Saturday, June 23, 2012
Dream Hoops Academy Training
Halfway through the summer Club season and I'm pleased see the Dream Hoops Academy Club Teams getting better each day.
As Co founder of Dream Hoops Academy, I'm a believer in luck. We're lucky to have the type of kids we have in our Academy in our inaugural season. That being said, on the court, luck is earned. The harder you work the more luck you seem to have. Luck is quite simply what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Coach Jason Noel and the Young Man Rumble Cross-fit/Strength and Conditioning program has done wonders for our player development. Can't say enough about the professionalism and expertise of Coach Jason Noel. Coach Jason pushes our players and doesn't accept anything less than maximum effort.
If you truly want to excel on the court, getting stronger off the court is paramount to that goal.
The Harder you Train The Harder you are to Beat.
There's no substitute for Hard Work.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Hold On, Be Strong, Move On
With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season sometimes we can find ourselves a little overwhelmed.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, beat down, or you just plain have the holiday blues, here’s a little exercise in positive thinking that might help. Hold on, be Strong and Move on. And move forward.
If you find yourself down and out, sometimes it helps to just take a moment, pause and reflect on your situation. It could be bad, but is it the worst thing ever? Can you get through this? Have you gotten through worse?
They say people don’t stumble over trees and mountains, they trip on weeds and rocks.
That's what "they" say, but to some of us, there's a huge mountain in our face, blocking our path. There’s only one thing to do, only one option. Too high to get over, too low to get under...Better get your hiking boots!
Maybe you have heard the phrase that “God never gives you anything you can’t handle.”
Well, I’ve read the bible multiple times, never once have I seen that written anywhere. So scrap that.
What I did find was a powerful verse in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
All things, not some, all. You have to like that, THAT you can work with.
When things don’t go as planned and you’re hanging on by a thread, take a page from Franklin D. Roosevelt, who said,
“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”
There’s always hurdles, there’s always setbacks, perseverance is always the key.
It was Albert Einstein who said “It’s not that I am so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
I don’t know about that Albert... E=MC2, theory of relativity...He was pretty damn smart. But the point remains the same genius or not, persevere.
You can’t persevere without hope. And you can’t have hope if you don’t believe. Believe things will improve, hope they will, and persevere until they do.
Look at the NFL right now, particularly at what Tim Tebow, aka God’s QB aka the “Mile High Messiah,” is doing in Denver. By now you should have heard his story...To summarize, He wins, period. Six straight to be exact.
Recently Team President John Elway said in the Denver Post about Tebow and the Broncos, "Everyone believes that something good's going to happen...And, obviously, Tim's been the guy that's led that thinking. He's just such a strong believer. He's really got everyone else believing if you stay strong, stay positive, something good's going to happen...When guys are thinking that way — and it's been led by Timmy with that positive attitude — all boats have been rising with that."
So if you’re feeling down today, overwhelmed, or just flat out defeated, take a moment, cry, shout, punch a bag, go for a jog, do whatever you need to do to clear your head. Then get back on the saddle of life, strap in, stay positive and keep on riding until you get to that sunset. It’s just a little further.
Hold On, Be Strong, Move On. And move forward.
Happy Holidays!
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, beat down, or you just plain have the holiday blues, here’s a little exercise in positive thinking that might help. Hold on, be Strong and Move on. And move forward.
If you find yourself down and out, sometimes it helps to just take a moment, pause and reflect on your situation. It could be bad, but is it the worst thing ever? Can you get through this? Have you gotten through worse?
They say people don’t stumble over trees and mountains, they trip on weeds and rocks.
That's what "they" say, but to some of us, there's a huge mountain in our face, blocking our path. There’s only one thing to do, only one option. Too high to get over, too low to get under...Better get your hiking boots!
Maybe you have heard the phrase that “God never gives you anything you can’t handle.”
Well, I’ve read the bible multiple times, never once have I seen that written anywhere. So scrap that.
What I did find was a powerful verse in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
All things, not some, all. You have to like that, THAT you can work with.
When things don’t go as planned and you’re hanging on by a thread, take a page from Franklin D. Roosevelt, who said,
“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”
There’s always hurdles, there’s always setbacks, perseverance is always the key.
