As a person who has spent a life-time coaching performers (just short of 60 years), it occurs to me that parents of the highly talented (genius if you will) child have not done a particularly great job. I have no question about their intentions nor their love for their child. Recognizing how unique the child [...]
For well over 50 years, I have been working at educating myself and thousands of others. I am clear I have been able to provide most of those others a way to look at life that gives them choices. Then I meet young people who have been educated to be average and ... the real [...]
28 years ago when I stopped coaching basketball to work with coaches, athletes and organizational leaders, we (my partners and I) had each participant complete a short questionnaire. One of the questions we asked the athletes has been a big factor in our work ever since. The question was “what do you want your team [...]
No, I am not referring to the TV personality although he is someone I always have considered to be amazing. But, that’s another story. I am referring to my great granddaughter who had her first birthday this past Sunday. Any celebration was delayed until her grandmother gets back in town this coming weekend. Their visits [...]
Today is Mother’s Day. The day that honors the people who keep everything together—our Moms. These are the people who always place the needs of their children before their own. Many have a job or profession that takes a big chunk of their time as well. This is also a time when the spring sports [...]
I was born in the middle of the Great Depression. My Dad was driving a tractor for one of the farmers in the Southern San Joaquin Valley of California. His pay was 18 cents per hour for a 10-12 hour day, that’s two bucks a day, or 12 U.S. dollars a week. That’s for six [...]
As I progressed through school “way back in the day,” I remember that my educators and other adults were saying the objective of my education was to be “well-rounded.” I think that I was, and by comparison to my friends, definitely was.My parents provided books at home on different subjects. I played all the sports [...]
The issue I have with specialization, and have had for years is this: 1. The participant (athlete) is told that if he/she doesn’t specialize they might not be able to compete at the next level. No one knows that. 2. The athlete is being are being told they need to specialize by a selfish parent [...]
The May 10th issue of Sports Illustrated features an article titled, “Then There Were Four” by Chris Ballard. The story is about the actions Coach Mike Allen took with the basketball team at Gunderson High School (San Jose, CA). If you have seen the old movie Mr. Carter that starred Samuel L. Jackson you have [...]
Many times the five-, six- or seven-year-old wants to play a particular sport because of an adult's influence (Mom, Dad, Coach, etc.). Since it was really someone else’s choice in the beginning, it is important that they learn something and have fun in the process. Also, there will be varying levels of skill at the [...]