On September 27, 1992, a milestone-in-the-making began. In a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Green Bay Packers decided to start relatively green quarterback Brett Favre. On this day, the greatest iron man streak in sports history began. On Monday, December 13, 2010, that streak ended at 297 consecutive regular season starts (321 if postseason games are considered). In an already tough sport, Brett Favre stands as the toughest player of them all.
In recent years, the former golden boy of Green Bay’s image has been tarnished, with three near-retirements and a scandal from his days playing for the New York Jets, but those who have remained faithful supporters of him do so all for the same reason: when he is in his element, Brett Favre is electrifying to watch.
Over the course of his career, Favre has seen more than his share of tragic adversity. After the death of his father in December 2003, Favre decided to start in a Monday Night Football game against the Oakland Raiders. In this game, Favre was incredible. He threw four touchdown passes for 399 yards and earned a passer rating of 154.9 (3.4 points from perfect). In 2004, his brother-in-law was killed in an accident, and his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Favre led the Packers to a 10-6 finish that season, earning a playoff berth.
Of course, in the public eye, this does little to justify his behavior off the field in the past three years. However, is it fair to criticize Favre so freely? Are we merely tearing him down so far because we’ve built him up so high? Brett Favre is one of the greatest quarterbacks to play professional football, and he is one of the toughest athletes of all time. Should we not applaud his achievements? His alleged cell phone scandal not included, can we not forgive his indecision regarding retirement? For the past 20 years, Favre has only known football. It is his passion. Years of physical injury led him to believe on more than one occasion that he may not physically be able to play anymore, so he has been faced, on more than one occasion, with the decision to give up his passion. Would any of us be better in making that decision? I think not.
Brett Favre loves football. He has given his life to it, sacrificed his physical health. He turns to it when times are good, and when times have never been worse. All of us should be proud to have that level of dedication and love present in the arena of professional athletics, for it is the same level that we value in youth sports that often fades in the transition from collegiate to professional ranks.
Anthony Conklin, ND 2011
Blog Article
Social Foundations of Coaching Class

PLC Partners with the Jordan Family Sports Foundation in Chicago

Play Like A Champion Today(TM) began a partnership with the Jordan Family Sports Foundation in Chicago on Saturday, December 4. A youth coach clinic was held at St. Ann school in the morning and high school coaches engaged in an afternoon clinic at Holy Trinity High School which culminated in a Coaches Commissioning Mass. Pictured above is Jessica Conlin, one of our new Local PLC trainers, with a youth coach. Next is Brooke Overgard of the Foundation speaking with more youth coaches.
Chicago coaches - welcome to the PLC philosophy!

Team Unity

Team unity on a sports team is as essential to the success of the team as is the physical ability of the players themselves. Even in individual sports like track and swimming, building a community with shared commitment and common goals will not only foster a greater sense of belonging and cooperation, but will inevitably result in more involvement, effort, and enjoyment gained out of the sport itself. Building a truly united team is not just about putting a group of athletes together and telling them to win; both the athletes and the coaches are responsible for making a team what it is. Even if the coach is on the right track, if the athletes are not on the same page then it will be very hard to develop team cohesiveness. The opposite is also true. From my own personal experience, I was once on a team where the coach and the athletes were not of the same mindset. My coach was the authoritarian type; it was his way or the highway. All business. No fun. If you were talking that meant you weren’t focusing on your job and that would be dealt with by yelling and harder workouts. During my freshman year six people out of our twenty five group of sprinters quit after the first couple of months of the season. There was no sense of solidarity, nothing that could hold us together as true team because besides being united in opposition against our coach, us athletes did not feel like we had a say or sense of ownership for the team and had very little spirit or solidarity to one another or the sport itself. We were never given that chance to grow close or find enjoyment out of the sport, and I feel that this is why we never reached our full athletic potential. Building a truly unified team requires that both the coach and the athlete trust one another and work together for the betterment of the team as a whole. Coaches need to make sure that their athletes feel needed, recognized, and important. By finding different ways to elicit leadership, players will feel a greater sense of responsibility and commitment to the team and will in turn start to care about the team’s ideals and expect teammates to do the same as well. A united team that works together with a common vision and strives for the same goals will truly become a powerful force to be reckoned with and will not only find more success in their endeavors, but will have greater enjoyment along the way.

Sasha Blanchard
Social Foundations of Coaching
University of Notre Dame 2012

Playing for Fun

As I walked out of my dorm today at the University of Notre Dame, I saw a group of about 40 students running around on south quad. I stopped because they were not playing any ordinary sport. They had 3 balls in one game and they were using them for different purposes. One player from each team was holding a ball and they were pegging them at the players of the opposing team whenever that player picked up the remaining ball. As I watched a while longer, I saw that the remaining ball was being thrown into hula hoops that were on top of long posts at the end line of each side of the field. I had no idea what game they were playing until the following happened. All of the sudden, as I was watching the field, I turned around and there was a kid from our track team dressed in all gold, wearing wings, and running full speed passed me while being chased by a player from each one of the teams on the field. I now understood that they had made a fictional wizard game into reality. My fellow classmates put together a non-flying game of Quiditch from Harry Potter!
I am writing about this strange, but yet interesting scene today not because of what it was, but because of how much fun my classmates were having with this game. At that moment, I came to the realization that all the games that have been made up in the past were for the pure purpose of enjoyment and I think a lot of coaches and parents can forget that in today’s society. Many parents are caught up in getting their child that D1 scholarship or that professional contract that they forget the whole reason for playing the game in the first place; to have fun!
Many parents do not understand the statistics behind their child’s chances of “making it” as time goes on. The percentage of high school varsity athletes that receive a scholarship to play a D1 sport in college is 4.9% and the percentage of D1 athletes that go on to play a professional sport is even lower at 3.2%. I am not spitting out this data because I want to crush any dreams, I just believe that it is more important to focus on developing our child’s and our player’s morals and values than to focus on making a player or child into the next Lebron James or Peyton Manning. We, as parents and coaches, have more control over developing our child’s moral development than we do over their athletic ability and I think that in the long run, their moral development will get them a lot further than their athletic ability. Aside from the fact that a child going on to play a D1 or professional sport is a long shot, it also can sideline the morals and values that sports potentially can teach these kids. Many coaches and parents argue that if a player is having fun, then they will not be competitive. This could not be further from the truth, especially in youth sports. Studies have proven that when players in youth sports stop enjoying themselves, they are less likely to want to continue playing. When coaches or parents take the fun out of playing for the children, it will cause the children to react in opposite ways of what the sport and the parent actually intends to do.
So what I am trying to say is that as coaches and parents, we should take a step back and look at what we are teaching our children and players. If we cannot honestly say that the most important thing for our players or children is to have fun, then it is time to reevaluate our reason for coaching or supporting our children in that sport.
Brandon Porras
University of Notre Dame
Senior Class of 2011

Gaints "Win" through TeamWork

Before the Major League Baseball season started there were not many people who believed that the San Francisco Giants could win their division, the National League West, and no one really thought that the team could win the World Series. Well recently the Giants proved al of the experts wrong and won the 2010 World Series, their first since 1954 and their first since moving to San Francisco. The team has the ninth highest payroll in the major leagues, but this does not paint a correct picture on the reasons that they were crowned champions. Barry Zito is the highest paid player on the team, 18.5 million, and he was not on the post-season roster and Aaron Rowand the second highest paid player, 13.6 million, was a reserve. Take out those two players and the Giants fall to the nineteenth highest team salary in the Major leagues. So how did this self-proclaimed team of “misfits” and players that no one wanted become the best team in the Major Leagues? It can be summed up in one word “team”. Aubrey Huff was the teams best hitter during the regular season, but he only signed with the Giants because no other team called him in the off-season. Not only was his offensive production instrumental in winning games, but so was his happy-go-lucky attitude in the clubhouse. The Giants did not have any superstars, but they had players who wanted to win for each other. Huff and Freddy Sanchez had never made the playoffs, despite playing 9 and 7 seasons respectively. The team was made up of players who wanted to play for the team, not for individual stats. When the Giants acquired players at the trade deadline, the question was not whether they were good, but would they hurt the team camaraderie. Each member of the team truly cared about the guy next to him and they played that way the entire season and playoffs and this led to a championship. Players started growing beards, and “Fear the Beard” became one of the team’s slogans. The team was a tight-knit group with nothing on their minds but winning for each other. After the World Series, time and time again players said they wanted to win it for their teammates in interviews. There were no players that were bigger than the team, and this rubbed off on the younger players and led to an atmosphere where there was only one goal in mind. The Giants World Series win shows that it is not about who is the most talented or highest paid team that wins, it is the team that can come together and work together the most. Not many other teams wanted most of the Giants players before the season, but I bet they will get a few more calls this post-season.

