Leadership, Patriotism, and Sports with Karl Darden

Key Points, Top Takeaways and Memorable Quotes - “Well I think that first of all, to go there, you have to have some baseline love with patriotism.” 4:56“We want top notch people just like anybody else, just like any other organization, and it’s not gonna thrive unless we have those people.” 9:25“I mean, the Naval Academy has one of the best Glee Club and Choirs in the Country.” 21:32“The Naval Academy is a hard place to be, but a great place to be from!” - Karl quoting Anonymous @ 23:56“They worked just as hard as the others, right, in their respective disciplines to be as good as they can be and they are elite at that level.  It’s just that nobody knows about it.”  33:51“Stay connected to the game, even if you’re just playing with your buddies at the park or whatever.” 38:43“Take off the blinders and see what’s going on around you a little bit more.” 48:09 Guest Bio - Karl is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a 20 year veteran, a former helicopter pilot, and a chronic Navy Sports fan.  His enthusiasm for all Navy Sports led him to create the Navy Sports Nation blog in January 2020. One year later, Karl started Navy Sports Central, which is the Official Podcast of the Navy Sports Nation.  Typical guests have included Navy coaches, former Navy athletes, and podcasters who cover sports for teams that Navy might happen to play during the year.The athletes who compete at the Academy are the country's best and brightest, who will later go on to serve in the Navy or Marine Corps. They consistently perform at an elite level despite all of their other competing demands.   Karl’s goal is to shine a light on these athletes as best he can and tell their stories. Show Notes - 0:00 - WIMTS Podcast Intro0:32 - Introducing Karl Darden0:53 - Welcome to Karl1:33 - Journey to the Naval Academy4:36 - Personality & Character Strengths for Military Academies6:23 - Messaging for Next Generation & Naval Academy Prospects10:30 - How Old are Your Kids?11:13 - Participation in Sports is a Difference Maker in Life16:35 - How is the Athlete Experience Different at the Naval Academy?19:39 - What Kind of Support Do Cadets Receive During the First Year or Two?22:03 - BB Commercial22:12 - Learning How to Ask for Help23:00 - Positives You Gain from the Challenges at the Naval Academy25:54 - The Navy Sports Nation Blog Came Before the Podcast29:40 - Navy Sports Central Podcast32:55 - Pride in Untelevised Sports & Naval Academy Athletes36:02 - Parenting Kid Athletes & Staying Connected to the Game41:14 - Stories on the Navy Sports Scene47:11 - One Piece of Advice to Your Younger Self50:09 - Where Can People Connect with You?50:48 - Favorite Naval Academy Sports Story53:58 - Thank You54:45 - WIMTS Podcast Closing Links & Where to Find Karl - Blog: The Navy Sports NationPodcast: Navy Sports CentralIG - @karldnavy84 ; @navysportsnation Twitter - @naVsportsnation