Coach Withers Introduces “Life Lessons Thursdays”
Way back when we were in school, our favorite Thursday tradition might have been Dime Drafts at JM’s. Ever the innovator, Coach Withers has introduced a new Thursday tradition for the JMU football program that should be much more impactful that cheap Natty Lite. It’s called Life Lessons Thursdays and it centers around successful JMU alums speaking to the team about life after football. It’s one of those ideas that is so simple, you wonder why nobody has thought of it before.
The video above gives you a brief overview of the program. Essentially, it connects some of JMU’s most successful alums with some of its most visible (and hardest working) students. It’s a complete win-win and an example of how alums and students should be interacting all the time. Well done Coach Withers, well done.
The more I read about the changes Coach Withers is making, the more excited I am about the present and future of the JMU football program both on and off the field. It’s no secret that both had slipped recently towards the end of Coach Matthews tenure. Some of these changes that Coach Withers is implementing seem so simple when looked at them after the fact from an outsiders perspective, and it has me wondering, is he and his staff really that innovative? Is this a byproduct of his years of exposure at higher levels of the NCAA? Or is this simply the way things are done now and these were critical missing pieces to the program that had been under the same leadership for over a decade and may have become blinded to it’s own deterioration by past success? Either way, I’m glad to see the improvements. Stories like these are a welcome departure from recent off seasons full of off campus incidents and disciplinary issues.
Awesome idea. Withers has already transformed this program and jmu without coaching a down. Can’t wait for Saturday football
Great idea to get the athletes to focus on success in all areas of their lives and to think about their long term futures. Bravo Coach Withers!! I think this team is going to be the “surprise” of FCS football this fall just like the 2004 team that was unranked in the pre-season.
Great ideas and implementation by Coach Withers. Way to think about preparing them for life after football and to take advantage of all JMU has to offer. Already a winner and has not coached a game yet.
Coach Withers keeps amazing me. He has a vision for his players to be successful on the field and off. he may not have coached a game yet but he is already a Winner! Looking for ward to the start of this season.
This is a fantastic idea.