Q1Sep. Legendary Pivots and Innovation

Jason Scott • October 4, 2020

Pivots and Innovation

The ministry season started with a bang. First, camp season was canceled. For the first time in 45 years, FCA Camps were canceled due to the COVID19 global pandemic. Campers and staff members were forced to sideline what is potentially the most impactful part of our ministry.  But all was not lost. Two words that I got a better understanding of this summer were pivot and innovate. The word pivot is a mechanical term that means the central point, pin, or shaft on which a mechanism turns or oscillates. In basketball, it happens when the player with the ball stops and uses one foot as an anchor point and moves his or her  body  around that anchor point. When I think of the basketball pivot I always remember Michael Jordan using it to set up his next attack. He could go in any number of different directions and the best or worst part, depending on who you are rooting for, was watching the defender, knowing he stood very little chance of successfully stoping MJ from scoring. 

In business, to pivot means to make a significant change due to factors that make the original business model unsustainable. Steve Blank, Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur has said "... the rapid shift in the business model is what differentiates a startup from an established company. Pivots are the essence of entrepreneurship and the key to start-up success. If you can't pivot or pivot quickly, chances are you will fail". Can't you just see MJ in that statement?... "If you can't pivot or pivot quickly, chances are you will fail". Well, over the summer FCA didn't fail but pivoted and innovated; and while it wasn't the same summer camp ministry as in past years, we were able to run our next best option: FCA Legends Experience. 
The Legends Experience was an online camp option that ran for the entire month of July. Athletes from all over the Mid-Atlantic were outfitted with camp apparel and bibles as well as an online component that included the conferencing platform, ZOOM. Now, I know what you're thinking, online summer sports camp...? Yep, online summer sports camp! At the time of my writing this the FCA Legends Experience is long gone but what I learned was the importance of pivoting and the second word: Innovating. It seemed as if all summer the phrase that continually rang in my mind was "Innovate or Die". Innovate means to make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. COVID mixed with massive closings were, and to a major extent still are, taking so much from the normalcy in people's lives. What continually came up in conversation was how do we deal with it. Personally, I researched the past to find out how people and organizations handled major setbacks and difficulties akin to what we are facing today. What I found was that people and organizations that are able to pivot and innovate, while facing extreme adversity and hardship, gain so much in the end. 

What I gained over this summer was more valuable than just another camp experience. It was more valuable than another camp T-shirt or even new relationships made at camp. What I gained was perspective. That is what makes every relationship, every camp season, every business leader and every decision-maker that much more important to me and to FCA. 

Rasmus Ankersen is a bestselling author, entrepreneur and speaker on performance development and a trusted advisor to businesses around the world. He wrote a book in 2016 called Hunger In Paradise: How to Save Success from Failure and spoke about what he learned at the Global Leadership Summit in 2018. What caught my attention was when he said, "we (leaders) hesitate to improve until we have a burning platform". Summer of 2020 was a burning platform moment. One in which we grieved and lamented but also learned the importance of pivoting and innovating. For that I am thankful. 

If you interested in seeing how we pivoted and innovated this summer check out our facebook page at Howard County FCA. I had the privilege of connecting with a local business owner, Jake Harp of See it Through Performance to create online workouts for athletes all over the MidAtlantic. 

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By Jason Scott • October 23, 2023
In the world of youth football, the Howard County Titans have always emphasized more than just the final score. It’s about developing young athletes into not only skilled players but also responsible and mature individuals. One vital aspect of this development is learning through loss, teaching our young Titans to compete until the end of the whistle. Every game, whether it results in victory or defeat, is an opportunity for growth. It’s easy to cheer when you’re ahead on the scoreboard, but true character emerges when things don’t go your way. When our young athletes face defeat, they learn to appreciate the importance of perseverance and dedication. It’s not about the score; it’s about giving it your all until that final whistle blows. But what sets the Howard County Titans apart is the sense of brotherhood that permeates the program. Every player, coach, and admin member knows that they are part of something more significant than themselves. Through the trials and tribulations of a game, they experience the profound bonds of camaraderie. When one Titan falls, others rally around to lift him up, both on and off the field. Competing to the end of the whistle teaches valuable life lessons. It instills resilience, discipline, and a strong work ethic. These traits don’t just benefit our young athletes on the football field; they prepare them for life’s challenges. In the face of adversity, Titans are taught to persevere, no matter the odds. Maturity is another crucial aspect of the Titans’ ethos. Through victories and losses, our players learn to take responsibility for their actions, to handle defeat with grace, and to celebrate victories with humility. Maturity is not just about physical growth but emotional and mental growth as well. It’s about developing young individuals who can face the world with confidence and integrity. As the Chief Correspondent for the Howard County Titans, I have witnessed these values in action. Our young athletes are not just learning football skills; they are learning life skills that will serve them well beyond the field. The Howard County Titans program instills a sense of pride, camaraderie, and maturity in every participant, and I am excited to see these lessons shape the bright future of our young athletes. Go Titans Football

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