Tim Sweeney, ND 2012
Social Foundations of Coaching

Play Like A Champion Today(TM) Welcomes our newest Partner St. Stephen the Martyr Parish in Omaha, NE

PLC would like to welcome our newest partner St. Stephen Parish in Omaha, Nebraska. During the weekend of November 5-6, Kristin Sheehan traveled to Omaha and presented together with Jim Lebeda, Athletic Director and Asst. Principal at St. Stephen's - also a 2010 PLC Leadership Conference participant. A Parent Like A Champion Today(TM) workshop was held on Friday night(first picture shows St. Stephen's parents) and a coach workshop on Saturday. Pictured is Fr. Tiegs, Pastor of St. Stephen's and Jim Lebeda. Welcome to PLC partnership!

Our Prayers are with Declan Sullivan's family

Declan.
By Amy Holsinger, ND ‘12
(Originally posted 12:22 am, Friday, October 29, 2010)

I did not know Declan Sullivan.

On Wednesday, Declan was killed on campus in an accident involving a hydraulic lift. He was filming football practice for his job as a student manager, and high winds caused the scissor lift he was filming from to topple over.

He was 20 years old. He was a junior majoring in FTT (film, television, and theater) and marketing. He lived in Fisher Hall.

Tonight, Father John Jenkins, University President, presided over a Mass in Declan’s memory in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

Mass began at 10 p.m.. I was in a lecture and movie screening for class until 9:45 p.m., and I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it to the Basilica in time to get a seat. I also wasn’t sure if I even wanted to go to the Mass. I didn’t know Declan, so a part of me thought, “Why should I take a seat from somebody who knew him, loved him, cared about him? Who am I to do that?” But another part of me desperately wanted to go to the Mass to show my support for Declan’s family during this horrible, difficult time. That part of me wanted to show the Sullivans that Notre Dame is a place where everybody matters, a place where the spirit of the community links everybody together. I was already running late and I knew that my baseball-cap-and-Ugg-boot attire wouldn’t fly at the Basilica, so I decided to go over to LaFortune Student Center, where I had heard there would be auxiliary seating and a live feed from the Mass.

As I walked across God Quad in the dark, I watched people walking towards the Basilica, two by two. The doors were wide open, emanating a warm golden glow. I was able to hear the prelude for Declan’s Mass all the way at the flagpole on South Quad, and the sound of the organ became clearer as I crossed through the pine trees and made my way to LaFortune.

Up the winding staircase, I burst in to LaFortune and brushed past the representatives from the Student Activities Office who tried to usher me upstairs to the ballroom. “We have some seats left up there,” a girl with a nametag whispered. By the time I heard her, I had already set down my backpack near my usual spot in the main lounge. LaFortune was different. Normally, the building serves as a study/food/coffee/socialization/meeting space, and it’s one of the busiest places on campus. But tonight, it was quiet. Dimmer, somehow.

All of the comfy armchairs were occupied, so after lingering against a wall, cornered by a trashcan, for a few minutes, I plopped down on the floor like a kindergartener. Mass was beginning. The broadcast was coming through on the two large televisions in the main lounge. (It was available online as well.) During the opening song, the SAO folks brought out a number of chairs from another room, and I snapped up a seat just as Fr. Jenkins was greeting the Sullivan family.

Then, the oddest thing began to happen. Everyone in the room began to respond to the TV, just like Mass.

Peace be with you.
“And also with you.”

I don’t know if it was reflex, a genuine desire to participate in the Mass, or some combination of both. All of a sudden, I found myself in the midst of the celebration of the Eucharist in the same room where I drink coffee, read the paper, watch ESPN, and play Sporcle.

Notre Dame is very good at a lot of things, and one of those things is church. Notre Dame knows how to put on a great Mass, and the higher-ups pulled out all the stops for Declan. The Folk Choir provided beautiful music for the service. I was particularly impressed with the selection of the readings. The first reading was Romans 8:31-39 (“If God is for us, who can be against us?”). The gospel reading was John 14:1-14 (“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”).

Father Tom Doyle, Vice President for Student Affairs, gave the homily. He spoke eloquently and simply about storytelling—about Declan’s love of telling stories through film and about the feeling that we have been “written out of the book of life” that accompanies loss and grief. Doyle said, “Most days, we live in this place that is like Eden before the fall.” Normally, bad things don’t happen here. Students joke about the “Notre Dame bubble” for a reason. When terrible things hit Notre Dame, it seems that much worse.

As I watched the Mass on TV from my chair in the LaFortune, I noticed that the camera kept panning out to the people sitting in the pews at the Basilica. The Sullivan family sat in the front row. Gwyneth, Declan’s sister, wore a Notre Dame football jersey and Mac, Declan’s 15-year-old brother, wore a Notre Dame sweatshirt. Across the aisle, the men of Fisher Hall sat in the other front section, all with their trademark neon green retro sunglasses pushed back into messy brown waves and perched on blonde crewcuts. Fishermen wear these distinguishing sunglasses around campus all the time, so it seemed appropriate that they wore their shades to Mass in memory of their hallmate. The Notre Dame football team sat behind the contingent from Fisher Hall.

During the Eucharistic Prayer, LaFortune was filled with the mutterings of hundreds of students.

Lift up your hearts.
“We lift them up to the Lord.”

When it came time for the Our Father, the Folk Choir sang the beautiful Notre Dame Our Father. LaFortune joined hands and joined in. Then, everyone got out of their seats for the sign of peace. Hugs and handshakes all around.

The SAO employees notified us that the Eucharist was being distributed outside the Basilica and that we could leave and come back. After a moment of hesitation, about 75 percent of the room stood up, grabbed coats, and quietly filed out of the room. I was near the door, so I made it out quickly. Down the stairs, across the quad, towards the music and light. There were hundreds of people already standing outside the Basilica—overflow. Outside, there were musicians performing acoustic versions of the songs playing inside. As I huddled around the front of the Basilica, I turned around. A massive block of students stretched all the way from the foot of the Basilica to the stairs of LaFortune, and people continued to stream out of the building from the ballroom on the second floor.

We stood patiently, quietly in the cold. Occasionally, a priest would emerge from the big Basilica doors. People gathered around eagerly as the priest distributed Communion. Nobody jostled, nobody complained. We just waited. Slowly, more priests came out. After I received Communion, I walked back to LaFortune. I counted six priests standing outside, each man completely surrounded by students waiting for the Eucharist.

I made it back to LaFortune just in time for the final blessing.

The Mass is ended, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
“Thanks be to God.”

And then, as always, we sang the alma mater, arms around each other, swaying.

Notre Dame, Our Mother
Tender, strong and true
Proudly in the heavens
Gleams thy gold and blue.
Glory’s mantle cloaks thee
Golden is thy fame.
And our hearts forever
Praise thee, Notre Dame.
And our hearts forever
Love thee, Notre Dame.

The fervent prayers of the Notre Dame community are with Declan Sullivan and his family.

A night like this should never have to happen again.

What matters to the Athlete?

When my high school religion teacher heard I was going to be home for a week for Fall Break from the University of Notre Dame, she asked me if I would come speak at my high school’s youth rally. The workshop I was asked to give was called “Reflecting God in Sports.” I had gone to the youth rallies while in high school and didn’t have much planned for the week, so I agreed to give the talk.
I just got home from the youth rally. As I sit here, I have a lot to reflect on. I gave my talk three times to three different groups of high school students. There were athletes and non-athletes, students who attend public school and students who attend Catholic schools. To start each workshop, I asked the group to create a list of the reasons why they compete in extracurricular activities. No group out of the three volunteered “winning” as an answer; I often had to ask them leading questions to hear that answer. Instead, the students gave answers such as having fun (which was the first response given every time), staying in shape, and building character. Not only was the idea of winning not on the tips of their tongues, it didn’t appear to be in their minds at all.
I wonder how different the responses would have been if I had given my talk to a group of adults, or, more specifically, parents of young athletes. I doubt it would have taken so much effort on my part to hear “winning” given as a reason to compete. What does that tell us about youth sports today? When we read stories about parents violently attacking coaches because their child is not getting enough playing time, maybe we need to step back and learn a lesson from the athletes themselves. They are out there to have fun, learn the sport, and become better people. They aren’t so wrapped up in winning that they lose focus of what is important. Their parents, on the other hand, sometimes seem to forget what youth sports are really about.
I don’t think young athletes get enough credit. Instead of flooding the newspapers with stories about crazy parents, we should give more attention to the people who have their priorities straight. More often than not these people are the athletes themselves; this point was clearly proven to me today.
Amy Grinsteinner, Class of 2011
Social Foundations of Coaching Class
University of Notre Dame

Red Sox Fan

As a Red Sox fan, the 2010 baseball season will be remembered as a lost opportunity, a season of wondering what could have been, if injuries had not plagued the Sox throughout the summer. Although Terry Francona and his players will be watching this year’s playoffs from their couches, and Boston sports fans will anxiously await the start of the NBA season, ESPN’s latest episode of its documentary series, 30 for 30, took Sox fans back to a happier time. Four Days in October, which debuted on Oct. 5, 2010, allows viewers to relive the magic of Games 4 through 7 of the 2004 ALCS, with an inside look at how the Red Sox rallied from a 3-0 series deficit against their longtime nemesis, the New York Yankees.

