Bud Wilkinson, football coach "If a team is to reach its potential, each player must be willing to

subordinate his personal goals to the good of the team." _____________________________________________________________________________________

Are You an Optimist or a Pessimist? I've been giving some thought lately to optimism and pessimism. Basically, these are attitudes. Attitudes that shape and formulate our entire existence. I mean, have you ever met a happy pessimist? Of course not.

In short, our optimism or pessimism is this:

The way we interpret the past The way we experience and view the present

The way we imagine the future

Have you given much thought about how your attitude, whether you are an optimist or a pessimist, affects you business, organization or school? Have you thought about how it affects you personally? And what about the team you are a part of?

What is optimism? It is a belief that things in our past were good for us, even if that means they were hard and taught us lessons. It is also the belief that things will be better in the future.

Here are some contrasts between optimism and pessimism and how they affect us:

Optimism breathes life into you each day Pessimism drains you

Optimism helps you to take needed risks Pessimism plays it safe and never accomplishes much

Optimism improves those around you Pessimism drags them down

Optimism inspires people to great heights Pessimism deflates people to new lows

There is only one way that optimism and pessimism are the same, and that is they are both self-fulfilling. If you are an optimist, you will generally find that good things happen to you. And if you are a pessimist, you will find yourself in the not-so-good situations more often than not.

So can a person just become an optimist? Yes! We can choose to look at the world any way we want to. We can choose to look at the world and think the worst, or we can tell ourselves the good things about each situation. As you find yourself looking at your enterprise, begin to view it through the eyes of an optimist, and you will reap the rewards listed above, and so will the people around you.

There are tremendous benefits to being an optimist, as stated above. But there are some pessimists out there who will say, "But that isn't realistic." I say "Who cares?" If things go awry, at least I have spent my time beforehand enjoying life and not worrying about it. And, being an optimist, I would view the "negative" situation as an opportunity to grow and learn. So I can even look forward to my failures because they will be stepping stones, and learning tools to be applied to my future success.

Have you ever met a successful pessimist? Become an optimist and see your world change before your eyes!

-- Chris Widener

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Survivors and Thrivers! -- Chris Widener

One of the most watched television shows today is Survivor. We admire those who survive! We tune in every week to see who makes it next. But even better than being a survivor is to be one who thrives!

What are the differences between someone who survives and someone who thrives? Here are a few:

A survivor gets by, a thriver gets ahead. Do you feel like you are just getting by? You don't have to. You can actually get ahead! You can be out front! You can thrive!

A survivor is tired at the end, a thriver feels full of energy. When you are finished do you feel tired? You can thrive and be filled with energy! You can thrive!

A survivor has barely enough, a thriver has an abundance. Do you have more month left over at the end of your money? You can have more money left over at the end of your month! You can thrive financially!

A survivor is always on the edge, a thriver is on firm ground. Do you feel like you could fall over the edge at any time? You can get back on solid footing! You can feel firm about where you are. You can thrive!

So how do we shift from being a survivor to becoming a thriver?

Here are a few steps to put you on your way!

First, start with some good input. Subscribe to as many good magazines and E-zines that will change your outlook and inspire you to thrive! And don't just subscribe to them - read them. Devour them. Get great audios and videos and listen to them and watch them. The principle here is to renew your mind to become a person whose mindset is one of a person who thrives.

Second, get around people who are thriving. Join clubs and groups filled with people who are already thrivers. Develop friendships with them; take them to lunch or coffee. Pick their brains and learn from them. Mimic their habits of thriving.

As you commit to these first two, you will see the time you spend watching and listening to junk go out the door. You will see that you are spending less and less time with those kinds of people who just want to survive. This will be the launching pad for your success.

Third, make a personal evaluation of your skills. What areas do you need to grow in? Now, get to work on those skills. Skills are what take you to the top. An old quote says that the race isn't always won by the fast or the strong, but that's the way to bet! I'll take the person with skills to be the one who thrives every time. It won't work like that every time, but it will most of the time.

Fourth, make a commitment to a long-term, tenacious outlook. We have to do this in order to turn the ship around. If you are just a survivor, you can be a thriver, but it may take some time. Remember, this is for the rest of your life. There will be times of weakness. There will be times of hardship. If you are tenacious, you can, and will, thrive!

Fifth, understand that thrivers are almost always people of methodical discipline and order. They know that they have to have order in their lives and the order is what produces the ability to thrive. They thrive financially because they discipline themselves to save and invest rather than spend. They thrive physically because they are disciplined in what they eat and in how they exercise. Discipline will make you thrive!

--

Yes, you can THRIVE! Take the above and get to work. Make these principles a part of your life and they will create in you an ability to thrive in everything that you do. You will no longer just survive. Instead, you will thrive! And that is going to feel great!

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"There is No Security in this life. There is Only Opportunity." -- Douglas MacArthur

Most people spend their time trying to keep what they already have or stay at the level they have already attained. This is human nature. The problem is that keeps us focused on the wrong things, especially if we are going to continue moving on and becoming more successful. Instead, we ought to accept the fact that there is no security and therefore nothing to spend our time worrying about. This then, allows us to focus in on our goals, dreams and visions - the opportunities that we desire to strive for. It unleashes our potential because we are focused on the right things!

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Control Your Inputs

Your mind is your ultimate personal computer. Like your laptop at home, sometimes you might forget to turn on your mental virus protection program allowing negative thoughts to invade your mind - without even realizing it. So, the computer adage "Garbage in, garbage out" as it applies to your mind should really be "Garbage in, garbage stays."

Your mind never sleeps. You can't pull a "fast one" on it. Whatever your mind hears from others, and especially from you, it records and stores.

The mind doesn't discriminate between input that is good for you or harmful to you - it collects all input. If you hear something often enough, you will tend to believe it and act upon it. Your mind can be your greatest ally or worst enemy. Seek positive inputs and you will improve your chances of producing positive outputs.

