From Scholar Athlete to Author with John Saintignon

The Nidan Test

Where do I begin? I have so much to say yet I want to be right to the point on it. As a coach, it’s those who are under your supervision who must want to come together and prepare and learn from you and then perform. What is under their control? What is not under their control? How do you handle criticism and praise and from who?

What about goal setting or rather what you are fighting for? Last year, when I was coaching in Japan, I had each one of our members of our entire organization bring something that meant something to them and bring it to the center court after practice and we were each going to share what it was, why it meant something to each of us. A real exercise in knowing one another. I shared with them my Black Belt. How I felt that it was a great accomplishment for me at this stage of my life and how I earned it.

What else were you going to go after? This is my next question to them and of course myself. My point guard on my team gave me for Christmas, a Daruma Doll. Usually red and round and made of a special type of Japanese paper, the bodiless head stares with fierce determination. The eyes are left intentionally blank, so that it's up to the user to draw in the pupils. Jo B., told me to draw in one eye, then have the doll stare at you until you complete it and then you can fill in the other eye. The process of using a Daruma doll is simple: Have a goal, wish, or promise to fulfill.

This past Saturday was my test for Nidan rank in Karate which is known as the 2nd degree on your Black Belt. This is a goal that requires commitment no matter at what stage of life you are in. As with any endeavor there is always someone who is better than you and you can try to emulate, and aspire to be like them which will benefit and inspire you. Or you can try to compare yourself and quickly see your inspiration dissipate as you realize that you are unable to do what they can do?

The preparation for this Black Belt began with the decision to do it, which was over a year ago when I was living in Japan. I had to decide that I was going to do this and then keep my word to myself, to honor my agreement to myself. Then I had to see if I had the physical abilities and internal drive to do this. So, I decided on my off days of coaching to undertake several physical activities that I knew would challenge me to see if I wanted to do this: the 4x4x48 hour challenge that I did while in Japan was one. Then upon coming back to USA, waking up at 4:30am and getting out on my bike at 5:30am and cycle 160 miles per week. I had a set back as I contracted Covid and had to take the additional days of quarantine to make sure that everyone that I came in contact with had confidence in seeing me again. Then do my Black Belt classes 2 times per week and as I got closer to my test date, to up that to 5 days of Karate training.

All of this was in my control. My attitude and my effort. What was not in my control was how Sensei

Rick Manos

, Sensei

Brendon Butler

, Sensei

Tony Watterson

, who would sit in judgement of my karate efforts. This is what I know as a Head Coach: I am in charge of preparing my athletes for competition, provide them inspiration, let them see me work alongside them, share with them unique ways of building a team, knowing each of their members of their families in the hopes that this will allow them to do all they can to provide their maximum effort and have a great attitude to work each day. But most importantly is to never see them quit.

On this journey, we were taught by Sensei

Jeffery Quon

who also tested alongside us for his incredible 5th degree. He is so much more advanced that we are, yet we got to see him do all that we did on top of what he had to do which is so admirable as I am sure he could have felt that he was above this rank and especially their requirements. But he believed in us as his students and was with us during our pain and suffering just the same, making sure that he was with us. We couldn’t let him down, nor anyone else that wanted us to achieve, but really, it was up to us to not let each other down.( Sensei George Mobayed, Sensei Kian Sumida and myself.)

What is the power of words? Remember the old saying, “Sticks and stones may hurt my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Not true. Words do hurt. Let me rephrase, it’s not the words, but the meaning that we give it. Think back to those moments when maybe someone compared you to another, it wasn’t the words, really, it was how you interpreted the meaning to you at that given time. Basketball, dating, getting hired for a job, belt advancement is all subjective. What appeals to one person doesn’t to another. The only thing that really is in your control is your own effort and attitude.

