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Gronk’s Legacy
Nine seasons, three Super Bowls, three rings. Rob Gronkowski was an exhilarating player and a lively character on the field, bringing pride to all Patriots fans. He wants to show how once a Patriot, always a Patriot. Gronk signed a one-day contract with the Patriots on November 12, 2025. He […]
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What’s Actually Going on in Front of the Coach?
I was astonished last week when learning that Simone Emanuel https://swimswam.com/after-exhausting-year-olympic-champ-simone-manuel-out-of-100-free-final/ had been diagnosed with Overtraining Syndrome. I was left wondering how a nation such as the US (famed for its domination in swimming at the Olympics) could get it so wrong with Simone’s training. Sadly too many Swim Clubs […]
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Grateful for the Dog Days
It happens every year around this time, but typically a little later and a tad bit less intense. The sun aligns with the star system Sirius and brings heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. The dog days of summer have begun. It was 108 degrees […]
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Pay to Play?
Have youth sports become a pay to play business model? Are resources equally available to youth of all economic backgrounds? I would argue not. many club teams have scholarship opportunities, but is that enough, when other parents are able to pay for additional specialized training, better equipment, and some times […]
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The Athlete’s Voice
This past week has been a remarkable one in sports. An active NFL player came out as gay. A superstar gymnast took the penultimate step toward becoming the greatest of all time in her sport by competing to honor of and to remind the world, including her own national governing […]
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Allegiances & Ideals
An argument has erupted in the United States over Gwen Berry’s protest against the nation’s anthem and the flag at the Olympic track and field trials. The hammer thrower also placed a black t-shirt over her face that read “Activist Athlete” and now faces the very real prospect of being […]
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The Benefit of Experience
“Youth is full of sport, age’s breath is short; youth is nimble, age is lame; Youth is hot and bold, age is weak and cold; Youth is wild, and age is tame.” – William Shakespeare Veteran equestrian competitor Andrew Hoy might disagree with Shakespeare on that, he has just been […]
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The Team Fixers
It’s apparent that the coach exerts a major influence on the cohesiveness of the team when looking at the recent history of the New South Wales Waratahs. To their detriment the team has been coach-less for the better part of 2021 so far following the sacking of Rob Penney back […]
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Sports Coach: The Road to Mastery
The road to mastery is a long and winding road that requires, not only technical knowledge and understanding, but these two components applied over time. We have all met sports coaches that race through qualifications collecting knowledge, like bees collect pollen, but are incompetent. We have also met sports coaches […]
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It’s About Time!
The United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously last Monday not to allow the NCAA to prohibit its student-athletes from receiving benefits related to their education. This decision opens the way to ending the current practice of making huge profits without sharing the proceeds with the players who earned them. There’s […]
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The High Price of National Pride
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) will strive to deliver national pride and inspiration through international sporting success.” – AIS Last month the budget documents for Australia’s involvement in the Tokyo Olympic Games were released. The outlay is expected to be massive. In total this year, the Australian Federal Government […]
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The Fairer Sex?
“I think it’s a fantastic time to break that glass ceiling and see more females in male-dominated areas.” – Eloise Sheridan Women are not better than men, this is an unequivocal fact, and it is true that men can do some things better than women. But an inclusive culture will […]
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Innocence Transcends Differences … And Then We Grow Up
I work at a high school and I was assigned a duty to watch an area during the two-day athletics carnival. The first thing I noticed as I stood thinking of all the very important things on my desk that I should be doing, was their behavior. The standard of […]
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An Abundance of Missed Opportunity
Here in the United States, we are all pretending we are back to normal now. It’s liberating and refreshing. And for the fully vaccinated, well-deserved. But, unfortunately, the party-crashers are threatening to spoil the fun for the guests. Sporting events have shaped the public’s perception of the COVID-19 pandemic. We […]
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Treat Others How You Wanted to be Treated
Major League Baseball seems to have been in the news a lot lately, mostly for their crackdown on pitchers and illegal substances. Awhile back the White Sox Player Yermin Mercedes broke an “unwritten” rule of baseball by swinging at a 3-0 pitch that resulted in a home run, and the […]
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The Art of War
I think it’s fair to assume that a healthy culture includes respect for ourselves and for each other. The sporting world should operate under much the same premise. When fighters ‘talk smack’ to and about each other, is that part of the show? Is it a concerted effort to distract […]
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The Weight of a New World on Her Shoulders
Transgender weightlifter, Laurel Hubbard transitioned eight years ago at the age of 35. Since then, she has successfully met all of the requirements of the International Olympic Committee’s regulations for trans athletes and fair competition. The IOC policy specifies conditions under which those who transition from male to female can […]
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Trust the Coach That You Just Hired
I recently had a colleague reach out to me about a coaching issue that she was having. She was hired as a head coach of a youth sports organization during the pandemic and was waiting for the government to allow sports participation. Once the government gave permission for practices and […]
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All the Colors of the Rainbow
June is officially Pride month, a perfect time to embrace individuality and inclusivity, tolerance in all avenues of our lives; our work, our social lives, our sporting pursuits. The perfect time to develop a culture that makes room for everyone. Andy Brennan, who came out in May 2019 as Australia’s […]
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Playing on the Edge!
AFL Brisbane Lions Captain Dayne Zorko has promised not to dull his fire despite his recent suspension for the charge of intentional conduct, with low impact and high contact. The same charge was levelled at fellow AFL dynamo, Giants Toby Greene, who managed to narrowly avoid suspension but will have […]
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Competitive Sport: A Window on National Cultures
Australia’s modern day suffragette, Madeline Groves, withdrew from the nation’s Olympic Swimming Trials in protest against misogynistic behaviours exhibited by some members of her National Governing Body (NGB). This must have been an extremely difficult decision for her to make as it has negated all the investment she has made […]
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Player Safety Rears its Ugly Head Again
The Adelaide Crow’s David Mackay fronted a tribunal hearing over a rough conduct charge, and the fallout threatens to polarize the football community. In a game that is designed to have players contesting the ball and players committed to gaining possession, there must inherently be a certain amount of contact. […]
