For Love of the Game

Today's Blog was written by Ted Williams.  Ted is a senior Civil Engineering major at the University of Notre Dame and a student in the Social Foundations of Coaching course taught by Play Like a Champion Founder and Director Professor Clark Power and Program Director Kristin Sheehan.  Ted is also a Senior Football Equipment Manager for the Notre Dame Football Team.

I would like to highlight the issue of burning athletes out of the sports they love. This is often the result of the extremely competitive culture that can be found in all levels of sports. Today, young athletes are frequently required to attend early morning off-season workouts, adhere to strict diets, specialize in one sport, have a personal coach and travel, all around the significant distances to compete. These demands have become commonplace in the sports world, because failure to meet these demands will result in less playing time, which can decrease the desire for kids to continue playing.  All of these reasons and many more have taken the fun out of sports for young athletes. Without the “fun” aspect, sports become a burden and make young athletes feel like they are all work and no play.

I feel that coaches need to focus on developing their players and be concerned about the player’s overall enjoyment of the sport. This is critical of high school and youth sport coaches. I know this from personal experience, as I work as an equipment manager for the University of Notre Dame Football Team. This job allows me to see the attitudes and mindset of college athletes on a daily basis. Players sometimes complain that football has isn't fun any longer, and they wish they could return to their high school playing days. However, I also see the techniques the coaching staff uses to combat this mindset. The coaches often schedule fun activities or events that help promote team chemistry and bonding. Some examples of this include golf outings, team dinners, and periods of practice where the players can listen to music and even dance. All of these efforts are attempts to lighten the mood in an otherwise intense atmosphere.

My advice to high school and youth coaches would be to devote time during each practice to a activity that has nothing to do with the sport the kids are playing. This will allow your players to get outside of the constant pressure of their sport. This will also be beneficial for your team because they will bond and form relationships as a result of these activities. My high school coach started every practice with a joke; the jokes usually weren't very good, but it was a fun way to start a tough workout. Anything a coach can do to make his or her players feel more at ease is heading in the right direction. The main point I would like to emphasize is that the amount of enjoyment a player has is far more important that wins and loses or anything else. Playing "for love of the game" is a right that every kids should have, and it's up to coaches and parents to ensure this happens.

The Impact of Fan Support

Today's blog post was written by Remy Lewis.  Remy is a Psychology Major at Purdue University North Central and is a former Division One Track and Field Athlete at Indiana State University.  He is currently an intern with Play Like a Champion.  He is also a Coach, Scout, and Trainer for Sports Prep NBA.

photo courtesy of gameday.com

Fan identification has been a major factor in sports competition throughout history. True fans wearing team colors all season, less-devoted fans only wearing colors after a win, never wearing colors after a loss, and even fair-weather fans switching teams just to be a part of a winning culture. Indeed being a fan can be a roller coaster of emotions during sporting events. But what about the athletes? How does fan support affect them? The roar of a loyal crowd can boost adrenaline levels for the home team and be overwhelming for the opposing players. They say keeping fans involved and giving them something to cheer for will always have an affect on winning or losing the game. However, sometimes it is not always about the win or the loss. Maybe sometimes it is about knowing that someone supports you whether you win or lose.

photo courtesy of cbsnews.com

Much of this was the case for the Gainesville Tornadoes in Texas. The Tornadoes are a basketball team for the Gainesville juvenile correctional facility which allows those with outstanding behavior to play for the team. They mostly play against the local private schools and have had success as a team. However, their fan base has struggled. Regular citizens do not see a need to support kids who they believe brought this upon themselves, and most of the parents are too ashamed or simply too busy to go and cheer for their kids on a regular basis, and of course, their fellow students can't attend. Many of their games are played with not a single fan in their corner cheering them to victory.

photo courtesy of usports.org

All of this changed going into their game against Vangaurd College Prep which stated they would refuse to play them at one point. Not because the competition was not there, but because they felt it was unfair for a group of kids to have to play against a school with a ton of fan support. So the players came up with an ingenious plan. First they informed the student body and parents that the Tornadoes had no fan base and wanted to give them supporters for the game. Then they had a random drawing to have half of the student body and their families dress in Tornado colors and sit behind their bench to cheer for them. They made signs, had cheerleaders, and as the game went on, the crowd assigned to the Tornadoes no longer felt like they were cheering out of the kindness in their hearts, but because the genuinely became fans and wanted to support their team.