I understand that I have some bias towards Four Days in October. As someone who has followed the Red Sox closely for several years, the hour-long documentary did not teach me anything new or groundbreaking. Instead, what made Four Days in October a great trip down memory lane was that it reminded me of the power that sports have in bringing people together. Reliving Dave Roberts’ steal, Curt Schilling’s bloody sock and David Ortiz’s walk-off hits took me back to that exciting time during my sophomore year of high school. The TV and radio broadcast clips can make any diehard Sox fan a bit misty-eyed. However, watching the Red Sox defeat the Yankees, break the “Curse of the Bambino” and ultimately win their first World Series since 1918 was only part of what made 2004 a special year.

Four Days in October, the other documentaries and DVDs that chronicle the season, and the countless books that retell the incredible story, serve not only to reminisce about the events that took place between the baselines, but also those moments in schools, sports bars, and the living rooms of people across New England and “Red Sox Nation.” The clips of fans on the edge of their seats at Cask’n Flagon and the stories of generations of Bostonians long-awaiting a championship are a reminder of how the Red Sox improbable victory was about more than simply a team winning a few baseball games.

In 2004, the city had a long track record of success on the hardwood and recently, on the gridiron. The Celtics had won 16 NBA titles and the Patriots dynasty was in its heyday. Boston however, was truly a baseball city. But since 1919, when Babe Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees, Red Sox fans had experienced disappointment time and time again.

After generations of frustration and decades of hearing “wait until next year,” things changed in 2004. Against incredible odds, the Red Sox, the self-proclaimed “idiots,” finally brought home a World Series title. The unlikely playoff run brought together families and friends, fathers and sons, and mothers and daughters who had hoped and prayed that they would live to see a championship flag raised at Fenway Park.

Every true fan knows who they were with when the Red Sox defeated the Yankees in 2004, just as every Phillies fan can recall where they were when Brad Lidge recorded the final out of the 2008 World Series and how many Americans remember exactly what they were doing when Al Michaels shouted, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” during the 1980 Winter Olympics. It’s the moments like these that make sports special. Though we usually do not, and probably will never have any real connection or relationship with the athletes we cheer for, the power of sports to bring friends, family and even total strangers together is what makes them worth following.

Just as Domers strike up conversations when they pass someone wearing ND apparel, any Red Sox fan that sees an unfamiliar face with a “B” on his hat might be apt to yell, “Go Sox!” While some are critical of fandom and the occasionally obsessive nature of sports aficionados, many people view the teams they cheer for as part of their identity, as they do their hometown or alma mater. Just like we can identify with other people who have a connection to Notre Dame, we share a common bond with people who root for the same teams that we do.

Whether it is on an athletic team of our own or through one that we cheer for, follow faithfully and identify with, sports are a powerful means for bringing people together. We come together with families, friends, classmates and co-workers. We share memories of hope and elation, stories of disappointment and frustration and we feel unity with a group of people with whom we may have nothing else in common other than the logo on our baseball hat.

Josh Flynt
Class of 2011
Social Foundations of Coaching

The Pageantry of Sport?

Most recently, the world caught one of baseball’s most impressionable players red handed. Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees was caught acting. Not acting in a good sense either. It happened in a game between the Yankees and a major division rival. The game was significant because the winner would become closer than the other to reaching the division playoff bid. Jeter was up to bat when the pitcher threw a ball close to Jeter. At first glance, it looked as if he was hit in the elbow. He acted as if he were hit and made a scene. The ump let him walk to first. The Yankees wound up losing that game but by the end of the game it was known that the ball hit the bat. This play sparked a hot debate: Is acting in the sport okay if it helps the team win, especially a much needed win?

My answer to this is acting will not help a team or individual win in the long term. It is a simple argument. If one wants to win in sport, they must learn to respect the opponent. Why? Because when one respects the opponent this brings out competition in its truest form. They can see what other teams are doing for success and failure. It is sort of an acknowledgement by respect. Now, one can see how they need to perform in contrast to what the opponent is performing. They work on their skill development. This does not mean the athlete or team will get the win at the game though. It does mean though the athlete or team is learning how to develop and become better and stronger.

Where does acting fall into this discussion? To sum it up, acting does not help skill development in the sport. Acting distracts one from working on the skills required to beat an opponent. In another sense, by acting it is telling the opponent one did not take the time to prepare to your best. One did not respect the game their opponent plays. I would say that acting could communicate a sign of weakness, a lack of focus.

In the end, think about this question: “If you approached coaching as teaching life skills to help your athletes learn how make life decisions, would acting be involved?”

John Tyler Mowbray
University of Notre Dame 2011
Social Foundations of Coaching

The Ike Special - Varsity Edition

Watch this heartwarming sports story of Ike - Play Like A Champion Today(TM) likes this!

Just Coaching

Justice has many definitions, but one I heard lately seemed particularly appropriate: “treating someone as they should be treated.” Being a just person means realizing that while not everyone has the same opportunities and skills and interests and priorities that you do, all people deserve respect. From a coaching point of view, being just means realizing that every single athlete can be a champion, but may take different paths to get there, and may require a different coaching style for motivation. Some coaches break down their teams mentally, telling them to play harder or be better or else they won’t get to play; some coaches play their stars, unwilling to face the wrath of a parent or administrator. And then there are some coaches that go beyond what is normally considered sportsmanship to make sure every player on their roster feels at home.
On Mark Perry’s Snohomish High School football team in Washington, a young man named Ike Ditzenberger always gets the last run in varsity practice. Ike has Down syndrome, but that doesn’t mean the kid doesn’t get to play. Acknowledging obvious differences, the coach made a deal with Ike: if he kept his shoulder pads on and his mouthpiece in, he would get to play. He became obsessed with football watching his brothers play; his older brother Jake was on the team for Ike’s first two seasons, giving Ike a sense of place despite his limitations. The Snohomish team has embraced Ike, appreciating the camaraderie and sense of routine that his runs at the end of practice provide. In addition, having Ike on the team helps place sports in perspective; his ceaseless enthusiasm reminds everyone involved that football is a game, a fun activity for everyone to enjoy.
Justice means making sure that everyone has the opportunity to be a champion. Read about Ike’s touchdown from the link below!
http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Down-syndrome-football-player-scores-TD-in-Washi?urn=highschool-272803


Kathleen Stanley
ND 2011
Social Principles of Coaching

Reggie Bush's Heisman Scandal

The Heisman Trophy is one of sport’s most prestigious awards, given yearly to the best college football player in the country. For an amateur athlete, there is no greater glory or honor. This week, for the first time in its long and storied history, the Heisman trophy was returned. Reggie Bush, the 2005 winner, gave back the trophy after an NCAA investigation into his college playing days was announced.
During his time at USC, Reggie Bush put up staggering numbers and drove his team to one of the longest winning streaks in NCAA history, winning two national championships. It could easily be argued that he was one of the greatest players in college football history. He seemed to be a good guy who was genuinely likable, even if he was dominating your favorite football team. Unfortunately, it turns out he may have been breaking all sorts of rules.
The NCAA has alleged that Reggie Bush took payments and housing during his time at USC, something clearly not allowed for an amateur athlete. These violations by Bush have not only hurt his legacy, but his actions have also decimated the USC football program and athletic department. The school will likely have to forfeit its national championships and has already removed all signs of Bush’s time at the school. They gave back their copy of Bush’s Heisman a month ago. USC has done all it can to apologize for this situation and correct its wrongs. Unfortunately, Bush has not.
Once the NCAA had made it clear that Bush and the school had committed violations, USC immediately began to rid itself of the stain and embarrassment of the violations. Reggie Bush could have followed suit and began to reestablish himself as a role model for young athletes. Instead, he has constantly denied any wrongdoing in the face of insurmountable evidence. When he finally gave back his Heisman trophy at the beginning of the week, it seemed like a humble gesture. Perhaps Bush was finally admitting his wrongs and showing remorse. Instead, the next day Bush held a press conference to announce that the return of the trophy was “in no way an admission of guilt.” Rather, Bush said he simply wanted to stop being investigated by different groups. What appeared to be an act of honest humility turned out to be a selfish decision.
Reggie Bush is yet another example of why athletes cannot be looked to as role models. He had the chance to be a great, honest, and inspiring football player for America’s young athletes. Instead, he took money in college. When he had a chance to show the world how to fess up to your mistakes, he took the easy way out and denied wrongdoing. Reggie Bush, an NFL superstar, is looked up to by kids across America. And it’s a shame.
Mike Hill, ND 2012
Social Foundations of Coaching

