Post Tagged with: "Athlete"

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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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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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The Evolution of Athlete Rights in College Sports

The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Evolution of Athlete Rights in College Sports
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Co-hosts Dr. Jeremy Piasecki and Sydney Moore discuss the evolution of #athlete rights in college #sports with Bob Boland on the Culture in Sports Podcast.

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The Era of the Dumb Athlete Is Over

The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Era of the Dumb Athlete Is Over
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Co-hosts Dr. Jeremy Piasecki and Sydney Moore discuss about the new challenges athletes must face on the Culture in Sports Podcast.

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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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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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The New Normal

Hearsay From the Sidelines
Hearsay From the Sidelines
The New Normal
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The first episode of this new season serves as an introduction to the current online sports betting landscape and the debate around legalization, responsible gaming initiatives, funding for addiction treatment, and criticisms of the industry by public health advocates. The season will delve into the history of sports betting, integrity, […]

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Navigating Athlete Safety During Change

The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Culture in Sports Podcast
Navigating Athlete Safety During Change
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Dr. Janine D’Anniballe discusses the importance of athlete safety and the uncertain future of college sports with Bob Boland and Dr. Jeremy Piasecki on the Culture in Sports Podcast.

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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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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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Special Episode 2: Athletes Struggling With a Crisis of Confidence

Hearsay From the Sidelines
Hearsay From the Sidelines
Special Episode 2: Athletes Struggling With a Crisis of Confidence
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This is the second of two special episodes about CrossFit’s cultural and organizational issues brought to light by the death of elite athlete Lazar Ðukic at the 2024 CrossFit Games.

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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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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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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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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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Video: Making Awesome Happen

Watch as Dr. Jeremy Piasecki, Chris Snyder, of i9 Sports, and some special guests speak about developing athletes, youth sports, team culture, positive leadership, trust, changing the way we coach, respect, and making awesome happen. Chris Snyder is a finalist for Culture in Sports 2023 Sports Leader of the Year […]

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Making Awesome Happen

The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Culture in Sports Podcast
Making Awesome Happen
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Listen to Dr. Jeremy Piasecki, Chris Snyder, of i9 Sports, and some special guests speak about developing athletes, youth sports, team culture, positive leadership, trust, changing the way we coach, respect, and making awesome happen. Chris Snyder is a finalist for Culture in Sports 2023 Sports Leader of the Year […]

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Hearsay From the Sidelines – A New Show Coming Soon

Hearsay From the Sidelines
Hearsay From the Sidelines
Hearsay From the Sidelines - A New Show Coming Soon
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Listen to our new show: “Hearsay From the Sidelines”, a place where law, sports and culture intersect​ and is brought to you by Culture in Sports and Seton Hall Law School’s Gaming, Hospitality, Entertainment and Sports Law program.”

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Video: Impacting the World

Watch Dr. Jeremy Piasecki and Chase Griffin, Quarterback for UCLA Football discuss trust, opportunities, positive leadership, accountability, respect, struggle, food insecurity, self-care, wellness, burnout, perfection, 365 days of winning, role models, and impacting the world, and learn about his journey through sports and the importance of leadership and organizational culture […]

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Impacting the World

The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Culture in Sports Podcast
Impacting the World
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Listen to Dr. Jeremy Piasecki speak with Chase Griffin, Quarterback for UCLA Football about trust, opportunities, positive leadership, accountability, respect, struggle, food insecurity, self-care, wellness, burnout, perfection, 365 days of winning, role models, and impacting the world, and learn about his journey through sports and the importance of leadership and […]

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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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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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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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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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Sport Psychology Myths

The Athletic Approach
The Athletic Approach
Sport Psychology Myths
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In the final episode of season one the hosts breakdown common misconceptions when it comes to what a Sport Psychologist produces and experiences.

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RELATIONSHIPS

The Athletic Approach
The Athletic Approach
RELATIONSHIPS
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This week’s episode breaks down the different scenarios and dynamics involved with relationships in sport. How can we get to know each other as people, deeper than just a coach player model.

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Identity

The Athletic Approach
The Athletic Approach
Identity
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In this weeks episode the team breaks down the different facets of identity and how it relates to sports performance. Determining what kind of parts of identity allow us to get through challenges.

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Goal Setting

The Athletic Approach
The Athletic Approach
Goal Setting
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In todays episode Bryce and Manisha break down the dynamics of goal setting. Reflect and re-evaluate, its ok that your goals can change. Develop a roadmap to combat challenges to your goals.

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FOCUS

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The Athletic Approach
FOCUS
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In todays sport mental performance conversation, hosts Bryce and Manisha discuss routines, how each sport requires a different focus, and focus control.

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RESILIENCY

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The Athletic Approach
RESILIENCY
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Breaking down the importance of creating resiliency as an individual athlete, which can lead to mental toughness as a team culture.

