Training Confident Kids (part 1)

I had some people ask me questions regarding a past post discussing motivation and it’s relation to confidence.  Here is the first of a 2 part post on Confidence and how we get kids to be more confident. As coaches, we always want the best for our athletes. We train them physically to be strong,…

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Motor Boats and Trains

I have, for a long time, used the analogy of motorboats and trains when I speak to my team kids about motivation. As I raise my own children I realized how this also applies to anyone who may need a little flame placed under the backside. I ask my team kids if they are a…

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The only Doctor I’ve ever trusted

One of my favorite shows during the holidays is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Way back in 1957 Dr. Suess warned us all about the commercialization of Christmas, though we didn’t heed the warning he was prophetic. I was talking to my children the other day, they’re 12 and 8 and now old enough to…

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Gratitude is in the Attitude

Recently, my wife and I had this discussion: Why does our son seem so ungrateful, he thinks he is so much more important than anyone around him? Other people tell, us how wonderful he is but we don’t have the privilege of seeing that behavior at home Where did we go wrong, I feel like…

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Tid-Bits to make you feel better

“Fast food or something out of the vending machine.” That was my reply when a friend asked me. A while ago, what I usually had for lunch. Later he came back and brought me an apple. Subtle, but effective. He called my attention to why I felt so awful all the time. During our conversations…

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Congratulations Graduates says I

Every year I have written a graduation commencement speech. Someday some University somewhere will grant me an honorary doctorate and I will speak before 100’s of graduates. Until then… “Congratulations, you made it past the hard part. I stand before you having arrived here by years of education, years of laboriously attending to every day’s…

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I think you can take one more turn.

On average you have about 79 years to live. You will literally sleep through about 26 of those years that leaves you about 53 years of being awake. You’re going to spend about 6 solid years in classes and getting your education. That leaves you 47. You’re going to graduate and get a job. You…

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My advice to me growing up

 Oh, if only it were possible to talk to me when I was younger and thinking I knew it all already. I have been coaching for over 35 years (yeah I can’t believe it either), and there are things that I know now that I never could have known then. I had a few coaches…

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Failing to succeed or succeeding by failure: your call

A while ago I had a coach rebuke me for telling a gymnast that “they were practicing how to fail” as opposed to, by inference, practicing for success. I agreed that out of context the statement was very negative and could be seen as discouraging. The full story, however, involved a prior discussion with the…

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