A Strange Game Down Under

Last fall I was able to spend 5 months living and studying in the Fremantle, Western Australia. On my return, most people when made aware of my semester abroad “Down Under” would ask me if I spent time in the outback, or ran into any kangaroos, or saw the Opera House in Sydney. The answer to all these question was thankfully yes; my time in Australia was a wonderful experience full of wonderful memories that will continue to shape my life. However, one experience that I had that is usually passed over when being questioned about my semester abroad is my encounter with the strange game of Australian Rules Football.
Footy as it is often referred to the by the locals, is a uniquely interesting game, especially to the outsider with absolutely no knowledge of the game. I once heard Australian Rules Football described as being a little like every sport we play in America, and unlike any sport we play or know. The ball looks something like a rugby ball, oddly shaped and large in comparison to a football. The field is a massive oval, resembling a cricket field. There are 18 players for each team trying to get the ball through the tallest set of goalposts at either end of the field (there are two sets of goalposts, two short and two tall on each side). Much to my confusion early on, in getting the ball down the field through the goalposts the ball can not be thrown; it must either be passed to a teammate by either kicking the ball, bouncing the ball, or by a sort of underhanded volleyball serve-pass. Players are allowed to tackle only anywhere between the shoulders and knees, making the game at first glance look a lot like rugby or football without pads.
My experience with footy began as merely an escape from the normal day of studying and school work. Whether it was playing a pick-up game in the park with classmates, or going to watch a game at the local footy club, Australian Rules Football was for me, an important athletic outlet during my time abroad. Growing up being a competitive tennis player, athletics and competition were an important part of my life. Much to my surprise and disappoint, I found opportunities to play tennis during my semester abroad relatively inaccessible in my situation; mainly because of the hefty court fees required. Thankfully though, footy stood in as an enjoyable substitute while I was abroad, speaking to the athlete inside me by giving myself and the other American students studying there a chance to get back on the athletic fields to compete and most importantly have a good time.
Ian Rangel
Social Foundations of Coaching
University of Notre Dame
Finance, Class of 2011

Kansas City Parochial League board members and trainers Dave Schmitt and John Svetlecic, and Vince Fitzgerald, League director, show their Certificates of Recognition with Kristin Sheehan and F. Clark Power, of ‘Play Like A Champion Today.’

What follows is a copy of the article on the KCPL which appeared in the KANSAS CITY Catholic Key — Shortly after taking the reins of the sports program in 2002, and following a diocesan mandate, Kansas City Parochial League director Vince Fitzgerald began requiring volunteer coaches and assistants to participate in “Protecting God’s Children,” a child sexual abuse awareness program. Each coach receives certification that they have taken the course, and may not continue coaching unless they have that certification on file with their school’s principal. Certification must be renewed periodically.

Four years ago the former Visitation School football and basketball coach introduced a new educational series to coaches and volunteers in the diocesan elementary school sports programs.

Last month, Fitzgerald and Parochial League board members Dave Schmitt and John Svetlecic, were presented with Certificates of Recognition, signed by the university’s president, for their efforts in the “Play Like a Champion Today” series.

The series, “Coach Like a Champion Today,” “Play Like a Champion Today,” and “Parent Like a Champion Today,” were developed by the Center for Ethical Education at the University of Notre Dame, for coaches and parents of young athletes, as well as the athletes themselves. It is a research-based, child-centered approach to youth sports designed to help Catholic elementary school sports programs reflect Gospel values. Through discussion and educational materials, coaches learn that coaching is a ministry, and the sports program is a continuation of Catholic education; athletes learn to have fun and bring their best to the game. There is nothing wrong with winning, but losing a game doesn’t make them losers. Each game is a new game. Non-coaching parents learn to work with coaches and act as partners to provide young athletes with a rewarding experience. Parents also learn to develop a positive “spectator climate” that respects and supports all the players and the officials.

Parochial League director Vince Fitzgerald said that after parents take the workshop, they should be able to understand the “current culture of youth sports, bear witness to sport’s spiritual side and learn and carry out the techniques of championship parents.”

Fitzgerald said that he decided to introduce this new workshop after several minor incidents involving over-zealous parents during basketball tournaments.

“Winning is important, but more important is how you achieve the win,” he said.

The schools’ athletic directors will coordinate the sessions, which must be completed between mid-September and mid-November.

Fitzgerald said that in four years, more than 1,000 coaches and 1,500 parents in this diocese have been trained to see coaching as ministry. “Coaches and parents have a bigger influence on kids’ lives than they may realize,” he said. “This series helps coaches and parents realize that in sports, they are like youth ministers to the players.”

There are youth sports programs in dioceses all over the country using segments of the program, but only two dioceses, Kansas City-St. Joseph and Los Angeles, that have the original coaching as ministry, recertification and parent programs in use.

The coaches training is what it’s all about, Fitzgerald said. The series uses the GROW approach:

G (goals) emphasize that each child has different skill levels and set obtainable goals

R (relationships) develop sportsmanship — respect coaches, officials, fans and other players

O (ownership) make kids feel like they have ownership of their team, confidence and responsibility

W (winning) winning is important, and it is how the game is played.

In reports the last two years, the athletic programs in this diocese have surpassed the national average in attendance, participation, satisfaction with the program and recommendations to others.

“We’re proud of it,” Fitzgerald said. “The ‘Like a Champion’ series makes coaches think and it helps parents and coaches be on the same page with youth sports.”

END



Top of page

©2001 The Catholic Key - 816-756-1850
P.O. Box 419037, Kansas City, MO 64141-6037

Kansas City Parochial League - Article Link

http://www.catholickey.org/index.php3?gif=news.gif&mode=view&issue=20100813&article_id=6374

Kansas City Parochial League Celebrates it's Accomplishments

One of PLC's first partners: Kansas City Parochial League boasts a great article about their good work in their local Catholic paper.
CONGRATULATIONS KCPL!

Spreading the Play Like A Champion Today(TM) message across the world!

PLC Consultant, Oscar McBride joins Kevin Dugan, Notre Dame Lacrosse Operations Director and PLC Consultant in Uganda this week. Together they are spreading the Play Like A Champion Today(TM) message to young people through Kevin's Fields of Growth International Foundation. Sport is a universal language and these young people are learning what it means to be a Champion while they play lacrosse and flag football. They are also learning how to be a Champion in life.

Sports are Spiritual: Lakers vs. Celtics: Game 7

Why I care so darn much...
Game 7. Lakers/Celtics. History.

I was up on the South Fork of the American River whitewater rafting all this past week. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life, but everyone in my raft knew when it was a game day. We’d park the boat, I’d run and get changed, and find my way to the closest pub to watch the 2nd half of the Lakers’ game. Everyone laughed, and no one really understood it. And up there, in these Hicksville bars, I’d be jumping up and down, screaming at the television, until, as this old townie woman named Willa said to me during game 3, “Well, now I care ‘cause you care so darn much!” And this is why I care so darn much...

Traveling in East Africa, anytime I’d meet a local, there were four questions I was asked. The first was, “Where are you from?” The second, “Which team do you support?” referring to which soccer/football team you liked in the English Premier League. “What’s your name?” was question #4.

Sport. The multitudes filling the Roman coliseum, yelling in their robes, as men scrapped to the death, clouds of dust pluming up as bodies collapsed one last time. The Aztecs playing Tlachtli, playing for their gods, the fans in fervor stomping their feet on the surrounding grass fields.

It’s spiritual, don’t you understand? Have you ever watched a person finish a marathon? Or a boxer finish through round 12? It’s not about a game, it’s not about beating someone else, it’s about competing against yourself, it’s about pushing yourself to limits you never thought possible. And maybe you win, and maybe you lose. In the moment it always feels better to win, but when all is said and done, what matters most is that you came to play, that you gave all you had, and people respect that, I respect that. The fact is, at several points in our lives we are called to the challenge, and it’s our time to face up, and we draw inspiration from those that have gone before.

And it’s not just that, it’s not just the struggle, and the symbolism found in it, it’s about simpler things too. It’s about being from somewhere in this great big world. It’s about identifying with a team. It’s about feeling like you’re a part of something, and who doesn’t like to feel like they’re a part of something? It’s about seeing someone that you would never talk to otherwise, but they’re wearing a Lakers’ shirt, so you say hello, and for that moment, you’re connected.

It’s about getting away too. It’s about being able to pour your heart and soul into something that at the end of the day, isn’t going to cost you your life. It’s about escaping a bit from all the other painful realities that can eat away at us, and just reveling in the excitement for a brief respite. Reality is always knock knock knocking away at the door, and it’s nice to let it wait outside for 48 minutes.

In 26 hours I will be sitting with good friends and absolute strangers, in a packed bar, drinking water because I don’t have money for beer, watching the opening minutes of the greatest rivalry in basketball go right down to the wire, and I’ll never forget it. The L.A. Lakers and the Boston Celtics, game 7, NBA Finals. History, history, history, and I get to be a part of it, and I invite you to be a part of it too.