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VIDEO: Visualization

Using mental reps to get positive outcomes for yourself, through being able to use your imagination. What’s the difference between day dreaming and being able to see positive benefits from imaginations?

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Motivation

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The Athletic Approach
Motivation
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Manisha and Bryce discuss the importance of mental performance and motivation for athletes, teams, coaches, organizations, culture, and leadership.

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Gain a Mental Advantage

The Athletic Approach
The Athletic Approach
Gain a Mental Advantage
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Manisha and Bryce discuss the importance of mental performance for athletes, teams, coaches, organizations, culture, and leadership.

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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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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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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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Motivation as a Driver of Culture

Yesterday, Bryce Strecker wrote that “Team Culture Should Be Founded on Motivation”.  It was an extremely informative article the dove deep into how a team’s culture is influenced or led by motivation.  Many thought leaders discuss different ways to lead or influence culture within an organization, and I have heard […]

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Life in the World of Soccer

The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Culture in Sports Podcast
Life in the World of Soccer
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This episode provides a glimpse into the world of soccer with Samantha Johnson. She discusses how she sought mentorship at different points in her life. We’ll also hear how important team bonding is, and so much more.

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What You Don’t See

The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Culture in Sports Podcast
What You Don't See
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On this episode we discuss with Lori Okimura how important the behind the scenes support is for all athletes. From the Olympics volunteering, to breaking down the importance of behind the scenes and what that entails, and helping athletes understand the transition into the workforce.

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Life with a little help from sports – Part 2

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The Culture in Sports Podcast
Life with a little help from sports - Part 2
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This is a two part episode, this second part with Kyle Thomas, discussing the importance of mentors throughout his sports career. The values and standards they taught him are helping him become the best version of himself for his career.

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Life with a little help from sports

This is a two part episode, this first part with Saber Youman, discussing how leadership and mentorship in sports can play a role in your life and career. The values, discipline and guidance can help mold you in to the type of leader you want to be in your everyday […]

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Treating Athletes with Respect and Trust

When coaches treat their athletes with trust and respect, it contributes to a positive culture and climate.  Coaches should not wait for certain athletes to respect and trust, rather they should trust and respect all athletes, and personnel for that matter, from their first day on the team.  If a […]

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Video: Past, Present, and Future of Baseball

We spend time talking with Sam Marchiano on the topic of baseball. We learn more about how baseball’s culture can adapt and change. How has it changed, how can it change, and how can we help it adapt to modern day sports culture? Please note that this specific video episode […]

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Past, Present, and Future of Baseball

The Culture in Sports Podcast
The Culture in Sports Podcast
Past, Present, and Future of Baseball
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We spend time talking with Sam Marchiano on the topic of baseball. We learn more about how baseball’s culture can adapt and change. How has it changed, how can it change, and how can we help it adapt to modern day sports culture?

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Responsibility On and Off the Field

A couple days ago some shocking news was delivered to us by the NFL. Las Vegas wide receiver Henry Ruggs III had been traveling 156 mph near a residential area where he hit and killed Tina Tintor and her dog. The Raiders were quick to drop Ruggs, but Tina’s life […]

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Why I Love Coaching

I am a coach.  I have been coaching for a very long time, since I was a young teenager.  It is something that I love to do.  I love being on the field, pitch, deck, court, and almost anywhere else a coach can be.  I get excited about helping athletes […]

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One Thing That a Coach Can Work on Today

As a coach, I always had about 100 tasks, ideas, things that I needed to work on, or discussions that I wanted to have every day. I wanted each practice to be the best for our athletes and team. I wanted each assistant coach to learn something and become better […]

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Pressure Makes Diamonds

As our cultural shift has led sports teams from a centralized leadership role to one that expects each player to have those capabilities, the ongoing need for athletes to be more self-sustaining has dramatically increased. There will always be some sort of authoritative figure within the team, only now their […]

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A Learning Organization

Culture in Sports is a learning organization.  Our goal is to learn everything possible, whether it is about culture, leadership, or anything else that can help athletes, coaches, support staff, teams, and organizations.  Being a learning organization is the cornerstone of anything that we are trying to do. Is your […]

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When an Athlete Is Not Focused

Athletes, regardless of age and level, are not always mentally prepared or focused for practice or competition.  This lack of focus can lead to poor technique, not giving 100 percent, having a bad practice, teammates’ or a coach’s frustration, and even injury.  Sometimes something is not going well at home […]

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How DOMS Dooms your Athletes

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is something almost every single athlete, amateur or pro, has experienced in their lifetime. It starts off with an intense exercise followed by a day of feeling fine, then followed by aches, sores, and pains.  This is caused by introducing new stress to the muscles, […]

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Motivation: What drives a more sustainable willingness to grow?