We draw into our lives that which we constantly think about – good or bad. If you are obsessing about what your boss will do if you make a mistake, then guess what's likely to happen? If you are always thinking about why you can't seem to get a break, or when the next shoe will drop in your relationship, or what will happen if you can't afford to pay for your car repairs or why you don't get as much recognition as your colleague, then you are programming

your mind (and those around you) to turn these thoughts into your reality. Negative thoughts are landmines along the pathway to being your best.

Consider three common influences that can program us daily. They have the potential for a positive or negative impact on our thoughts and, ultimately, our results.

Television - Studies show that the subconscious mind is most receptive five minutes before we doze off at night, a common time for watching the news. Unfortunately, much of the news today shows the worst side of people and the world. When I was a kid my mom used to say, "Boy oh boy, we can watch the six o'clock news and not eat or watch the 11 o'clock news and not sleep." Mom's words still apply today. So, when you hear a news story, remind yourself that it's considered news because it is unusual. Doing so will help you balance potentially negative input with more uplifting thoughts.

So how can we remain well-informed and maintain a positive outlook? Monitor what you watch. More recently, my mom said, "I have 600 T.V. channels and nothing to watch!" An exaggeration of course, but if we choose programs that are more educational, artistic, spiritual or sports and comedy oriented, we will stimulate positive thoughts. Our thoughts today form our results tomorrow.

Newspapers – Many people, particularly in the business world, start their day with the newspaper. Whether it's a glimpse at the headlines or a front to back reading, there is plenty of positive and negative news to read. Before you dive into the daily newspaper or on-line news portal, take a quick inventory of all the things you have to be grateful for. Additionally, make it a habit to finish your reading with an inspiring story so your mind is primed for a positive day.

Other people – Make the choice to surround yourself with people who offer positive inputs. There will always be negative people and perspectives. Since we cannot hide from them, we must learn to filter out negative input to minimize "garbage" in our thoughts. The best strategy is to make a conscious effort to get to know and spend time with people who have a positive outlook.

These three sources of input have the potential for a positive or negative impact on your attitude, and ultimately, your results.

You are what you think, so control your inputs!

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“I wish I were as enthusiastic as you.” said the young man. Or should I say “said the young ignorant man.” Ignorance is not a bad thing, because with just a little information and a little bit of effort, it can be overcome.

Enthusiasm is not an accidental gift of the Gods, it is a choice, it is an obtainable attribute that can be strengthened through exercise and discipline, like any other attribute. Make enthusiasm a deliberate part of your personality. We could start by learning exactly what the word means…

en·thu·si·asm Pronunciation Key ( n-th z - z m)n. 1.Great excitement for or interest in a subject or cause. 2. A source or cause of great excitement or interest. 3. Archaic. a. Ecstasy arising from supposed possession by a god. b. Religious fanaticism. [Late Latin enth siasmus, from Greek enthousiasmos, from enthousiazein, to be inspired by a god, from entheos, possessed: en-, in; see en-2 + theos, god; see dh s- in Indo-European Roots.]

Word History: Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm, said the very quotable Ralph Waldo Emerson, who also said, Everywhere the history of religion betrays a tendency to enthusiasm.

These two uses of the word enthusiasm one positive and one negative both derive from its source in Greek. Enthusiasm first appeared in English in 1603 with the meaning possession by a god. The source of the word is the Greek enthousiasmos, which ultimately comes from the adjective entheos, having the god within, formed from en, in, within, and theos, god. Over time the meaning of enthusiasm became extended to rapturous inspiration like that caused by a god to an overly confident or delusory belief that one is inspired by God, to ill-regulated religious fervor, religious extremism, and eventually to the familiar sense craze, excitement, strong liking for something. Now one can have an enthusiasm for almost anything, from water skiing to fast food, without religion entering into it at all. En*thu”si*asm, n. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to be inspired or possessed by the god, fr. ?, ?, inspired: cf. enthousiasme. See Entheal, Theism.] 1. Inspiration as if by a divine or superhuman power; ecstasy; hence, a conceit of divine possession and revelation, or of being directly subject to some divine impulse.

2. A state of impassioned emotion; transport; elevation of fancy; exaltation of soul; as, the poetry of enthusiasm.

Resolutions adopted in enthusiasm are often repented of when excitement has been succeeded by the wearing duties of hard everyday routine. –Froude.

3. Enkindled and kindling fervor of soul; strong excitement of feeling on behalf of a cause or a subject; ardent and imaginative zeal or interest; as, he engaged in his profession with enthusiasm.

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. –Emerson.

4. Lively manifestation of joy or zeal.

Let us be possessed by a spirit of enthusiasm!

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"The best index to a person's character is/ (a) how he treats people who can't do him any good, and/ (b) how he treats people who can't fight back."

-- Abigail van Buren ______________________________________________________________________

"People judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold, but so does a hard boiled egg" (Good Reading). A thousand words will not leave as lasting an impression as one deed. Connect your good intentions with awesome actions. If you don't do it, you don't really believe it. Your life story is not written with a pen, but with your actions. Action subdues fear. "When we challenge our fears, we master them. When we wrestle with our problems, they lose their grip on us. When we dare to confront the things that scare us, we open the door to personal liberty." -- Anon

I believe we live in an unfinished world so we might share in the joys and satisfaction of creation. Creativity is built into every one of us; it's part of our design. Each of us lives less of the life intended for us when we choose not to use the creative powers we possess. Be brave enough to live creatively.

"I'm a big fan of dreams. Unfortunately, dreams are the first casualty in life. People seem to give them up quicker than anything for a 'reality.'" --Kevin Costner A man of words and not of deeds is like a flower bed full of weeds. Don't let weeds grow around your dreams. To only dream of the person you would like to be is to waste the person you are. Don't just dream of great accomplishments; stay awake and do them.

- John Mason _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Those who possess the courage to stand apart gain a rare perspective.”

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The Winning Attitude

What makes one person a winner and other people losers? How they think! Your self image determines your ability and your success. You will be ready mentally if you are thinking success. For instance:

A WINNER is always ready to tackle something new... a loser is prone to believe it can't be done.

