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Sports Creativity, Milk Carton Catch: Use household items to create dril...

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The Big Shift: How to master pressure and the golf transition using prior sports training

The Big Shift: How to master pressure and the golf transition using prior sports training

Written by: Matt Strube

If you’re an #AverageJoeGolfer, work a day job, and don’t spend countless hours practicing, you might be interested in knowing that sports you played growing up, and even beer league softball skills, can be used to help you play better golf. We’re sure you’ve heard hockey players tend to hit the ball a mile, make the “best golfers”, while pitchers and quarterbacks have solid games, but baseball/softball hitters struggle with consistency. Did you know that a killer tennis backhand might help your golf game if you play from the opposite side? Dancers are way ahead of other athletes making a switch to golf because they understand that centeredness creates power and consistency much more efficiently than shifting all around, unnecessary swaying, or “happy feet.”

Lurking beneath fat shots, worm burners, and occasional shanks, are skillsets and motions you can pull from the old memory bank to apply on the golf course. Yes, you heard us right; your high school letterman jacket can finally be put to good use and help you improve your move. You just need to understand some simple adjustments different sports athletes need to make to be successful golfers.

In golf, shifting from your trailside into your lead side is what we’ll call the TRANSITION. Old School teachers refer to this motion, or shift, as “Foot Work”, New-Fangled-Techno-Jargon-Packed-Instruction uses “Ground Pressure/Force” to refer to the same concept. Don’t worry about the nomenclature; just know, as many GolfWRXers already do, that you must get your weight to your lead side if you want any chance at making solid and consistent contact. TRANSITION might be THE toughest motion in golf to master.

The good news for you is that TRANSITION happens in all other sports but in slightly different ways, depending on the sport. Golfers can more quickly learn TRANSITION, and speed up their swing learning process by understanding how prior sport experience can be applied to the golf swing.

[The basics of a solid golf move are; 1) you should have a SETUP that is centered and balanced, 2) you move your weight/pressure into your trail side during the TAKEAWAY and BACKSWING, 3) TRANSITION moves your weight/pressure back into your lead side, and 4) you FINISH with the club smashing the ball down the fairway. Okay, it’s not quite as easy as I make it sound, but hopefully our discussion today can relieve some stress when it comes time for you to start training your game.]

Baseball/Softball Hitters

Hitting coaches don’t like their hitters playing golf during the season, that’s a fact. The TRANSITIONS are too different, and if they play too much golf, they can lose the ability to hit off-speed pitches because their swing can become too upright. Golf requires an orbital hand path (around an angled plane) with an upright-stacked finish, while hitting requires batters to have a straight-line (more horizontal) hand path and to “stay back or on top of” the ball.

Now we apologize for the lack of intricate knowledge and terminology around hitting a baseball, we only played up through high school. What we know for sure is that guys/gals who have played a lot of ball growing up, and who aren’t pitchers struggle with golf’s TRANSITION. Hitters tend to hang back and do a poor job of transferring weight properly. When they get the timing right, they can make contact, but consistency is a struggle with fat shots and scooping being the biggest issues that come to mind.

So how can you use your star baseball/softball hitting skills with some adjustments for golf? Load, Stride, Swing is what all-good hitters do, in that order. Hitters’ issues revolve around the Stride, when it comes to golf. They just don’t get into their lead sides fast enough. As a golfer, hitters can still take the same approach, with one big adjustment; move more pressure to your lead side during your stride, AND move it sooner. We’ve had plenty of ‘a ha’ moments when we put Hitters on balance boards or have them repeat step drills hundreds of times; “oh, that’s what I need to do”…BINGO…Pound Town, Baby!

Softball/Baseball Pitchers, Quarterbacks, & Kickers

There’s a reason that kickers, pitchers, and quarterbacks are constantly ranked as the top athlete golfers and it’s not because they have a ton of downtime between starts and play a lot of golf. Their ‘day jobs’ throwing/kicking motions have a much greater impact on how they approach sending a golf ball down the fairway. It’s apparent that each of these sports TRAINS and INGRAINS golf’s TRANSITION motion very well. They tend to load properly into their trailside while staying centered (TAKEAWAY/BACKSWING), and they transfer pressure into their lead side, thus creating effortless speed and power. Now there are nuances for how to make adjustments for golf, but the feeling of a pitching or kicking motion is a great training move for golf.

If this was your sport growing up, how can you improve your consistency? Work on staying centered and minimizing “happy feet” because golf is not a sport where you want to move too much or get past your lead side.

Dance

My wife was captain of her high school dance team, has practiced ballet since she was in junior high, and is our resident expert on Ground Pressure forces relating to dance. She has such a firm grasp on these forces that she is able to transfer her prior sports skill to play golf once or twice a year and still hit the ball past me and shoot in the low 100s; what can I say, she has a good coach. More importantly, she understands that staying centered and a proper TRANSITION, just like in Dance, are requirements that create stability, speed, and consistent motions for golf. Christo Garcia is a great example of a Ballerina turned scratch golfer who uses the movement of a plié (below left) to power his Hogan-esque golf move. There is no possible way Misty Copeland would be able to powerfully propel herself into the air without a proper TRANSITION (right).

Being centered is critical to consistently hitting the golf ball. So, in the same way that dancers stay centered and shift their weight/pressure to propel themselves through the air, they can stay on the ground and instead create a golf swing. Dancers tend to struggle with the timing of the hands and arms in the golf swing. We train them a little differently by training their timing just like a dance routine; 1 and 2 and 3 and…. Dancers learn small motions independently and stack each micro-movement on top of one another, with proper timing, to create a dance move (golf swing) more like musicians learn, but that article is for another time.

Hockey

Hockey is a great example of the golf TRANSITION because it mimics golf’s motions almost perfectly. Even a subtlety like the direction in which the feet apply pressure is the same in Hockey as in Golf, but that’s getting in the weeds a bit. Hockey players load up on their trailside, and then perform the TRANSITION well; they shift into their lead sides and then rotate into the puck with the puck getting in the way of the stick…this is the golf swing, just on skates and ice…my ankles hurt just writing that.

If you played hockey growing up, you have the skillsets for a proper golf TRANSITION, and you’ll improve much faster if you spend your time training a full FINISH which involves staying centered and balanced.

Now we didn’t get into nuances of each and every sport, but we tried to cover most popular athletic motions we thought you might have experience in in the following table. The key for your Big Shift, is using what you’ve already learned in other sports and understanding how you might need to change existing and known motions to adapt them to golf. If you played another sport, and are struggling, it doesn’t mean you need to give up golf because your motion is flawed…you just need to know how to train aspects of your golf move a little differently than someone who comes from a different sport might.