What motivates you?  What motivates the ones you lead? These questions are common.  Especially, when we think about how to inspire others (in particular Gen-Z).  Understanding a person’s drivers can be beneficial for increasing motivation in difficulty.  For example, if an athlete values competition, or playing time, and they are […]

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The Power of Perception: The Impact on Culture

This can be a tough pill to swallow, but the reality is this:  The people we lead know us better than we know them. Why does this occur?  Especially for so many well-meaning leaders out there?   Every society on earth has people in power and people who are in more […]

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Overtraining: Why Less is More

A team’s success encompasses many aspects involving the managerial staff, players, coaches, and fans. Compromise one of these aspects and a lack of success follows throughout the entire organization.  During COVID we saw how teams lost their “home” field advantage due to fans not being allowed in stadiums, and how […]

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Take Risks, Take A Stand

With everything in life, there are risks. Getting out of bed in the morning can be a risky move in some cases. Even driving down the street to the grocery store can be a risky option. However, how you respond to those risks can determine your fate in life. In […]

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Flopping

Last week, LeBron James earned a warning from the NBA for his acting.  While his acting was not good enough to win at the Oscars or Golden Globes, it did fool the officials on the court and they called a foul on the opposing player.  The Lakers were down by […]

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When an Athlete Is Injured

Last time I wrote about “Ed”, a retired professional athlete who also participated in the Olympics.  Ed experienced an extremely toxic environment the last few years of his professional sports career.  During my discussion with him, he brought up how many athletes played injured.  These injuries were potentially career ending […]

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Team Culture Can Make or Break Athletes

I recently conducted an interview for research about organizational culture.  I interviewed a professional athlete that has played at the highest levels, and even attended the Olympics.  He unfortunately had to retire from his profession due to the extremely toxic culture he was enduring.  I was extremely saddened to hear […]

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Throwing Chairs

Yes, the photo you are looking at is of a chair.  I had many chairs thrown at me as an athlete.  All of them were thrown by a coach.  Normally, coaches were throwing chairs to try and motivate the athlete, or maybe it was out of frustration. In my career […]

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Team Culture Is a Top Down Concept

Some teams have a great culture and some struggle with it.  Ultimately, the leadership of a team comes from those at the top, the CEO, president, GM, head coach, and a few others.  They set the tone of the team’s culture.  If every single person contributes to a positive team […]

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Treating Teammates Horribly

The National Basketball Association (NBA) season has officially started, and James Harden is in the news again, even before the Houston Rockets played their first game. Shams Charania, of the The Athletic, reported on an incident during practice on Monday where there were Harden was involved in multiple verbal confrontations and that he threw a ball […]

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Whatever James Wants: A Toxic Culture Surrounding One Player

Russell Westbrook, who was recently traded to the Washington Wizards, recently spoke about the #organizationalculture of the Houston Rockets. Tim MacMahon of ESPN wrote an in-depth piece of the extremely #toxicculture at the Houston Rockets where he shared the extents of the #toxicity. #Toxic organizations can be extremely successful, which the Houston Rockets have proven to be over the years. The organization seems to revolve around […]

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There Needs to Be a Better Way To Protect Athletes

A little over a month ago, I wrote about how an athlete’s innocence was taken away from her at 13 years old and how US Figure Skating Association‘s Hall of Fame member John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana, a multi Olympian from Italy, shamed and threatened the girl to not report the […]

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Caring for Someone Should Never Translate Into Mental, Physical, or Emotional Abuse

Juliet Macur of the #newyorktimes wrote a great article about a decision that USA Gymnastics made earlier this year: They suspended a coach for eight years for repeatedly putting her #athletes‘ #mentalhealth, #emotionalhealth, and #physicalhealth in jeopardy. This decision by USA Gymnastics shows they are aware of how coaches can adversely impact #athletes both short and long term. However, Maggie Haney, the coach that […]

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Taking Innocence Away From a Child

I saw this article (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2020/09/29/sexual-abuse-olympic-skater-morgan-cipres-under-investigation-retires/3573251001/) a few weeks ago and then heard nothing else about it. Morgan Cipres, the French Olympic skater who sent two lewd photos of his genitalia to a 13-year-old American female figure skater in 2017 is finally under investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport and the police. […]

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Coaches and Trainers, Please Stop Holding Practices

Coaches and trainers need to do the right thing and stop holding practices. If coaches still choose to hold practices, then maybe article could be used to persuade them. An athlete’s mental, physical, and emotional health and safety should never be compromised for training or competition.

Thank you Dr Jon Rudd and Christian Klaue for your contributions to this article.

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A Contagious Culture

I watched a local high school soccer game in Orange County, CA last week and saw some pretty disturbing things. One of the coaches was laying on his side and was on the phone during the entire game. Another coach was sitting on a bag of balls and was occasionally on his […]

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