Episode 2 - Joel "JoJo" DePagter

-Enjoying family, pool and golf during quarantine 

-Growing up in Sheboygan, moving to Tampa, playing at Queens and UW-Oshkosh before landing at Lawrence 

-“Everything that is a blessing is a curse, and everything that is a curse is a blessing.” - Garth Brooks 

-“Enjoy the journey” 

-Odd jobs along the way 

-Figuring out he wanted to be on the sidelines coaching and not running half-time marketing event 

-Coaching at Eureka and Hillsdale 

-Coming back to Lawrence in 2003 and riding the wave 

-Staff at Lawrence (Tharp, Pat Juckem, Lee Rabas, Greg Jahnke) 

-The Best Game Nobody Saw 

-Played led program by Chris Braier (national player of the year) 

-Sliding over and taking responsibility as head coach as Coach Tharp headed to Hillsdale 

-“How am I going to do things a little different so it is my team?” 

-“Hard to be someone’s assistant coach and then become there head coach.” 

-Coaching style more like Phil Jackson 

-Help from Ryan Kane, Rabas and Sam Hargraves 

-Coach Mielke, defense and teaching zone defense 

-“Self awareness probably the greatest strength of a person. No matter what you do.” 

-Coaching golf and the relaxed atmosphere 

-Ending at Lawrence 

-Importance of being around and raising young kids 

-“Basketball has been very very good to me.” 

-Looking Back (Something to Change): Care so much less about plays and defensive calls. Care so much more about the kids and what is going on in their life. 

-Book Recommendation: The Celestine Prophecy - James Redfield