The second year, we stepped up to a tougher level of competition at the second highest level in the state of Colorado.  With a record of nineteen wins and zero losses, (a dream season) in that second year (2008), we were compelled to try our hand at the red (highest) level this year (2009). 

Head coach Don Knobloch had a vision and methodically went about making it happen.  The regular season was a challenge as we finished with two wins and eight losses with fourteen players and were quickly eliminated from the state championship. 

As I mentioned, Coach Knobloch had a plan, though, and twelve outstanding additional players joined the team in the postseason as we attempted to win the Colorado Cup.  We finished the Cup as champions with six wins and zero losses as we defeated the state select team twice.

We encountered some challenges in the Vail Shootout and finished fourth out of sixteen teams.  The ultimate winner was a great team representing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).  Lessons were learned by all of us and we were cautioned that we were going to have challenges in the national championship as most teams would be comprised of a mixture of  ‘rising’ high school sophomores and freshmen.  Our team consisted of rising seventh, eight and ninth graders.  Oh boy!

That brought us to the ultimate goal, the U15 National Championship.  Thirty-two teams from all regions of the country descended upon Bel Air, MD for the championship July 8-10, 2009.  We started off playing against one the tournament’s top teams, Blackwolf Select.  We weren’t ready for what we encountered, lost ten to two, and stood at the verge of being eliminated from the championship bracket.  One more loss in our three games in pool play and we would go to the consolation bracket.  Ouch.  We didn’t spend all that money and time practicing to be eliminated so quickly. 

In our second game against Team Vermont we won eleven to seven and found ourselves slotted to play the Maryland Hot Stix.  We didn’t know what to expect but, hey, it was a Maryland team that had showed up very well in a prestigous tournament earlier in this year.  We started the game very apprehensively as Maryland, and the Northeast in general are the hotbeds for lacrosse at any levels in the United States.  We played a real tough game, came out on top nine to five, and thus were headed to the Championship Bracket.  WOW!  We could have stopped there and it would have been a dream come true.

The next day we began by playing against the number one seed, “Next Level Lacrosse”.  We were introduced to a brand of lacrosse that we hadn’t seen yet and lost eleven to one.  We were sure that Next Level would be the ultimate champions! 

Now at two wins and two losses, we were facing elimination from the tournament in our next game. We watched as Team Colorado was eliminated from the tournament in the losers bracket and felt lucky indeed that we might end up ranked as the sixteenth team in the tournament.

Our next opponent, the BattleLax Bombers, a team from North Carolina, with ten rising sopohomores, played a strong game against us.  Against many odds, we came from behind to win six to five after our starting goalie, Jason Cleary, stopped a point blank shot with just a few seconds remaining.  The players mobbed Jason and we were on Cloud Nine!  We now knew that we couldn’t finish worse than twelfth in the country.  It was an amazing feeling.

Although we lost the next day to a strong Ithaca team, we were very content to know that we finished our season within the top twelve teams in the country.  The ultimate winner was FCA and although the coach was the same as the Vail team, he had some new players that were rising sophomores.  You’d have to say that the FCA coach, Frank Kelly was the U15 coach of the year.  What a great coach and a nice guy as well.

It’s been a dream ride, but most of our boys are off to high school and probably ten different teams.  The comraderie and sense of family has been tremendous and these boys will be linked forever.  With a mixture of emotions, I say “Go Raiders” or ”303′ as the players would chant after huddles.  I’ll miss this group of boys.

The funniest quote that I read on the subject was “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you place the blame” by Oscar Wilde.  I also read a witty comment that the person who originally said “It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game” obviously lost a lot.

Getting back to my first year in coaching; my best friend at the time had a vision where kids could play to have fun whether they won or lost.  We went 1-7 and, believe me, when you see kids crying in the huddle you know they’re not having fun.  That was when I realized that if you want kids to have a lot of fun in sports you have to each them how to win.

You can’t go out on the field and play to win, either.  The best way to win is to work hard and smart and then focus on execution.  If you focus on winning only your eye is on the outcome, and not the moment.  The best teams are focused entirely on the ‘moment in time’ and that moment continually moves forward.  If players continually focus on the present, they can’t possibly beat themseleves up for making a bad play.  This is the best way to have a ’short memory’.

Work hard and smart, train diligently, focus on the moment and you stand a great chance of winning.

Happy July 4th weekend, everybody.

Certain parents love their children so much that they think they should get the most playing time on the team, whether they deserve it or not.  If this is you, I apologize for being so blunt with my statement. 

OK, you’re right, on a recreational team playing time shouldn’t be withheld from any player.  This post only addresses competitive teams in competitive situations.  If your child is on a “rec” team and they’re not getting playing time then talk to the coach.

My boys have been in both situations (lots of playing time and not so much) and I agree that it hurts to watch your child sulk on the sideline.  It’s no fun watching unless the player just wants to be on a team to hang out with the other players and say that they were a part of something.  I’ve watched my oldest son ride pine (sit on the bench), in baseball, on the 4th ranked team in the country.  When my youngest was just starting in football, he stunk up the joint and earned plenty of time watching from the sideline.  He was the most polite player on the team . . . on defense! 

