Total Pageviews

Saturday, September 1, 2018

Basketball: One Word

Jon Gordon wrote One Word That Will Change Your Life. Gordon is a fountain of ENERGY and POSITIVITY that radiates through books like The Positive Dog, Training Camp, The Hard Hat, Soup, The Energy Bus, and more. We each own that word



It's easy to dismiss motivational speakers. "They're selling us a bill of goods." The most important talk we hear comes from within. But motivational speakers help us get there. We can't change the world until we change ourselves




Exceptions happen. Churchill galvanized England with his speech promising never to surrender. He failed many times during his career; but he saved Western civilization

We need self-talk that translates into actions, behaviors, energy, and values.

It's an old concept. My daughters' team that won 55 consecutive league games had TOGETHER. Our word in high school was SACRIFICE. The Celtics used UBUNTU, about community. "I am because we are." 

My assistant, Steve, suggested PERSISTENCE, for the coming season. Whenever I hear persistence, I think of Coolidge. 



Suggesting SIMPLIFY, Coach Jim Boone explains how hard simple really is. John Maeda's Laws of Simplicity suggested these:
Within our life, our process, our program, what is our overarching priority? What can we cut? 



In You Win in the Locker Room First, Gordon and Falcons coach Mike Smith used seven 'C' words to describe winning over players. 

Our word becomes a platform, a rallying point, a vision focusing an individual or a group upon their destiny. 




We had an excellent team that used FIGHT. They hadn't seen the movie. Before the game began, I'd ask, "Are we going to stand around all day, or are we going to fight?" They'd respond, "Fight." 

We'll have a team word this season. Possibilities abound...including POSSIBILITIES. But it won't be my word; it must be theirs, because they have OWNERSHIP and ACCOUNTABILITY for the results and to each other. What's your word? 

Lagniappe: 



Don Kelbick teaches separation off the dribble emphasizing footwork. Whether we emphasize footwork or shoulder-hip-ball, players learn solutions to the problem of getting separation.