Preparation

These last few days we have been making preparations for going back to school. We are coming to the realization that summer vacation is about over. I have heard people ask my kids- "Are you ready to go back to school?" I am not sure that either one is ready for vacation to be over, but it is going to happen. They have to be ready because school starts on Wednesday! Because school starts on Wednesday we have been doing some preparation. We went and bought school supplies and clothes, rented a trumpet, checked the bus pick-up schedule, went to registration, practiced opening Ella's locker,

purchased a gym suit, Ella got some shots at the doctor,.... All of these things are little preparations for school. This is a great analogy for any event in our lives. The best way to feel ready for a situation is to PREPARE. One of my favorite quotes from Bobby Knight is "Failure to Prepare equals Preparation to Fail". When you prepare for something you feel more confident and relaxed. When you prepare to the best of your ability you have no regrets about the outcome. Preparation helps to eliminate the unknown. Every situation may have an element of the unknown, but the more that you can minimize the unknown the more ready you will be. It is ok to have a little nervousness about school starting, giving a presentation, or playing the big game. I know that Kole, Ella, Heather, and myself will all have some butterflies in our stomach's on Wednesday, but we will have a since of comfort knowing that we have prepared for the moment.

Developing Leadership

I think one of the toughest things to do in coaching is to help athletes develop leadership. This morning I have been brainstorming ways to develop leadership. As I have discussed in previous blogs leadership is influence. Every athlete on a team is going to influence others in some way. However, one of the things I have learned is that usually your best athletes and your most experienced athletes are going to have the most influence on the group. I believe one of the biggest components of developing leadership is time. If you display good leadership, then those people around you will grow from your leadership over time. Another component is experience-- put your team or group in a situation in which they have to work together to be successful. Make your practices more difficult than the games. This allows the players a chance to grow together, or apart, and to work through the adversity. When you put a group in an adverse situation you get to really see who your leaders are. Encourage and acknowledge good leadership decisions by those on the team. Talking to players in a 1 on 1 situation can be very valuable. Also utilize classroom time to discuss what characteristics make up a good leader. As the leader of a team I think it is important to identify the role of every member within the group. Not only identify the role, but make sure each person takes ownership in their role. This will promote leadership within the team. Lastly, as the top leader you need to allow the members of the team or group the opportunity to be creative with their leadership. Don't be so authoritative that they are solely dependent on your leadership. In conclusion, it is important to have patience- promote growth through experience- encourage and acknowledge positive decisions- promote ownership of roles- and allow creativity--every person in the group will not lead in the same way!

COMPETE

Last week I worked the Hanover Basketball Camp and they were selling T-shirts that said Compete All Day Everyday. That got me to thinking about what it means to COMPETE. Most things that we do in life we are competing in some way. It may be us competing in a sporting event, trying to complete a task to the best of our ability, working hard to earn an A in a class, or simply going for a personal best. I have created an acronym for my meaning of the word COMPETE. When we do a task there is a CONSISTENCY in our effort to do our best. When we compete we take OWNERSHIP in the process and the result. In other words it means something to you to work hard. Next is MASTERY of the fundamentals. If it is basketball, then we practice our dribbling, shooting, and passing. If it is cleaning our room, then it is getting good at making our bed and picking up our dirty clothes. Along with mastery is PERSISTENCE in what we are doing. If the task gets tough, then we stick with it and finish. We don't give up. Next is ENERGY- when we compete we bring a positive excitement to the table. Also, when we compete we display an element of TOUGHNESS. Again, we stay the course and work to improve our weaknesses. Lastly, we have an ENTHUSIASM that rubs off on others around us. There is enjoyment in the process! COMPETE- Consistency, Ownership, Mastery, Persistence, Energy, Toughness, and Enthusiasm! Compete All Day Everyday!

