LEADERSHIP REQUIRES INTEGRITY

“To be a leader a man must have followers. And to have followers, you must have their confidence. Hence the supreme quality of a leader is unquestioned integrity. Without it, no real success is possible whether it is in a section gang, on a football field, in an army, or in an office.

- Dwight D. Eisenhower


(Thanks Coach Starkey)

FRESH KICKS

Nike is at again with new technology.  They've taken the Hyperfuse and incorporated Air Max technology to produce the Air Max Fly By to be released Summer 2011.

KEVIN EASTMAN'S THEORY OF TWO'S

It takes two minutes to show any skill.


It takes two weeks to do it every single day to get comfortable with the skill.


It takes two months working on a skill every day to get good enough to confidently execute it in a game.

(Thanks PGC)

YOUR GAME IS NOT BASED ON YOUR OPPONENT'S SKILL LEVEL

When a team plays poorly against an opponent of less talent, we often hear the phrase, “We played down to their ability!”  Everytime I hear this comment it annoys me.  Our ability to perform at our best is not a condition of the skill level of our opponent. What we become in life depends on choice, not conditions.  We must understand that whether our opponent has little or great skills, we are faced with a decision; whether to play at our best…or not!

Anson Dorrance, Coach of the legendary University of North Carolina girls soccer program, addresses this problem by setting the goal of trying to play the perfect soccer game.  It is not about the opponent, but about his team’s ability to execute the fundamentals of the game to the highest possible degree.  At UCLA, legendary Coach John Wooden never scouted his opponents because…it was not about the opponent, but about his team’s ability to execute the fundamentals of the game to the highest possible degree.

Today, no every day, I encourage you to recognize that what you become in life depends, not on conditions, but on decisions…choices.  Are your goals based on, and subsequently driven by, your opponents?  Or are you driven by the idea of “playing the perfect game” in spite of whatever challenges you face along the way?  Life IS about choices, so I encourage you to choose to execute the fundamentals of the game to the highest possible degree.

(Thanks Gary Rupert)

THE PACT

In 1982 a few members of the Minnesota Twins, Gary Gaetti, Kent Hrbek, Gary Ward, and Tom Brunansky made a pact between themselves to be the best they can be by following a set of guidelines shown below.  I have adjusted a few words here and there to apply it basketball.

Be ready to play and be at my best every day.
If that means telling friends, family, etc., that I can’t stay up late the night before a game, so be it. I will be rested and prepared when I go to the gym.  I don't just for myself, but also for my team.

Nothing or no one will get in the way of or distract me from having quality practice and going through my pre-game routines properly.
If that means I need to stay away from friends and fans in order to maintain my focus and be mentally prepared to dominate my opponent, so be it.

Play hard all the time.
I will always be “plugged in” and engaged on every play.  I will always anticipate (never assume). In games, I will show respect to my opponent, but I will not be “Mr. Nice Guy.”  I play to win - period.  If they think I’m a jerk because of the way I play, I’m willing to pay that price.

I will be the intimidator, no one will intimidate me.
When they knock me down or throw a cheap shot at me, I will get up, take my time, get back in, not allowing myself to be upset or distracted (they will not get inside my head). Then I will take that cheap shot to use as motivation and focus that enegery on dominating the next play.  I will be mentally tougher than my opponent.

No matter what happens, I will keep my poise and act professionally.
There’s never an excuse for trash talking, curding, throwing elbows or cheap shots.  That is what those who have trouble competing do out of frustration.

I will be a good teammate.
I will encourage, support, and make sure every one of my teammates is engaged at all times in both practices and games.  It’s not about “me” it’s about “we.”

(Thanks Coach Starkey and Karl Kuehl, John Kuehl, and Casey Tefertiller)

RECREATING YOURSELF

Your value to your team is not your coach's responsibility; it’s your responsibility. Your coach has no control over your value, but you do.


The real challenge is not to try & repeat yourself, but to use what was learned to re-create yourself - to create a new vision of YOU for this year's team.

(Thanks LLaBB)

CONQUERING YOUR OBSTACLE

One of the great keys to personal growth in this life is the ability to face challenges and meet them head-on.  Easier said than done, because facing and meeting challenges involves overcoming fear -- fear of the unknown, fear of embarrassment, or fear of failure.


Challenge plays an extremely important role when it comes to character. Character is not necessarily created by facing challenges, but rather it is revealed by them.  We may be completely unaware of our own character until met with seemingly daunting obstacles.  It is the manner in which we deal with them that reveals our true inner self.


There are several things you can do to help yourself deal with challenges more calmly. Essentially you need to open yourself up to new possibilities, new experiences, whether you think you are ready for them or not.

Accept the challenge without hesitation.  Think of it as opening a new chapter in your life.

4:13

(Thanks David B. Bohl)

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES

I thought I had heard it all until I came across this in a Philadelphia newspaper:

Coach fired after alleged car incident

SLATINGTON, Pa. - A high school basketball coach who allegedly drove with one of his players hanging off the roof of his car has been fired. The Northern Lehigh school board voted 6-3 to fire boys basketball coach Richard Oertner at a meeting Monday night. Oertner was issued a citation in July after the district's superintendent said he saw the coach driving his car while one of the players was on the roof.

