-
Synergizing Leadership Styles for a More Effective Coaching Team
Diverse leadership styles can create a dynamic, efficient coaching team when adequately managed.Research shows that a one-size-fits-all approach to leadership is insufficient; the best leaders adapt their styles to their teams’ needs (Northouse, 2018). However, it is also essential that the coaching team’s leadership styles align cohesively to benefit the […]
-
The New Land Rush
The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners sent shock waves to the landscape of college football this week by sending signals that they are seeking to leave the Big 12 conference and join the SEC. They are coming on the heels of the landmark Supreme Court decision that allows collegiate athletes […]
-
It’s Time to Talk…Are You Ready?
There has been a recent culture shift, where athletes are now using their platform and resources to create spaces for open and honest conversations beyond their sport. HBO’s The Shop: Uninterrupted is a show starring Lebron James, where he and other celebrity guests, mainly professional athletes, join together in a barbershop […]
-
A Celebration of Hope
“The Olympics have the power to bring the world together, to inspire, to show what’s possible,” said World Health Organization boss Tedros Adhanom. He added, “May the rays of hope from this land illuminate a new dawn for a healthy, safer, and fairer world.” Yet, the opening ceremony for the […]
-
It’s All in the Mind
Mental resilience and stability are favorable attributes in anyone but not least in an elite athlete. These characteristics are essential to protect an individual from the negative effects of detractors. When Hawthorn AFL champion Dermott Brereton took a swipe at goalkicker Bailey Fritsch accusing him of being a fake tough […]
-
Could it Just Have Been a Poor Match Between an Organization and a Coach?
I received a call from a coaching colleague this week, we will call her Tracy. Tracy and another coach were hired a few months ago to lead different teams in a world-renowned organization. Tracy was extremely excited to begin, especially since sports were in full swing again in the United […]
-
More Than One Way To Be An All-Star
On Monday, July 12th, Major League Baseball started its annual tribute to the best players of the season, or most popular, depending on how you look at it, with its All-Star break. The traditional first day of the break involves a feat of stamina, strength, and hand-eye coordination as select […]
-
Is This a Bad Dream?
Basketball is in the spotlight right now, but it is having a rough go of it. The USA Olympic team is far from a “Dream Team,” the long-awaited Space Jam 2 is getting terrible reviews, and nobody is watching the NBA Finals. Team USA historically dominates the Olympic basketball competition. […]
-
Coaching is More Than Just Knowing the Game
Coaching is about sport, it’s about educating, but it’s also about leadership. At the center of sport, the coach is uniquely placed to influence the athletes and set the standard for behavior. At the grassroots level, this is about extending that influence on to parents as well and establishing a […]
-
Temper, Temper!
Sometimes passions ignite on-field and result in unpleasant behavior. It must be hard to be ‘fired up’ to play hard but keep a lid on those emotions. On Monday night West Coast Eagles lost unexpectedly to North Melbourne and the upset caused teammates Elliot Yeo and Jeremy McGovern to publicly […]
-
Heroes and Villains
This week, baseball has taken its annual midseason break to celebrate its heroes at the All-Star Game. In a season unlike any other, one hero has stood out by accomplishing feats never done before in the sport. It has been great to get to know him a little bit. Two-way […]
-
All’s Not Fair
It’s imperative that there is an even playing field at all times in competitive sports for the game to be fairly played. When errors were made during player interchange in St Kilda’s round 15 demolition of Richmond, there ended up being a surplus of players for the side. The AFL […]
-
Not All Beer & Skittles at the Top!
Steve Smith lost his position as Captain of the Australian Cricket team in 2018 following the infamous ball-tampering scandal. The former captain says he was not involved in planning to tamper with the ball during the Cape Town test against South Africa but as the leader, he took responsibility for […]
-
When it Comes to Vaccines, is There a Change Coming in Professional Sports?
CF Montréal, a team within Major League Soccer announced that they traded a player, Erik Hurtado, to the Columbus Crew SC. Trades happen every day in all professional sports leagues across the world, with most trades receiving little fanfare. However, this trade solely happened because the athlete was not vaccinated […]
-
Dear England
Winning an international soccer competition is brutal. Changing a culture is more challenging. Somehow, an unlikely leader has managed to accomplish the latter with a new vision based on clear values and patriotic identity. Today, he leads England against Italy in the final of Euro 2020. Winning the match will […]
-
All Work No Play
What happens when a person is all-work and no-play? They become disengaged, disenfranchised, and basically burnt-out. This is as true in the sportsperson as it is in any other profession and the best way to prevent this fuse from being lit, is to ensure a healthy work-life balance. The fantastically […]
-
The Roaring of the Lions
Does it really take gruelling training and punishment tactics to raise a good athlete? Does the development of mental resilience necessarily require ‘training hell’ and ‘starving games’? Tim Tszyu likens his indoctrination into boxing greatness to his favourite movie The Lion King, where the young cub emulates his great warrior […]
-
The Rules are The Rules
Unfortunately, we will not see Sha’Carri Richardson compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics later this month. Richardson is the fastest female athlete in the United States and quite possibly the world. But she broke the rules. You probably have heard of this already, as it has been all over the […]
-
But Rules Are Rules
A positive marijuana test and a month-long suspension has evolved to more than it initially seemed. From ridiculous claims by journalist Claire Lehmann that Sha’Carri’s “strong nails and hair” were evidence of steroid abuse to another that suggested her predicament was just another example of “anti-Blackness”. Lehman’s comments suggest also […]
-
Like It’s Not Hard!
Covid19 has messed a lot of things up for a lot of people, not least the people who have tragically lost their lives to the disease. Humanity has needed to adapt to new procedures and new rules, to keep us all as safe as possible and bring this beast to […]
-
The Sports Coach as a Leader: Aligning Personal and Organizational Cultures
American swimming coach Megan Oesting has been sacked after being in post with SwimMAC Carolina for only 9 months. Differences in her management style and cultural stance have been cited as the main reasons. According to Madeleine Lepesant of Swim Swam it seems that a new approach to the coaching, […]
-
Another Swing and Miss
Well, it was about time Major League Baseball took a stand! Clear and decisive action is required when players behave poorly. Without it, we risk anarchy. It’s essential to send a message to let the players know that improper conduct will not be tolerated and let the fans know that […]