A WINNER isn't afraid of competition... losers excuses themselves with the idea that the competition can beat them.

A WINNER makes a mistake and says, "I was wrong"... a loser makes a mistake and says, "It wasn't my fault," and blames someone else.

A WINNER is challenged by a problem and goes through it.. a loser does not want to face it, tries to go around it, but never gets by it.

A WINNER realizes there is no time like the present to get a job done... a loser is prone to procrastinate with the hope that things will get better tomorrow.

A WINNER thinks positively, acts positively, and lives positively... a loser usually has a negative attitude and a negative approach to everything.

A WINNER says "Let's find out..." a loser says, "Nobody knows."

A WINNER makes commitments... a loser makes empty promises.

A WINNER says, "I'm good, but not as good as I should be..."· a loser says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people."

A WINNER learns from those who are superior... a loser tries to tear down those who are superior.

SO IF YOU, WANT TO BE A WINNER, THINK LIKE A WINNER... ACT LIKE A WINNER... AND SOONER THAN YOU THINK, YOU'LL BE A WINNER TOO!

-- Shared by the Coaches Tool Box

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Life is easier than you'd think; all that is necessary is to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, and bear the intolerable.

-- Kathleen Norris ______________________________________________________________________________

The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering. Augustine of Hippo

-- From My Daily Insights _____________________________________________________________________________________

Who seeks for heaven alone to save his soul, May keep the path, but will not reach the goal;

While he who walks in love may wander far, Yet God will bring him where the blessed are.

---Henry Van Dyke _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOUR WORDS THAT’LL CHANGE YOUR LIFE . . . DON’T QUIT, CAN’T FAIL!

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WHAT IS A FRIEND?

A British publication once offered a prize for the best definition of a “friend.” Among the thousand of answers were the following:

“One who multiplies joy, divides grief, and whose honesty is inviolable.”

“One who understands our silence.”

“A watch that beats true for all time and never runs down.”

The winning definition was: "A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.”

-- Shared by Dr. Rob Gilbert

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Have Your Priorities in Order.

God must be #1. Treat everyone with respect. Class and good character are never out of season. Develop your spiritual being. Family is #2. Helps develop your faith. Your first true team situation. Dwell on the positives. Education is #3. Be a well rounded member of the student body. Work just as hard in the classroom as you do on the basketball court. Education leads to an intelligent mind. Athletics is #4. If you do something for a child they can do for themselves, you weaken them. Develop a sense of pride and respect for your team.

-- Shared by Shane Dreiling _____________________________________________________________________________________

3 WAYS TO WIN Free throws – making more than your opponents take.

Offensive rebounding – getting more easy shots – daily emphasis. Touches – emphasizing getting a hand on the ball defensively. 50 or more equal

win! 2 PEOPLE WHO CANNOT HAVE BAD PRACTICES

Best player Head coach

If your best player lacks character – your team will always fall short of the vision.

You have to know how to coach the hardest player to reach on the team – they don’t see the big picture yet. Communication is the key!

Everyone can always give more – effort, communication, and enthusiasm. Practices should be highly competitive – teach them how to compete in the game!

Challenge your best player daily – the others follow. Your players should have a fire-in-the-belly enthusiasm for your program – they

won’t take for granted the little things that make your program special. What is your team identity? How will you win the game?

Defensive pressure – we preach “touches”. Transition

Know why you coach and be able to communicate it. Your team will be known for something at the end of the year – what will it be?

The coaching staff has to always be on the same page when you’re with your team…show the face your team needs to see.

-- Shared by Shane Dreiling

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"These are my teammates. There are many like them, but these are my teammates. Without them I am nothing, without me they are nothing. We

need each other." ______________________________________________________________________________

“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when it is convenient. When you

are committed to something, you accept no excuses.” -John Maxwell.

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There’s More To Winning Than Being The 1st Team To 30

You must always have faith in yourself and your teammates o Without believing in something larger than yourself the game is

player in vain “Play Hard; Play Smart; Play Together & Play With Heart”

o Univ. of North Carolina’s “process” under legendary men’s basketball coach Dean Smith

Demonstrate the 2 “D’s” and the 2 “P’s” o Discipline o Desire o Purpose o Pride

Never try to guess what your opponents going to do. Rather, read and play.

Care about your teammates Do things SMARTER not HARDER Understand the difference between being “aggressive” and playing

“reckless” Frustrate your opponents without letting them frustrate you

o Take away your opponents strengths and then take away their auxiliary motives

Be committed to out working and out communicating your opponent Be completely ABSORBED by the game Mistakes represent lessons to be learned, not things to be afraid of The moment should always carry more importance and weight than the

past and the future combined Understand the two types of winners

o 1st – Those individuals who want to win, but are not willing to go through with it

o 2nd – Those individuals who want to win and have the courage, the heart, and the discipline to help their teams succeed

“Just Play” -- Shared by Shane Dreiling

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Thoughts Shared by Shane Dreiling

This should probably be taped to your bathroom mirror where one could read it every day. You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for. 2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.

4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep. 6. You mean the world to someone.

7. You are special and unique. 8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it. 10. When you think the world has turned its back on you take another

look. 11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the

rude remarks.

Good friends are like stars...You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Whenever God Closes One Door He Always Opens Another, Even Though Sometimes It's Hell in the Hallway.

I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here than a whole truck load when I'm gone.

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"Nine Tips for Successful Communication By Joy Weaver

Here are some successful habits you should develop to enhance your conversation and communication skills.

Tips:

* Sincerely listen – pay attention when others are talking; it tells others that you are truly interested in them.

* Pay compliments – this is a great way to get a conversation started and make someone feel good. There is something special about everyone – it is our job to find it out and make that person feel special.

* Remember names. When you forget others’ names, this tells them they are not that important to you.

* Maintain eye contact – it is rude to look away when someone is talking to you.

* Remember common interests so you can reference them in future conversations.

* Exhibit positive body language – this speaks volumes regarding how you really feel about what the other person is telling you.

