Basketball and Life

No vision and you perish

2012-11-26T10:17:00.003-08:00

"No vision and you perish; No Ideal, and you're lost; Your heart must ever cherish Some faith at any cost. Some hope, some dream to cling to, Some rainbow in the sky, Some melody to sing to, Some service that is high." ~ Harriet Du Autermont

Quote by Chris Speilman on Coach Urban Meyer

2012-11-22T15:46:00.001-08:00

"With all passionate people who love what they do, it can consume you," Spielman said. "One thing I've learned is that whatever it is, either you control it or it controls you. One of two things are going to happen. It will never stop trying to control you. It will always try.

Our egos sometimes don't let us put things in their proper place. I learned a very valuable lesson from my late wife after an NFL game. She told me, 'I've never seen somebody who is living their dream, so miserable.' It humbled me."

Secrets to becoming a powerful communicator

2012-11-21T08:05:00.000-08:00

by Brian Tracy

Did you know that your ability to communicate effectively with others will do more to make you successful than any other skill that you can develop?

Nearly 85% of what you accomplish in your career and in your personal life will be determined by how well you can get your message across, how capable you are of inspiring other people to take action on your ideas and recommendations.

Once you’re able to master the skill of powerful communication, you’ll be living a life full of unlimited happiness. Imagine being able to express yourself openly and honestly to the degree in which others are influenced to do something because of what you have to say and HOW you say it.

Even if you are limited in education, experience or intelligence, being able to communicate effectively with others is the most powerful, un-limiting success tool you could ever have.

Nearly 99% of all of the difficulties between human beings, and within organizations are caused by breakdowns in the communication process. Either people do not say what they mean clearly enough, or other people do not receive the message that was sent in the form in which it was intended.

The good news is that effective communication is a learned skill.

THE 3 ELEMENTS OF DIRECT COMMUNICATION

According to Albert Mehrabian of UCLA, there are 3 elements in any direct, face-to-face communication. They are the elements of words, tone of voice, and body language.

1. The Elements of Words

Words only account for 7 % of any message. For an effective communication to take place, of course, all three parts of the message must be congruent and consistent with each other. If there isn’t any congruency, the receiver will be confused and will have a tendency to accept the predominant form of communication rather than the literal meaning or words.

2. Emphasis and Tone

The emphasis and tone have the power to completely change the message that is being communicated. Often, you will say something to a person and they may become offended. When you express that the words you used were intended to be inoffensive, the other person will tell you that it was your tone of voice that was the issue.

3. Body Language

You can dramatically increase the effect of your communication by leaning toward the speaker or shifting your weight forward onto the balls of your feet. If you can face the person directly and give them direct eye contact, combined with fully-focused attention, you double the impact of what you’re saying.

The more you can coordinate all 3 of these ingredients, the more impactful your message will be and the greater likelihood that the other person both understands and reacts the way you want them to.

The most important part of good communication is clarity. When you ask or say something clearly and then wait calmly and patiently for a complete answer, you will be amazed at how much more quickly the process of sending and receiving takes place.

The very best communicators are those who are the very best at asking for the things they want.

They ask questions to uncover the real needs and concerns of the other person. They ask questions to illuminate objections and problems that the other person might have with what they’re suggesting.

When you seek first to understand, by asking questions and listening carefully to the answers, and by presenting your viewpoint and your requests in such a way that they are consistent with the interests of the other person, you’ll become much more effective in getting the other person to act in a way that will be beneficial to both of you.

Once you can master the skill of effective communication, not only do you achieve incredible clarity in what you think, say and do, but you’ll also become known as a respected communicator everywhere you go.

Alan Stein on improving your game

2012-11-19T12:49:00.000-08:00

Alan Stein on improving your game

by Brian Tracy

2012-11-19T11:17:00.001-08:00

by Brian Tracy

There are three basic differences in the reactions of optimists and
pessimists.
• The first difference is that the optimist sees a setback as temporary,
while the pessimist sees it as permanent. The optimist sees an unfortunate event, such as an order that falls through or a sales call
that fails, as a temporary event, something that is limited in time
and that has no real impact on the future. The pessimist, on the
other hand, sees negative events as permanent, as part of life and
destiny.
• The second difference between the optimist and the pessimist is
that the optimist sees difficulties as specific, while the pessimist
sees them as pervasive. This means that when things go wrong for
the optimist, he looks at the event as an isolated incident largely
disconnected from other things that are going on in his life.
• The third difference between optimists and pessimists is that optimists see events as external, while pessimists interpret events as
personal. When things go wrong, the optimist will tend to see the
setback as resulting from external factors over which one has little
control.
We are a program of optimists.
We see setbacks as temporary.
We see difficulties as isolated incidents and are disconnected
from the rest of our life.
When things go wrong we see events as external over which we
have little control.

