A Coach's Diary

Steve Magness, a performance coach who was once the fastest distance runner in the country, says that athletes, coaches, and parents think that the way to develop discipline and toughness is to take what they think is the Navy SEALS approach, which is, 'Put people in some really difficult situations and then they'll get really tough,' but that's not really what the Navy SEALS do. Before they go out and do all the crazy stuff like survival training, Navy SEALS recruits sit in a classroom and have lecture after lecture and Powerpoint after Powerpoint learning how to mentally and physically handle every situation they will face. They even have to study a 600-page book that teaches mental toughness skills. After they are taught the skills that they need to survive, they then practice those skills by being put in a place that simulates what they will feel like and experience so they can try those skills out to see if they are able to access those skills under pressure and du...

Don't tap out. Don't stop. Don't quit. Keep pushing. Two people walked into the fitness center at the same time, and they got on the treadmill next to each other at the same time and started jogging at the same time. They noticed each other and started competing with each other. One person upped their speed, then the other one. One person made a steeper incline, the other one. Faster and faster. Steeper and steeper. After 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes and then an hour, one of them said to themselves, "I don't want to go anymore. I have had enough. " That person stopped and left the gym. The other person pushed for just a couple more minutes, got off, and left too; satisfied with victory. Will Smith has a great treadmill quote. He said: "The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is I'm not afraid to die on a treadmill. I  will not be out-worked, period. ... But if we get on the treadmill together, there...

Some good thoughts from episode 1 of Last Chance U. They were talking about the resourcefulness and grit that it takes to have success at the junior college level. I played Juco basketball and I coached Juco basketball. Those were some of the best times of my life, but it is a hard process. There aren't a lot of resources, there isn't a lot of time, and there aren't a lot of opportunities. But there are a lot of distractions and obstacles. To make it, you have to be tough, have grit, and compete. You have to be resourceful, you have to figure things out, and you have to always be willing to try harder. Those lessons stick with me today. What are you willing to do? What are you willing to learn? What are you willing to try? What are you willing to go through?

Effort is everything. In sports and in life. One of the best pieces of advice that I have ever received was from an old coach and principal. He said, "Don't ever be too afraid to go after a job. If you get it, you will figure it out." I think the same things apply in sports. Don't ever be too afraid to play, to get in the action, or to try something. Make or miss, you will figure it out, but you can only figure it out if you are in the game. Just work, take a chance, and learn from your experiences. One thing that I try to push for, especially with my younger kids, is to just get involved in the game. Get a touch. Get in the middle of the action. Don't stand around the outside of the pile; get in the middle of it. Learn how to get in, to fight, and to make a play. Once we get in there and start making mistakes, then we can learn and grow and get better. Athletes have to learn how to embrace the messiness while you are learning. I...

If you want something bad enough, there will be problems, adversity, obstacles, and challenges that are trying to keep you from getting it. You have to have a boatload of determination and the right attitude.  You have to have an agressive attitude that says, 'If anybody can do it, I can.' You have to be willing to do what it takes to get what you want.  Have a determined attitude that won't let you quit and give up, and don't let any loss or setback hold you back. Don't give in or abandon what you do because things get a little tough.  Weather the storm and keep moving forward one step at a time. You will be amazed at what you can do if you won't have a give up attitude before you ever give it your best. 

Geno Auriemma has a video where he says, 'Great players don't get tired.  When the good players get tired, the great players kick their a**.' Cole Anthony is one of the best players in college basketball.  When asked if he gets tired, he says, 'I do get tired, I just do a great job of faking it.' Everybody gets tired; the best just keep going. Bill Belichick once said, "The great equalizer is your mind.  It's not that you can't do it, it's will you do it." The best don't let being tired become an excuse.  They work hard to make sure that they are in the best shape possible and they keep pushing you. On Get Up on ESPN , analyst Louis Riddick said, "The difference between a back-up and a starter is not always that the starter is better, its that the starter can do it more consistently.   It's a mindset.   It's a mentality. Mental toughness. Resilience. Grit. It's whatever you want to call it...