Beyond Athletic Life Lessons

Gary Carter, MLB Legend and BALL Icon...

2012-02-22T22:03:00.000-08:00

Gary Carter, Hall of Fame Catcher and Hall of Fame PERSON, died of brain cancer on 2/16/12.

Walk with the angels, good and faithful servant...

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The Challenge: Don't let what you can't do, dictate what you CAN do...

2012-02-20T21:14:00.000-08:00

Each season, every team and/or league that participates in BALL has an opportunity to teach kids real-life lessons that impact their local community through an extended lesson called The Challenge.

Because this takes a little more effort, it's an optional lesson for a coach...but one that has huge upside potential for our nation's youth.

One such Challenge event is going on right now, and I thought that it would be nice to give you a taste of how it works and introduce the charities being championed by one of the teams...

During a 3 week period at the beginning of a season, each team practices a BALL-based curriculum of plyometrics, quick twitch drills, and sport-specific drills (in this case, football) and learns about three local kid-centric charities of the league or coach's choosing. Each player has a chance to earn prizes for performing in each Challenge category: physical, community buzz created, and total funds raised.

During the lesson, they are taught that there are 3 ways to help a charity:

1) Donate time,
2) Raise money, and
3) Raise community awareness about the cause.

BALL ties all of these together in the lesson.

They are then tasked with spreading the word to family and friends about what these charities do for their communities. Financial support from these families is welcome, but not required.

At the end of the three weeks, athletes compete at a special Challenge practice and are graded/scored on the physical skill sets. They get points as both a team and as individuals.

After the money is collected, the funds are allocated to the team, the youth league, and one of the three charities. What determines the charity? That's the real point of the lesson...

In a world filled with unlimited needs but limited resources, we all need to make difficult and sometimes painful choices. In this case, the choice has a financial impact: which charity gets the financial help? The kids must come to a consensus via a team vote.

Following are an example of this season's chosen charities:

1. SAS Foundation: Provides heart defibulators and Sudden Cardiac Arrest (“SCA”) awareness education for schools. Founded by the parents of Shauna Stuewe, a 14 year old cheerleader who tragically died on Esperanza High School’s (Orange County, CA) athletic field during cheerleading practice. http://www.shaunastuewe.com/
2. CHOC: Orange county-based hospital that provides world-class medical care in specialties like catastrophic accident rehabilitation, cancer, epilepsy and other hard-to-treat medical conditions to kids regardless of a family’s financial situation. (http://www.choc.org/about/index.cfm)
3. The Orangewood Children’s Foundation: Provides short and medium term shelter and support for children who are victims of abuse, neglect or abandonment. http://www.orangewoodfoundation.org/index.asp

It is my hope that, over time, The Challenge becomes an integral part of each youth sport's season. It could literally change the face of charitable giving, and actively prepare the next generation for fulfilling one part of Wooden's 7 Point Creed: Help Others.

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne

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Emotional intelligence. Defined.

2012-02-02T18:00:00.000-08:00

Click here: Red.

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Happy Birthday Jackie and Nolan!

2012-01-31T19:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to Beyond Athletic Life Lesson mentors and MLB 1st ballot Hall of Fame members Jackie Robinson and Nolan Ryan!

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Good news...ESPN's Rick Reilly came through AGAIN...

2012-01-22T22:24:00.000-08:00

Reilly is soooo clutch...

Literally minutes after asking him via email, Mr. Reilly hit us back with the green light to use his article "I Believe in Tim Tebow" for a new BALL Challenge lesson. And it was SUNDAY, during the football playoffs!

If you play flag football, you can get a preview of the new Challenge lesson by clicking here...Note that he doesn't necessarily believe in Tebow's prospects as a front-line player; rather, he is sold on Tebow's character and sincerity.

The Wooden Maxim? "Help Others", one of his "7 Points"...like we had any other choice lol...

Ted Browne

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Reilly does it again...

2012-01-22T16:51:00.000-08:00

Those of you that use our BALL lessons know that we start off each season with "A Paragon Rising Above The Madness", Rick Reilly's poignant recollection of Coach Wooden's essence. It's the best piece of short sports journalism I've ever personally read.

Well, strap on your helmet...Rick's done it again.

BALL usually waits for history to vet the athletes we feature. We do this because life has a way of shining a bright light into a public personna's dark corners. That said, we implicitly trust Reilly's judgement on this one. And the thing about it is, it's not even about a particularly good professional football player. The kid routinely throws dying quail and lame ducks each Sunday. Yet somehow, some way, he and his team find a way to win. But that's not the point of Reilly's quill.

So much is made of a player's charactor on the field. Rarely is his life off the field as remarkable. Check it out here. If it doesn't put a lump in your throat - even if you're a Tebow Hater - check your pulse. You might be dead.

Thanks for another gift, Rick!

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne

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Cressey knocks it out of the park (again!)

2012-01-07T23:09:00.000-08:00

This week I, along with a few thousand or so other baseball coaches, attended the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) convention. The keynote speaker for Friday's session was none other than Eric Cressey.

For those of you not affiliated with the baseball modules of BALL, Cressey trains pro athletes (he handled Curt Schilling's rehab) and high level amateurs at his Cressey Performance training facility near Boston, MA. Through his numerous articles and videos both in magazines and online and our "BALL Presents Eric Cressey on (topic)", Cressey has taught thousands more parents and baseball athletes about the nuts and bolts of proper arm care and complete body conditioning.

Yet for all the videos and articles he's written, this 40 minute presentation was even more impressive. There's something magical about watching an entertaining speaker who knows his stuff give you a multi-media presentation about a subject that could be so dry. Arm health? Joint treatments? Watching videos of people do core exercises? In the wrong hands, this can make for a very long evening. In Cressey's, he left us wanting more.

And so he gave it to us.

Directly after the presentation, he made himself available for a separate Q&A on the topics. That session lasted longer than the presentation. And unlike many "experts" in the baseball industry, he had no ulterior motive...no ax to grind. He wasn't selling books or videos or consulting services. He just wanted you to get better.

BALL is blessed to have Cressey as a valued resource. Last night simply drove that point home.

For a wide range of strength and conditioning topics and a priceless education that could literally save you or your child's athletic life, get lost in his website here. His content is free.

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne

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Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T19:21:00.000-08:00

The staff and volunteers at Beyond Athletic Life Lessons wish you a Happy and Successful New Year!

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Dear 16 year old me...

2011-12-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

In addition to PEDs and NSAIDs, we are now offering a lesson on, believe it or not, sunblock.

Watch this video for a preview...

Be safe...

Ted Browne

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FORBES MOST PROMISING COMPANIES 2011

2011-12-22T01:08:00.000-08:00

Well, Beyond Athletic Life Lessons ("BALL") made it as a finalist to the FORBES TOP 100 MOST PROMISING COMPANIES list, but we didn't make the Top 100...in fact, *no* nonprofit did. Maybe Forbes should have a separate category for companies like us?

Here is the article...

Maybe next year...

Ted Browne
Chief StoryTeller

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Uh Oh...

2011-12-03T12:55:00.000-08:00

ATTENTION BALL STORYTELLERS:

Seems that we have a few new sports coming down the road that need some BALL lessons. If you are interested in some creative writing (3 or 4 paragraphs per lesson), we sure could use your expertise! In particular demand: soccer, volleyball, hockey and softball....

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne

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Joe Frazier

2011-11-08T16:51:00.001-08:00

RIP Smokin' Joe...

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ARM HURT? BLAME YOUR TRAVEL BALL OR FALL BALL COACH (ERIC CRESSEY)

2011-11-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I am a pitching coach as well as the Chief StoryTeller of BALL. As such, I am a student of the game and occasionally post pitching information here for those interested in the craft. For the record, I firmly believe in pitching theories taught by Virginia's coach Karl Kuhn and his lineage of coaches (which includes Nolan Ryan's pitching coach).

Following is an article by Eric Cressey, President of Cressey Performance, a sports training facility near Boston that has a huge clientele base of professional athletes (mainly baseball). Cressey is one such training coach that, I believe, has athletes' long term health in focus. I strongly encourage you to sign up for his e-mail alerts and blog posts. Like Rick Reilly (of ESPN and Sports illustrated), Eric has graciously allowed BALL to use his insights and integrate them directly into our BALL curriculum. One of his blogs (posted below) is both timely and a very good read.

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne

Chief Storyteller

Beyond Athletic Life Lessons, Inc.

From Eric:

____________________________________________________________________________________

I have a policy when it comes to my writing:

If something is going to be controversial and potentially elicit a negative response from my readers, I “sit” on the topic for 24 hours. During that time, I weigh the decision of whether me publicly writing about something is for the better good – meaning that it’ll help people in the long-term even if it makes them recognize that they’ve been goofing up in the short-term.