I don’t fault those coaches.  When you’re playing to win, and you know that losing sucks, a coach will put his best foot forward every time.  In both of those situations, the downtime just served as a catalyst to incent my boys to work that much harder going forward.

As a caution to parents and kids when they get to high school (actually on any competitive team); don’t ask for playing time; earn it!  Chances are that if you ask for more playing time, you’ll spend more time on the sideline than you would have.  Would it be fair to take playing time away from the kid who earns it?  The answer to that question should be obvious!

As Mike Green, founder of The Sports Family Club, said very eloquently on Twitter “hard work and a desire that can’t be measured or created are the true differentiators of a pro athlete”.  This applies to athletes at any level.  The harder you work and the more desire that you have, the better you’ll be.  If you improve from working hard, you’ll get serious playing time.  That’s what it’s all about!  You’ll be proud of the playing time that you receive.  Oh, by the way, when you get playing time, make plays so that you continue to be in the mix in the future.

Best wishes to all players as they strive to achieve! 

Youth tackle football practices will begin within the next month.  If your kids are new to tackle football, buying equipment is very exciting, especially if they’ve watched football on televison.  Don’t get ahead of yourself on buying the equipment though.  The first thing you should do is talk to your son’s football coach to find out what the team requires from it’s players. 

You will have some very important considerations:

The team colors can have an effect on some of the accessories that you purchase such as : helmets, gloves, and cleats. Your child’s helmet can be specific in color so find this out before you buy.  Also, helmets can have many upgrades, mostly in the area of protection from head injuries.  Gloves and cleats don’t have to match the uniforms, but if you have a choice why not go for a matching color.  Remember it’s not only important how they play, but they must look mahvelous (thanks, Billy Crystal).

The position your child plays can impact the shoulder pads that they wear as they get older.  If they are going to play a line position, the pads should be more protective.  At skill positions, players need to have flexibility in their pads so they can lift their arms up high for a pass.  As your kids get older, you should have a pretty good idea of their position, although this can change at any age. 

The coach of your team may have an arrangement with selected stores for your purchases.  If they don’t and you want to save money, you may want to check into a store that sells used equipment.  This is your choice, but I always error on the side of good protective equipment.  By the way, I’ve had good luck buying equipment online, in many cases you can save many and get more options. 

If you purchase visors for helmets, be aware that leagues may prohibit dark colors.  This is for the safety of your child because, if there is an injury the attending coach/caregiver will need to see your child’s eyes to make an informed decision as to how to care for your child.

Football is almost here.  Can you feel it!

As many East Indian gurus have told us there is a monkey in the back of the mind that is always trying to distract us.  A player must focus and refocus to stay in the present and prevent emotions from taking hold.

It is also true that both winning and losing can be mindsets.  To transition from a losing mindset to a winning mindset, the whole team has to be focused on every play.  It requires steadfast alignment of the collective thinking of the team that they can win.  They must stay focused throughout the game and think about the outcome after the game is over.  If players are focused on the outcome then they aren’t in the moment.

We’ve all seen teams with big leads lose games and that happens because the players aren’t thinking in the present.  This is true for all actions in life and it’s certainly easier said than done, but coaches and captains need to be aware of the power of the mind.

“Exertion is a concept describing the use of physical or perceived energy. It normally connotates a strenuous or costly effort related to physical, muscular, philosophical actions and work.” — Wikipedia

“Fatigue (also called exhaustion, lethargy, languidness, languor, lassitude, and listlessness) is a state of weariness. It can describe a range of afflictions, varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work-induced burning sensation within one’s muscles. It can be both physical and mental. Physical fatigue is the inability to continue functioning at the level of one’s normal abilities.”  Wikipedia

Parents and coaches spend a great deal of time and money preparing youth athletes for tournaments.  That investment should be protected to ensure that the child has the very best experience on the field.  When there is a tournament that requires sleeping away from home, there is a tendency to let the kids have fun in the wrong ways.  Anything that requires physical exertion is draining for an athlete both physically and mentally.  When the body is tired the brain doesn’t function as well.

Any activity that is physical, time spent in the sun, or anything that depletes the body of fluids such as a sauna or hot tub should be avoided as much as possible. A few years back, the players on my older son’s baseball team thought it would be great idea to have a catch, with a football, at a baseball tournament during a long wait between games.  When they played in the championship game, that followed the break, they lost 15-0.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.  I have watched several outstanding teams crumble from unnecessary physical exertion during tournaments. 

Pool activity should be limited to a maximum of 30 minutes per day. Players should refrain from playing catch. swimming, or conducting horseplay of any kind. 

