Mavs Coach Rick Carlisle wears purple to support the Pan-Can Network.

Coaches know, whether they’re hanging out in the pee wee leagues or winning national championships, the key to going from good to great is often more dependent on brain strength than muscle strength.

For NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks Coach Rick Carlisle, the power of the positive attitude helps fuel a team challenged with repeating last year’s historic success. “In the locker room at the AAC we have a poster that lists four characteristics we know to be very beneficial to creating a successful team. They are also critical in any number of situations we come across in life. The attributes are; Belief, Commitment, Tough-mindedness and Unselfishness. Players are reminded daily that what’s on the mind is usually what comes across on the court,” says Carlisle.

For the coach, the importance of positive thinking goes beyond winning games, donning championship rings and shaking hands with President Barak Obama. It’s a commitment he has made to having a positive impact in the fight against one of our nation’s deadliest diseases—pancreatic cancer.

“Two years ago I lost a great friend, legendary coach Chuck Daly, to pancreatic cancer,” he says. “Since then, I’ve learned that it’s the deadliest form of cancer out there, yet it’s also the most under-funded.”

Carlisle has seen how great things can happen when a crowd gets behind a team. And he believes the same opportunities will appear when people get motivated to eradicate this disease.

And the best place to start improving the world? Back to the team’s locker room at the AAC, where athletes, guests and coaches play ping pong matches that would challenge Forrest Gump.

“People don’t know that table tennis is great for hand/eye coordination, and it’s great for relaxation,” says the coach who often plays with collegiate table tennis team members.

To combine his two missions, Carlisle enlisted several Dallas Mavs and other notable athletes to take part in Purple Ping Pong, a celebrity event that raised $75,000 for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Dirk Nowitski, with his much-lauded wing span, took second-place in the event.

Although Carlisle may not take home any table tennis prizes this season, he stresses the importance of mindset in everyday life. “Maintaining a positive vibe and belief system is critical to everything, whether it’s a business environment, an athletic endeavor or a commitment to fighting a disease.”