- Associated Press

FRESH KICKS FALL 2010

I'm not huge fan of 3 Stripe but these have started to grow on me.  The Beast model features multiple Dwight Howard-associated elements such as the ‘Hey Wooooooooooorld’ script on the inlay piece.  Additionally, the upper possesses surface treatments inspired by Dwight Howard’s potential which is described by adidas as ‘outer space’. The upper also contains mixes of textiles and synthetics that help reduce weight and increase stability. Other features include a soft, 2D textile inner lining, a 3D molded PU insole, injected-molded EVA midsole, a TORSION system, PURE MOTION technology and a matte finish. 

Look for the adidas Beast colorways to release in October for $100.

(Thanks Nice Kicks)

SHOOTING TIP

Great shooters have to have a mindset like golfers.  Golfers you may ask?  How could a game that makes grown men cry like babies and throw their clubs like toddlers hold the key to being a great shooter?

It’s simple really. The amazing thing about golf is that at the end of the day golfers don't remember the multitude of horrible shots they made. All they remember is their one great shot and this memory inspires them to come back again and again in an attempt to make another great shot.

As a basketball player, you can’t focus on the shots you didn’t make… you have to keep reminding yourself of the next shot… and how it’s going to be a beauty!

(Thanks Jon Gordon & Coach Starkey)

SHOOTING TIPS WHILE BEING DEFENDED

How do I handle my defender when I'm shooting?

My defender likes to play me in a low wide defensive stance: I should be prepared to shoot the ball quickly if I am in scoring position... and especially if I can get my defender to be overly concerned about my ability to drive to the basket.

My defender is playing me exceptionally tight: I may have to put the ball down hard to the basket with at least one long low dribble, or two medium low dribbles behind the defender to drive them off to create shooting space... or better yet in trying to draw a foul.

My defender likes to rise up quickly to challenge my shot: I should be prepared to present believable shot fakes to get them to elevate their center of gravity at which time I quickly penetrate by them to an area where I can safely get the shot off without a hard challenge.

(Thanks Basketball Highway)

WHO ARE THOSE SURROUNDING YOU?

I came across a story about two men sharing an ICU room following heart surgery. Both were in bad shape and were to remain in bed for at least a week. One of the men had a bed near the only window in the room. That man would sit up several times per day every day to clear his lungs and told the other guy what he saw out the window: “Today I see children playing and laughing.” And “You should see the leaves changing; they are beautiful.”

After the third day, the man next to the window passed away; the following day when the nurse walked into the room, the roommate told the nurse he was depressed and asked the nurse to please look out the window and tell him what she saw.

She said, “Nothing, the window faces a brick wall.” The man responded, “But my roommate would tell me several times per day about all the beautiful things he saw out there.” The nurse chuckled and replied, “Your roommate was blind, but he must have wanted you to envision beautiful things in your head.”

We should pay more attention to who we surround ourselves with. Choose friends who introduce us to a higher standard and who want us to envision beautiful things in our head. Then, we should be that kind of friend to others.

Take action today to become a better person and friend to those around you.

(Thanks Kevin Elko)

YOU DETERMINE YOUR MINUTES

One of the things every coach has to hear about each season (especially from parents) is complaints about the lack of playing time. One of the things parents don’t seem to understand is that playing time is determined not by the coach… but by the players themselves.

For example, let’s say there are two players that will be competing for the same minutes when the season starts. Player #1 spent about 3 hours per month over the summer working on their game (about 9 total hours). Player #2 spent about 3 hours per week working on their game (about 40 total hours).

Once the season starts, which player will likely look sharper and show more consistency?

With the season just 8-10 weeks away, there is still time for you to sharpen your skills. If you spend about 3 hours per week working on your handles and your shot, you’ll make yourself look sharper and show more consistency than your teammates that aren’t preparing.

Be the player your coach can’t help but notice.

4:13

WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?

THE COACHES FAVORITE PLAYER

Coaches often think that every player wants to be great. Unfortunately that’s a mistake to think that way. The human condition is to be average… that's normal.

It is special to have a player that truly wants to be good and wants to be the best they can be. That attitude is often contagious to the rest of the team. When you have a couple of those types of players on a team, that’s when you start to win championships because those types of players are committed to doing all the right things.

Coaches then make the mistake of getting a negative attitude towards the player that has the "ability" to be great but won't do the things needed to do to bring it to fruition. We sometimes think they’re lazy or just don’t care, but in reality…they are just normal. A players thoughts, habits and priorities determine who they are and ultimately, what they will bring to the team.

The bottom line? A player that chooses to be great is often the teams real MVP. They do more for the team attitude and work ethic than anything a coach can do. Your team won’t always have one of those special players that push their teammates to greatness. But you can be that player on your team. In the end, each player is responsible for their own self determination. Are you one of those special players on the inside…but have been too afraid to show it?

