Wednesday, December 22, 2010

CHARACTER

You identify yourself by what you do when no one is watching.  The supervised athlete may be the harest worker, the most selfless and responsible competitor.  But how he practice3s when no one sees him, how he interacts with teammates when the coach is not within listening distance -- that's when he defines himself.  His character.

Theodore Roosevelt extend the definition to self-awareness and independent self-evaluation saying, "I care not what others think of what I do, but care very much about what I think of what I do.  That is character."

From "Coaching The Mental Game" by H. A. Dorman

Monday, December 13, 2010

A CHAMPION'S ATTITUDE

"Today I will do what others won't,
so tomorrow I can accomplish
what others can't."

-Jerry Rice-

Sunday, December 12, 2010

WHAT MADE TED WILLIAMS GREAT

"Ted Williams, who knew just about everything there was to know about hitting, was always trying to learn more."

-Ernie Harwell

Friday, December 10, 2010

AIM HIGH TO REACH YOUR GOAL

"If you would hit the mark, you must aim a little above it; every arrow that files feels the attraction of earth."

-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

THE ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYER

For the first 10 years of his career, Ron Harper played for Cleveland, Toronto and the Los Angeles Clippers.  He averaged nearly 20 points a game over those 10 years.  In that time he went to the playoffs four times and never won a series. Over the next seven years, he spend five with Chicago and the last two with the Los Angeles Lakers.  Five of those years, Harper played on teams that won the World Championship though only once did average over double figures.  He altered his role for the good of the team and was reward with championships.

"Perhaps the most moving speaker was Ron Harper, who talked about what it was like to be playing the limited, unglamorous role of defensive specialist on this team after years of being the main man on weak teams. It was so much sweeter, he said, being just a cog on a winning team than being the superstar on a weak one."

From "Playing for Keeps" by David Halberstam

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

PLAY TO WIN

"You'll always miss 100% of
the shots you don't take."

-- Wayne Gretzky

UTILIZATION OF GOOD BODY LANGUAGE

The following comes Rahel Smith via Crieghton Burns:


Body language can be described as how one uses gestures and body movements to communicate. Body language can give insight into what an individual may be thinking or feeling. On a basketball court players frequently send messages to coaches, teammates, referees, opponents and crowds.

Below are four ways to exhibit positive body language on the court:

1. Look your coaches in the eye when receiving instruction. nod your head to show them that you are paying attention.

2. When your teammate makes a bad play, keep your head up, give them an encouraging look and keep playing hard. The selfish, immature thing to do would be to whine, roll the eyes or pout at a team mate.

3. Look enthused and energetic in practice and game situations even when you don't feel that way.

4. If your team should happen to be losing in a game, keep a stone face. Show a confident demeanor and don't let opponents see you rattled.

WANTING TO WIN

         "I'm not a very skilled player. I'm not
         that talented.  For me, it's about wanting
         to win more than the other person.
         That's what makes me different."

         -Joakin Noah

(Thanks to Coach Eric Musselman for passing this on to us)

Monday, November 22, 2010

WHY PLAY IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THE BEST

Bulls Derrick Rose on improving:

“I really don’t know,” Rose said when asked about his ceiling. “There’s no point in playing the game if you’re not trying to be the best. Right now, I’m just hooping and trying to be the best in the NBA. Like I said, there’s no point in playing this game if you’re not trying to be the best. If that was the case, I should just retire and start doing something else. I know I love this game, man. I think, as an individual, if you’re not trying to be the best at your career then you should give it up and try something else.”

Thanks to Coach Eric Musselman for passing this on to us.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

COACH DON MEYER: HOW TO TELL A WINNER FROM A LOSER

1. When a winner makes a mistake, he says "my fault"; when a loser makes a mistake, he throws the blame on someone else.

2. A winner credits his "good luck" for winning on being fundamentally prepared; a loser blames his "bad luck" for losing on bad breaks even though he is not fundamentally prepared.

3. A winner works harder than a loser and always finds time to do what is expected of him; a loser never finds the time and when he does, he works on the wrong things.

4. A winner makes commitments and sets goals with his heart and sets out to accomplish them; a loser makes "promises" with his mouth and never sincerely means to keep them.

5. A winner shows he's sorry by making up for mistakes; a loser says "I'm sorry" but does the same thing next time.

6. A winner thinks, "I'm good, but not as good as I should or could be." A loser thinks, "I'm not as bad as some of the others."

7. A winner would rather be admired for his ability than liked, although he would prefer both; a loser would rather be liked than admired because he knows he hasn't worked hard enough to be admired.

8. A winner hates to lose; a loser could care less although he may put up a good front.

9. A winner is fundamentally sound in all aspects of the game; a loser is not!

10. A winner knows that strength, agility and quickness are the keys to success in athletics and works hard to attain those things; a loser may know, but never attains.