Prior to taking this test and in preparation I am certain that all of us heard from that voice inside of us wondering if we were good enough, would the judges think that we would be worthy? Then at the same time those that we wanted to hear from give us a word or two of encouragement to provide us with that added support would come at the right time for each of us, whether it was our friends, a child of ours, a parent, a spouse, or a sibling. Those words would provide us with fuel. It sure did for me! As well as thinking of someone who maybe is struggling with something more than I am about to, like one of my former assistant coaches who is battling cancer treatments, I sure as heck could do it and make him proud of my effort and fight alongside with him as he did for me for many years!

I also have been tremendously inspired by partner, Sensei George Mobayed, who is 60 years old and was so inspirational to me along this journey as I could not have done it without him. We both began at the same time on this journey of becoming a Black Belt and I have been enriched with having him become a family member and my inspiration. A class act individual and a new 2nd Degree Black Belt holder.

So, as I conclude, thank you to everyone, this destination of becoming a Black Belt has been rewarding beyond words. Becoming a Nidan 2nd Degree Black Belt is an added bonus. What have I learned? What I have been imparting on my players: find ways to enjoy the journey, learn about yourself along the way, discover inspiration from music, books, movies, nature, people. Laugh, cry and think deeply about something. Don’t compare yourself to others as you will only be happy with your own effort and attitude toward this endeavor and at the end of the day, I will have been more than just the belt that I wear. I live by the same words I give my teams: Kaizen. It is a Japanese word that means to keep improving day by day. Have a continuous and never-ending improvement attitude and live my life without regrets by giving my best effort and having my best attitude. I can live with the results.

What about you? What are you able to live with? What are you wanting to achieve? Decide.

Gerald Reece: A life worth remembering

Eulogy

All along this life we are helped by those that don't truly recognize what a difference they make in your life.  I had been trying to reach Gerald Reece over the years at various points with no success and then the other day, I get a message from one of his friends that says that Gerald has passed away.

Saddened because I didn't get the chance to talk to him and tell him how important he was in my career.  But I did get to speak with Anthony his friend and asked, "hey how did you get in touch with me, how did you find me?"  He said that ironically they had just purchased my book, Take Your Shot, Make Your Play and read about Gerald and that's how they found me.

Gerald Reece in book

I am about to speak about what Gerald meant to me and more importantly what message that he gave to me and I am sharing with you. I hope you enjoy. 

Gerald Reece Eulogy September 29, 2019

A life worth remembering

Bruce Lee once said, “The key to immortality, is first, to live a life worth remembering!”

I’m going to share with you what I remember from Gerald in his voice as it was told to me during those formidable years that we were together.

I know a lot of people struggle with self-worth and I wish that there was an easy answer to tell you that would be enough to simply be alive.  That being a person makes you valuable and will give you the self-worth that you want.  But you know that is B.S.  At the end of the day, you have to earn that self-worth; you have to decide what is a life that is worth remembering? 

What is a life that is going to give you that sense of self? What are you going to do to have to earn that?  Because you have to earn that.  There is no way to stumble and fumble through life hoping that it will someday add up to something that makes you feel good inside. 

At the end of the day that is the only thing that matters.  How you feel about yourself when you are by yourself.  When there are no distraction, no noise.  Only the sound that is inside your head.  What are you saying?  Do you believe in yourself?  Do you know you can do it?  Have you put in the work?  Because the reality is to become someone that you respect.  It doesn’t matter what the rest of the world thinks.  You can have the love and adoration of every person on this planet and still hate yourself. 

That’s why the only thing that matters is what you and how you think of you.  The only way to get to a life that is worth living that you will judge is worthy is to put in the work.  It’s to do the hard things, to look at what you really want.  Be honest with yourself, if you knew you couldn’t fail what would that be and are you actually doing that or are you afraid you might fail?  That you will embarrass yourself?  Are those the things that affect your decision?  Are those the things that keep you small?  Are those the things that dictate the life you live? 

Because if they are, you are that person that no matter how much other people love you, you’re never going to love yourself.  Because in your heart you know you could be more.  There is something that is in us, inside all of us that pushes us to be the most that we can be. 

