DAY 3
Bryan Shelton
Bryan Shelton is the only person to win NCAA Division I Championships as the head coach of both men’s and women’s tennis teams. His teams won the 2007 NCAA championship with Georgia Tech’s women’s team, and the 2021 NCAA title with the Florida men.
In addition, two of his Florida players won individual NCAA titles, including his son, Ben. After 11 seasons at Florida, Bryan stepped down in 2023 to coach Ben, currently ranked #15 in the world, on the pro tour. Bryan also played on the professional tour, peaking at a world ranking of #55.
Bryan and his wife, Lisa (a top-shelf pickleball player), have two children, Emma (who also played tennis at the University of South Carolina and the University of Florida), and Ben.
Quotables
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Wins are fleeting. Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell
You remember some of the wins and you remember some of the losses, but the relationships that you built and the things that you shared together as part of a team, those things trump everything else. Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell
I’ve been fortunate to have some success and I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of losses. Bryan Shelton #perspective #theartofplayingwell
Character, relationships and culture could help us to become more successful on our teams but more importantly, those will help people grow up as better leaders and better people. Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell
I’ve had so much confirmation throughout my life that if you focus in on the right things, that a lot of other things come along with it that are great as well. Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell
Trying to be successful is something that we’re called to do. We’re called to be excellent. Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell
So many of the parts of being excellent are related to your character, how you approach life and how you approach people and how you approach problems and difficult times. And do you have a consistent approach to those things? Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell
Some people think they want happiness. I would rather have fulfillment. It’s something that’s a little bit deeper. It’s a feeling of, I’m doing the right things at the right time for the right reasons. Bryan Shelton #fulfillment #theartofplayingwell
If you’re living by just the wins and the losses, all of a sudden that can become a very dark place. Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell
Leaders that I can relate to are guys like Arthur Ashe, Tony Dungy, people that lead with a quiet confidence and just lead by example and how they live their life. Bryan Shelton #leadership #theartofplayingwell
I’ve learned over time, not to feel the need to have to say something all the time. I think a lot of people get over coached. Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell
What am I doing that’s going to impact others in a positive way? Because sometimes not saying anything at all allows someone else to really have the stage to express themselves and to really be all that they want to be. Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell
It was a great learning experience for him and for me to say, we’re not just after the wins, we’re after doing things the way God wants us to do them and to be our real authentic selves out there at all times. Bryan Shelton #theartofplayingwell