Heart of a Coach
August/September 2009

Jennifer Gillom Head Coach Minnesota Lynx

Chosen Attribute: Kindness

Dictionary definition: "Of a good or benevolent nature or disposition."

My definition: "Doing unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Who has helped me develop a spirit of kindness: "My mother. She taught me to always treat others the way I would want to be treated. She told me that would take me a long way, and it really has."

Favorite Scripture that deals with kindness: Hebrews 13:2 (KJV) – "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

Why I chose this passage: "That is how I feel — that we are being tested with our love every day through people we meet. What if I'm not kind to a person? What if I'm entertaining an angel? I will miss out on that blessing."

"Being kind is who I am, and I am going to be me every day, even if people can't understand why."

How kindness applies to coaching: "Being kind is who I am, and I am going to be me every day, even if people can't understand why. I try to teach that to my players and encourage them to be kind to their teammates. That is how I develop chemistry with my teams.

"And, as a player, I hated being yelled at, so I make sure I am kind to my players. I go to them, put a hand on their shoulder and praise them first. After that, I then tell them what they did wrong and how to correct it. My players respond very well to that approach."

How I've learned to show kindness in life: "When I was playing for the Phoenix Mercury, I participated in a team community outreach event, and we visited a woman who had terminal cancer. I went in there and gave her my best smile, and she just lit up when she saw me. To be honest, I didn't feel well physically that day, and I didn't want to go, but I knew I should show her love and be kind to her.

"The next year, I was arriving at a game and this lady ran up to my car from across the street, and she was yelling, 'Jennifer! Jennifer! Do you remember me?' It was the same woman. She thanked me for my smile and generosity and told me how much I helped her that day and that she is now free from cancer. I just cried. Here was this same woman, now healthy and adorned with a full head of hair. You just never know how God is going to use you. I was going to cancel going that day because I wasn't up to it. Thank God I didn't.

"I think being kind is something God wants all of us to do in every area of our lives. He wants us to love one another, and I think being kind is showing that love. To me, that is the whole purpose. It's why I'm here."

About the Coach: Alma Mater: University of Mississippi Playing Career: • Played seven seasons in the WNBA • WNBA career averages: 13.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg • 1999 WNBA All-Star Coaching Career: • Currently in her second season with the Lynx, her first as head coach. • Holds a .780 winning percentage as the Xavier College Preparatory head girls basketball coach during the WNBA offseason. FCA Involvement: Jennifer Gillom joined FCA as a high school student in Mississippi. She continued her involvement throughout her time at Ole Miss and credits the ministry with teaching her the importance of setting an example for others. "Through FCA I learned how to be a role model," she said. "The encouragement it provided helped me as a leader and as a coach." Chaplain Quote: "Jennifer has been a huge blessing to the Lynx program. She displays her faith as a Christian coach by the way she interacts with the athletes on and off the court. She exudes such joy that even her eyes smile." – Michelle Backes, Lynx Chaplain

--For more stories about faith and sport, visit www.sharingthevictory.com, the official magazine of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. To subscribe to STV, click here.

Photos courtesy of NBAE/Getty Images.