Go Lakers!
Sergio Ballesteros

The Trauma and Tragedy of Football

We see them all the time on the gridiron and are fascinated with the violence. The sheer sound of the pop of pads is enough to stir most Americans into frenzy over the “Big Hits” in a sport of hits. I love them as a player of the game, and football fans all over the nation and world who love to watch the entertainment of the games can’t get enough of them. Recently, especially in light of the news and information surrounding former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach and Adam James, concussions and the handling of athletes has come under much scrutiny in America. This is because in large part, little research has shown a common, definitive link between concussions and the health of the brain and neurological system of the years. Many scientists, M.D.’s, and society at large has viewed these incidences as isolated ones that do not correspond to lifelong damages if treated correctly.
Recent studies about the health of NFL, collegiate, and even high school football players are starting to disprove our preconceived notions about football, its safety, and the dangers that concussions and even the smaller hits at the line of scrimmage can have on the human body for an extended period of time. The disease that scares me and should really scare anyone else who knows any person who plays the game on any level is being termed Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. CTE was once thought to exclusively be found in the remnants of older boxers who donated their bodies to science. Now, researchers like Dr. Mckee, who is a leading neuropathologist who specializes in degenerative brain diseases, is finding startling evidence that this disease is being found in numerous individuals, including retired NFL professionals and the youngest case to date, a diseased high school football player who died at the age of 18.

Symptoms of CTE do not appear until about a decade after play has ceased and they seem to appear out of the blue. Symptoms include depression, loss of judgment, loss of impulse control, rages, and memory loss that quickly turns into dementia. This disease is a particularly hard one to stomach because there are absolutely no tests that can screen or diagnose the disease in a living person. Indeed, the only way researchers are even able to clinically diagnose this disease is to observe the brains of those affected by it post-mortem. Brown spots can easily be seen on the brains as a buildup of a protein called tau is released in the body after it has sustained the hits generated from football.

This disease and its threats are an issue at hand for youth sports because of the recent findings that an 18 year old high school football players showed early stages of CTE when his brain was examined. This incident causes us to question the impact hits have on youth, middle school and high school aged children. It is particularly disturbing in a sport where children are able to participate in from very young ages, like youth football. One can only imagine the affect hits can have on the still underdeveloped brains of youth. This topic is one that will undoubtedly be on the mind of any coach or parent as we learn more from the research at hand.
Christopher Stewart
Social Foundation of Coaching

Changing the Way We Think

At the VA Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, a lab seemingly like any other holds a group of scientists doing research. Bennet Omalu, a neurologist, studies a computer screen. However, this lab is unlike any other. Surrounding them are vats filled with typical levels of deteriorated brains of 80 year old men. However, none of these brains belonged to anyone who made it past 80. They were all brains of former NFL big hitters. All of them with a history of concussions.

Often times, when we think of the result of concussions, we think of extreme brain damage or death. What if the actual effects of concussion are not immediately visible. What if they do not appear until years later.

Andre Waters played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals between 1984 and 1995 and was All-Pro hard-hitting NFL safety. He was highly regarded as on of the hardest hitters during his NFL tenure. On November 20, 2006, Waters committed suicide. He was 44. His brain was 85 and in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. His family had donated it to the lab at the VA for Omalu to study.

Justin Strzelczyk was an offensive linemen who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1990 to 1998. In 2004 and at the age of 36, he died in a car crash following a high speed pursuit to evade police. He was clinically depressed and had bipolar disorder. His brain was also studied at the VA by Omalu at was also determined to be deteriorated to the level found in an 85 year old man.

Former teammates NFL guard Ralph Wenzel and Hall of Fame tight-end John Mackey reunite at an assisted living facility. The only problem is that the two men cannot remember each other. Their wives help the men by showing pictures of themselves on the playing field cheering together. But neither man can remember each other for more than a few moments. In a separate incident, Mackey’s family discusses an incident in which he became confused and enraged after seeing Marvin Harrison formerly of the Indianapolis Colts wearing his 88 jersey. Both Wenzel and Mackey suffer from dementia.

Christopher Nowinksi, a former football player, professional wrestler, and Harvard graduate, discusses findings with scientists. He writes a book titled Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis. After studying numerous brains of athletes like Waters, they have discovered a few unexpected and shocking results. A person with 3 concussions is 3 times more likely to become depressed and 5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Athletes were at the greatest risk when an earlier concussion had not healed. Over half of all players in the NFL were being sent back into games following concussions and hits that had even rendered them unconscious.

In 2007, the co-chairman for Concussions Committee of the NFL and lead neurologist, Dr. Ira Casson, denies that any of this is true. Part of the video can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4NbU_HaB3Y

The issue became hot this past September and ultimately ended up before Congress in late 2009. After reviewing the scientific evidence, the NFL realizes it must make changes. The rules are changed to prevent helmet to helmet contact, teams must have independent doctors, players must pass strict tests before returning to the field, and Dr. Ira Casson resigns. The NFL Player’s Association enacted the “88 Plan” in honor of John Mackey, which supplies former players with $88,000 in nursing home care and $50,000 for adult day care. The NFL now supports Nowinski and Omalu’s research. Ultimately, the NFL has changed its position and actively tries to protect its players.

Head injuries are a serious, but an unavoidable aspect of football. However, coaches and trainers must remember that the players are people and not merely an instrument to win games. A coach’s decision to play a professional or high school student before their concussion has fully healed can have serious consequences later in life. Athletes will often beg to return to the game, but it is the responsibility of ethical coaches to make the decision to protect their athletes from long-term injuries. Unfortunately this is often not the case, as discovered in Nowinski’s research. As potential coaches for the next generation, we need to change the way we think or potentially change our players’ ability to think in the future. We should all remember what long term affects our decision have on our players and do what is best for them.
Patrick Hernandez
Social Foundations of Coaching
ND 2010

Suns/Spurs Play-Off Series

For the fifth time in the last seven seasons, the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs meet in the playoffs, providing several high scoring games and many unforgettable moments. Who can forget the Robert Horry hip check on Steve Nash in Game Four of the 2007 Western Conference Semis? Or the Tony Parker-Steve Nash collision in Game One of that same series, causing Nash to miss most of the end of a tight ball game? Or Tim Duncan’s game tying three pointer in Game One of their 2008 First Round Series, a shot which set the tone for the rest of the series?
The Suns have not beaten the Spurs in the playoffs since 2000, a series in which the Spurs played without Tim Duncan due to a knee injury. Can the Suns finally reverse the curse against San Antonio?
Starting Lineups
Phoenix San Antonio
PG Steve Nash PG George Hill
SG Jason Richardson SG Manu Ginobili
SF Grant Hill SF Richard Jefferson
PF Amare Stoudemire PF Tim Duncan
C Jarron Collins C Antonio McDyess

Key Matchup
There are so many match-ups to choose from. Duncan vs Stoudemire in the post, Nash vs Hill/Parker, Ginobili vs Hill, and which enigmatic athlete actually shows up in Jason Richardson or Richard Jefferson.
The key for this series is going to be how well Richard Jefferson plays against Jason Richardson. In the games the Suns won vs Portland, Richardson scored 28 a game, and only 14 in their losses. While the Spurs were 7-1 during the regular season when Jefferson scored over 20 points. Jefferson is capable of exploding for big scoring games against the porous Suns D. If the Spurs can bottle up the Suns up-tempo attack, where Richardson excels, the Spurs should be able to swing this key match-up their way.
Analysis
Phoenix comes in confident after finishing out Portland last Thursday. When asked about trying to reverse the curse against San Antonio in recent years, Steve Nash reminded reporters that only three players (Stoudemire, Nash, and Leandro Barbosa) from the current roster have played in those battles. He is right. The Suns have added more depth since and could be the most complete Suns team the Spurs have faced. Players like Goran Dragic and Leandro Barbosa provide energy and play-making ability for the Suns off the bench. Channing Frye is a big man who can spread the floor for Phoenix, much like Matt Bonner does for San Antonio. Jared Dudley and Louis Amundson will likely match up against Tim Duncan during the series. How they match up against the Spurs’ bench is a key to the series.
Likewise, the Spurs will need support for their Big Three of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker in order to knock off the Suns. Sophomore George Hill has thrived in the playoffs since returning from an ankle injury late in the season and was the Spurs’ biggest contributor outside the Big Three. Against Dallas, Hill hit big shot after big shot in victories in Games 4 and 6, including a 29 point effort in the Game 4 win. Richard Jefferson showed flashes of brilliance against Dallas and should continue to find his spots in the Spurs’ offense. Antonio McDyess played superb defense on Dirk Nowitzki and hit the outside shot enough to keep Dallas’ defense honest. Matt Bonner provided help rebounding and scored well both from the three point line and driving to the basket. Dejuan Blair brings length, energy and hustle of the bench. Together, they formed one of the best benches in the league.
Injuries could play a key part of the series. Except for Ginobili’s nose, the Spurs are as healthy as they’ve been in years. Tony Parker is healed from his wrist injury, and it should not limit him in the series. Tim Duncan’s knees are something the Spurs monitor closely from game to game.
Meanwhile, C Robin Lopez did not play for the Suns last series due to a bulging disk in his back. But, he has started to practice and may play in the series. The Suns could definitely use their best shot blocker against the Spurs pick and roll game. Steve Nash’s hip has also caused him some problems the last few days and has sat out practice in recent days.
On offense, the Suns will try to run the ball on the older Spurs and try to score quick baskets in transition. Their frenetic, fast pace against Portland in Games Five and Six was too much for the Blazers to handle. This means the Suns will likely go to a “small ball” lineup to try to control the tempo of the game.
The Spurs will have to guard well in transition and control the tempo of the game. A slower, half court style game suits the Spurs better. Their pick and roll game should do well against the Suns if they decide to go to a smaller lineup with no real shot blockers.
I expect the Spurs to allow Stoudemire and Nash to dominate the Suns offense, while focusing on not leaving the perimeter shooters of the Suns. This strategy has worked in the previous match-ups with the Suns stars putting up huge numbers, but getting no help from the supporting cast.
The Spurs will be able to score at will against the Suns lackluster D. Parker, Ginobili, and Hill should have a parade to the rim for layups against the Suns small line-up with no shot blockers and all should have a big series.
I expect the Spurs to control the pace of play for the majority of the series, and even if they do allow the Suns to run, this Spurs team is fully capable of running with them with a line-up of Parker, Hill, Ginobili, Jefferson, and Duncan. That may be a line-up you see Popovich run for the closing minutes of most games.
In the end, the Spurs are too experienced, and too good on D for the Suns to break their losing trend. Greg Popovich will be able to coach circles around Alvin Gentry, and the Spurs will ultimately win in 6.
Anthony Treemarki
Notre Dame Social Foundations of Coaching Class