11. A winner takes constructive criticism from the coach, realizing that it will help him and the team; a loser pouts and thinks he's being picked on.

12. A winner thinks of the team first and never wants to let the team down; a loser thinks of himself first and the team last.

www.CoachMeyer.com

Monday, November 15, 2010

REBOUNDING IS ALL A MINDSET

Thanks to Coach Clarence Gaines for pointing me to this article in GQ with thoughts from Kevin Love on his rebounding attitude:
"For me, rebounding is all a mindset. My dad told me back in the day that there is no such thing as a selfish rebound because it's a team stat. If you have to fight one of your own teammates for a rebound, do it—as long as you get it. Also, I studied the greats. Dennis Rodman had it figured out: he knew that most shots are going to come to the other side of the rim. So that's how I position myself. And Bill Russell always used to say that 80 percent of rebounds are below the rim. I'm not the kind of guy who's going to jump and touch the top of the square every time. I use my body for positioning, and I work relentlessly underneath the rim. You don't have to be the most athletic guy in the world to get a bunch of rebounds, so I just try and take what my dad said to heart, what Rodman said to heart, and most importantly what Bill Russell said to heart. He's got 11 championship rings so I think he knows what he's talking about."

Read More http://bit.ly/9tn70g

Friday, November 12, 2010

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

“When you’re in the locker room before the game starts, and you’re sitting there and there’s still silence, almost like a silence sweeping over the locker room. You don’t know what it is. You can look in the eyes of your teammates. Sometimes you get to see the other team. A lot of times I look in their eyes. You can see fear. You can see excitement. You can see nervousness. It’s that before-the-game moment. In my mind, it’s like everything is silent. It’s like another realm, another world. It’s like, ‘This is it, it’s all on the line.’ For me, every game, it’s all on the line. Just that little moment, knowing it’s all on the line, right now, there’s no second chance on this game, there’s no getting a player over, that’s something that excites me. I love to see other players, especially defenders, if they’re nervous. Yeah, that gets me excited.”

-Former All-Pro running back Curtis Martin

Sunday, November 7, 2010

12 SIMPLE YET SIGNIFICANT WAYS TO HELP YOUR TEAM ON A DAILY BASIS

Thanks to the http://www.CoachingToolbox.net/ for sharing this list from Coach Steve Smiley of Sheridan College. Steve is a former point guard for Coach Don Meyer and doing a great job of coaching.


1. Be the hardest worker at practice today.
Without fail, one of the quickest ways to impact a team is with your own work ethic. Choose to be one of the hardest workers on your team today. Not only does it set the tone for the work ethic of your program, it is also one of the best and quickest ways to enhance your leadership credibility with your teammates and coaches.

2. Be a spark of energy and enthusiasm today.
Let your passion for the sport shine through today. Spread a contagious energy and enthusiasm amongst your teammates. Think about how lucky you are to be able to play and compete. Remember back to when you were a young child and reconnect with the joy you played with back then. Make your sport fun again for yourself and your teammates.

3. Model mental toughness today.
Because your teammates will look to you under pressure, adversity, and stress, be sure to model mental toughness today. Bounce back quickly after errors to show your teammates how to respond to negative situations. Maintain your poise and optimism despite any mistakes you might make so that your teammates can trust and rely on you to get them through the tough times.

4. Connect with a teammate today.
Leadership is all about relationships. Invest the time to build and strengthen the relationships you have with each of your teammates. Inquire about their day, challenges, and goals. Make a special and ongoing effort to get to know every athlete on your team, not just your friends and classmates. The relationship building you do each day will pay off immeasurably down the road.

5. Compliment a teammate today.
Be on the lookout for teammates who are contributing to your team. Call out a teammate for making a hustle play, pushing through a weight workout, recovering quickly from a mistake, getting an A on an exam, etc. Praise the actions and attitudes you want to see repeated. As Mother Teresa once said, “Kind words are short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless.”

6. Challenge a teammate today.
Challenge at least one of your teammates today. Positively push them and yourself to make the most of your workout. Make a friendly wager to see if they can be successful at least 4 out of 5 times in a drill. See if you both can improve your times in conditioning. Offer to stay after to help if there is anything they want to work on. Good leaders consistently invite, inspire, and sometimes implore others to greatness.

7. Support a teammate today.
Odds are, at least one of your teammates is struggling with something today – it could be a performance slump, a rocky romantic relationship, a disagreement with a coach, an unglamorous role, struggling with a class, or a sick family member. Good leaders are consistently on the lookout for teammates who might be struggling and are ready to offer an ear to listen, an encouraging word, a pat on the back, or a shoulder to cry on.

