How do championships happen? This is the first in a series on how championships happen with guests that are proven winners. The core theme is that a head coach must have strong leadership skills in addition to game know-how and technical skills/X’s & O’s player development. Championships do not occur randomly. They happen because the head coach has and uses sound leadership principles. Principles daily practiced and communicated daily with all team members. Key among the team is: assistant coaches, players, conditioning staff, sports psychologist, administrative staff and academic advisors. Tune in to learn U. of Virginia Head Baseball Coach Brian O'Connor’s* brand of leadership. * Selected 2009 National Coach of the Year, 5-time ACC Coach of the Year, in Brian’s 12 years at U. of Virginia he has lead the Cavaliers to 3 College World Series appearances in ’09, ’11 and a 2nd place finish this year. In the last 7 years, UVA has recorded 351 wins in the last seven years - the most victories of any Division I program during that time. Prior to UVA, Brian was Assistant and Associate coach at Notre Dame for 9 years where he was honored as DI Assistant Coach of the Year in 2001. This is Brian’s 2nd appearance on Championship Thinking in Sports. On January 22, 2008 he educated listeners on the Eight Key Factors for Being a Winning Pitcher.