As a young coach I was blessed with good players and quick success. Although people told me what a good coach I was, I considered the really great coach to be in the local junior high. Phil Hodson was the Wilbur Shooterfly (Hoosiers) of my day. He had an incredible knowledge of the game. One day after winning our seventh or eighth game in a row, he pulled me aside. I was expecting him to tell me I did a great job. Instead, he let me have it. He told me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear.

Josh Davis is thankful for a lot of things. He’s accomplished greatness as a world-class swimmer, winning a combined five Olympic medals (including three gold medals) and breaking American and world records. As a family man, he is a devoted husband and proud father of five children. Davis is also thankful to have a nice house and a big car that’s spacious enough for the entire bunch. He even has had a building named after him—the Josh Davis Natatorium—in his hometown of San Antonio.

It certainly sounds great, but Davis will be the first to admit that everything on that list and more doesn’t mean much without one key ingredient.