Coach Jeff Pill Shares His Leadership Pyramid
Jeff Pill started playing soccer when he was in the third grade and played through the semi-pro level after college. He accepted his first coaching assignment at the age of 15, assisting his high school coach with club teams and camps, and he has been coaching ever since.
Pill participated in U.S. Soccer’s Olympic Development Program and developed the coaching education program in the state of New Hampshire, eventually working his way up to his present position of lead instructor and scout for the national teams. Since 2007, he’s held the titles Director of Soccer and Instructor at Maranatha Baptist University, coaching the men’s soccer team to a NCCAA DII National Championship in 2014.
Together with his MBU soccer team, Pill established the Leadership Pyramid—a tangible representation of the team’s core values. The pyramid, he shares, “serves as an evaluative tool that helps us assess how we are doing in our attempt to be the best Christian athlete possible.” In the following interview, Pill defines the Leadership Pyramid and discuss the rationale behind it.
You can also email Jeff Pill for a pdf of the following article, which includes a bonus interview with his players and a full-page core values poster.
An Interview With Soccer Coach Jeff Pill
Why did you use a pyramid shape when you designed the Leadership Pyramid?
The pyramid implies that we are all moving toward a goal—something at the “top” to aspire to. A list applies equal footing to every item, but a pyramid has an ultimate capstone to strive for, and it symbolizes that it is an uphill journey—difficult to obtain.
Who chose the verses and the core values?
The pyramid resulted from discussions by the entire team during pre-season a few years ago. We, as coaches, initiated the process by asking, “What does Scripture tell us about how we are to conduct ourselves as Christian athletes? What should we strive for as believers? What should we believe in and commit ourselves to?” Though many shaped the process, namely Chris Jochum, Dave Anderson, Taylor Pill, and Drew Delozier, the entire team contributed from the beginning.
How do you introduce the Leadership Pyramid to new soccer players?
Every year we review the pyramid in pre-season. Returning players explain it block-by-block to the new recruits and remind all the players what it means to play at MBU. Most importantly, when defining the blocks, we identify specific, observable, and measurable behaviors that indicate compliance with each block.
How do you use the Leadership Pyramid to evaluate players?
When a player demonstrates behaviors that are in conflict with the pyramid, we refer back to it, stating that the behaviors need to change to be in accordance with our core beliefs. When a player’s behavior serves as a great example for us, we make a big deal about it. In fact, all of our end-of-season team awards are built around the pyramid.
How does your coaching staff model the Leadership Pyramid?
We are all flawed human beings, just like the players on the team. But we try to model it on a consistent basis before the players. We all feel that burden. If we don’t try, the whole process becomes a mockery, and no one will try to attain to its goals.
Do you encourage other coaches to create a piece like this?
Absolutely! Every team should have their core beliefs clearly articulated and defined. It serves as an anchor and helps guide a team through the many difficult times. By no means are we perfect at MBU, but the document clearly helps us evaluate how we are doing and provides a great reference tool for us.
How does the Leadership Pyramid support MBU’s mission statement of “developing leaders for ministry”?
It is a practical, hands-on, real living-out of that mission. It brings it beyond “theory” and puts it into action—like many others are doing here on campus.
How is the Leadership Pyramid applied beyond the soccer field?
It’s funny you should ask. Often, when I pull an athlete aside and have a heart-to-heart chat, I end up saying to them, “This is going to make you a better husband and Dad . . . so embrace it!” These biblical principles speak directly to life itself, not just athletics. This is how we approach our work and live a Christ-honoring life. Besides, soccer is life!
Email Coach Pill at jeff.pill@mbu.edu for a pdf of this article, which also includes a bonus interview with his soccer players and a full-page pyramid poster.
