Steve Land

Born August 6, 1963 Bushnell HS-1981 Panhandle St. Univ.-1986 GHS Teacher & Coach Family-Judy, Jourdan, Kadee, Colby, Kinlee, Hunter, Gentry, and Emberlee

[Steve Collins @TeachHoopsBBall]

A good high school basketball team doesn't need 5 scorers.
It needs a floor general, a lockdown defender, and somebody who knows their job is to rebound everything in sight.
Roles win games. Superstars are built out of teams that commit to those roles.

[Steve Land @CoachLand81]

@tbent92 Congratulations, I was wondering if you just “put yourself” in?!!😆😆

[Steve Land @CoachLand81]

@CoachFreeburg Awesome job, ladies and Coach Freeburg! Thanks for your help this year with the middle school hurdlers!

[Coach Jeff Barnes @JeffBarnes52]

As an AD, one of the biggest challenges is understanding what athletes and parents truly want. Everyone says they want to win, but too often the communication I receive is centered around why practice is being missed, why workouts can’t happen, or why the commitment isn’t possible.

Winning is rarely about what happens on game day, it’s built in the unseen hours of preparation, consistency, and sacrifice. You cannot claim to want success while consistently avoiding the work required to achieve it.

Too often, “we want to win” really means “we want the rewards of winning without the discomfort of earning it.” When that gap exists, the blame often shifts to the coach instead of the habits.

Great programs are built when athletes, parents, and coaches all align in understanding that commitment comes before results. Wanting to win and being willing to do what it takes to win are two very different things.

[Coach Jeff Barnes @JeffBarnes52]

As an AD, I struggle to understand why some parents resist high standards for their kids. Growth doesn’t come from comfort, it comes from being pushed, being coached hard, and being held accountable.

As a dad, I hate seeing my kid disappointed. But I’d rather see him face adversity now than be unprepared later. Learning to handle failure, earn your role, and fight through challenges matters more than any short term result.

Winning matters. Not just on the scoreboard, but in learning how to prepare, compete, and respond when things don’t go your way. That’s what builds someone ready for the real world.

[Steve Land @CoachLand81]

@RealJayWilliams Getting your hand up is what I taught over the last 40 years. But not always perfect advice. My team was in the Middle school conference championship and we lead by 2 points in OT. My best player had his hand up high and kid made a 3/4 court shot at the buzzer. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

[Mr PitBull Stories @MrPitbull07]

I was fired today. Well, laid off. "Budget cuts," my boss said. I packed my box. I was terrified. I have a mortgage. As I walked to the elevator, the CEO—the big boss who never talks to anyone—stepped in with me. "You're Sarah, right?" he asked. "Yes sir." "You stayed late last month to help the interns fix that presentation. You didn't ask for overtime." I nodded, surprised he knew. "I can't stop the layoffs," he said. "Board's decision. But I made a phone call." The elevator dinged. He handed me a card. "My friend runs a firm across town. He's expecting your call at 9 AM tomorrow. He needs a manager who cares about people. The pay is 20% higher." I stared at him. "Why?" "Because you held the door for the cleaning lady every single morning," he said. "I notice things." Character is what you do when you think no one is watching.

Credit: Nancy brooks

[Greg Berge @GregBerge]

Overprotected kids become unprepared adults.

Dawn Staley nailed it.🔥

You can’t shelter your child from every hard moment and then expect them to handle adversity when it counts.

Hard is the lesson.

Watch. Share. Bookmark.

[The Husky @Mr_Husky1]

I’m a high school teacher. We have policies. Late work gets points deducted. Turn it in on time or take the hit. That’s how students learn responsibility. Senior year. Final paper worth thirty percent of the grade. Due Friday. Monday came. Still no paper from this one kid. Smart kid. Never missed assignments before.
Called him to my desk after class. “Where’s your paper?” He looked down. “I don’t have it” Waited. He didn’t elaborate. “You know this tanks your grade right? Might not graduate” He nodded. Still wouldn’t look at me. “Do you not care?” His voice cracked. “My dad died Thursday night. Heart attack. Paper was done. On my laptop. But I’ve been at the hospital. At the funeral home. I forgot. I just forgot.”
My chest tightened. “I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?” “Because it sounds like an excuse. Everyone has excuses.” He finally looked up. Eyes red. “Just fail me. I deserve it.”
Closed my gradebook. “Email me the paper tonight. Full credit. And take this week off. Come back when you’re ready.” He shook his head. “The policy—” “I’m the teacher. I make exceptions when life happens. Your dad died. That’s not an excuse. That’s a tragedy. Go home.”
He graduated. Top ten percent. Spoke at graduation. Mentioned a teacher who showed him that rules and compassion can coexist. I was in the audience. Crying.
Sometimes grace matters more than policy.

—Mr. Hayes, English teacher

[NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners @NCAABuzzerBters]

41-year Nebraska basketball announcer Kent Pavelka’s (@KentPavelka) call of the final seconds as he witnesses Nebraska’s first ever NCAA Tournament win https://t.co/gEX5tmrdy1

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

“Soft loses every day. If a kid really wants to be good, he’ll respect you a lot more if you’re hard. There’s a way to be hard without being degrading. I don’t think you can ever let your kids settle, ever,” Bill Self

Comfort doesn’t build winners but standards do.

[Steve Land @CoachLand81]

@SteeleThoughts Truth, same goes for Coaching…have a 3 ring binder after 38 years as a basketball coach, need to read it from time to time to remind myself why I do it and how I made a difference.

[Mr. Basketball Inc. @MB_Tournaments]

After 34 years, I’m retiring from Mr. Basketball, Inc. Grateful for the unforgettable journey and everyone who’s been part of it—especially the teams and college coaches from 48 states & Canada who made the trip to Kearney, as well as everyone who worked our events. Full statement: https://t.co/sjFNU8I9bI.

[Clay Travis @ClayTravis]

Here’s Rick Pitino going off on his St. John’s team for not being tough enough. I love old school coaches.

[Anthony Fucillo 🇺🇸 @CoachFucillo]

Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman on multi-sport athletes.

[Danny Kanell @dannykanell]

If you are going to enter the transfer portal just go. It's your right. Go get your $$$.
But can we please stop with the lengthy love letters professing "I'll always be a __________" and how much you love your coaches and teammates???
No...you won't be.
No...you don't.

[Mitch Sherman @mitchsherman]

Something special to share on this Thanksgiving.

Nebraska volleyball star Harper Murray fell into a dark place in the offseason after her freshman year. She got in trouble and needed help.

Murray’s coach, John Cook, refused to give up on her.

[Coach Rico Ochoa @RicoOchoa]

Yesterday was one of the greatest days of my life🥹 To see my son @Passrush4L run out of that tunnel and his jersey with our last name on it, is an undescribable feeling! We are so proud of him and all his hard work!  #GBR #94knockinatyourdoor #OCHOA

@HuskerFootball @TheTrenchLab @SixZeroAcademy @CVFootballCoach @football_castle

[Brian Christopherson @Husker247BC]

"I think Nebraska is going to become in basketball a much different place for recruiting in the future... It's going to be a very attractive place to go to right now." Beilein said he'd love to coach this team.

[Steve Land @CoachLand81]

@tbent92 @jim_ayresjl @SuitUpVarsity @GeringBball Plum has the 8th grade, probably the most experienced coaches in the state for Middle school! Over 76 years combined!😁