I’ve heard it said that Hell is to meet the person you could have been at death and realize that you are not even a shadow of that person.  And that Heaven is to meet the person you could have been and see yourself staring back at you! 

If that’s true and that is the meaning of all of this, then all the fame, money, doesn’t mean anything, what matters is that you have potential and that you do something with that potential!  That is what the meaning of life is:  How can I manifest that potential inside of me into something tangible.  To do something with it.  To create something with it.  

Create something that matters to you. 

Then you are truly living a life that is worth remembering. 

Coach John Saintignon

Pay it Forward

What is this?  We hear of it from time to time.  Pay it forward.  Today I decided what it would mean to me was to call those that helped me along my journey and to let them know how much I appreciate them doing so from the heart. 

In my book, "Take Your Shot, Make Your Play" I wrote in the first chapter that there were those individuals who took you under their wings and helped to shape and guide you along and you may or maynot have even know that.  One of these was my hero/idol, Carlos Serrano. 

I told him how much he impacted my life, how much I admired him and that he gave me the inspiration to fight, to have the look in my eyes with a drive and a determination.  I used to run to the front gate each time I heard him start his motorcycle because I could hear it from across the street.  I loved watching how he would come out of his house, leathers, boots, helmet and a dirt bike that was heaven sent and would just come out with a determination.  You could sense it.  I loved the sight, the sound, the smell of the exhaust. 

Watching him practice for hours was a thing of beauty and inspirational as he was the only one training in the desert on his homemade built track.  He was so committed to being the best that it rubbed off on me.  I wanted to be a motocross racer like him, but my calling was to be a basketball player.  Oddly, he was inspired by me he said today on the phone.  He said he never saw someone who would just go and go and ended up playing a sport where no one thought I could make it.

A brief list of his accomplishments:  Inducted Class of 2012: Hall of Fame

A graduate of Sunnyside High School in 1975, Carlos Serrano became a motocross competitor the following year. His resume is filled with victories before he retired from full-time racing in 1997. He competed on the professional level in Motocross, Supercross, Superbikes and at the International Grand Prix level.

In 1980 Serrano won the Gran Premio Armistad, Mexico’s biggest motocross event. The same year he won the Copa de Cuba 125 and 250 class, Cuba’s most coveted national event. He captured the 1983 Italian International Series.

In the 1990s Serrano began racing stock cars in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series and won numerous main events at Tucson Raceway Park. Since retiring from the travel of motocross, Serrano opened his own business in Tucson in 2001 that specializes in racecar fabrication and set-up that soon expanded into dirt bike and ATV race preparation and suspension tuning.

In January of this year Serrano received the Legends & Heroes Award at the AMA Supercross World Championship at Chase Field in Phoenix, the only rider to receive this award.

From 1991-94 Serrano received a number of awards from NASCAR while competing at Tucson Raceway Park,

Carlos Serrano  Click on this link to see a video interview:

Listen, do yourself a favor.  Give that someone a call, you will brighten up their day, you never know what it can do for you down the line.  Pay it Forward.  I am so happy that I got to speak to my idol this morning and to let him know deep from my heart what he meant to me growing up and to this day.

Respectfully,

John Saintignon

Coaching conversation with Nick Hays

Coaching: 

On this past Sunday I had an activity to do with my son at his high school, Mater Dei.  As I drove to the event I spoke with Mr. Nick Hays.  This gentleman we didn’t know each other before as I reached out to him as I am always in search of knowledge of how to be a better coach, a better leader.

Mr. Hays it turns out grew up in my hometown of Tucson, Arizona so automatically we hit it off and got to talking about the city, etc., before I dug into what I wanted to learn from him.  You see Mr. Hays is a former Navy Seal and I believed that I could learn something from him as another coach in the NBA and NCAA told me to reach out to him.

