Life Lessons from Deion Sanders A.K.A. Coach Prime: I Believe!

The school bell has rung, class is now in session.

After watching Coach Prime’s press conference, four things resonated with me that he spoke about:

1. Life Experience
2. Coaching
3. Same Devil, Different Level
4. Do you Believe?

Life Experience

Anyone who has followed Deion Sanders’s football career, know that he is consistent, and follows through with what he starts. Since taking the Head Football Coaching Position at the University of Colorado, all eyes were on him, and typical “Prime Time” style, he handled it with poise, grace, and trash-talking.

During his press conference, he reminded the audience,

“I got receipts, I know who they are,” Sanders said of his critics. “I tried to tell you [about Travis Hunter] but you didn’t want to believe me, because I’m just a lofty old young coach. I don’t know nothing about football. I just played in the NFL for 14. Played at a high level in college for four. And been coaching youth all the way up for a long time. How do you think we got Dylan Edwards? I coached him when he was 4-7 years old. That’s why we got Dylan Edwards.”

TCU Article by Ryan Osborne

When coaching others, you are taking the skills and experiences you have learned along the way and using them to sharpen others. Coach Prime reminded his critics that he coached and played on different levels, and attributed some of his team’s success to that.

Life Coach Reference

I think of Coaching overall the same way. Life Coaches, Instructional Coaches, Job Coaches come to the table with expertise, and use their human capital to work alongside of those they support to sharpen their skills and performance.

Coaching

Having been a star athlete, Coach Prime had been coached most of his life. Often times athletes that are coachable, become great coaches. I have been watching Coach Prime’s coaching career since he began coaching at the elementary level, and was so excited when he accepted the offer at The University of Colorado. I have seen those he coached flourish, and looked forward to seeing what he would do with The Colorado Buffaloes.

Life Coaching Reference

Not only star athletes, but many different people have coaches for various reasons. Coaches are utilized to help identify and fine-tune areas of improvement that are needed, areas that are hard to see. When open to the process of coaching, success is inevitable.

Same Devil, Different Level

As Coach Prime shared about coaching at different levels, he made a reference that he was not shocked about his opposition because he had experienced it from the bottom, up. He said, “Same devil, different level.” This spiritual reference sheds light on how a believer can switch organizations, schools, careers and locations, but still experience adverse situations from the enemy.

The Book of Peter has a passage to describe this beautifully,

Life Coaching Reference

It is good to be reminded that no matter how kind you are, and how much you know, there will always be an adversary that rises up against you. Being curious is a way to combat this, asking questions from the source instead of inquiring second and third hand information. Speaking to the source usually clears up confusion. In the meantime, continue to be you, do your best and do not allow your adversary to change your movements. Coach Prime went in and faced the giants, never faltering from who he was as a person. We can learn a valuable lesson by doing the same.

Do you Believe?

During the press conference, Coach Prime periodically referred to their team motto, “I believe.” He told his team to trust the coaching process and believe. Some went in believing, while others did not. He also asked different people in the audience if they believed yet, and if they hesitated, he would reply, “I can see you still don’t believe, but that is ok, next question.” I loved that he did not let their lack of belief determine his outcome. He said after the win against TCU, he bet more people are believing now than they had before.

Life Coaching Reference

As we push forward in our own personal life’s work, we have to make sure we believe in ourselves, and in our purpose no matter what the naysayers, say. Opposition will arise, but continue to keep your eye on the goal. If you remind yourself that you have the expertise, and remain coachable, you will be successful!

The school bell has rung, class dismissed.