Editor’s note: This story is a part of Peak, The Athletic’s desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Follow Peak here.
To Lisa Bluder, even the best performers have room for improvement. It’s why, when she recruited Caitlin Clark, she didn’t highlight Clark’s strengths but instead pointed out her weaknesses.
Bluder, the longtime basketball coach at the University of Iowa, helped mold Clark from an intense, young recruit into one of the most impactful athletes of her generation. Bluder retired in May 2024 as the winningest coach in Big Ten history, following four years in the spotlight as Clark’s head coach. Together, they grew. And so did Iowa’s team. Bluder believes all of it was special, but she doesn’t deny how much work it took to navigate the unique situation.
I wanted to talk to Bluder to understand more about that. How does a leader handle a truly elite performer and maintain a program-wide culture?
In sports, or in the workforce, sometimes leaders are given a very rare, talented person to work with. They are tasked with not only guiding them but with making them even better. You have experience with this, obviously, with Caitlin Clark. How do you approach that situation?
When you recruit a star into your…
