The Perfect Christmas Gift

Before entering the hospital for open-heart surgery, my mother-in-law spoke lovingly to her daughters.
“I’ve had a long, wonderful life,” she said. “I have wonderful children. I saw my grandchildren, and even my great-grandchildren. I’m ready for whatever happens.”
My mother-in-law, whose name was Fran, never left the hospital, and died Thursday. With her words, however, she [...]

Why Some People Don’t Learn from Their Mistakes

Think of the last time something went wrong in your life. Perhaps it was a project that came up short, an accident on the road, or even an illness. How much of it was unavoidable, and how much of it was due to mistakes you made?
If you tend to blame outside factors instead of looking [...]

Herb Brooks’ Gold Medal Secret

Feb. 22 marks 31 years since the U.S. Olympic hockey team upset the Soviet Union en route to the gold medal.
Those of us old enough to remember saw the jubilation and the celebration on the ice. But no one saw the hard work behind the feat. Except the players. They will never forget. After [...]

Miracle Anniversary

Last night’s U.S. men’s Olympic hockey victory over Team Canada came nearly 30 years to the day after the “Miracle on Ice,” in which the Americans stunned the Soviet Union.
If anything, the victory over Canada underlines exactly how unbelievable the “Miracle on Ice” was. At least this year’s American team is made up of National [...]

Pre-Game Speeches

Our team got a kick out of this post of a little boy reciting Herb Brooks’ speech to the U.S. Olympic hockey team before its game against the Soviet Union. Maybe you can use it, too.
Some rhetorical points worth noting:
Brooks created sense of history by using the phrase “great moments.” He then mentioned “great opportunities.” [...]

What Great Coaches Do

Richard Quick, legendary collegiate and Olympic swim coach, died earlier this month of cancer.

I had never heard of Quick, but anytime a coach is accomplished enough to have his obituary appear on the national wires, I want to know more . And everything you need to know about Quick comes from the way his former athletes describe him.

Creating a Team Culture

“A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to praise the skill of the others.”  - Norman S. Hidle
What  makes the difference between one successful season …and a successful program?
The answer is culture. What are the shared values in your locker room? The standards? Is the team unified [...]

Planning for Miracles

Sherlock Holmes: “You think, sir, that unless this document is recovered there will be war?”
Client: “I think it is very probable.”
Sherlock Holmes: “Then, sir, prepare for war.”
On this date in 1980, the U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviet Union 4-3 at Lake Placid, N.Y. Two days later, the Americans beat Finland to cap what [...]

Power to Inspire

“Risk more than others think is safe.
Care more than others think is wise.
Dream more than others think is practical.
Expect more than others think is possible.”  
What are the words that inspire you? The subject of motivation becomes an important one for the Super Bowl coaches before Sunday’s game.
In fact, yesterday the Associated press ran [...]