In the end, this became a heartfelt moment that no one who was able to attend will ever forget. More importantly, the juveniles who parents never make it to their games, finally feel that they fit in socially and appreciate the fans and opposing team for still treating them like athletes and people. It is nice to see young athletes using their influence on their peers to act selflessly in the name of fun and sports.

  

Fun is the Name of the Game

Today's blog post was written by Jewell Loyd.  Jewell is a junior majoring in Film, Television, and Theater at the University of Notre Dame.  She is also a student in the Social Foundations of Coaching course taught by Play Like a Champion Today founder Professor Clark Power and Program Director Kristin Sheehan.  Jewell is also a guard on the ACC Champion Notre Dame Women's Basketball Team.

Fun is the Name of the Game

photo courtesy of 247sports

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word 'kids'? For me it is the word "fun." Have you ever asked a kid why they do something? This could be as simple as why they are writing on the wall, jumping in puddles, or playing in the mud? My guess is that the response would be something along the lines of "because it's fun."  Having fun is a key part of life. It can be overlooked, but in sports that is what drives and motivates people to play hard.

  

Growing up, I stayed at parks playing with my friends. Enjoying every basketball game, every game of tag, water fights--anything that kept us moving. My friends and I shared so many laughs and great memories at these parks. Little did I know that every time I went to the park, I was improving my skills. I was getting better everyday. I did whatever I could to go to the park because it was the highlight of my day. Having fun with my friends and playing sports was the best of both worlds. 

photo courtesy of indystar.com

I began to play tennis and I become really good at it.  However, I was also playing in tournaments every weekend, driving to unknown places, getting up early and not getting home till late. That's a lot to ask of a nine year old kid. Don't get me started on practice. Waking up at the crack of dawn, doing the same drills over and over every single day. I never got a chance to go to the park anymore, I never had time to hang out with my friends and have fun anymore. I was always busy. 

I remember one day, I was supposed to be at a baseball game with my friends, but I had tennis practice. I could hear and see my friends through the fence. I saw laughing and smiles and everyone having a great time. Then there was me, locked in the fenced in court-- no smiles, no laughter.  That's when I made my decision. I quit. I told my parents that I didn't want to play tennis anymore. I wanted to have fun and enjoy what I was doing. Playing tennis had become work; it was not fun for me anymore. When I was on the basketball court with my friends I fell in love with the game. It was fun. I worked hard at it because I enjoyed everything that came with it. When kids aren't having fun, that's a problem. The sport has to be fun and enjoyable for them to succeed. Once it turns into a job, the passion is gone and there is nothing to drive them. When you're having fun, all the rewards and everything that comes from hard work will follow.

photo courtesy of espn.go.com

Goal-Tending for the WIN!!!!

Today's blog post was written by Remy Lewis.  Remy is a Psychology Major at Purdue University North Central and is a former Division One Track and Field Athlete at Indiana State University.  He is currently an intern with Play Like a Champion.  He is also a Coach, Scout, and Trainer for Sports Prep NBA.

In sports today, it feels like we have rules and regulations for just about every situation you can think of. Sometimes we do not always agree with these rules, Often, due to a difference of opinion on  interpretation. For example, in most contact sports, a foul occurs as a result of illegal contact with an opponent and/or a form of physical "unsportsmanlike" conduct  A foul always results in some form of a penalty. However, what constitutes a foul can seem to vary according to each officials. In basketball, some violations occur with a small amount of contact, others only with major forms of contact. Determining what is and is not illegal contact is all up to the officiating crew.

