Articles

basketball players on music album cover

The Theater of the NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs transform basketball into a high-stakes battle, showcasing drama and teamwork. With sixteen teams competing, the playoffs unfold like a gripping narrative, revealing each team’s true identity through seven pivotal games. Each game serves a distinct purpose: from establishing identity in Game 1 to the pressure cooker of Game 7, where reputations are forged. Ultimately, the playoffs not only crown a champion but also expose the essence of each team’s character and resilience.

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The Hidden Layer of Sport

From the outside, this layer of sport is almost invisible. But from within, one thing becomes clear very quickly: match manipulation is not rare. It exists in plain sight, but few notice it.

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five women in the basketball court

A New Identity for the Chicago Sky

Just hours into the first day of free agency, it was announced that Angel Reese was traded from the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for the Dream’s 2027 and 2028 first-round picks (WNBA, 2026). Reese had expressed frustrations with the Sky franchise ​in an interview with the […]

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Sport Has To Be Fun

Most, if not all, sports are still games at their core. That matters. Before trophies, scholarships, contracts, or status, sport should be fun first, especially for the players. It should not matter whether you are in the World Cup final or in a pickup game at the neighborhood court. We […]

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How Does Leadership and Organizational Culture Shape Success, Performance, and the Long-Term Wellbeing of Athletes?

Across every level of sport, from recreational sports to professional organizations, leadership and organizational culture dictate how teams operate, athletes are treated and perform, and how organizations respond to success, pressure, and adversity. For decades, many organizations, leaders, coaches, support staff, athletes, and fans have celebrated performance while overlooking the […]

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Embracing the Journey of Self-Development in Sports

In the fast paced and competitive realm of sports, the focus is often on developing athletes, strategies,and teams to achieve peak performance. However, an area that demands equal attention, yet isfrequently overlooked, is the self-development of individuals within this dynamic environment. Theconcept of developing self transcends the mere acquisition of […]

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Identifying Opportunities for Collaboration and Teamwork in Sports Coaching

Collaboration and teamwork are indispensable in the world of sports coaching. An organization wheremembers function harmoniously as a team can effectively leverage individual strengths, mitigateweaknesses, and achieve collective success. As John C. Maxwell famously said, “Teamwork makes thedream work” (2002). This quote underscores the power of collaboration and the integral […]

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The Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Young Athletes

Disordered eating is defined as potentially harmful and disruptive eating behaviours. This can include behaviors such as abnormal dieting, increased attention to food intake, and weight watching. Disordered eating can sometimes, not always, develop into Eating Disorders (ED) (Mancine et al., 2020). This is a subgroup of diagnosable psychiatric disorders […]

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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 […]

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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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College Sports: Bringing Community Together

Crowds. Tailgates. Never-ending amounts of people waiting behind stadium doors. Ready for a day of chants, screams, scoffs, grunts, and tears (sadness or joy). College sports contain everlasting emotions, generational pride, a drive to win, and a hunger not to lose. These sports never fail to unleash the competitive spirit […]

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The Reality of Youth Burnout

It’s no secret that youth are specializing in sports at younger and younger ages. Parents have a dream —a defined future, if you will —that has their son or daughter playing collegiate or professional sports. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with dreams, there is something amiss with ignoring the […]

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Papaya Rules: A tale of Friendship, Rivalry, and Mclaren Team Orders

McLaren’s Lando Norris now leads the Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by one point, following a dominant run at the Mexican Grand Prix. McLaren has dominated much of the season, winning 13 races and clinching the Constructors’ Championship in Singapore. With only four races remaining, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and […]

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Barcelona’s Resurgence: A Coaching Case Study in Team Success

FC Barcelona’s 2024/2025 season, the first under Hansi Flick’s coaching, is undoubtedly a symbol for the impact great coaching can have on a struggling team. The beginning of the 2024/2025 season was marked with great uncertainty from a once-dominant team. Specifically, several players who were expected to leave at the […]

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Leadership Mindset

Let’s talk leadership. When you think of the leaders in your life, who comes to mind? What attributes do they have? Do you count on them? Will you take their advice? Can you trust them with your success? Why do you want them to lead you? Every sports team is […]

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The Dynamic Relationship of Sports and Politics

Historically, politics and sports have had a reciprocal impact on one another. Whether sports are used to comment on or raise awareness of a political issue, or a political issue is influencing the way sports are viewed, it is essential to understand the dynamic relationship between the two. On Tuesday, […]

