The Journey
Building a team of 3rd in a culture of 1st
The Journey
Building a team of 3rd in a culture of 1st
'The Journey'
We live in a culture of ‘1st.’ In a “Me1st” age of social media and selfies, instant gratification and personal comfort reign supreme.
IWUHoops is striving to build a team hungry for ‘3rd.’ In an age where comfort and apathy fight against greatness, instilling the habits of putting God first and others second opens the door for new potential.
Building a team of 3rd in culture of 1st is no easy task. The journey of a basketball season is never a straight line to the top. There are challenges to be faced and obstacles to be overcome.
‘The Journey’ will take you behind the scenes of IWUHoops 2016-2017 season. Throughout the month of May, check back daily for stories that give you a raw, unfiltered look at the highs and lows that IWU experienced on their way to a 3rd Fab Four in the past four years.
'The Journey' Challenge
"The Journey" goes inside the locker room as IWUHoops attempts to grow as a program of 3rd in a culture of 1st. Will you take on the 31-day challenge?
Greater
Greater
Re-defining Greatness
Over the past few years, IWUHoops has noticed a growing hunger from men and women who desire to ‘trade the pursuit of me for the pursuit of 3’ in their leadership context. Trent Dailey, the President of Insurance Management Group, was one of these leaders, and he initiated an endowment to allow the coaching staff at IWUHoops to pursue a God-given dream to spark more hearts toward IAm3rd leadership. These leaders come from many spheres of influence, but share a passion to ‘re-define greatness’ by making disciples of Christ within the context they lead.
Greater Retreat
The influence of the Greater Movement has multiplied into many contexts, with one avenue being an annual retreat for college basketball coaches. Four sessions allow space for leaders and coaches to pray and strategize about how to bring these core elements of discipleship back into their own leadership context.
1. Box vs Line
“Setting those you lead on a trajectory toward the IAm3rd Life”
3. Prayer
“The most productive time you can spend as a leader”
2. The Word
“Unlocking potential through the voice of God”
4. Shared Experience
“Creating space for transformational community”
“We hold firmly to the belief that if you want to be first, you first need to find a way to be third. We continue to dream big and ask God for creative ways to bring the gospel into our areas of influence. We believe he is connecting us with other kingdom minded people who we can partner with for deeper impact. What God has done over the past 18 years is amazing, but we believe he is just getting started. He continues to open up new avenues for our program to be Third, and we are asking him to grow our fearlessness to share the gospel in fresh ways to a culture that is increasingly hungry for Christ.”
Greater Conference
Another avenue of influence from the ‘Greater Movement’ is an annual conference designed for high school coaches but that has also included leaders from other areas such as business and education. This day focuses on fresh ways to bring Christ into leadership positions in order to have a Kingdom influence even in a public setting.
1: Box vs. Line
3. Unconscious Player Meetings
5. Unconscious Players’ Panel
2. The Word-Unconscious
4. Unconscious Scouting Reports
6. Unconscious Leadership Panel
7. Unconscious Leadership
“Billy Graham once said, ‘one coach will influence more people in a year than an average person will in a lifetime.’ We believe that’s true, but it does not mean that all influence is the same. It seems that far too often we hear stories of coaches who have negative influence on players. This profession needs more leaders who use their influence to lift others instead of prop themselves. The Greater Movement is fueled by a passion to catalyze leaders to leverage their influence in order for Christ to increase.”
Greater videos
For more information about the Greater Movement, including upcoming events, please contact jeff.clark@indwes.edu
The Heartbeat
The Heartbeat
'The Heartbeat'
IWUHoops takes you 'Inside the Moments that Reveal the Heartbeat of a Champion' from the 2015-2016 season.
'The Heartbeat' Challenge
This 4 week devotional book will challenge you to dream big dreams, pray fearless prayers, and take small steps all in expectation of what God can do in your life...
IAm3 on the Web
IAm3 on the Web
Class of 2011
Credit Analyst
Integrity Bank & Trust
“An IAm3rd attitude was critical for our success while I was at IWU, but it has become even more important in my life since my career ended. It monumentally changed my perspective to put others before myself in my marriage, my work and my friendships.”
Class of 2010
Account Executive
Anthony Products
“IAm3rd is a philosophy that has gone way beyond my playing career. I have invested it into my relationships and career and hope to start a family based on the same foundation some day!”
One basketball program has a countercultural mindset: placing themselves third in all that they do.
DJ Bettinger: A Competitor for Christ
Jordan Weidner's story of basketball, faith, and how they are one.
Behind the scenes of the 2010-2011 Wildcats
Class of 2013
Head Basketball Coach/Teacher
Northfield High School
“After a rough first year at IWU living an IAm1st lifestyle, my life was changed buying into the IAm3rd philosophy. Now I am trying to live this out every day with my wife, my basketball program and in my community, hoping that by being ‘different’ I can make an impact for the Kingdom.”
Class of 2014
Head Basketball Coach/Counselor
LINK Year/Kanakuk Ministries
“The IAm3rd philosophy has had a huge influence on my life both in how I played on the court and how I lived off the court. It was countercultural and life changing. Philippians 2:1-11 went from being a passage of Scripture to a way of life, and I now get to live the Gospel daily with my team and my family.”
IAm3 Gallery
Class of 2012
3rd Year Med Student
University of Iowa
“As I bought into the IAm3rd philosophy, I was amazed at how much my relationships with other people were blessed. Friendships became more authentic and opportunities to serve and act on my faith became clearer. This lesson continues to impact me every day.”