Learning from the Best

As I sit here in my basement watching the MLB All-Star Game that is being played in New York I am reminded that these guys are the best baseball players in the world! What a great opportunity for young baseball players to learn about the game, and how to do things the right way. It is amazing what we can learn through observing and watching the best. I remember when I was coaching 9th grade baseball, and we would always use a rainy day to have practice in the classroom. During this practice I would give each player a pencil and a score sheet, and we would watch a recorded major league game to learn how to score a game the right way. This was also a great way to discuss bunting strategies, cut-offs, and game situations. As a kid I can remember collecting baseball cards with one of my childhood friends Chad Bergman. We would ride our bikes down to the local convenience store(Denny's) to buy tart-n-tiny candy and packs of baseball cards hoping to get a Dwight Gooden, Eric Davis, Ryan Sandberg or Don Mattingly. These were some of the best players of the time. These experiences led to our love for the game of Baseball- as we would pretend to be these players in his side yard with all the other neighbor kids. The message here is that you can learn a great deal from observing the Best! Search out the best in your field and observe what makes them the Best!

Success can be a Mess

Yesterday I spent most of the day cleaning out our garage. As I started the process it seemed like it was going to be a short project, but once I started moving things around- I eventually had a mess. Bikes, storage shelves, trash, hats, shoes, cabinets, pillows, scooters, and sports equipment were spread across the garage floor. It was a mess! As I began to place things back into order the garage began to gain space and cleanliness. This took time but was a success in the end. I was very happy with the end result. This analogy of cleaning the garage can be used to relate to many of the successes that we experience in our lives. The process of achieving success is not always nice and neat. As a matter of fact most of the time it is messy. If the students in your class are trying a new math concept, then they may not understand it on the first try. It may take multiple ways of teaching to learn the concept. In coaching basketball- if you are teaching your team how to run motion offense, then it is probably not going to be a smooth offense after one practice. It is going to take break down drills on how to read screens, how to set screens, practice shooting good shots, etc. My point is that you should expect a mess! Sometimes things have to get worse in order to get better. My mother in law has been battling lung cancer. Three weeks ago she had surgery to remove the tumor from her lung. The next day after surgery, the nurses had her sitting up in a chair and moving around. The next day she had some complications and they had to sedate her and put her on a breathing machine for a few days. This was not pretty. However, since then she has gotten stronger each day, and is now home still recovering. She is making baby steps each day. Learning to re-use her right hand, and working to get strong enough to go up and down the stairs are some of her goals. It has been messy, but she is battling for success! As hard as it is to be patient- we are trying to help her see the small successes each day! One thing that I heard a coach say once is "enjoy the process". Success is a process and we must find ways to enjoy it even when it is a mess. While cleaning the garage I listened to some music, in math class you can learn from your mistakes that a certain method did not work, and for my mother in law she has been able to spend some time with the grand-kids and watch alot of movies!

What is Leadership?

This morning I read the first chapter of John Maxwell's book Developing the Leader Within You. In this chapter John defines leadership as influence. We all will influence the people around us in some way during our life. It is said that even the most introverted person will influence 10,000 people during his/her lifetime. According to Maxwell there are 5 levels of leadership- Position, Permission, Production, People Development, and Personhood. At the Position level people follow you because they have to- in other words your leadership is merely a title. At the Permission level people follow you because they want to- this means that there is a relationship piece at this level. The third level is Production- at this level the people follow because of what you have done for the organization- in other words the people are excited about achieving positive results for the good of all. The next level up is People Development- at this level people follow because of what you have done for them. People within the organization begin to help others grow - which leads to greater growth in the organization. The highest level of leadership is Personhood- at this level people follow because of what you stand for and what you represent. There is a sense of loyalty. In most cases this level is reached after years of developing organizations and working with people. As I read about these different levels of leadership there was one word that continuously popped out at me... RELATIONSHIPS...in order for us to be influential in a positive way- we must develop positive RELATIONSHIPS with the people we work with. If you are interested in becoming a better leader, then think about what level of leadership you are currently at with most people. Think about the people in your life that are the most influential to you. Why are they successful at leading? Spend time with the people in your organization that you feel have the most influence on others in your organization. Leadership can be DEVELOPED!

