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

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.