A game, and more specifically a call, on Thursday, March 19th 2015, recent sparked a very controversial discussion.  Towards the end a first round game of the NCAA tournament, an official called "goal-tending" during the SMU vs. UCLA basketball game. With little time left on the clock, UCLA attempted a 3 point shot.  The ball never got to the basket since an SMU player touched the ball as it was on its way down towards the rim.  Touching the ball on its downward trajectory is generally called goal-tending.  UCLA was rewarded the 3 points and then won the game by 1 point, advancing to the next round. Yanick Moreira, the SMU player called for goal-tending, stated that he thought it was an air ball and was going to grab the missed shot. The main controversy has come from two issues:

1. A goal tend is not a review-able play according to NCAA rules.
2. Did the call meet every requirement in order for it to be deemed a goal tend?

In the past, most believed the rules to be that if the ball was on its way down towards the rim, and in or near the vertical cylinder, then the ball should not be touched. After the game had ended, NCAA members expanded on the true definition of the rule stating, "Goal tending occurs when a defensive player touches the ball during a field goal try and each of the following conditions are met.

1. The ball is on its downward flight
2.  The ball is above the level of the rim and has the possibility, while in flight, of entering the basket and is not on the cylinder." 

What has made it a controversy now is the statement  "has a chance of entering the basket", which most have been saying that there is no way the shot would have gone in, while others who freeze the picture on the point of contact believe the shot did have a chance to go in.

Essentially, rules may need to change in the future over this call. In my opinion, it needs to become a play that can be reviewed during games, and the wording may also need to be modified in order to clarify any misconceptions over the rule and the call. In my opinion, it was a goal tend. Every picture I have seen looks that way. If you remove the players' hand, the ball will definitely touch the rim, and could either bounce off the rim and out or off the rim and in. At this point it falls under the rule that states "has a chance of entering the basket."

In the end, the beauty of the NCAA Tournament is the superior level of basketball that people across the country get involved in.  The NCAA Tournament is fun--fun for the players, fun for the coaches, and fun for the fans.  Fun is why kids play games, and I'm glad its still fun at such an elite level, even if there are occasionally controversial calls.

Keeping Fun in the Process

Today's blog post was written by Remy Lewis.  Remy is a Psychology Major at Purdue University North Central and is a former Division One Track and Field Athlete at Indiana State University.  He is currently an intern with Play Like a Champion.  He is also a Coach, Scout, and Trainer for Sports Prep NBA.

When most people are nervous, it is because they are focusing on the results: hitting the ball or striking out, making the shot or rimming out, getting the job or not, winning or losing.  When you focus on the results, there is a big chance that you will omit very important steps along the way.  Here at Play Like a Champion Today, I've been reminded of the importance of focusing on having fun along the way. As an athlete, I've worked for years on improving the things I can control (my running form, for example) and not letting the things I can't control (the whether) affect me.  

For example when a shortstop gets a batter out at first, he has has to 

1. See the ball off he bat.
2. Move in the direction of the ball.
3. Get to the ball.  
4. Get his glove to the ball.
5. Catch the ball.
6. Plant his feet.
7. Get the ball out of the glove.
8. Point his body towards first.
9. Throw the ball to the first baseman.

After this point, the result is out of the shortstop's hands.  The first baseman then has to:

1. Get to first base.
2. Place his foot on the bag.
3. Catch the ball.

While these 12 steps need to be completed for an out, I feel like we also should add "have fun" to the overall process. The out only happens if the above 12 steps, between two people, are completed before the batter's foot touches first base.  Based on the average speed of professional baseball players, these 12 steps need to take place in between 2.8 and 3.5 seconds. If players fail to complete one step in this process, then the desired result may not occur.  But if kids aren't having fun throughout the process, then kids also won't enjoy the game. Sometimes, coaches seem to focus more on detail-oriented drills than their players would like. However, this is because coaches know that if you learn the formula for success, then success will naturally follow. My father, Rick Lewis, one of the greatest coaches I know, has always told me that "The process is more important than the answer."  As a kid, I didn't understand this, but I've learned that that because the process gets the answer, the answer is the process.

After you have found the process that will get your desired results, commit to the process.  Practice that process until that process is the way you do what you do. Become the process or "commit to the script." Trust and believe in your hard work, preparation, and commitment.  You control the process you use.  Your process will control your performance and your performance will control your results. Don't allow your performance to be affected by focusing on the results or the negativity.  Above all, make sure that your process includes fun so that you are remembering to PLAY the GAME, and games are supposed to be fun.