Today’s Throw Back Thursday (TBT) blog features Sue Enquist, former UCLA head softball coach, and her Excellence Never Blinks presentation during the 2016 WBCA Convention in Indianapolis. With 11 national championships under her belt, Enquist is the only person in NCAA softball history to win national championships as both a player and a coach.
Crediting her time spent with hall of fame women’s basketball coach Billie Moore in teaching her about character, discipline and competitiveness, Enquist expounds on her own five relevant truths of the Excellence Chase. 
1.Celebrate the chase
The game of excellence doesn’t know when you played, and it doesn’t care. Whether you are in your 30th year of coaching or just starting out, excellence simply wants you to come every day and give everything you have to the game, your players and yourself.
Know that the game of excellence will beat you up, but it doesn’t judge you — no matter your division, how many or how few resources you have, or your own obstacles. It demands the same out of every person who steps foot on the court.
2.No. 1
When you see No. 1, don’t think first … think YOU. Are you investing in yourself emotionally, physically and spiritually? Are you serving the game and the community? Be sure to fill your own well, because the career you picked (coaching) has you giving 24 hours a day.
3.Block out the noise
There are always going to be people who try to bring you down with negativity. You will have those days when you want to give up and you feel there’s so much negativity around you.
Remember the 33 percent rule — don’t let the bottom third come home with you.
Stay on task with the game of excellence because it will pay you back; and remember, “It’s just good ol’ basketball.” Clamp on to excellence and never let go.
Find out the remaining truths by watching Enquist’s full session here, as well as explore video from other parts of the 2016 WBCA Convention.