We started the National Final game against the Metro Jets from Detroit with absolute paralysis. We played tentative and without emotion and trailed 1-0 after the first period. I was completely devastated that our undefeated team was playing with fear. I’ve never been much of a table flipper, garbage can kicker or water jug thrower, but I was that night between the first and second period. I was not going to let this team fail backwards, NOT NOW.
Three minutes into the second period we tied the game on a great pass by Rammer. We battled 10 minutes short handed and lost one our top defenseman to a marginal check from behind penalty call. We continued to FAIL FORWARD by killing all penalties and scoring a power play goal about 8 minutes into the third period. There we were, 12 minutes away from our goal.
At the 11 & 12 minute mark of the third period the Metro Jets scored two of the strangest and quickest goals from broken plays in the neutral zone that gave them a 3-2 lead that we could not overcome this night. They were deserving National Champions but so were we. I have been involved in a few, end of the season cry fests, but nothing like this. Every player, family member and fan was crying as hard as I have ever seen a group cry. The hard part for me as the Head Coach was to address the team in the locker room and hold my emotions. I told the players that we were going to FAIL FORWARD together and no one should point their finger or take sole responsibility for this loss. We were a family and had climbed the mountain together and as head of the family I would shoulder the responsibility.
“the things which hurt, instruct”
Ben Franklin

The experiences of athletes and coaches will send them in one of two directions. They will experience a BREAKDOWN OR A BREAKTHROUGH. My hope as a coach is that my player’s will take this as a learning experience, but also lead them to ACTION.

There comes a moment that defines winning from losing. The true WARRIOR understands and seizes the moment by giving an effort so intensive and intuitive that it could be called one from the HEART.

I believe that the next time my players and coaches of the 2001-02 Phoenix Polar Bears encounter such a moment, individually or as part of a group, that they will act from their HEART with intuition and intensity that will allow them to grasp the golden ring.
Lastly to all my players and those who have failed! GET UP, GET OVER IT AND GET IT GOING!
THANKS FOR A SEASON TO REMEMBER!!
2003 POST SCRIPT
As many know the Phoenix Polar Bears won a second league title in 2003 and went on to win the National Championship as well. 14 members of the 2002 season had an opportunity to fail forward. Tyler Ramsey was part of the coaching staff and never let the players forget about the formula for FAILING FORWARD.

Since this season the Polar Bears have captured the WSHL League Titles in 2003-2004-2005-2007 and have qualified for the National Tournament for 6 straight seasons (2002-2007).

HOODY'S HOCKEY BLOG

"FAILING FORWARD"