Source: golfwrx.com

[tmbacorbett]

Release Blitz: Extra Innings by Lynn Stevens

Title: Extra Innings

Author: Lynn Stevens

Genre: YA Sports Romance

Cover Designer: Najla Qamber Designs

Publisher: Siren Press

Publication Date: September 18th, 2018

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb: Victoria Hudson is a seventeen-year-old with a passion for baseball. When her grandmother buys a new house in the city, Vic discovers a way to play the game for the first time since getting kicked out of little league. She just has to move in with her hippie grandmother and make sure her father, a U.S. Senator and prospective Presidential candidate, doesn’t find out what she’s up to over the summer break.

After proving her abilities on the field, she catches the attention of Daniel Cho, the team’s catcher. Everything seems to be falling apart, and yet falling into place. Vic settles into a life she’s always wanted, that of a normal teenage girl. But Victoria Hudson is anything but normal. Once the press learns that the potential First Daughter is crossing the gender line to play baseball, Vic is thrust back into the spotlight and making headlines. The life she tries so hard to get away from simply won’t leave her alone.

Lynn Stevens flunked out of college writing her first novel. Yes, she still has it and no, you can't read it. Surprisingly, she graduated with honors at her third school. A former farm girl turned city slicker turned suburbanite, Lynn lives in the Midwest where she drinks coffee and sips tea when she's out of coffee. She’s the author of Full Count and Game On..

Author Links:

Website: www.lstevensbooks.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16771319.Lynn_Stevens

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LStevensAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LynnStevensAuth or/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lstevensauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstevensauthor/

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JinMTL

Buy Link:  Amazon: https://amzn.to/2vLNHxW

Excerpt:

Top of the 1st

Acid waved in my stomach, reaching for the peak of my throat.

Stop it. You can do this. Just go at it like you own the place. Stride up to the coach like Mom does when she’s on the donation hunt.

The fields sat at the southern end of Jackson Memorial Park: one for softball, one for baseball. I had parked on the baseball side by a beat-up orange truck. The boys were already there, tossing balls and joking loud enough that I heard them through the closed windows of my car. Thankfully, the softball field was empty. Taking a deep breath, I climbed out of the car, pulling my equipment from the backseat.

Maybe it was my BMW, or maybe it was me, but the only sound I heard as I stalked toward the field were birds chirping to one another. No doubt the guys recognized a girl when they saw one. Mother Nature blessed me a bit too much in the boob department for anybody to mistake me as a boy.

I strode onto the soft dirt of the field and straight toward the older man with the clipboard. Coach Bernie Strauss stared back at me. He was easily six-eight with tree trunk legs and arms that UFC fighters would die for. He looked more like a Marine Corps drill instructor than a summer league baseball coach. I totally wanted to test him by shouting “Semper Fi.”           

 I stopped in front of him, waiting for what I knew was coming.

“Softball practice ended about twenty minutes ago.” He sounded like he ate gravel for breakfast.

“I’m not here to play softball, Coach.” I straightened my back and channeled my mother’s unbending confidence. “I’m here to help you win the city championship this year.”

No one laughed like I expected. So I exhaled, relaxed. Big mistake.

“Get off my field. I ain’t got time for this,” he shouted loud enough that birds scattered from a nearby tree. Coach Strauss turned his back to me and continued to bark at the team. “If you don’t get back to practice, you’ll be running laps in three … two …” His slight Texan accent made the “you’s” sound like “ya’s”.

The boys started throwing and stretching again, but they didn’t stop watching us.

“Coach –” I began.

“I ain’t your coach.”

I lost my cool, just like my father. “This is bullcrap. Look at your registration sheet.” He didn’t, so I snatched the clipboard from him and pointed. “See the name Vic Hudson? Well, that’s me. I paid to play. And I fully intend to. It isn’t against the rules.”

Coach ripped the clipboard from my fingers and flipped to another page. I waited. He read. I tapped my foot. That’s not nearly as dramatic on a dirt infield. The boys stopped warming up again.

He looked me up and down. “Fine. I’ll give you a shot, Hudson. You suck and you’re gone.”

“I can deal with that.”

“Get out there.” He pointed at a tall, super skinny boy. “Delvin, warm her up.”

I tossed my bag into the dugout and jogged onto the field. It didn’t take me long to figure out why Coach Strauss told Delvin to warm up with me. He kicked his leg like a pitcher and tossed a pretty nasty fastball. If I had to guess, he could hit ninety from the mound on a good day. It would’ve been stupid if I said anything, even though every ball he threw at me stung my fingers like tiny pricks of a hundred safety pins. I didn’t even try to throw my hardest. I warmed up like it was any other day.

Then he began stepping back. One step here, then another.

Idiot.

I threw hard and high to make my point. Delvin had to reach to get it. He may throw harder, but I can throw farther.

“Alrigh’, get in here,” Coach yelled. He raised his eyes at Delvin, who shrugged. “I know most of you from last year. We only got two potential newbies. One’s a girl. Anyone got a problem with that?”

If they did, they sure as hell weren’t going to tell Coach Strauss.

“Good. I expect you to treat her like you’d treat anybody else.” He looked at me and softened his tone. “What position do you play, honey?”

“Third.” I glared at him. He smirked then turned back to the team. Before he could open his mouth, I said, “And I’m not your honey.”

His head snapped back like he’d taken a right hook to the cheek. “Excuse me?”

I pointed at Delvin. “Do you call him ‘honey’?”

Delvin’s cheeks glowed light pink with either rage or embarrassment. I didn’t know which and really didn’t care.

Coach didn’t answer me though. His chin grew beet red, which crept up his cheeks all the way to his pale yellow crew cut. Steam came out of every clogged pore on his face as he yelled, “Everybody at third. Jayden, get your ass to first.” He sneered at me and I expected to get kicked off the field. “We’re going to field some grounders and see who handles them best. I’ll hit you three then rotate. Hudson, ladies first.”

Crap. Me and my big mouth. He’s going to either hit me a line drive at a hundred miles an hour or make me go so far out of range that I make an ass of myself.

I jogged to third and dug my cleats into the stubborn dirt. The rest of the guys lined up along the fence, amused grins matching Strauss’s own jack-o-lantern expression. Coach tossed the ball into the air.

Crack.

I jumped spread eagle and dropped my glove between my legs, catching the line drive. I came down ready to throw to first, but Jayden wasn’t on the bag. He stood three steps off with his mouth open. Smiling, I rolled the ball back to home plate.

