A Coach's Diary

“If what you did yesterday still looks big to you today, then you haven't done much today.” - Kim Mulkey Do you lean too much on what you have done in the past? Love and Basketball was one of my favorite movies. In one scene, basketball star Monica made a three and held up her follow-through, admiring her shot instead of moving on and making the next right play. Too often, we spend too much time admiring what we have done instead of focusing on what we can and need to do now or in the future. In sports and life, we can’t live off yesterday’s success. The moment you find yourself celebrating too long, you stop growing. Whether it was a big shot, a big game, or a big win, when it’s over, it’s over. What matters now is what you're doing today. Championship coach Kim Mulkey once said, “If what you did yesterday still looks big to you today, then you haven't done much today.” Greatness isn’t a one-time event. It’s a habit. Yesterday’s success should be motivation, not a resting ...

“If you think small, small things happen. I always dream big. I always believe.” - Floyd Mayweather Are your dreams big enough? Your thoughts and expectations often dictate your outcomes. If you limit your thinking and set small goals, you will achieve small results. Your vision and dreams are the windows to what you can become and do. The higher and bigger your vision and dreams, the greater the opportunities you create. Floyd Mayweather is one of the most successful boxers of all time. He once said, “If you think small, small things happen. I always dream big. I always believe.” Set big, ambitious goals and believe in your ability to achieve. Thinking big both opens up the possibilities and motivates you to pursue them. When I was little, I liked reading The Little Engine That Could. In the story, a long train full of toys needs to be pulled over a mountain after its engine breaks down, and when several other large engines pass by, unwilling to help, a smaller train comes by and hel...

“The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.” - Martina Navratilova Are you interested or committed? When you are interested in something, you only do it when it’s easy or convenient. When you are committed, you do what it takes whenever it takes it, no matter how you feel, and you accept no excuses, only results. Martina Navratilova was one of the most dominant players in the history of the sport. She was known for her athleticism and aggressiveness, something she grew through her commitment to finding ways to get better, including training for hours. She once said, “The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed,” and she demonstrated that commitment all the time. She said her typical day included playing tennis for four hours, then either going to the track or playing two-on-two full-court basketball, and then lifting weights. When she lif...

“It’s easy to be negative. Anyone can do it..” - Novak Djokovic Would the people around you say you are more negative or positive? Tennis star Novak Djokovic once said, “It’s easy to be negative. Anyone can do it.” There are so many negative people who have negative reactions to that, leading and responding with positivity is a game changer and difference maker. Think about it: If something bad happens and you have a negative reaction, will that help you or hurt you? Now, think about that same situation; if you had a positive reaction, will that help you or hurt you? Djokovic took mental strength changing very seriously, and said it made a huge impact on his confidence. He also said your recovery after mistakes is more important than staying present because it is almost impossible to stay in the present.  When he was asked, “What is the most importantly thing athletes can do to take care of their mental health?” he said practice Conscious breathing and knowing who you are and ...

“Whatever brings you down will eventually make you stronger.” - Alex Morgan What is one thing that is bringing you down right now? There are a couple of quotes out there that say, “Do the thing you are afraid of,” or, “Do the thing that is hard.” Success is on the other side of hard, but hard is hard for a reason. How do we overcome the hard? How do we lean into it instead of running from it? If we can figure this out, we can use the hard to make us better. Alex Morgan was one of the top goal scorers for the US Women’s National soccer team for years. She once said, “Whatever brings you down will eventually make you stronger.” Challenges, setbacks, and mistakes can easily bring you down and make you feel sad, discouraged and defeated, but it doesn’t have to. Going through tough times, while painful in the moment, can lead to unbelievable levels of growth. Someone once told me, “Before the sprinter takes off down the track, they have to back into their blocks to prepare.” Before w...

“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.” - Arnold Schwarzenegger What if you knew you couldn’t fail? What would you be? Dream big. The strongest but lowest ceiling you will ever face is the one you put on yourself. So, when you think about what you want to be and who you can be, dream as big as you can. Bodybuilder, actor, and governor Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, “The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.” The ceilings we face are usually built by our own minds. Think about how many times you didn’t go after something you wanted because you thought it was too hard or wasn’t for you. Limiting self-beliefs can be invisible barriers that prevent you from dreaming big and becoming who you want to become. The magic of the mind is in your imagination. Dream big and believ...

“People say to me all the time, ‘You have no fear.’ I tell them, ‘No, that’s not true. I’m scared all the time.’ You have to have fear in order to have courage. I’m a courageous person because I’m a scared person.” - Ronda Rousey Do you ever get scared? We often think athletes are superhuman and don’t feel nervous or fearful, but this isn’t true. Even the best athletes feel fear, but they have become good at having courage and doing what they need to do, despite fear, and with courage. Ronda Rousey was one of the meanest, toughest, and most successful MMA fighters in the history of the sport.  She once said, “People say to me all the time, ‘You have no fear.’ I tell them, ‘No, that’s not true. I’m scared all the time.’ You have to have fear in order to have courage. I’m a courageous person because I’m a scared person.” Proactively, I fight fear with proper preparation. The more prepared I am, the more confident I am. When I have negative thoughts before big moments, I acknowledge t...