I did some thinking on that front last night (actually, for the past several nights), and decided to go through with this blog, as I feel like it’s something that every single baseball player, parent, and especially coach ought to read. So, if you’re in one of those categories – or are just a baseball fan who loves the game – please spread the word on what you’re about to read, whether it’s with a Facebook “recommend,” “Tweet,” or just a friendly email with the link to this article.

If you’ve perused my Baseball Content page much in the past, you’ll know that I don’t try to hide the fact that throwing a baseball is an incredibly unnatural and flat-out dangerous motion. It’s the single-fastest motion in all of sports, and every day, physically unprepared athletes go out and essentially play with fire every single time they try to light up a radar gun – or even just play catch.

Not surprisingly, when you mix physically unprepared bodies with arguably the most dangerous sporting challenge on the planet (the folks in Pamplona, Spain might argue with me, but that’s a blog for another day), athletes get hurt. Arm injuries (like all youth sports injuries) are rising exponentially thanks to not “less athletic athletes” taking part in high-risk sports, but also this participation taking place at all-time high rates thanks to the proliferation of little league all-star teams, AAU teams, fall ball, private pitching instruction, and the baseball showcase industry. A fantastic study by Olsen et al. in 2006 (must-read for anyone involved in baseball development) clearly demonstrated strong associations between injuries requiring surgery and pitching “more months per year, games per year, innings per game, pitches per game, pitches per year, and warm-up pitches before a game” as well as showcase appearances during adolescence. The message was very clear: throw too much – especially at a young age – and you’re going to wind up hurt.

Unfortunately, though, many people glaze over numbers in studies (if they ever read them), and while they may walk away with the “overuse is bad” message, they don’t appreciate what true overuse really is – especially since it’s age-dependent. Fortunately, a February 2011 study from Fleisig et al. showed in no uncertain terms that, in ages 9-14, throwing more than 100 innings per year was associated with a 3.5 times higher risk of elbow or shoulder surgery – or retirement altogether.

To put this into context, I’ll first ask you: do you realize how challenging it is to throw 100 innings in a little league season? Let’s say you start baseball the first week of April (little league) and even manage to play on a summer team that runs through the end of July. That’s a four month season: exactly what I was accustomed to growing up – at the absolute most.

Conveniently right now, we are almost exactly through a month of the major league season – and Jon Lester leads my team of choice, the Boston Red Sox, with 31.1 innings pitched. In other words, at this point in time, a high-performance, skeletally mature pitcher (with no history of arm troubles) in the most elite baseball league in the world is on pace for roughly 130 innings pitched over the first four months of the year. However, there are parents and coaches out there that actually think it’s okay to send an 11-year old out there for a comparable number of innings? It’s especially troublesome when you realize that younger kids always throw more pitches per inning than their older counterparts, as they don’t have good command and insist on trying to strike everyone out instead of pitching to contact here and there.

Just think about how hard that is to do. Lester throws on a five-day rotation, and Little league games are, at most, twice a week. If a kid pitches once a week for four months, even if he throws complete games every time out (not something I’d advise, for the record), he’d still struggle to hit 100 innings (16 starts x 7 inning games =112 innings). Rats! It’s actually tough to overuse kids when the season is kept in check.

So, instead, they add seasons. Join an AAU team (or seven of them). Play fall ball so that you can rack up another seven innings every weekend. Be sure to hit up a few college camps on Saturdays and throw as hard as you can so that your Sunday outing in 25-degree weather is extra miserable. Make sure you see your pitching coach for bullpens as soon as fall ball ends. Get your registration in early for that showcase that’s taking place the first week in January. Just do some band work and a couple of half-ass stretches and you’ll be fine. Riiiight….good thinking.

At risk of sounding arrogant, I’m good at what I do. I’ve devoted my life to keeping baseball players healthy. They comprise 85% of our clientele at Cressey Performance, and I work with millions of dollars of arms every off-season and see players from ages 9 to 50+. I do my best to surround myself with the smartest people in strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, and skill-specific training in and outside of the game. I managed the first subpectoral biceps tenodesis in major league history. I can talk mechanics with the best pitching coaches around, write strength and conditioning and throwing programs, manually stretch guys, you name it. I’ve got two fantastic therapists in my office to do massage, ART, Graston, chiropractic adjustments, and a host of other manual therapy approaches – not to mention a great physical therapist nearby who can handle all our complex cases. You know the only things I, we, or anybody on this planet can’t control?

Poor judgment by athletes and their parents and coaches.

And that – no doubt about it – is the primary reason that kids get hurt. We can do all the strength training, mobility work, and soft tissue treatments in the world and it won’t matter if they’re overused – because I’m just not smart enough to have figured out how to go back in time and change history. Worried about whether they’re throwing curveballs, or if their mechanics are perfect? It won’t matter if they’ve already accumulated too many innings.

While athletes might be playing with fire each time they throw, the pain presentation pattern is different. You burn your hand, and you know instantly. Pitching injuries take time to come about. Maybe you do microscopic damage to your ulnar collateral ligament each time you throw – and then come back and pitch again before it’s had time to fully regenerate. Or, maybe you ignore the shoulder internal rotation deficit and scapular dyskinesis you’ve got and it gets worse and worse for years – until you’re finally on the surgeon’s table for a labral and/or rotator cuff repair. These issues might be managed conservatively if painful during the teenage years (or go undetected if no pain is present) – but once a kid hits age 18 or 19, it seems to automatically become “socially acceptable” to do an elbow or shoulder surgery.

Of course, this isn’t just applicable to coaches in the 9-14 age group. You see “criminal” pitch counts in the high school and collegiate ranks as well, and while they may be more physically mature than the 9-14 year-olds, that doesn’t mean that they’re exempt from the short- and long-term consequences.

This is why we need the best coaches at the youngest levels. It’s also why we need pitching coaches that understand “managing pitchers” as much as – if not more than – teaching pitching mechanics. And, it’s why coaches need to understand the big picture in terms of what different kids can do at different ages, at different times in the year.

It’s also while parents need to be proactive with their young pitchers. If a coach isn’t going to track his innings – and a 9-year-old kid certainly can’t be expected to do so – the parent needs to step up and do so. I’ve met a lot of parents of kids who have been injured at ages 17-21, and most of them look back with a lot of anger toward coaches at younger levels for overusing their sons. Hindsight is always 20/20, but foresight is what saves an arm. Don’t be afraid to step up and say something, as you aren’t telling a coach how to do his job; you’re protecting your kid, just as you would be locking the door at night or making sure he brushes his teeth.

In terms of planning the competitive year, I have no problem with a 9-14 year-old kid playing baseball 4-5 months of the year, as the other 7-8 months per year should be devoted to at least two other sports. It’s basically the “rule of thirds” for long-term athletic development: three sports, four months apiece. Kids can strength-train year round.

At ages 15-16, I’m fine with kids changing things up and going to only two sports. Baseball might occupy 7-8 months, but a big chunk of that should be focused on preparation. So, a kid might start playing catch in November, start his high school season in March, and then play summer ball through the end of July. August through November would be devoted to a fall sport and fall ball would be altogether omitted, as it was the only idea worse than making Rocky V. Kids would, of course, strength-train year-round.

At ages 17 and up, it’s fine with me if you want to specialize in baseball, but that doesn’t mean you should play year-round. I actually advocate kids only throw for 8-9 months of the year (at most) – which is right on par with what most professional players do. The only thing that’d be different is that the season would be shifted up a bit in the year, as the high school season usually starts a few weeks before the professional season. Pro guys get half of October, then all November and December off from throwing. “Specialized” high school players get August, September, and October off (again, because fall ball is as useful as a trap door in a lifeboat). Strength training is year-round.

You’ll notice that there isn’t a single penny spent on off-season baseball showcases. That wasn’t an accidental omission (read here why I don’t like them). If you insist on going to one, pick one between June and early August.

I’m convinced that the next big thing in Major League Baseball’s “scouting revolution” is meticulously analyzing what players did when they were younger. If they are going to draft kids, they want to know that they haven’t been overworked for years prior to entering professional baseball. You’re already seeing this taking place in collegiate baseball based more on an assumption: pitchers from the North are getting more and more opportunities to play down South because coaches recruit them (beyond just talent) under the assumption that they’ve accumulated less wear and tear on their arms.

This piece might have ruffled some feathers. Kids want to play year-round. Parents want to make kids happy – and they enjoy watching them play. You know what else? Kids love chocolate, and parents want to see kids happy – but that doesn’t mean that kids should get a limitless amount of chocolate to consume, right? You put away the Easter candy this week to stress moderation and look out for their long-term well-being.

