The Great Intangible -- Being a Teammate

This year's squad.

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  When you're on the sideline, you tend to notice the little nuances about your team. You see the things that make it 'tick'. The good, the bad, the ugly. It amounts to being an outsider, with inside information.

  You see interactions and chemistry in a new way. Not being on the court during games and practices gives you a different perspective. The emotion of the game is taken out of it, so you can see things for what they are.

  It also makes you see and remember all the things it requires to be on a great team. And miss all the things you don't have.

  I guess it's true: "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."

It's Not a Right
  I look at being on a team as a privilege. It's not a right. Especially as you grow older.

  As a kid, everyone is on a team. You sign up, you get a jersey. Easy as that. As you get older, maybe you have to try out. Teams get a more selective as the talent gets better and better. But as a pro, and even as a collegiate athlete, they ask you to be on their team.

The Intangibles
  I think there are two qualities that make or break your chances of being a member of a team as you get deeper and deeper into your playing career: 1) talent, of course, and 2) being a great teammate, having the intangibles.

  If you have both of those qualities, it's very likely you'll be asked to be a part of quite a few teams in your day. Your career will be a long one. There won't be a team out there that doesn't want you on their squad.

  If you're a talented athlete only, and not a stellar teammate, chances are you'll still be sought out quite often to be a part of a team. Pure talent overrides attitude and intangibles in many cases. But after time, your reputation will catch up with you, and the well will run dry. People, coaches, managers, etc will catch wind of your unwillingness to be a teammate first.

  On the contrary, if you're just an okay athlete, but a great teammate, your career will be just as long, if not longer. By being a great teammate, you can make up for any downfalls you have as a player. 

  What makes a great teammate?

Probably the best 'team' I've been a part of.

Positivity
  Having a positive attitude is A, number one. I think it goes without saying, but you'd be surprised how often athletes are mired in negativity. Through thick and thin, a great teammate remains upbeat, and encouraging.

  Seasons are long, and there are a lot of ups and downs. Whether you're playing well, or not (or maybe not playing as much as you'd like). A great attitude can push you towards playing even better (or more).

  Looking from the outside, a negative attitude (pouting, disinterest, lack of effort, etc) is the fastest way to get yourself a selfish player label. 

Tireless Worker
  Great work ethic and positivity go hand in hand. And often times, they're both contagious. You talk, your teammates talk. You go out of your way to help a fallen teammate up, they're going to be more apt to do the same. You see your teammate working their tail off, you turn it up a few notches, to either match their effort, or surpass it.

  And a hard working team can't help but be successful. 

Make Your Teammates Look Good
  You make your teammates better players. I think it's a teammate's responsibility to do everything they can to help their other teammates succeed. Rotating over to help out on defense (there's nothing worse than seeing an opponent stroll in for an uncontested layin because no one rotated to help). Setting a solid screen (even if it hurts). Making a perfect pass, so all they have to do is put the ball in the bucket.

  Being a great teammate is also the willingness to go the extra mile (or kilometer, since I'm in Europe) for your teammates every time you step onto the court.

  Each member of a team has a role. No matter how big, or how small , for a team to be successful, those roles have to be fulfilled each and every time the ball goes up. You want to pull your own weight, do your job and not let your teammates down.

  Look at your role as your job. In order to do your job, first, you need to know your role. What is expected of you? What are your team's strategies, both offensively and defensively? To me, letting down a trusting teammate is the worst feeling on the basketball court.

Intangibles lead to celebrations -- Como.

Team First
  Putting the success of your team before your individual success. Are you trying to win the game, or are you trying to score 20 points?

  Sometimes you have to sacrifice a little personal success for the betterment of the team. Whether it'd be playing fewer minutes, making the extra pass, taking a tough defensive assignment, or maybe playing a different role than the one you initially had in mind (all the while keeping a good attitude), there are numerous ways to sacrifice for the good of your team.

  You cannot play with yourself, and only yourself, in mind. If you do, you might as well go play tennis, or golf.

Trust
  Through all these elements, you and your teammates develop a trust. A trust that you'll be there when the chips are down. Whether you're tired, hurting, or on the contrary, completely healthy, you'll be there. They can count on you, and you can count on them. It has to go both ways.

  And trust, to me, is the crucial key to playing on a successful team. But it all starts from you striving to be a great teammate first.

  It's not always easy, but it'll be well-worth it!

