On Friday, August 26, 2024, at Tattnall County High School (TCHS), Mr. Willie Spears was on hand to speak to all Tattnall County athletes. Teams in attendance were from North Tattnall Middle School (NTMS), South Tattnall Middle School (STMS), and Tattnall County High School.
Mr. Spears, M.Ed., is a critically acclaimed author and a highly sought after speaker, educator, and coach. Coach Spears has become an Internet sensation with his passionate, energetic, and humorous approach to teaching life skills to students, business leaders, organizations, and teams. The Willie Spears Experience has become a reliable source of inspiration.
Coach Spears was introduced to the crowd by Tattnall County School Superintendent Kristen Waters. Coach Spears quickly caught the audience’s attention by telling a story.
“I had an experience when my son was younger that changed my life. He got very sick. We thought he had cancer and that we were going to lose him. We found out he had Crohn’s disease. But while he was in the hospital, I saw other kids there. Some were born without legs or arms, and some were terminally ill and wouldn’t live very long. It was no fault of their own. It wasn’t fair. I’ve got news for you; life’s not fair. These kids couldn’t play sports. But God has given you the opportunity to do it. So, don’t waste it.
“I looked up your team on the Internet. I saw what kind of season you had. I wanted to know who I was talking to. When my daughter was in middle school, she played softball, and she was dedicated to it. She would ask me to take her out to practice to get in some extra hitting. She was very good. She went to the ninth grade, and then she began to lose interest a little and was just going through the motions. She played in a game and struck out four times. She had always been a good hitter. But, at this point, she was not putting in the work. Talent alone is not enough. Don’t waste it. You can have talent, but if you do not have the work ethic, you won’t make it. Lebron James is 6’ 8” tall; that was all God. But he worked on his talent. Work ethic is more important than talent. You have to be accountable.
“Your parents should be on the same page as your coaches. If they’re not, they’re wrong. If your coaches say you need to work harder, stay out of trouble, and get your grades up, your parents should say the same thing, Thy shouldn’t say, ‘don’t worry about that coach; you can transfer.’
“I said earlier, I looked up your records from last year. You’re not as good as you should have been, The question is why? Why play if you’re not all in? Don’t waste your time if you’re not serious. Do you know what a Warrior is? A Warrior is someone who goes into battle and is willing to give their life for the cause. You may have always given of your best to this point, but the good thing is today you can start to do better. Everyone says we’re going to have a great year. We all want to be No. 1. How do you know if you’re going to have a great year? Because of what you put in. It’s not enough to be on the team. You must have the power of belief. You can’t be nice and be great. You can’t be comfortable and be great. You should be sore right now if you were working out and pushing yourself to be better.
“I commend you for playing sports, because it’s hard. It’s not easy. But our goal as a team has to be accountability. We must hold each other accountable. I’m not going to let you skip practice, but how can I tell you to go if I’m not going? I want to encourage you to hang in there and do not quit. I have this saying ‘be the B.E.S.T.’ B stands for believe. You’ve got to buy in. Your hard work will pay off. Put in the work when no one is watching. E stands for Excellent. Do it the way the Coach wants. You have greatness inside of you. I’m just here to remind you. You are blessed to be able to run and jump. So, why not be your best and give it your all. S stands for sacrifice. What will you give up to be great? T stands for try. When you can’t have success, will you try again? All I’m asking of each one of you is to give a little bit more,” said Coach Spears.
Born and raised n Panama City, Florida, Spears spent 20 years as a teacher in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. He is the author of close to 20 books and is a full-time educational speaker. The experiences he gained during his two decades in education help motivate, inspire, and remind educators of their value and significance. His strategies and principles have turned around schools and communities. In July, Mr. Spears spoke to over 15 groups in nine states.
