Tough Coach? No Problem!

It’s important to be a coachable athlete.  As a player you want to flourish under your coach, not flounder.

At some point, you may find yourself playing for a “tough” coach.  Adjectives like demanding, hard-to-please, challenging, and exacting may come to mind.  Hopefully, fair is also a word that describes the coach.

Perhaps you haven’t had much experience playing for this type of coach.  How will you make it work?

Much of the time, it’s a question of attitude.  Additionally, communication and collaboration are very important components in building and maintaining a positive, productive player-coach relationship.

Every player has something to offer, and it’s up to you and your coach to define and develop your role and perform it to the best of your ability.

Sure, it’s a challenge.  But, with a “can-do” attitude and by following a few tips, you might find that making it work is not as hard as you think.

Check Your Attitude

Listen to what your coach has to say, and respect his or her experience and expertise.  Be willing to try new approaches and strategies.  Don’t brood about (what you perceive as) your coach not valuing your contribution.  No one wants to play with an athlete who is dismissive of suggestions or assignments.

Be Positive

There’s a lot you can learn from your coach, if you are open and receptive to learning.  Ask questions and strive to continue learning.  Your willingness and enthusiasm to embrace new ways of doing things will be appreciated.  Recognize that both you and the coach are building a relationship that allows each of you to be successful on the court or field of play.  Absorb the energy and enthusiasm your coach brings to the team.

Build Relationships With Teammates

Connecting with teammates, both on and off the court, can help you foster your relationship with your coach.  Stay appropriately engaged with teammates on common social networks with positive posts.  Forward relevant articles to your coach with a note, letting him or her know that you found it helpful or useful.

Improve Communication

Chances are, you under-communicate with your coach.  Get comfortable approaching and talking with him or her.  And remember, it should be you talking with your coach and not your parent(s).  Topics like playing time and comparisons with teammates are — and should be — off-limits.  Focus, instead, on your own self-development as a player.  Ask questions like, “In what specific areas can I work to improve in order to better contribute to the success of our team.”  Most coaches will make more of an effort to help you once they know you are willing to help yourself.

Don’t Snipe

Avoid making negative comments about your coach to your teammates, friends, etc., and keep the negative stuff OFF social media.  All that will accomplish is to cast you in a negative light, make things awkward for those around you,  and adversely affect your team chemistry.  What happens at practice should stay at practice, unless it involves something that has the potential to hurt you or others.

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.

When the Going Gets Tough…

You’re going to encounter some adversity.  You’re going to experience some hardship.  Maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, but it’s inevitable.

Recently, I’ve had some challenging (and enlightening) discussions with a few student-athletes that reminded me of Aesop’s “The Fox and the Grapes” fable:

     One afternoon a fox was walking through the forest and spotted a bunch of grapes hanging from over a lofty branch.

     “Just the thing to quench my thirst,” quoth he.

     Taking a few steps back, the fox jumped and just missed the hanging grapes. Again the fox took a few paces back and tried to reach them but still failed.

     Finally, giving up, the fox turned up his nose and said, “They’re probably sour anyway,” and proceeded to walk away.

The moral of the story: It’s easy to despise what you cannot have.

When faced with adversity in their sport of choice, there are some kids (and, perhaps, parents) who apparently feel that it’s better/easier to give up than continue working to improve.  I hear comments used to justify quitting, like, “There are more important things in life than sports,” and “It’s not like I’m going to be a professional athlete.”

Of course there are more important things in life than sports — and very few of us will become professional athletes, but that doesn’t mean sports aren’t important.  Using that argument, you can rationalize any shortcoming.

You can make a case that there are also more important things in life than school — studying, doing homework, getting good grades, ACT scores, etc.

I suppose there’s also more to life than working — learning a craft, managing some aspect of a business, earning money, etc.

At any given time, you can add just about anything to to the “there’s more to life” list: faith, friends, family, and any other obligation/responsibility — or choice — you care to name.

I find it ironic that you rarely hear these types of comments from people who are committed to succeeding.  Certainly, they also know that whatever they’re doing is not necessarily the defining aspect of their lives.

What these folks have learned is that success is not only about the end result.  True success is also about the process.  It’s about learning and practicing and working through adversity.

