Editor’s Note: This story is a part of Peak, The Athletic’s new desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Peak aims to connect readers to ideas they can implement in their own personal and professional lives. Follow Peak here.

Tara VanDerveer’s curiosity has led her to countless unexpected situations. From swimming laps between Olympians Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel to making her own CDs on the piano, VanDerveer is a seeker.

“I am interested in things,” she told me. “I am curious. I really enjoy meeting people and learning new things.”

When VanDerveer retired after the 2023-2024 basketball season, she had won more games than any college coach in history, men’s or women’s. As a head coach for 45 years at three different schools, VanDerveer racked up 1,216 wins (now second only to Geno Auriemma), won three national championships at Stanford and was named the national coach of the year five times.

But during our two conversations, it became clear that VanDerveer cared as much about leadership as results, so much that she’s working on a book about leadership and teamwork, making her the ideal person for Peak’s first Q&A about growth, mindset and what it takes to be successful.

Curiosity is not just VanDerveer’s…