Coaches enjoy coaching and want to win – and they may take a commentary like this personally because they’re the ones who sent a 9-year-old out for 120 innings one year – and now he’s the one having the elbow surgery. Or, maybe it’s the college coach who let a kid throw 160 pitches in a game and killed his draft status because teams know he’ll have a shoulder surgery in three years. Admitting you’re wrong is hard enough, but admitting you’re wrong and learning from that mistake to help future kids is even harder – but all the more rewarding.

This post wasn’t intended to make anyone feel bad, but bring to light an issue (throwing volume) that I think is the absolute most important consideration when taking care of arms. We can do everything right in terms of physical preparation, but if you throw too much – especially at vulnerable ages – none of it matters.

Again, if you could help spread the word on this, I’d really appreciate it. And, feel free to comment below; I’m here to help.

- Eric Cressey

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Happy 101st, Coach.

2011-10-15T01:21:00.000-07:00

We'll keep fighting the Good Fight. Thanks again for everything!

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Run your own race...

2011-09-26T23:12:00.000-07:00

Seth Rocks...

The rear view mirror is one of the most effective motivational tools ever created.

There's no doubt that many people speed up in the face of competition. We ask, "how'd the rest of the class do?" We listen for someone breathing down our necks. And we discover that competition sometimes brings out our best.

But if you're going to count on the competition to bring out your best work, you've surrendered control over your most important asset. Real achievement comes from racing ahead when no one else sees a path--and holding back when the rush isn't going where you want to go.

If you're dependent on competition then you're counting on the quality of those that show up to determine how well you'll do. Worse, you've signed up for a career of faux death matches as the only way to do your best work.

Self motivation is and always will be the most important form of motivation. Driving with your eyes on the rear view mirror is exhausting. It's easier than ever to measure your performance against others. But if it's not helping you with your mission...stop.

- Seth Godin

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BALL selected as a FORBES "America's Most Promising Companies" finalist!

2011-09-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

Garden Grove, CA

Forbes business magazine has selected Beyond Athletic Life Lessons as one of it's finalists in the annual feature entitled "America'a Most Promising Companies". We at BALL are honored to be included.

Beyond Athletic Life Lessons is an educational nonprofit serving youth sports and educational communities. BALL teaches emotional, mental, and physical intelligence through sports by using the Wooden Pyramid of Success, and integrating it's concepts with historically-significant athletes that exemplify Wooden's core values.

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Scholarship Fundamentals

2011-09-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

I don't typically endorse products, but this one might be important if you plan on sending your kid to college.

Coach Kittle's "College Recruiting and You" book is a good call
...even if you don't think your kid is a scholarship-caliber player. It provides good fundamental information for any sport. You can also use it as a "cross-train" platform to contact colleges about other types of scholarships (fine arts, academic, etc.) as well.

As a high school coach, I know much of Kittle's content already. I bought the book anyway because I could always use more good info...plus, I figured that the money-back guarantee from a third party (Yogi Berra's baseball school CEO) was a pretty strong endorsement.

I was pleased to find that it's a very valuable parent/coaching reference book. It's organized extremely well and has all the information a parent needs in one place. The college web links alone are worth the price of the book. Kittle has found a permanent spot on my bookshelf.

If this helps swing you over to buying the book, please take note: I get no financial compensation for this plug.

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne
Beyond Athletic Life Lessons, Inc.
www.GoToBALL.org

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From Liberty Mutual's Responsible Sports: The Game Of Life

2011-08-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

These folks do a great job of promoting the "right" way of coaching...

Liberty Mutual

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FACEBOOK Trivia...

2011-08-02T06:23:00.000-07:00

FREE BALL T-SHIRT TO THE 1st Person WHO CAN ANSWER THIS TRIVIA ON OUR FB PAGE -

When this Hall of Fame catcher was 20 years old, he told a pitcher who was shaking off his signs that his fast ball had no "POP". The pitcher berated the catcher and kept shaking him off. On the next pitch, the catcher called a fastball and then caught it with his bare hand to prove his point.

WHO WAS THE CATCHER?

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BALL gets a new sponsor...BIGS SUNFLOWER SEEDS!

2011-07-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

"BIGS" NEWS!

BALL is proud to announce that BIGS Sunflower seeds has decided to become a BALL sponsor. We want to thank them for their support and can honestly say that the seeds are the best in the biz...

In addition to the original flavor, they also have Sizzlin' Bacon, Dill Pickle (a team favorite), and Buffalo Wing flavored seeds. To find a retailer that sells them (or to order online with no shipping charges), go here: BIGS

BALL extends BIGS a BIG thanks!

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NCAA College World Series

2011-06-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

More later...for those of you meeting us from BALL, please use my cell phone for all communication. 714 - 334- 4023.

Thanks,

Ted Browne
Chief Storyteller
Beyond Athletic Life lessons, Inc.

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The measure of a man...

2011-04-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

J9 shares her interpretation of "The measure of a man" on a great blog piece.

Wooden said that the measure of a man..."is the size of the things that get him upset." When I was coaching a kid a few years ago, he fell apart more often than the other kids - even though he succeeded more often. So to help him get over the hump, we also added, "...and how quickly he recovers from it!"

So now the phrase we recite is this:

The measure of a man is the size of the things that get him upset...and how quickly he recovers from it!

Then, one of my BALL coaches, Jen Solano (also a BALL storyteller) used the phrase's flavor as part of an inspiration for the basis of saying "don't disrespect the boy that ..." for the same application - when a kid falls apart for not succeeding. Here's how she introduced it to me:

I was very fortunate to have her coach my son, Mac, in baseball one summer. Jen is a former collegiate softball catcher and, as a result, has the "catcher's mentality" when she coaches:

1) Take charge,
2) Be decisive and confident,
and because baseball is a fluid sport,
3) Make instant decisions on-the-fly as the situation dictates.

She also has a fierce competitive spirit, but a genuine compassion for the kids. Sometimes it's a delicate balance. Jen, however, seems to intuitively know when and where to say the right things to the right kids.

Which brings me to my son.

Mac has always been a step behind the other boys his age in baseball because, in part, of the RSV virus that he caught as a baby. It affected his body so that the left side is weaker and reacts more slowly than the right side. This is evidenced by his running: whenever he runs, you can see the left side of his body react more slowly than the right side. So I taught him to hit left handed so his right hand could be his "power hand" on his swing. That gives him more power, but less chance of hitting the ball consistently because the left side now becomes the hand that refines the bat's barrel angle through the swing. So Mac's swing is truly "hit or miss".

Anyway, at one practice, he really hit the ball well and actually hit it over Coach Jen's head in right field. He held his head up high for the next 20 minutes until it was his turn to hit again. This time, it didn't turn out as well. He couldn't even hit a foul ball. He hung his head, kicked the dirt, and generally started into giving himself a "pity party".

Coach Jen's response?

From deep right field, he hears the following: "MAC BROWNE, you hold your head up high RIGHT NOW!!! Don't you DARE disrespect the player that hit that ball over my head!"

It was magic. In almost an instant, Mac's attitude changed. For the rest of the practice, he was noticeably more confident. And since that practice, my wife and I (as parents) remind Mac about never disrespecting the young man he has come to be. The young man he is meant to be. And I will never forget the moment when a wonderful teacher taught a son and his dad about keeping a positive attitude and the importance of getting back up whenever we fall down.

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For the love of the game...

2011-04-01T13:04:00.001-07:00

"It's my place. It's my sanctuary and battle field. Where getting a ball thrown at you is normal, and getting one hit at you is expected. Where people establish identity by a number instead of a name. Where home has nothing to do with where you live. Where people fully capable of speaking, rely solely on signals. Where tiny little seeds are considered a balanced meal and the last thing you'd do with a cup is drink form it. Where common language consists of whatda say and atta way with every sentence ending in babe. Where the opposite of safe is never dangerous. Where getting dirty is finally a good thing and a spank on the butt constitutes respect. Where an alphabet without the letter E would work just fine.

It's the only place where succeeding 3 times out of 10 can be considered good and 4 out of 10 great. Where 9 players can receive the ball in their glove, but only one is called a catcher. Where a series of 90 mph pitches and balls that travel over 400 ft is still considered a slow game. Where running away only to return in the same spot at which you started at is an honor. Where crazy routines are both followed and respected. Where rituals and superstitions have never been taken more seriously. Where time is not measured by minutes, but by opportunities. Where power and finesse finally reach equality. Where a suicide causes celebration and stealing is encouraged.

This is my place. Many dislike it and even more don't understand it, but none the less it is my place. I believe it was originally named the diamond due to its obvious shape; however it could have just as easily been called the crooked square. I do call it the diamond, but only because as promised it will last forever."