What do you do when the going gets tough? Do you rationalize failure or do you strengthen your resolve and work harder?

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.

Be a Possibility Thinker

Are you a Possibility Thinker?

In his book, Hours of Power, Robert H. Schuller effectively describes the attributes and characteristics of a Possibility Thinker:

Possibility Thinkers look for — and often find — the good in virtually every situation, sometimes in the most unlikely places.

Possibility Thinkers look for reasons why something will work, visualizing ways in which it could work.

Possibility Thinkers explore every challenge to discover the positive opportunities that exist within.

Possibility Thinkers listen to new ideas; evaluate them thoughtfully; and recognize and seize opportunities.

Possibility Thinkers do not quit when faced with an obstacle.  They persist and persevere until they find a way over, around, or through.

Possibility Thinkers do not defend and rationalize mistakes, or make excuses for failures.

Possibility Thinkers are open to constructive criticism, sensible advice, and honest council.

Possibility Thinkers succeed because they have trained themselves to look for the positive possibilities in all areas of life.

Possibility Thinkers have faith, hope, confidence, enthusiasm, and optimism.

Possibility Thinkers are imaginative, creative, and visionary.

Possibility Thinkers are dreamers, opportunists, risk-takers, and believers.

Possibility Thinkers have a positive mental attitude; they are leaders and pioneers.

Be a Possibility Thinker?

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.

EVERYONE Has Potential (including you)

Not everyone can sprint like Usain Bolt, but everyone has the potential to get faster.

Not everyone can be an Olympic power lifter, but everyone has the potential to get stronger.

Not everyone can shoot like Stephen Curry, but every basketball player has the potential to become an improved shooter. (or ball-handler, etc.)

Not everyone can be Mike Krzyzewski, but every coach has the potential to be more effective in leading his or her team.

Not everyone can graduate at the top of their class, but every student has the potential to improve his or her grades.

Not everyone can be a world-renowned college professor, but every teacher has the potential to be a more effective educator.

Not everyone can be a great orator, but everyone has the potential to improve their public speaking skills.

Better parent. Better friend. Better teammate. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do.  All of us have potential, and we can all improve in some area(s) of our lives.  Talent, skill, and ability are great, but they’re useless if they’re not applied.

Potential is a double-edged sword.  Having the potential to learn, grow, develop, and improve is a blessing.  Unrealized potential is a curse.

What are you doing to unlock your potential?  What are you willing to do to improve?

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.

One Day at a Time (Today is the Day)

What do you want to accomplish?  What are your dreams; your goals; your aspirations?

You can’t do anything with yesterday.  It’s gone.

You can’t do anything with tomorrow.  It’s not here yet. (although today’s choices can impact tomorrow)

Today’s the day.  Today, it is within your power to work toward your objectives.  Today, you can do something to move closer to your goals.  Today, you can take another step forward in pursuit of your dreams.

But you only have today…

Take it one day at a time.  Understand that you can’t “do” one week in a day.  Aim for incremental change.  Over time, the cumulative impact will be considerable.  Make today count.  Make today what it can be, to the best of your ability.

Be patient.  Today won’t be perfect.  You can’t control everything, but you must be committed to do your best to impact what is under your control.  Try not to allow outside influences to upset and distract you.

Be persistent.  Don’t give up.  Setbacks are inevitable — and often temporary, and can be used as valuable learning experiences.  Keep moving forward — over, around, and through.  Slow progress is better than no progress.

Be realistic.  We all have limitations.  Be honest with yourself and recognize the difference between “can’t” and “won’t.”

Challenge yourself.  If you’re doing something you already know you can do, you’re not really challenging yourself.  Push yourself.  Raise your personal “bar.”

Believe in yourself.  Have faith in the power of you.

What will you do with today?

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.

16 Characteristics for Success

ALWAYS Compete!

Do EVERYTHING to the best of YOUR ability!

Practice is EVERYTHING — How we practice defines who we are.

Always protect the TEAM

No Whining, No Complaining, No Excuses!

If you’re 5 minutes early, YOU’RE LATE!

