Bryan Courtney

Graceland University Men's Soccer Coach

[Graceland Athletics @GUjackets]

Graceland Men's Soccer Schedule is loaded with top tier competition! Take a look at the 2026 Soccer Schedule!

https://t.co/4eAnljokQl

[Sports Psychology @SportPsychTips]

As teammates, don’t worry about whose fault it is for losing. Instead of pointing fingers, lift each other up and take collective ownership so you can succeed as a team!

[A Man Of Memes @RickyDoggin]

RULES FOR SONS:

1. Never shake a man’s hand sitting down.
2. Don’t enter a pool by the stairs.
3. The man at the BBQ Grill is the closest thing to a king.
4. In a negotiation, never make the first offer.
5. Request the late check-out.
6. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
7. Hold your heroes to a higher standard.
8. Return a borrowed car with a full tank of gas.
9. Play with passion or not at all…
10. When shaking hands, grip firmly and look them in the eye.
11. Don’t let a wishbone grow where a backbone should be.
12. If you need music on the beach, you’re missing the point.
13. Carry two handkerchiefs. The one in your back pocket is for you. The one in your breast pocket is for her.
14. You marry the girl, you marry her family.
15. Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like crazy underneath.
16. Experience the serenity of traveling alone.
17. Never be afraid to ask out the best looking girl in the room.
18. Never turn down a breath mint.
19. A sport coat is worth 1000 words.
20. Try writing your own eulogy. Never stop revising.
21. Thank a veteran. Then make it up to him.
22. Eat lunch with the new kid.
23. After writing an angry email, read it carefully. Then delete it.
24. Ask your mom to play. She won’t let you win.
25. Manners maketh the man.
26. Give credit. Take the blame.
27. Stand up to Bullies. Protect those bullied.
28. Write down your dreams.
29. Always protect your siblings (and teammates).
30. Be confident and humble at the same time.
31. Call and visit your parents often. They miss you.
32. The healthiest relationships are those where you’re a team; where you respect, protect, and stand up for each other.

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

"To build a championship culture, you need talent and character.
You then develop the values of that culture.
The best teams have the best values."

The best teams don’t just have stars.
They have standards.

[James Purchin @JamesPurchin]

Most freshmen don’t struggle because they’re untalented.
They struggle because everything is new.

New environment.
New system.
Away from family.
And the talent level? Just as good, if not better.

Many expect to start right away. Most don’t.

So when the struggle comes, and it will, take a lesson from Tom Brady.

Early in his career, Brady got 2 practice reps. The starter got 20. He asked his coach, “How can I get better with only two?”

The answer: “Make those two perfect.”

So he treated them like the Super Bowl. Full speed. Full focus. No wasted motion.

Two reps became four.
Four became ten.
Ten became a starting job.

What separated him wasn’t talent.
It was how he treated limited opportunities.

Most backups focus on the reps they didn’t get.
Brady treated his 2 reps like an audition.

That lesson goes beyond sports.

Not leading the project? Own your role like it runs the company.
Not in the big meeting? Make your five minutes count.
Not starting? Practice like it’s game day.

Development isn’t about where you start.
It’s about how you respond.

Opportunity doesn’t expand because you deserve it.
It expands because you make it impossible to ignore.

Question:
What are your “2 reps” right now? And are you treating them like they matter?

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

“I love winning and I hate losing, but the end result doesn’t change the preparation or sweat equity that goes into it all,” Hilary Knight

Standards don’t adjust to the scoreboard because relentless doesn’t keep statistics.
#USAHockey #Olympics2026

[Bryan Courtney @BryanCourtney11]

@guille_laguna98 @ButlerMSoccer Congrats my friend! 💪🏼

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

Kids don’t want things to be easier.
They want structure, clear routines, clear expectations, and consistent follow-through.
But, structure without relationship is just control.
High standards only work when we pair them with high support.
Demand more. Teach more. Care more.

[Graceland University @GracelandU]

Making excellence a habit on the field and in the classroom. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. 📚🏆
14 teams | 5 Top 10 NAIA GPA s | 71 student-athletes.

🔗 https://t.co/ucGdTF3pWs
#GracelandUniversity #GracelandAlumni #GracelandForever #GracelandPride #GUHorizons

[Keepitonthedeck @Keepitonthedeck]

🔥 STOP. READ THIS. 🔥

Sir Alex Ferguson reflecting on the keys that brought him success 👇

He points out that it’s not always about talent. Grit and determination can also make players great. Ultimately, the game is about being effective ⚽️✅

One of the things that made Sir Alex Ferguson, quite simply, one of the best managers football at any level has ever seen 🐐was his ability to spot character, not just talent 🔍

[Reid Ouse @reidouse]

Mistakes made due to lack of effort or not paying attention are unacceptable.

But mistakes made in an effort to solve a problem need to be tolerated.

[The Driven Man @Thedrivenman]

11 things people learn too late in life‼️🤔

[Kevin DeShazo @KevinDeShazo]

Accountability done well is holding people to the standard not because you are against them, but because you are for them. It's reminding them of who they are meant to be, of the commitment they’ve made.

Accountability is what you do for people, not to people.

[Greg Berge @GregBerge]

Greatness starts in your head.
Self-talk is a weapon.

Just ask Aaron Donald:

[TreVeyon Henderson @TreVeyonH4]

I’m thankful that God’s love for me doesn’t depend on my performance. That my value is found in who I am to Him, not in what I do.

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.”
Ephesians 1:4-7

[Jamy Bechler @CoachBechler]

RESPONDING TO MISTAKES

"I'm letting the team down because I turned the ball over ... missed a shot ... blew a defensive assignment. No, you're letting the team down when it parlays into 4 or 5 possessions after that.

Pick yourself up... You're playing a game that's imperfect."

[AmericanPapaBear™ @AmericaPapaBear]

"The hardest thing I have ever done in my life, is sit in a hospital room and watch my son die, and watch my wife watch her son die."

"There was nothing I could do."

"I would have done anything."

"As hard as it was and still is, I have never experienced anything that made me more aware of the love of God."

"God watched his son die for me and for you and he could have stopped it."

"He loved us so much that he didn't."

Really puts things into perspective, doesn't it?

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

Confidence isn’t the enemy of humility—ego is.
The best players aren’t loud about themselves.
They’re loud about details, effort, and teammates.
Be hard to impress and easy to coach.
When the standard is bigger than your ego, performance follows.

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

The scoreboard will matter in the moment but the standard you set will last forever.

Champions don’t negotiate with their standards.  
The standard isn’t about being great when it’s convenient—it’s about being great when it’s not.

[Graceland Men's Soccer @GUMENSSOCCER]

Lamoni, IA – April 30, 2025 – Graceland University is proud to welcome Dylan Ondieki to the Yellowjackets men's soccer program! A hard worker center mid from Community High School in Lavon, Texas, Dylan adds a competitive edge and a relentless work ethic to the squad.