Kalani Trying to be More Like Bronco

[Cougarfan87]

My first mission president was a disciplinary. He played by the rules. Nothing extra, but he made sure we stuck to was written in the white bible. The mission was successful, but as with all groups, especially 20 year olds, there were many that complained about his rigidness.

My second mission president came in and saw a mission hyper focused on rules. He believed missionary work was more about the spirit and following the whisperings of the HG. The hyper focus on rules was missing the mark. Plenty of missionaries complained upon his arrival of the cold, rules-first demeanor of my first mission president.

So, out went the rules. Instead, the emphasis was on love and principles. If something brought the spirit to you, it was fine. Tabernacle Choir was replaced with Metallica in some cases because Metallica is inspiring for some.

While I see where my second mission president was coming from and I tend to agree with him, telling a bunch of 20 year olds to go with their gut and to do what they feel inspired to do is a recipe for disaster.

Oh, everyone loved the new mission president. But in a matter of months a thriving mission on the verge of dividing went to one of the worst performing missions in Brazil. Before, the only missionaries that returned home early were ones with medical conditions. In a few months after my 2nd mission president, multiple missionaries were sent home for worthiness issues and it continued.

Kalani kind of reminds me of my 2nd mission president. He overreacted. He misinterpreted things. And while his approach may work well with self-motivated, mature adults, it doesn't work with 20 somethings.

Amen. Or as Elder Bednar said, you give your children as much agency as they can handle. The same goes with football players.

[BroncoBot]

interesting take. My first mission president was very relaxed (and he was lifelong military type), but he expected us to go out, work and be diligent. But he wasn't a disciplinarian. We all loved him so much that we did what we were supposed to out of respect for him. No one wanted to let him down. We were consistently one of 2 missions in Europe east area with highest baptism rate. He somehow struck a great balance of free agency and providing clear expectations of conduct. One missionary was sent home for misconduct his entire 3 years. I'm still trying to figure out how he did it.

[Gunk]

interesting take. My first mission president was very relaxed (and he was lifelong military type), but he expected us to go out, work and be diligent. But he wasn't a disciplinarian. We all loved him so much that we did what we were supposed to out of respect for him. No one wanted to let him down. We were consistently one of 2 missions in Europe east area with highest baptism rate. He somehow struck a great balance of free agency and providing clear expectations of conduct. One missionary was sent home for misconduct his entire 3 years. I'm still trying to figure out how he did it.

Sounds like you had a great leader.

His military background probably taught him that he'll get better, happier missionaries by setting a vision and getting people to want to be a part of it, getting soldiers to want to fight for you.

[Fido]

Tabernacle Choir was replaced with Metallica in some cases because Metallica is inspiring for some.

Nothing says "talk to me, Holy Ghost" like Metallica.

[1967cougar]

FWIW (and it probably ain't worth much), I have a friend who coached high school football for about 20 years. He gave it up last year. He said that when he started out, the kids would do whatever the coach asked. If he said, "Drop down and eat dirt," they'd start eating and ask if they could eat more. These days, he said, they look at the coach and tell him to let lost (don't know if I can write "F-off" in this forum).

Different generation; different attitudes. I'm sure that a different attitude, although not that pronounced, is manifest on the collegiate level. I have no answers on how to deal with it. I'm the "eat dirt" kinda coach and I would require 100% compliance with the rules. If not, hit the highway. I sometimes wonder if that would scare off some of the snowflakes our society is mass producing. No matter how tough you are in the gridiron, if you're raised in an entitlement society, some of it has to rub off on you. It takes a different kind of coach these days, I'm guessing. Maybe what made LaVell such a good coach wouldn't work today.

Dunno. Lots of questions. No answers.

[byufan4ever]

I sometimes wonder if that would scare off some of the snowflakes our society is mass producing. No matter how tough you are in the gridiron, if you're raised in an entitlement society, some of it has to rub off on you. It takes a different kind of coach these days, I'm guessing. Maybe what made LaVell such a good coach wouldn't work today.

Dunno. Lots of questions. No answers.

Agree with the entitlement and mass producing of snowflakes in our society today. I'm worried not just for our football program, but for society as a whole...

[mtnradio]

It is exceedingly difficult to change a culture one created. I wish KS lots of luck. There is no doubt that he has a "hammer" in Grimes, who will hold these guys accountable (if allowed to). (Wasn't it Grimes who had the saying that you could coach them as hard as you loved them?) So, who is the defensive "hammer"? I don't believe you can take a coach who was soft one year and have him be an effective hammer the next ... the culture doesn't allow it. If KS is going to try to be a hammer, there will be a problem (that's not his personality anyway).

My next question is: do the players have the confidence in the coaching staff to make the necessary changes? The players in general (as I have heard it) lost confidence in the staff ... and not just the ones who are gone. Changes will be interesting to watch for ...

[Sharper]

It is very tough to change a culture once created. The one thing KS has going for him in this instance is that it's easier when you have something like last year's record to point to as an explanation as to WHY you're changing the culture. It's easier to say, "We sucked last year, so we have to make these changes" and get players to buy in than if there was any argument that it was fine last year.

It didn't work last year and it's so obvious that it didn't work that it helps efforts to make changes this year.

[SpiffCoug]

It is very tough to change a culture once created. The one thing KS has going for him in this instance is that it's easier when you have something like last year's record to point to as an explanation as to WHY you're changing the culture. It's easier to say, "We sucked last year, so we have to make these changes" and get players to buy in than if there was any argument that it was fine last year.

It didn't work last year and it's so obvious that it didn't work that it helps efforts to make changes this year.

With so much turnover in the staff, that will also help with the attempt to change an already created culture.

[Fido]