May there be peace within

2012-10-08T06:50:00.002-07:00

May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

Things to work on during practice

2012-10-05T13:46:00.000-07:00

• Practice your warm up routine.

Know exactly what you want to happen during your team's warm-ups. What drills prepare the team to be ready for the game?
Game shots, ball handling, defensive drills and passing.
I like to watch teams warm-up to pick up new ideas.
Depending on the level the warm-up time will vary. You may get 20 minutes or you may get 10 minutes.
Know how long each part of your routine will take (i.e.): Defensive Slides 2 minutes Ball handling- 2 minutes.

• Practice time-outs

Where do you want your players to sit once they come over? Do you want your point guard in the middle?
Make sure all coaches and players know their role during a timeout.
Assistant Coach needs to watch for substitution from the other team. Also, it is a good time for an assistant to double check fouls for both teams and timeouts remaining.
Always be ready to come out after the first whistle. You get burned once having your team come out too late or see an opponent get burned and you will keep it in the back of your mind.
Teach team to hustle over once timeout called. Also, once timeout is over, reinforce with players to know their matchups. Reinforce what is coming up in the next possession (whether defense or offense). The more you practice your communication it will help in late game situations.

• Practice subbing in and out the game.

Have a set routine once a player checks into the game.
Communicate with player being subbed out and know matchup. Also, get across how a player is to leave the floor.
Not pouting and worried about minutes. Come out, get water and ready to receive instruction. Going to the end of the bench is not the best option once coming out of the game.

Four things a man must learn to do

2012-10-02T15:21:00.001-07:00

Thought for the day

2012-10-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

Seven Things To Do

2012-10-02T15:18:00.002-07:00

Ideas for better practices (updated)

2012-10-02T06:24:00.001-07:00

· Communicate with each player before practice starts. Depending on your school and how the campus is designed it may not be easy to see your players before practice. I began to notice that often my first interaction with a player might be 15-30 minutes into practice. Shouting instruction or making them move quicker in a drill may have been the first time I spoke to the player on the particular day. So, I made a conscious effort to go by each guy before practice. It may have been something quick. I might ask how they were doing, a fist pump or just pat on the back. Daily I made sure to make eye contact or have an interaction before practice started.

· Have shooting drills going game speed and in game like situations daily. Where will they get shots in the offense? What cut do they need to make before getting open? Spend time on improving footwork going game speed.

· Every pass is an important pass. Whether it is in warmups, practice or a game every pass is important. The lazy pass made in practice will hurt in a game.

Thought for the Day

2012-10-01T10:52:00.001-07:00

Richard Branson on networking and thinking big

2012-09-30T07:07:00.001-07:00

Good advice for teachers and coaches on helping others.
Richard Branson on Thinking Big

Once you’re a successful business leader, it’s time to start championing undiscovered talent yourself. I get a real sense of pleasure from seeing talented people realize their ambitions and grow professionally and personally. As I’ve learned, in the process you can gain new insights and discover fresh approaches to doing business by simply discussing how things work. After all, continuing to network means continuing to grow

Thought for the Day

2012-09-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

Play of the Day

2012-09-28T12:23:00.001-07:00

http://www.fastmodelsports.com/library/basketball/fastdraw/1054/play-3-line-layups

3 ways to have better practices

2012-09-27T21:10:00.001-07:00

1. Make it a priority. Grading papers, scouting reports, recruiting-whatever. Your practice
has to be a priority. Plan well and have energy. You get your kids for a short amount of time-make the most of it for the sake of your team. Coaches must provide energy and show players the meaning of practicing with an all out effort.