It was Albert Einstein who said “It’s not that I am so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
I don’t know about that Albert... E=MC2, theory of relativity...He was pretty damn smart. But the point remains the same genius or not, persevere.
You can’t persevere without hope. And you can’t have hope if you don’t believe. Believe things will improve, hope they will, and persevere until they do.
Look at the NFL right now, particularly at what Tim Tebow, aka God’s QB aka the “Mile High Messiah,” is doing in Denver. By now you should have heard his story...To summarize, He wins, period. Six straight to be exact.
Recently Team President John Elway said in the Denver Post about Tebow and the Broncos, "Everyone believes that something good's going to happen...And, obviously, Tim's been the guy that's led that thinking. He's just such a strong believer. He's really got everyone else believing if you stay strong, stay positive, something good's going to happen...When guys are thinking that way — and it's been led by Timmy with that positive attitude — all boats have been rising with that."
So if you’re feeling down today, overwhelmed, or just flat out defeated, take a moment, cry, shout, punch a bag, go for a jog, do whatever you need to do to clear your head. Then get back on the saddle of life, strap in, stay positive and keep on riding until you get to that sunset. It’s just a little further.
Hold On, Be Strong, Move On. And move forward.
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Coaching Youth Basketball: Great Coaches are Mentors
“No written word, no spoken plea can teach our youth what they should be, nor all the books on all the shelves...It’s what the teachers are themselves.”
John Wooden cited this powerful verse as part of what he re-defined as success. This small verse speaks volumes to the obligations that Coaches have to their young players.
As Coaches we have the opportunity and the privilege to mentor the youth and provide them with lessons and principles that will not only make them better basketball players, but better people. We have an opportunity to provide young boys and girls with a tool box for life.
Some of my favourite quotes from the legendary Coach John Wooden include:
“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
“Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.”
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”
“If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.”
This isn’t X’s and O’s....As I have eluded to in the past, winning is a philosophy that extends far beyond the painted lines of the basket-ball court. At UCLA, John Wooden won more than any coach, though he never talked about winning, his philosophy was that of a winner in life.
In the video below, Wooden quotes from a very inspiring poem by George Joseph Moriarty, entitled “From the Road Ahead and the Road Behind.”
“Sometimes I think the Fates must
Grin as we denounce and insist
The only reason we can’t win
Is the Fates themselves that miss
Yet there lives on an ancient claim
We win or lose within ourselves
The shining trophies on our shelves
Can never win tomorrow’s game
You and I know deeper down
There’s always a chance to win the crown
But when we fail to give our best
We simply haven’t met the test
Of giving all, and saving none
Until the game is really won
Of showing what is meant by grit
Of fighting on when others quit
Of playing through, not letting up
It’s bearing down that wins the cup
Of taking it and taking more
Until we gain the winning score
Of dreaming there’s a goal ahead
Of hoping when our dreams are dead
Of praying when our hopes have fled
Yet losing, not afraid to fall
If bravely, we have given all
For who can ask more of a man
Than giving all within his span
Giving all, it seems to me
Is not so far from victory
And so the Fates are seldom wrong
No matter how they twist and wind
It is you and I who make our fates
We open up or close the gates
On the road ahead or the road behind."
It's all about helping the youth reach their full potential. That's a victory on the scoreboard of life.
Here’s John Wooden on success.
John Wooden cited this powerful verse as part of what he re-defined as success. This small verse speaks volumes to the obligations that Coaches have to their young players.
As Coaches we have the opportunity and the privilege to mentor the youth and provide them with lessons and principles that will not only make them better basketball players, but better people. We have an opportunity to provide young boys and girls with a tool box for life.
Some of my favourite quotes from the legendary Coach John Wooden include:
“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
“Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.”
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”
“If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.”
This isn’t X’s and O’s....As I have eluded to in the past, winning is a philosophy that extends far beyond the painted lines of the basket-ball court. At UCLA, John Wooden won more than any coach, though he never talked about winning, his philosophy was that of a winner in life.
In the video below, Wooden quotes from a very inspiring poem by George Joseph Moriarty, entitled “From the Road Ahead and the Road Behind.”