8. Constructively confront negativity, pessimism, and laziness today.
As a leader, have the courage to constructively confront the negativity, pessimism, and laziness that will crop up on your team from time to time. Instead of fueling the fire by joining in or silently standing by, be sure to refocus your teammates on solutions rather than dwelling on and complaining about the problems. Left unchecked, these problems can quickly grow to distract, divide, and destroy your team.

9. Build and bond your team today.
Team chemistry naturally ebbs and flows throughout the course of the season. Take the time to monitor and maintain your team’s chemistry. Let your reserves and support staff know how much you appreciate them. Stay connected and current with each of the natural sub-groups on your team. Douse any brush fires that might be occurring and continually remind team members about your common goal and common bond.

10. Check in with your coach today.
Invest the time to check in with your coach today. Ask what you can do to best help the team this week. Find out what your coach wants to accomplish with today’s practice. Also discuss if there is anything your coach is concerned about regarding your team. Discuss your collective insights on your team’s chemistry, focus, and mindset. Work together to effectively co-lead your team.

11. Remind your team how today’s work leads to tomorrow’s dreams.
 It’s easy to get bogged down during your season with monotonous drills, tiring conditioning, and demanding workouts. Remind your teammates how all the quality work you do today gives you a distinct advantage over your opponents. Help them see and even get excited about how today’s hard work is a long-term investment in your team’s goals, rather than just a short-term hardship or sacrifice.

12. Represent yourself and team with class and pride today.
Leaders have the awesome privilege and responsibility of representing their teams. Take advantage of this opportunity by representing your team with class and pride today. Hold a door open for someone, sit in the front rows of class and actively engage in the discussion, say please and thank you, dress in respectful attire, etc. These tiny pushes represent you and your team with class and distinction. And they ultimately set you up for a lifetime of respect and success.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

THE CHOICES YOU MAKE DEFINE WHO YOU ARE

This is a passout we gave to our team today:

Each day, as a student-athlete, you make personal choices that help define who are you are and what you want to be. Because you are part of a team, often those choices you make can effect not just you but your teammates as well. It should be a enough to motivate you to give thought to those decisions and to understand why it is so important to your future. Here is what the late Jim Rohn has to day about this topic:

Personal success is built on the foundation of character, and character is the result of hundreds and hundreds of choices you may make that gradually turn who you are at any given moment into who you want to be. If that decision-making process is not present, you'll still be somebody-you'll still be alive-but you may have a personality rather than a character, and to me that's something very different.

Character isn't something you were born with and can't change, like your fingerprints. It's something you must take responsibility for forming. You build character by how you respond to what happens in your life, whether it's winning every game, losing every game, getting rich or dealing with hard times.

You build character from certain qualities that you must create and diligently nurture within yourself, just like you would plant and water a seed or gather wood to build a campfire. You've got to look for those things in your heart and in your gut. You've got to chisel away in order to find them, just like chiseling away rock to create the sculpture that previously existed only in the imagination.

But the really amazing thing about character is that, if you're sincerely committed to making yourself into the person you want to be, you'll not only create those qualities, you'll strengthen them and re-create them in abundance, even as you're drawing on them every day of your life. That's why building your character is vital to becoming all you can be.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

JORDAN & PRACTICE: FIRST & LAST

"When I played with Michael Jordan on the Olympic Team, there was a huge gap between his ability and the ability of the other great players on that team. But what impressed me was that he was always the first one on the floor and the last one to leave."

-Steve Alford

ARE YOU IN OR OUT

“There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out. There’s no such thing as life in-between.”

-Pat Riley

Saturday, October 16, 2010

ABILITY MAGNIFIED WITH TEAM

"Each individual player has much greater ability than he thinks he has.  Particularly when he uses that ability in a committed team effort."

-Woody Hayes

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

ADVICE FROM THE NBA LOGO

Thanks to Alan Stein for passing along these thoughts from http://blog.strongerteam.com/. As Alan said: "Jerry West is the NBA logo... I mean literally. So when he speaks, you need to listen!"

Jerry West is a living legend.


Yeah, he is in the NBA Hall of Fame.

Sure, he was voted one of the 50 greatest players of all time.

For crying out loud… Jerry West is the NBA logo!

When he speaks, you need to listen.

Jerry West is friends with the father of a basketball player at Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC. A couple of weeks ago he stopped in to address the team after a pre-season workout. He spoke from the heart and gave sound advice:

· "If you want to be a great player, you have to learn how to compete. Competing is as important as any technical skill… shooting, ball handling, or passing. Great players compete every workout, every practice and every game."

· "Basketball can help you develop friendships you will have for the rest of your life. Don’t take it for granted."