Mr. Hays has an incredible story, one that I will never forget.  It began with me asking what does it take to be a Seal.  We all think it’s just the “Hell Week” but it takes much more than that.  He stated that you know today we want things quick, there is an App for that, a pill for this, microwave for food.  But the true perspective for him becoming a Seal was this:  boot camp: couple months.  A school for a job: 3 months.  Then N doc: a month long.  Then “Hell Week” for a week, 200 miles, lack of sleep, etc.  Diving 2 months long, 3^rd phase: diving and shooting, 2 months.  You still don’t get to wear the Trident until you learn how to jump out of planes and then Seal Qualifying school which is another 4 to 5 months where you are now doing tactics, then cold weather training in Alaska, then…you get to be a Trident.  But you haven’t proven a thing…only that you’re not going to quit.  Which is really the number 1 thing that you should be proud of. 

At the end, now you join your Seal Team.  Time to train.  There are new guys and experienced guys.  3 or 4 months of professional development, specific training.  Then you work together as a team on various projects, very specific stuff.

A year and half before you ever go out on deployment:  3 or 4 years of preparation before you even step foot on a battlefield. That’s preparation.  That’s what it takes to be elite.

But the best part of this entire conversation was when I asked him, what about as it pertains to me being a coach.  What could you share?  This was where I sat in my car in the parking lot of Mater Dei and literally shed tears because of how powerful this message was to me.

Coach or mentor?  In his first platoon, he shows up cocky.  Not humbled yet, showed up 2 minutes late to morning meeting.  Walks in late, but the platoon leader asks him to stay after the meeting.  He proceeds to tell Nick, not a big deal, but everyone had to wait on him for the meeting but that he wanted him to do him a favor and after all things were done for the day, to fill a backpack anyup to 50 lbs., of weight and run up the tower, 5 stories, 1 time for every guy in the platoon to call it even.  He said he was furious, he has to run up tower, 20 times, he didn’t feel the punishment fit the crime.  But he does anyway…but he is told that he has to do it after the work was done for the day.  That night they had a nightdive routine, late night, recover late at midnight, then clean the equipment, rinse down, etc., by the time that is done, it’s now 1am, and he heads over to the tower but he sees his platoon leader there and he is now livid because he believes the platoon leader is questioning his integrity.  Does he not trust me to do this? 

But as he gets closer he sees his platoon leader with a backpack filled with 50lbs and proceeds to tell Nick, you prepared to do this?  He proceeds to tell Nick, that we are doing this together, your failures are my failures, your successes are my successes.  I’m your leader, we are in this together.  They ran every single flight of stairs for the next couple of hours.  The leader never gave Nick a hard time, they talked about life and he never brought this up to Nick again.  What Nick learned, he grabbed him and made him feel special.  He committed himself as his mentor! 

From that point forth, Nick said that he made every single piece of equipment that he had for any type of training, to be just like his platoon leader.  He trusted him.  He learned about parenting, being a father, about character.  That is what a leader does!

The next thing was great and certainly affirmed what I believe.  Character vs. talent.  I can relate to this as many teams are assigned more to those with talent and not concerned that much with the character too much.  Be concerned more with culture than potential cancer.  Surgery is tough, but it’s better than dying of cancer.  Place a higher value on those that you wish to coach!  Character, teach ability, the ability to work with others, then the sky is the limit.  Then you bring in young talent and they have the influencers above them who will show them the way with the culture. 

These were just a sample of this type of conversation that I try to have almost daily with people in life.

Awesome!

Coach John Saintignon

Coach John Saintignon

Use basketball as a tool to get your education!

This has always been the motto that I have used with our athletes:  Use basketball as a tool to get your education.  And with my professional athletes the direction has always been to get them thinking about what they are going to be doing with their brand to capture all that they can while they are still playing the game.