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Women’s Basketball: A New Era

We all know the big names in basketball: LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal. When you think of basketball, you think of these legends that shaped the history and culture of this great sport. As you may or may not have noticed, there are no […]

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Sports are the Catalyst for National Unity

In the present, it’s largely accepted that sports serve the masses for entertainment purposes, whether it be going to a game or watching it with friends and family on the television. However, there is one thing in common, that is it always seems to attract groups of people who share […]

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How NSL Teams Can Turn Early Excitement Into Lasting Support

AFC Toronto’s home opener match was characterized by great energy and a complete sell-out of BMO Field Stadium’s lower bowl (Waking The Red Staff, 2025). The crowds at this game demonstrated the immense support Toronto soccer fans have for the development of women’s sports, both locally and across the country. […]

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The Importance of Great Coaching

When we see a successful team, we recognize the players for their extraordinary talent and capabilities. However, the reason they get there is incredible coaching. A study by The Harris Public Policy believes that the coaches are responsible for 20-30% of the team’s outcome. This proves how coaches are a […]

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Supporting Muslim Athletes During Ramadan

Ramadan is a sacred month for Muslims worldwide, marked by fasting- abstaining from food or water, from dawn until sunset. For professional athletes, this means balancing their religious beliefs and practices while maintaining peak physical fitness through specialized diets to continue participating in their respective sports.  In recent years, professional […]

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See it, Believe it, Achieve it

Visualize your favorite sports moment: the most significant shot, fastest turn, wildest catch, longest putt, walk-off homerun. I would guess that greats like Lebron James, Katie Ledecky, Lindsey Vonn, and Michael Phelps would make up just a few of these iconic moments. All are the greatest in their respective sports, […]

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Road sign with one arrow pointing towards effort and the other pointing towards talent.

Talent vs. Effort

Sports are a game of wins and losses, failures and success, talent and effort. It’s indisputable that the mere thought of sports wouldn’t exist without athletes. Athletes bring a unique set of skills designed to play a role in creating individual or team success. But what makes one athlete better […]

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Karolyi

Legendary gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi died on Friday. He leaves behind a complicated legacy of harsh, anachronistic coaching of very young girls and having revolutionized gymnastics, first in his native Romania and later to the U.S. to which he and his wife Martha defected in 1981, after his coaching made […]

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Developing Athletes: Enhancing Performance and Personal Growth

In the realm of sports, the development of athletes transcends beyond just refining their physicalcapabilities. It encompasses a holistic approach aimed at enhancing performance, personal growth, andpreparing them for the challenges both on and off the field. A comprehensive development strategy thatincludes physical training, mental conditioning, and life skills education […]

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Nurturing Excellence: Strategies for Developing the Sports Organization

In the competitive world of sports, the development of the organization itself is as crucial as trainingathletes or enhancing coaching methods. A well-structured and efficiently managed organization cansignificantly influence its teams’ success, from local clubs to elite professional teams. This article exploreskey strategies for organizational development in sports, offering insights […]

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Building Relationships with Peers, Athletes, and Stakeholders: The Cornerstone of Effective Coaching

Strong relationships are the cornerstone of any successful organization. In the realm of sports coaching,the significance of building solid relationships with peers, athletes, and stakeholders cannot beunderstated (Jowett, 2017). In the world of sports, collaboration is vital. Coaches work closely with their peers—fellow coaches,trainers, and team managers. These relationships can […]

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Is this the Athletes’ Team? The Essence of Player-Centered Coaching

In the realm of sports coaching, there’s a pivotal question that often gets overlooked: “Is this theathletes’ team, too?” This seemingly straightforward inquiry holds profound implications for how coachingshould be approached and implemented. The ethos of player-centered coaching suggests that itis the athletes’ team (Côté & Gilbert, 2009). Modern coaching […]

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The Integral Role of Coaching: How Do I Help Others?