* Always be up to date on current events to use in conversation – this gives you something to discuss other than yourself.

* Do not interrupt or monopolize the conversation. Refrain from telling long stories or dragging out details. Remember when telling a story, have an interesting introduction, a strong closing and make sure they are close together!

* Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! This is the key to building relationships with others.

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I Loved You Enough

By Wayne Walters

Some day when my players are old enough to understand the logic that motivates coaches, I will tell them:

I loved you enough to worry where you were going after a late practice, and with whom and how much sleep and study time I left you.

I loved you enough to insist that you take personal responsibility for your actions instead of letting you make excuses.

I loved you enough to be silent and let the teammates workout the differences between themselves and discover how much we really needed each other.

I loved you enough to tell you what we needed from you to be successful and to be disappointed when you did not deliver.

I loved you enough to pick you up and emotionally carry you when the times were toughest and bring you back to reality when you though that you were a

little better than what you were.

I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Players must learn that coaches are human and not perfect.

But, most of all, I loved you enough to do what needed to be done to build your character and the character of your teammates even though I knew you would curse me for it. Those were the most difficult battles of all. I am glad we won

them, because in the end those are the most cherished victories.

-- Shared by Shane Dreiling

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Persistence Keeps Us Great

By Rick Pitino

1. Thrive on Pressure: Stress robs us of our focus and inhibits our performance. Pressure is negative only when we are ill-prepared. In fact,

pressure can bring out extraordinary accomplishments. 2. Establish Good Habits: A bad habit is any habit that does not serve

you in a positive way. Here is an example- Coming to work on time is a Bad Habit. An athlete wouldn't show up for an 8:00 game at 7:55 and

go out and play without warming up. Why should someone who is arriving at work at the appointed hour think he or she is prepared for

the day? You should arrive early and get your socializing out of the way. 3. Master the Art of Communication: In four words LISTEN more talk

less. 4. Build Self-Esteem: You have to feel good about yourself to succeed.

5. Always Be Positive: The rule is simple: the more trying the times, the more positive you have to be. Look at change as a chance to be more

successful. 6. Learn from Adversity: At one time or another we all encounter

adversity that threatens our will to go on. (I had a son die in 1987) 7. Learn from Role Models: The keys: Emulate traits you admire, and

learn from others' mistakes. 8. Be Ferociously Persistent: Persistence, more than anything else keeps

us great. Anyone can be great for a day, a week, a month. But the people who ultimately succeed are the ones who understand that

success is a long-term commitment. 9. Set Demanding Goals: Most people, when presented with the fact that

it takes hard work to be successful, will begin working harder. The difficult part is getting them to understand their weaknesses so they can frame their goals around fixing them. (This is not just for players,

but everyone.) 10. Survive Success: Today's success is often tomorrow's failure. A failure to maintain discipline causes it to evaporate immediately. It's that fragile. So

never forget what you did right. Write down your own secrets to success. Study them. If nothing else, they'll remind you it wasn't good fortune that

caused your success, but an entire lifestyle of achievement.

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Things That Will Make You Better In Life And, Basketball By Mike Krzyzewski

A. Learn & Listen

- The best players are the best listeners - Look your parents/coach in the eye when speaking to them and tell the

truth - Who are you listening to? Surround yourself with good people

B. Pay Attention

- If you are not ready, then you are not attentive - Only you can choose to listen and pay attention

- Learn to play basketball in a stance, never standing straight up - Learn to do things that are hard, make the use of your talents

C. Eliminate Distractions

- Take care of all your off the court problems - When you step on the court, all you should have on your mind is basketball

D. Work Hard

- Everyone says they work hard, but do not confuse activity for work - Learn to work hard at the speed you play - push yourself!

- Break a record you set yesterday ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ten Commandments of Human Relations Author Unknown

- Speak to People. There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting. - Smile at People. It takes 72 muscles to frown, but only 14 to smile!

- Call People by Name. The sweetest music to anyone's ear is the sound of his

or her own name. - Be Friendly and Helpful. If you would have friends, be friendly.

- Be Cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do were a real pleasure. - Be Genuinely Interested in People. You can like everyone if you try.

- Be Generous with Praise, Cautious with Criticism. Praise will win out when it

comes to gaining friends. - Be Considerate of the Feelings of Others. It will be appreciated.

- Be Thoughtful of the Opinions of Others. People love their opinions as they

do their own children, calling them ugly won't get you anything but anger. - Be Alert to Give Service. What counts most in life is what we do for others

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Great Basketball Tips and Quotes

1. You get ahead on offense and you come from behind on defense. (Al McGuire)

2. When things go bad it is usually mental not physical.

(Denny Crum)

3. Most lay-ups and two foot jump shots around the goal are missed by not putting the ball up high enough on the backboard.

(Rick Majerus)

4. You can't do it alone, even the Lone Range had Tonto. (Tell this to selfish players) (If you have a selfish player during a scrimmage just stop practice and make him go one

on five and see if likes that.)

5. You should never shoot a contested shot outside of 12 feet from the rim. --Paul Evans)

6. "A team of Asses led by a Lion will be defeated by a team of Lions led by an Ass."

(Doug Collins) I love this one!!

7. Show me a satisfied man and I'll show you a failure. (Ben Franklin)

8. Be straight with your players and they will be straight with you. (Al McGuire)

9. Only God can referee. (Al McGuire) *Remember during the course of a season the good and bad calls work them self out.

(Eddie Sutton)

10. "Find your two best players and "Dog Them Out" every day and you will have very few team problems." (Most high school coaches never figure this out.)

(Kim Mulkey, Baylor)

11. "Until you realize you don't know it all, you will never be successful in life." (Dennis Prager)

12. "There is a big difference between playing hard and competing." (Kelvin Sampson)

13. Why TEAMWORK is more important than TALENT. The NFL insiders (people who really know pro football) say that if you will look at the first team offense, defense and

special teams that the New England Patriots would be rated fourth in the NFL in Talent. (Did you also realize that Tom Brady took a 30% pay cut to stay with the

Patriots instead of what he could have receive in free agency?) -- *ESPN Radio made these statements.

