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‘The Soloist’ Secures International Distribution
This is some dummy copy. You’re not really supposed to read this dummy copy, it is just a place holder for people who need some type to visualize what the actual copy might look like if it were real content. If you want to read, I might suggest a good […]
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The Woke Coach
An emotionally intelligent organizational culture remains positive even through changes and challenges. Far from just being a corporate buzzword, it is an important skill needed by leaders, mentors, and coaches to elicit the best from their people on a performance level as well as on a personal level. Coaching in […]
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Where is the Leadership on Racism?
It is time for leaders in all organisations to move away from the sound bites and token gestures and take some serious action. Three recent and shameful episodes in English football highlight the fact that racism in the UK is still alive and kicking. The first, and most concerning, was […]
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What a Mess!
It’s been three months now, and nobody seems to know what to do about the Deshaun Watson situation. What’s becoming clear is that the culture of the National Football League does not align with its core values. At least when it concerns incidents of sexual or domestic violence. Values are […]
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Catcher’s Mitts
Years ago, and we are talking almost three decades now, I was traveling from Boston, Massachusetts to Stillwater, Oklahoma with my mom and stepfather. It was the summer before my senior year of high school, and I was looking at colleges to attend after graduation. My plan had been to […]
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Bulldog Tenacity is the Real Culture
Such a fractured culture was believed to exist late last year in the AFLs Western Bulldogs that star midfielder Josh Dunkley wanted to break his contract. Dunkley was supposedly frustrated with the club’s leadership and culture which he believed needed to be more professional. “He’s part of the leadership group […]
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Game Called on Account of …
No longer a scary prospect of a far-off future, there is an increasing prevalence of extreme weather conditions worldwide and these are impacting on sporting events and the health and welfare of the athletes. The world of sport is a fast-paced one, training, traveling, competing, when the natural world interrupts […]
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Naomi Osaka Delivers a Message
I’m a big fan of Naomi Osaka. She has guts. Not only is she one of the top tennis players in the world, but she is also one of the most effective communicators in professional sports. Once again, Osaka has brought attention to an important issue and started a public […]
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Here We Go Again
Several months back I wrote about how we as fans contribute to the culture of the game, and yet we find ourselves here again. It seems a few people did not listen. This first week and half of the NBA playoffs have seen a number of fans banned from NBA […]
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The Fishbowl
Media exposure has heightened societal awareness of sports, players, and their organizations. The prevalence of scandal is as much a matter of conflict or negligence as it is about societal expectations. It’s not really as outlandish as it sounds when you consider the eagerly anticipated news of the latest scandal. […]
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If You Do Not Get Caught, Is It Really Cheating?
A former Pittsburgh Steelers coach made a comment during a recent interview with Ed Bouchette of The Athletic: “It’s only cheating if you get caught”. This coach, Bill Cowher, was discussing taking competitive advantages into the grey area, or worse into illegal territory. It is an interesting topic to think […]
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“Not Again, Not Again!”
“Not again, not again, you don’t have to go that high, do you?” … “Oh no, this can’t be. This is unbelievable, this is unbelievable.” … “I don’t know what to say. I’m without speech.” – Andrew Voss (Fox League commentator) Strife-ridden NRL Canterbury Bulldogs forward, Jack Hetherington, freshly back […]
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High Anxiety
Athletes are reported to be significantly more likely to report ‘high to very high’ psychological distress (at 17.15%) compared to that generally found elsewhere in the community (9.5%). The published findings indicate that despite exposure to intense stressors during the recognized peak age of mental ill-health, there is an absence of […]
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So, What Have We Learned?
In the final chapter of the sexual assault case referred to in two previous articles; “Where There’s Smoke? Or … Unwitting Target?” and “… And as the Smoke Clears, the Vision Becomes Clear?“, Crown prosecutor Craig Everson officially withdrew five sexual assault charges against the NRL forward Jack de Belin […]
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Glimpses of a Cultural Nirvana in Sport
Leicester City Football Club’s season ended in a second fairy-tale when they lifted the FA Cup on May 15th this year. The first fairy-tale was achieved in the 2015-2016 season when they were crowned Premier League champions. On both occasions glimpses of what might be called a cultural nirvana appeared […]
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The Power of a Nemesis
The semi-vaccinated public is returning to large gatherings. For over a year, we have either been alone or with close friends and family members. Consequently, now have to face our nemeses once again and learn how to play nicely with them. They didn’t go away, but they are no longer […]
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Popcorn, Heat, and Fans, Not Always The Best Combination
Typically, when one thinks of popcorn, they know that there is heat involved, and fans as well, if getting popcorn from a large popper. However, when it comes to sports, popcorn, heat, and fans, are not always within the same category. For example, the recent incident where a fan dumped […]
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Red Flags: Patterns of Intolerance
Rugby League star, Israel Folau has upset the LGBTQIA community and contravened the inclusive stance of Rugby Australia in his 2019 social media comment that “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators” would meet their end in hell. This public declaration saw his contract torn up and his […]
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The Unsung Heroes of Youth Sports
Ever wonder about the work that goes on behind the scenes when you drop off your young athlete at their respective sports clubs. Most likely not because it seems so simple right – and besides who has time to think about these things when your day is already a complex […]
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50 Is The New 50
Phil Mickelson shocked the world and thrilled a large gallery last week by becoming the oldest major champion in golf history. He held off a charge by a much younger Brooks Koepka to win the PGA Championship on a thrilling Sunday afternoon. He looked cool doing it, too, wearing state […]
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The Least Interesting Thing About You
Your body is the least interesting thing about you. I stole this from one of my favorite podcasters, Madi Murphy of The Bad Broadcast. Unfortunately, female athletes are still critiqued and judged on their bodies. Liz Cambage of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces was referred to as 300 lbs by […]
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Five Mistakes Parents Will Make This Summer as Sports Begin Again
We continue to look at avoidable mistakes each of the stakeholder groups in sports will make as sports begin again. This time by looking at challenges this season- and beyond- will pose specifically to and for parents. As tough as it is to be a coach, being a parent is […]