Vision in Motion

The last few days I have taken a break from my blog to spend some time working Hanover Basketball camp. I had a great time working with young campers, and catching up with some of my former teammates from college. As I write today the topic is VISION. I believe that in sports and life we have to have a vision. Our mental approach to what we are doing is very important. This week at camp we were doing the free throw contest and one of the campers was getting ready to shoot. Prior to shooting I heard him say-"I am only going to hit 2 shots, I don't know why I am even shooting"- that was his VISION for the contest. If you don't visualize that you are going to hit 10 out of 10 it is not going to happen! VISION is just as important in life as it is in sports. I can remember the first time that I met my wife. It was after a game at Anderson University. She had come to the game with a friend who was dating a teammate of mine on the Hanover Basketball team. I was up in the stands talking to my family and she was standing right behind us in the stands. I still have this VISION in my head of her standing there. My VISION at that time was that I wanted to meet this beautiful girl and get to know her. Her friend Kristy asked me that night in the stands if I was going to come down to the fraternity house the next night, and I responded, "only if you bring your friend". The rest is history. Over the next 3 years we got to know each other and got married on July 18th, 1998. We will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary in less than a week. It all started with a VISION! What is your VISION for today? As I sit here this morning my VISION for today is of a nicely mowed yard. That VISION is great, but if I don't get out today and cut the grass my VISION is going to be an overgrown front yard. Put your VISION into Motion!

Camp Influence

As I sit up in my room awake in the dorm at Hanover Basketball Camp, I am reminded of the influence of camp. I think back to my experiences as a camper at Camp Olivet, Basketball Camps at Purdue, Butler, and Vincennes, and Blue Chip Camp in Kentucky. At all of these camps there were people that had a great influence on me in a positive way. This week I am working camp with Hanover College players and coaches that are having the same influence on the development of young campers from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Massachusetts. For the youngest campers it is their first time away from home overnight. Camp allows those kids their first opportunity at overcoming homesickness and MOM sickness. For all of the campers it is an opportunity to make some new friends, spend time with their best buddies, eat three solid meals, and improve their skill and knowledge of the activity they are there for. The biggest influence that camp has had on me as a camper and a counselor is the development of lifelong friends. I am excited about this new week of camp and the opportunity to meet new coaches, and campers. I am confident that each of the campers will meet a new friend, improve on a skill, gain some new knowledge about basketball, have fun, and create some lifelong memories and friends!

L To The Third Power

One of my biggest pet peeves is talking to someone that is a know it all! It does not matter what the topic- these people have an answer for everything, and they are never wrong- just ask them. I have learned through teaching upper level math classes that it is ok to say "I Don't Know" or better yet- "I Don't Know- I will do my Best to find out the Answer". I call this having the attitude of a Life Long Learner! Each and everyday brings a new opportunity to grow. What resources and people do you look to in order to gain knowledge or growth? It is a hard thing to admit sometimes that we need help or need counsel. A lot of times we take it personal, or we respond in a way that says- "I have always done it this way". I challenge you today to be a Life Long Learner! Seek out that person in your profession that is at the top, and spend some time talking to them. Spend some time reading a book that will bring about growth. I learned from going to basketball clinics with my high school coach that if you can learn just one new thing at at the clinic, then it was a successful clinic. Apply that to your life. If you learn just one new thing a day, then that is 365 new pieces of knowledge in 1 year! Just like when you take a number bigger than 1 to the third power- it expands exponentially! Expand your mind, body, and spirit by allowing yourself to be an L CUBED---Life Long Learner!

