What We Can Learn From John Calipari Leaving Memphis

I, like a lot of Memphians this week, was surprised to learn that John Calipari considered and eventually accepted the University of Kentucky position as head basketball coach. With Coach Cal leaving, the high school recruits are deciding to go elsewhere and many of the former players are considering transferring or taking a shot at the NBA.

The University of Memphis is now in a tough situation because they want to keep their basketball status that has been built. The U of M would like to be considered a powerhouse in basketball with its rich tradition of doing well in multiple eras. However, the coaching prospects are not excited about coaching in the Conference USA nor do they believe that Memphis has the status that say, University of North Carolina has.

So, what can we learn from this from a fitness and health standpoint? First, I believe that Memphis depended on John Calipari too much and allowed him to do pretty much whatever he wanted. To relate this to fitness, do not put so much responsibility on your personal trainer that if something happens, you cannot continue to do the Power of 5 concepts on your own, at least to some degree. Currently, I give a lot of my clients responsibility to do some exercise and most nutritional components on their own so they do NOT have to depend on me every single session. This way I know that clients are empowered with the correct information to do things on their own. It is indeed the information that is important, not me simply looking over their shoulder and counting to 10 for 3 sets. If Memphis would have taken more responsibility for the contracts of the coach and players, they would not have let Calipari and the players have such an easy way out, which has left Memphis twiddling its thumbs trying to figure out what to do.

The other point I want to make is finding a way to do fitness for the long haul not in little short-term durations. It is important to have micro-goals, but the bigger picture is what is important when it comes to fitness. Now, Memphis has to find a coach that will be there for Memphis not to use it simply as a stepping-stone. Finding a wow-coach is great, but the coach needs to see the potential of Memphis, not just a job to get to greener, or in this case bluer, pastures. Your health and fitness goals need to be focused on the long haul so you can defy current aging and disease trends while looking and feeling great. Find a personal trainer that has been in your shoes and someone who genuinely cares. Don’t find some trainer who is trying to simply make a buck on their natural genetics and who is looking for the next great thing.

I believe I have the best clients in the city of Memphis, not because of their natural genetics, but because of their ability to take the necessary information and apply to achieve great things. I simply provide the information. This is what the University of Memphis needs: a person who sees what Memphis can do and let them work hard to achieve outstanding results.

Be Better,

Dexter