On February 4th, 2017, St. John’s College High School of Washington, DC  achieved something that hadn’t been done in 38 years.  The resilient Varsity wrestling team, led by first-year head coach Cam Watkins, took home their first Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title since 1979.

Why is this significant?  Any time we experience a losing streak, whether in sales, in career advancement, in relationships, or in championships, it becomes increasingly difficult to believe that success is possible.  Sustained futility saps our will to excel and clouds our mindset.

Giving up is not an option.  So how do we begin the process of achieving the “impossible”?  How do we restore faith in ourselves and hope in our team?  Coach Cam Watkins provides a road map for all of us.

Meet Cam Watkins

Before we explore the plan, let’s take a closer look at the man behind the plan.

Cam Watkins was born to wrestle.  One look at him is all you need.  He started wrestling at the age of six.  By the time he turned 10, he was competing in 200 matches per year.  He was passionate.  He was tireless.  He thrived off hard work and grit.

After a successful high school career, Cam went to wrestle at Old Dominion University.  He continued to battle and scrap but became increasingly frustrated with his progress.

After wrestling as a backup for three years, Cam returned his senior year determined to reclaim the top spot.  He was in the best shape of his life mentally and physically.  But two weeks into his final season he suffered a devastating elbow injury requiring screws to put his bones back in place.  That was the last time he ever competitively wrestled.

One Door Closes, Another Opens

Cam graduated and prepared for a life beyond wrestling.  Little did he know, his most meaningful days in wrestling were ahead of him.

Cam gained new motivation from coaching youth wrestling.  He built a solid program training 60 to 100 future all-stars a year.  His relentless work ethic now inspired an entirely new generation of wrestlers.

When St. John’s approached him about leading their Varsity wrestling program, he didn’t flinch.

“I’ll bring you a championship in the first year”, he boldly declared!

The Background

We can’t achieve the impossible alone.  In this case, longtime wrestling coach Karl Danso stayed on to help with the team and remained incredibly loyal and supportive.  Buoyed by this confidence, Cam was able to execute on his goal to end 38 years of frustration.

There is no easy way to roll out a plan for reversing a mindset.  Cam had to throw caution to the wind and trust his instincts.

So what is his 5-Step Plan for ending a losing streak?  And how can we all benefit by applying it to own lives?

1) Instill Grit

Coach Watkins wanted the toughest kids on the team.  His pre-season workouts were grueling and his expectations were incredibly high.  He knew he would lose some wrestlers along the way.  But he would rather go into a match with 8 hard-nosed grapplers than a full complement of softer wrestlers.

He needed the boys to buy into his demanding regimen.  If they could survive the workouts,  they would form the framework of a championship team.  The grit they forged through sweat and survival provided the foundation for the team’s future success.

2) Losing Breeds Winning

Coach Watkins viewed losing as an opportunity.  He did not want his team to be afraid to fail.  He put together a brutal schedule and never shied away from competition.  The emphasis was on the final destination.  If they had to endure adversity along the journey, it would only set them up for future success!

Sure enough, the team experienced devastating defeats.  It was not a linear ride to the championship.  But by embracing the losses and moving forward with determination, they became a fearless group.

And as the pressure built late in the season, the team was able to wrestle with confidence.  And confident, battle-tested wrestlers will not lose!

3) Feel Something Special Happening…AS IT IS HAPPENING!

Midway through the season, the St. John’s Varsity wrestling team walked into practice expecting another excruciating session.  Coach Watkins had something else in mind.  He had printed out an article titled “When Are You Going to Beat the Guy You’re Not supposed to Beat?”  Love it!

Each team member took turns reading out loud.  While the premise of the article focused on perseverance and confidence, one line stuck with the team:

There are moments in your life when you just know something special is happening as it is happening.

Coach Watkins wanted his team to recognize that moment.  That moment needed to be celebrated.  That moment, if seized upon, would be the catalyst they needed to catapult to a championship title.

4) Make It Personal

Toward the end of the season, St. John’s was not living up to their potential.  The kids were performing well individually, but they lacked unity.  Coach Watkins once again shuffled up the practice routine.

Instead of grappling, the wrestlers and coaches each shared a story of overcoming adversity.  Coach Watkins started off with a heart-wrenching story of conquering his fear of public speaking.  Each subsequent story was deeply personal and inspirational.  By the end, the team was in tears and the bonds were formed.

It was a turning point.  The individual aspect of wrestling washed away.  The kids were now fighting for each other.  They were a family.  And they were hungry to win a championship together.

5) BELIEVE

Finally, Coach Watkins needed the kids to believe they could win a championship.  Since this had not been accomplished in 38 years, he had to make it concrete.  He posted two blue-collar, hand-crafted signs on either end of the wrestling room:

Starting with the first day of practice, each player had to touch the sign before they started warm-ups.  It was real.  It was tangible.  The idea became comfortable.  Coach Watkins felt that if you can see your goals, you will believe your goals.  And once you believe,  you will have a much better chance of making it happen!

Putting It All Together

The St. John’s Wrestling team was able to put all the pieces together.

1. They worked hard and showed tremendous grit.
2. They lost early but knew that only brought them one step closer to a win.
3. After an upset victory midway through the season, they recognized something special was happening as it was happening.
4. They came together as a family and made their quest about more than wrestling.  It was personal.  They were in it for each other.
5. And finally, they believed they could do win a championship because they saw and touched their goal every day!

In the end, Coach Cam Watkins and the St. John’s wrestling team accomplished the “impossible”.  They hoisted the championship trophy and celebrated their stunning win with the community.

Wrestlers wrestle.  Coaches coach. And winners win.

What Does This Mean for Us?

Any time we face incredible odds or suffer a series of defeats, we have to summon the courage to keep moving forward.  Perhaps we are struggling to get a start up off the ground.  Perhaps we have inherited a losing sales team.  Perhaps we have been on the short end so many times, our confidence is shattered.

Whatever the struggle, we need stay resilient.

We cannot shy away from hard work.  It is difficult enough to achieve success as it is.  But reversing a losing trend or breaking new ground requires us to double down on our effort and our grit.

And when we suffer defeat, how many of us throw in the towel on our future?  If we want to maximize success in our lives, we have to change our mindset.  Losses are never permanent.  Losses do not define us. If we view them as s stepping stone to success, losing breeds winning.

When we start winning, we must recognize something is special is happening as it is happening.  We take so much for granted.  We need to stay present in the present and celebrate the little victories.   They will lead to big victories!

And if we want to truly create a winning culture, we have to be willing to share our struggles and display empathy for our teammates.  Making it personal elevates the stakes for any team.  When there is a bond that transcends the task at hand, everyone rows together to come out on top.

Finally, we have to be able to visualize success.  What is our goal?  Can we distill it down to a concrete symbol?  Can we see it, touch it, smell it?  If we can, then we have earned the right to believe.  And if we believe, we have a much better chance of achieving success!

We Can All Do It!

It will not be easy.  There will be times of self-doubt. There will be no guarantees of success.  at some point, we will question the journey.

But we all have this championship journey inside of us.  We can all bring that losing streak to an end.

Believe it!  Embrace it!  Shock the world!

Anything is possible.  The path is there for us.  Now let’s go out and make it happen!

Until next week, keep smiling!

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