Episode 14

full
Published on:

17th Nov 2023

Locker Room Talk with Joe Pechota

This week on the Student of the Game podcast, Brad Noll talks with his former college basketball coach, Joe Pechota. Joe is the head men's basketball coach at Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. With years of experience coaching at various levels, Joe Pechoda is known for his dedication to practice and his ability to impact the lives of his players. Brad and Joe discuss the importance of mastering the fundamentals and falling in love with practice. Coach Pechota shares his experiences coaching college basketball and how the lessons he learned on the court can be applied to running a small business or working a nine-to-five job. They also discuss the challenges of transitioning from Division II to Division I and the importance of teamwork and individual roles within a team.


Quotes

  • “As a former player, the most important day is game day. That's a player's day. But practices are something that I take a lot of pride in. Not only how we prepare, but how we teach every single day in practice as well.” -Joe Pechota [04:53]



  • “Parents of young athletes and young kids, a lot of times try to remove adversity from their kid's lives. I think that's foolish. Adversity is the best teacher. ” -Brad Noll [12:13



Guest Social Links

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachjpechota/?hl=en 


Guest Bio

Joe Pechota is in his 12th season as the men's basketball coach at Siena Heights University (SHU), with an overall record of 118-191 and a WHAC mark of 80-141. The 2018-19 season was the team's most successful under his guidance, finishing 17-13 overall and 12-8 in conference play. Pechota has coached notable players, including NAIA All-America Honorable Mentions Keith Jordan Jr. and DeMarco Dickerson, as well as achieving recognition for seven All-WHAC selections, one WHAC All-Defensive, and seven Academic All-WHAC honorees.

Before joining SHU, Pechota spent seven seasons as the head coach at Brescia University, where he led the team to two consecutive Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference finals and coached six players to NAIA All-America honors. His coaching career also includes time at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne, Ferris State, and Alma.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Concordia (1995) and a Master's degree in Sports Administration from Central Michigan (2001). Pechota is married to Angelina and has two daughters, Emma (23) and Claire (8).





Timestamps

[01:09] Coach Pechota’s background and experience as a college basketball coach

[02:58]  Falling in love with practice 

[04:21] Pechota's role and approach to coaching at IPFW 

[07:40] Embracing discomfort and personal growth 

[09:32] Balancing the excitement and challenges of Division One basketball

[13:22] Players taking ownership of their practice

[14:31] Adversity as a great teacher

[17:03] Applying preparation in business 

[20:59] Leading oneself before leading others 

[25:47] Teaching kids the truth about roles and failure 

[33:55] The Champions Compass

[35:52] Pechota shares his definition of winning in the game of life

[43:09] Grind and grace






Noll Team Real Estate

SINCE 2003, Noll Team Real Estate HAS BEEN HELPING PEOPLE IN THE FORT WAYNE AREA FIND THE FREEDOM TO LIVE THE LIFESTYLE THEY WANT.

DESPITE CHANGING MARKETS AND BUSINESS TACTICS, WE HAVE REMAINED TRUE TO THIS BETTER AND IMPROVED BUSINESS MODEL BY FOCUSING ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND SERVING OTHERS IN EVERYTHING WE DO.

WHATEVER STAGE OF LIFE YOU ARE IN, OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE WISDOM AND TOOLS NECESSARY WHEN BUYING OR SELLING A HOME. WE PUT YOU FIRST TO ENSURE AN ENJOYABLE AND PROFITABLE EXPERIENCE.



Show artwork for Student of the Game

About the Podcast

Student of the Game
Unlocking Success: Conversations with Entrepreneurs and Leaders to Inspire Your Journey
Welcome to the Student of the Game Podcast with host, Brad Noll, realtor, entrepreneur, and athlete. This season, Brad will bring you inspiring conversations with accomplished business leaders and entrepreneurs who will share their journeys to success. He will explore the challenges they've faced, the triumphs that made their efforts worthwhile, and the mentors who guided them along the way.
Join us this season as we learn from the best and work together to achieve success in life and business. Let's win TOGETHER.

About your host

Profile picture for Brad Noll

Brad Noll

I grew up a Coach's Kid. The locker room was my classroom. I had many successes personally in basketball, but that wasn't the most fulfilling. My best lessons and experiences all came from being on a team. When my Division 1 basketball career was over, my wife and I decided to start a real estate company. Our goal is to share the lessons we've learned thus far so that we can Help Others WIn.

Like most, we struggled our way through. We had ups and downs. We quickly realized that all the lessons we needed to grow our business, we learned through our own personal journey with sports. Now, after 20 years of being in business, we want to bring our successes and failures to the classroom. We aim to bring you interviews of people just like you.

Greatness is already inside you. Student of the Game podcast was created to help you Master the Fundamentals, Fall in Love with Practice, and Win in the Game of Life.