  Playing on a team, and having great teammates, is a special situation. I think I've taken it for granted when my teams have had 'it'. But not every team has it -- where each member is striving to be a better teammate. It's what separates good teams from bad. And great teams from good.

  But it's those the teams, those seasons, you remember with a smile.

"Bully"

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  You may or may not be aware that there's an important movie being released this Friday (March 30th). And yes, I know "The Hunger Games" came out last week. But I'm not talking about "The Hunger Games".

  It's a movie far more important than that (or any other movie that's been released for entertainment purposes in recent memory). And a movie we ALL need to see. Kids, adults, and everyone in between.

  The movie is called "Bully".

  It's a documentary movie about the prevalence of bullying in schools. I know, bullying has probably been around since the start of man. But it seems to me, that more recently, we've been hearing more and more about kids who are afraid to go to school, and sadly, who have committed suicide because of bullying.

  It is said that roughly 13 million children will be bullied at school in the US this year. 13 MILLION KIDS! That number tells me that the problem of bullying is being ignored, or swept under the rug. Adults, and those in charge just saying, "Oh, kids will be kids...'

  Children, no matter their age or background, should never feel unsafe, afraid, or nervous about going to school. We need to do our best to make school a safe haven for all kids. 

  Alex, a boy in the movie, says: "They punch me in the jaw, strangle me, they knock things out of my hand, take things from me, sit on me. They push me so far that I want to become the bully."

  That's not just 'kids being kids'.

  I'm not exactly going out on a limb when I say that bullying has taken on a whole new meaning since the dawn of the Internet (and cell phones). With the Internet, it's easier to bully, and it's easier to be bullied. For one, everyone is more accessible on a daily basis. And secondly, when a person can hide behind a computer screen, there's no telling the things they will say. And that's a very scary thing, given the emergence and popularity of social media in recent years.

  We know the Internet isn't going away, and bullying isn't slowing down. So we need to do something about this growing 'phenomenon'. I wondered aloud a few months ago on Twitter, and asked: What is more important, emphasizing that bullying is NOT okay, or teaching kids how to deal with bullying? What do you think???

  I don't know how or when bullying became 'cool' or tolerated. But somehow, we need to send this thought back in the other direction. Bullying is NOT cool, and should never be tolerated. EVER.

  And at the same time, we're not going to stop bullying from happening overnight. As much as we'd like that to happen, it's not realistic. Coping techniques and support systems should become emphasized even more at school, and at home.

  Kids don't just become bullies on their own. Unfortunately they learn this behavior SOMEWHERE. They learn to bully. So we, as adults, need to take that responsibility and set an example for the kids in our lives. Whether they are your children, your niece, your brother, a child you coach, etc...show them how to behave, and that it is not okay to bully, nor is it okay to be bullied. 

  This is a big issue to tackle. But one that needs to be addressed. Like any cause, spreading awareness is a start. If no one knows there's a problem, we can't begin to solve it. Hopefully, watching "Bully" will go a long way in starting a dialogue, and we'll start to find a solution!

  Let's get out and see "Bully," and start putting an end to this terrible trend.

Note: "Bully" is rated PG-13, and contains strong language.




LINKS:
The Bully Project
Jillian Michaels Podcast 11/18/2011
The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation
Creating Safe and Engaging Schools

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Little Eyes Upon You

LEMO Foundation

LEMO Foundation

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  I've made the importance of athletics in shaping my life no secret. Without basketball, my life would be on a vastly different course. I wouldn't be living in Europe; seeing its sights, experiencing its cultures, and playing the game I love, all while getting paid to do it.

  My road here has had many twists and turns. Maybe without just one of those twists, my journey would have led me to a different destination.

  Everything, for me, started with a solid foundation. My parents, my schooling, and my coaches and mentors, all helped me along the way. But what if I didn't have that foundation? Or what if I was missing one key piece? Then what? Would I have earned a Division I scholarship, leading to a career as a professional overseas?

  I've always thought that every kid should have the opportunities I have been lucky enough to have, no matter their background, and no matter where they grow up.

  A longtime friend of mine, Allison Magner, has recently gotten involved with the development and growth of a non-profit organization based in the Bay Area. LEMO Foundation is exactly the kind of community that would have come in handy, had my foundation developed cracks in it as a teenager.

