LEADERSHIP...

This week I had a graduate student request to interview me for a leadership assignment she had to complete for one of her courses. I always love things like this because it offers me the opportunity to share my story. I'm a firm believer that everything that has happened in my life provides a platform that God has given me to stand on. I'm different...and I know that. My path through life has not been conventional. Many people would call me lucky, but always refer to myself as blessed (and highly favored). Now don't get me wrong...I have worked my butt off to get where I am, and to go where I will go, but God has opened MANY doors for reasons I am still trying to figure out. One thing I do know is that I ALWAYS make the best of each situation. I'm not going to sit around and half do anything. If I'm in there...I'm committed. 

So back to this interview. I really didn't know what to expect, but one thing that stuck out to me was a question on what I have taken from the various positions I have been privileged to hold. I had a pretty good answer right away (I am usually pretty quick on my feet), but this week I have found myself reflecting back to this question over and over again. I'm had some awesome bosses and witnessed some awesome leadership styles. But I have always seen some not so great things. I understand the hierarchy and what I won't do is overstep my boundaries...unless necessary. However, from every single position I have been in, I have taken SOMETHING from them...and I hope that I have left them better than I when I came in. 

I ran across this article this week, 10 signs you are a terrible leader, and it really struck me some kind of way. I saved it, so that I can refer back to it often. One thing I say often is that "I'm not trying to be mediocre...or even great. I am trying to be THE BEST." I have no problem being humbled, and the biggest thing is admitting your faults. GREAT leaders do several things. They hire people who are better at them in areas they know they know they struggle. They always have their subordinates' backs. They set a standard by EXAMPLE. They are not afraid of conflict and they realize in the end...it is not about them.

I don't feel like I can pinpoint a specific leadership style or category that I fit in to. But I do know that I'm willing to adapt...I'm not afraid of change...and that although I know I can lead, I can also follow, and that is something that will always help me stand out of from the crowd!
  

Let's try this AGAIN...

Ok, but forreal this time! It's not like I don't have eighty million other things on my plate...why not add blogging AGAIN! 

It's definitely #GRINDseason here. While everyone else is on spring break, I'm sitting in the office trying to get my whole life together. So what's going on in the life of Lacee'...well you can make that Dr. Lacee ;) now?! First and foremost, I finally did it! I got that PhD about a month ago. Ok, not really, more like 9 months ago, but life has been a whirlwind since then. I've moved into full time teaching, part time working with the student-athletes (which might as well be full time because they operate on you being available 24/7), and of course always full time mama'in. My best little dude is now a threenager and he is still the best thing that ever happened to me!

Ace Boogie and I supporting our TOPS!

Ok back to life as a hustler! I get to teach both at the grad and undergrad levels now and boy does it give me a run for my money. Those undergrads are something else and they challenge me DAILY to be better and find ways to keep them engaged while making sure they are grasping the materials. I'm teaching Research methods at the grad level and for someone who once hated all things research, I have found myself waist-deep in research these last few months. God always has a great sense of humor in making the things I once loathed and hated, into what consumes my life on a daily basis. I'm just glad he continues to surround me with some awesome folks who have mentored and guided me along the way. I say it often...I'm not here to be mediocre. I'm here to be great...the best to ever do it, so I have some serious grinding to do to make a difference in this world. 

Even though I moved into teaching full time, there was no way I could leave my student-athletes behind. For the past 3 years (in my blog hiatus), I have been working as an athletic academic coordinator (*cue Last Chance U) doing the behind the behind the scenes work with making sure our student-athletes stay eligible, graduate, and kick butt off the field. Everyday is a new challenge, but the results are so rewarding. It took me two weeks...literally two weeks in the position to know that this was where I was supposed to be in life. And you are probably wondering why I left...we I didn't per se.  I have lofty goals and every move I make in life is a foundational piece to my grand mansion I'm building! Teaching gives me a resource I didn't know I needed. I have access to awesome colleagues who have genuine interests in making a difference. I have access to grant funding that I didn't know existed. And it frankly gives me a breathe of fresh air to work with aspiring professionals to help mentor them to teach and train them to work with the population I am so passionate about. 