· "Younger players should find an older, more experienced player on the team to look up to and to emulate (for Jerry West, it was Elgin Baylor). Watch how they conduct themselves during practice and how they prepare for games…study their work habits. You can learn a lot by watching those ahead of you. And if you are an older player, it is your job to be a role model for the younger members of your team. Take that responsibility seriously."

· "Use basketball, don’t let it use you. Basketball can take you to some special places and can provide you with an education."

· "While everyone loves to win, you learn more about yourself and your teammates when you lose. Life is easy when you are winning. A person’s true colors come through during times of adversity."

· "Take advantage of every opportunity you have to get better. Every practice is important."

Sunday, October 3, 2010

BE COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE


"Be committed to excellence. You must be willing to work extremely hard and make whatever reasonable sacrifices are necessary to achieve the organizational goals that have been established for the team. At all times, the focus must be on doing things properly. In reality, the talent level of most NFL teams is relatively even. As such, one of the critical keys to success is execution. Players making plays is what wins football games. More often than not, the primary catalyst for the occurrence of such plays is an unwavering commitment to excellence."

-BILL WALSH

Thursday, September 30, 2010

ENTHUSIASM IS TO ATTITUDE WHAT BREATHING IS TO LIFE

Enthusiasm gives you the power to get up early when you are not a morning person.

Enthusiasm keeps you working on a project instead of quitting.

Enthusiasm gives you the courage to take the risks needed for success.

Enthusiasm fuels motivation to make things happen.

Enthusiasm brightens your personality.

Enthusiasm combats fear and worry.

Enthusiasm distinguishes a championship team from an average team.

Enthusiasm is in the fire in the belly that says, “Don’t wait!”

Enthusiasm is the burning desire that communicated commitment, determination, and spirit. It shows everyone else that you are sold on what you are doing and that you are seriously motivated.

Enthusiasm’s last four letters stand for I Am Seriously Motivated.

Enthusiasm and a positive attitude are the winning ingredients for success.

From "Attitude is Everything" by Keith Harrell

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

GREAT THOUGHT FROM A GREAT PLAYER

“A truly great player makes the worst player on the team good.”

-Oscar Robertson

COMPETITORS ALWAYS COMPETE -- IN EVERYTHING

Michael Jordan still wanted and needed to win at everything. In those days, when they still traveled on commercial planes, they sometimes spent their idle time in airport game rooms playing Pac-Man. For a time, Dave Corzine, who always carried a large roll of quarters with him, was considered the Pac-Man champion. In time, however, Jordan bought a Pac-Man game for his home and practiced diligently, bringing his game up until he could beat Corzine.

Richard Dent, the star defensive lineman of the Chicago Bears, became a close friend, and of course Jordan had to compete with him. Dent liked to ride a bike, and Jordan heard him say casually one day that he had just ridden thirty miles. A few weeks later, when Jordan arrived in Hawaii after a trip to Japan, he got up after about two hours of sleep, called Howard White, and said he wanted to go bike riding. How far do you want to ride? asked White. Thirty miles, Jordan answered.

He did not just need to win, he had to win.

From "Playing for Keeps" by David Halberstam

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

WHAT IS KEVIN GARNETT LIKE?

From Boston Celtic assistant Kevin Eastman
...
1. Talented.
2. Passionate.
3. He works on his game every day.
4. He wants to know what you know that can make him better.
5. He is incredibly competitive in games.
6. He never makes excuses (in fact he blames himself).
7. He wants the truth.
8. He can respond and deal with failure.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

KEEP SHOOTING

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A SELF-STARTER

“It’s the self-starter in each of us that’s really important. I don’t think you can count on somebody else to motivate you to do something. You have to want to do it personally, and you have to provide that energy. It’s unrealistic and unfair to expect someone else to push you in a positive direction. So you better pick out something you really like to do, because you will have to be your own driving force.”

-Bill Belichick

Thursday, September 16, 2010

BE A CHAMPIONSHIP CALIBER PLAYER

“Other guys say they want to be a Pro Bowl caliber player… But I want to be considered a championship caliber player because that is what sports is all about, winning championships.”

-Tedy Bruschi

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

ARE YOU WILLING?!

“I am willing to put myself through anything;
temporary pain or discomfort means nothing
to me as long as I can see that experience
will take me to a new level.”
-Diana Nyad

Monday, September 13, 2010

THE EXCITEMENT OF GAME DAY

“I’ve always had a passion for the game, and the game has changed at every level from high school to college to the NFL, but I still have the same passion and I still get excited for games today, just like I did when I was playing in junior high. There’s something about when you wake up in the morning knowing you have a game that day.”

-Peyton Manning

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

WAITING VS. PREPARING

The following comes from Alan Stein's website: http://www.youtube.com/user/StrongerTeamDotCom

It asks the question of players "are you waiting for your next workout or are you preparing for your next workout?" A short video but well worth the time for each and every player (and coach for that matter).