  The founders of LEMO, Ali and David Taufoou, wanted their organization to be like no other: based on a family atmosphere. Not just a place where kids could receive academic tutoring, or only athletic coaching.

LEMO Playmakers!

  LEMO focuses on the development of kids (or playmakers, as they call them) as people, as students, AND as athletes. They want 'to empower high school students to strive for greatness and to become responsible, compassionate leaders.' 

  They help develop the skills necessary to become a successful student: organizational, time management, and study skills. SAT preparation is also provided, along with NCAA Clearing House guidance (a must if you want to compete at the collegiate level). 

  LEMO provides a family atmosphere that serves as a safety net for kids if their home-life doesn't provide the support they need. As mentors, earning the trust of, and showing commitment to each and every kid, is essential.

  Obviously the athletic training is what brings it all together. Sport is the common denominator for the playmakers at LEMO, and the motivator for many kids throughout the US. By using that interest in sport, and commitment to becoming a better athlete, LEMO (and organizations like it) has the platform to develop the leaders of the future. Athletically, LEMO promotes all sports, but specialties lie mostly in volleyball and football at this time.

The Foundry

  Maybe the most important thing, is that LEMO provides ONE place where all this can happen.  Every facet of LEMO is operated at The Foundry. Whether it's for a workout, study hall, a tutoring session, or practice, the kids at LEMO rely on the cream of the crop facility for everything. 

  Gym time and access to academic facilities can always a stumbling block when developing organizations like LEMO. Matt Krebs has been generous enough to partner with LEMO to allow The Foundry to serve as LEMO Headquarters.

  As part of their mission statement, and vision, the LEMO Foundation will continue to search for ways to "strongly focus on and help guide the spiritual, mental, and physical aspects of each individual that we serve - Liahona 'the Compass' of LeMo. Success is defined differently for each individual, but LeMo offers every avenue for our youth to reach that path according to their specific goals - Motu 'the Rock' of LeMo."

  LEMO might not be for everyone. The commitment has to be there from the playmakers themselves, and not just in one area. Just because you're involved with a great organization, doesn't mean you no longer have to work. The coaches and mentors will not pull anyone along.

  Surely there are organizations like LEMO all over the country. But from my experience it's difficult to weed through the countless after-school programs that may have various motivations. To me, these organizations should have one thing in mind: put the kids' best interests first -- no matter what.

Fellowship at LEMO

  What's amazing about LEMO is that the kids don't pay a thing. Through sponsorships, donations, and volunteers, playmakers are provided with an incredible opportunity without having to take out a small loan to do so.

  The LEMO roster stands at 22 right now; there are 22 playmakers. However, the foundation is looking to progress and grow, so that more kids can reap the benefits of their organization. In order for that to happen, word needs to spread, and more generous hearts need to be found!

  Regardless of their outcome, reaching the collegiate level (or beyond) or not, kids' involvement in a community like LEMO will only be beneficial to their (and OUR) futures. If kids are a part of something, if they have adults/mentors who care for, and who are invested in them, they can achieve anything. 

  Everyone deserves to have the opportunity to be the best they can be -- in all aspects of life -- and the LEMO Foundation is helping kids in the Bay Area do just that.

  For more information on how to become involved, in any capacity, with LEMO, please check out their website here.

LINKS:

LEMO Foundation

The Foundry

LEMO Facebook Page

The Foundry Facebook Page

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Team Chemistry: Still Learning After All These Years

Singing the CU fight song after a W.

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  As the team bus was pulling up to the gym Saturday night for our game against La Roche, I had an interesting thought: every Winter, since I was nine years old, I've been a member of a basketball team (that dates back to 1990 for those of you doing the math).

  And I thought, each and every one of those years has been like riding a roller-coaster.

  No matter how much experience you have, you never know what to expect because no two teams are ever the same.

  Even after 22 years (?!?!), I've yet to tire of being on a team. The basketball is roughly the same year in and year out, but the dynamics of a team are always changing, and always keeping you on your toes.

Learning Experiences 
  Basketball aside, you're constantly learning about yourself, and learning about your teammates. So that's why, to me, being a part of a team (any team), can be one of the greatest learning experiences you can have. You don't learn just about basketball, you learn about people, and through that, you learn about life.

Easter 2001 with my Buffs!

  I can still remember my first uniform ever--purple t-shirts from the YMCA. I'm sure everyone remembers their Y-ball days. My dad was our coach, and he taught us the basics about the game. You know: the fundamentals (how to dribble, shoot, etc.), spacing, the pick and roll, give and go.

