Lexington playing host to the McLendon Foundation’s inaugural Leadership Weekend allowed Kentucky Coach John Calipari to put his and the UK program’s basketball success in perspective.
“Wins are not going to be on my tombstone,” Calipari said in his welcoming remarks Thursday to some 30 young people who are attending the event. “It’s how many people you touch (and) how many people you lift. How many opportunities do you give others?
“Because fame is fleeting and money has wings. It’s what you do with the opportunity.”
Calipari is credited with the idea of what became the Minority Leadership Initiative. He and Harvard Coach Tommy Amaker are co-founders of the McLendon Leadership Initiative.
Its goal is to help launch careers in athletics for minorities.
“In athletics, there’s not many athletic directors of color,” Calipari said. “There’s not many administrators of color. There’s not many female administrators.
“It’s not a handout. . . . This is a hand up.”
In speaking to an audience of McLendon postgraduate scholarship recipients and Minority Leadership Initiative “Future Leaders,” Calipari used the analogy of a career being like climbing a ladder.
“Some people climb the ladder of success and then turn around and pick up the ladder,” he said. “They’re so focused on themselves, they just keep marching.
“Special people climb that same ladder of success and they turn around and pick up the next person. You have a chance to grab people and drag them with you.”
Amaker, who spoke to the participants via Zoom, echoed that sentiment. The MLI program is based on creating access and opportunities for those who aspire to a career in athletics.
“The word I like to add is ‘pathway,’” Amaker said.
After noting John McLendon’s trail blazing career in athletics, Amaker added, “Being the first really doesn’t matter unless there is a second. Make sure we remember that.”
The Minority Leadership Initiative was launched in the 2020-21 school year. It helped that the McLendon Foundation is part of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
“How do you say no?” Calipari said of the support given by athletic directors. “It’s in your organization, now, and we’re playing for it.”
Calipari solicited financial support from some 80 college coaches from such sports as football, baseball and basketball (men’s and women’s). Having McLendon as the program’s namesake enhanced fund-raising and participation by coaches, Calipari said.
In its two years, there have been about 900 applicants looking for MIL positions, said Adrien Harraway, a vice president of NACDA and the director of the McLendon Foundation.
In 2020-21, UK had five of the 30 positions filled around the country. Of the five at Kentucky, three have moved on to positions at other schools while two will work at UK in 2021-22.
The MLI program is on pace to have 40 positions in 2021-22, Harraway said.
The inaugural Leadership Weekend, which runs Thursday through Saturday, is intended to be an educational experience for participants. It’s also an opportunity to network and build support systems, Harraway said.
Amaker offered career advice during a question-and-answer exchange that concluded welcoming remarks. He said his routine included a light workout and healthy breakfast each morning.
“If we start right, we think we have a better chance of finishing right,” he said.
Amaker offered the participants another tip.
“Ability is important,” he said. “Dependability is critical.”