(Ep080) Coach Rocky Lamar: The Path to 803 College Basketball Wins

Sometimes a classic sports story begins with someone believing in the underdog who goes on to become the hero. But in the case of Coach Rocky Lamar, it was a doubter who told him he should switch sports that put him on the path to basketball greatness. His determination to prove them wrong fueled three hours a day of practice, which earned him a spot on the varsity. Rocky’s Hall of Fame Coach Bill Fleming didn’t just teach him how to play point guard, but also the importance of defending, rebounding, and valuing the ball. These principles helped Rocky reach the college level, where he set records for assists and free throw percentage at MidAmerica Nazarene College (later university).

Fleming’s influence also inspired Rocky to coach high school basketball back in Iowa. When he returned to his alma mater, MNU’s only winning seasons had come when Rocky played, but he soon built them into a powerhouse. Though the team lost the 2001 title game, they won the national championship in 2007 and reached the NAIA Final Four five other times. By the time he retired in 2022, Rocky’s teams has won 13 conference titles, made it to the national tournament 19 times, and had 23 seasons with 20 or more wins. His 803 victories put him eight on the all-time active coaching list, alongside the likes of Jim Calhoun, Mike Krzyzewski, and Mike Boeheim.

In this episode, Rocky reveals:

• Why planning fundamentals-focused practices like John Wooden created consistent excellence

• What nightly open gym runs in the summer did to fuel four straight Final Four appearances

• Why relationship-building should be focused on helping players and expecting nothing in return

• How staying with a single program enabled him to touch lives and develop a large coaching tree

• Why every player should do what’s right, do more than their fair share, and be tough

Learn more from Rocky as he keeps mentoring players and coaches on Twitter@CoachRockyLamar.