“Sometimes I think the Fates must
Grin as we denounce and insist
The only reason we can’t win
Is the Fates themselves that miss
Yet there lives on an ancient claim
We win or lose within ourselves
The shining trophies on our shelves
Can never win tomorrow’s game
You and I know deeper down
There’s always a chance to win the crown
But when we fail to give our best
We simply haven’t met the test
Of giving all, and saving none
Until the game is really won
Of showing what is meant by grit
Of fighting on when others quit
Of playing through, not letting up
It’s bearing down that wins the cup
Of taking it and taking more
Until we gain the winning score
Of dreaming there’s a goal ahead
Of hoping when our dreams are dead
Of praying when our hopes have fled
Yet losing, not afraid to fall
If bravely, we have given all
For who can ask more of a man
Than giving all within his span
Giving all, it seems to me
Is not so far from victory
And so the Fates are seldom wrong
No matter how they twist and wind
It is you and I who make our fates
We open up or close the gates
On the road ahead or the road behind."
It's all about helping the youth reach their full potential. That's a victory on the scoreboard of life.
Here’s John Wooden on success.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Coaching Youth Basketball: Can't Never Could Win
"Can't" never could win. "Can't" never could do anything.
Just how powerful is will power? "The phrase "where there's a will there's a way" has become cliche, but it's more than a phrase and when Coaching Youth Basket-ball, will power is a concept that should be taught, as it should be taught in all sports.
Legendary Coach Vincent T Lombardi once said, "The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."
You may have also heard it said somewhere that the winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I WILL, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can't do.
Can't never could.
What it amounts to is a state of mind and ultimately a state of being. I call it a champion state of being. Players who fail to take hold of this concept are ultimately afraid or perhaps, unwilling, to try, for fear of failure. The fear in many cases comes from some perceived ineptitude that the player may or may not possess. One can never know what one can do or cannot do unless one simply tries.
But that's just the beginning. In order to truly try, to truly give yourself a chance at success, you really have to believe you can do something, otherwise you're just hoping.
Once again, we are at that point where sport meets real life, where a lesson of will power mastered on the athletic field can carry over into the office, a marriage, a PHd, a daily cross fit workout, a mid-term, or even baking a freaking cake, dunking for your students...actually scratch the last one, but the point is always the same... (INSERT OWN Challenge Here).
All things being equal, the player/team with the stronger will, wins. People will say "they wanted it more," and talk about "how they out-hustled" or "did the dirty things"...but it all boils down to will power.
So it follows the principle that teaching the youngsters the power of will and the power of exerting their will on the game in which they are trying to learn is paramount for their future individual success and the success of their team.
It's not a stretch to realize that the player who is able to successfully exert his will on the game when he chooses, not only grows in confidence, but is more likely to be clutch when the game is on the line.
Any coach who has watched his team finally "get it" and finally reach their true potential knows it's a special thing to watch the whole team do this. Coaches you know the times, it's beautiful isn't it when it seems like even the last person on the bench that you put on the floor is going out there and making big plays. It can happen in the blink of any eye, where all of sudden every player wants it so badly, all the practice, all the teaching and all the hard work gels and each player seemingly turns legend...Even if it's just for a half, it's a beautiful thing.
If only you can get them to play like that all the time. Hey, Coaches need to exert their will too!
Just how powerful is will power? "The phrase "where there's a will there's a way" has become cliche, but it's more than a phrase and when Coaching Youth Basket-ball, will power is a concept that should be taught, as it should be taught in all sports.
Legendary Coach Vincent T Lombardi once said, "The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."
You may have also heard it said somewhere that the winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I WILL, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can't do.
Can't never could.
What it amounts to is a state of mind and ultimately a state of being. I call it a champion state of being. Players who fail to take hold of this concept are ultimately afraid or perhaps, unwilling, to try, for fear of failure. The fear in many cases comes from some perceived ineptitude that the player may or may not possess. One can never know what one can do or cannot do unless one simply tries.
But that's just the beginning. In order to truly try, to truly give yourself a chance at success, you really have to believe you can do something, otherwise you're just hoping.
Once again, we are at that point where sport meets real life, where a lesson of will power mastered on the athletic field can carry over into the office, a marriage, a PHd, a daily cross fit workout, a mid-term, or even baking a freaking cake, dunking for your students...actually scratch the last one, but the point is always the same... (INSERT OWN Challenge Here).