The role of a coach extends beyond the conventional dimensions of instructing players about the game’stechnicalities or designing play strategies. At its core, coaching is about fostering an environment thatbolsters growth, inspires the pursuit of excellence, and provides the necessary support to each individualin achieving their goals (Lyle & Cushion, […]

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Concentration And Attention in Sports

Coaches and athletes often interchange the words concentration and attention and the often-heard term fouls. To most effectively utilize these tools, it may be helpful to define each term; Vernacchia (2003) defined concentration simply as “the ability to perform with a clear and present focus” (p.144). What, then, is focus? […]

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Where Art and Competition Meet

Sports is a creative activity where individuals work together towards certain objectives. On one hand, the goal of sports is to improve the health of people and the formation of individuals’ personalities. On the other hand, sports can be appreciated as a form of entertainment. Viewing sports events is appreciating […]

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Cherishing The 4 Years Of Student-Athletes

As a current (time of writing this article) high school athlete, the high school sports experiences is has lots to offer to any athlete. Teens at the end of their 4 years will take away with them invaluable life lessons, lifelong friendships, and the will to compete. It holds a […]

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Identifying How to Work with Others on My Perceived Weaknesses: A Collaborative Approach to Coaching and Leadership

As coaches and leaders, we often tend to focus on our strengths, believing that our success is contingentupon leveraging what we do best. While our strengths are undeniably critical, it is equally important toacknowledge our perceived weaknesses and work collaboratively with others to mitigate their impact. “Strength does not come […]

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The Importance of Positive Psychology in Sports

Sports is widely agreed upon as being an essential component of a student’s exercise program. However, many students display fear and avoid any physical activity in particular sports. From this point, coaches may draw upon positive psychology to indicate positive principles and instructions, helping players understand what is good and […]

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How Do We Communicate with Each Other and Together in a Team?

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful team interactions and a prerequisite for highperformance. Building a productive communication network within a team requires understanding,trust, and the conscious application of communication best practices. Two-Way Street Communication is a two-way process and it not only involves how you send messages, but also […]

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Mending Crushed Spirits – How to Approach a Bad Performance

Many athletes have experienced what it’s like to leave the court or field and prepare themselves mentally only to have coaches criticize them for a subpar performance. Players just need some time to think things through since they’ve heard enough. On the flip side, coaches feel compelled to speak frankly […]

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Encouraging Athletes to Take Ownership: A Coach’s Influence

Coaches play a critical role in fostering a sense of ownership in athletes. This journey extends beyondsimply being responsible for individual performance. Instead, it encapsulates contributing to collectivesuccess and fostering a healthy team culture (Lemyre, Trudel, & Durand-Bush, 2007). Encouragingathletes to take ownership is a complex, yet rewarding endeavor that […]

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How to Cut a Player: A Guide for Coaches

A coach I know called me last week saying she didn’t know who else to talk to about a problem. What she brought up is one too few athletic administrators give coaches much advice about how to cut a player. Cutting a player is among the most difficult things a […]

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Identifying Your Preferred Leadership Style and its Impact on the Team

Understanding one’s leadership style is a crucial aspect of effective management and teamdevelopment. Leadership styles directly influence team performance, athlete satisfaction, and theoverall success of an organization. This article examines the process of identifying one’s preferredleadership style and its potential impact on team dynamics. Different leadership styles carry different characteristics, […]

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Kim Mulkey: What She Might Have Said Better – A Case Study

By Robert Boland & Jeff Chatterton As a sports lawyer (Bob) and a crisis communications advisor (Jeff) who have worked together before, and will again, LSU Women’s Basketball Coach Kim Mulkey and her pre-emptive attack on The Washington Post and noted sports journalist Kent Babb, who was authoring a forthcoming […]

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Aligning Personal and Coaching Goals: The Journey to Team Success

Many coaches grapple with differentiating their personal aspirations from their coaching goals, and howthese two facets can be harmoniously intertwined. While personal goals tend to revolve around thecoach’s individual development, coaching goals are generally linked to the team’s progress andachievements. Personal goals can vary widely amongst coaches—ranging from expanding their […]

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How Do My Goals Align with the Organization’s Goals?

