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dean stark

Episode 115 – Dean Stark – Why Purpose is Needed to Succeed in Competitive Sports

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Dean Stark began working at Sacramento Waldorf School when he was 21. That was 37 years ago, and when he began, he had no intention of staying so long because he imagined he would go on to coach at bigger and bigger schools until he possibly landed an opportunity to coach college basketball. But staying was a great decision – perhaps the decision of his lifetime, Dean says.


In the latest episode of the Make Meaning Podcast, Dean speaks with host Lynne Golodner about how coaching SacWaldorf teams turned into his dream job because of the depth of his relationship with the students and the style of the education. Dean has written two books about his experiences and coaching philosophy, with the most recent one, Uncommon: Inside my Coaching Career at Sacramento Waldorf, one of the focuses of this interview. In this book, Dean emphasizes the importance of developing a philosophy for your life – by reflecting upon what has brought you success, where you need to improve, and using those questions to identify your strengths and how to achieve your goals moving forward.

In this episode, Lynne and Dean discuss:
Find Dean Stark:
Dean Stark Awards:
  • 2nd most wins in CIF Section History (635)
  • 16 Central Valley California League titles
  • 17 CIF Section Final Fours
  • 2017 NFHS California State Boys Basketball Coach of the Year
  • 2017 CIF State Model Coach Winner
  • 2017 CIF Section Model Coach Winner
  • 16 Time CVCL Coach of the Year in Boys Basketball
  • Sacramento Bee’s 2010’s Boys Basketball All Decade Coaching Staff
Coming up next on the Make Meaning Podcast:

Lynne interviews Steven Wingate, an author and associate professor at South Dakota State University, who writes fiction that focuses on the Great Plains. He also uses new media and experimental forms to explore stories from his own life.

If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll like these other Make Meaning podcast episodes!