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Are you "win at all costs"?

2011-03-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

I just got an e-mail from a retailer who uses a weekly tips news to keep his name in front of the customer. As long as you understand his intent, it's a good letter. But he just sent me one that I think is completely off-base. Per the newsletter:

"He's a win at all costs coach". Some coach has just been hit with the most damning curse. It has been my experience, that this curse is uttered by losers that are not willing to pay the price to win.

He goes on to say that those coaches are typically the best prepared and understand the rules so well that they end up beating everybody, thus the unpopularity.

I disagree.

> A "win at all cost" coach drives away less talented kids from the team by either ignoring or treating them as less-than-equal in hopes that they'll quit.
> A "win at all costs" coach manipulates the lineup (in accordance to league rules) so that the same lesser-developed kids are scheduled to play key positions after the drop-dead time rule expires...so they never end up playing there. Or, in a variation, plays them in out-of-the-way positions (even during blowouts) to minimize damage if they ever do get a chance to make a play (while this is a very valid strategy, recreation ball coaches should strive to let the kid at least have a chance to succeed in a position deemed "fun" by the kids on the team).

> A "win at all costs" coach centers practice around his better players, and ignores the ones previously-mentioned so they twist in the wind.

The result is that they lose interest in the game and don't sign up the next year. I guess some would call that "thinning the herd", right? That's what those same coaches here call it.

> A "win at all cost" coach pitches his 9 to 12 year old "hoss" (a bigger stronger kid) the maximum allowable innings, and then has him catch or play shortstop the remainder of the game...even though his throwing mechanics are off, and every throw inches him that much closer to arm problems when he matures.

> A "win at all costs" coach will knowingly allow the same kid to pitch the day or two after he pitched 60 pitches on another team simply to give his team a better chance to win...regardless of what's healthy for the kid.

And then a coach gets him in high school, and since he's developed a lifetime of incorrect muscle memory and perhaps a little hubris about his throwing prowess, he won't change mechanics because he's not used to it...and then his parents wonder why their "hoss" son has a sore elbow all the time. Guess who they blame?

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Open Letter To All Psycho Baseball Parents

2011-01-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Paul Reddick for saying what most parents believe, but have the tact during the season not to communicate to offending parties.

Paul, we salute you!

Ted Browne

Open Letter To All Psycho Baseball Parents
by Paul Reddick
www.90mphclub.com

If this letter infuriates you...
If it makes you angry...
If it makes you upset...

I've got bad news for you.

You may be a psycho baseball parent!

It's gonna get worse for you.
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you ARE a psycho baseball parent!

Does your kid has a personal trainer and he is not in HS yet?
Does he go to private lessons more than once a week and he's not in HS?
Has he had an arm injury before his 12th birthday?
Is your travel baseball budget over $5k ?
Have you missed family events for games?
Do you have punishment for missing practice before the age of 12?
Have you ever lost sleep because of a childs game?
Do you have a plan for his college recruitment before he's in HS?
Do you think you are going to make sure he gets the chance you never had?
Do you have pitch charts on your child?
Do you calculate their Little League batting average for nothing other than fun?
Have you quit a team becasue you were not getting in the game?
Have you started an AAU travel team so your kid could be the star?
Do you coach a travel team and stacked it with the best talent?
Are you going to decide where he goes to school based on baseball?
Are you the only one people can hear cheering at every game?
Have you verbally abused opponent or umpire?
Did you change jobs because it interfered with team schedule?
Are you planning to start school later to improve chances of being on upper age limits?
Have you ever got in a fight with another parent, coach or ump at a game?
Have you ever yelled at another adult or worse... A kid under the age of 18 while they were umping a little league game?

I know nobody reading this would ever say yes to any of those questions...right?
I'm sure you know a bunch of people who would though.

Let me drop some truth on you:

I get emails everyday that say something like ...
"My 10 year old has a dream of playing in MLB and he is so focused and nothing will stop him we train 4 hours per day and he's gonna play 120 games this year"

Your kid doesn't want that!

You know how I know your 10 year old doesn't want to train 4 hours per day and play 120 games?

HE'S 10!!!!!

He probably picks his nose when you're not looking and loves fart jokes. If you allowed him he would eat cookies, ice cream and soda at every meal.

He should. He's 10!!!!!

Your kid doesn't want what you want. He wants YOU!!! All your child wants
is approval, praise, and love from you as a parent. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

Too many people mistake their kids desire to please them with their interest in sports.
He's trying to connect with you! You could be doing anything with him...its not about sports.

Try this every once in a while...

Take him our for ice cream.
Ask him what else he thinks is cool.
Go for a Jog together (maybe end with a race).
Take the dog for a walk together.
Try learning a new skill together.
Do stupid stuff to make your kid laugh.
Go see a move together.
Try and eat a whole pizza together.
Go volunter and help others.
Help out Challenger baseball...if you really want to see what the game is about.
Take him to the mall give him $50 and tell him to buy something for his mom.
Play video games with him.

...and the following mandatory!!!

Look your child in the eyes 3 times a day, tell them you love them and give them a hug!

There's only been about 15,000 Major League Baseball players in the history of the game, odds are your kid is not one of them. You will never manufacture your childs ability.

You're playing with a very dangerous and fragile element...your childs self worth.

I'm not getting all airy fairy but, for every kid I've seen get a D1 schiolarship or get drafted I've seen 100 who wound up hating their parents and getting into trouble.

Am I saying you should not work hard for your goals? NO. You should teach your child to set goals and to go for them with everything they have. But there has to be a balance.

You have to be the voice of reason. You're the adult. Act like it.

Playing 100 games a year is not going to make your child a pro player or D1 prospect.
He's more likely to burn out, wind up hating you...or worse you'll put him in a situation where he quits or continues to play just to satisfy you.

Yogi Berra did not play an organized game of baseball until he was 17.

Your kid is going to grow up to be a husband, father, have a career, maybe become a leader.
What kind of man is he going to be?
Don't screw him up! all your kid wants is love. He's your kid, give it to him!

----
Paul Reddick is the Director of the Yogi Berra Baseball School, Author of the Picture Perfect Pitcher, and the creator of the 90mphclub.com

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Wooden on Trust

2011-01-19T10:17:00.000-08:00

"It has been said that you will be hurt occasionally if you trust too much. This may be true, but you will live in torment if you do not trust enough."
- John Wooden

A fellow coach reminded me of this quote in his blog. Another seemingly cheekish quote by Wooden that runs deep once you think about it.

When you come under fire, don't grip your throat and mentally quit.

Trust your ability.
Trust your gut.
Trust your work ethic.
Trust your preparation.
Trust your fellow players.
Trust your coach.
Trust in your God.

Trust yourself.

You've earned this moment.
You live for this moment.
You've done this task a thousand times before...if only in your mind.

Trust yourself to succeed.

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From my new favorite blogger, 30secondtimeout.com...

2011-01-05T21:45:00.000-08:00

"Players who are committed to the team first will find a way to help when things are going bad, they will do whatever it takes. Kids that are more into themselves will not do that. They will take care of themselves and get more individual when things are tough."
- Dick Bennett

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Food for thought...

2010-11-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

Even though we're all student athletes at-heart, BALL is actually in the business of serving athletes, their families, and their coaches. So athletes and BALL fans, read on...sometimes it helps to cross train your brain...

When sports turns from your calling to your avocation, eventually you will get a job...With that in mind, following is from one of my favorite business authors, Seth Godin:

You get a job...

> For the money
> To be challenged
> For the pleasure/calling of doing the work
> For the impact it makes on the world
> For the reputation you build in the community
> To solve interesting problems
> To be part of a group and to experience the mission
> To be appreciated

Why do we always focus on the first? Why do we advertise jobs or promotions as being generic on items 2 through 8 and differentiated only by #1?

In fact, unless you're a drug kingpin or a Wall Street trader, my guess is that the other factors are at work every time you think about your work.

Or, if you've learned anything from sports, it's that calculated risks can pay off. So instead of a job, you decide to start a business based on an idea...