16 CHARACTERISTICS FOR SUCCESS:

1. Make a commitment
2. Be unselfish
3. Create unity — come together as never before
4. Improve every day as a player, person, and student
5. Be tough
6. Be self-disciplined — do it right, don’t accept less
7. Give your best effort in everything you do
8. Be enthusiastic
9. Eliminate mistakes — don’t beat yourself
10. Never give up
11. Don’t accept losing
12. Permit no self-limitations — expect more of yourself
13. Expect to win
14. Be consistent
15. Develop leadership
16. Be responsible

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.

5 Levels of Player Commitment

I found this, recently, hanging on the wall of a high school weight room where I work with an area swimming and diving team.  Good stuff.

WHAT LEVEL ARE YOU?

Five Levels of Player Commitment

1. Compelled:  Team goals are of the utmost importance. Players feel a true sense of mission and purpose.  They enjoy extra work and team accomplishments.
2. Committed:  Team goals are of high importance and a player is willing to do whatever is necessary.  Puts in extra time and effort to win.
3. Compliant:  Team goals are important.  Player will do whatever is asked to achieve goal.  Will do no more, no less than what is asked.
4. Reluctant:  Player is hesitant, or afraid to commit to team goals.  Will cut corners when they can get away with it.
5. Resistant:  Player has not bought into the team goal, usually because he has his own agenda.  The player is selfish.

Which of these describes you?

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.

The 3 H’s for Athletes

There are lots of qualities and characteristics that are important elements of athletic performance and achievement.  Ability, skill, and talent are, obviously, what every athlete aspires to develop.

But there are also intangible — effort-related — attributes that can improve any athlete’s performance.  Every team needs these athletes.  Persistent kids who work hard to get the most out of their talents and abilities.

Here are three of those attributes that will make any athlete hard to beat.

The 3 H’s for Athletes:

1. Hard Work.  Get in the weight room.  Improve your strength, speed, agility, and athleticism.  Practice your sport-specific skills.  Improve your ball-handling, hitting, skating, foot skills, or whatever your sport requires.  Have a plan and work smart.
2. Heart.  Believe in yourself.  Play with aggressiveness, confidence, and energy.  Hard work begets confidence.  Be confident, but not cocky.  Be positive, and have a “can-do” attitude.  Expect to succeed every time you’re on the field or court.
3. Hustle.  It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re the most talented player on the field or court.  Never allow yourself to be out-worked.  Whatever your 100% looks like, give it.

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.

Train Hard, Eat Well, and Get Some Sleep

As an athlete, you prepare by working hard in the weight room and being disciplined with your nutrition.

Don’t sabotage your efforts with bad sleep habits.

“Elite athletes now understand that ignoring their sleep can be as detrimental to their performance as taking to the field drunk,” says W. Christopher Winter, M.D., president of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and a consultant to several professional football, basketball, and baseball teams.

Athletes and active individuals should aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep, every night.

Here are some tips to stay on track with your sleep:

• Boost your vitamin D.  During the winter, as sunlight exposure decreases, so do levels of vitamin D.  It’s an important nutrient for good sleep.  Get more vitamin D by eating salmon or other fatty fish, or by taking a supplement.
• Eliminate distractions.  Don’t take the cell phone, computer, or TV to bed with you.  Try a sleep mask, earplugs, and lavender oil (research shows that the scent of lavender eases anxiety and insomnia).
• Don’t “over-nap.”  Limit naps to 30 minutes to avoid sleeping too deeply and waking up groggy.  If you’re tired, go to bed earlier, and keep your wake-up times consistent.  Allow yourself to sleep in for 60-90 minutes on the weekends, but don’t sleep away too much of the day and deprive yourself of light exposure.

Also see related articles: Get Some Sleep, Improve Performance and Improve the Quality and Quantity of Your Sleep to Feel and Perform Better.

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.

A “Must Read” for Parents of Athletes

In keeping with our recent theme of youth sports coaches and parents, I thought this article was appropriate, and a nice reminder for all of us.  It was shared with me by the mother of one of our clients, a club soccer player.  If you have a child (or children) involved in sports, please take a moment to read it.

10 Things Parents of Athletes Need to Know

Your thoughts?

WE BUILD STRONGER ATHLETES!

We provide motivated athletes with a simple, customized training plan to help them improve performance and reduce injury risk.