It's You that Makes Me Great!

Heat of battle all around,
What will be my fate?
Whether I am up or down
it's you that makes me great!

Your cheers I hear above it all.
You bring out my best traits.
And when its time to play ball
it's you that makes me great!

So when we celebrate as we should,
trophy held high at State.
know it's because together we stood
and you helped make me great!

--BGC--

What Builds Your Confidence?

The question I posed to many athletes, "What builds your confidence?" It is a question that didn't require too much time for answers to pour out. Here are some of the common answers:
* Being prepared
* Parents in the stands
* Being in the "zone"
But, the number one answer given was, "The support and cheers of my teammates."

Ironically most people feel that their teammates support is important for their confidence, but individuals fail to give their all to support their teammates to offer them that same confidence. A change in mentality must occur in order to create the best environment for the team. Again, it comes down to choosing to be a little less selfish and a bit more of a servant. Think of this scenario, all of the players on a team are most concerned with cheering on and supporting their teammates. What would that do for the teammates? What would that do for the individual? My guess is that if everyone chose to do their absolute best supporting their teammates, they would receive the same in turn. What would a game be like if each player gave their unbridled support to each teammate from start to finish? What would a season be like? Make it a goal to find out.

"The most important thing in good leadership is truly caring. The best leaders in any profession care about the people they lead, and the people who are being led know when the caring is genuine and when it's faked or not there at all. I was a demanding coach, but my players knew that I cared for them." Dean Smith, former North Carolina Men's Basketball Coach

If it was all about Me

I would be so proud of all I've done
Say "Look at me and how fast I run!"
I'd show the world I'm strong and free
If it was all about me.

I would always swing for the fence.
shake off pain without a wince.
Work hard for what my stats should be
If it was all about me

I'd say, "I had a fantastic game!"
and, "I wish my teammates could say the same."
I would love standing out for all to see
If it was all about me

But, being my best and giving my heart
to help my TEAM stand apart
Lifting my TEAM higher than the trees
is what I choose my role to be

I compete and train to reach OUR goal
Pushing each other to fulfill our roles
"Join me, join me!" is my plea
that's what I choose my role to be

Preparing together to make the TEAM great
With everyone's eyes focused on STATE.
Working together I'm sure you'll agree
Is better than making it all about me.

--BGC--

Cause and Effect

I have recently been thinking about cause and effect. Doesn't sound like your run of the mill thought, but after doing some reading, this concept keeps spinning around in my head.

So many times we sit around to see what is going to happen. We are in a game and we get stuck in the worlds of "Hope" and "Wonder." How many of us have had a thought similar to, "I hope this happens, so that we win," or, "If this would have happened, I wonder if it would have made a difference." Many times we sit back and react to situations as they occur. We let things play themselves out and we just deal with the effects. What if we were to change our thoughts and practices from dealing with the effects from causes we just allow to happen, and begin being the causes?

If we could be the cause, then we could have greater control of the effects. Here is a situation: we practice 1st and 3rd defense. We are focused and practice every possible scenario. We are prepared when we meet this challenge in a game. In most games the offense is considered to be in control. They force the defenses hand. Turn it around and give the control to the defense because of their hard work and preparation and now the defense causes the offense to make a mistake or play the guessing game as to what the defense will do.

Why wait around and see what is going to happen when you can play a major role in narrowing down or predicting the outcome? We place ourselves in control, which greatly increases the self-confidence of the individual and the confidence of the team. I have seen teams that were losing, but you would never know it. Their presence was one of confidence and even though their opponent was winning, the opponent played with fear. The opponent is now playing not to lose rather than to win, which greatly enhances the chances of the team playing with confidence.

Choose to be the "cause," choose confidence in any and every situation.

"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, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't 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're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Marianne Williamson, Author

Training through Discipline

When most young people think of the word "discipline" a shutter goes over them. Immediately thoughts of being grounded or parents getting on them, pop into their heads. Hopefully, after reading this post you will have a different outlook on discipline.

Here is a dictionary definition of discipline:
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
dis·ci·pline (dĭs'ə-plĭn) Pronunciation Key n.
1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.
2. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control.

These definitions should bring a positive light. Discipline can come from many different angles, I probably should say "will come from many angles." As individuals we are going to need to decide how we are going to respond to discipline.

Self-discipline is very important. Individuals need to be able to train themselves physically an mentally. It all starts with attitude. No one can make choices for you. Coaches will discipline as well. A coaches role is to help players improve physically and mentally in order to make the team better. Sometimes that includes helping a player, or players, refocus. What the individual players do with that discipline is completely up to them.....again, attitude! Finally, discipline may also come from fellow players. This may be the most beneficial or the most difficult discipline. If a teammate is helping you out with a drill or concept to make you better, they are helping your discipline. If a teammate is confronting you, hopefully in a positive manner, because of a destructive behavior, you have to decide if you are going to be mature and do what is best for yourself and your team, or you can be immature and damage relationships and the team. Again...attitude!

Discipline is necessary in order to be successful. Train to produce more refined skills. Train to produce moral and mental improvement. Most importantly, train yourself to think about your attitude. Keep it in check and the decisions you make will not only benefit you, but it will strengthen your team.

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11

Salt and Light

This post is going to come from a little different angle. I hope that most people know that I am first and foremost a Christian. I also believe that the greatest example of leadership comes from Jesus Christ himself. The scripture below was used in a sermon my preacher gave last Sunday. The scripture is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and it has great implications of leadership. Here is the scripture:

13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16

I have mentioned more than once that leaders make or break teams. As a leader do you choose to be salt? Do you choose to be the one that helps make all of the ingredients of a team stand out? A leader who is negative, unenthusiastic, and passive has lost their saltiness, and we can see from the scripture above what happens when we lose our saltiness.

The example of the city on a hill and the light on a stand are similar. Are you a shining light that draws teammates near, that helps them see clearly the goals of the team, that serves them when they are in need? Or...are you the bowl that stifles the light making the journey cloudy and causing your teammates to stumble in the dark?

Leaders have a choice. Be salty and let your light shine, not to be the center of attention, but to bring out the best in those around you!