Coach didn’t give me time to get back into position when he hit a grounder to my left. In a game, the shortstop would’ve played it, but this was a different type of game. I dove and knocked it down. My throw to first was in the dirt, but I was on my butt when I whipped it across the infield. That shouldn’t be held against me. It was an almost impossible play.

The last ball went up the line. I hustled and would’ve had it clean until it hit the bag. It took a nasty bounce that was nearly out of reach. I jumped and brought it down barehanded, throwing to first off balance as I fell into foul territory.

I stood up without looking to see if Jayden caught it and walked to the fence to wait for my next turn. The guys gawked at me as I leaned against the fence, ignoring them. I’d made my point. I could field. My next time up, Coach hit some routine grounders.

After rotating through every infield position, it was time for batting practice.

 “You’re up,” Coach announced as he pointed his chunky finger my way. “Delvin, pitch to her.”

While Delvin threw some warm up tosses, I pulled my large batting gloves on, stretching them over my long fingers. The shin guard came loose as I walked to the plate, but I didn’t dare adjust it. Not yet anyway. I’m a switch hitter in softball but more natural from the right side. So that’s where I started when I stepped into the box. I wasn’t entirely certain I could hit a fastball from the left anyway.

Delvin dug at the rubber. I did the same at the plate. Kicked some rocks out from under my right foot. Buried my left foot in the front of the box. Right arm cocked at a ninety degree angle, my bat perched above my shoulder, I waited. A trickle of sweat ran down my cheek. This felt more like a playoff game than a practice.

My swing was graceful as I rocked the fastball over Jayden. He stretched, revealing his dark walnut skin. His long braids smacked his back as he dropped to the ground. Jayden could jump for a big guy.

“Nice,” Coach said.

The Asian boy behind the plate whistled low and said, “Sweet.”

Delvin tossed a few more pitches before Coach snapped at me to get to third. I didn’t hesitate, grabbing my glove and hustling onto the field.  

“Get in the dugout,” Coach commanded after everyone had hit.

I stood at the end of the bench, waiting for the axe to drop. I’d played well enough to warrant sticking around, but I was still lacking the mandatory testosterone. If Coach told me to go, I would. It was his team and I wasn’t about to make things worse by throwing an epic hissy.

“We got a tough schedule this year. Last year, the Rebels kicked our ass to take the district. Well, half those boys can’t play no more. Hell, we’re missing three of our own. It’s time we take our game to the next level. The Rebels need to rebuild more than we do. We can take ‘em. Now get outta here. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He glanced my way. “All of you.”

I grabbed my gear and practically bounced out of the dugout when Coach called me and Shane Anders back.

Shane was short, plump, and had a face pot-marked by zits and craters. Something told me that his dad made him play to get him out of the basement. Coach Strauss towered over him. Shane tremored a little.

“Alright. Vic, what’s your real name?”

“Vic.”

He sighed, sending a poof of peppermint my way that didn’t conceal his bad breath. It smelled like he didn’t bother to brush his teeth in the morning. Ever. “Don’t bullshit me, girl.”

“I’m not, Coach. Vic’s short for Victoria.”

He stared at me and shook his head. “Fine. Here’s the drill. We practice every day at the same time, at the same place until the first game. Ain’t hard to remember. No excuses for tardiness or missin’ a game. Miss a practice, you don’t play the next game. Bring your own equipment. Forget your glove or your cleats, you don’t play.

“Games start next week. Your jersey will be clean. If it ain’t, you ain’t playin’. We play on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for six weeks. Team that wins their district plays in the city championship tourney. I don’t know nothin’ about either one of you, but there are a couple of boys here that could move on to college ball. Scouts look at summer programs, too, especially if they’re already interested in a player. Neither one of you is goin’ to play baseball at the next level. I just ask that you don’t screw it up for everyone else.

“Now get out of here. Today’s practice was a short one. Tomorrow’s not gonna be this easy.”

Shane took off in a hurry. It was obvious he was scared of Coach. We watched him run to a small pickup truck and scamper in.

“Can I ask you something, Vic?” Coach crossed his arms and glared at me.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Why’re you here?” He nodded toward the empty softball field. “You could be playin’ ball over there. Tell me the truth.”

I knew the question was coming, but I didn’t expect any sincerity behind it. “Softball isn’t baseball, Coach. It may seem similar, but it isn’t the same. I wanted to play ball one more time. That’s all.”

He nodded, then turned away from me and started gathering his bats.

“Am I really on the team?” I asked. I needed absolute confirmation.

“Yeah, got no choice.” He straightened up and smiled at me. “Looked at the regs. Doesn’t say this team is for boys sixteen to seventeen. Just says players. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

I smiled. Of course I did. “See you tomorrow, Coach Strauss.”

He grunted and I took off to my car, trying not to skip like a ten-year-old.

I’m in. I’m going to play ball again.

source https://www.tmbacorbett.com/2018/09/release-blitz-extra-innings-by-lynn.html

[healthcarefoundationus]

5 Tips for parents to be the best backyard coaches possible

With so many youth leagues cancelled this year, families across the country are missing the time spent together during the athletic season. Fortunately, even though the official season may not have happened, you can still inspire your children to enjoy the benefits of the game.

While on-field activities may have been called off, families across the country continue to rise to the challenge, hitting the backyard and connecting over their shared love of baseball and softball. This provides numerous benefits, from physical exercise and improved coordination to bonding time with loved ones and the opportunity for children to learn valuable life lessons.

As the Official Snack of Little League® Baseball and Softball for the last eight years, Lance® is recognizing parents across the country and their role as backyard coaches. With the help of our friends from the Positive Coaching Alliance, Lance is working to inspire parents to keep up the valuable work by providing tips for how to make the best of baseball and softball experiences from the comfort of their homes, and ways to continue to embrace the role of backyard coach to help their children thrive on and off the field.

1. Stay positive and have fun

Nobody can control the current circumstances, so dwelling on the negative doesn’t help anything. Rather, focus on making backyard activities fun and always keep a positive attitude. While teaching skills, remember that praise is powerful. When your child tries a new skill or does something correctly, celebrate the win, even if it’s small. Praise is more effective than criticism, plus it keeps the activity focused on fun.

2. Be specific with feedback

As the Positive Coaching Alliance recommends, try to be specific with your praise when taking on the role of backyard coach rather than the standard “good job.” If you’re practicing batting, instead of saying “nice hit” be specific with feedback by saying something like “way to keep your eye on the ball.” When working on catching pop flies, rather than saying “great catch,” you can say, “great hustle and nice job calling the ball.”

