Grant Taeff winner - Mike Bass/Kim Blank

Grant Taeff winner - Mike Bass/Kim Blank

Season 7 Episode 6

 

SHOW NOTES:
Host Chris Doelle sits down with Mike Bass (Athletic Director at Alvin ISD) and Kim Blank (Head Girls Soccer Coach at Brazoswood High School) to discuss how athletic programs can extend their impact beyond competition through community service, character development, and servant leadership.

Featured Guests
• Mike Bass – Athletic Director, Alvin ISD
• Kim Blank – Head Girls Soccer Coach, Brazoswood High School ("Ladybugs")

Key Honors & Recognition
• Alvin ISD – District of Distinction: Awarded through The Texas Way initiative for districts demonstrating outstanding character, leadership, sportsmanship, and community involvement.
• Brazoswood Girls Soccer – Grant Teaff Beyond the Game Team Award: Recognizes sports teams that use their platform to serve others and make a lasting community impact.

Key Takeaways & Discussion Highlights
 • Coaching Beyond the Scoreboard: While winning games is exciting, a coach's primary mission is preparing student-athletes for life by building character, empathy, and a servant's heart.
• Creating a Culture of Service: Community engagement cannot be a "one-and-done" activity; it requires intentional, consistent modeling from head coaches and athletic directors.
• Student Buy-In & Ownership: Once a culture of service is established, student-athletes begin actively spotting needs in their community and bringing project ideas to their coaches.
• Impact of The Texas Way: Developed alongside Stephen Mackey, THSCA, TGCA, and THSADA, The Texas Way promotes sportsmanship and integrity, resulting in a dramatic drop in coach, player, and fan ejections across participating districts.
• Inter-District Collaboration: Mike Bass proposed partnering between Alvin ISD and Brazosport ISD to combine student-athlete efforts on joint community service projects.

Featured Impact Stories & Statistics
• 15,000+ Service Hours: Alvin ISD student-athletes logged nearly 16,000 community service hours over the past year.
• Ladybug Soccer Youth Night: Over the past nine years, Brazoswood Girls Soccer has raised over $40,000 for local youth experiencing hardship, including $8,000 raised this past season for a 9-year-old boy battling leukemia.
• Wide-Ranging Service Projects: Student-athletes regularly volunteer at elementary school festivals, SPCA animal shelters, park cleanups, supply drives, and assist elderly residents with yard care and household needs.

Actionable Advice for Coaches
1. Lead by Example: Culture starts with leadership modeling passion for serving others.
2. Be Intentional & Consistent: Build service into your year-round routine so it becomes second nature to your athletes.
3. Leave It Better Than You Found It: Teach athletes to take pride in leaving facilities, schools, and communities better than they found them.

Host: Chris Doelle

Links & Resources
• THSCA Heat Toolkit/Playbook: Available on the THSCA website under the Health and Safety tab (developed in partnership with Dell Children's and UIL)

Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA): www.thsca.com

Texas High School Coaches Association

Twitter:

• @THSCAcoaches
• @ChrisDoelle

Limited sponsorship opportunities are available on the show. Contact Chris Doelle at [phone] or email at [email protected].

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