Boxing to Help Others

Box Like a Champion Today (BLACT) is an exciting new aspect of the Play Like A Champion Today(TM): Sports as a ministry program as well as Notre Dame Boxing. Working alongside both the Men’s and Women’s Club boxing teams the purpose of BLACT is to organize the local impact arm of Notre Dame boxing. I felt it would be important to integrate both of the club’s charitable purposes within the surrounding community.
Starting in November, I along with Chris LaCosta and Kieran Bulger have volunteered at the South Bend Police Boxing Club. The SBPD Club was founded by Chief Boykins in order to try to prevent kids from joining gangs as well as for them to take advantage of everything the sport of boxing has to offer. The club is free of charge, partly thanks to the donations we have provided. Boxing is an appealing method to teach kids everything from work ethic to proper nutrition. With the help of the other volunteers I also began implementing a tutoring program at the club. This club is run by the Chief of Police assisted by Officer Scherer. On top of the Police presence the club also has Rod Parchman hired as an expert coach and Cody Yazzie as an expert trainer too. After months of observation, practicing, coaching, mentoring, tutoring, and of course boxing we’re finally ready to take the next step and really bring sustainable impact for the club. The fundraiser on 4/30/10 @ 5:00pm, hopefully in the JACC, will be in an effort to raise money for the club in order to buy mirrors for the clubs walls as well as mounts for the heavy bags (hopefully some other equipment as well). We hope to continue to utilize our creativity, education, and ability to continue to support the club in any way possible.
Our second club of our expanding list is the Chicago Youth Boxing Club, located on the Southside of Chicago. Robert Ramos, a former gang member, who wanted to provide kids an alternative to the devastatingly violent life of “gangbanging”, founded this club. Located on the boundary line between two warring/rival factions the club serves as a beacon of hope in a rather dangerous neighborhood. Although very different from the SBPD club, this club is equally beneficial and has a lot of members. The club serves as a connector between the youth of different races who wouldn’t otherwise come into contact with each other because of the racial emphasis in gang culture. This club currently charges $15 a month in order to cover its costs. We plan on implementing various sustainable business practices as well as help coach, mentor and train everyone involved at the club.
Furthermore after speaking both to Chief Boykins and Robert Ramos it seems that creating a relationship between the two clubs would be mutually beneficial. Although located about 2 hours away from each other, the future prospect of charity boxing exhibitions between the two clubs is definitely not out of the question. On top of that the ability to exchange methodologies between the two clubs will be invaluable. Already I’m implementing things at both clubs, which I learned at the other. It will be very exciting to see how this relationship pans out.
In an effort to raise money for both of these clubs, I personally also began my own charitable entity called “Team Carnevale”. Most professional boxing fights are marketed as one on one test of skill, strength, and agility. Using this concept I, along with Bengal Bout champion Greg Bennett, agreed to market our fight in Bengal Bouts next year in this manner. This is in order to raise money for our separate causes. Greg plans on using the publicity for our fight to raise money for the Holy Cross Missions in Bangladesh (where the money for Bengal Bouts goes). This will allow Greg to go above and beyond the minimum donation amount and hopefully continue the club’s legacy of consistently increasing its annual donation. I on the other hand created my own unofficial entity called “Team Carnevale” whose purpose is to raise as much money as possible for both the South Bend Police Boxing Club, the Chicago Youth Boxing Club and various other causes (for instance the upcoming Relay for Life received a donation through the collections at Rolfs). Team Carnevale will actually be making its first significant donation to the CYBC next week. Furthermore I plan on trying to raise about a $1000 through t-shirt sales for Team Carnevale (which can then be worn at the big fight).
Tom Carnevale
Notre Dame, 2012

It Takes A Village

You might have heard of the common ancient African proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child”. Have you every considered that perhaps an athlete, too, requires a “village” to reach his or hers fullest potential? There are so many people that help and support an athlete – the parents, coaches, doctors, trainers, managers, and scorekeepers…the list is truly endless. I think often times only the athlete reaps the full benefit of his or her athletic skills. However, perhaps we should also try to remember that an entire community is often involved in an athlete’s success.
Over the past weekend at the University of Notre Dame, there was a half-marathon race. This truly exemplified how it does indeed take an entire community to help athletes develop and reach their fullest potential. Over 900 runners participated in the race, but in reality the entire community was involved. Volunteers handed out water, police officers blocked off roads, and supporters came to cheer on the runners. This was such a fun and unique experience, and as a competitor in the race I know that I could not have finished the race without the support of many other people.
I think that this idea needs to be kept in mind when developing young athletes. While young athletes do need strong will and personal determination, they can be influenced by so many other things as well. It is essential to for young athletes to have positive influences so that they can continue to develop and learn to truly love their sport.
Colleen McKenna
ND 2012
Social Foundations of Coaching

Baseball Begins!

Today marked the true beginning of a new era for my favorite baseball team, the Minnesota Twins, with the official opening of their new outdoor stadium, Target Field. This will be the first season since 1981 that the team will play its home games outdoors, since their home has been the Metrodome for the past 28 years. Gone are the cramped locker rooms, no longer do the players and fans have to share an arena with the local NFL football team – this is a place they can truly call home, with all the modern amenities of any state-of-the-art ballpark.

I have been waiting for this my entire life. The Twins won two World Series’ in my first four years of existence, and have been relatively miserable until very recently. But I believe that they run their organization the right way, and like no other team in the big leagues. They preach fundamentally sound defense and value “small ball.” They relentlessly scout and home-grow their talented players within their own farm system, making shrewd trades and draft picks in order to survive in a league that mostly values money and the long ball. No team has done more with less over the past decade, and now they are finally reaping the fruits of their labors.

There definitely has not been a more exciting time for Twins fans – the team could not look much better on paper, and they have won 5 of their first 7 games on the road against the formidable Los Angeles Angels and their division archrival, the Chicago White Sox. The recent blockbuster deal for hometown hero Joe Mauer could not have come at a better time. The organization clearly realizes that they play a special brand of baseball and have some of the most devoted fans in the Majors, and they have responded in kind by locking up some of the fan favorites like Mauer and power-hitting first baseman Justin Morneau for long-term contracts.

They have the talent, they’ve begun paying their players the big bucks, they now have a place to truly call their own – all my beloved Minnesota Twins need now is a World Series victory. They definitely took the first step this afternoon – they won the first game in their new home – a 5-3 thriller against the Boston Red Sox – and moved into sole possession of first place in the American League Central Division. Only 154 games to go…GO TWINS!!

- Michael Flattery, ND 2010
Social Foundations of Coaching

Is LeBron’s Free Agency Hoopla Bad for the NBA?

