Monday, February 9, 2009

Former Ravens Coach Billick Presents 'Life Lessons for Success' at Washington College

Chestertown, MD — Brian Billick, former head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, will present "Life Lessons for Success" at Washington College's Cain Gymnasium on Thursday, February 19, at 8 p.m.

When Billick became the Ravens' head coach in 1999, the nascent football franchise had endured losing records in each of its first three seasons. Billick quickly changed the course for the team, guiding the Ravens to their first non-losing season (8-8) in his inaugural year.

In 2000, Billick's second year at the helm, the Ravens earned a 12-4 regular season record (including 11 consecutive victories), and then swept through the playoffs to win the Super Bowl XXXV Championship in a commanding 34-7 victory over the New York Giants. The 2000 Ravens defense set the NFL's 16-game standard for fewest points allowed (165). Prior to Billick's arrival in Baltimore, the Ravens defense had never ranked higher than 22nd in the league.

Several more successful seasons followed 2000's historic heights as the Ravens continued to be a force to be reckoned with, more often than not all the way to the playoffs or the brink of the postseason tournament.

Prior to coaching the Ravens, Billick had been offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. In 1998 he coordinated a Vikings offense that scored the most points (556) in NFL history.

"Passion" and "accountability" are the two words that form the foundation of Billick's philosophy of coaching and leadership.

"You have to have passion for the work you do to succeed," Billick said. "If a player doesn't like to study, practice or train, doesn't like the physicality of the game, he's going to have a very difficult time succeeding. Passion is a lubricant for success."

As for the other cornerstone of Billick's approach, "Accountability is obvious. You have to perform. Accountability is also a sign of respect for your team. It is a reflection of a team's integrity when individuals take responsibility for their actions."

Billick has co-authored two books, Competitive Leadership: Twelve Principles for Success (with Dr. James A. Peterson) and Finding the Winning Edge (with Dr. Peterson and NFL Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh).

Admission to "Life Lessons for Success" is free and open to the public.

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