Inspiration and Motivation

“Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity.” ~ Bo Bennett
Who would have thought that rock bands and coaches are in the same business?
But they certainly are. Their job involves creating energy and joy. And inspiring — and managing — emotions.
This comes to mind because last night, I was up late at a [...]

10 Things Every Great Coach Knows

Today I’d like to talk about three coaches who have made a difference in my life.
The first is Dave Cross, co-author of the book “Volleyball Cybernetics.” Dave, who work can be found at www.yesicansports.com, first put into words for me the importance of stretching your comfort zone. At his overnight camps in Oberlin, Ohio, [...]

Facts, Not Opinion

“At any given moment, public opinion is a chaos of superstition, misinformation, and prejudice.” ~ Gore Vidal
Wednesday marks the 100th day of the Obama presidency, and a great debate rages over how he is doing.
The trouble with this debate is, however, that no one can even agree on the terms.
Do we measure the economy? And [...]

Right Place, Right Time

“Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.” ~ Orison Sweet Marden

You’ve probably heard the expression, “I was in the right place at the right time.”
People talk about being in the right place at the right time as if it’s a happy accident, but that’s hardly the case. In fact, you can increase [...]

Getting Basic About Basics

“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” — Lyn Yutang
Not far from my home, a bagel store has earned my occasional business and caught my attention.
I’m rooting for it to succeed, but am not sure [...]

A Nation of Wimps

“I don’t believe professional athletes should be role models. I believe parents should be role models.” ~ Charles Barkley
If you love research on sports, the new Journal of Sport Administration and Supervision could be for you.
The first issue, recently released by the sport management program at Middle Tennessee State University, contains several articles, including an [...]

The Professional Approach

“It’s not that I’m so smart , it’s just that I stay with problems longer .” ~ Albert Einstein
Do you remember the first big-league baseball game you ever saw? Or the first concert?
It’s possible that the performers were not nearly as excited about the event as you were.
Pro athletes and musicians are just like anyone else. There are [...]

What Olympic Champions Talk About

“Paint a masterpiece daily.” — Greg Hickman
Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski appeared on The MSNBC program “Morning Joe” on Wednesday. He was plugging his book, “Gold Standard,” the story of last summer’s gold medal in Olympic men’s basketball. You can see the clip here.
Virtually none of what Krzyzewski discussed on the show related to basketball strategy. [...]

How to Have Great Practices

“It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at practice that counts; it’s what you put into the practice.” ~ Hockey player Eric Lindros
”John Wooden warned against mistaking activity for achievement.
Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, was pointing out the difference between just doing something and doing the right thing in the right way.
Some [...]

Motivational Principles

“Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great.” ~ Mark Twain
If  you coach, you’re in the motivation business.
And chances are that you’ve asked yourself, “What do I say?”
Jimmy Valvano, the late, great basketball coach, gave us all the blueprint during his speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards. Battling cancer and facing [...]