Thanks to Rick Allison for bringing Alan's video to my attention.



Monday, September 6, 2010

JIM ROHN: THE MAJOR KEY TO YOUR BETTER FUTURE IS ----- YOU!

Here is an excellent column form the late, great Jim Rohn. As a player, when things don't go well, you have a tendency to blame everyone but the right person. It's a teammates fault -- it's the coaches fault -- the lighting in the gym is bad -- the officials screwed me! You have the absolutely power to control what you can control and that is enough to push forward towards you goals. Please read what Jim Rohn has to say on this:

Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest. We can talk about sales growth, profit growth, asset growth, but all of this probably will not happen without personal growth. It's really the open door to it all. In fact I'd like to have you memorize a most important phrase. Here it is:

"The major key to your better future is YOU."

Let me repeat that. "The major key to your better future is YOU." Put that someplace you can see it every day, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, at the office, anywhere you can see it every day. The major key to your better future is YOU. Try to remember that every day and think about it. The major key is YOU.

Now, there are many things that will help your better future. If you belong to a strong, dynamic, progressive company, that would help. If the company has good products, good services that you are proud of, that would certainly help. If there were good sales aids, that would help, good training would certainly help. If there is strong leadership, that will certainly help. All of these things will help, and, of course, if it doesn't storm, that will help. If your car doesn't break down, that will help. If the kids don't get sick, that will help. If the neighbors stay halfway civil, that will help. If your relatives don't bug you, that will help. If it isn't too cold, if it isn't too hot, all those things will help your better future. And if prices don't go much higher and if taxes don't get much heavier, that will help. And if the economy stays stable, those things will all help. We could go on and on with the list; but remember this, the list of things that I've just covered and many more—all put together—play a minor role in your better future.

The major key to your better future is you. Lock your mind onto that. This is a super important point to remember. The major key is you. A friend of mine has always answered when asked, "How do you develop an above-average income?" He says, "Simple. Become an above-average person. Work on you." My friend says, "Develop an above-average handshake." He says, "A lot of people want to be successful, and they don't even work on their handshake. As easy as that would be to start, they let it slide. They don't understand." My friend says, "Develop an above-average smile. Develop an above-average excitement. Develop an above-average dedication. Develop an above-average interest in other people." He says, "To have more, become more." Remember: work harder on yourself than you do on your job. For a long time in my life, I didn't have this figured out.

Strangely enough, with two different people in the same company, one may earn an extra $100 a month, and the other may earn $1,000. What could possibly be the difference? If the products were the same, if the training was the same, if they both had the same literature, the same tools. If they both had the same teacher, the same compensation plan, if they both attended the same meetings, why would one person earn the $100 per month and the other person earn the $1,000?

Remember: here is the difference... the difference is personal, inside, not outside, inside.

You see the real difference is inside you. In fact, the difference IS you. Someone once said, "The magic is not in the products. The magic is not in the literature. The magic is not in the film. There isn't a magic meeting, but the magic that makes things better is inside you, and personal growth makes this magic work for you."

The magic is in believing. The magic is in daring. The magic is in trying. The real magic is in persevering. The magic is in accepting. It's in working. The magic is in thinking. There is magic in a handshake. There is magic in a smile. There is magic in excitement and determination. There is real magic in compassion and caring and sharing. There is unusual magic in strong feeling, and you see, all that comes from inside, not outside.


So, the difference is inside you. The real difference is you. You are the major key to your better future.

Friday, September 3, 2010

THE TEAM DEFINES THE INDIVIDUAL

"That’s the only thing
that’s going to define individuals:
how the team does."

-RON ARTEST

WHO YOU ASSOCIATE WITH IS A BIG PART OF YOUR SUCCESS

If you want to be an outstanding player, associate with players that have what you want -- work ethic, dedication, enthusiasm. If you want to improve as a student, befreind good students. Learn their study habits and regiments for school work. Your assoications are an extremely important part of your growth and development. Here is what Darren Hardy of Success Magazine says about it in his book, "The Compound Effect."
....
Birds of a feather flock together. The people with whom you habitually associate are called your “reference group.” According to research by social psychologist Dr. David McClelland of Harvard, your “reference group” determined as much as 95 percent of your success or failure in life.

Who do you spend the most time with? Who are the people you most admire? Are those two groups of people exactly the same? If not, why not? Jim Rohn taught that we become the combined average of the five people we hang around the most. Rohn would say we could tell the quality of our health, attitude, and income by looking at the people around us. The people with whom we spend our time determine what conversations dominate our attention, and to which attitudes and opinions we are regularly exposed. Eventually, we start to eat what they eat, talk like they talk, read what they read, think like they think, watch what they watch, treat people how they treat them, even dress like they dress. The funny thing is, more often than not, we are completely unaware of the similarities between us and our circle of five.