LeBron James will be facing his first free agency opportunity this upcoming offseason, as I’m sure you have heard at least once by now, if not for the 792803024 time. Mr. James has embraced the opportunity by making a circus-like atmosphere around each game, media appearance, even celebrity parties with guests the likes of Drake, Beyonce, and none other than Shawn Carter, aka Jay-Z. This season, more than others, LeBron seems as focused on winning an NBA championship with his current team, the Cleveland Cavaliers in case you’ve forgotten, as would a blue-collar worker who was a few months away from signing the most financially lucrative contract of his life. The problem is that LeBron is acting like he has never been able to drop millions on whatever he fancies. Let us not forget the $100 million contract he has with Nike, and the $83 million contract he is currently still under. While he has never before been a free agent, he certainly is behaving like he has never been there before. Instead of averaging the triple-double he is well capable of, it seems as though he is toying with the opposition on the court, and enjoys preoccupations such as dancing on the sidelines, changing jersey numbers, paying homage to Michael Jordan, eating fans’ popcorn in-game, entertaining with rap stars, and most of all, cultivating the fan-fair surrounding his impending free agency.
Although each of these non-basketball related issues affects only LeBron and his teammates, the structure of the NBA may be taking a hit due to LeBron’s eagerness to indulge in the rumors that he is bound for New York. Let’s make a few things clear; LeBron is just as entitled to his free agency as any other player, he is entitled to earn as much as the market will pay for him, and he is entitled to play where he chooses if they will have him. However, there is something wrong when he seems to be hinting at a future in the Big Apple while he is still in the championship-chase with Cleveland. It is one thing to be BFFs with Jay-Z, self-proclaimed king of New York and part-owner of the New Jersey Nets soon to be relocated to Brooklyn, but it is another when you spend your free time at shows and parties in New York sporting Yankee ball-caps, and even taking it as far as wearing custom-made signature shoes with NY etched on the base of the shoes while playing for the Cavs! Just because the Cavs new retro uniforms happen to share the same colorway as the Knicks jerseys does not give one right to put an opposing city’s name on your shoe. Now keep in mind, LeBron is not from New York, he has never even lived there; rather he is playing for his hometown team; he is Cleveland born-and-raised.
Not only are these actions a slap in the face of his current teammates and fans, but teams’ reactions to LeBron’s hints that he wants the bright lights of Broadway have been nothing short of sabotage. Fans in New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles (Clippers), and Chicago are all waiting on pins and needles to see if the King James will grace their throne; however they may all be disappointed for more than just one reason. If LeBron fails to join any of the aforementioned squads, they will have failed at the two, even three-year plans that they have been attempting to execute. Dumping salary, not signing players who could improve their teams immediately, and darn near losing games on purpose to secure better draft picks have been employed by each of these teams just to have a shot a LBJ, but what cost does this have on the league? At the current moment all of these teams are outside the playoffs looking in, with only Chicago having a remote chance to break in as the eighth seed in the eastern conference. These cities’ fans have reason to be upset if they don’t land LeBron because of the years of suffering would be all for naught. Lets face it, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh aren’t consolations to sneeze at, but they would definitely not be reason enough to lose for a few years just to have a shot at. Any time one player needs to be praised in a bigger city with brighter lights, more storied arenas, more famous crowds, all with no promise of a better team, fans should take a step back and contemplate what is really happening. The competition in the NBA, especially the eastern conference, is at an all time low, and the magnetism of one player is polarizing the field even more. If LeBron and the others coveted in the summer end up remaining with their respective teams, this theory will become clearer, especially when teams question their future and have to answer to 20,000 livid fans every night while LeBron continues to put on a show in Cleveland.
Ryan Woods
Social Foundations of Coaching

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Last week, the Minnesota Twins took the field for the first time at Target Field, a $425 million brand new outdoor baseball park in Minneapolis. Despite an afternoon of rain, thousands of fans flocked to the new park in the evening to watch their beloved Twins take on the Cardinals. Naturally, the event was a major feature on every form of media in the state, and news stories debating the pros and cons of the new facility have been running since the plan for the project was announced years ago. Although there have been countless arguments made and statistics gathered about the value of the ballpark, what impressed me most about the inaugural day at Target Field was the photo on the front page of the Saint Paul newspaper the day after the event. This photo featured Anneka, a 3-year-old girl, giggling in pure delight as her father holds her high in the air between innings at the game.
To me, these are the standards by which the success of Target Field should be measured. Especially for young children, attending sporting events should be fun, playful, exciting and memorable times. By cheering with other fans, watching the players in action, spending quality time with family and friends, and learning the workings of the game, children learn a love of sports by watching. These are the same children who grow into future athletes, or at the very least, lifelong fans. If Target Field, or any athletic venue, can bring families together, give children lasting memories, and provide a great experience for all attendees, it is a successful facility.

Emily Stewart
Social Foundations of Coaching
University of Notre Dame 2010

Acclaimed character sports coach author retires

SALT LAKE CITY — Just three days after Judge Memorial Catholic High School played for the 3A state championship title, longtime coaching icon James Yerkovich announced to his team he was retiring.

“I don’t have the energy I used to have to run the quality basketball program I would like,” said Yerkovich of his 44 years at Judge Memorial Catholic High School. “We still have that kind of program, thanks to two of the most loyal assistants any coach could have in Dan Del Porto and Marty Giovacchini.”

Yerkovich had 634 wins. His teams have participated in 38 state tournaments with three state championships and six runner-up finishes.

Yerkovich has had five operations over the past five years, including open-heart surgery and two knee replacements. The heart surgery left him with nerve problems in his right hand.

In addition to his long tenure as head basketball coach, for the past 20 years he has been the academic vice principal at Judge. He also taught A.P. calculus for 25 years.

“The past 44 years have been filled with great people, players and coaches who have built a strong Judge community,” said Yerkovich. “I’ve always felt that coaching is really at the high school level because that is where you can have so much impact on the lives of the players.”

In a blog on the Deseret News site, former Real Salt Lake soccer player Adam Acosta, who was a student of Yerkovich’s, said he grew up dreaming of playing for Yerkovich. “As a kid I idolized his teams, players, philosophy and him. Then I was fortunate enough to play under him for three years, and I can honestly say there has never been a more influential coach or man,” said Acosta.

Yerkovich asked Acosta to be an assistant coach for the varsity and junior varsity basketball teams. Acosta also coaches the sophomore basketball team and the soccer team.

“I will never forget the words he said to me as a player, ‘You are always going to make mistakes on and off the court, but ask yourself if you are a better man.’ In this day and age, not many coaches encourage that,” said Acosta. “He did and I thank him.”

“He is a remarkable person,” said Dan Quinn, Judge Memorial director of athletics. “Coach Yerkovich has done some amazing things over the five decades he has been here, both in the NCAA by putting Judge Memorial on the map and I can’t tell you how many kids he has gotten into college because of athletics and/or academics. We are going to miss him. He will be a legendary coach. Since he announced his retirement, the phone has not stopped ringing with well-wishers.”

Yerkovich is a 1961 Judge Memorial graduate. He knew in high school he would go on to play college basketball, major in math, and return to Judge to teach math and coach basketball.

“I feel very blessed,” said Yerkovich. “The highlights of my career include participating 13 times in the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament (ACIT) in Cumberland, Md. We won three Consolation Championships, and in 1990, defeated two nationally ranked Washington, D.C. teams to make it to the championship game and become the runner-up. Winning was never our main goal because we played against the best teams in the nation. It was more to give the team the experience. We will participate in the 50th ACIT from March 18-20.”

The other highlight was writing “We: A Model for Coaching and Christian Living,” with Jesuit Father Patrick Kelly, he said. “You try to teach the kids to be the best athlete they can be, but at the same time teach them life skills.”

In his retirement, Yerkovich plans to travel as much as he can with his wife, Betty, and spend time with his family.

The NBA season

http://technorati.com/sports/article/are-the-denver-nuggets-championship-contenders/

In listening to basketball gossip surrounding this year's NBA season it appears as though the season was decided and done with before it even began. From the get go all that has been discussed and covered by the media is how great this year's finals will be between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now it is a well known fact that both of these teams are very good, and each have their own respective super star, but why is every other team in the league already being ruled out as a contender? With such emphasis being put on these two teams as the sole contenders, is league management trying to micro manage how the season plays out, to ensure that what fans "want to see" is delivered? The article above briefly discusses the Denver Nuggets as being contenders for this years title, but due to their rough edged personality, they have in a sense been given the back seat by the media. Can it then be said that the league is trying to promote what is sees as best for its image, or will what happens the court be the only contributor to who is really the best team?
Andrew Scheid
Social Foundations of Coaching
ND 2010

NCAA Tournament- too much?

There is talk of the field of 64 (now 65 officially) expanding to 128 teams for the Men’s NCAA Basketball tournament. There is also something along the lines of 90 hours straight of Bracketology and analysis and the like leading up to the first game of the Men’s Tournament. At what point does this become too much? How many games or replays or plays or analysis or predictions do we need to go through until we have reached a breaking point? I think that point is just about here and is dangerously close to turning some fans away.

