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Lindsey thigh
Los Angeles – Pete Carroll with the projection of his philosophy “victory forever” serving as a background stood in front of the class nearly 60 students inside a lecture in the basement on the USC campus.
The 73 -year -old man behaved here and there, his arms revived his words and radiated contagious zeal when he spoke.
“Practice is everything,” Carroll said, plunging into the principles of his philosophy. “If you want something, you have to do it well.
Carroll, carelessly dressed in a sand -colored shirt, gray jeans and the corresponding sneakers, sounded like a fired football coach who brought his players to stand on the field.
But for two hours every Thursday evening during the spring semester USC, Carroll moves from the coach to the first professor and trades the football field for the classroom in the hope of turning the game plan that helped him win Super Bowl with Seattle Seahawks And two National USC championships in something tangible for their students.
“One thing I said is that this class is not a class for me,” said Shadi Angotti, biological science, he said. “It’s an escape. It’s something I’m looking forward to for the whole week.”
It seems that the feeling is mutual for Carroll, who, three days earlier at the annual NFL League meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, was sitting with reporters to answer countless questions, including one of his current interests.
“The class I teach on the USC,” he said, “and all opportunities to communicate and also receive information from young people at school and from people who have also become part of this class.”
The course offered by Marshall School of Business USC is called “Game is Life” and Carroll teachs it along with Varun Soni, a dean of religious and spiritual life and David Belasco, an additional professor of business. The class syllabus says that the intention is to “train students to perform at their highest level in all aspects of their career and life.”
“I am interested in deeply about the interviews we had and the lessons we have caused,” said Elina Khoshnivas, a junior business major.
Competition is on Carroll’s core of philosophy, so it is a little surprise that those interested were obliged to fill in an application that included questions about what made them a competitor. The course had a group of 300 candidates. Students come from various large companies and have diverse career ambitions, from musicians, dancers, entrepreneurs, athletes and accountants. In the classroom, there is also a women’s basketball player AP JUJU Watkins, although it is missing on this day due to her recent knee injury.
Carroll created a connection with students five decades younger, many of whom were not born when USC led to BCS titles in 2003 and 2004, and knew about it because of its success with Seahawks, or, as one student admitted after watching USC teams Carroll.
“Just somehow he can find a way to connect with each individual (one of us),” said Mia Triolo, communication and lacrosse player.
Carroll presents examples of real life resistance and relies on his experience with release as a coach New York Jets and New England Patriots. It also emphasizes the commitment – just like the one who made this course a month before it was named by the coach Las Vegas Raiders.
“It’s the embodiment of the game,” Angotti said. “Everything he went through, what he learned is the perfect professor.”
“Heard the real passion he talks to and the vulnerability was so crazy,” said Drew Liddell, a business major.
Students will arrive early and remain late. Although Carroll enters the room with actor Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute on “The Office”, Carroll is the main attraction.
During the first 15 minutes of the class, students fall apart into small groups, where the hoop competition is often held (a portable basketball hoop is sitting in the lecture hall), recognizing and discussing the topic of the day because the “Weekend” Rapper Mac Miller is playing on the lecture. Carroll wanders into the room as if doing a side line, a welcome hug and a handshakes. Students want to share their achievements or fights from the week while looking for his advice.
“He gives absolutely the best person he comes into contact with,” said Alexis Niblock, the main business major and player of Lakros.
Carroll takes time to summarize the previous class when the Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was the latest guest speaker in the line -up, included by actor Jason Sudeikis, Deepak Chopra and the Olympic gold medalists April Ross and Rai Benjamin. It calls on students by name to contribute with them.
Carroll then turns his attention to today’s lesson: resistance.
“Thanks to hard work, the combination of passion, he realized that you could overcome things,” Carroll said. “Resistance is about hope. If you have lost hope, you won’t jump back.
He calls on Michelle, a student he remembered, had to show speech to ask how it could. She told her experience and considered her a victory. Her classmates are happy for her and give applause. Carroll joins them.
Noticeably all over Of course, laptops remain in the backpack and mobile phones are nowhere in sight because students scribble notes inside the notebook issued class. When Carroll speaks, the energy in the room is tangible.
In one place he will present another personal story – sharing how he will meet his raids for the first time in five days.
“I have the first meeting with the team. They will come to such a room and I am going to” wow “their ass,” Carroll said as his students were illuminated through the room to smile.
“Let the class be fired,” Niblock said. “I always write things.”
Carroll brings the floor to Wilson, which reflects a daily lesson of resistance by sharing his experience with rejection and finding his journey to success in the entertainment industry.
The class is worried about the 40 -minute session of questions and answers where Carroll, Wilson and Soni share the floor and provide serious reactions.
One student is looking for advice on solving his first job offer and salaries negotiations. Another student, an ambitious artist, asks about the balance between working and private life. Someone else asks what passion and fulfillment mean and for any definition.
During all lessons, Carroll offers one input that could be demanding for one to match.
“I’m finally unrealistic optimistic,” he said.
Time expires when hands remain in the air. The new class is starting to set in a lecture hall when it spins.
Carroll moves with the herd around him. Several students eagerly share their latest victory or are looking for Carroll’s leadership about their next step.
“If we didn’t dig from there, we would be there for another 30 minutes,” Carroll said, “And that’s what it was. It was really strange.”
Carroll slowly goes towards the elevator and says he has to take part in the former USC Quarterback event Matt Leinart and then capture the return flight to Las Vegas.
The elevator door opens and a walk through another student turns into running to jump in before the door closes.
One more chance to talk to Professor Carroll before returning to the coach.