All things being equal, the player/team with the stronger will, wins. People will say "they wanted it more," and talk about "how they out-hustled" or "did the dirty things"...but it all boils down to will power.
So it follows the principle that teaching the youngsters the power of will and the power of exerting their will on the game in which they are trying to learn is paramount for their future individual success and the success of their team.
It's not a stretch to realize that the player who is able to successfully exert his will on the game when he chooses, not only grows in confidence, but is more likely to be clutch when the game is on the line.
Any coach who has watched his team finally "get it" and finally reach their true potential knows it's a special thing to watch the whole team do this. Coaches you know the times, it's beautiful isn't it when it seems like even the last person on the bench that you put on the floor is going out there and making big plays. It can happen in the blink of any eye, where all of sudden every player wants it so badly, all the practice, all the teaching and all the hard work gels and each player seemingly turns legend...Even if it's just for a half, it's a beautiful thing.
If only you can get them to play like that all the time. Hey, Coaches need to exert their will too!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Coaching Youth Basketball
There's a different breed of basketball player out there these days. Too often I see talented players who care more about how their crossover buckled the knees of their defender than using it to change direction and get to the cup.
The point is simple, it's winning. That's all anything is about, and if you're teaching something else you're doing yourself and your players a disservice. It's not to say that fair play and fun aren't important, but they are but secondary to the purpose of the game of basketball. Teach the game, keep it pure.
You play to win the game, anything else is unacceptable.
Therefore, when dealing with younger basketball players who are just learning the game, teaching them how to win first precedes fundamentals in my opinion.
Let me explain...
Winning is habitual and a state of mind
Before you teach fundamentals, you must first teach the player how to incorporate the fundamentals into his game. In order to do that, players these days must be taught what goes into being a winner, a winner's disposition.
What are winners? Winners are consistent, they are creatures of good habit, they opportunistic, they are resourceful, they are timely, reliable and cooperative. And it is only through their mastery of the fundamentals of first the art of winning and then the game of basketball (or whatever their craft is) that they can attain these attributes. It should be evident that this concept extends far past the painted lines of a basketball court. These are life skills for success.
In the art of winning, everything is a competition
A good coach makes his players understand that before they pick up the basketball they must be prepared to not only work hard, but to challenge themselves and their teammates to the point where it's a competition as to who can work the hardest. It is then important for players to understand that through teamwork and pushing one another, the individual can elevate the play of the team and a team working together can elevate the play of the individual so that both succeed in the common goal of winning.
Anyone not up to the level of competition must fall in the pecking order and be held accountable by first himself, then his teammates and then the coach. Each player must understand that the second he steps on the court they are competing for everything and in everything. That means you don't run, you sprint, you don't get down on the floor for a loose ball, you dive, it's maximum effort, 100 percent of the time if you want to be a winner.
Because the game requires constant competition, the stronger athlete always has an advantage. As such, players must be taught the value of continually strengthening and improving their bodies on a daily basis. As such, a basketball player must continuously train his body and know his body's capabilities completely. This philosophy must also be applied to individual basketball skills, practice, practice, practice! Then practice some more.
Again the concept of daily improvement extends past the realm of sports.
Each day is an opportunity to be physically stronger, mentally sharper and just flat out better than you were the day before. Players must understand that this is the only way to ensure that winning can become habitual.
And as you become stronger and better it means you must only work harder, for not only are you strengthening yourself so that you CAN work harder, but you must assume that others are doing the same, and as such you must out-work them, again, everything is a competition, nothing can be taken for granted or left to chance if winning is to be habitual.
Additionally, as a side note, I have seen it useful in many instances when players are encouraged to play other sports to understand the concept of winning in various games. Too many times I've seen a play that could have been made if the player had played baseball, soccer or another sport that would have given him the required skill/mind set to have made the play. While a failure to make a play that required a different skill/mind set may not be worthy of blame, the failure nonetheless could cost you the game, and quite simply, losing isn't winning.
Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals.
With that in mind, the next step is to outline the fundamentals of good basketball, beginning with footwork, athletic posture, balance and other fundamentals of body positioning.
