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INTRODUCTION TO NEW BOOKLET ENTITLED “COMPETE”
Being a competitor is not dependant on your gender, your sport or your genetics. Being a competitor is a choice; it is a decision, and it becomes a life style.
Competition tests and measures people but it also helps them grow and expand their vision of what is possible. A true competitor elevates the performance of everyone around them and the entire culture of a team. When a team has an example of competitiveness, it allows everyone to work harder and set standards and therefore, reach more challenging goals.
If a person becomes more competitive, they will improve faster than those who don’t compete. Competitors look forward to every challenge and individual duel in games or practice. They don’t accept mediocrity, they push themselves, and they lift others to heights they didn’t believe possible. Competition demands the best that they’ve got. They learn to prepare for the challenges and attack them with a vengeance. Competitors anticipate the great feelings that come with succeeding by having that be their focus, they enjoy the journey as much as the result. Enjoying the journey allows them to be successful more often.
Being competitive comes naturally to some people and they crave every opportunity to put it on the line. Some people are forced into competition when they realize that the other people around them are competing and they are losing ground unless they get into the game.
Sometimes the fear of losing, being denied causes people to become competitive because they see losing as failure. These athletes usually find themselves competing to not lose. They sacrifice the natural joy of competing because their focus is on the final score not being in their favor.
The fearless competitor sees competition as an enjoyable component of life by keeping their focus on the positive aspects. For those who can learn this early in life, it is often just fun. Later in life it helps them do well in things that are more important than athletic competition. Competitors put the same principles to work when dealing with test taking, job interviews, and every life challenge handed to them. They take the lessons they have learned from competing in sport and apply it everywhere it is helpful in their lives. As a student, one of the best places it can be applied is in the classroom. They have a disciplined focus, prepare daily, don’t back away from challenges and ask for help when it is needed, even when it is not their favorite subject. Just telling yourself that you want to be competitive won’t make it happen. You need to understand the process, mentality and actions of how to compete successfully. When understood and approached correctly, competition can and should be healthy and beneficial in every aspect of your life. Unless you completely remove yourself from society, everyone competes whether you like it or not. Because it is a natural part of life, learn to do it well.
A COMPETITOR: · Is Passionate · Has a Strong Will · Lives in and Loves the Moment · Is Mentally Tough · Controls the Controllables · Is Disciplined, Self Controlled and Poised · Has Courage · Is Fearless · Has Confidence Based on Preparation · Is Unselfish · Competes Ethically · Is Committed · Never Gives Up – They are Relentless
SPOTLIGHT ON:
The United States Military Academy at West Point
The steps to building a successful team experience are consistent and predicable. Great teams do not happen by accident – they happen by design.
Under the direction of Dr. Ralph Pim, the twenty three Competitive Club Athletic teams at the USMA have developed core values for each of their teams. After a Proactive Coaching seminar at West Point the leaders of each of the teams used the concepts from that presentation and the booklet First Steps to Successful Teams to establish their foundation, identity, or “Core Values”. The teams then commit to standards of performance and behavior defined by their values.
Some examples: Men’s Team Handball – Blue Collar Attitude, Punch in – Punch Out, Military Bearing, Team 1st Women’s Lacrosse – Work and Play Hard, Teamwork, Competitive Spirit, Respect Men’s Rugby – Servant Leadership, Responsibility, Confidence, Toughness, Brotherhood Judo – Commitment, Respect, Warrior Ethos Boxing – Commitment, Discipline, Loyalty, Courage, Attitude
The Montana High School Athletic Association
After Proactive Coaching presentations last month at the Montana Athletic Directors Conference in Great Falls, the board of directors met, found a sponsor and purchased a copy of the DVD, The Role 0f Parent’s in Athletics for every high school in the state. Hopefully this will provide a better experience for their student athletes.
RECENT FEEDBACK
XPEDX General Manager Jedd Parker “Your material was ‘spot on’ with our sales and management folks. The parallels between athletics and selling are perfect. In 25 years of attending and planning meetings like this, I have never received as many positive comments about a speaker as I did for you that evening.”
Greenville College Men’s Basketball Coach, George Barker “I had made a decision after studying your booklet on Positive Conditioning last summer that we would try it for this season. I sounded like it would be best for the athletes and allow me to keep relationships in tact even through conditioning. But you know how coaches are fickle and sometime will abandon things if they don’t feel they are getting good results. Well, I have gotten GREAT results! My assistants asked me after the first several weeks, ‘Why haven’t we done this before? It just makes sense’. The drills you gave us in the booklet are fantastic and of course we have tweaked a few things to make it work for us. Here are some of the results – my team has remained in great shape throughout the season – it has helped on free throw percentages because they want to hear their name called in association with doing something positive – my staff enjoys practice more and my blood pressure is probably lower. We have had our best season in four years in our win-loss record and have made it to post season play for the first time in three years. I am sold.”
