by Charlie Adams, StokeTheFireWithin.com
Coaches,
For the last few months here I have been writing about how Herb Brooks recruited in college, assembled the Miracle on Ice team, and about how they were able to record the greatest moment in United States sports history.
This week I wanted to write to you about why I am so passionate about sharing their whole story.
I followed sports closely for 40 years and have been in it professionally for 30 as a sports anchor, writer and seminar leader. Along the way it hit me that with the Miracle on Ice being such a gigantic accomplishment, that story needs to be thoroughly researched so that coaches and players of today can continue to learn from it.
I have never found a story as fascinating as not only theirs, but the back story of Lake Placid, New York. In all my years of speaking, I have never seen audiences moved to such emotions while learning the whole story. There is great power in their journey.
Along the way it hit me that the audience that would benefit most from this would be college coaches and athletes. While those in corporate America don’t quite get the intensity of coach Herb Brooks, college coaches do. And sometimes we think so much about Herb and the Miracle on Ice, that we forget that this guy takes over an 8-24 University of Minnesota team and in two years has them NCAA D1 National Champions. In seven years, he won three of those. Imagine if he had stayed their 25 years? He would have probably won more national titles than John Wooden
did at UCLA.
College coaches, especially younger ones, can benefit greatly from knowing how Herb went from Insurance Sales to totally overhauling a college program to recruiting in ways years ahead of his time to marketing his program to packed crowds.
I think college athletes can be inspired by the remarkable work ethic of those 20 players from 1980. One player would do a full varsity practice at Minnesota-Duluth and then a full jv practice and then skate on loosely tied shoes after those two practices. College athletes can also be inspired by the 1980 teams total commitment to team. They had big egos,
but no ego problems. Their superstar backup goalie Steve Janaszak never played a second in Lake Placid, yet humbly sharpened the skates of teammates in between periods. Mike Eruzione’s leadership at captain was nothing short of historic.
I think why this connects so much to college athletic departments today is that back then Herb went with college players, average age 20. That they beat the Soviet dynasty team (with 4 of the 6 greatest hockey players ever on it) is staggering. The thing is, it was NOT A MIRACLE! It was earned. After learning how they did it, you will come away feeling there is nothing you cannot overcome or nothing you cannot do as a program.
The first Talk I ever gave was in May of 1980, three months after their run. I have delivered over 3000 since, and am on a mission with this one because of several reasons. It is loaded with timeless wisdom and inspiration for today’s college programs. Also, if we are not careful, the story will start to fade. It has been 35 years. I often find college athletes that don’t know about it, that even missed the movie Miracle.
I have a program where I come in and thoroughly describe to coaches how the whole thing happened, and one that I deliver with it that is for athletes. I look forward to bringing this to your athletic department!
“Our jaws were dropped after our coaches and athletes heard this program. Our athletes soaked up every bit of it. Charlie has a powerful program. It is one every college coach and athlete should learn from!” Mike Lightfoot, Bethel College men’s basketball coach (NAIA Hall of Fame and over 650 wins in 25 seasons)
For more information on bringing Charlie Adam’s “More Than A Miracle” program to you Athletic Department visit his website here.