> Ideas don't come from watching television
> Ideas sometimes come from listening to a lecture
> Ideas often come while reading a book

Good ideas come from bad ideas, but only if there are enough of them

> Ideas hate conference rooms, particularly conference rooms where there is a history of
criticism, personal attacks or boredom
> Ideas occur when dissimilar universes collide
> Ideas often strive to meet expectations. If people expect them to appear, they do
> Ideas fear experts, but they adore beginner's mind. A little awareness is a good thing
> Ideas come in spurts, until you get frightened. Willie Nelson wrote three of his biggest hits in one week

Ideas come from trouble

> Ideas come from our ego, and they do their best when they're generous and selfless
> Ideas come from nature
> Sometimes ideas come from fear (usually in movies) but often they come from confidence
> Useful ideas come from being awake, alert enough to actually notice

Though sometimes ideas sneak in when we're asleep and too numb to be afraid

> Ideas come out of the corner of the eye, or in the shower, when we're not trying
> Mediocre ideas enjoy copying what happens to be working right this minute
> Bigger ideas leapfrog the mediocre ones
> Ideas don't need a passport, and often cross borders (of all kinds) with impunity

An idea must come from somewhere, because if it merely stays where it is and doesn't join us here, it's hidden. And hidden ideas don't ship, have no influence, no intersection with the market. They die, alone.

- Seth Godin

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From an old coach...

2010-11-23T21:26:00.000-08:00

Tis the season to be thankful.

We are blessed to be still involved in baseball because:

Of the look in his eyes after he has had a big game

Of the tears in his eyes after a tough loss

He drags himself off the cursed video games to come and ask ‘ Dad, wanna play some catch?’

He is learning lessons in life from this wonderful game. He is learning to deal with failure, that hard work and discipline results in more success/fun, selflessness in working towards team goals and to not concern himself with things over which he has no control.

Of all the wonderful friends that we have made at the ballpark that will remain friends even after the bright lights dim.

We are thankful for:

The coaches that care and give so many hours to try to help other people’s kids to have a meaningful and enjoyable baseball experience

The umpires that take so much flack but give so much for the love of the game

The wins that bring such joy and gratification

The losses that keep us humble and make us understand where improvement must be made.

Those wonderful creatures “Baseball Moms”, who Squeal with glee for each Home Run, yet kiss away the tears and offer gentle admonitions to ‘suck it up’ when they get thrown out at home with the tying run and bloody their knee. Who wash their warrior’s unis and prepare his lucky pregame pasta before every game. Who come to love the game and never want it to end.

This little boy's game we call baseball that if we are lucky we can share with our son for a long time but will look back on as some of the best years of our lives!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Please feel free to share this Thanksgiving message with your baseball friends.

Yours In Baseball
Bruce Lambin
THE COACH
http://www.tipsfromthecoach.com/

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We honor you, Vets!

2010-11-14T20:27:00.000-08:00

The Veteran's Day Post didn't get displayed for some reason...

During times like these when it seems that society becomes more and more polarized and self-serving, it's both appropriate and, in BALL's humble opinion, mandatory, that we honor those men and women who willingly place their lives on the line every day so we can live free.

Following is a link to some (not all) of the professional sports athletes who fought for our country. You might be surprised that several non-citizens fought (and fight!) for our country. Included among them was "The Great One", Roberto Clemente.

http://www.cleveland.com/

Thanks to Mike Peticca at The Starting Blocks for such an exhaustive and awe-inspiring article.

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Happy 100th Birthday, Coach Wooden!

2010-10-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

The pebble you dropped in the pond of life so many years ago will be making ripples for generations.

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How's this for a BALL story...

2010-10-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

New Buena Park High School football coach Anthony White didn't know what to expect when he showed up for his spring football workouts. After all, the only league game the team had "won" since 2002 was a forfeit - and they lost that game on the field 45-7.

What he found wasn't encouraging. Not only were there just 23 players in the entire program...13 were academically-ineligible.

What would you do in this "situation"?

Here's what he did...

http://www.ocvarsity.com/sports/-22003--.html

Thanks to OC Register writer Jeff Miller for an intense and moving real-life story.

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Thanks Coach Jen!

2010-10-01T21:59:00.000-07:00

We just got an awesome account of a story about sportsmanship and the "right" way to play the game (or any game). Thanks to BALL StoryTeller Coach Jen Solano for a tear jerker of a story about a home run, a torn ACL, and redemption...

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The Role of the Parent in Sports

2010-09-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

Sports tend to die down in the dog days of summer for our family, so when the leaves start to turn and the air gets crisp, I feel the rush of football anticipation grow. To appease my appetite for competition, I recently visited a friend's kid's local school on it's first game day of the new school year.

When I arrived in the stands, I was surprised but entertained to hear a small murmur from the crowd when all of the coaches from each school decided to run onto the field wearing the same T-shirts over their normal coaching attire. On the back of the bright yellow shirts, in big, black letters were these words:

Players Play.
Coaches Coach.
Parents Cheer.

And it got better...

Before the start of the game, each coach gave a short talk to the team's fans about cheering for the kids and not bagging on the referees. It seemed to work. The teams played hard, and the parents were cheering for their kids.

I recently ran across an article dealing with this very issue. The link to a pertinent part of it is here.

As the new school year starts, remember...it's the kids that play, and the coaches that coach. We simply cheer the kids on. After the game, we tell them how proud we are of them regardless of the outcome. Let's leave reviewing the game's mistakes and the constructive criticism to the coaches.

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne
Chief Storyteller

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Tips from the coach...PARENTS

2010-08-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

The following is an edited excerpt from someone who has coached youth baseball for over 30 years and had two sons play professional and/or college ball. He has a very gruff writing style, but I have found much wisdom in his writings...

Ted Browne
-----------

TIPS FROM THE COACH

Last year I went to a Fall league game for incoming HS freshmen. The parents in the stands were brutal. They second guessed every managerial move or nonmove. They opined about the abilities of other players on the team. The mommies were the worst.

I was recently talking to some HS coaches and they told me that parents are completely out of control, particularly mommies. One coach told me of a mommy that barged into his office and announced that in her opinion, the team wasn’t doing too well and that they needed to discuss some changes!

I guess that this is a product of kids playing 100+ games a year and the entire life of the family revolving around the kid’s baseball activities. Parents become way too invested in their son’s baseball experience. It is the kid’s baseball experience, NOT theirs!

Parents that second guess the coach and critique players are called “A CANCER”. It takes only one in the stands to infect the entire crowd. What should be a wonderful and joyous shared TEAM experience becomes a morass of backbiting and self aggrandizement. Parents need to learn to sit back and enjoy watching the TEAM play and SHUT UP. If you just can’t control yourself go down the outfield fence and mutter your rants, away from the crowd.

Coaches, you need to understand you are not just teaching 12 boys to play ball but shepherding families through the baseball experience. You must spend time teaching parents THEIR roles and how to comport themselves at the ballpark. They will enjoy themselves so much more when they are cured from being cancers. In my book, A PARENTS GUIDE TO BASEBALL-Surviving And Thriving Youth League To College, there is a chapter, ”Loose Lips Sink Ships”. In this chapter I chronicle the potential for harm from parents unsolicited opinions at the ballpark.

In a post in a youth baseball board, a mommy laments the lack of communication skills of her son’s HS coach. Her son just couldn’t get the coach to communicate why he wasn’t playing. This reminded me of a kid that went to his college coach’s office and inquired why he wasn’t playing. The coach responded, “if you were my 3rd baseman, I wouldn’t consider us to be a very good baseball team.” Ouch! If you ask a question, you might not like the answer you get.

Yours In Baseball
Bruce Lambin
THE COACH
www.tipsfromthecoach.com

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SPORTS AUTHORITY ROCKS.

2010-07-09T09:38:00.001-07:00

Many of you know that Beyond Athletic Life Lessons (“BALL”) is a corporate/private-sponsored educational nonprofit, and that Sports Authority's local stores have been a HUGE early supporter of BALL.

GREAT news…

Due to our growing presence in the youth sports arena, Sports Authority surprised me this morning with thousands of dollars’ worth of gift certificates for all participating Beyond Athletic Life Lessons Summer Baseball teams. This works out to $120 per Summer BALL team. The certificates are in booklets that have 24 certificates in $5 denominations. They are good for anything in the store. My son likes the Quench gum, gourmet sunflower seeds and king sized Snickers bars. I like the whiffle ball 6-pack or the whiffle golf ball 12-pack so we can practice his swing. Let your dentist be your guide.

COACHES: You can award these to your players for anything you like, but please consider using these as incentives for completing a BALL lesson or for being named a “BALL Practice MVP”.

In addition to the certificates, the booklets contain several coach and player coupons (such as “get $10 off a $25 purchase”). These are the same “Coaches Club” coupon booklets normally limited to one book per each manager who brings in his/her current roster and sign up for the Sports Authority Coaches Club.

If you visit the location closest to BALL's headquarters (in Fountain Valley, CA), be sure to thank Sports Authority's store 632 manager Shawn Ghalikar. He laid the groundwork for the gift and has been an enthusiastic BALL supporter from the start.