14. "If you can't coach your best player you cannot coach your team."

(Kelvin Sampson,

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Coaching Concepts

- Never lose sight of the impact you are having on young people's lives. - Teach your players the importance of proper priorities that allow for maximum personal, academic, and athletic development. - Evaluate wins and losses objectively, focusing more on effort and execution than on the outcome of the game. - Instruct, don't dictate. - Never humiliate. - Communicate your approach in a style that is comfortable to you and fits your personality and philosophy. - Learn to anticipate problems. - Never announce penalty for rule violations in advance. - Enthusiasm creates heroism. - If you make a mistake and fall down, you must get back up. - Always have a "Thought for the Day." - You are constantly being judged on what you are doing and not what you have done. - Be yourself. - Be eager to learn. - Don't play players only because they have potential if they do not hustle, work hard, and listen. - Never discipline to punish, discipline to teach. - We are what we continually do. - Do to your opponent what you do not like done to you. - Play defense with your feet, eyes, and heart. - If you want the attention of your players, use compliments. - I believe that repetition of fundamentals at any level will make your players winners. - Play hard, play smart, play together, and have fun. - You must have total control of your program. - I never curse my players, and they will never curse me. - I will never embarrass my players, and they will never embarrass me. - Do not assume anything. - Listen and learn from your players. - Excellence becomes a habit. - Don't ever tell your players to win. - Never write a plan for practice that takes longer than two hours.

--

- Make your players sprint over to you to begin practice on a hustling, enthusiastic note. - Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, it's really hard. - Take time to talk individually with the players you are cutting. - Have your players write down their academic and athletic goals at the start of every year. - Building team chemistry is the most important thing you can do as a coach.

-- From Morgan Wooten ______________________________________________________________________________

An effective human being is a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Ida Rolf

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It is never too late to communicate. Always be the first to forgive and say "I'm sorry." Don't wait for fear of what the response might be. Remember Parkinson's latest law: "The vacuum created by a failure to communicate will quickly be filled with rumor, misrepresentation, doubt and poison." In the communication process, knowledge is not always wisdom; sensitivity is not always accuracy, and sympathy is not always understanding. Empathy is never assuming anything until you have, "walked a mile in the other person's moccasins." Take full responsibility for success in the communication process. As a listener, take full responsibility for hearing the meaning behind what the others are trying to say. As a talker, take full responsibility for being certain that they understand what you are saying. Never meet anyone halfway in your relationships. Always give 100 percent. This week make the call or have the conversation you have been putting off or dreading.

-- Denis Waitley ____________________________________________________________________________________

Power from Empowerment -- Denis Waitley

A good way to think of leadership is the process of freeing your team members to do the best work they possibly can. I have followed NBA basketball coach Phil Jackson's career.

Like Phil Jackson who moved from the record setting Chicago Bulls to the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson says his principal task is creating an environment in which his players can flourish. In communicating with his championship teams, Jackson convinced them that they had the talent to win championships, and that the main goal of the coach was going to be freeing them to use that talent.

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Today’s business team members, say they want, more than anything else, the autonomy to do their jobs without the boss’s interference. In the new century, it’s already clear that the CEOs of our best-run companies believe that the more power leaders have, the less they should use.

The job of the team leader is to set a mission, decide upon a strategic direction, achieve the necessary cooperation, delegate authority --- and then let people innovate. To do that we all could take a hint from the late football coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant. Before his retirement as one of the leading coaches in college football history at Alabama, Bryant observed:

“I’m just a plow hand from Arkansas, but I’ve learned how to put and hold a team together. I’ve learned how to lift some individuals up and how to calm others down, until finally they’ve got one heartbeat together, as a team. To do that, there are just three things I’d ever have to say: If anything went wrong, I did it. If it went semi-good, then we did it. If anything went real good, then you did it! That’s really all it takes to get other people to win for you.”

The key to authentic leadership is to listen to your followers, and then open the door for them to lead themselves. The secret is empowerment. The main incentive is genuine caring and recognition.

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The five most important words a leader can speak are: “I am proud of you.”

The four most important are: “What is your opinion?” The three most important are: “If you please.”

The two most important are: “Thank You.” And the most important single word of all is: “You!”

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"Do what you love, love what you do, and deliver more than you promise." -- Harvey MacKay

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"No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above

the required, that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction." Charles Kendall Adams

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Thriving not Surviving

You're not a survivor. You are more than a conqueror.

It's easy to get into a survival mode. When times get tough and things aren't going our way, it's tempting to just settle where we are, not believe for increase and not believe to go any further. It's tempting to think, "If I can just hold on - If I can just make it through another year." If we're not careful, we'll develop a survival mentality to where we're not releasing our faith. We're not believing to rise any higher - We're just hoping to maintain. We'd be satisfied if we could just break even. But we're not supposed to break even. We're supposed to break through to a new level, to more of God's favor, increase and promotion.

God says in the book of Jeremiah that if we'll keep the Lord as our trust and confidence, God will prosper us even in the desert. He'll prosper us even in difficult times. That means when others are going under God says you'll go over!

God can prosper us even in the desert if we'll just be bold enough to believe. You were created to thrive in life! Won't you believe that for your life today? -- Joel Osteen _____________________________________________________________________________________

FOCUS

"The ability to concentrate and to use time well is everything." -- Lee Iacocca

"It is better to say, 'This is the one thing I do' than to say, 'These forty things I dabble in.' -- Washington Gladden

"What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in which he know exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it." -- Alexander Graham Bell

"Emphasize everything and you emphasize nothing." -- Herschell Gordon Lewis

FOLLOW-THROUGH

"Failure is not about insecurity. It's about lack of execution." -- Jeffrey Gitomer

"Sophisticated people don't leave early. The man says, 'Yeah, but I want to beat the traffic.' Isn't that a great skill to have – beating the traffic!" -- Jim Rohn

"Concentrate on one thing, the most important thing, and stay with it until it's complete." -- Brian Tracy

"Everything depends upon execution; having just a vision is no solution." -- Stephen Sondheim _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Best Day of My Life Ever

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever!