3. Emulate the sideline experience

So much of what children learn from and enjoy about sports is the “sideline experience” with their team. In between drills, take a moment to re-create this bonding moment by pausing for a sideline snack like Lance sandwich crackers. Made with fresh baked crackers and ingredients like real peanut butter or real cheese, it is the perfect snack to continue fueling your busy family’s backyard fun. Keep that fun going by teaching your little one your favorite sideline cheers or developing a secret handshake that they can pass along to their teammates in the future!

4. Go beyond the game

Playing ball is full of opportunities to teach life lessons, so make sure to relate what your child is learning in the backyard to skills they can use throughout life. This includes bravery to try something new, perseverance to keep trying, the ability to deal with success and failures, listening and taking direction, exhibiting good sportsmanship and so much more.

5. Express admiration and joy

When kids see you having fun and enjoying yourself, they’re more likely to do so themselves. Laugh, play together, share stories and bond over the love of the game. Whether it’s with a youngster taking her first swing on a hitting tee or a seasoned ball player practicing his drills in hopes of keeping skills sharp, this is quality time spent together.

You can celebrate the bonding and connections families share throughout the season and the lifelong lessons children can take away from the Little League experience — no matter if it’s in a huge stadium or on the grass out back. For further ideas on how to be the best backyard coach possible, check out the free resources from the Positive Coaching Alliance at positivecoach.org.

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source https://healthcarefoundation.co.uk/5-tips-for-parents-to-be-the-best-backyard-coaches-possible/

[liveittolearnit280-blog]

Q&A: Monica Clark “Our main focus is to provide opportunities for kids all over the local communities”

By: Sabrina Torres

Monica Clark is the Youth Baseball and Softball Development Representative for the Philadelphia Phillies. Monica graduated from Rider University in 2018 with a study in Sports Management. She has been working there for just under 3 years now. 

Her day to day life at the Phillies organization is to create unique events for children of all ages to come and get help with their skills. These different events that she runs including the Phillies Homerun Derby, Youth Academy, and the Softball Carpenter Cup.

 These various events involve softball/baseball and the main goal is to provide opportunities for these kids in the surrounding communities to become passionate about the game.

Monica is a friend of mine so I had the opportunity to speak to her on these certain questions regarding her position as an event coordinator/ development representative. 

This picture above is from this past RBI Softball Clinic where various college softball alumni came to talk and practice softball with girls of many ages. Monica (standing all the way to the right) ran this entire event and it was ultimately a success.  

1. What is your idea on doing virtual events because of this pandemic? 

For her job, her team has started to use social media as a way to virtually share things with their audience. They started creating posts using Phillies alumni. They have been creating videos that show baseball and softball drills kids can do at home by themselves with very little equipment needed. They want to make it just as effective for the kids like if they were at the Phillies baseball/softball events in person. This coming week, Monica and her team are discussing more ways they can connect and engage with the kids. Zoom calls have been a very effective way to stay connected with their teammates and coaches. They will continue to use technology to reach as many kids as they can to keep them active during this time. The kids they work with come from inner cities and some might not have access to technology or the internet so they are trying to be as creative as possible. Unfortunately, the type of events that they host cannot be done virtually due to the fact that it requires physical activity with equipment that the Phillies provide them. 

2. What other strategies has your company been considering to ensure customer loyalty? 

For Monica and her team, they work with kids trying to get them involved in playing the sport of baseball and softball. It’s hard because so many of these kids were just about to start their seasons. A lot of these kids baseball and softball is their way to get away from any craziness they could be experiencing. Right now, they are just trying to spread a positive message to stay safe and once this is all over the Phillies will be here to continue to support their programs. Although they don’t know when or what this season may hold it is important to let these kids know they will be there for them as soon as everyone can get back out there. 

3. Have you guys been utilizing social media?

Like stated in question #1, they have been utilizing social media accounts including Instagram and Facebook to connect with their target audience. Their main priority right now is to focus on staying up to date with the customers so they remain loyal to the organization. Monica has been keeping up and creating engaging content that is fun for the kids and their parents. It is hard when some kids who attend their events do not have access to the Internet because it leaves them feeling left out and their main goal as a department is to create a positive message for these kids who live in Philadelphia. Social media is their main way to stay in contact with the kids and keep them motivated

4. What are your main duties right now when working from home? 

Monica’s main duties as a youth development representative right now are to continue to keep her communication with their RBI (reviving baseball and softball in inner cities) Softball Coaches. They were supposed to start the 3 softball leagues on April 1st. These 3 softball leagues were brand new to RBI. A big project this offseason for Monica was to bring these girls into the program. Right now, a lot of them are worried the season won’t happen and the girls will miss out. Monica tries to keep them updated and remind them that once this is all done they will work together to get these girls playing. She also oversees the 3 Youth Academy Softball teams. For this, Monica tries to stay in communication with the coaches and players. They ask the players to do weekly workouts during which they record themselves to show us their improvements. She also is in constant communication with the other 2 people in her department discussing their other 12 programs they oversee. May and June are two of their busiest months so it’s important to stay on top of the events that are supposed to be happening in the future.

5. How were consumers told about the cancellation of certain events and the postponed baseball season? 

 She doesn't really work with consumers for her department as all their events and programs are free. She is aware that the ticket sales office has been in contact with consumers about the steps moving forward. It’s hard though right now as none of them know what the future holds. They sit and wait just like everyone else to find out when and if the season will happen this year. For her department specifically, they sent out emails to their Youth Academy and RBI Leagues explaining the suspension of both due to the pandemic and in the best interest of the safety for all the kids. Most of their events are still in the future so time will tell what will happen. They have to take it one day and week at a time. They do not want to cancel things prematurely but are also not going to put any of any kids or coaches at risk.

6. How have the Phillies made sure that the facilities are being deep cleaned to ensure the safety of future players, customers etc.?

Monica and her team have been working from home since March 16th. They have been told to stay and work from home until further notice to keep everyone safe. Only necessary workers are allowed to access the building and that is only after they have been granted special permission from the ballpark operations department. Outside of the ballpark, there was also a testing site set up for people. I’m sure they have proper cleaning crews that will tend to the building and extensive cleaning will happen before people are allowed back in.