  But we also learned the basics about teamwork, and how to be a good teammate: sharing, communication, encouragement, working together.

  Of course, as we get older, the game gets more intricate, and the personality of a team grows more complicated. But the most-important aspects of playing on a team never change.

  If you don't have the basic fundamentals of basketball honed and sharpened, you can't play the game at a high level. The same goes for being on a team. If you forget the basics of what goes into being a good teammate, chances are, your team won't be as successful as it could be.

Team Chemistry 
  You can never predict what a team's chemistry will be like. Just like you can never take it for granted. Team chemistry to me, is basically how well people get along on AND off the court. It's unrealistic to expect every person on a team to be best of friends. Personalities will clash; that's only normal. When that happens, it's important that differences are put aside for the betterment of the team.

  Many times, a team's chemistry is what allows it to overcome its opponent. Chemistry is immeasurable, but it might be the most-important intangible a team can have.

Having fun with my teammates in Sweden!

  Each team I have been on has been drastically different in that regard. But I've always found, the closer a team is off the court, the better they play together on.

  You'll go that extra mile, and work that much harder next to someone you like and have a mutual respect for, versus a teammate you don't necessarily get along with.

  The same way you can bring friendships and chemistry onto the court, you can also take what happens in games and practices, off the court. You can grow your friendships with teammates through the difficult, funny, or memorable situations that you face together on the court.

  Some of my favorite memories with teammates and friends have come after re-hashing particularly difficult practices, and being able turn those moments into things we can laugh about.

  By comparison, bad team chemistry, would be when you take a negative experience off the court and bring it onto the court, and vice versa. It's not rocket-science, but it's important nonetheless.

  Two of the most successful teams I've ever played on were extremely close off the court, and I believe it led to us working that much harder together, and that much better together on the court.

Close Team = Successful Team

Team dinner in Como.

  My Colorado teams from 1999-2003 grew from being a tight group of friends that lost more often than not (my freshman year), to a team that could get through almost anything together.

  We advanced as far as the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, my junior year, and the Sweet 16 my senior year.

  The same can be said for the first professional team I played on in Como. Even though we came from all corners of the world, we enjoyed spending time with each other off the court, and we enjoyed working together on the court.

  What started out as a difficult season, losing games we necessarily shouldn't have lost, resulted in a team (that wasn't the most-talented in the league) that won the Italian Championship at season's end.

  Here are some other valuable lessons I've learned through participating on basketball teams throughout the years. Things I will always take with me, in every aspect of my life:

• I've gotten better at learning how to lose (that doesn't sound right). Maybe learning from failures sounds a little bit better. Losing is never easy, but it used to consume me. Now I try to learn from it.
• Win graciously. Act like you've been there before, act like you've done it before.
• While you learn from failures (losing), success (winning) is what keeps you going. You need to experience the positives along with the negatives to keep pushing yourself.
• I've learned what you CAN, and CANNOT control. Usually all you can control is yourself! You can try to lead your team to change, but a leader needs people to lead! Kind of sounds like the old adage: 'you can lead a horse to water...'

NCAA win -- nothing better!

  I've said over and over again, that being part of a team is one of the greatest, most-special experiences you can have.

  The friendships and camaraderie are the obvious benefits. But what you will learn from your teammates, and will experience is probably the most-rewarding benefit of them all.

  Do you think team chemistry can be 'fixed'? Or is just a natural thing, where, whatever will happen, will happen?

Your Experiences With Team Chemistry
  Is there an aspect about teamwork, or being on a team that I missed? And I mean any kind of team. Your team at work; that's a team! What things do you learn from your teammates or co-workers? And how important is chemistry in the workplace?

  I'm also wondering about the differences in the importance of team chemistry within men's teams, versus women's teams. I can obviously only speak from one perspective, but would love to hear the contrary!

CU Alumni game -- still all the best of friends.

  Please, let me know your thoughts and experiences about being on a team, and how it has benefited your life, and how you have grown from it.
 

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Setting Goals and Bettering Ourselves

You gotta put in the work to achieve ANYTHING!

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  Resolutions and the setting of new goals go hand in hand with the start of a new year. I, for one, have never been much of a New Year's Resolution setter.