Regardless of which store you visit, please make sure to have your kids thank the store manager the B.A.L.L. way:
1) Look at him/her straight in the eyes
2) Shake his hand with a firm grip, and
3) say "THANKS for supporting our community!"

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne
Chief Storyteller
Beyond Athletic Life Lessons, Inc.
Success@GoToBALL.org
714-334-4023

Beyond Athletic Life Lessons, Inc. (“BALL”) cross trains kids for life…

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Summer Baseball - Lesson 2 sent out soon...

2010-07-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

Roberto Clemente will be in your mailbox by tomorrow morning...

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Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

Baseball and hot dogs are two pieces of Americana that fit right in with the celebration of our nation's declaration of independence. So do these video clips of three completely different American heroes...

One is a baseball player:
http://tinyurl.com/Ball-GreatPlay

One is a comedian:
http://tinyurl.com/Ball-SkeltonPledge

And another is a great American actor:
http://tinyurl.com/Ball-Wayne-Pledge

For those that are grateful of the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice to defend our country, the story of "TAPS":

http://tinyurl.com/Ball-Wayne-TAPS

For those of you that served, we at BALL thank you and are deeply grateful of your sacrifice.

Have a great 4th of July!

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WOODEN LESSON IS OUT!

2010-06-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

Summer Baseball and Basketball Coaches - WOODEN lesson is delivered. Please contact me at 714-334-4023 if you didn't get it. The lesson is an article about Coach John Wooden, written by Rick Reilly.

Incidentally, Rick has a new book out: Sports From Hell (http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Hell-Search-Dumbest-Competition/dp/0385514387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277398519&sr=1-1). In conversations with him about the book, he said ithat it was likely age-appropriate for adults, and maybe kids aged 12 and over (you might want to review a few of the "sports" before handing it over to your kid).

I've ordered my copy - if it's anything like his other books, I plan on a few long reading nights when it's delivered...

Ted

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Welcome Summer Sports Teams...

2010-06-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

In this shortened casual summer season, we'll be giving you an abbreviated BALL lesson plan. Appropriately enough, we'll be kicking things off with ESPN/SI author and TV personality Rick Reilly's excellent visit with John Wooden. Expect it in your e-mail box early this week...and make sure your parents read it with their kids.

As a bonus to your readings, you might want to pick up Rick's new book, Sports From Hell. I just ordered it on Amazon. I spoke to him about the book. He said that there's nothing in it that's inappropriate for high school kids, but you might want to preview it for your pre-teen. If it's anything like his previous books, we're in for a bunch of late nights with the lights on at the Browne House...

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne

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Don't Look Back

2010-06-04T22:29:00.000-07:00

Don't Look Back
by John Wooden
May 2003

The years have left their imprint
On my hands and on my face.
Erect no longer is my walk
...And slower is my pace.

But there is no fear within my heart
because I'm growing old
I only wish I had more time
To better serve my Lord.

When I've gone to Him in prayer
He has brought me inner peace
And soon my cares and worries
And other problems cease.

He has helped me in so many ways
He has never let me down,
Why should I fear the future
When soon I could be near His crown.

Though I know down here my time is short
There is endless time up there.
And He will forgive and keep me
Forever in His loving care.

May I not waste an hour
That's left to glorify the Name
Of the One Who died, that we might live
And for our sins, took all the blame.

-----------
God bless you and keep you, sweet man. You will be greatly missed!
-----------

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John Wooden Hospitalized

2010-06-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

UCLA: Former UCLA coach John Wooden hospitalized

By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer – Fri Jun 4, 3:10 am ET

LOS ANGELES – Former UCLA basketball coach and Hall of Famer John Wooden has been hospitalized in Los Angeles. The university said in an e-mail late Thursday night that Wooden is at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center but that his family didn't want anyone with the school to comment on his condition.

Former UCLA star Bill Walton said earlier Thursday that he visited with the 99-year-old Wooden at the hospital two days ago.

Walton spoke at the NBA finals, where he declined to comment on Wooden's condition. "He's the greatest," Walton said, his voice catching. "We love him."

Los Angeles television station KCAL and the Los Angeles Times first reported that Wooden was in "grave" condition. The Times cited an anonymous school source who said Wooden's health has been an issue in recent weeks and that he was briefly hospitalized about a month ago.

Wooden led the Bruins to 10 NCAA championships — at one time winning seven in a row — during a 27-year run that ended with his team cutting down the nets one last time in 1975. The Bruins won 88 consecutive games from 1971-74 and 38 consecutive NCAA tournament games from 1964-74, both records.

NBA commissioner David Stern was asked about Wooden's contributions to the sport of basketball before Game 1 of the NBA finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics on Thursday night.

"We decided that we would not declare his obituary now, other than to say that he's the winningest coach in our history, four 30-0 seasons, and the ultimate aficionado of our game," Stern said. "We hope he's in peace right now, and we'll wait on events."

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The Greatest Day In Baseball...Rick Monday

2010-05-31T19:21:00.000-07:00

Preview of BALL Lesson: Rick Monday

The Greatest Day In Baseball...Rick Monday.

On this particular Memorial Day, this favorite baseball moment seems fitting...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro3AeMchnDM&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3eI96hxh98

Rick Monday wasn't a flashy player. He wasn't the most gifted. But he had something that every team needs, every player eventually wants to be known for, and every manager wishes he could teach, but can't: Rick Monday had...

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Where do you find good ideas?

2010-05-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

From Seth Godin:

Do you often find ideas that change everything in a windowless conference room, with bottled water on the side table and a circle of critics and skeptics wearing suits looking at you as the clock ticks down to the 60 minutes allocated for this meeting?

If not, then why do you keep looking for them there?

The best ideas come out of the corner of our eye, the edge of our consciousness, in a flash. They are the result of misdirection and random collisions, not a grinding corporate onslaught. And yet we waste billions of dollars in time looking for them where they're not.

A practical tip: buy a big box of real wooden blocks. Write a key factor/asset/strategy on each block in big letters. Play with the blocks. Build concrete things out of non-concrete concepts. Uninvite the devil's advocate, since the devil doesn't need one, he's doing fine.

Have fun. Why not? It works.

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The Spare Part...

2010-04-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

Every season, coaches need to make difficult decisions. One is deciding which player starts and which player sits. And sometimes, it's a coin flip that makes the decision.

How can a coach explain this to a kid? A parent?

An analogy I’ve used in this end was shared with me by Hall of Fame Wrestling Coach John Dahlem. It’s simply called “The Spare Part”.

It goes something like this:

I have a car that needs spark plugs. It’s an old car, so sometimes oil fouls the plugs and the engine doesn’t work as good as when the plugs are clean. So when I go to the store, instead of ordering 8 of them (one for each position in the engine), I order 12. And when one fouls, I replace it with one of the other four that are on the shelf. But when I replace one of the plugs, I don’t throw it away. A fouled plug isn’t broken, it just needs to be cleaned and re-gapped (adjusted).

After I take it out, I work with the spark plug to clean it up again so that it’s ready to be “plugged in” the next time it’s needed.

Here's the point: The fact that I am only using the first eight that I take off the shelf doesn’t diminish the value of the four that are still sitting there, does it? And if I take out one of the plugs and replace it with another, that doesn’t mean that the replaced plug isn’t going to be used again, does it?

This week's lesson about Brian Downing provides the perfect opportunity for this discussion. Confident yet unassuming, Downing was known as one of the hardest working players of his era. Downing was the type of player every manager loved having on his team…and every aspiring player should try to emulate. As legend has it, Downing was cut from his high school team, and only had three at-bats in two years of college ball. He was a spare part! The “gift of time” allowed him to hone his skills when no one was looking – and that made all the difference.

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted Browne

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Coaches...expect another lesson soon...

2010-04-22T23:14:00.000-07:00

The next lesson is another Angel.

He is 5th all-time at his position in lifetime home runs. He batted .264 as a high school baseball player and was cut from his high school team. He signed with the Chicago White Sox after 2 years at Cypress Jr. College, when he hit .333 (1 for 3 over 2 years).

His is truly an inspirational story warning all of us to never give up on our dreams.

Who was he?

Go to the BALL facebook page to find out...

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The Challenge...

2010-04-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

One of the annual lessons we "invented" at BALL is "The Challenge". We're doing one right now for a local high school baseball team.

The Challenge builds on the story of Roberto Clemente and the Wooden maxim "Help Others." It enables coaches to develop 3 key areas that are important in their chosen sport: Physical skill, emotional intelligence, and mental toughness. And best of all, it's age-neutral. Any kid from 6 to 18 years old can compete and learn valuable lessons about themselves in the process.