2. Individual attention/Individual skill work as well as defensive breakdown drills have to be the best part of your practice. Meaning your players must give their best effort in this part of practice. If they go hard in those drills they will go hard in the other drills and scrimmage. If they don't go hard in skill drills and defensive breakdown drills they won't go hard in other drills.

3. Make the most of every minute. Err on the side of having your practice shorter rather than keep the team longer than necessary. You have a long season. Teach what you know.

Hubie Brown believed in going no longer than an hour and half for practice.

Try these ideas this year.

Thought for the Day

2012-09-27T16:29:00.002-07:00

Goal Setting by Brian Tracy

Thought for the Day

2012-09-26T12:44:00.000-07:00

Thought for the Day!Thought for the Day

LSU Basketball coming attractions

2012-09-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

LSU Basketball-Feel the excitement

Thought for the Day

2012-09-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

Thought for the day!

Letter from Joe White

2012-09-25T07:38:00.001-07:00

Today as I write, I’m flying to Nashville for Michael W. Smith’s daughter’s wedding. Michael and Debbie Smith have been so faithful to Kanakuk over the last 25 years. He lives his hit song, “Friends are Friends Forever.”

On this flight, I’m randomly sitting next to two Kamp parents and now Kamp grandparents reminiscing about their two and a half decade relationship with Kanakuk and the great stories of Kamp’s influence in their children's and grandchildren’s lives. We began to talk about what kind of parenting skills have the best shot at producing kids with hearts for family, hearts for God, and hearts for biblical moral values.

I’ve had this conversation with countless parents over the years and I have found a few common denominators that are worth sharing and dwelling on today.

“Giving God the Glory”

The moms and dads of good kids are always quick to give God the glory for the goodness in their kids’ hearts. I can’t remember one parent conversation in forty years where the parents took the credit for the “success” in raising Godly kids. Good parents are humble people! They are people like you and me who are committed to prayer, family Bible study and bedtime and breakfast devotionals knowing that it is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” that sustains kids with Christian character.

“The Firm Voice of Discipline”

The Decker family (seated next to me today) joined the chorus of hundreds of other families I’ve encountered by reiterating the need for crystal clear boundaries….curfews…standards for friends…standards for media consumption…standards and expectations for social outings. Hebrews 12:11 whole heartedly endorses a home and a parenting style that includes the firm, dependable hand of discipline.

The fun side of a well-disciplined home is that the soil of these children’s hearts is fertile for the production of the fruit of righteousness! The disciplined heart receives biblical guidance and appreciates words of encouragement and affirmation. A happy child, simply put, is a child who knows that God is firmly in charge, mom and dad are clearly the authority in the home, and parents are that child’s biggest fans.

“Over Encouraged”

I recently spoke frankly to the sons at the Kanakuk Father-Son retreat on the subject of “Some People Read Stories; Some People Make Stories.” I soberly reminded the boys that no good coach wants a player who thinks he is the center of the world because his parents have convinced him that he can do no wrong. Kids of entitlement who expect a coach or parent to always give them what they want, make a place for them on the starting team, or praise them for halfhearted effort will never amount to much. The only success they’ll ever know is a trumped up slogan on a Nike t-shirt with self-proclaimed grandeur.

But, if a child puts forth great effort and displays a positive attitude or accomplishes a noble goal, somebody needs to notice it and appreciate it verbally. My wise older mentor, Jack Herschend, told me once that it only takes 20 minutes to teach a pigeon to bowl! “You give him one kernel of corn when he gets near the ball and two kernels of corn every time he touches the ball.”

Productive encouragement needs to be specific. Everyday catch your child in the act of doing something good and tell him/her about it!

“Atta Boy,” “Way to go,” “Super Job,” “That’s amazing,” “I like that,” “Yeah baby,” “That’s what I’m talking about,” are but a handful of phrases that need to always reside on the top of your tongue ready to launch when a specific moment of great effort or great attitude is displayed by a child (of any age!)

But, when encouragement is just pointless chatter or ill deserved, it will build a false sense of self-centeredness or useless entitlement.

“Criticism and Sarcasm Kills The Heart Of A Child”

Furthermore, criticism and sarcasm kills a child’s heart and creates deaf ears to beneficial reception of words of encouragement. While coaching and teaching are not only good but also a parent’s job, harsh criticism and words of sarcasm will destroy the relationship and drown out any words of affirmation quicker than a spring flood.

