New York Times
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 [...]
Could This Man Be You?
Yesterday’s New York Times ran an extraordinary piece on Seton Hall University Basketball Coach Bobby Gonzalez.
Written by Kevin Armstrong and Pete Thamel, the article makes several points:
– Gonzalez is the only coach in the history of the Big East Conference to be suspended for sideline behavior.
– A longtime acquaintance says of Gonzalez, “He has a [...]
Just Having Fun
A New York Times article just a few days ago offers a glimpse into why kids play sports. The simple answer: to have fun.
This might shock some people, especially considering some of yesterday’s news. New Jersey’s top-ranked boys basketball team is facing expulsion over illegal practices, and a 13-year-old boy has committed to play football [...]
Do Sports Build Character?
Do sports build character or, as sports writer Heywood Broun said, simply reveal it?
Some information suggests that the answer may be neither, and that character may be much more difficult to nail down.
In his New York Times column today, David Brooks cites the book “Experiments in Ethics” by Anthony Appiah, which wonders if people have [...]
Childhood Obesity
In this article from the New York Times, we learn that New York City, in an effort to limit the amount of fat and sugar eaten by students, has clamped down on school bake sales.
This gets your attention on two levels. Not only do we hear another alarm about childhood obesity, but we also see [...]
Teaching Values
Every time you see a sports team with an extraordinary winning streak, you immediately ask, “How do they do it?”
Thanks to the eagle eye of Larry O’Connor, who pointed out a recent story in the New York Times, we get another chance to analyze the question.
This time it’s Smith Center, Kan., home to a high [...]
Roger Federer’s Footwork
Many thanks to Jeff Beer for sending this New York Times item on Roger Federer’s footwork. My favorite part is the very beginning. It concerns Federer’s ability to PERCEIVE quickly. The narrator says Federer’s split step begins the moment he sees the opponent’s racquet come forward to hit the ball. This early recognition is a [...]
Where Success Begins
Three items today.
First is the beautiful simplicity of beating the competition. Sports psychologist Dr. Rob Gilbert came to our gym yesterday and told our team about the crucial moment:
“When you’re tired and frustrated is where it begins. Because that’s when others quit.”
Right there Dr. Gilbert has explained the difference between winners and others. For most [...]
Three Powerful Words
“If you want a quality, act as if you already had it.” — William James
A childhood game can instantly improve your chances of reaching your goals.
Melissa Johnson writes about it in Saturday’s New York Times, recalling Harvard’s epic upset of Stanford in the 1998 NCAA women’s basketball tournament. Johnson profiles Kathy Delaney-Smith, who coached Harvard [...]
Deliberate Practice
“You always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.” — Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf
Speed skaters go faster. Pole vaulters jump higher. Athletes over a wide range of sports improve their performance.
But not free throw shooters in basketball. According to a story on the front page of yesterday’s New York Times, the [...]