Class of 2015
Vice President
DistinXion
“Being a part of the IAm3rd philosophy for four years changed me in so many ways. It was a challenging four years of changing my mindset but I know I am a better person and man of God than I was before going to IWU.”
Director of Athletics
IWU
“It has been incredibly rewarding to watch the impact that IAm3 has had on the lives of our IWU basketball players. I have seen the Lord use this philosophy to transform our players into humble men of character with a deep commitment to develop their God-given talents to be the best they can be. This has been reinforced by the testimonies that I hear of the positive impact that the team has had on the lives of families, fans and students and by the number of coaches who have contacted Indiana Wesleyan University about how to implement the IAm3 philosophy into their program.”
Class of 2004
Dentist
Central Dental Associates
“As an alum who played long before the IAm3rd philosophy was established, I started to invest in the program to provide support and encouragement to this ministry. As it turned out, I have been the one who has been encouraged and challenged. The program’s commitment to serving Christ through hoops transcends the current players and effects everyone who is around it.”
#FEARLESS
#FEARLESS
Greatness favors the fearless
Class of 2014
Loan Officer
The Fountain Trust Company
“Before coming to IWU, I was very self centered. At IWU, I quickly learned that life was much more fulfilling when I stopped asking ‘what can you do for me’ and started asking ‘what can I do for you.’ This has paid huge dividends as a business man, as a husband and as a new dad!”
Class of 2015
“The IAm3rd philosophy transformed me from the inside out. Adopting this counter cultural mentality has reshaped my heart’s desires and constantly challenges me to become more like Christ.”
GO Ministries Partnership
GO Ministries Partnership
GO Ministries
Over the past decade, IWU Hoops has been to the Dominican Republic with GO Ministries five times. This has grown in to a mutually beneficial partnership that has propelled the program to new heights. Though cutting down the nets is a great memory, it pales in comparison to sweating with your teammates and serving the poorest of the poor alongside a ministry that has taught us about what it really means to live 'IAm3rd' lives. Many IWU alums look back at their career and say it was the trips to the DR with GO that were more memorable and important than any championship, exotic trip, or facility on campus. Find out more about GO at this link
“Our partnership with GO has been instrumental in building the culture here at IWU. Serving down in the D.R. has given us an opportunity to live out what it means to be “I am third” in a very practical way. It is here on these trips where I see our team drawn together in deep unity for a purpose far bigger than just basketball. It is in these moments where coaching and playing finds it purpose. ”
“IWUHoops and GO Sports share the same heartbeat. The way they live out the IAm3rd concept truly creates a ripple effect that begins in their locker room and stretches all the way overseas and into the lives of the people in our ministry in the Dominican Republic. When you partner in the Gospel for the sake of the Kingdom, a deep relationship occurs through mutual transformation and we couldn’t be more excited to serve together with the coaches and student athletes from IWUHoops.”
GO Ministry Videos
GO Min/IWU Gallery
Read the blogs from IWU's 2016 GO Ministries trip
Class of 2016
Head Basketball Coach/Greenwood Christian Academy
“I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had with Will Partin and GO Ministries and the impact they have had on my life. GO is such a unique organization in that they partner with local leaders who know the culture and have relationships with the people they are ministering to. Will is so gifted yet one of the most humble people I know. He and GO have impacted me so much that I hope to stay involved in the work that is happening in the DR and even go back on another trip down the road.”
Class of 2016
Assistant Coach
Link Year Prep
“As an alum who played long before the IAm3rd philosophy was established, I started to invest in the program to provide support and encouragement to this ministry. As it turned out, I have been the one who has been encouraged and challenged. The program’s commitment to serving Christ through hoops transcends the current players and effects everyone who is around it.”
Father/Son Retreat
Father/Son Retreat
Father/Son Retreat Gallery
Father/Son Retreat on the web
Father/Son Retreat Blog Posts
IAm3 Speech
IAm3 Speech
Class of 2014
Assistant Coach
Grace College
“IAm3rd shaped me to be more outwardly focused on everyone else as opposed to being so internally focused on myself. Genuinely focusing on others and putting my own selfishness aside has led to more happiness for everyone around me and for myself as well.”
Class of 2011
Senior Estimator
Progressive
“As I embraced the fundamental nature of self-sacrifice that goes along with the IAm3rd philosophy, it became a part of who I am. IAm3rd is the kind of movement that can change the world!”
Podcasts
Podcasts
Three In One DOCUMENTARY
Three In One DOCUMENTARY
The story of the 2014-2015 Indiana Wesleyan University Men's Basketball team, and their pursuit of a second straight national championship. With their attitudes being "I am Third", can the Wildcats be successful and achieve the ultimate goal?
Class of 2009
Sr. Sales Representative
ZimmerBiomet-Blue Water Orthopedics
“When the coaches introduced ‘IAm3rd’ I thought it was a great marketing slogan but was skeptical it would have any impact on my life. As I watched them live it and lead out of it on a daily basis, it began to be instilled in me and changed my life. Living life the way Jesus did through the IAm3 philosophy is now continuously part of my career and home life!”
Class of 2013
Vice President of Business Development
Viral Launch
“IAm3rd started as a mantra but became a way of life. When you’re able to further the Kingdom of God and bless everyone around you…there’s no better way to live.”
TRU Basketball Camp
TRU Basketball Camp
THE ROCK UNIVERSITY
Camp information
When: July 27-29, 2024
Who: Grades 9-12 Boys and Girls
Cost: $335 | Observing Coaches: $150