  Matter of fact, I don't think I've ever consciously made a resolution at the beginning of a new year. Sure, I've set plenty of goals for myself over the years, but never a 'New Year's Resolution'.

  For whatever reason, this year I'm contemplating actually jotting a few down. (Or am I too late? Seeing as were already a few weeks into 2012!) It dawned on me, that I haven't consciously set out to achieve one particular thing in quite some time: haven't written it down, and really set my mind to it.

  And when you think about it, that's exactly how we make ourselves better. You consciously put your mind towards achieving a goal, and you formulate a plan on exactly how you're going to do it. We're all works in progress, and bettering myself and my quality of life, is something that has grown to be a priority for me.

  There's one thing, though, that I don't like about New Year's Resolutions: Why do we wait for a new year to try to better ourselves?

  Maybe we should make monthly goals. Those might be easier to stick to, and easier to evaluate. After all, isn't one of the more-amusing things about setting New Year's Resolutions is how quickly they are broken?

  Anyways, onto some resolutions.

Set Up for Success
  So if I'm going to make some resolutions, I want to set myself up to be successful -- to follow through with them. It takes some honesty and self-evaluation. What do you want to change about your life? What do you want to pursue?

  Remember, not every goal and resolution has to be a huge epiphany. They can be light-hearted and smaller-scale too. But it's the deeper ones that probably will be the most difficult to achieve, and in-turn, have the most payoff.

  The most important thing when setting goals, is to make them manageable. You have to have a clear vision of what exactly you are trying to achieve. The more-specific, the better.

  The days of saying, 'I want to be healthier' or 'I want a better job' are over. What EXACTLY does that mean? Being healthier and getting a better job have different meanings for everyone. What does it mean, and what does it look like to YOU?

A Goal Pyramid
  Probably the most-productive way to setting long term goals and resolutions is to make a goal pyramid.

Top Level
  At the top of that pyramid is your very specific, very detailed goal. Define your goal. Make it measurable. Give it a time limit. And make it realistic. (Nothing like biting off too much, and immediately making things seem impossible.)

  As we all know, achieving a goal is difficult. A lot of times, we have to do things that are unpleasant and uncomfortable in order to reach that goal. It's during those unpleasant times we can lose our motivation. If achieving our goals were easy, we'd all be perfect human-beings though, wouldn't we?

  Somehow, in order to provide ourselves with the motivation, we have to form an attachment to our goal. What will reaching my goal make me feel like? What does it feel like in my mind when I reach my goal? Why is it worth it?

  We can accomplish anything if we feel it is worth it, and we feel it is achievable. Our reasons are the source for our motivation.

  I think forming this emotional attachment is the most important aspect of reaching our goals. Isn't the inability to stay motivated the biggest excuse used when goals AREN'T achieved? Someone else's motivations or reasons won't help you reach YOUR goals. It's within you.

  So we ask ourselves: how will my life be better when this goal is attained?

  That's what will keep you going. Outside motivations might help in the interim, but it's what is within (your reasons; why you want your goal) that will keep you on track. 

Second and Third Level
  The second level of the pyramid is the road map to achieving your goal. What are the more-immediate steps, or goals, to achieving our ultimate goal at the top of the pyramid? What can you do today?

  Essentially, they are a series of smaller-scaled goals.

  You can break your pyramid down into monthly, weekly, and daily goals. Our daily goals will help us achieve our weekly goals, and our weekly goals will help us achieve our monthly goals, and so on.

  Shorter-term goals are easier to evaluate, and are easier to hold ourselves accountable to. The HUGE goal may seem overwhelming, and too difficult, but when broken down into a series of smaller goals, it's made to seem more-achievable. And that's what this is all about. We want to set ourselves up for success.
  

"One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time." – John Wanamaker

Tell it to the World
  Once our goals are set, and our pyramid is made, tell people about your goals! More than likely, it will help us stick to our guns -- be accountable. When you tell someone what you want to achieve, you'll probably be less-likely to throw in the towel. And if they're important to you, more often than not, they will offer support to you along the way.

  Finally, it becomes about action! It's about work ethic, and doing our work on a daily basis to reach our goals. It's common-knowledge that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. It doesn't happen overnight, so we can't expect immediate change. It's a long process. 

Breaking Through Negative Thoughts

  While action is at the forefront of goal achievement, our minds have a tendency to get in the way too, can't they? We must learn to deal with, and manage negative thoughts. Changing our mindset goes hand in hand with modifying our behavior. We have to train our brain. How can we respond to negative thoughts and behaviors with things that are positive and reaffirming?