Voices of the Crowd

I have had the opportunity over the last 17 years to coach and watch a variety of sports at various levels including- middle school football, high school basketball, freshman baseball, pee-wee baseball, youth softball, and little league baseball. All of these experiences have been very rewarding, however, with every team there are voices from the crowd. These are the voices of parents, grandparents, friends, and sports fanatics. With some teams it may be that outspoken dad that does not agree with the position that his son is playing -- the mom that storms the dugout to take her son home because the coach isn't playing her son enough -- the dad that is constantly yelling advice to his son about how to hit, pitch, shoot, or throw-- the irrational mom that is shouting at the ref about a call in the game-- the grand-parent that is trying to get the attention of their grandson in the dugout to see what kind of candy they want from the concession stand-- the fanatics that are shouting for a certain player to go in the game -- the student body that is harassing the players from the opposing team-- I could continue to list a few more, but I think you get the idea. These voices are all distractions to the game. I am sure that in your line of work you face distractions. I think it is very critical to learn how to handle these distractions. The first thing that is important to know is that you are not going to please all these voices- this is a fact! Second- most of these voices have good intentions in mind, but don't always approach the situation in the right way. One thing I have learned is that parents and fans want what is best for their child or team. I believe the best way to handle these voices in the crowd is to focus on the task at hand and block them out. Once you start listening to the voices in the crowd your mind starts to wonder. This would be like trying to drive and talk on your cell phone at the same time. Your focus is not 100% on the road and as a result your not as aware of your surroundings. If you want to be successful, then you must learn how to get in that zone and focus on the task at hand. Lastly, set yourself up for success by minimizing as many distractions as you can. If it is a team, then talk to the players about mental toughness, and talk to the parents about positive player talk prior to the season. We must learn to deal with the voices in the crowd because they are not going away!

Forces, Freedoms, the Flag, Fireworks, Food, Fellowship, and Family

As we celebrate the 4th of July today I am reminded of my childhood experiences of going downtown to see the Fireworks, gathering with family to enjoy a cookout, and waving sparklers around trying to spell our names in the front yard. I hope that as you celebrate the day today you will take a moment to recognize and respect the Armed FORCES that protect our great country everyday. These men and women show great courage and do things to sacrifice for us that we will never fully understand- Thank You! Also take a moment to share with your kids what the 4th of July means- the signing of the Declaration of Independence which led to the Bill of Rights- because of this we are able to experience the FREEDOMS that we do today. As you celebrate our freedoms- remember to recognize and respect the FLAG- 50 stars for the 50 states and 13 stripes for the original 13 British Colonies that declared independence. As you Honor the Armed FORCES, Celebrate our FREEDOMS, Respect the FLAG, and watch the FIREWORKS-be sure to eat some good FOOD and enjoy some FELLOWSHIP with FAMILY! I have even included the words to America the Beautiful so that you can sing along together- O' Beautiful for Spacious Skies- For Amber Waves of Grain- For Purple Mountain Majesties Above the Fruited Plain- AMERICA- AMERICA- God Shed His Grace on Thee and Crown Thy Good with Brotherhood from Sea to Shining Sea.

Parenting 101

This morning as I read Coach Dungy's Chapter on "Fatherhood" it made me realize how fortunate that I am to have great parents. From my short experience so far as a parent, and my 16 years of teaching and coaching high school and middle school students- it is more clear to me each and everyday how important parenting is! I by no means claim to be a perfect parent, but here are some of my parenting thoughts. First of all we must be PRESENT in our kids lives. When I was growing up my dad was very busy with work as an Athletic Director. His job took up a lot of time, and energy. Even though it was hard, he always found a way to include us. It may have meant working the concession stand, keeping the scoreboard, or just simply hanging out at the gym watching a game. Dad also made a point to never miss one of our games or important activities. These are small examples that have a huge impact! Second- HOW YOU RESPOND IS IMPORTANT- this could be through words, actions, or no action at all. Here is a question that Coach Dungy posed- How do you speak to your children? I believe that it is important to remember that your responses mean everything to your kids. Your actions can improve confidence, they can lift a spirit, or they can provide instruction and discipline. One of the things I appreciate about my Dad is his ability to provide comfort and honest advice. I always know that if something is bothering me that I can confide in him! I don't always like his answers, but I have learned that he has the best interests for me in mind. Another thing I have learned in this area with my own kids is that WHEN YOU RESPOND IS IMPORTANT- for example if your son or daughter makes a huge mistake, plays poorly in a game, or scores poorly on a Math test- allow them some time to think about the outcome before you start ranting and raving. Allow them to grow with guided assistance- focus on how they can improve! Next- YOUR KIDS ARE ALWAYS WATCHING YOU- Coach Dungy refers to Country singer Rodney Atkins song "Watching You". I think the words to the song sum it up clearly. He said, "I've been a-watching you, Dad, ain't that cool? I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you... I wanna do everything you do So I've been watching you." Lastly- MAKE MEMORIES with your kids. We only have so many opportunities with our children. Coach Dungy shared his experience of losing his son in 2005. I cannot imagine having to go through that as a parent. Don't have any regrets about the time made available to you! Some of my favorite memories as a kid was going canoeing with friends, family vacations, and playing wiffle ball in the backyard! What will your kids say are their favorite memories?