This type of conversation was incredible yesterday as I heard from those that I have helped who are now seniors to be entering their final seasons.  It was especially rewarding to talk with Kelvin Jones of Creighton University who truly was asking for my help as he opened up his NCAA Division 1, Big East Conference and NCAA Tournament quest today in their opening practice.

We had a great conversation about the future.  What's next?  Big picture?  Career, making a difference, role model, life after basketball.  Being grateful for my advice and wanting to learn more about what comes next.  I tell you it was an incredible experience as I now try to convince those who are high schoolers just to let go of their ego and allow any university to speak to them, to teach their parents how the process truly is and to also not get caught up in the word, "free ride, full scholarship." 

A career versus gear is what I ask them?  What is it you want?  Nice stuff, or a career?  Return back to the university as a proud alumni because while you were there you contributed, made life long relationships and used basketball as a tool and now walk across the stage in May or June with a degree. 

One of the athletes, Ryan Haywood at UC Merced, is hurt.  Has learned how fragile the game can be, yet will be ready come the season.  He has performed, he has become one of the all time leaders in various categories and 1st Team All League, Captain, etc.  But had no hesitation in his voice, when I asked him, are you going to graduate this spring?  YES!

I wish you all the best!  I truly am grateful for allowing me the opportunity to coach then and now into the future!

Coach John Saintignon
www.johnsaintignon.com

To live with Honor, Integrity, Courage: Lessons from the Samurai.

  

So as I was doing my 20 miles on my bike at 530am this morning, I tend to listen to those folks who will inspire me or simply my own music, but this morning I was reviewing the lessons learned from my participation this past weekend in the Samurai Game^®.
The Samurai Game^® is a challenging and psychologically intense simulation game in which participants cross a psychological boundary where they operate under unfamiliar modes of relationship, governance and consequences.

Requiring no special equipment and no advance preparation (other then a willingness to learn), participants in The Samurai Game^® come face to face with their personal integrity, their commitments and habitual ways of dealing with challenges and uncertainty.

Participants in The Samurai Game® find themselves asking…

• When the going gets tough, rules do not easily apply, and the future is unclear—how do I show up as a leader? 
• When distractions are rampant, how do I remain present and focused on what matters most?
• When no one is watching and the consequences are uncertain, do I act with integrity?
• When my team’s integrity is tested to the limits—does it crack or get stronger?
• When I encounter challenges, can I tolerate the discomfort of new learning or do I retreat to the known and familiar?  

The Samurai Game^® allows you to safely cross a border beyond your everyday life, from which you may see yourself, your priorities, your habits with greater clarity. As a simulation game, The Samurai Game^® has rules and consequences, choices and results, risks and rewards–just like life.  But because it’s a simulation, you can make mistakes, explore new ways of being and acting, and learn without all of the risk.  Participants in the Samurai Game^® cultivate awareness, resourcefulness and decisiveness in challenging situations marked by uncertainty, ambiguity and chaos.

The Samurai Game^® involves no significant physical contact.  It simulates the intensity and immediacy of battle, but unfolds within a carefully designed and secure environment, providing participants with countless opportunities for self-reflection and insights that apply to business, government, community and daily life.

Participants in the Samurai Game^® routinely experience…

• The power of team commitment and collaboration
• A new understanding of the value of trust and integrity for leadership performance 
• The difference between “talking the talk” and “walking the walk”
• The power of meeting challenges in a centered and grounded way

I learned so much by observing what it was like to be a team member and reflect to how a member of a team is made to feel.  Everyone on a team is important to the victory in a battle.  Simple things like knowing the names, eye contact, encouragement and valuing all contributions that each warrior contributes.  I went to learn about living, fighting and dying with Honor, Integrity and Courage and came away with countless lessons that I see now each day in all my interactions.  

What a memorable experience.  Search for ways to improve what you do in life.  Seek knowledge, talk to others who have a new and different perspective that you have, to learn.  You never know what it will do for you and can provide you in your future and present moment.

Respectfully,

Coach John Saintignon

www.johnsaintignon.com