The Psychology of Winning
10/21/2016 11:08:00 AM | Football, Student Athlete, Features
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
Senior linebacker Colton Caslow has experienced a little bit of everything in his time at Lehigh.
Playing for a Patriot League Championship as a freshman, the Mountain Hawks struggled his sophomore year, but are now on their way up, due in large part to their focus on a family atmosphere. Having a true team of brothers creates a welcoming atmosphere, allowing the Mountain Hawks to eliminate any distractions and focus on football.
"Having a strong culture opens up those doorways for the younger guys to speak their minds," said Caslow, a psychology major. "You don't have to worry about making sure everyone's on the same page, because people are going to speak up and ask questions."
Caslow is one of the leaders in the team's return to prominence. Last season, the Mountain Hawks finished one win shy of earning a share of the Patriot League Championship. This year, after an 0-2 start, they've come back with vengeance in search of their first title since 2011.
From the outside, the improvement is obvious, but those are just the end results. A lot has gone on behind the scenes.
After finishing 2014 with a 3-8 record, Lehigh has come a long way in a short amount of time.
"Obviously, 2014 was terrible, one of the worst seasons I've ever had in football," said Caslow. "I think that season really sparked my class. It put into perspective what we have to do in order to win. You're not going to come in and get four rings just because Lehigh's such a great program. You have to put in the effort and take it upon yourself to win the games."
Caslow has gone out of his way to put in the effort in all facets. Already a two-time All-Patriot League honoree, he has also played a role in developing a strong culture, which is critically important.
"We have to build strong relationships before we can be successful," said Caslow. "It's something we've really been working on."
Caslow has been integral in how far the Mountain Hawks have come.
"Colton brings a great sense of pride and family, and everybody follows," said Lehigh head coach Andy Coen.
A people person, Caslow first heard about Lehigh through former high school teammate and Mountain Hawk standout Tim Newton, so Caslow was well-informed when a Lehigh coach reached out.
"One day, I happened to check my spam mail and found an email from one of the coaches here, Coach Sawyer," said Caslow. "They had been looking at my film and wanted to give me a call. I ended up visiting and fell in love with the school."
Caslow had very few looks from other programs, so Lehigh fell into his lap.
"It was all by chance that I checked my email and got in contact with them," he said.
Having played in the top division of high school football in Florida, Caslow adjusted to college football as well as he could hope. To his surprise (and excitement), he played in 10 games as a freshman and made 64 tackles with three sacks.
"Going through camp his freshman year, we just got to a situation where he was clearly the best player," said Coen. "The best people play, and that's what happened with him."
Despite the surprise in playing, Caslow wasn't fazed by the college game.
"I was hoping I'd be able to travel with the team by playing a role on special teams, but once that first game came around where I got significant playing time against Princeton, I wasn't as shocked as I thought I'd be with the speed of the game and the size of the players," he said.
It helped that Caslow was playing a familiar position. Being a linebacker has become part of his identity.
"It's been part of my life for so long now that it's like second nature," said Caslow.
The Altamonte Springs, Florida native has been a four-year mainstay on the Lehigh defense. Entering his senior season, he owned 226 career tackles, earning second team All-Patriot League honors as a sophomore and first team laurels as a junior.
While continuing to contribute through his play, Caslow has also developed into a strong leader and an important force off the field. A leader by example in high school, he made a concerted effort to become a more vocal lead at Lehigh.
"It was a little scary at first to open my mouth, but I tried to make it a priority to start with my class," said Caslow. "I came up early in the summer of my freshman year, so we tested in the weight room before everyone else arrived. When the other freshmen had to test, I was in the weight room encouraging and bringing the noise, which really started my growth as a leader."
Caslow has taken advantage of Lehigh Athletics' Leadership Development programs, working his way up to Leadership Legacies, which he's been part of for the last two years.
Not only has Caslow focused on people through leadership, but also, through his studies. He began in the business school, but moved to the College of Arts and Sciences in search of a major.
"I didn't have any idea what I wanted to do, but I took an Introduction to Psychology class one summer and thought it was really interesting to learn how people think and interact with one another," said Caslow. "The social psychology aspect was most interesting.
"I really value relationships and interacting with people," he continued. "I enjoy learning what makes people tick, how they work, how they interact and what causes them to react in the way they do."
After the tough 2014 season, Caslow has been focused on the psychology of winning, helping the Mountain Hawks get back to where they were just a few years ago. This season began with two losses, but Lehigh responded with three impressive wins against Ivy League opponents.