Five L's of Life

This morning I continued to read Coach Dungy's Book Uncommon. The 5th Chapter is titled "How to Treat a Woman". As I read I began to think about family and relationships. We have opportunities everyday to interact with our spouse, kids, friends, students, parents, co-workers, etc. All of these chances to interact allow us to grow and show our true character. Here are my 5 L's to make the most of your interactions- Learn, Listen, Love, Laugh, and Live. Make it important to LEARN about the people you are around. If you are wanting to help your son/daughter improve their study skills, then LEARN about his/her current study habits. Be involved and introduce new methods to help them improve. I heard a coach say once Learn your Learner. The better you know the people around you, the better connected you can be with them! Next is LISTEN- when we listen we learn. There is a reason that God gave us two ears and one mouth. Make an extra effort to LISTEN to the whole story before you open your mouth or jump to conclusions. Are you a person that is already thinking about what you are going to say before the other person is finished talking? I know this is an area that I can improve. Third is LOVE- learning and listening to others is LOVE. Be involved with your kids and the people around you. I know that it is very difficult to manage time with work, games, meetings, etc. Make an extra effort tell a parent that you LOVE them! Be there when a LOVED one needs you. Next is LAUGH- when you learn, listen, and love it makes your LAUGH more genuine. Former NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano used to say that you should LAUGH at least 7 times a day! This a trait that allowed him to win a National Championship and give a courageous effort battling Cancer before he passed. It is important to have fun with those people that you interact with. This does not mean that everything will be fun, but LAUGHING can be a great release of stress! Last is LIVE- learning, listening, loving, and laughing is LIVING. Include those around you in your dream or goal! Be apart of a loved ones dream or goal! As Coach Dungy would say LIVE uncommonly. It is easy to be self centered and common...LIVE UNCOMMON!

Contact Courage

This morning I am writing about Coach Dungy's final core value- COURAGE. When I think of courage I think back to my high school football playing days. I can remember being a sophomore lineman on a very talented Franklin Central Football team. The season started with 2 a day practices in August. I had this vision in my head that I was going to compete to be the starting Center prior to practice starting. As the hot August practices started, I came to realize that I was a weak sophomore getting banged up, bruised, and knocked down by some stronger and bigger Juniors and Seniors. It took a lot of courage to get back up off the ground and do the next rep or the next drill. It took a lot of courage to get up out of bed during the 2 week long 2 a day practices when every muscle in my body ached. It also took courage to want to run into another player. My high school line coach called this "Contact Courage". My sophomore year of Football taught me a lot about mental and physical courage. It was very rewarding because I got to be a part of a State Championship Team that went 14-0 and played in the Hoosier Dome. It also gave me the confidence and courage to be a starting Center and Defensive Tackle in my Junior and Senior seasons. In coach Dungy's book he talks about- "Having the courage to do what is right, and not what is popular". He tells the story about a Pittsburgh Steeler football player named Lynn Swann. Lynn was a great receiver who won 4 Super Bowl rings, and is in the Hall of Fame. He chose to include Ballet as part of his training regimen. This was not the norm in the 1970's, and many players and media ridiculed him. Lynn did not let this peer pressure discourage him. He did what he thought was right for him! The message this morning is- Have the courage to stand up for what is right! Have the courage to set a goal for yourself and go after it! Have the courage to fight through and not give up when things are tough! Have the courage to surround yourself with good people! Have the courage to accomplish something great on this first day of July, 2013!