A 96- or 128-team bracket is too much for “The Dance”. March Madness is crazy enough to begin with. We do not need to add to the insane happenings that go on throughout the month. Now, many of the teams who make it to their conference finals would have a shot at making the tournament because of the expanded field. This takes away from the excitement of the conference finals and puts the focus on the semifinals. There also becomes a great deal of uncertainty and debate over who should get those newly-added bids. The current format works- it fits easily into a 3 week tournament with plenty of excitement to go around. There are the shots that sends teams into the championship game with a shot at making the dance, and then that back-and-forth finals game that comes down to free throws to determine who gets the automatic bid. As a sports fan, there are few, if any, more thrilling times during the year. I think an expansion of the field would take a little bit away from this. Leave the field at 65 teams.

Led by sports giant ESPN, there is now more analysis of the games and teams and scenarios than you ever hope to keep track of. ESPN is touting its marathon of NCAA basketball coverage leading up to the first round games. It has nearly 90 straight hours planned of continuous college basketball games, information, and analysis. I am sure that the national champion and Final Four teams will be predicted a few dozen times. There will be talk of who just missed the tournament, which region has a favorable draw for the top seeds, who needs to watch out for first-round upsets, who could be a dark horse and make a run, and many more topics. I enjoy watching general highlights of that and seeing a few predictions, but this had gotten out of hand. Digger Phelps will exhaust the small numbers he pulled away from team stats and will be using as an indicator or how a particular team will do. Again, this is interesting to watch in limited exposure. However, this had gone too far. Give us quality, not quantity. I want to see a few good things to look for or potential dangers teams could face, not a laundry list. Keep the excitement level high with and do not ruin it with all of these expert opinions- too much of any thing can be bad, and we are reaching that level now with the coverage and analysis.

March Madness. This is the most exciting time of the year. There is constant jubilation and triumph juxtaposed to heartbreak. The thrill of watching kids who love to play the game makes for a very distracting 3 weeks, a distraction I am more than happy to have. Do not ruin it with expansion or over-analysis. Let the kids do all the talking on the court; they have been doing a pretty good so far.

Sean Stefancin ND ‘12
Social Foundations of Coaching Course
University of Notre Dame

Tiger Woods: Sincere or Staged?

If you have watched any news program over the past three months, you may have heard the name “Tiger Woods” mentioned more than once. It is no secret that the life of Tiger Woods has changed over the past several months, particularly following his car crash on the evening of Thanksgiving. Tiger has always lived under a spotlight when it comes to his actions on the golf course, but following his car crash and after admitting his “transgressions”, Tiger will now live in a world of scrutiny that has recently been unsurpassed for any athlete. Many anxiously waited for answers to questions or a public apology in the weeks following the incident that took place in November, yet the only actions of the sort came as an apology via his website. In addition, Woods seemed to vanish into thin air as he was not seen in public for nearly three months following his Thanksgiving accident.
For some, the day of February 19th would be a chance to find some answers after Woods announced that he would have a press conference at the PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. However, after the details of the “press conference” were revealed, many realized that they might not get the answers to the questions that they hoped. Tiger, being the superstar that he is, planned to read a personal statement to a select group of media. In addition, he announced that he would not be taking questions.
The statement by Tiger Woods on the 19th proved to be a media field day. A number of networks, including those with no relation to sports, carried his 13 minute statement. As Woods read his statement, the mood of the room was rather gloomy. He read the statement to a group of friends and supporters, of which included his mother. As Tiger read his statement, he made the obvious admissions and apologies. However, as he finished his statement and as the media began to analyze his work, the real question became whether Tiger Woods was being sincere in his apologetic statement, or whether his entire statement was a planned and staged media event.
Arguments can be made for both sides of Tiger’s statement made on February 19th. Some feel that he was reading from his heart, while others still feel that he was insincere. In a recent poll conducted by ABC and ESPN, only 54 percent of voters responded that they felt Tiger was being sincere. No matter the view, there is no question that the game of golf will sorely miss the playing of Tiger Woods in his leave of absence. As a golf enthusiast, I am still not quite sure of my opinion on Tiger’s “transgressions” and other actions of the past several months; however I do know that the PGA Tour will not be the same until he returns to the game of golf.

John Lytle
Notre Dame ‘10
Social Foundations of Coaching

Tiger Woods’ Scandal Coming to a Close?

Beginning on November 27, 2009, a series of events took place that would have Tiger Woods’ image changed forever. No longer the squeaky clean, role-model athlete he once was, Tiger now looks to make a return to golf, possibly eyeing the April 8th Masters at Augusta, or perhaps the Arnold Palmer Invitation in hometown Orlando, which takes place at the end of the month. The question remains however, how will he deal with the inevitable questions that he will face upon his return? Guaranteed whichever date he chooses will be well thought out and strategized to no end. On one hand, the Arnold Palmer Invitational would be much smaller, less media and overall crowds due to the magnitude of the event, and the competition would be softer. The event would be a tune-up for the Masters, which, as a major, will get much more attention, regardless of Tiger’s attendance. However, the Masters is able to protect Tiger like the API wouldn’t be able. Media and crowd control is a hallmark of the event, and Tiger would even be able to sneak in practice rounds because he is a member of the club. There are much stricter rules for media, who have allotted time and location for interaction with golfers, and fans, and are typically less rowdy than the run of the mill tournament-goer.
This decision is not nearly as arbitrary as it may seem, as the way in which Tiger will face questions about all of what has taken place over the past five plus months could greatly very between these two events. Because Tiger has sort of put his paw in his mouth, so to speak, he will eventually hear questions which he has yet to answer. The level of outrageousness is likely to vary from tasteful to the most personal, inappropriate, non-golf related questions, perhaps even involving his family. If Tiger doesn’t want to hear these in press conference question form, he can try his luck at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he is likely to hear them, and other flat out mean spirited remarks, shouted from the gallery just as he is midway through his backstroke; except no snapping back at the fans this time, those days are over. Despite smaller, typically less media covered event that is the API, he would be much better off within the safety nets of the Masters, where the PGAs most prized possession can be cradled and protected from hecklers and unruly TV and internet media hounds (I wasn’t pointing any fingers at you TMZ, take a seat). However, he better hope he still has his flare for the dramatics and ability to succeed in trying circumstances, or else there will be little golf to talk about to steer away from the questions he is sure to field about his personal life.

Raymond Lieu
ESS 33606, Social Foundations of Coaching
Clark Power/ Kristin Sheehan

Everybody's a Critic

Celebrity culture in the United States has spiraled out of control. Focusing more closely on athletics, Americans worship and idolize athletes in the arena, on the field, on the racecourse, or in the Stadium. American society makes these competitors into role models by adoring their physical talents and scrutinizing their decisions both on and off the field. They feel the need to pry into the personal lives of these athletes. Americans want to know what athletes wear, who they date, what they drink, etc. But the worst part of this idolatry is that society loves to see the heroes fall. Whenever one of these athletes make a poor decision or makes a mistake, every newspaper, tabloid, and magazine has a feature on that competitor the next day. In addition, there is a profession in which people get paid based on taking compromising pictures of these athletes.

One example of this ridiculous athletes scrutiny is highlighted by the large amount of publicity that follows poor decisions made on the field. For instance, at the end of 2009, after the Patriots played the Bills, Tom Brady faced criticism for his poor decision. Although his team won the game, Brady still faced censure for over a week following the game. Articles stated that he was uncreative with his play calls, made poor decisions, choked under pressure, etc. Apparently, “everybody’s a critic.” Obviously, there is something to playing professional sports that makes it challenging. When playing a game, a match, a race, etc. everything occurs so quickly that mistakes can easily occur whether its making a poor call during a football game, starting a sprint to fast in a race, etc. A competitor makes such a large amount of decisions in the matter of a split second that it’s easy to sit on the sidelines and criticize.

Another highly publicized example is Tiger Woods and his recent scandal in November 2009. This is not defending his choices, but merely stating that who is anyone to judge how Tiger Woods lives his life. At first glance, Tiger Woods crashed his car and rumors of an argument with his wife circulated the web. A few days later, rumors of infidelity spread though the internet, and then finally it was confirmed. Every newspaper, magazine, and tabloid had articles featuring Tiger Woods’ infidelity with lists of the women he had sex with, interviews with his sex partners, and details of how Woods would commit his acts of disloyalty. Despite Woods’ efforts to conceal his mistakes, the media continued to press him until the story finally came out. After this story came about people began to scrutinize his behavior on the golf course. The poor decisions he made in his personal life did not affect his vulgar language on the golf course. He had poor sportsmanship before his infidelities became public, but his vulgar language only became an issue once his loyalty came into question. In any case, it has been two months and new stories about Woods’ scandal are still in the newspapers.

It’s remarkable how quickly rumors spread, how penetrating the media can be, and how quickly people are to judge. These athletes are only human. It is human nature to make mistakes. A human cannot grow and mature without mistakes. Why else would we always create a delete button or an eraser? Mistakes are inevitable, so who is anyone to judge someone else? In the Bible, didn’t Jesus say, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone?” I think the questions that America needs to ask itself are, “When is enough, enough? When should someone’s private life remain private?” There should be a line somewhere, shouldn’t there?

Rachael Louie

Social Foundations of Coaching

ND 2010