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Have Queries About Baseball? Read Through This Report

Baseball can be a activity that is loved by many people individuals. Kids frequently become adults playing Little League, and then there is senior high school, school and the professional stage. There are even grownup baseball and softball leagues. If you're here to learn more about the activity and what you can do to become better person, then please read on. Test out a couple of bat weights to find the 1 that's right for you. If your bat is weighty, you'll slow your swing, but gain some strength. As well gradual, however, and you might in no way catch up with the pitches. You've reached hit the right equilibrium, especially if you've obtained a flame thrower on the mound. Wholesale NHL Jerseys enables you to keep the catcher safe. A catcher's uniform includes shin guards, a head wear with a facemask plus a upper body guard. Along with these items, most catchers put on a cup to protect the genitals. Lastly, a catcher's mitt is used to aid end the soccer ball swiftly. Test out several bat weight load to get the one particular that's right for you. If your bat is weighty, you'll slow your golf swing, but gain some potential. As well sluggish, though, and you may never catch up with the pitches. You've got to attack the right balance, especially when you've acquired a fire thrower on the mound. When batting, don't forget to take a few pitches, particularly against a pitcher you will be less informed about. Individuals pitches provides you with a concept of the pitchers speed and also the ball's action towards the plate. Plus, an added pitches can help break down the pitcher during the period of the game. A exhausted pitcher helps make more faults. Tune in to your base coaches. These people have a far better take a look at the sector than you need to do while you are on bottom. Do not work except when they tell you to work. Also, whilst jogging, maintain MLB Jerseys Cheap to your mentor. Nike NFL Jerseys Supply may need to tell you to slip into foundation. When you are teaching youngsters, you must make confident your exercise trainings are satisfying. Below are a few methods you can use to make certain people have the best time. Ensure all the kids are able to sign up equally. Obtain the mother and father to participate the game at times. Experiment with new drills from time to time so nobody becomes fed up. Give equally positive and negative feedback. End the exercise with some thing fun. The level of glove you decide to use is crucial. You will find safety gloves made for every single position. As an example, a catcher's glove and an outfielder's glove vary by shape and size. To ensure you deal with the soccer ball as outlined by your situation, make sure you are built with the appropriate glove. Build a good relationship along with your instructor. Whenever you play baseball, the most important expert body in your life is the trainer. Get to know him, and take note of the suggest that he provides you with. Seek advice and be prepared to try points his way, and you're gonna be a much better participant for this. Countless people really like baseball, and yes it provides unlimited entertainment to individuals around the world. To essentially benefit from the online game, though, it pays to spend some time achieving some education on the subject. With a little luck the bit previously mentioned may serve as a useful, ongoing research for any individual looking to be a baseball authority.

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Most Noticeable Major League Baseball Season

Most Noticeable Major League Baseball Season

Baseball is among America’s favorite pastimes. As with all sports, it is very streaky. During each summer, it takes on the center stage and sports bettors have yet another variety of wagering but in a unique fashion. Major League Baseball said Tuesday that Oakland is going to be the home team for the two games. No wonder MLB would like to make certain it’s all carefully verified.

Though some of their pitchings remained strong, particularly in the bullpen. There are various methods for measuring a pitcher’s effectiveness.Additionally, verify that pitchers set up on the contributing elastic the best possible site. Last, the pitchers revolted. If you’re a catcher, you can bring your own catching gear, although it is not required you do so. Presuming one of the above-mentioned teams does deal for Machado, it is going to be including a shortstop who may threaten 40 home runs en route to career highs throughout the board. When hitters are within the ball they will need to shorten the swing. Things You Should Know About 2018 Major League Baseball Season from here.

Coaches like to observe players who might have leadership qualities and don’t want to address players who might be a behavior issue. Sometimes they have their mind set on who is going to make the team even before tryouts begin, and do not have an open mind going into the tryouts, but that is a story for another day. Little league coaches and parents are getting prepared for next season and searching for strategies to continue to keep their group of youth motivated and excited about playing.

Go to another tryout camp on the off chance that you aren’t marked to a group after the plain first time you experiment with. Nowadays, a group has a 1 of every 3 opportunities to produce the post-season. Teams will get an extra visit for every single additional inning played. Certain groups have more pay than different groups and can pay their coaches a more prominent compensation. In order to help their players, proficient groups procure mentors to help their competitors remain in pinnacle frame and avoid damage.

At the close of the day, it truly doesn’t matter if they were overpaid. The method’s been around for nearly a hundred decades and is shown to be very powerful. So, therefore, it’s going to be a big calendar year. Baseball season is simply about halfway through, meaning that 2018 All-Star Game is on deck for a different year. When the holiday season will get underway, it’s time to search for your spring training job.

Players might even wish to visit the field per day or two before tryouts so that they feel more comfortable with the area and surroundings. Whatever the case, the players do tend to produce a great deal of hay once the sun shines. Major League Baseball (MLB) players have to remain in a great physical condition to be able to play through a whole season. They are limited to $1,000 per year for commercial appearances. It will be intriguing to observe how players respond. Professional softball players also risk quite a few career-ending injuries each time they play. Click here to know more details about 2018 Major League Baseball Season.

Play the diversion the manner in which it’s planned to be played. Other than the tryout drills, players may likewise take in some other significant bores as well. New players aren’t seeking to attend a team with no management or guarantees of prospective salaries or management’s capacity to be certain that a superior team awaits blue-chip absolutely free agents.

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Women in The MLB

Many kids are told at a young age that Baseball is for boys, and softball is for girls. Commonly within the recreation levels there aren’t enough girls who want to participate in softball, so instead they have to play little league. Once these young girls enter Middle School, those girls who were playing little league are forced back into softball.  The real question lies on, why can’t girls play in the MLB? What are organizations in the MLB trying to do to improve Feminism?

Today the possibility of a female playing baseball is becoming more and more likely. Minor obstacles will still make playing baseball very difficult for females, such as their body build, socialization, and opportunities. After the age of 12 it becomes very difficult for girls to find an all girls team to play on. Girls are told and get discouraged to play on the boys baseball team because, “boys can’t handle it.” In other words, boys tend to throw a helmet or a bat if a girl strikes them out, or worse their teammates tend to tease them. This could be caused for a number of different reason, but mainly its caused when children are little, they are taught, boys play baseball, boys are stronger, more athletic, and more masculine than girls. So, when a girl proves a boy wrong athletically, an uproar is occurred. This also can cause difficulty for a girl to socialize with boys at this age. Both boys and girls have different interest, or changes they are going through. All of these factors can be overcome; it’s just a matter of time for someone to break the mold.

Currently there is a USA Women’s baseball team whom travels around the world playing against other men and women baseball teams. In 2016, the USA team went 6-1, and played in the Women’s Baseball World Cup.  This shows us we are taking many steps closer to the future of women joining the MLB.

In 2015, 18-year-old Sarah Hudek was the first to be offered a college scholarship to play on the Men’s Baseball team at Bossier Parish Community College in Louisiana.  She then stood her ground and struck out many of her competitors.