Speaking of grant funding...my awesome colleagues and myself received the 2017 NCAA Innovations Research in Practice Grant which allows us to build a 100% online program designed to assist student-athletes in career planning and development! We are so pumped about this project and the potential it has in making a difference not just with our student-athletes but also across the country. 

I am 34 days from the end of my #yearof30, and it has definitely been one for the books. A year ago, had you asked me what I wanted to be "when i grow up," I still had no clue. Now, things are falling into place and are becoming more clear. I have goals to make a difference and change the world as I always had, but now my focus and plans are directing me down a specific path to get there. I'm excited. I'm grateful. I'm blessed. But even more than anything, my ambition and drive are at an all time high...it's #GRINDseason!

And it begins...

Today marks the beginning of track season for most teams...not ours (we actually began in December), however due to Ace's arrival he and I are sideline watching from the comfort of our couch. It's a bittersweet moment for me because in 6 years this is the first meet I have missed! I truly love track season...even among the most tiresome of days, it's simply what both my husband and I live for. He is holding down the fort and keeping me posted play by play and I am results watching for the other meets across the country. It actual works well because if something big happens elsewhere, he will know ASAP as well as vice versa with his meet. Next week I plan to be back in action...weather permitting due to the drive I will have to make. Needless to say...I'm excited for the season...for the great things the team and our post collegiates will do...and to show off our little prince in the process. 

The Ultimate Win

2013 was a riveting year indeed.  In it I experienced a host of ups and downs...good and bads...but through all the trials I'm proud to say both "seasons" of my life ended in the ultimate triumph. Triumphs so amazing, I'm still in awe of how God would chose me for such amazing blessings. 

Soooo...let's recap. 

As we all know, I'm a collegiate track coach. So essentially December to June is a nonstop organized chaotic mess of track season. Some weeks I spend more time sleeping in a hotel than in my own bed...and that awesome thing that people with 9-5 jobs have called "weekends"...are totally nonexistent. Track coaches work 7 days a week...sometimes upwards of 18 hours a day. Now how's that for a selfless, unglorified and did I mention under paid position. Don't get me wrong; I love my career and I love my life. I'm also blessed  enough to do it alongside my partner in crime, my husband. 

We spent the last two years at Marshall University working with the SHEherd's finest. To say it was a roller coaster ride is  the world's biggest understatement BUT amidst every hardship is a glowing rainbow at the end. We started our indoor season with a bang and were poised to do something the program had never seen. My husband recruited the best recruiting class the program had ever had and the overall mentality was making a shift toward the positive. And then we hit a bump. Ok it was more like an earthquake split the road in half and we were beyond puzzled as to how to get to the other side. We went to the conference meet ready to make a statement...or at least we thought we were. And then we bombed...we faltered...we absolutely fell apart. We finished dead A** last in a 12 team meet. Never in my life have I been so disappointed. Simply put...my feelings were hurt. We expected more and we didn't produce. That 8 hour ride back from Birmingham had to have been one of the longest rides of my life. 

Moving on...after the failed indoor season we had the biggest come to Jesus meeting with the group. We had to express our disappointment in them because we prepared them the best we could...and numbers don't lie. We challenged them to find the heart of champions as we were starting anew for the outdoor season. And boy did they flip the script. In almost every outdoor meet we set at least one school record (most times multiple ones). We were riding on cloud nine. We arrived at the outdoor championship prepped and ready to go (you've heard this before, right?). This time was different. This time the air of the team showed confidence. This time...we finished 5th (the highest finish ever in the history or Marshall Track and Field inConference  USA). We were the highest ranking team that would remain in c-USA after the new realignment in the 2013-14 season. We had conference champions in 3 events...a host of all-conference performances...the performer of the meet...the field athlete of the year...and some other accolades I cannot recall off hand. We came and we conquered. And this was only the beginning. 