"I'm really proud of how we've bounced back," said Caslow. "I wasn't worried in those first two weeks. Once our offense gets going, they start rolling and putting up big numbers. The offense and defense have been feeding off each other."
Having a better understanding of the psychology of people's behavior, Caslow has helped put the entire team in a better position to succeed.
"We have to get the younger guys to buy into their roles and really embrace how important it is for them to do their parts," he said. "They're ultimately the ones preparing us for game day."
This season, Caslow and some other upperclassmen have tried small initiatives that could pay dividends in the long run.
"We have tried to bring more of a spark to the beginning of practice, so there's excitement when we start off the day," he said. "It leads to being more ready to go and ultimately, being more prepared come Saturday."
On Saturdays, Caslow is as intense a competitor as you'll find, but his love for the game is also evident. He genuinely enjoys what he's doing, which is infectious.
"Even before the game, Colton is loose and I think the younger guys really see that," said senior offensive lineman and fellow captain Brandon Short. "He sends a message that it's okay to have fun; we don't have to be all jacked up and tight. Teammates really look to him for how to react to certain situations."
As someone who's interested in peoples' behaviors, Caslow's major is being put to work every day as a member of a team. It will also translate to his post-graduate life.
"After graduation, I'd like to go back to Florida," said Caslow. "I've been looking at jobs in sales, which deals with building relationships and dealing with people. I want to find something I'm really passionate about."
Caslow's passion is evident on every fall Saturday when Lehigh football takes the field. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, he's currently focusing on leading the Mountain Hawks back to the promise land.
"Without a doubt, Colton is one of the most passionate guys on the team," said Coen. "I think he's really led that type of movement to love and be passionate about the game of football. I perceive everyone on our team as guys who are really passionate about the game and want to work together to accomplish a common goal.
"That's what Colton is all about."
The foundation is in place for the Lehigh football team, but there's still work to be done. Caslow hopes all his blood, sweat and tears in the Brown and White will end with a Patriot League Championship.
"I think if you ask anybody on the team, everyone is viewed on a level playing field and not by class," said Caslow. "We're one family.
"After last year, we've taken a turn in the right direction, but no one was satisfied with last year's outcome. We want more… we want a ring."
Senior linebacker Colton Caslow has experienced a little bit of everything in his time at Lehigh.
Playing for a Patriot League Championship as a freshman, the Mountain Hawks struggled his sophomore year, but are now on their way up, due in large part to their focus on a family atmosphere. Having a true team of brothers creates a welcoming atmosphere, allowing the Mountain Hawks to eliminate any distractions and focus on football.
"Having a strong culture opens up those doorways for the younger guys to speak their minds," said Caslow, a psychology major. "You don't have to worry about making sure everyone's on the same page, because people are going to speak up and ask questions."
Caslow is one of the leaders in the team's return to prominence. Last season, the Mountain Hawks finished one win shy of earning a share of the Patriot League Championship. This year, after an 0-2 start, they've come back with vengeance in search of their first title since 2011.
From the outside, the improvement is obvious, but those are just the end results. A lot has gone on behind the scenes.
After finishing 2014 with a 3-8 record, Lehigh has come a long way in a short amount of time.
"Obviously, 2014 was terrible, one of the worst seasons I've ever had in football," said Caslow. "I think that season really sparked my class. It put into perspective what we have to do in order to win. You're not going to come in and get four rings just because Lehigh's such a great program. You have to put in the effort and take it upon yourself to win the games."
Caslow has gone out of his way to put in the effort in all facets. Already a two-time All-Patriot League honoree, he has also played a role in developing a strong culture, which is critically important.
"We have to build strong relationships before we can be successful," said Caslow. "It's something we've really been working on."
Caslow has been integral in how far the Mountain Hawks have come.
"Colton brings a great sense of pride and family, and everybody follows," said Lehigh head coach Andy Coen.
A people person, Caslow first heard about Lehigh through former high school teammate and Mountain Hawk standout Tim Newton, so Caslow was well-informed when a Lehigh coach reached out.
"One day, I happened to check my spam mail and found an email from one of the coaches here, Coach Sawyer," said Caslow. "They had been looking at my film and wanted to give me a call. I ended up visiting and fell in love with the school."
Caslow had very few looks from other programs, so Lehigh fell into his lap.
"It was all by chance that I checked my email and got in contact with them," he said.