“There is, however, no biological reason a women could not pitch to major league hitters,” said Glenn Fleisig. Fleisig is a researcher in American Sports Medicine, who has studied the mechanics for both a male and female pitcher. The only difference he saw was that, “A Female pitcher will likely throw a fastball with lower velocity than a male pitcher.” Today in the MLB it isn’t always about who can throw the hardest, but about the control and movement on the baseball. MLB hitters are trained to see the ball at a fast speed down the middle of the plate, and mentally focused enough to hit change in speeds. Movement on the other hand is hard to train. Seeing the way the ball spins and moves off each pitchers hand is different, because of hand size, grip, and release all very from person to person.

The Red Sox’s do a good job involving women within their organization. Every year the Red Sox’s host a women’s Fantasy Camp at Fenway. This is involved a bunch of middle aged women who dress in Red Sox uniforms, go through drills, and play in their own baseball games. These women are coached through hitting and fielding drills by the Red Sox professional coaching staff.  As you can see in the video in the link below, Director Maybelle Blair tells her staff, “Treat them just like you would treat the boys”. The Red Sox might not have a female baseball player in the horizon, but the idea is not considered impossible. Gender has always been a negative factor within the MLB, but the positive change is among us. Showing that the Future is in the near distance.

https://www.mlb.com/redsox/video/womens-fantasy-camp-2016/c-543428583?tid=8067842

Bibliography : Reynolds, Gretchen. “Will Women Play Major League Baseball? (And Not Just on TV).” The New York Times, The New York Times, 22 Sept. 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/09/22/well/move/when-will-women-play-major-league-baseball-and-not-just-on-tv.html./.latest_citation_text

“Women's Fantasy Camp 2016.” MLB.com, www.mlb.com/redsox/video/womens-fantasy-camp-2016/c-543428583?tid=8067842.

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Gallagher, Caitlin. “Can A Woman Play In The MLB? FOX's 'Pitch' Examines The Possibility.” Bustle, Bustle, 22 Sept. 2016, www.bustle.com/articles/185000-can-a-woman-play-in-the-mlb-foxs-pitch-examines-the-possibility.

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A Few Baseball Tips To Help You Master The Game

Baseball is a sport that is loved by many people. Kids often grow up playing Little League, and then there is high school, college and the professional level. There are Exceptional Ideas On Footwear To Have Content Feet! and softball leagues. If you're here to find out more about the sport and what you can do to be a better player, then keep reading. Learn how to hit a ball without chasing it by using a batting cage. A batting cage allows you to hit the ball as hard as you can without worrying about an errant ball going through a window. The batting cage has mesh sides so the ball is easily recovered. Watch the pros for tips. When you watch your favorite team play, watch your favorite players to look for pointers and tips. It might even be a good idea to record games so that you can look for technique and method. The pros got where they are by doing the right thing at the games, so you can learn from watching them. Remember that baseball is only a game. Yes, it may be important to you and your team, but you don't want to let it get you down. Even if you make a mistake, if you keep positive there's always a chance to correct that mistake. But if you let it bother you, chance are you'll make another mistake. When coaching baseball, there are a few things you will need to have close at hand. Be certain you keep a good first aid kit, properly stocked and at the ready. Bring along plenty of water and electrolyte drinks to help players avoid dehydration. Have your practice plan ready for each day with detailed drills and broken into manageable time segments. Naturally, you must be certain of having all the right equipment. Learn how to play as a team. Baseball may not feel like a team sport in the same way as basketball or football, but it certainly still is one. When you master how to play as a team, especially on defense and when there are men on base in offense, you'll start winning more games than you lose! You should always be aware of the location of every baseball player on the field. Collisions can generally be avoided when you know where every player is all the time. Collisions can cause bad injuries. Just vocalize Searching for Knowledge About Golf? Search No Additional Than Correct Right here! that you're going after a ball or player. Build a good relationship with your coach. When you play baseball, the most important authority figure in your life is your coach. Get to know him, and pay attention to the advice that he gives you. Ask questions and be willing to try things his way, and you're going to be a better player for it. When fielding a ground ball, square up on the ball before catching. Many young players go for a side glove catch or a one-handed grab, but with each you are increasing your chances for an error. If you've got the time to get in front of the ball, do so. Use Every little thing You Want To Know About Discount coupons and bend at the knees to help block against a bad hop. Whether you love to play baseball, watch baseball, or read about baseball, there is always more to learn. The article you have just read is just a starting point. Keep reading more about this great sport to enhance your enjoyment of it. Before long, you will be an expert on it!

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Straightforward To Realize Ideas And Guidance About Baseball

Baseball is a sport that is beloved by many people. Little ones usually grow up enjoying Tiny League, and then there is higher college, college and the professional stage. There are even adult baseball and softball leagues. If you happen to be right here to uncover out more about the activity and what you can do to be a far better player, then preserve reading through. Understand how to strike a ball with no chasing it by employing a batting cage. A batting cage enables you to strike the ball as difficult as you can without worrying about an errant ball likely by means of a window. The batting cage has mesh sides so the ball is effortlessly recovered. Sliding is an critical ability that several baseball players do not know how to do. You can't be scared of the grime. A ideal slide requires timing. You want your foot to hit the foundation as rapidly as attainable. Follow sliding Cincinnati Bengals Youth Jersey -to-day till you can properly judge when to commence your slide for highest distance. If you might be significant about baseball, exercise each and every working day. The execs make baseball search effortless, but they get to that stage through hard perform. It will take a daily commitment to any sport to be wonderful at it, and baseball is no exception. Make a decision the placement you need to play and apply difficult. If you're making an attempt out for a new group, make positive you happen to be on time! Often strive to be at the very least fifteen minutes early for each and every tryout, as well as any procedures and video games. Nothing at all will harm you a lot more than exhibiting up late to a tryout. And if you show up early, it can only aid you. If Youth Pierre Turgeon Jersey are a catcher, be certain you are in the proper situation when no 1 is on foundation. This means acquiring into a reduced squat and balancing your bodyweight on your feet's balls. Get as near to the underside of the bat as possible, but be certain you will not get hit. You have to bear in mind to be risk-free in any sport. Safety is especially essential when in will come to the match of baseball. Maintain your eye on the ball at all instances in the course of the recreation. You could lose a tooth or even worse from an errant ball if you do not pay interest. Slider sliding into bases can also injure their legs. If you are coaching kids, you have to make certain your apply sessions are satisfying. Listed here are a number of methods you can use to make sure everyone has a good time. Be specific all the youngsters have a possibility to participate equally. Get the mothers and fathers to sign up for the recreation at times. Try out new drills from time to time so no a single receives bored. Give equally positive and adverse opinions. Finish the practice with something enjoyable. If you are a catcher, be confident you are in the proper placement when no 1 is on foundation. Youth Stephon Tuitt Jersey indicates obtaining into a low squat and balancing your weight on your feet's balls. Get as close to the underside of the bat as possible, but be certain you will not get hit. From the standpoint of a baseball player, it was possibly instead thrilling reading about advice that can make you a greater teammate and participant. Effectively, it is now your turn as you get back again on the field to exercise your match. Practice really does make ideal, and the suggestions that have been instructed to you should aid.