In the rapidly evolving work and coaching environments, finding alignment between individual and organizational goals is of paramount importance. Aligning coaches’ personal aspirations with strategic organizational goals significantly and positively impacts the team and organization’s performance and competitiveness. It is critical to understand the differentiation between personal and organizational goals. […]

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Identifying How My Strengths Support the Team

As a sports coach or leader, understanding your strengths and leveraging them to support the team is crucial. Coaches need to understand why it’s essential to identify your strengths and how they can significantly impact your team’s overall performance. Research suggests that leaders who know their strengths can perform more […]

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Aligning Personal and Coaching Goals: The Journey to Team Success

Many coaches grapple with differentiating their personal aspirations from their coaching goals, and how these two facets can be harmoniously intertwined. While personal goals tend to revolve around the coach’s individual development, coaching goals are generally linked to the team’s progress and achievements. Personal goals can vary widely amongst coaches—ranging […]

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How Do I Help the Organization Reach Success? A Coach’s Guide

Being a sports coach is more than just guiding a team to victories on the field. It involves building a culture, fostering resilience, developing athletes’ skills, and driving the success of the entire organization (Mallett & Lara-Bercial, 2016). It begins with creating an environment conducive to growth and excellence. As […]

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Why Am I Here / Why Are We Here Together?

Unpacking Individual and Collective Purpose in Sports Leadership Understanding one’s purpose in any venture can be the defining factor that determines success or failure, joy or discontent. The same holds for sports coaching, an occupation where the stakes can be high, and the payoff is often more about personal fulfillment […]

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Beyond Winning: Defining Success in Sports Organizations

Success – a seven-letter word that drives organizations, individuals, and indeed, our societies. Yet, this concept varies widely based on individual beliefs, cultural nuances, and organizational goals. Especially in the context of sports organizations, success can be a multifaceted and complex construct to define. Traditionally, success in sports has been […]

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Shaping the Future: What Kind of Organization Do We Want to Be?

Defining the future of an organization is a fundamental strategic process that underpins the direction, purpose, and values it aspires to uphold. In sports coaching, determining the kind of organization we want to be, shapes not just the broader institutional framework, but also the coaching practices and the experiences of […]

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Identifying My Preferred Leadership Style

Effective leadership is a crucial aspect of coaching. By identifying and understanding your preferred leadership style, you can lead more authentically and make a greater impact on your athletes and your team’s performance. Understanding Leadership Styles Leadership styles are distinct methods of guiding, motivating, and influencing others. Recognized styles include […]

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The Vital Role of Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness in Coaching

Emotional intelligence and self-awareness are essential elements in effective leadership, including sports coaching. Defined as the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions and the emotions of others, emotional intelligence has emerged as a key factor contributing to effective coaching and leadership (Goleman, 1995). The Components of Emotional […]

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The Influence of Personal Values and Beliefs on Coaching

In the arena of sports coaching, personal values and beliefs act as an invisible guiding hand, shaping our interactions, decisions, and coaching practices (Hardy, Jones, & Gould, 1996). The Role of Values and Beliefs in Coaching Values represent the principles we consider important, guiding our behavior and decisions (Rokeach, 1973). […]

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Understanding and Honoring My Moral Compass

Our moral compass is a critical part of who we are as individuals and leaders. It comprises the personal values, ethics, and principles that guide our actions and decisions (Shao, Aquino, & Freeman, 2008). A moral compass is extremely influential in a team’s culture. The Essence of a Moral Compass […]

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Envisioning and Becoming the Best Version of Myself

The journey to becoming the best version of oneself is a personal and unique path that requires introspection, understanding, and a commitment to self-improvement. This journey is not about reaching a state of perfection but embracing constant evolution and growth. Unpacking ‘The Best Version of Myself’ The concept of the […]

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Embracing Authenticity in Leadership and Coaching

Authenticity has emerged as a critical aspect of effective leadership and coaching. Leadership researchers often cite authenticity as a key characteristic of successful leaders, linking it to improved leadership effectiveness and employee engagement (Banks et al., 2016). Understanding Authenticity Authenticity involves aligning actions with inner values and beliefs, embracing one’s […]

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How Do I Communicate? Exploring Communication Styles in Sports Coaching

Interaction with others is part of the human connection. However, many will spend an entire lifetime refining their communication skills. As a coach, communication is essential to athletes, the team, and reaching success. Effective communication is critical for coaching success, influencing everything from team dynamics to performance outcomes. Understanding Your […]

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Why Do I Love Coaching?

