SPORTS LEADERSHIP COURSE GIVES NORTHWESTERN STUDENTS NEW INSIGHTS, PERSPECTIVES

Northwestern students who registered for the Spring 2022 term course Sports Leadership received a unique experience that most alumni cannot claim: former Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders was their adjunct faculty member for the entire term. Sure, many classes on a variety of subjects periodically feature guest speakers with notable names, but this time, every session—including devotions and prayer, a lecture, and Q&A—was facilitated by Saunders.

Saunders, a known name in Minnesota basketball circles—first from his late father Flip, then on his own accord—was the youngest National Basketball Association (NBA) head coach upon his Timberwolves hiring in 2019. When that tenure came to a close a little over two years later, Saunders chose to stay in the Twin Cities region with his young family rather than immediately pursue a coaching role in another city. Brad Ruiter ’91, who worked with Saunders at the Timberwolves before becoming chair of Northwestern’s Kinesiology department, introduced Ryan to Northwestern and the curriculum he wrote that was designed to provide students with opportunities to develop moral and ethical values and philosophical skills by exploring sports management issues and organizational behavior.

When Ruiter was considering who should teach the Sports Leadership course, he knew Saunders would make a great fit. “Ryan has always been an incredible mix of maturity, kindness, professionalism, and Christ-like example in our professional relationship, our friendship, and every aspect of his life,” said Ruiter. “Ryan is the definition of what I want our students to exemplify when they pursue a career in sports. He was uniquely qualified to offer our students his insights to make them more prepared for life.”

Twice each week, the 30 students in attendance were invited into a 100-minute conversation with Saunders. In addition to reciting and dialoguing that day’s Jesus Calling entry and covering the day’s requests in prayer, the class celebrated students’ wins, discussed current events in sports leadership, and were led in lectures that covered relevant topics including leadership and decision-making in the sports arena. They pored through Christian author and pastor Mark Batterson’s book, Win the Day. As if that list of activities wasn’t already enough, Saunders welcomed his own group of guest speakers into the conversation to interact with Northwestern students. P.J. Fleck, the University of Minnesota head football coach, brought his familiar energy and charisma into the classroom. NFL Hall of Fame Coach Tony Dungy spoke with the group via Zoom.

After their initial shock of having a celebrity instructor wore off, Saunders’ impact on student growth remained strong throughout the course. “After college, I’m interested in sports business,” said Kyle Kaemingk ’23. “Sure, Coach Saunders’ contact list is amazing, but the examples we talked about in class stretched and resonated with me.”

While the course’s impact on Northwestern students was profound, it also impacted the professor. “Teaching this group of 30 students was a great opportunity for me to remain in touch with that generation, to learn from them, and to pass on what I’ve learned from my experiences to equip them for scenarios and opportunities they may face in the future,” Saunders said. “Based on my experience in the classroom with these students, I’m confident that the future of Christcentered leadership in our society is bright.”