(Thanks Joey Burton)

SIMPLE MATH

2 are better than 1

if... 2 act as 1

And if you believe that 2 acting as 1 are better than 1

just imagine what an entire team acting as 1 can do.

4:13

IS EXPECTING OUR 6TH BEING UNREALISTIC?

The first step to success, before anybody else in the world beleieves it... is that YOU have to believe it. You have to believe that there's no reason to have a Plan B because that just distracts from Plan A.

Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity. Why would you be realistic? What's the point of being realistic? It is unrealsitic to walk into a dark room and flip a switch on the wall and expect lights come on and light up that room. Forunately Thomas Edison didn't think it was unrealistic.

It's unrealistic to think you can bend some metal into a shape and fly people over the ocean in that shape... that's unrealistic. But fortunately the Wright Brothers and others didn't think it was unrealistic. It's ridiculous to embrace an idea that something is actually unrealistic.

The moment YOU decide that whatever it is you want to achieve is already done... it WILL happen.

4:13
(Thanks Will Smith)

IF YOU DON'T THINK DEFENSE IS IMPORTANT...

I have always stressed a "defense first" mindset to my teams and we have been extremely successful (5 titles in 6 years) as a result of that commitment to defense.

I came across a couple of interesting stats this afternoon that reinforces the "defense first" mindset...

In the last 10 years in the NBA: Only 1 team did not make the playoffs that were ranked in the Top 5 % total defense.

13 of last 20 NBA Champions were ranked in the Top 5 FG % Defense

8 of last 9 champions were ranked in the Top 10 both offense FG% and defensive FG%

(Thanks Coach Cooley)

FROM BABY STEPS TO THE GIANT LEAP

We often hear coaches instruct athletes to work on improvement or techiniques in "baby steps" until it all comes together. And when it does finally all come together, it won't feel like baby steps... it will feel like a giant leap.

One of my most favorite inspirational examples about persistence is the story of an Asian Bamboo species that even after five years of watering, weeding, and fertilizing is barely visible. Then, in a span of about six weeks, it grows two and a half feet a day to 90 feet and higher. It grows so fast that you can literally “hear” it growing.

The question to ask is did the bamboo grow 90 feet in six weeks or did it grow 90 feet in five years? Obviously it grew 90 feet in five years, for all the time when growth wasn’t visible it was developing a massive root system that would later support its magnificent growth.

(Thanks Coach Starkey, James Allen & Vic Johnson)

ADDRESS THE "LITTLE THINGS" NOW

The difference between a good year and a mediocre year are the little things.

If your shooting elbow is out now, now is the time to fix it. This is a little thing. Fix it immediately, you’ll thank yourself later. The more attention you give to details now, the better off you’ll be in 3 months when you won’t have time to go in-depth with your minor defects.

Remember, the difference between good and average is how much attention you spend on the details, every little thing counts.

(Thanks iAthletes)

DON'T ALLOW FEAR TO SCARE YOU

I am not afraid... I was born to do this.

- Joan of Arc

Fear does not exist anywhere except in the mind.

- Dale Carnegie

Fear not for I am with you.

- Isaiah 41:10

Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.

- German proverb

"He who says he can and he who say he can't... are both usually right."

- Confucious

PROTECT YOUR DREAM

"Don't ever let somebody tell you that you can't do something. If you've got a dream... then you've got to protect it. When people can't do something themselves they want to tell you that you can't do it. If you want something... go get it. Period!"

- Will Smith, Pursuit of Happiness

20 SIMPLE WORKOUT SNACKS

Want to boost your energy levels and stay sharp, both mentally and physically, through even the toughest workouts? And help your body recover better afterwards?

Checkout this link for some great snack ideas for athletes.

(Thanks PGC and Core Daily)

WHICH ARE YOU DOING?

“Do you know the difference between training and working out? Training is when you have a progressive plan with measurable goals and continual challenges. Working out is anything that makes you sweaty and tired but not necessarily better because it lacks consistency, direction and specificity.”

- Nick Tumminelo

I am certainly a staunch believer in working hard. Intensity and consistency are the keys to success in anything… especially training. But you have to be working towards something to make it effective. You have to have a plan. You have to have goals. You have to make progress towards those goals every workout.

Working out just to workout, with no direction, will give you mediocre results at best. Puddles of sweat and aching muscles are only valuable if they are taking you closer to where you are trying to go.

Don’t just work hard. Work smart. What is that you need to get better at?

(Thanks Alan Stein)

HOW TO INCREASE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

Athletes spend hundreds of dollars each year purchasing nutritional supplements that claim to enhance athletic performance, cause rapid muscle growth and lean up flabby bodies. Most of which do not work.

Worse yet, many athletes look for short cuts to get "more energy" by downing energy drinks (Red Bull, Monster, etc.) all day looking for the quick fix. Which is definitely NOT the answer.

Really improving one's athletic performance may actually come down to an easy, less expensive alternative - SLEEP!

"Getting extra sleep over an extended period of time improves athletic performance, alertness and mood, according to a research abstract presented June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC."

To read more of this abstract from Science Daily click here.

(Thanks LSU Training Staff)