It's also a dynamite "feel-good" fund raiser for local charities, the league sponsoring the team, and the team itself. But the success of the event is not determined by the amount of money raised, but by the number of individuals "touched" by the kids with the community awareness plan. Businesses love to brand this type of event. And it's extremely simple to implement.

In a nutshell, The Challenge works something like this:
- Each kid practices every basic skill needed to be successful in playing that season's sport by participating in one 45 minute "station-to-station" practice;
- Each kid learns about 3 local kid-centric charities and then develops his own "community buzz" action plan about creating local awareness about those charities;
- Each kid is able to better develop his/her competitive spirit by participating in each "block" of the lesson.

Another cool thing: no matter what the level of physical skill or parental support, everyone can "win" at least one section of The Challenge or win a prize. The only people that "lose" are the ones that fail to participate. And each kid, even if he doesn't finish at the top of the block, is successful based on Wooden's success definition.

Do you accept The Challenge?

Make each day your masterpiece...and help others!

Ted Browne
Chief StoryTeller

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Don't let what you CAN'T do dictate what you CAN do: Jim Abbott

2010-04-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

Click over to our Facebook fan page for more...

This week's lesson is about an Olympic Gold Medal winner who was on the mound the day the first USA team in decades won an international game on Cuban soil. Who was he?

ANSWER: Jim Abbott.

The way we into 7 year old Jimmie to the kids is to give any kid $10 who can tie his shoe in 10 seconds or less...using just one hand.

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"The team seems to have lost their way...can you help?"

2010-03-31T23:47:00.000-07:00

So today I was asked to give a talk to a baseball team about what winning means to me.

The problem is, this was the young kids' first exposure to BALL, and the manager was new to coaching young kids. Oh, and they have a record of 2-6 and are probably out of the league's playoff picture, even if they win the rest of their games.

The time to condition the kids to the ups and downs of the season should be the preseason. That way, you can manage expectations as the season unfolds.

Success is the peace of mind in knowing you did your best sounds good, but when your team is in the middle of a losing season, sometimes those words ring hollow to the kids...and the parents.

So the conclusion I came to was to repeat something one of my coaches taught me - namely, keep your focus. You are only as good as your next play. And as long as the batter is still in the box, you've still got a shot at success.

This fits perfectly into Wooden's task-based approach to coaching. Focus on the task at-hand, and let the rest take care of itself.

And that flows into another logical Wooden Maxim...Make each day your masterpiece. Then, as we say in marketing and sales, break it down to the ridiculous.

Make each day your masterpiece.
Make each game your masterpiece.
Make each inning your masterpiece.
Make each play your masterpiece.
Make each pitch your masterpiece.

And if the ball still doesn't bounce your way, then focus on the next pitch. What's done is...well...done.

As Wooden says: Don't let what you can't do dictate what you can do.

You're only as good as your next play...

Ted

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2010-03-31T23:21:00.000-07:00

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DELIVERY ISSUES

2010-03-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

I have gotten scattered reports that some people didn't get the Clemente lesson. If this is the case, please contact me...

Ted Browne
714-334-4023

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TRIVIA QUESTION about New Lesson Out Tonight

2010-03-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

This Hall of Fame right fielder served in the military during the off season, even though he wasn't a US Citizen. Who was he?

Visit the Facebook fan page to see the answer...

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Robinson Lesson Will Be Going Out Tonight...

2010-03-08T11:06:00.001-08:00

Be on the lookout...

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TRIVIA: Make Each Day Your Masterpiece...

2010-03-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

Which Hall of Fame right fielder ran like an "out-of-control windmill"?
a) Hank Aaron
b) Roberto Clemente
c) Babe Ruth
d) Tony Gwynn

HINT: Make Each Day Your Masterpiece. Help Others!

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CATCH THE BALL!!!

2010-03-03T22:53:00.000-08:00

BALL is entertaining 200 of its closest friends tomorrow evening at a local high school baseball team's event called "meet the team"...The parents are going to learn about what exactly BALL does, how it started, and how their kids are learning more than just baseball...

CATCH THE BALL!

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CHALLENGE INFO WILL TRICKLE OUT THIS WEEK...

2010-03-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

Be thinking about local kid-centric charities. Which ones do you want your kids to know about?

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Baseball coaches: WOODEN II going out tomorrow...

2010-02-25T22:57:00.001-08:00

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Congrats to Kim Lindquist and Todd Rolph...

2010-02-25T22:56:00.000-08:00

FOLLOW UP TO TRIVIA QUESTION: "Since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941, who has gone the longest maintaining a .400 batting average:"

Answer: B) George Brett. He also had a bat thrown out of a game because it had pine tar applied too far up the bat handle, negating a home run and a win for his team. People at the time either loved the ruling or hated it depending on their opinion of Yankee manager Billy Martin. Martin was notorious amongst his peers as a "win at all costs" player/manager.

What most people DON'T know is that the ruling was appealed and later reversed. The rules never stated that a bat used cause that at-bat to be an automatic out. It simply stated that that bat was to be taken from the game. George ended up getting back his dinger and the Royals ended up winning the game after all.

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Hitting .400

2010-02-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

Since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941, who has gone the longest maintaining a .400 batting average:

a) John Olerud
B) George Brett
C) Tony Gwynn
D) Rod Carew
E) Tony Oliva

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2 Grand Slams in ONE Game...

2010-02-19T10:28:00.000-08:00

Trivia: Which Hall of Famer was the first to hit 2 grand slams in a single game:

A) Babe Ruth
B) Roger Hornsby
C) Joe Jackson
D) Lou Gehrig
E) Tony Lazzeri

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The difference between school and life?

2010-02-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test.

In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.

- Tom Bodett

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Trivia Question Answer

2010-02-16T19:53:00.000-08:00

"Today's high school baseball lesson is about a former gang member who was court marshaled for disobeying a superior officer...he ended up becoming the most symbolic sports figure in America. Who was it?"

Way before Rosa Parks and the civil rights movement, there was Jackie Robinson...

Jackie had no problem stirring the pot for what he believed. The charges were leveled against Robinson because, when he was in the military, he refused to sit in the back of the army transport bus. Even as the sergeant threatened him, Robinson didn't back down. Cooler heads prevailed, and the charges were eventually dropped.

Congrats to Steve Beer, former professional baseball player, for correctly answering "JACKIE ROBINSON".

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COACHES:

2010-02-16T19:37:00.000-08:00

Coach's QuickStart Goes Out Tonight!

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Wise coaches teach their kids to cross train this maxim to ALL authority figures...

2010-02-15T08:09:00.000-08:00

Even when you think the referee is wrong...he's right.

- John Wooden

COACH WOODEN highlights

2010-02-11T10:20:00.001-08:00

Many of you are starting the first unit this week on Coach Wooden. Here's a brief video on his accomplishments:

The Challenge is coming!

2010-02-10T09:48:00.000-08:00

The Challenge: This multi-faceted lesson cross-trains kids via a fundamentals-based 1 hour “station to station” practice, while instilling the “Help Others” Wooden maxim as the over-arching theme. The Challenge begins by linking “Help Others” to the story of how Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente used his baseball talent as a means to help the poor.

The lesson continues as the kids explain to their friends and family about how they’ve accepted The Challenge to help their team, their league, and one of three local kid-centric charities raise funds. After the Challenge Practice is completed and the funds are collected, the team makes a difficult team decision: Which charity gets the proceeds?

One of our leagues is using The Challenge as a catalyst for a two-pronged fund raising effort. In addition to the charity, they're also using the proceeds to help rehabilitate their field's batting cages. Cost? $15,000....

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted

One more kid's career...ruined?

2010-02-07T00:15:00.000-08:00

I met with some coaches recently to discuss BALL for some older (13-14 year old) kids in baseball. Because the kids were older than the typical BALL youth league demographic of 6 to 12 year olds, I decided to include the physiology units that we use the in high school program as a part of this league's older kid lesson plan. The logic goes like this: With all the misinformation out there about how a body reacts under stress, and all the guys that peddle the latest and greatest to eager parents about how to get that magical 90 mph fastball over the internet, I figured the coaches would appreciate learning what their high school and college counterparts already know.

Sometimes I figure wrong.

I made the mistake of presenting a lesson titled "Preventing Throwing Injuries and The Elbow", written by the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. For those that don't know, let's just say that this group is made up of the finest doctors in their field. Period.

In the article, it tells about safeguards to prevent long term injuries to the young arm - injuries that might not surface until years after the kid actually starts hurting himself.

It was interesting to see how a few of the parent/coaches reacted when the doctors (who are specialists in this area) were advocating coaches to limit pitch counts and focus on proper conditioning, stretching, rest, etc. It seems that there is an opinion with a few well-meaning but (in my opinion) overly-aggressive youth coaches that a 13 year old kid can handle the same kind of stressors that a high school kid can handle.

