"Shiny objects" distract us from both the big picture and the fine details in our lives. Staying focused "in the moment" separates excellence from ordinary.
There's even a "shiny object syndrome" (SOS), a disease of distractions.
We're all distracted; we have to be. The noise in the bushes on the savannah could kill you. But we need to distinguish the signal from the noise. In Monday Morning Leadership, David Cottrell emphasizes, "the main thing is the main thing." Shiny objects divert our eyes from the main thing.
Are we focused on our big picture? Coaching sixth grade girls this year, I focus at least 2/3rds of practice time on fundamentals and far less on tactics. My (wishful thinking) model is Larisa Preobrazhenskaya, legendary Russian tennis coach. I tell players "form makes function." Larisa eloquently says, "The secret to coaching is love and beauty. Love and respect for the children -- because each one of them is different -- and beauty of movement. If a forehand or a backhand looks beautiful, then it is likely to be more effective."
Beauty of movement. Spacing and movement (of players and ball).
Getting young players to focus presents a challenge. Better attention translates to better students, better thinking, and better players.
Specifics:
1. Lion Mind - cultivate the Lion Mind not the Dog Mind. (Mindfulness enhances attention.)
2. Preach "Play in the moment". Be here now. Master this drill. Earn your skill. Win this possession.
3. The "Time Out" drill. Pause practice for two minutes. Use thirty seconds to diagram a new play. Then hand out index cards and pens and ask every player to reproduce it. I hate the results. To master the game you must master yourself.
Lagniappe:
Train Station (BOB)... "There will always be another train."