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Aiding You Comprehend The Globe Of Baseball With These Effortless Ideas

Baseball is a sport that is beloved by a lot of individuals. Little ones usually increase up actively playing Minor League, and then there is large college, college and the specialist stage. There are even MLB Jerseys Usa and softball leagues. If you might be here to locate out far more about the activity and what you can do to be a much better player, then hold reading through. If you are possessing problems keeping your players' interest during practice, modify things up. MLB Jerseys Wholesale of drills is certain to produce boredom. This is why you need to alter up what you do during each and every apply. When pitching, it is essential to discover how the ball must be held and thrown appropriately. To commence, your middle finger must be positioned on the seam. NFL Jerseys Free Shipping , put your thumb in which the other seam is. This presents you the correct grip to throw the ball with optimum pace, distance and improved accuracy. Make sure you use the proper grip when hitting a baseball. You should go with a "standard" grip. The center knuckles of your arms need to be on the bat. Make certain the bat is across the callus line of your fingers instead of the back of your palms. This grip betters quickness and bat speed. As a baseball mentor, you are responsible for really a few things on recreation working day. Be certain to carry everything you require to the sport. Among the things you should have on hand are knee cushions, your substitution rotation sheet, a pencil and your rating e-book, your cell telephone and a effectively stocked very first support kit in case of unexpected emergency. Also have your staff roster on hand listing the batting order and the positions your group customers will enjoy. The bat angle is critical in baseball. The bat demands to be about 45-diploma angle with the knob of that bat pointing toward the opposite batter's box. All suitable swings commence listed here, no matter of their starting position. This is simply because the bat is in the pitched ball's airplane. Needless actions are prevented for the duration of swings by making use of this starting bat angle. Shaving cream can be employed to break in a new baseball glove. When you get a new glove, spray a handful of shaving product into your hand and rub it into the pocket spot of the glove. Up coming place a baseball there and tie a rope about the glove and baseball. Repeat this process a handful of moments for the 1st month you have the glove. Discover how to enjoy as a group. Baseball may not truly feel like a crew activity in the same way as basketball or soccer, but it definitely nonetheless is a single. When you grasp how to enjoy as a team, specifically on protection and when there are gentlemen on foundation in offense, you may begin profitable much more game titles than you lose! When running about the bases, don't forget to appear to the coaches for alerts. Remember, your foundation coaches have a complete look at of the area. Concentrate on the bases when you are operating, not on the ball. Allow the coaches be your eyes. If they explain to you to stop, cease. If they waive you to preserve coming, then make positive you run tough. Just take these suggestions to coronary heart. Maintain this suggestions in mind to help both oneself and your staff. Expertise and fundamentals go into baseball, so be certain to apply.

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Why the Patriots Leadership Qualities Separate Them

The New England Patriots continue to be the best franchise in the NFL, perhaps in all of professional sports.  Why do they continue to excel and how do they do it?  They have excelled now for fifteen years.  There are three major reasons this organization has attained, and maintained, great success:

1.      Bob Kraft - Leadership starts at the top and with this organization, and any other professional franchise, you can start with the owner.  Unlike other professional franchises, Kraft lets his coaches and front office personnel handle the football related items.  He hired a good coach and stays out of his way with respect to leading the team.  Most importantly, he’s done everything he can to keep his head coach and quarterback with his franchise.  Other organizations eventually let their egos get in the way (e.g. Cowboys with Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson).  He has a great coach and a great QB and he knows they are the biggest reasons why they succeed so he stays out of the way!

2.      Bill Belichick – The roster of players seems to always be changing yet when players come to the Patriots, they seem to perform their best.  In my opinion, it is because Belichick is outstanding at teaching his sport!  The best coaches, even at the professional level (i.e. Gregg Popovich, Joe Maddon, Terry Francona), are the best teachers of their sport.  One characteristic of the best teachers in sport is that they can really evaluate talent well.  And Belichick may be the best ever at this in the NFL!  New England always has little known players perform big on the biggest stage of football.  I don’t profess to understand the nuances of professional football, but I can spot a well-coached team and those guys are well taught!

3.      Tom Brady - There are some positions in sport that are critical to success at a championship level.  Point guard in basketball, setter in volleyball, pitching in baseball and softball, and certainly quarterback in football.  The Patriots have a guy who is exceptional at his craft and is an outstanding leader on top of that.  When your best player is your best leader, you have a chance to be special.  With Brady at QB, the Patriots have been special.  

 This organization practices what I refer to as my Three Fundamentals for Success: Be Committed, Be Positive, and Be Unselfish!  In Greg Bishop’s article in the Feb. 13 issue of Sports Illustrated, Suspended Disbelief, there are clues that indicate why these gentlemen are all great leaders.  Let’s break it down by evaluating different segments from the article.  Think about your own life and how this applies to your role as a leader.

 Brady’s best friend and business partner, the man who is said to spend more time with him than even his supermodel wife, stands off to the side. One year ago, on the same day the rest of the world watched the Broncos trounce the Panthers in Super Bowl 50, Brady and Alex Guerrero, the man he calls his body coach, decamped to a football field in Boston. Because the two men plan out Brady’s schedule three years in advance, and because that exhaustive training regimen extends each season through Super Bowl Sunday, there they were last Feb. 7 running through a three-hour workout, Brady throwing in full pads and Guerrero catching passes. BE COMMITTED! All great leaders that are COMMITTED to team success sacrifice their time and energy to be the best they can be to make it happen.

Back then, Brady’s mother, Galynn, had already been diagnosed with cancer; that was before she underwent countless hours of chemotherapy and radiation, before a panel of three federal judges affirmed Goodell’s suspension and before Brady declined to pursue his final appeal. In part he backed down, friends say, because of his mother’s failing health.