Next the actual basket-ball skills come into play. First shooting, then ball handling, passing, screening, rebounding, boxing out etc.
Too often coaches fast forward and miss the basic principles of sport and competition. Youth are supposed to learn more than X's and O's from playing sports, that's what is so great about team sports. It is more important for young players to master these concepts than it is for them to be able to run flex to perfection.
As a Coach, you have built a solid foundation if you are able to instill these values into your players as a common way of doing things with anything less being completely unacceptable. If you waiver, so will your players, and ultimately, it may not be the case that you don't win, but it will be the case that you will lose to a team that has hung their hats on a winning philosophy.
The point is simple, it's winning. That's all anything is about, and if you're teaching something else you're doing yourself and your players a disservice. It's not to say that fair play and fun aren't important, but they are but secondary to the purpose of the game of basketball. Teach the game, keep it pure.
You play to win the game, anything else is unacceptable.
Therefore, when dealing with younger basketball players who are just learning the game, teaching them how to win first precedes fundamentals in my opinion.
Let me explain...
Winning is habitual and a state of mind
Before you teach fundamentals, you must first teach the player how to incorporate the fundamentals into his game. In order to do that, players these days must be taught what goes into being a winner, a winner's disposition.
What are winners? Winners are consistent, they are creatures of good habit, they opportunistic, they are resourceful, they are timely, reliable and cooperative. And it is only through their mastery of the fundamentals of first the art of winning and then the game of basketball (or whatever their craft is) that they can attain these attributes. It should be evident that this concept extends far past the painted lines of a basketball court. These are life skills for success.
In the art of winning, everything is a competition
A good coach makes his players understand that before they pick up the basketball they must be prepared to not only work hard, but to challenge themselves and their teammates to the point where it's a competition as to who can work the hardest. It is then important for players to understand that through teamwork and pushing one another, the individual can elevate the play of the team and a team working together can elevate the play of the individual so that both succeed in the common goal of winning.
Anyone not up to the level of competition must fall in the pecking order and be held accountable by first himself, then his teammates and then the coach. Each player must understand that the second he steps on the court they are competing for everything and in everything. That means you don't run, you sprint, you don't get down on the floor for a loose ball, you dive, it's maximum effort, 100 percent of the time if you want to be a winner.
Because the game requires constant competition, the stronger athlete always has an advantage. As such, players must be taught the value of continually strengthening and improving their bodies on a daily basis. As such, a basketball player must continuously train his body and know his body's capabilities completely. This philosophy must also be applied to individual basketball skills, practice, practice, practice! Then practice some more.
Again the concept of daily improvement extends past the realm of sports.
Each day is an opportunity to be physically stronger, mentally sharper and just flat out better than you were the day before. Players must understand that this is the only way to ensure that winning can become habitual.
And as you become stronger and better it means you must only work harder, for not only are you strengthening yourself so that you CAN work harder, but you must assume that others are doing the same, and as such you must out-work them, again, everything is a competition, nothing can be taken for granted or left to chance if winning is to be habitual.
Additionally, as a side note, I have seen it useful in many instances when players are encouraged to play other sports to understand the concept of winning in various games. Too many times I've seen a play that could have been made if the player had played baseball, soccer or another sport that would have given him the required skill/mind set to have made the play. While a failure to make a play that required a different skill/mind set may not be worthy of blame, the failure nonetheless could cost you the game, and quite simply, losing isn't winning.
Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals.
With that in mind, the next step is to outline the fundamentals of good basketball, beginning with footwork, athletic posture, balance and other fundamentals of body positioning.
Next the actual basket-ball skills come into play. First shooting, then ball handling, passing, screening, rebounding, boxing out etc.
Too often coaches fast forward and miss the basic principles of sport and competition. Youth are supposed to learn more than X's and O's from playing sports, that's what is so great about team sports. It is more important for young players to master these concepts than it is for them to be able to run flex to perfection.
As a Coach, you have built a solid foundation if you are able to instill these values into your players as a common way of doing things with anything less being completely unacceptable. If you waiver, so will your players, and ultimately, it may not be the case that you don't win, but it will be the case that you will lose to a team that has hung their hats on a winning philosophy.
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