Episode 01
A CONVERSATION WITH MARK POPE
RESILIENCE ON AND OFF THE COURT WITH MARK POPE
Mark is a former NBA player and the current head coach of BYU’s men’s basketball team. He was head coach at UVU 2015 and came to BYU in 2019 where he has helped the team achieve record-breaking success.
In our episode we talk about what it’s like being the coach of the team and I was really impressed with Mark’s transparency about the insane highs and lows you go through in his world.
“You get to experience success and failure and unpredictability in front of the whole world… there’s nowhere to hide. It's the real time drama of watching these guys do something inspiring. And the beauty of sport is that it's not scripted. It's completely unpredictable. It's just beautiful.”
We talk about how Mark got to where he is today. I also loved hearing about the backstage experience of directing a team. Lots of great stories and life advice.
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MY TOP 5 TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
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Running is a sport that gives you nowhere to hide. If you don’t work hard, you can’t keep up. It’s a great mentor for athleticism and life since it teaches that you can’t slack off and get the same results as everyone else.
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The biggest disservice you can give anyone is saving them from failure.
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Hard work won’t let you down. Even if the outcome of that work isn’t what you wanted, it will always take you to a better place.
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Being cut down to your core hurts, but it’s usually in those moments that you humble yourself and make the necessary direction changes you need to find success.
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Knowing Jesus is your savior changes everything because in a world that’s constantly changing, it gives you a firm anchor you can always rely on.
Talking to Mark made me want to be a better father for my kids by letting them fail sometimes. It reminded me of the times when I felt cut down to the core and the blessings that brought me. I seriously loved Mark's energy and testimony of Christ.