  

  When negative thoughts creep into our minds, it's then we need to go back, and re-read our reasons. Remind ourselves of our motivations! Why are these difficult/uncomfortable times worth it? What did we want to feel like, again?

  Another way to turn a negative into a positive is to provide yourself with incentives. Reward yourself! When you reach a weekly or monthly goal, give yourself a pat on the back. (not just a mental pat on the back, but an actual reward for yourself!) Create reaffirming rewards for reaching your smaller-step-goals. Positive reinforcement helps in the journey.

  Resolutions and goals are very achievable, but it's a difficult journey, no doubt. The key is motivation! We have to believe in ourselves, and continually remind ourselves why our goals are important to us along the way.

  How many of you all set New Year's Resolutions? Or do you set goals for yourself on a regular basis?

  I'm going to give my New Year's Resolutions some serious thought, and I'll let you know what they are in the coming weeks!

  LINKS:

Jillian Michaels Podcast 12/31/2006

Jillian Michaels Podcast 12/16/2011

Reality Check

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"If you’re proactive, you don’t have to wait for circumstances or other people to create perspective expanding experiences. You can consciously create your own." ~ Stephen R. Covey

  Isn't it funny, how you can be cruising along through life, and then BANG, something happens to jolt you back to reality, and put things back in perspective for you? Or maybe, with each passing day, you find yourself complaining more and more, and the same thing happens: something happens to make you realize just how trivial you were being.

  It humbles you. And makes you realize what is truly important, and the things you should really be focusing your energy on. I guess it forces you to be thankful. During those moments when it's happened to me, I find myself saying: "I'm never going to complain again!" Yet slowly but surely, a short while later, you're back finding things to complain about.

  I know I have a tendency to do that when things aren't going my way on the basketball court. But really, why am I complaining when my jumper's not falling, or when my ankle hurts a little bit? Even if I get a little homesick, that's nothing to complain about. No one is forcing me to be away from my family and friends.

  I'm all for venting, and letting your feelings be known, but not to the point of whining and complaining. Complaining gets nothing accomplished, and it surely can't be a healthy thing to continuously do.

  The world always has a tendency to throw you off-balance: whether it's something in your own life, your friend's/family member's life, or with someone you hardly know. Ready or not, those times do come.

  I'm not saying that it's good that these things happen. But I am saying it's good to re-gain perspective, and re-assess what we have to be thankful for. What are the things that really matter?
  
"Life's up and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine...[your] values and goals...Think of using all obstacles as stepping stones to build the life you want" ~ Anonymous

  So here's what I'm trying to say: Let's all try to do a better job of keeping things in perspective on our own (myself included!). Let's not rely on the world to shock us back into realizing what's really important.

 

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." -- MJ

MJ w/the game winner.

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  After two consecutive weeks of less-than-stellar performances on the court, I decided it was time to seek out a little extra motivation.

  Basketball, like any sport (or life, I guess), is like riding a roller coaster. Nothing stays the same for too long. Just as you're starting to get comfortable, something comes along to shake things up and get you back on your toes.

  My team had won two consecutive games, so we were starting to feel pretty good about ourselves. And then BAM! Just like that, we're staring at a two game losing streak.

  It's equally important to not get too high with the wins, and not get too low with the losses. Maybe each person is different, but for me it's easier to hold onto the negatives, and forget about the successes you've just had. So in the effort to get my mind back on track, I looked for motivation from the best.

  Some of the best quotes I've seen regarding bouncing back from failure/defeat have come from Michael Jordan. When you think of MJ, you most-certainly don't think of failure. You think champion, competitor, success.

  But undoubtedly there were times in his career where he came up on the short end. Where he missed the game winner, where he didn't play up to par, where his team lost in the playoffs. But one of the things that made him the best ever, was that he always bounced back from those defeats.

"If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."

                                                                                                            - Michael Jordan

  So if someone like Michael Jordan has had failures similar to yours, there's no reason to get down. He's proof that if you keep working, and learn from your defeats, you can turn things back around in your favor.

  I know that's what I'm going to keep in mind this weekend as I take to the court! Have a great one!

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How Important Is It?

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  A friend posted this on their Facebook wall this morning, and I thought it was a good subject for a quick Friday blog. I would change one thing however: "If it is important ENOUGH to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse."