Herman Miller Executive Jerry Koster “I believe that the experiences you talk about in athletics…the strategic thought process of a game plan, the discipline of preparation and training, the competitive spirit of never giving up… the lessons learned from losses… the blessing of having a teachable spirit… learning to be responsible for outcomes and not blaming teammates, coaches, officials or conditions… have enabled us to be successful in business and life. This is why your message is so powerful and compelling. You clearly have a gift of teaching and for getting people to believe in themselves and become more successful than they ever thought possible.”
Willamette High School Athletic Director, Barry Bokn “Wanted to thank you again for your efforts for kids! Last week we had 150 parents come to the parent meeting – after a brief introduction, showed the DVD The Role of Parents in Athletics. The feedback was TREMENDOUS. At the same time I took the athletes and showed the Redefining the Term Athlete DVD and this was also a grand slam. I appreciate your influence on young people’s lives and for the tools that you provide to coaches and athletic administrators across the country.”
NEW BOOKLET – TURNING AROUND ATHELTIC PROGRAMS – available March 20, 2008
I have had the opportunity to travel North America to speak to hundreds of high school and college athletic programs and meet with great coaches who have turned programs around. It is amazing how different athletic programs can be. I have come to believe that almost every athletic program (or team) falls into one of three levels of competence. Almost every school has the same ingredients but very different levels of ability or interest. This booklet is written to help the key people see why some programs are successful and what can be done to turn the others around. Like any great team, these key leaders (Administration, Athletic Director, Coaches, and Community) must each fulfill their roles for the program to reach its potential.
The booklet contains:
The new booklet, Turning Around Athletic Programs is now available on our website.
RECENT FEEDBACK
Nequa Valley High School - Illinois– letter from Baseball Coach Robin Renner “I had the pleasure to hear you and the National Baseball Coaches Association and the minute you finished, I bought your booklet, Life Lessons for Athletes. For the last four years I read from that book to my players and discuss every life lesson. During every practice and game there are situations that come up that we can refer back to one of the ten life lessons and “recover” and get back on track. Last spring our varsity baseball team, against all odds were the Illinois state champions defeating two nationally ranked teams along the way. There is NO doubt that the reason we were successful is because the players bought into what we were selling. We referred to the life lessons on a daily basis and the players as well as the coaches believed in it whole heartedly. Because of you, we all were able to be part of something far bigger and better than ourselves. Thank you for taking the time to help others enjoy not only success but build healthy relationships as well. This booklet will stay with me forever.”
Wilson High School – Tacoma Washington – letter from Bowling Coach Ken Richardson ‘We have just celebrated winning our third State Championship in a row. The reason I am writing is to thank you for the impact you have had on me and the student-athletes I coach. I have adopted many of your teaching into my own philosophy of coaching. I reread the Teaching Character Through Sport book every September just to remind me of what I am really doing as a coach. This is my 17th year coaching football and bowling and I am still learning and trying to improve. Thank you for touching my life.”
Westview High School Football – Portland Oregon – email from the Team Captains “We, the captains of the Westview football team would like to thank you for providing us the inspiration and opportunity to create our UCATS ideals. Throughout the season our team has landed in several challenging situations, both physically and mentally, and we would not have stayed together as a unit if it weren’t for your words over the summer. UCATS has driven us to the first Metro League title in school history.”
Same Team Captains later in the season – Playoffs – “Thank you for your great words last week. We defeated a rival at their place. Your words really inspired our team to go out and get the job done. We handed out “red shashes” (wristbands) to each player to wear for game day and throughout the entire game. It worked out well as our team bonded like never before. Thank you for all you’re doing.”
UCATS – Core Values Developed by the team after attending a Captains and Coaches Workshop U = UNITY – Accept and embrace team, while working together as one for a common goal. Everyone is of value and has a role on the team. Agree on what needs to be done and together, go get it. C = COMMITMENT – Pledge to be consistently devoted, responsible and loyal to team values. Being early, prepared, know assignments, take no plays off, knowing and doing your part for the betterment of the team on and off the field. A = ATTITUDE – Consistent, positive action and expression of team standards and expectations. Respond positively to adversity. Accept correction as a compliment. Be the face your teammates need to see. T = TRUST – Confident belief in teammates ability to make correct choices for themselves and the team. Know teammates will get it done. Buy into the system. Good decisions on and off the field. Does your yes mean yes and your no mean no? Don’t let your teammates down. S = SELFLESSNESS – Acting with less concern for yourself, to ensure the success of the team. It’s about “TEAM” not individuals. Attribute personal success to team members. No selective participants. Positively mention teammates at every opportunity you get.
The booklet, First Steps to Successful Teams describes the process to develop Core Values for your team and then has over twenty examples from teams around the country.
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