All along it seemed obvious that this season meant more to Brady, who, to be clear, does not lack for motivation. He’s not one of those star athletes who claims that his sport does not define him; it does define him, always will. But this year—the revenge tour, all the emotion he couldn’t suppress on Super Bowl week—was about so much more than Deflategate. It was about a quarterback who turned 39 in August and then spent September in exile, all the while traveling as often as possible to visit his mother. BE UNSELFISH! Great leaders find a way to have balance in their lives, no matter how dedicated they are. Some things are more important than the job.  Find ways to obtain balance in your life and you will be a better leader.  

We all know it didn’t look good for the Patriots for most of the Super Bowl.  But their coaches did not panic, i.e. they kept their poise under pressure!

Afterward, Patriots players insisted that their coaches simply told them to play better, choosing not to drastically change schemes.  BE POSITIVE! Great leaders KEEP THEIR POISE, even when all seems lost.  I believe it is important that leaders are positive.  That doesn’t mean always happy, Belichick doesn’t appear happy a lot. Being positive under pressure means keeping your composure.  John Wooden used to talk about having emotional control at all times to make the best decisions possible.  New England’s coaches are really good at this.  More often than not, when things aren’t going well, wholesale changes are NOT needed.  Yes, you must make sure you have talent on your team, but slight adjustments and persistence serve leaders better than wholesale changes.

Before Brady could launch the ultimate Super Bowl comeback, he first had to serve his punishment: four weeks of league-imposed exile. While the season kicked off without him, Brady practiced football on the same days and at the same times as his teammates. He ran through the same quarterback drills and agility exercises as before, performed the same resistance-band training. He had Guerrero hammer his arms with weighted bags while throwing to former teammates—everyone from Wes Welker, one of his favorite old targets, to Ryan McManus, a former Dartmouth wideout turned marketing exec who worked out for the Patriots last spring. “We wanted Tom to come back programmed,” says Guerrero, who also performed the same massage work on Brady, before and after practices, that he normally would have. BE COMMITTED!  All great leaders are well prepared for performance time!  John Wooden, the great UCLA coach, always talked about spending more time on practice planning than the actual practice time.  Being committed means being well prepared!

On stage for the Lombardi Trophy presentation, Belichick falls completely out of character. For one, he’s not wearing a hoodie, his longtime fashion trademark that this season seemed to disappear from his wardrobe. For another, he’s letting out guffaws so hearty that his eyes close, his amusement appearing to stem from the deafening boos lobbed at Goodell, executor of Brady’s suspension, as he hands over the champions’ hardware.

Then Belichick disappears—Belichick always disappears—while his players tuck flecks of confetti into their waistbands and pull on the requisite championship hats and T-shirts.  BE UNSELFISH!  Belichick doesn’t not try to take the spotlight away from his players.  How many leaders have you seen that ALWAYS seem to have to be in the spotlight and won’t let any of their subordinates take credit when credit is deserved.  Help those under your leadership be successful and you will find success!

“He’s easily the best ever at melding the two most important qualities of a coach: foresight and insight,” says Belichick’s former assistant Charlie Weis. Foresight into whom to cut, whom to sign, when to retain four QBs in order to keep a sixth-round pick named Tom Brady on the roster, and insight that allows him to take away what opponents do best and exploit what they do worst.

This season marked just the latest example of that melding of A and B. Standout pass rusher Chandler Jones showed up shirtless at a police station and then got shipped to Arizona, but the Patriots still led the league in scoring defense. Foresight. Linebacker Rob Ninkovich missed four games after testing positive for a banned substance, so Belichick rotated in young players he’d groomed as backups. Insight. While Brady served his punishment, and after Jimmy Garoppolo went down injured, Belichick changed his game plan to run more with unproven Jacoby Brissett under center. Insight. Then he shipped linebacker Jamie Collins, whom many considered New England’s best defensive player, to Cleveland in the middle of the season. The unit actually improved. Foresight.  BE UNSELFISH!  I mentioned earlier that great teachers are great at evaluating talent and Belichick is a great teacher.  But a great leader must be unselfish and put the organization’s best interests ahead of his/her own personal likes or dislikes of a particular individual. Simply put, the team comes first! As a leader, you must have the courage and communication skills to be successful in making tough decisions. Sometimes that is personally unpleasant, but a true unselfish leader will think of the team first.

Belichick’s approach to the fourth quarter mirrored White’s ascension: Whatever works. He let Brady take control. The two have met almost weekly since Brady became the starter back in 2001, but they’re not exactly the best of friends—they don’t go out to lunch or dinner, or take vacations with their wives. Theirs is a pragmatic relationship built almost entirely on the technical aspects of a game that defines each of them. They’re both football nerds at heart.  BE UNSELFISH!  As a leader, you MUST have a great relationship with your key players.  You don’t have to be chummy with them.  You don’t have to be great friends.  You don’t have to hang out with them.  But you MUST have a close enough working relationship that you can read each other’s thoughts most of the time.  As the leader, it is YOUR job to work at developing that relationship such that you can be on the same wavelength as Belichick and Brady are in the most pressurized moments.

Curtis Martin, a Hall of Fame running back who played three seasons in Foxborough, came to understand Kraft when he visited the owner’s cardboard-box factory 20 years ago. There, Martin witnessed the dozens of steps it took to fashion something so simple, how product was discarded for even the slightest defect. Martin visited Israel with Kraft and became a regular at family dinners, and he says he saw how Kraft carries the same approach into football. “He should get more credit for the Patriots’ dynasty,” Martin says. “He’s one of the main reasons they’ve done so well. I believe it starts with him.”  BE COMMITTED!  As I said earlier, leadership starts at the top.  Little things matter!  Kraft seeks excellence in everything, even every cardboard box he views when in his business.  My college basketball coach told us often, “do the little things well fellas”.  In basketball that refers to making a good pass, setting a good pick, boxing out well for a rebound”, i.e. do the things well that don’t show up in the media reports and may never see the light of the day. Do them well anyway, even if nobody is watching.  That’s leadership!

Brady has his habits: meditation, a plant-based diet (no dairy, caffeine, white flour, iodized salt or white sugar), all the stretching that Feely says turned the quarterback into Gumby. That’s his process, just as Edelman, Belichick and Kraft have theirs.  BE COMMITTED!  Speaking of doing the little things well, how many other NFL quarterbacks do you think are this dedicated?  I can give you the answer – very few in any.  Be committed and learn to enjoy the process.  I believe that most good leaders are accused at one time or another as being creatures of habit.  In any endeavor in life, there are some tedious routines that must be mastered in order to succeed.  In sports, we call them fundamentals and they must be repeated over and over again to get really good at them.  Repetition is often the commitment to success.  Whatever those little things/good habits/routines in your work or walk of life that are needed to succeed, BE COMMITTED to those day in and day out.  That too is good leadership!

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