Having played in the top division of high school football in Florida, Caslow adjusted to college football as well as he could hope. To his surprise (and excitement), he played in 10 games as a freshman and made 64 tackles with three sacks.
"Going through camp his freshman year, we just got to a situation where he was clearly the best player," said Coen. "The best people play, and that's what happened with him."
Despite the surprise in playing, Caslow wasn't fazed by the college game.
"I was hoping I'd be able to travel with the team by playing a role on special teams, but once that first game came around where I got significant playing time against Princeton, I wasn't as shocked as I thought I'd be with the speed of the game and the size of the players," he said.
It helped that Caslow was playing a familiar position. Being a linebacker has become part of his identity.
"It's been part of my life for so long now that it's like second nature," said Caslow.
The Altamonte Springs, Florida native has been a four-year mainstay on the Lehigh defense. Entering his senior season, he owned 226 career tackles, earning second team All-Patriot League honors as a sophomore and first team laurels as a junior.
While continuing to contribute through his play, Caslow has also developed into a strong leader and an important force off the field. A leader by example in high school, he made a concerted effort to become a more vocal lead at Lehigh.
"It was a little scary at first to open my mouth, but I tried to make it a priority to start with my class," said Caslow. "I came up early in the summer of my freshman year, so we tested in the weight room before everyone else arrived. When the other freshmen had to test, I was in the weight room encouraging and bringing the noise, which really started my growth as a leader."
Caslow has taken advantage of Lehigh Athletics' Leadership Development programs, working his way up to Leadership Legacies, which he's been part of for the last two years.
Not only has Caslow focused on people through leadership, but also, through his studies. He began in the business school, but moved to the College of Arts and Sciences in search of a major.
"I didn't have any idea what I wanted to do, but I took an Introduction to Psychology class one summer and thought it was really interesting to learn how people think and interact with one another," said Caslow. "The social psychology aspect was most interesting.
"I really value relationships and interacting with people," he continued. "I enjoy learning what makes people tick, how they work, how they interact and what causes them to react in the way they do."
After the tough 2014 season, Caslow has been focused on the psychology of winning, helping the Mountain Hawks get back to where they were just a few years ago. This season began with two losses, but Lehigh responded with three impressive wins against Ivy League opponents.
"I'm really proud of how we've bounced back," said Caslow. "I wasn't worried in those first two weeks. Once our offense gets going, they start rolling and putting up big numbers. The offense and defense have been feeding off each other."
Having a better understanding of the psychology of people's behavior, Caslow has helped put the entire team in a better position to succeed.
"We have to get the younger guys to buy into their roles and really embrace how important it is for them to do their parts," he said. "They're ultimately the ones preparing us for game day."
This season, Caslow and some other upperclassmen have tried small initiatives that could pay dividends in the long run.
"We have tried to bring more of a spark to the beginning of practice, so there's excitement when we start off the day," he said. "It leads to being more ready to go and ultimately, being more prepared come Saturday."
On Saturdays, Caslow is as intense a competitor as you'll find, but his love for the game is also evident. He genuinely enjoys what he's doing, which is infectious.
"Even before the game, Colton is loose and I think the younger guys really see that," said senior offensive lineman and fellow captain Brandon Short. "He sends a message that it's okay to have fun; we don't have to be all jacked up and tight. Teammates really look to him for how to react to certain situations."
As someone who's interested in peoples' behaviors, Caslow's major is being put to work every day as a member of a team. It will also translate to his post-graduate life.
"After graduation, I'd like to go back to Florida," said Caslow. "I've been looking at jobs in sales, which deals with building relationships and dealing with people. I want to find something I'm really passionate about."
Caslow's passion is evident on every fall Saturday when Lehigh football takes the field. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, he's currently focusing on leading the Mountain Hawks back to the promise land.
"Without a doubt, Colton is one of the most passionate guys on the team," said Coen. "I think he's really led that type of movement to love and be passionate about the game of football. I perceive everyone on our team as guys who are really passionate about the game and want to work together to accomplish a common goal.
"That's what Colton is all about."
The foundation is in place for the Lehigh football team, but there's still work to be done. Caslow hopes all his blood, sweat and tears in the Brown and White will end with a Patriot League Championship.
"I think if you ask anybody on the team, everyone is viewed on a level playing field and not by class," said Caslow. "We're one family.
"After last year, we've taken a turn in the right direction, but no one was satisfied with last year's outcome. We want more… we want a ring."
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