#314: Jim Vahrenkamp-University of North Dakota

🎙️ "Our Job Is to Teach" — Jim Vahrenkamp, University of North DakotaFrom a childhood of tagging along to practices to leading a D1 program, Jim Vahrenkamp’s coaching journey is one of relentless curiosity, purposeful growth, and staying true to the educator's heart. In this episode, Jim shares how being raised by a coach shaped his mindset, what academic failure taught him about accountability, and why leadership—at every level—matters.💡 In This Episode🧠 “As coaches, our job is to teach.” Jim dives into how coaching and education are inseparable🛠️ Construction, coaching, and grad school—how hard work off the track shaped his philosophy📚 The girlfriend who held him accountable (and saved his math grade)🌱 The billion-dollar transformation at UND and what it says about institutional leadership🔍 From reading 1,500 pages a week to digging deep into international throws theory—why he never stops learning🔄 Identity after athletics: helping athletes reframe success beyond championships💬 “Leadership isn’t just about seeing next year. It’s about envisioning 20, 40, 60 years ahead.” — Jim Vahrenkamp🌟 Explore Our Library: Dive into 300+ episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, Diljeet Taylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more for your listening pleasure.🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode: Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs every Tuesday through Sunday. Find YOUR voice on the Gill Connections Podcast Network.📲 Stay Connected: Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Twitter (@MikeCunningham), email at [email protected], or text to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