When you're going to experience a five-hour flight across America, you look for things to do or read. I chose to read and found a book of quotes to nestle in with as we sped over the clouds.
I could have chosen news periodicals like USA Today, the Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal or something that would tell me 101 ways to make my abs look like steel. Nope, I chose something that had about 3,000 ideas that I could apply in life and sports.
Most of them were pure drabble, but some I took to heart and tried to interpret them as to how they related to youth sports, parents and coaches. So here's my thoughts from 40,000 feet.
"If your mind can conceive it, and your heart can believe it, then you can achieve it."
Isn't that the truth? Many times we face teams or opponents that seem invincible, yet once the game begins we really believe we can change the outcome no matter what anyone thinks or anyone doubts.
"Progress always involves risk. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first."
Players afraid to make a mistake and coaches that don't want to call a certain play for fear of failure or mistrust of their team exemplify this quotation. It's time to come out of the comfort zone and create new habits and behavior. If not, others will pass you by and teams will hand you another defeat.
"The most significant change in a person's life is a change of attitude. Right attitudes produce right actions."
Got a bad attitude? Time to change it. Got players or kids that need an attitude adjustment? Have the patience to work with your kids or team and establish respect for coaches, teachers and fellow teammates. If you're a parent or coach, teach your kids and players about character. It goes a long way in what people think about you and what you're teaching.
"A child only educated at school is an uneducated child."
Whatever sport your child plays, take an interest in it. Immerse yourself in it. Educate yourself about it and spend time doing it with your kids. Education in the classroom is important but it's equally important as to what you can teach your child out of the classroom. The nuances of sports is a great teaching tool for life.
"If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself, but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding."
As parents and coaches we sometimes think we know it all. Well, we don't. Attend coaches clinics to gain more knowledge and apply what you've learned. Listen to people with experience telling you a better way to coach or teach. Find out how your child can get better in a particular sport. Accept the fact there may be a new method to get your point across.
"When a friend makes a mistake, don't rub it in. Rub it out."
Keep this in mind when your son or daughter makes a physical or judgmental error, misses a shot or loses a race. Trust me, they're trying. It doesn't do any good to pester them about what happened. Console them and discuss how to approach that same situation in the future. Maybe a coach made a tactical mistake. Instead of talking behind his back on what you would have done, try asking him his logic behind his decision. He may learn from you and vice versa.
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether this happens at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young, but becomes constantly more valuable regardless of physical capacity."
I recall a 94-year-old golf teacher in Florida, when asked why he still teaches, said, "Well, when I stop teaching, I'll stop learning." Experience is a great teacher and the more we can instruct our children from things we experienced in our lives, the better.
While back at the Little League Summer Camps in Williamsport, Pa., one of the coaches had a million baseball stories to tell. The kids ate it up. They'd clamor around him to hear his every word. I felt touched to be around him and devour more information that I could bring back to my son.
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."
Ever wonder why the ball never bounces your way, why the officials call always seems to go against you or you lose in the waning seconds? Well, start practicing harder, have better work ethics with your child or team and don't expect things to happen, make them happen.
Our high school baseball coach used to preach this, and his phrase was, "Luck is the residue of design." We never put much credence in his words until we won five miraculous playoff games en route to the CIF Southern Section Championship. To this day, I believe the above statement. You should too!
"Forty is the old age of youth, and 50 is the youth of old age."
I don't know where you stand on this one, but I feel young again!
Rich Taylor has been coaching youth sports for over 25 years, is the Co-Director of the ACE Powerband national arm strengthening program and formerly scouted and coached in professional baseball. His column, A Sideline View, appears once a week. Reach him at rjtaylor23@yahoo.com
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Former Rams bask in the glory days at reunion
