Legacy The School of Sports Sciences is welcoming a new football coach for the 2021-2022 school year. Coach Micheal Bishop has already shown his dedication to the school and the sport through long summer practices. “I think when you're dealing with someone like him, he's accomplished in his own right, and really could have a huge ego, but he does not. He is very approachable, personable,” said Ms. Donyale Canada, Chief Operating Officer of Compliance, who has been with Legacy since day one. “Because he's accomplished a lot, he's not necessarily running around trying to beat his chest to prove anything because [what he has accomplished] already speaks for itself before he even utters a sentence. Just saying the name ‘Michael Bishop’, most people already know what he's done.” Already, within the summer football workouts, staff members have seen a pattern of consistency and enthusiasm in Coach Bishop. His hard work and compassion are leading Legacy and its football program in a positive direction. From his 46-3 college win record as quarterback, to being the 1998 Heisman Runner Up, to receiving the Davey O'Brien Award, and being a part of two national championship teams back to back, Coach Bishop has demonstrated he has a vast amount of football experience and is an expert in his field. After high school, Coach Bishop attended Blinn Community College, followed by Kansas State University. When asked about lessons learned in his past experiences, Coach Bishop said, “The number one lesson you learn about is accountability. You learn about leadership. You learn about being where you're supposed to be, and also you learn about how to get along with different people. Everybody comes from all different backgrounds, so you have to be able to adjust to that.” After Kansas State, Bishop was drafted to the New England Patriots. He then joined the Green Bay Packers and eventually played for the Canadian Football League. “For me, my proudest moment was doing what everybody said I couldn't do - play quarterback.” Working to achieve success, whatever that may look like, is a part of Coach Bishop's lifestyle. “I have a ‘win’ mentality every single day. Whether it is moving chairs in here or having a competition with other coaches, my mentality is, coming from a quarterback standpoint - give me the plan, let me execute it,” said Bishop. “I want to win every single play, every single battle, every single war. That's the way I've been my whole life, because if I don't win, who is going to win?” Coach Bishop talked about how he puts his identity in being a motivator and being a great leader. “I’ve been all over the world playing football. I've been on some great teams. I met some great people, but for me, that's where it stops, it was just football. I take pride and joy in being just Mike. Not Mike the football player, just Mike.” Coach Bishop went on to explain, “At some point, everybody’s [athletic career] ends, but if you're not a great person and you can't live life after sports, then that's an issue.” Coach Bishop’s motivating question for students is, “Hey, what's the next play?” He went on to say, “I look at life like that too. You may have some stumbling, some hurdles, but you have to get over that and be ready for the next thing that comes.” When asked what qualities make a good athlete, Bishop emphasized the need to have a strong mind, adding a demand for work ethic, leadership, great enthusiasm, and the ability to take constructive criticism. Whether it be his teammates in highschool or the players he currently coaches, Bishop looks for those qualities and leads his team “head on.” “I feel like I've been coaching all of my life, because when you play the quarterback position, you have to understand everything that's going on,” Bishop said. He focuses on uplifting those around him and keeping a winning mentality. “My coaching method is to give them a great example, give them no reason to be uncertain, and make sure that everybody has confidence in what we're doing. If everybody's confident that we can, the sky can be the limit. There's no ceiling. Founder of the school, Mrs. Kerrie Patterson-Brown, spoke about how she wanted a football coach that could help students get prepared for life and use sport as their route. “[My vision for the football program looked like] a place where our kids would learn. Learn not just about the game, but life, because I do see the similarities between sports and life, and I wanted someone that would lead the program, that would help guide the kids to becoming young men.” Throughout receiving many awards and recognitions, Coach Bishop humbly continues to push himself and uplift those around him. “My thing that I say to myself every day is: ‘In order to sail the high seas of tomorrow, one cannot be anchored to yesterday.’” Mrs. Patterson-Brown explained that although Legacy consists of coaches who played at high levels themselves, it is not about them, but about the students they are impacting. Bishop made clear what he wants his football players mindsets to be. “[I] hope they have the mentality of: Never give up. I can do it. Winning mentality, winning attitude, winning spirit. So I think there's all kinds of things you can tie in with it but the most important one is, really, the never giving up type mentality.”