This week we're chatting with Tim Kennedy, the longtime and extremely successful baseball coach at Bishop Miege and Blue Valley High School here in the Kansas City area.
Now, why are we talking with a high school baseball coach on a podcast that mainly features business leaders and talks about leadership and mentoring?
Well, as you may know, since 2017 we’ve had a program in partnership with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City and the Kansas City Royals called Coaches with Character. Each year we recognize six coaches who are making Kansas City a better place.
This year we are featuring the coaches on this podcast because who knows better about leadership, building teams, team chemistry and so on than successful high school coaches?
A graduate of Blue Valley High School in 1990, Tim Kennedy put together a successful 2023 campaign in his first year as head coach at his alma mater after having previously served as a math teacher and an assistant coach at the school since 2013.
Tim’s coaching and teaching background started in 1997, shortly after graduating from Kansas State University. After five years as an assistant coach at Bishop Miege High School, Kennedy became head coach of the Stags and served in that role from 2003-2011 before his tenure at Blue Valley High School began in 2013.
As his nominator, Peggy Rose, who was a Blue KC Coach with Character honoree a few years ago, wrote, “Coach Kennedy is what first class looks like as a teacher and a coach. He works with his students in Algebra 2 and AP Calculus in the same way he works with his high school baseball players – in a patient, respectful and encouraging manner that fosters a sense of confidence that has manifested itself in several league and state titles, as well as success in the mathematics classroom. He always does the right thing and wants what is best for the team and to make kids better through sports. Tim always has time to talk and listen to fellow coaches, teachers, students and athletes.”
In this chat, we talk about that coaching career, leadership highs and lows, building a team, and much more.
LINKS:
Here's the article about Tim Kennedy as the June Blue KC Coaches with Character honoree.
For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.
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