While chatting with Kirk Mango, a friend who has been a high school coach for 17 years and is the author of “Becoming a True Champion”, I confirmed my concerns about the negative effects of over-exertion.  When chatting about teenage athletes engaging in recreational swimming during tournaments, Kirk said “. . . they are at the age when real competition begins. . . . discuss it from the standpoint that it is important that they can wind down and find other (non-physical) activities to get their mind off the game, release stress, and bond as a team.  They need to consider how certain choices affect not only them, but their teammates. I would start by coming right out and asking, or reaffirming, the goals they have for the season. Then I’d bring them full circle to show them how that choice they made – swimming for that many hours - diminished their chances of reaching their goal.  Good kids, competitive athletes will not do that again.” 

Kirk also mentioned that:

·     Fatigue breaks down the body to the point where the risk of injury is increased

·     His daughter’s competitive soccer team restricts time in a pool during tournaments

Be smart about the way you allow youth athletes to exert themselves during tournaments and they’ll have a more satisfying experience.  Competitive players shouldn’t allow fun off the field to jeopardize fun on the field where it counts.

Here’s the link for “Becoming a True Champion” by Kirk Mango  http://www.becomingatruechampion.com/

Coaches and parents have a lot to say about the development of youth athletes, but ultimately it’s what’s inside the athlete that determines whether they succeed as a high school, college or, ultimately, professional athlete.  If an athlete isn’t determined and willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter how much talent they have.

So maybe pros have two things in common;  they were youth athletes and they work(ed) hard.

If your youth athlete wants to continue in sports as long as possible, the key is hard work.  All pro athletes have skills that came easily to them and other skills that they had to work hard to master.  Guide your child by inspiring them to give 100% effort every time they practice or play.

You’ll be surprised what’s possible with hard work. 

Our summer lacrosse team has many players that have outstanding talent and our challenge as coaches is to manage the player’s “collective team thinking” as well their talents.  If we do this, the team can go a long way.  If we don’t accomplish this task, we’ll follow a long list of underacheiving teams.

We have our first summer team tournament this weekend and it will be interesting to see how well we do against some excellent teams.  More info on the tournament will follow after the weekend.  Enjoy your weekend, all.

1) If an injury looks like it could be a broken bone, go to a doctor immediately for x-rays, preferably an orthopaedic physician.  Some broken bones will heal by themselves after being set and some will require surgery.

2) If your child keeps getting chronic injuries to their ankles, heels, knees, back or neck, the problems could be resolved by chiropractic care.  Look for a chropractic doctor or clinic that specializes in sports injuries.  My boys were adjusted over several months by Dr. Dennis Nikitow of DTC Chiropractic in Denver, Colorado.  Both boys showed considerable improvement as evidenced by before and after x-rays.  It may be necessary for your child to be fitted with orthotics to correct foot alignment problems.  This can make a huge difference as our feet can be the starting point for problems with the spine.   Here is the website for DTC Chiropractic: http://dtcchiropractic.com/

3) Dehydration can be a serious health concern.  Make sure that your child is sufficently hydrated at all time but especially when playing sports.

4) Ice or Heat?  Here’s a very simple rule to use.  Apply ice packs or a baggy filled with ice if there is swelling.  Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.) is an anti-inflammatory medicine and can also help to reduce swelling.  If there’s no swelling, then heat would be better. For a much better explanation just click on this link: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/rehab/a/heatorcold.htm 

5) If your child needs surgery for a sports injury consider the Steadman Hawkins Clinic or a comparable team of doctors.  They are experts at diagnosing and treating  sports and orthopaedic problems.Here is the website for The Steadman Hawkins Clinic: http://www.steadman-hawkins.com/aboutUs.asp

This is not the most comprehensive and detailed information regarding sports injuries, but I hope it helps you.

Professional basketball used to be a game that was decided by the players and coaches.  The game is now decided by the officials.  The officials get their marching orders from David Stern.  Another bold statement; David Stern needs to go or change for basketball to have any thread of decency.

Basketball has icons like Kobe, Pau, Dwight Howard and Lebron.  These players are good enough that they don’t need help from the officials. I don’t trust that games are called impartially.  There is a script that David Stern writes for the NBA every year and that’s how the officials call games. Basketball has become a predictable boring game, that has athletes, but, in my opinion, cannot be called a sport anymore.

The Lakers were better than the Nuggets, in the deciding game of the western conference finals, tonight and would have won the series if the game was called fairly, but David Stern would not allow a chance that the game would go to the Nuggets so the game was called unfairly for the sixth time in this series.  Ironically, the officials gave the fourth game to the Nuggets.  Drama?  Smokescreen? Admittedly, I’m a Nuggets fan but their second win wasn’t enjoyable because it was a gift from the officials. The Nuggets probably would have won that game anyway because they were more aggressive. 

Basketball is merely an exhibition that resembles wrestling’s predictability at the professional level.

I’m going to guess that the Lakers will beat the Magic in 7 games because I think that’s the way David Stern will write the script.  Basketball has become the least credible of all professional sports.  Watch the finals and if Pau doesn’t foul out in several games, against Dwight Howard, the fix is in.

Stern has to go or change for basketball to have any credibilty at the professional level!