Sports & Gaming, Business
Success Story: Renee Montgomery Player, Team Owner & Activist
Lesson time 18:49 min
In this call with Geno, his former player Renee Montgomery discusses the influence of Geno’s philosophies on her journey: from shy high school student to team leader to WNBA star, social activist, and partial team owner of the Atlanta Dream.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Becoming a Leader • Learn to Push the Right Buttons • Always Prepare for the Next Step • Look at the Bigger Picture • How Sports Relates to Business • Early Lessons Carry Forward
Teaches Leading Winning Teams
Legendary basketball coach Geno Auriemma teaches you how to lead any kind of team, inspire others to new heights, and build sustainable success.
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- As a coach and as a leader, the key individuals are the people that are doing all the work. And for us, it's the players. For me, the impact that I can have on my players is a big part of why I'm here. And that's what we're trying to get across in this MasterClass. And I can talk to you about it as I have, but there's a better way I think you can get an idea. And that's if I bring in one of my former players, one of the best point guards ever to play at the University of Connecticut, Renee Montgomery, who won a national championship in 2009, undefeated 39 and 0. We were clearly the best team in America by far because we had the best center, Tina Charles. We had the best player in the country, Maya Moore. We had the best guard in America, Renee Montgomery. But we had the best leader in America in Renee Montgomery. And she led on the court, off the court. She represented everything that we aspired to be. And she continues to do that now it took tremendous courage for Renee to opt out of playing basketball for the Atlanta Dream during the prime of her career because she saw another calling in her life that she was also passionate about in addition to basketball. And her experience with social justice and the social injustice that was occurring at that time, and as the George Floyd situation just erupted all over America, there were a lot of things said and a lot of things done. But as people say, after all is said and done, a lot more is said than actually done. Well, what Renee did was actually act upon it, took the year off, and devoted herself toward addressing these social injustices that are prevalent in America today and have been for quite a long time. And that's why I have so much respect for her, beyond as a player. And it's taken her to greater heights than basketball ever could. It's increased her platform way beyond just the basketball court. And she will now become part owner, which is unheard of in today's day and age for a young Black woman to have not a playing stake, not a coaching stake, but an ownership stake in an actual professional basketball team. So for all those reasons, I can't think of anybody better to illustrate what we're talking about here than Renee Montgomery. [MUSIC PLAYING] - Hey. - What up, Coach? - What's going on? - Nothing. You got a whole MasterClass now. What? - Yeah, well, there's like 40 people here. It takes that many people to make me look good. - Oh my god. - So you know about this program, MasterClass? - Yes, of course I do. - Yeah? - You don't? - No, I do. I do. - Yeah, I know all about it. Steph Curry has a shooting class. - Yeah. Yeah. I'm not shooting anything. I'm not playing. But one of the biggest themes, probably, is building winning teams and championship teams. And what are all the components of that from beginning to end? So the first question I would have for you is what was t...
About the Instructor
With 11 national college basketball championships and two Olympic gold medals, Geno Auriemma has coached some of basketball’s most iconic teams. Now he’s showing you how to build and lead any kind of team—at home, work, or in your community—and achieve sustainable success. Learn strategies for being an empathetic, resilient leader so you can inspire others to push past their own barriers and reach their highest potential.
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Geno Auriemma
Legendary basketball coach Geno Auriemma teaches you how to lead any kind of team, inspire others to new heights, and build sustainable success.
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