How are we not aware? Because your associations don’t shove you in a direction; they nudge you ever so slightly over time. Their influence is so subtle that it’s like being on an inner tube out in the ocean, feeling like you’re floating in place, until you look up and realize the gentle current has pushed you a half mile down the shore.

If you haven’t already, jot down the names of those five people you hang around the most. Also write down their main characteristics, both positive and negative. It doesn’t matter who they are. It could be your spouse, your brother, your neighbor, or your assistant.

It’s time to reappraise and reprioritize the people you spend time with. These relationships can nurture you, starve you, or keep you stuck. Now that you’ve started to carefully consider with whom you spend your time, let’s go a little deeper.
I’m constantly weeding out of my life people who refuse to grow and live positively. Growing and changing your associations is a lifelong process.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

IF YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU CAN'T SAVE IT

“What you do in practice is going to determine your level of success. I used to tell my players, ‘You have to give 100 percent every day. What you don’t give, you can’t make up for tomorrow. If you only give 75 percent today, you can’t give 125 percent tomorrow to make up for it.’”

-John Wooden

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

KOBE'S COMPETITIVE FIRE

Not that Kobe Bryant never loses, but beat him at your own risk. Decline a rematch and . . . well, that's not an option. "If you scored on him in practice or did something to embarrass him, he would just keep on challenging you and challenging you until you stayed after and played him so he could put his will on you and dominate you," says Shaw, Bryant's teammate from 1999 to 2003. This included not allowing players to leave the court. Literally. "He'd stand in our way and say, 'Nah, nah, we're gonna play. I want you to do that [move] again,' " Shaw says. "And you might be tired and say, 'Nah, I did it in practice.' But he was just relentless and persistent until finally you'd go play, and he'd go at you."

From a Sports Illustrated article by Chris Ballard

Sunday, August 29, 2010

THE PERSONAL ATTITUDE OF SUCCESS

Another personal attitude of success is the desire to be a competitor. Surprising as it may seem, many top-level players shy from the desire to be “the man” when the game is on the line. One of the ingredients of becoming a clutch performer is the ability to muster mental toughness in the most tense situations. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter says, “When I come to bat in a pivotal spot, I want people to say, ‘Uh-oh, here he comes.’” Jeter wants that responsibility of being considered “the man.” In 1941, Ted Williams told Time magazine, “Naw, there ain’t no tension for me hitting in the clutch. I’d like to have the bases loaded every time I come up.” In contrast, Raul Mondesi with the Dodgers in 1999 did not want the challenge of hitting in the cleanup spot, projecting an attitude of “I can’t hit in the fourth spot.” The result was, he didn’t.

From, "Mental Toughness: Baseball’s Winning Edge" by Karl Kuehl, John Kuehl, and Casey Tefertiller

Thursday, August 26, 2010

RUSSELL TO GARNETT: IF YOU BUILD IT THEY (CHAMPIONSHIPS) WILL COME

INVISIBLE GROWTH

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.

Day by Day with James Allen by Vic Johnson

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

CONFIDENCE

"Confidence doesn't come out
of nowhere. It's a result of
something ... hours and days
and weeks and years of constant
work and dedication."

-Roger Staubach-

SELF-VISUALIZATION

In this post, Brian Tracy talks about how we view ourselves and the utiliziation of that vision in striving for excellence:

Your self-concept is made up of three parts, each of which affects each of the others. Understanding these three parts enables you to put your hands on the keyboard of your own mental computer. When you learn to take charge of the development of a new and positive self-concept of selling, you can then control your sales destiny for the rest of your career.

Determine Your Direction
The first part of the self-concept is the "self-ideal." Your self-ideal largely determines the direction in which you are going with your life. It guides the growth and evolution of your character and personality. Your self-ideal is a combination of all of the qualities and attributes of other people that you most admire. Your self-ideal is a description of the person you would very much like to be if you could embody the qualities that you most aspire to.

Strive Toward Excellence
Throughout your life, you have seen and read about the qualities of courage, confidence, compassion, love, fortitude, perseverance, patience, forgiveness and integrity. Over time, these qualities have instilled in you an ideal to which you aspire. You might not always live up to the very best that you know, but you are constantly striving to be a better person in light of those qualities that you value so highly. In fact, everything that you do on a day-to-day basis is affected by your comparing your activities with these ideal qualities and your striving to behave consistently with them.

Clarity is Essential
Successful salespeople have very clear ideals for themselves and their careers. Unsuccessful salespeople have fuzzy ideals. Successful salespeople are very clear about being excellent in every part of their work and their personal lives. Unsuccessful salespeople don't give the subject very much thought. One of the primary characteristics of successful men and women in every walk of life is that they have very clearly defined ideals and they are very aware of whether or not their current behaviors are consistent with their idealized behaviors.