There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! And because I did I'm going to celebrate!

Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger.

I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart. I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds. Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.

Today I will share my excitement for life with other people. I'll make someone smile. I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know. Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I'll tell a child how special they are, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for her and how much she means to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and His "Divine Plan" ensures everything will be just fine.

And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the sky. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay down on my pillow, I will thank my Heavenly Father for the best day of my life.

And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!

-- Shared by Larry Dean Jackson _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Achilles Heel of Leaders Kirk Hanson, university professor and executive director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, asserts that the Achilles’ heel of leaders can be found when they: ✓ Believe they know it all. ✓ Believe they are in charge. ✓ Believe the rules don’t apply to them. ✓ Believe they will never fail. ✓ Believe they did it all by themselves. ✓ Believe they are better than the “little people.” ✓ Believe they are the organization. ✓ Believe they can focus everything on the job. _____________________________________________________________________________________

BASKETBALL COACHING 101 -- KEN YARDLEY

1. Have a jump-ball play. (Make the opposing coach start coaching from the beginning.) 2. Your first possession should go inside. (Try to get the opposing big man in foul trouble early.) 3. Zone all base line out-of-bounds. 4. Take a timeout after three straight scores by an opponent. 5. Get to the bonus first. 6. Don’t foul. 7. Make as many free throws as your opponent’s attempt. 8. If a player gets his second foul in the first quarter, sub him, and bring him back with 6 min. to go in the second quarter. 9. 45 sec. or less hold for the last shot of the quarter. 10. Change defenses every timeout. 11. Have 3 CARDINAL RULES on offense and on defense that match your philosophy. 12. Have a set play on every opponent’s score. (Assure yourself of a great shot.) 13. On made field goals use a soft press. 14. On missed field goals match up man-to-man full-court. 15. On any violation use a 1-3-1 trap. 16. On made free throws 1-2-1-1 press. 17. On missed free throws 2-2-1 press. 18. Know opponent’s post player’s preferred shoulder. 19. Know opponent’s guard’s weak hand. 20. Know opponent’s offensive tendencies.

21. Know opponent’s defensive weaknesses. 22. Come out of a timeout running a play. 23. When playing great guards use junk defenses or extension zones. (Examples would be a 1-3-1 extended, 2-1-2 strong side combination, or a box-and-1) 24. When playing against great big man use a diamond-and-1, sagging man , or zone. 25. Show man play zone and vice-versa. (Make the opposing team think it makes them slow.) 26. When playing a crazy team, play conservative; do not extend the floor. Make sure to walk the ball up the floor. 27. Be inside oriented. You can do this with post-ups, drives, passing and cutting, offensive rebounds and pick and roll. 28. Look to get multiples in the steal and lay-up department. Man who makes the lay-up pressures the ball. 29. When playing a team that sends five to the offensive glass, send a cherry picker deep. 30. Use a match-up zone to confuse opponents. 31. Swing the ball with a purpose on offense. Don’t just whip the ball around and go nowhere. 32. Clear out against man-to-man pressure and against a run and jump. You may want to have a big man bring the ball up the floor. 33. Your set plays should be for: 1. Lay-ups 2. Jumpers 3. Backdoors 4. Drives 34. Have conditions of play. They serve as a traffic light. You gain the ability to control situations without a timeout. 1. Red - Danger, must increase tempo, in trouble 2. White - Normal style of play (your philosophy) 3. Blue - Blue skies everything is fine, no fouls no 3´s, limit to one shot 35. During timeouts keep it simple. Mention 1 offensive idea and 2 defensive ideas at the most. 36. Chart the games within the game. 1. Score first in each quarter. 2. Timeout situations, do we score or do they? 3. Do we effectively score on offensive out-of-bounds plays and do we defend them effectively. 37. Have designated spot ups for players and situations and work on them during practice. 38. Have an organized offensive rebounding system. 39. Rebound, REBOUND, REBOUND!!! 40. On all defensive rebounding situations for free throws have 5 guys on the line. 41. During offensive free throws have at least two guys back. 42. Tip out all offensive rebounds when you can’t get two hands on the ball. 43. Have a saving location. Everyone on your team should know that if someone jumps out-of-bounds that they are going to save the ball to the same spot. 44. Look to find and utilize mismatches. 45. Sub and change strategy on free throw situations. 46. If you are below average play only 7 players, if you are average play 8

players, if you are above average play nine, and if you are outstanding play 10. 47. Know how to play at three speeds, slow, medium and fast. 48. Have 2-3 control games. 49. Develop a balanced offense. 50. 3-point shots should come after post entry. 51. Early in the season institute a 6-pass rule 52. Look to bomb twice a game on opponents made field goals. 53. Have a FREAK defense. 54. Use fouls at the end of a ball game to stop clock and lengthen the game. 55. Have offensive and defensive subs at the end of the ball game. 56. Huddle on all free throws. 57. Save all great set plays for the end of the game. 58. Develop a hierarchy of scorers. 59. Develop a spark plug or sixth man. (Have a man for instant offense and instant defense.) 60. Your Point Guard. should be coaching on all dead ball situations. 61. Use non-verbal communication. 62. Listen to your players. (Your learning should never stop) 63. No technical fouls. Leave the refs alone and coach your kids. 64. Always be thinking ahead. 65. Play possession by possession; always make the quarters like CBA games. (This can also be charted as games within the game.) 66. Foul hard on drivers and post players early in the game to set the tone. 67. Be physical, bump cutters, screen hard, go hard through screens, always box out, take charges and dive for loose balls. 68. When defending a star: 1. Deny him the ball 2. Trap him occasionally to make him give up the ball. 3. Be physical and attack him on offense 4. Make him run through a lot of screens 5. Try to draw charges. 69. Be positive tough and challenging with your team. 70. Do not be afraid of your players. 71. Whenever you are up or down big at the end of a ball game, do not stop coaching. 72. Always practice game ending situations. 73. Give your team a chance to win every night, no matter what the style. 74. No talking before the game, make things tense. 75. Save the Knute Rockne stuff for the big games when you really need it. 76. Anytime a teammate is subbed he should exchange a towel and tell his teammate who he is guarding. (The bench should also rise and clap.) 77. Have a bench captain. 78. At halftime talk about these things: 1. Shooting % 2. Rebound totals 3. Turnovers 4. Trips to the foul line 5. Adjustments 6. Deflections 79. Three most important times of a ball game are: 1. First 2 minutes of the game 2. Last 2 minutes of the half 3. First 2 minutes of the 3rd quarter 80. Know opponent’s poor foul shooters. 81. Know your poor foul shooters. 82. Know the floor conditions and the basket conditions.