 
  These are the things that we absolutely refuse to fail at. If we fail once, we'll give it another shot using another method. But we will not stop until we have a found a way. Obviously the most successful people are the ones who value accomplishing the little things just as much as they value accomplishing the big ticket items.

  Of course we have our priorities. It's human nature to value one thing over another. So the things that are of the highest importance will get done first, while the things that are least important probably WON'T get done.

  To me, importance and motivation are closely tied. The things we value the most, are also the things we have the highest motivation to accomplish.

  So here's my question: if we are trying to improve ourselves, how do we change what we find important, thus our level of motivation??? I definitely don't have the answer to that. But it's something to chew on over the weekend!

  What are the things you'll get done at any cost??

  Have a great weekend!

Going Outside Your Comfort Zone

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   It's always interesting coming into a team for the first time in a brand new season. Usually, the foreigners (me!) are the last players signed, and thus, also the last to arrive for training camp.

  The other girls on the team have been practicing together for a few weeks. The dynamics are already set: who the leaders are, who the quiet ones are, who works the hardest, and unfortunately, who the slackers are (every team has em!).

Our gym this season!

  Your job is to try to learn the make-up of the team as quickly as you can, and then integrate yourself within your new team.

  This season, it's becoming quite clear to me that this team is going to put me outside of my comfort zone on a regular basis.

  Three weeks ago, when I walked into practice for the first time, the thing that struck me most was how QUIET everyone was; both on the court and off.

  My initial thought was that my new teammates were just nervous to speak English to me. But after getting to know everyone a little bit, they're just a quiet group of girls. Period. Add me, a shy, quiet girl myself, and we're have the makings of a very long, interesting season.

A busy day on the North Sea and its beach!

  There's one thing I do realize though: for a team to be successful, there has to be a leader. I've been on enough teams, and played enough basketball to know that there has never been a successful team that didn't have a vocal leader.

  When I have been in leadership positions prior to this season, I have always chosen to lead by example. I'll work hard, and if you're with me, you'll follow suit. If not, I'm not going to try to drag you along.

  So I can either stay in my comfort zone, lead by example, and HOPE that another, more-vocal leader emerges (and when one doesn't, most likely suffer through a long, unsuccessful season). Or, I can push myself and be the vocal, 'rah-rah' type of leader that my team needs.

  Now I'm no dummy. I want to have fun, and I want to win. So I will do whatever I think is necessary to make that happen. And if that means I have to expend more energy rallying the troops and being a cheer leader, so be it. At least then, when the season's all said and done, I'll know I did everything I could to make this season a good one.

Looking onto the boardwalk.

  I also look at it as another opportunity to learn. How to motivate people. Different leadership styles. What is the best method to get the most people to respond in a positive way?

  I think having positive energy and leading by example are the two key aspects of leadership.

  The positive energy keeps everyone 'up' and involved. The higher your energy, the higher everyone else's energy will be throughout practice and the game. That's showing enthusiasm, constantly talking, giving out high-fives, etc. Being a leader can be exhausting!

Me in my first week in Dunkerque!

  Leading by example, to me, is a no-brainer. There has to be someone willing to show the team how hard you have to work and how to carry yourself. Otherwise, your team will probably end up at the bottom of the standings, and that's where no one wants to be!

  Even with those two things, there's nothing like an encouraging word to a teammate (or sometimes a kick in the butt) to pick them back up. That's the third attribute of a successful leader -- being vocal. And it's one thing that has never come naturally to me. I'm going to give it a shot, and see where it takes me!

  Leading vocally doesn't always mean saying, 'good job'. When is getting a little mad more appropriate, and more meaningful? A good leader has to find the balance between positive and negative reinforcement. Everyone responds differently, so therefore you can't treat everyone the same.

A beautiful sunset over the North Sea.

  Another aspect of leadership is knowing when your team might need a little more togetherness: a team dinner, a team meeting, going to the movies, playing laser tag, etc. Call it what you want, but I call it team bonding.

  I think if you can somehow combine positive energy, leading by example, and being vocal, you WILL inspire your teammates, and your chances of having a successful season become all the more likely.  And who knows, you might just inspire more leaders to emerge, making your job that much easier!

  My team opens up our season tomorrow (Saturday,

Go Buffs

the 17th in Paris), I'll let you know how it goes!

  Have a great weekend!





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