Texas AD Chris Del Conte appeared on Athletic Director U's From the Chair podcast with former Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton, and anyone looking to move up in the business would be well-served to give it a listen.
Del Conte has never coached, instead supporting coaches by rising the ranks as a development officer. Still, the former UC Santa Barbara track athlete has a great appreciation for coaches of all sorts.
"Coaches are the greatest asset our country has because they can either make you or break you on your personal psyche," he said. "I had great coaches that believed in me. My high school coaches and college coaches saw something in me that I didn't see in myself, and they pushed me to levels that I despised them for in the moment, but when the process was done, I loved them. They believed in me when I didn't believe in myself, and I was able to achieve things I never thought possible."
I thought that was really well put.