Indiana University Athletics
IU Embraces The Impact of One Word
12/15/2015 9:58:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - One word is changing the Indiana women's basketball program.
Kind of.
All told, it's about a dozen words, each tailored to an individual player. Before the season, every Hoosier picked one word that would represent their season-long goals as players and people that they'd look to each day as a reminder for what they're trying to accomplish.
The concept came from the book One Word That Will Change Your Life co-written by Jon Gordon, Jimmy Page and Dan Britton. Head coach Teri Moren read the book and was hooked on the concept enough to implement it with her team.
"It's so easy to lose track of what you're actually working for during the season," Moren said. "I thought it would really help our players stay locked in on something bigger than just today."
Moren shared information about the book in a team meeting before the season began. She explained that everyone would have to stay true to their one word and keep it nearby however they could to create accountability.
The players left the initial meeting with a few days to think about their word. Moren wanted them to take their time crafting their season-long strategy that would ultimately help define them.
When they came back to Cook Hall with their words written down, the players took turns sharing their words and the reasoning behind them. Before long, everyone not only had a word of their own, but they knew their teammates' words as well.
Sophomore guard Tyra Buss chose the word "priorities" because she wanted to keep basketball, schoolwork and family first. It's written on a band she wears on her left wrist.
Senior forward Lyndsay Leikem picked "opportunity" to remind herself not everyone has an opportunity to play Division I basketball at Indiana. She keeps the word written on a band around her ankle.
"I think the big thing we talked about with this is just holding one another accountable," said sophomore forward Amanda Cahill. She chose the word "impact" for the season. "If somebody's word was consistency, later in the year it's something you can go back on and say, 'Listen, you said you wanted to do this, remember?' I think it's a positive for us."
The individual words are so far engrained into the players' everyday lives that while talking about the concept, Moren stopped herself mid-thought, asked Gassion to hand over her phone to reveal that Gassion's word "change" was saved as her phone's background.
Gassion said she never directly told Moren she had it there.
"The whole idea of having one word is really good for us. I'm glad coach brought it up," Gassion said. "Like with my word, it doesn't even just have to do with basketball. It can be with school, too. It helps us everywhere."
Indiana is off to a 7-2 start to the season with the concept of "one word" in mind. The Hoosiers will bring a four-game winning streak with them to Winter Park, Fla. where they'll play Miami and West Virginia in a two-day tournament beginning Sunday.
They'll bring their words with them, too. They're never too far away.
"I just think the whole thing is really cool," Buss said. "Coach said when we knew what the word was, you just know. I think that was definitely true, and I think that it's helping everyone get better."
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - One word is changing the Indiana women's basketball program.
Kind of.
All told, it's about a dozen words, each tailored to an individual player. Before the season, every Hoosier picked one word that would represent their season-long goals as players and people that they'd look to each day as a reminder for what they're trying to accomplish.
The concept came from the book One Word That Will Change Your Life co-written by Jon Gordon, Jimmy Page and Dan Britton. Head coach Teri Moren read the book and was hooked on the concept enough to implement it with her team.
"It's so easy to lose track of what you're actually working for during the season," Moren said. "I thought it would really help our players stay locked in on something bigger than just today."
Moren shared information about the book in a team meeting before the season began. She explained that everyone would have to stay true to their one word and keep it nearby however they could to create accountability.
The players left the initial meeting with a few days to think about their word. Moren wanted them to take their time crafting their season-long strategy that would ultimately help define them.
When they came back to Cook Hall with their words written down, the players took turns sharing their words and the reasoning behind them. Before long, everyone not only had a word of their own, but they knew their teammates' words as well.
Sophomore guard Tyra Buss chose the word "priorities" because she wanted to keep basketball, schoolwork and family first. It's written on a band she wears on her left wrist.
Senior forward Lyndsay Leikem picked "opportunity" to remind herself not everyone has an opportunity to play Division I basketball at Indiana. She keeps the word written on a band around her ankle.
"I think the big thing we talked about with this is just holding one another accountable," said sophomore forward Amanda Cahill. She chose the word "impact" for the season. "If somebody's word was consistency, later in the year it's something you can go back on and say, 'Listen, you said you wanted to do this, remember?' I think it's a positive for us."
The individual words are so far engrained into the players' everyday lives that while talking about the concept, Moren stopped herself mid-thought, asked Gassion to hand over her phone to reveal that Gassion's word "change" was saved as her phone's background.
Gassion said she never directly told Moren she had it there.
"The whole idea of having one word is really good for us. I'm glad coach brought it up," Gassion said. "Like with my word, it doesn't even just have to do with basketball. It can be with school, too. It helps us everywhere."
Indiana is off to a 7-2 start to the season with the concept of "one word" in mind. The Hoosiers will bring a four-game winning streak with them to Winter Park, Fla. where they'll play Miami and West Virginia in a two-day tournament beginning Sunday.
They'll bring their words with them, too. They're never too far away.
"I just think the whole thing is really cool," Buss said. "Coach said when we knew what the word was, you just know. I think that was definitely true, and I think that it's helping everyone get better."
Players Mentioned
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