When I coach the teen Kampers of K-2 football each summer day (my favorite job) my goal and the goal I communicate to these wonderful college players on our staff is to let every boy hear his name with something good attached to it at least 10 times a day. We don’t win most of our scrimmages with Kids Across America because we have better talent. We win because we encourage our kids’ socks off. We expect their greatest effort, we encourage their best effort, and we receive their best effort. Our kids know we love them win or lose. Our kids know we value them. Our kids know we’re crazy about them from the least athletic to the most skilled.

Encouragement, affirmation and appreciation are like gravity to a successful team or a successful home. When applied consistently, specifically and personally, hope prevails even during a child’s most difficult season of life.

Thank you for letting me and our team of summertime coaches be an encouragement to your precious kids! We so love what we do. Our days of summer are the greatest days of our life.

Together for your kids,

Joe White

P.S. Debbie Jo knocked me out recently with this luscious dessert for chocolate lovers!

Nutella Gooey Butter Cake:

Cake: 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package devil's food cake mix, 1 egg, 8 tablespoons butter (melted)

Filling: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (softened), 1 cup Nutella, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 8 tablespoons butter (melted), 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread Nutella mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Chocolate Sauce: 1 stick butter, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter & cocoa powder in sauce pan. Alternately add powdered sugar & milk. Thin with additional milk if needed. Take off burner & add vanilla.

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Thought for the Day

2012-09-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

The Power of Habit

Max Lucado quote

2012-09-20T08:45:00.002-07:00

Max Lucado quote

Thought for the day Wednesday Sept. 19, 2012

2012-09-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

Thankful in life

2012-09-05T16:34:00.001-07:00

A couple of years ago a friend of mine help change the way I thought about my job. He was an assistant coach and was interviewing for a head coaching job. He stated if he got this job he was going to treat it as if it was the best job in the country.

I recall the conversation and how he changed my way of thinking. To treat your job, family, living situation, etc. as top notch it helps reorient your thinking of how we approach everyday life.

I’m obsessive and can allow my mind to sidetrack. I tend to think as well as focus on things that are not of importance. If I change that thinking and move it toward a positive twist it helps me tremendously.

Here, are some simple steps to help get your thinking in the right direction.

1. Understand your talents and limitations. Be thankful that you are in a place that utilizes your talents and hides your weaknesses. If is not occurring, then change things fast. Find a way to maximize your gifts and abilities.

You may have to remind yourself how your talents correspond with your occupation. You may have to remind yourself that you are not in a job that is boring and in a work environment that is uncomfortable.

2. Treat your life as if it matters to others. "What you think about, you bring about." You have the ability to inspire others and make a difference in someone's life each day. Whether you choose to make that impact, is your decision; not the decision of someone else.

3. Look across the street, on the other side of the fence, or in the house next door. Some people do not like to think this way, but I believe that each us has it better than someone else. Daily we see people hurting. This occurs either in everyday interactions or reading the newspaper, watching tv or on the internet.

Will you choose to treat your job as the best in the country? Your life as the best?

As a father of 5 kids, my life is on the go and moving in a lot of different directions. My wife and kids can't afford for me to be down. They need to be there for them. I have wallowed in pity for different segments of my life. I have also treated days as if they were going to be great. The latter is much more enjoyable.

How one treats their job is vital to happiness. In the coaching profession, each coach has items to complain about on a daily basis. There is also the ability to look past the shortcomings and see the positive.

Reading the book on Coach Bob Hurley, Sr. ("The Miracle of St. Anthony" by Adrian Wojnarowski) I realized he built a national power at the high school level without the use of his own gym. It made an impression so I decided not to complain and work with what I did have without worrying about what I didn't have.

Whether it was the gym roof leaking, the gym roof falling in, lack the financial resources or any other problems I have encountered in my coaching career I have tried to my best not to let those situations bring me down. It made me realize the people I was around were there for a reason. I was determined to make the most of my chance with players and people. Sure, I sometimes fail miserably, but I am aware and keep trying. Over the course of time, I have found positive beats negative any day.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

-Marianne Williamson