“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their growth,” said legendary business coach, Sir John Whitmore. This sentiment rings true across all coaching domains, including sports. The passion for coaching sports goes beyond winning games; it is about nurturing talent, fostering personal growth, and inspiring others to achieve their […]

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The Crucial Role of Self-Understanding in Leadership and Coaching

The realm of leadership and sports coaching is complex and multifaceted, with countless variables influencing outcomes. However, one factor stands out as particularly foundational: self-understanding. As leadership expert John C. Maxwell once said, “You must know yourself to grow yourself” (2015). This profound statement encapsulates the essence of why self-understanding […]

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Who is a Leader, Who is a Hero

The passing of Willis Reed, former New York Knicks star, Basketball Hall of Famer, New York legend, is in many ways more painful than the loss of my boyhood idol, Tom Seaver. Reed is a character we at Culture in Sports would have to create if he didn’t really live, […]

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Coaches Do Make Mistakes

Coaches do make mistakes. Are these “mistakes” intentional or actual mistakes that a human being can make? Are coaches and other sports leaders willing to self reflect, identify toxic and abusive behavior, and take corrective action? Or will they double down on their behavior at the expense of others? We, […]

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Another Super Bowl, Another Barrier

The first Super Bowl with two African American starting quarterbacks,sent me thinking back to two pioneers, who inspired me as a fat white kid growing up in Upstate New York and destined to put my hand on the dirt as a lineman, but who grew up loving the quarterback position. […]

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Recovery From Toxic Culture

Teri McKeever, former head coach of the University of California, Berkeley’s women’s swimming and diving program, was recently fired due to allegations of toxicity and abuse from former athletes and staff. These allegations have been reported over many years by athletes, and have adversely impacted the short and long-term mental, […]

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Make Good Choices

Since my daughter was in middle school, me and my wife have told both of our kids to make good choices…and not eat yellow snow. Even though our daughter is 21 and our son is 17, we still say it repeatedly to them, well to make good choices, that is. […]

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The Brutality of Burnout in Competitive Sport

The last few articles I’ve written here have been primarily focused on different Mental Skills and helping athletes reach their full potential and become the best athletes and people they can be. But we also understand that sports aren’t always sunshine and rainbows. Competitive sports can bring us some down […]

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The One Lap That Meant Everything

If I were to ask, “who won, the men’s 400-meter dash at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics?” It would most likely illicit a puzzled look, especially if you aren’t a Track & Field aficionado. Asking who finished second and third probably would be even more difficult to recall even for an […]

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Another Look at the Sarver Investigation & Sanction

The shocking results of the NBA’s external investigation of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver, and his actions and the workplace culture of his franchise were revealed last week, and Sarver was suspended for a year and fined $10 million dollars by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, with Silver stating it was […]

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Being Distracted

Tom Brady had a tough game this past Sunday. Teammates, coaches, analysts, and fans can all speculate what happened on Sunday, but Tom Brady is the only one who truly knows what he was going through mentally, physically, and emotionally. Being an athlete at such high level is difficult enough. […]

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Another Toxic Culture Uncovered

The owner of the Phoenix Mercury and Phoenix Suns was suspended and fined by the NBA. For 17 years, the toxic culture prevailed. All personnel in both organizations were impacted by Robert Sarver’s toxic leadership and culture for 17 years. Sarver was suspended for one year and fined $10 million. […]

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NIL In High School: A Parents’ Guide

One of the biggest revolutions of the last 14 months is the removal of barriers that prevented college athletes from receiving financial benefits from the use of their names, images, and likenesses (called “NIL”). As the opportunity to earn income from NIL has now moved to the high school level, […]

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Education and Sports

Yesterday, Bryce Strecker wrote about “The ability to focus can become your secret weapon“.  It was an extremely informative article that dove deep into understanding focus and assisting athletes to better focus. If you have not read Bryce’s article yet, you must take a few minutes to not only read […]

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The Ability to Focus Can Become Your Secret Weapon

I’ll be the first person to admit that I struggle to focus pretty often. I have a real ‘wanderer’ of a mind and that can make things difficult for me. Whether it’s trying to get myself to sit down and finish writing this article or getting myself to actually pay […]

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The NFL’s Problems with Women: Why They Matter

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell boldly declared back in 2010 that the league, which had earned a bit more than $8 billion in annual revenue the prior year, would generate $25 billion annually by 2027. The league seems on pace to hit that goal, even after Covid slowed growth a tiny […]

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Positive Coaching

Have you ever had a coach tell you that she believed in you?  If you did, that coach may have been onto something.  That same coach probably told you that he was proud of you or maybe even said that she loved your effort or hard work.  When you reflect […]

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