We sent athletes in 7 different event groups (that we coached) to the first round of nationals and 2 to the final round in Oregon. Those two...Crystal Walker (long jump) and Vanessa Jules (heptathlon) finished 5th and 6th respectively in their events to earn first team All American. There are 3 All Americans in Marshall school history and I just named two of them! In addition, Ness also was named the Mideast region athlete of the year and my husband was named Mideast region coach of the year. We didn't just do it...we did it big. Ness also qualified for USAs and finished 12th overall in the country. To say we had the greatest turn around is an understatement. Those athletes earned every thing they achieved. It wasn't easy but we came together as a team and we did it. The theme for the season was to BELIEVE together. And when they did...well the results speak for themselves. In total we set and reset (on multiple occasions) school records in 17 events between the indoor and outdoor season. I think it's safe to say we re-wrote the record book. AND to top it off...the team had over a 3.0 GPA also garnering the USTFCCCA Academic All American award! I am all about the total STUDENT-athlete. 

 

Now to cap off the national championship...we found it fitting to share with the team that they would need to make room for their little brother! That's right...we were expecting our first child...just days before the new year. In a short amount of time...God chose to bless us tremendously...and it was at this point we felt things couldn't get any better. 

Well in mid summer we faced a new decision. To spare all of the details, my husband and I stepped out of faith and moved a couple hours west to Western Kentucky to join the hilltoppers. I say faith because it was a one person job (when we previously had two full time positions) and I was 22 weeks pregnant. Again God's favor prevailed as doors began to open. I was able to get back into teaching (I'm almost done with my PhD) at the university and I was able to still volunteer coach. We were thrilled to be back with men and women. In addition , the family friendly environment has been more than welcoming. 

We made it through the fall semester and the first Indoor meets (with much success!) and I continued to get bigger and bigger. Oh I forgot to mention, we took on a new task of post collegiate coaching! So far so good. I will keep you all updated on that as the season progresses. The major goal right now is a successful indoor season through USAs. 

The last few weeks of the year were just a waiting game for baby boss to make his arrival. No short of the dramatics...he made his grand debut at 7:12pm on Christmas Evening. World...meet Ace Dominik Johnson. 

Needless to say...where there are downs, there is a major upside just waiting to reveal itself. God has been crazy faithful this year. It hasn't always been pretty but it has been more than worth it. I'm beyond in love with my husband, my kid, and our new lives in Kentucky. 2013 ended oh so sweet and I cannot wait to see what 2014 has in store. 

Happy New Year

This is my attempt at reconnecting with the world through my blog. So much has happened in the last 2 years...and I have a feeling that my life is only going to get more exciting in the near future. Because I am a deadline person, I will post AT LEAST once a week to hold myself accountable. When I treat things like a competition, I find I am much better with following through soooooo here's to a new year...and a new goal of 50 posts in 2014! 

Next up...my 2013 recap. 

Happy New Year...from my little family to yours 😉

All love,  

LCJ 😘

Let's get this party started!

Sooooooo it's that time of year again. Our track season officially started back in December, however after a month-long hiatus, the wheels will really start spinning this weekend. I'm super excited for a couple of reasons. 1) We started off well in December and even after not seeing our athletes for a month, I was happy with where they stand, and I am eager to start taking down some personal and school records. 2) Heck, it's just track season...absolutely my favorite time of year. There is nothing like watching fast running, far and high jumping, and crazy throwing. I am truly a fan all around, regardless of what event...I love it all!

If anyone is interested, the Marshall Lady Herd will be competing at the University of Kentucky both Friday and Saturday. We have worked hard, so now it's time to show everyone what we are made of.

Starting over again

Soooooooo...it's been almost 2 years since my last post and I promise I'll do better this time around.

A huge update is necessary. I'm no longer a MISS...and instead I finally got my MRS degree this summer lol. So yay me...4 months in and we are still kicking. I've relocated AGAIN - definitely a product of being a coach AND a coach's wife. I'm now a member of the SHEherd at Marshall University and I'm super excited to be a part of the new change that is about to run amuck within this program. I'm also an Asst Professor in the school of kinesiology. Honestly I couldn't be more happy right now. I'm finally getting to live my dream in being with my love, forming a dynamic duo in the track coaching world with my husband, and being able to be a college professor. Right now life is just grand...well minus the West Virginia weather which I'm still getting used to.



This is my first full Thanksgiving vacation in years and I'm taking this time to re-evaluate some things and get ready for the season...oh and write 4 papers in a week so that I can officially be half way done with my doctorate. Right now I'm happy and I'm grateful for the space that God has placed me in...life really is a blessing and I hope that each day in can bless all that I come in contact with as much as God has been blessing me.