83. When you’re an obvious underdog shorten the game as much as possible. 84. Know the opposing coaches strengths and weaknesses. 85. Have a 4-minute 4th quarter plan. 86. Have a 2-minute 4th quarter plan. 87. Your post scorer should get a touch every time in half court offense. 88. Have your assistants watch the weak side on offense and defense. 89. Use a soft press to control tempo. 90. Use a shot chart during the game. 91. Do not give up lay-ups. 92. Force opponents out of zones when you’re ahead. 93. Games are won or lost in mini-runs. 6-0, 6-2, and 4-0. Understand these runs and they lead to major runs. 94. Remember this is just a game. 95. Keep it fun for the kids. Get them to work hard and understand the effort needed but stress the essential ingredient-fun! 96. Practice free throw situations offensively and defensively. 97. Spend 15 min. daily on pressure offense. 5 min. against full court zone press. 5 min against 3/4 court zone press. 5 min. against half court trapping defense. 98. Have one assistant on the bench in charge of match-up´s. 99. When you have fouls to give in the 4th quarter - foul to run down the clock. 100. Special Situations: 1. Up 3 and lees than eight seconds remaining. Foul. Trust your player´s ability to defense rebound all free throws. Practice this. 2. Anytime it is a 2-possession game, look to score with a quick 2. Attack the rim, they do not want to foul. Then follow with a quick timeout. 3. When up or down in the last 2-min. switch all screens. When tied play it within your philosophy. 4. On the road, down by 2. Best two offensive scorers are on the bench. Go for the win. 101. Chart your opponent´s last 3 games and take away all their shooting locations. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Todd Lickliter- Butler Basketball You have to surround your program with good people. Team chemistry- Butler’s teammates enjoyed each others successes. Everyone was a high achiever. Cohesive Held each other accountable Each player would ask- each other and themselves What are you doing to help us? What are you doing to hurt us? Ex: Players hunting shots for themselves – not creating opportunities for their teammates Coaches must enhance and promote accountability for your players Look at other teams when you are watching games – see if their players are accountable Players need to have fun. Fun is working together to achieve teams goals. Examine how you look at other team’s core values not their W-L record. A team with core values will be tough and do what is right. Butlers player don’t receive their practice or team gear until they have performed a community service. Butler Basketball Philosophy We don’t worry about tempo- it doesn’t mean anything to us 4 stages of Players in our program 1. Unconsciously incompetent- don’t have any idea they don’t know what to do 2. Consciously incompetent- they realize they don’t know 3. Consciously competent- Know what to do but have to think about it 4. Unconsciously incompetent- knows what to do and don’t have to think about it Offensive philosophy Get the shot we want when we want it. Be tough enough to wait for it. “Don’t hunt shots” Defenses do not breakdown on help- they break down on rotations Must get inside the defense Demand a 2b team-make 2 guys guard one-do this by setting ball screens Ball handlers must be the eyes of the receivers- “Is he in a position to score?” Passing- Pass with the same precision you shoot with.- Vs. Zones – don’t attack gaps; make 2 guard one-make defender leave his “home base” Defenders in zones have “home bases” –take the defender away from his home Fill a spot-vacate & fill

Defensive Philosophy “Ordinary guys doing ordinary things extraordinarily well” work hard, be tough, and be smart we don’t press- we defend 30% of the court as hard as we can. Take care of the ball on offense- there is no defense for turnovers Players have to play with bent limbs-stay in stance Players have to be able to multi-task-unless you are guarding the ball Guard your yard-square up to the ball-contain and contest-keep ball above 3 pt line Practices Get what we got to get done and get it done. Practices are like putting the pieces of a puzzle together. Don’t tear the puzzle up at the end of each day; add to it. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Seek respect mainly from thyself, for it comes first from within. -- Steven H. Coogler

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A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs --jolted by every pebble in the road.

-Henry Ward Beecher _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Drilling Ball Movement:

One great way to get better ball movement is to run scrimmages where dribbling is not allowed. This is one of my favorite scrimmage/drills to run with any continuity offense. We simply allow each team three possessions instead of counting baskets; we award one point for each pass that we complete. The basic rules are: Each completed pass counts for 1 point. Possession is lost whenever the ball hits the ground. Possession is lost if the ball is caught outside of a designated spot in the offense. For example, if a player has to come out 35 feet from the basket against pressure to catch the ball, possession is lost even if the ball does not hit the ground. By taking away the dribble, the offense is forced to use screens and cuts to get open. This is a great tool for facilitating movement away from the ball. – Josh Stinson _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Univ. of Missouri Basketball 6 Keys to Being a Leader of Character:

1.) Embrace the notion that your word is your bond, always.

2.) Accept people as they are, not as you wish them to be. 3.) Approach relationships in the present, not the past.

4.) Praise in public, admonish in private. 5.) Treat those closest to you with the same courteous attention as strangers.

6.) Be willing to live without recognition or approval – leading is not about you.

Leadership on and off the court Leadership: Leadership is influencing other people toward the

achievement of a shared goal. Leadership is the key that unlocks the greatness in individuals and

groups. As coaches, we teach leadership to our players every day. Leaders cannot ask other to do things they are not willing to do

themselves. Leading by example begins to build trust – the glue that holds teams

together. People trust those who are reliable, predictable and accountable daily.