Set Challenging Goals
Part of your ideals are your goals. As you set higher and more challenging goals, your self-ideal improves and crystallizes. When you set goals for the kind of person you want to be and the kind of life you want to live, your self-ideal rises and becomes a greater guiding and motivating force in your life.

Your Future is Unlimited
Perhaps the most important thing for you to realize is that whatever anyone else has done or become, you can do or become as well. Improvements in your self-ideal begin in your imagination, and in your imagination, there are no limits except the ones that you accept.

What is your ideal vision of the very best person you could possibly become? How would you behave each day if you were already that person? Asking yourself these questions and then living your life consistent with the answers is the first step to creating yourself in your ideal image.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, dream big dreams. Set big, exciting, challenging goals and ideals for yourself in every part of your life. Allow yourself to imagine a wonderful life ahead.

Second, think about how you would act if you were an outstanding person in every way. Then, practice being this person, as though you were acting a role in a play. You'll immediately notice a difference in your behavior.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

THE BULL DOESN'T CARE WHAT YOU DID LAST WEEK

There's a rodeo bull rider I know, a fellow named Tuff Hedeman. He's won three world championships in his sport, which is very difficult to do; he's the Joe Montana of bull riders. After he won his third one, Tuff didn't rest his bull rope to party or go to Disney World or hit the talk-show circuit. He just moved his gear on to Denver where the title hunt would start all over again...and as Tuff said:

"The bull won't care what I did last week."

From "Finding A Way To Win" by Bill Parcells

Monday, August 23, 2010

USING DEFEAT FOR MOTIVATION

"Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even."

- Muhammad Ali

Sunday, August 22, 2010

FORWARD MOTION MOTIVATION

THE KEY TO SUCCESS

The following comes from "Success Is A Journey" by Brian Tracy:

The key to success is for you to set one great, challenging goal and then to pay any price, overcome any obstacle and persist through any difficulty until you finally achieve it.

By achieving one important goal, you create a pattern, a template for success in your subconscious mind. Ever after you will be automatically directed and driven toward repeating that success in other things that you attempt. By overcoming adversity and achieving one great objective, you will program yourself for success in life.

In other words, you learn to succeed by succeeding. The more you achieve, the more you can achieve.

You can accomplish almost any goal that you set for yourself if you persist long enough and work hard enough. The only one who can stop you is yourself. And you learn to persist by persisting in the face of great adversity when everyone around you is quitting and ever fiber of your being screams at you to quit as well.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

THE GREAT ONES HAVE GREAT WORK ETHIC (PART II)

Written by Mike Wells at Indy.com:

Tyler Hansbrough works hard. Maybe you’ve heard.

His game days began with an early morning visit to Whole Foods to load up on organic meals. There was also the protein shake.

Hansbrough had a Reggie Miller-like pregame shooting routine. Five hundred shots, from various positions on the court. Mid-range jumpers. Three-pointers. Turnaround jumpers. Various low-post moves. Five straight makes in some spots, eight in others. Miss, start over.

He usually followed 20 points, 10 rebounds and a victory with an assortment of stretching exercises and an ice bath to help quicken his body’s recovery time before calling it a night.

“I’ve had a routine I’ve done for four years,” Hansbrough said. “I’m kind of superstitious.”

Read the entire article: http://bit.ly/ckgHEm

Thursday, August 19, 2010

"SEE" THE SHOT

“I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head. It’s like a color movie. First I ‘see’ where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I ‘see’ the ball going there: its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behavior on landing. Then there’s sort of a fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality.”

-Jack Nicklaus

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

THE BENEFITS OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

The benefits of positive attitudes are:
· Enhanced optimism and positive expectation.
· High positive energy.
· Higher levels of confidence: you are likely to trust yourself, not thinking too much or giving too much effort.
· Better concentration.
· Better decisions: viewing possibilities instead of obstacles.
· Better learning.
· Greater determination and commitment, with a “can-do attitude” and a refusal to give up easily.
· Greater happiness and peace of mind.
· Enhanced perseverance.
· A greater willingness to accept challenges.

From "Mental Toughness: Baseball’s Winning Edge" by Karl Kuehl, John Kuehl, and Casey Tefertiller

DEFINITION OF A WINNER

“A winner is someone who
recognizes his God-given talents,
works his tail off to develop
them into skills,
and uses these skills
to accomplish his goals.”

-Larry Bird-

Saturday, August 14, 2010

CAN YOU BE COUNTED ON?

A great post by Rick Warren on serving faithfully and continually -- can you always be counted on -- by your coach, your teammates, you family!

"Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!"
-Matthew 25:23

Faithfulness has always been a rare quality (Psalm 12:1; Proverbs 20:6; Philippians 2:19-22).

Most people don't know the meaning of commitment. They make commitments casually, then break them for the slightest reason without any hesitation, remorse, or regret. Every week, churches and other organizations must improvise because volunteers didn't prepare, didn't show up, or didn't even call to say they weren't coming.

Can you be counted on by others? Are there promises you need to keep, vows you need to fulfill, or commitments you need to honor?

This is a test. God is testing your faithfulness. If you pass the test, you're in good company: Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, Daniel, Timothy, and Paul were all called faithful servants of God.

Even better, God has promised to reward your faithfulness in eternity. Imagine what it will feel like one day to have God say to you, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!" (Matthew 25:23).By the way, faithful servants never retire. They serve faithfully as long as they're alive.

5 CORE CONCERNS FROM EVERY TEAMMATE

This comes from www.sportleadership.com and will make it into our team notebook this year.

Dear Team Captain:

As a team leader your task is to evoke excellence in others. Great leaders are eager to help someone else improve at what he or she wants to do. The key question you should ask on a daily basis is "How do I contribute to a teammate's competence in a respectful, dignified, and effective way." The answers will help you become an effective team leader.

Here are five core concerns that you should be aware of as you work to build respectful relationships with your teammates.
..
Concern #1: Appreciation
Every member of your team wants to know that their thoughts, feelings, and actions are valued by the coaches and teammates. Everyone on the team puts in a tremendous amount of time and energy to achieve shared goals. Try to find ways to show your teammates appreciation for their commitment to the team. Encourage teammates to demonstrate appreciation for each other.

Concern #2: Association
Your teammates wants to be treated as an integral part of something meaningful. They want to be valued by teammates and not excluded from team functions away from the playing field. That is, each student-athlete will make a deeper commitment to the team when they feel a strong sense of association.
...
Unfortunately, sport teams all too often breed an in-group out-group mentality. Injuries too can seem alienating to team members. When teammates can't participate because of injuries be sure to keep them close to you and the rest of the team.
..
Concern #3: Self-Management
Student-athletes want to be respected for their ability to make decisions in their best interest. Most of your teammates will possess a desire to be self-directing. However, this does not mean they don't want your help. It just means you need to help them set their direction and stay on course.
...
Concern #4: Status
Every team member is concerned with his or her status on the team and their "relative position" to teammates. Bench players, in particular, want to be given recognition and not to be treated as inferior to others. While it is generally evident who the best players are on the playing field, the contributions others make in the various roles should not be relegated to second-class status by you and your teammates.

Concern #5: Role
Each of your teammates desires a role to play and truly wants that role to be fulfilling. It's common for athletes to perceive their role in an ambiguous way. Through patience your guidance can help teammates understand, accept, and grow in their respective role. You can point the way by helping teammates make sense of their role on and off the playing field. Your teammates will be seeking and serving in a variety of roles throughout the season. Some more vital than others. Always pay attention to your teammates and help them to find value in their role.

In summary, each teammate will have a different perception of how his or her 5 Core Concerns are being met. Perceptions should be visible in their various behaviors, attitudes, emotional reactions and thought patterns. Your leadership task is to continually work at identifying underlying problems and find solutions. This is best done when you actively engage in honest conversation with your teammates building solid relationships. Great leaders care to know their teammates.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR CHARACTER

Each day, as a student-athlete, you make personal choices that help define who are you are and what you want to be. Because you are part of a team, often those choices you make can effect not just you but your teammates as well. It should be a enough to motivate you to give thought to those decisions and to understand why it is so important to your future. Here is what the late Jim Rohn has to day about this topic:

Personal success is built on the foundation of character, and character is the result of hundreds and hundreds of choices you may make that gradually turn who you are at any given moment into who you want to be. If that decision-making process is not present, you'll still be somebody-you'll still be alive-but you may have a personality rather than a character, and to me that's something very different.

Character isn't something you were born with and can't change, like your fingerprints. It's something you must take responsibility for forming. You build character by how you respond to what happens in your life, whether it's winning every game, losing every game, getting rich or dealing with hard times.

You build character from certain qualities that you must create and diligently nurture within yourself, just like you would plant and water a seed or gather wood to build a campfire. You've got to look for those things in your heart and in your gut. You've got to chisel away in order to find them, just like chiseling away rock to create the sculpture that previously existed only in the imagination.

But the really amazing thing about character is that, if you're sincerely committed to making yourself into the person you want to be, you'll not only create those qualities, you'll strengthen them and re-create them in abundance, even as you're drawing on them every day of your life. That's why building your character is vital to becoming all you can be.