Working Smart
Test of Wills
This year’s Washington Redskins camp offers a textbook study of a coach’s attempt to motivate and shape a player.
As detailed in this Sports Illustrated article, defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth has drawn the attention of his coach and teammates for his attitude, particularly by boycotting the team’s off-season workouts.
Haynesworth failed a conditioning test yesterday, and coach [...]
Results or Reasons?
We just finished a TotalGamePlan volleyball camp with 16 young women at the Verona Community Center in Verona, N.J.
The week went well, except for one drill. No one had any energy. No one seemed to want to improve. So not wanting to have a losing drill, the coaches made it a learning drill.
Calling the girls [...]
In it or into it?
Do you know someone who is totally into what they’re doing? Tell us about it!
Here’s why we want to know. The difference between in and into is the difference between greatness and mediocrity.
You can be in school or into school. You can be in a sport or into a sport. You can be in a [...]
A Strong Warmup
The other day, with practice only about 10 minutes old, I spoke to some players about their work habits. One of the players protested.
“But that was only warmup,” she said.
Only warmup?
What could be more important than a strong warmup?
Warmup sets the tone — physically, mentally and emotionally — for what will come in the rest [...]
Dancing With the Stars
In watching “Dancing With the Stars,” did you ever wonder what it would be like to be on the show?
You’re closer than you think.
In a very real sense, everyone is living a version of “Dancing With the Stars.”
Just consider the format. The dancers get a certain period of time — one week — to prepare. [...]
Encouragement
Today’s post will be brief and come in the form of quote sent by my friend and co-author, Gary Pritchard.
It says, “A word of encouragement during failure … is worth more than a dictionary of praise after success.”
Sometimes people quit when they are so close to success. As a coach, you never know when just the [...]
Ron Lundy’s Lesson
I haven’t been able to blog every day because of a book deadline. But there was an item in the news that deserves mention.
Ron Lundy, a legendary New york disc jockey for decades, died earlier this month at the age of 75. Lundy was renowned for a sparkling, cheerful drawl that warmed all his listeners.
One [...]
Positive Data
Last weekend’s nor’easter did more than disrupt life on the ground. It did its best to foul up air travel, destroying equipment that measures wind speed and direction at New York’s Kennedy Airport.
“”Wind-measuring equipment just shattered on the field,” a controller advised a pilot as the storm raged. Controllers wound up getting phone updates from [...]
Measure and Post
Expect the restaurant kitchens in New York City to get cleaner.
That’s because the city’s Board of Health has voted to publicly post the cleanliness grades where customers can see them.
These grades have previously been available online or at the Department of Health and Mental Hygeine. But now they must be posted in the window or [...]
Structured Play
Now there is a coach for recess.
There’s no more spontaneous running around, or skipping, or games of tag, or just looking at the sky.
According to the New York Times, a growing number of schools are putting more structure into recess to “curb bullying and behavior problems, foster social skills and address concerns over obesity.”
Though [...]