Leaders do not rest; they continually evaluate themselves and their adherence to principle. Players are watching intently and learning vicariously.

No Excuses: Establish an expectation that nothing short of the standard will be tolerated. Standards are clear and simplified to the most fundamental detail. –

gives team headedness under pressure. Leading effectively demands a relentless dedication to the standards

every day – regardless of who is watching. Leaders must be accountable when standards are not met.

Lead by Example: Players and coaches who lead by example can be depended on to set the tone and direction for the team. Each day we face hundreds of small choices, every one of which

impacts our ability to achieve the standard. Making the choices that lead to success, even when they are difficult or unpopular, is the very nexus of discipline. U.S. Military Academy calls this “the hard right”

Discipline communicates a vision…leader’s vision transforms purpose into action.

Nothing stimulates teamwork as much as shared, intensely personal group experiences.

Toughness: toughness is simply the ability to accomplish the mission regardless of the obstacles without ever violating my principles. Your team’s toughness is inextricably linked to their leadership.

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Helping Point Guard Get the Ball to the Wings, Against Pressure

There are several answers to this question, each of which can be divided into one of two categories: Team tactics or Individual Fundamentals. I’ll briefly cover one of several team tactics to help get the ball to the wing, and address one ‘fundamentals’ area for the point guard to focus on (with a link to some other ideas)

1. (Team tactic) If you’re really having a tough time passing the ball to the wing, you can run a shallow cut. A shallow cut is a very simple play: The point guard dribbles the ball to the wing. The wing replaces the point guard at the top of the key with a ‘shallow cut’ by cutting below the ball side elbow and popping out

2. (Fundamentals) The point guard can significantly decrease the odds of committing a turnover by consistently picking a side to start the offense. Stated another way, the point guard should never make the entry pass from the middle of the floor. By taking a dribble or two in the direction of the wing she intends to pass to, the point guard creates a much better passing angle for the entry pass.

Side note: I rarely see what I’m about to say written in coaching books, but I think it’s an important teaching point for your team if you are struggling with turnovers on the entry pass. As coaches we tend to blame the point guard (or more generally, the passer) when a steal occurs on the entry pass, but we rarely consider what the player receiving the pass could have done differently. To me, a critical component to beating great pressure defense is toughness. How does toughness relate to this situation? Just because the defender gets into the passing lane, that doesn’t mean that the receiver has to accept the outcome. If you’re defender steps into the passing lane for the steal, GO THROUGH THE DENIAL if you have to and GET THE BALL. I’m not saying to cause a collision…just react aggressively, close the gap and go get the ball. Don’t get me wrong…in a situation like this, this passer still shares most of the blame…the point I’m trying to make is that the bad pass is not the only teaching opportunity at hand.

The original question is really part of a broader question of how to handle tough defensive pressure. As such, I’ve added a post I made on handling half court pressure in a great yahoo group for basketball coaches a couple of years ago. The post is sort of a ‘brain dump’ on the topic: it covers several components on dealing with half court pressure that you might find useful:

The REAL answer to handling pressure consistently, I think, is to work hard in practice to develop good habits for beating pressure in practice. Work every day on ball handling, if only for 5 intense minutes, especially for

the PG. Also, do not let them reverse dribble when bringing the ball up 5 on 5 because they turn their back on their teammates who are getting open, and they often make themselves easy pickings for run and jump schemes. They have to be able to run the offense without their back turned.

Work hard on V-cuts. Make sure a player that is trying to get open closes the gap and pushes off HARD from his man…change of speed and direction are important…walk to the defender, then EXPLODE back to the open spot. If they still can’t get open on v cuts, have them plant their inside foot between the defender’s legs, reverse-pivot to put the defender on their back, then explode back to the open spot…just like a v-cut with a reverse pivot added. When they pop out have them show their outside hand and make the passers throw it to that hand EVERY time.

Focus on facing up when they catch passes. Give out ten pushups or call a turnover every time a receiver: A. catches and puts the ball above his head, B. catches and dribbles with no purpose, or C: turns away and hunches over the ball. Also, have your defense BELLY UP every time a player puts the ball over their head…make them pay…when they put it up like that, they can’t dribble, so why play them like they can? If they bring the ball down then the defender can give a cushion.

Work on aggressive pivots when a player catches on the perimeter followed by a jab-step. It has to be aggressive and quick. They should pivot hard on their inside foot after the catch. If they get too crowded on a front pivot, work with them on using a reverse pivot off their outside foot instead. It takes them a step further from the hoop, but it provides a little breathing room.

Work on every kid developing a simple jab step series. If the defender backs off on the jab step, shoot. If they still crowd you, go by them. If you do, any scoring move from the perimeter should be done in one dribble (2 in some cases, but never 3). Work on driving hard off the defender’s shoulder, because if you leave a gap, the defender has more space to recover. All of this can be done playing one on one from the wing with the coach as a passer. The coach passes to a player after the V-cut on the wing and the player has 2 dribbles to score. If he has a bad look or uses the dribble he can pass back to the coach and get open again. It ends on a made shot, a rebound, or a steal.

In scrimmages I also focus on QUICK, aggressive cutting. I try to work every day on “change of speed, change of direction“. A good way to develop quick cutting is through scrimmaging with no dribbling allowed. Since the O turns the ball over if it hits the ground (with the exception of bounce passes), the D should be more aggressive. The offense has to Work and execute better since they cant be bailed out with the dribble.

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It is also valuable to call a turnover whenever you find your guards running the offense from too far out on the floor. The wing player should be 19 feet from the basket on the catch, not 25 feet.

The team tactics are valuable in beating pressure, but they should never replace this type of fundamental development. If the correct fundamentals aren’t developed, nothing will bail a team out in the end anyway. There are no easy bail-outs in my experience.

-- Josh Stinson ______________________________________________________________________________

"I Wish You Enough!" © 2001 Bob Perks

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear

much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."

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