Marshall Redhawks: Building Leaders On and Off the Court

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Marshall Redhawks: Building Leaders On and Off the Court

The Marshall Michigan movement started by Tiffany Burns, the president of Marshall Junior Redhawks youth basketball has been fun to see develop.

She wanted her youth organization to be more than simply rolling the basketballs out and letting the kids play. She wanted to use this time to develop them as teammates and leaders as well.

So in 2021, she jumped all in with a winter season Lead ‘Em Up kickoff that included a three-hour training for all the coaches and a 90-minute leadership workshop with all the players.

It was a huge success

During the course of the season, the coaches continued facilitating the program while the kids were having a blast building their Green teams.

As Marshall Junior Redhawks basketball continued with the program, it was a year later when Mike Johnson (President of Marshall Youth Football) decided he wanted Marshall Youth Football to jump in as well.

Knowing that many of the players in the community play both football and basketball, the kids were experiencing leadership development in multiple seasons rather than simply in one.

Every year the coaches continued to engage in Lead ‘Em Up workshops, becoming more connected to the curriculum, helping them teach it and lead it better than before.

It was the most recent winter season when things jumped to another level as Burns coordinated a community event, inviting the school superintendent, high school athletic director, and various community leaders so they could be introduced to the program and discuss ways of implementing it throughout the larger community.

It was a great event and it appears Marshall, MI is continuing to level up.

Have fun and #LeadEmUp

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2025 Green 13 Recipients

The Green 13 Award celebrates student-athletes who lead with heart, uplift others, and consistently live out what it means to be a great leader.

Podcasts

Real Leadership Talk for Today’s Athletes

Green Room Ep. 6: Earned, Not Given – The Leadership Battle

Watch the full video here: leademup.com/greenroom

In this episode, we dive into what it really means to fight for leadership on a team, not with words, but with actions, consistency, and courage. Leadership isn’t a title you’re handed; it’s something you earn every day by how you show up, hold others accountable, and protect the standards that define a winning culture.

Download the Green Room Player Reflection Template, a simple PDF that coaches can use to have their players reflect on the episode. It’s perfect for sparking discussion and capturing key takeaways.

Download here: leademup.com/the-green-room-player-reflection-worksheet/

Real Leadership Talk for Today’s Athletes

Green Room Ep. 5: Leading The Unleadable

Watch the full video here: leademup.com/greenroom

Some teammates don’t listen. Some challenge your authority. Some drain the energy out of the locker room. But real leaders don’t back down, they learn how to lead those who may seem unleadable. Whether you’re a captain, aspiring leader, or just the one who cares the most, you’ll get real strategies – 4 ways to lead challenging teammates, you’ll learn how to bring out the best in players instead of calling out the worst in players, and the critical mindset tools to help you lead through resistance, build trust, and change team culture from the inside out. It’s not about waiting for perfect teammates. It’s about becoming the kind of leader who can handle anyone.

Download the Green Room Player Reflection Template, a simple PDF that coaches can use to have their players reflect on the episode. It’s perfect for sparking discussion and capturing key takeaways.

Download here: leademup.com/the-green-room-player-reflection-worksheet/

Get Part 1 Free

Get access to part 1 of the Green Team Framework FREE!