I was baffled. And then I understood why. Apparently, guys that sell pitching performance on youtube to these well-meaning parents know more about 13 year old kids' arms than these doctors. Or maybe the parents just want to believe them more. Or maybe...just maybe...the information is good, but the audience is misapplying a solid message. Maybe a malleable 13 year old kid's body needs to be treated differently than a 17 or 18 year old prospect (with good mechanics) who is targeting a college career.

But I could be wrong...

High school presentation

2010-02-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

Got a call out of the blue...seems that a local high school heard about BALL through the grapevine and wants me to talk to the students...FOR 4 HOURS. Alone on a stage.

Actually, it's four different periods in the auditorium. Maybe we'll look at some videos and discuss...

Basketball and soccer referees getting attacked by parents for "bad" calls...

Football parents going ballistic for "bad" coaching decisions...

Baseball moms berating umpires for "blown" calls...

Or maybe it will be of my all-time sports hero, Nolan Ryan, getting the best of Robin Ventura after Ventura was unsuccessful at controlling his emotions...It's a shame that Ventura's above-average career will be remembered for charging the mound after getting hit by a 46 year old legend (completely by accident).

On the other hand, it merely added more mystique to Ryan's legacy. Sometimes, you have to defend yourself.

Points to ponder...

2010-02-03T23:38:00.000-08:00

Fatigue makes cowards of us all.

- George S. Patton, Jr., Letter of Instruction Number 1, Third Army

When life gets hard...

When we're hurting and weary...

We must remember what's at stake.

- Kerry Shook, One Month To Live

Teacher's Day

2010-02-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

So I met with a group of coaches last night to set up their league's BALL program. Paul Escobar, one of the coaches, came up to me afterwards. He coaches 11 and 12 year olds.

Paul: "I really like this BALL concept. It fits in with the way I coach."
Me: "Really? I'm glad you think so. How is that?"
Paul: "Teachers never seem to get the credit they deserve. Last year I got the idea to have the kids write a short essay on their favorite teacher. Then, I personally invited the teachers to one of the games so our team could honor them. Everyone loved it!"
Me: "That's AWESOME! Can I steal that idea?"
Paul: "Of course!"

HOW COOL IS THAT?

I feel like I've found a kindred spirit. Here's a guy who gets it.

Sports can be used for so much more than simply learning the skills necessary to play the game. Here's a guy who's using it to teach the kids the game of life! I'm anxious to see how BALL helps him continue this.

In the coming weeks, I'm going to formally introduce this concept (in modified form) in a BALL lesson. And he's going to be an honorary BALL Storyteller. Watch for it!

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted

New Coaches: Be bold and unafraid...

2010-01-31T23:10:00.000-08:00

A quick story...

Everyone has memorable coaches or teachers that, at one point in their lives, truly inspired them. Mine was my high school wrestling coach by the name of Dr. John Dahlem, who taught history and social science at Loara High School in Anaheim, CA. When Loara needed a wrestling coach in 1970, he stepped on the mat and jumped right in.

What happened over the next several years was simply astounding.

In an era before the "Masters" was a fixture in California wrestling, winning league championships was a benchmark of how solid of a program a school had developed. Between 1974 and 1984 (when he retired), his wrestlers won league titles in '74, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80. '81, '82, '83, and '84. 10 championships in 11 years!

When I analyze his coaching career, Dahlem was an interesting parallel to Wooden in many ways:

Like Wooden, his early teams weren't immediately dominating. But once he figured out his coaching style and learned the sport, his teams won more matches and league championships than any other team of the era.
Like Wooden, he had an uncanny ability to teach and inspire kids. For example, he used short, memorable maxims that triggered a desired action. He then linked it to examples of how to apply them to other aspects of an athlete's post-wrestling life.
Like Wooden, he also had a knack for making each player, no matter the skill level, feel like an important part of the team. To this day, many of his players still contact him on a regular basis.
Like Wooden, he promoted a cohesive, "team" concept. This is unique in a sport that to a casual observer is a sport of individuals (after all, when you wrestle an opponent, it's just you and him on the mat).
Like Wooden had developed Swen Nader, Dahlem focused on making everyone, even the "spare parts", be the best they could be. A testimony to this is that, while there were several very good wrestlers that went through Dahlem's program, only one in 14 years was a state champion.

Dahlem's accomplishments were so profound that he was named the Orange County Coach of the Decade (chosen by the Orange County Register, which considered every school and every sport played in Orange County). He was the first inductee into the Orange County Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was eventually inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Not bad for a coach in a so-called "minor" sport like wrestling. He then went on to become a well-respected high school principal, and retired in 2004.

But the "amazing" hook to the story?

He never wrestled a day in his life.

So how does this relate to you, a potential coach or parent volunteer?

Sometimes, a parent makes the unfortunate mistake of believing that a new coach's ability to coach can be judged by the previous playing experience he or she brings to the table. In fact, I've even heard about youth league board members fawning over new youth coaches simply because they played college or pro ball.

I wince when I hear this.

Just as the performance of pre-adolecent kids has no bearing on how well athletes turn out in high school, previous playing experience has no bearing on how successful someone will be as a youth coach. Put another way: lack of experience doesn't make you, as a new coach, any less valuable to these kids.

My advice?

Don't let the challenge of coaching intimidate you. Instead, jump in with both feet!

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted

Bitter-sweet day today...

2010-01-26T22:45:00.000-08:00

Resonate: To have an effect or impact beyond that which is immediately apparent.

This might be a little too personal, so forgive me if this post doesn't immediately resonate.

Sometimes life sneaks up on you. That happened to our family today.

We had just pulled into the gas station to fill up the truck with gas to take the kids to the snow when my wife, Heather, got the call: Fred (her father) had just died. I recognized the relief in her voice when she told me. I had the same feeling when my grandma died after a long bout with cancer.

You see, I've known Fred for nearly 20 years. Fred was nearly 93 years old. He was blind. He couldn't hear very well. He was too weak to walk. But for the last 7 years or so, he seemed to realize his mortality and had actively tried to present a positive spin on his fate, his relationships, and his new-found dedication to his faith. And, for the most part, he lived it well. He always seemed happy to "see" friends and family, and loved talking about his life and times. Sometimes, he forgot who his audience was (7 and 8 year old grandkids) and maybe disclosed "too much information" for their parents' comfort. But you could never fault his honesty and enthusiasm to tell a wild story about "the good ol' days". He was even the answer my then-7 year old son gave to one of our original life lessons on disabilities. Under the "Know What's Important" section, Mac put Fred down as someone he personally admired for fighting through disabilities and making the folks around him better for simply being around him. As an adult, I had almost missed out on this 7 year old's insight. It changed the way I looked at Fred's disposition.

Over the last few months, Fred went downhill quickly. He started suffering from dimentia, had completely lost he appetite, and was losing more than his fair share of weight. He became reclusive. Heather and my daughter had just visited him this last Friday, and she reported that his condition had really started to free fall. He didn't know his own daughter, and was in many ways just seemed to be waiting to die. Heather confessed that it would be a blessing if he was "taken home".

So today, it happened.

God bless you, Fred Maecherlein.

You resonate.

High School Coaching and BALL

2010-01-26T01:58:00.000-08:00

So I was asked to help out a local high school pitching staff at the beginning of the school year by the Boy's AD and head baseball coach. I really like this guy's spirit and style of coaching. Firm but gentle in how he corrects the kids. Plus, he's really well-respected and liked by the kids outside of baseball, too (always a good sign).

Anyway, he simply wanted me to spend a month or so with him and step in and help the younger pitchers (freshmen) get a good handle on what would be expected of them...and maybe teach them a few tricks of the trade on the bump. Nothing spectacular, just helping out a good guy who was short staffed and in a tough situation. But he had a problem - the school had essentially no returning varsity pitchers from last year's team, and THAT team didn't exactly set the world on fire.

So after about a month, I was asked to help out all the pitchers and act as the team's pitching coach. After I negotiated my $100,000 signing bonus (riiiiiight) and got my wife's permission to go back into coaching, I accepted with the condition that the coach allow me to implement BALL with the pitchers. My quandry: would high schoolers respond to the same lessons taught to 7 and 8 year olds? Good news - it turns out that they eat it up, as long as you treat them like adults and modify the questions to reflect a deeper understanding of the underlying messages.

In other words, kids like to learn as long as they see the point. Maybe there's a message there somewhere...

Soon, some of the non-pitchers were asking me to do the lessons. So the program expanded. Now, all the ballplayers are using the system, and we started adding new units to the mix (like physiology, differences in chemical makeup of medications used to treat injury, danger of Performance Enhancing Drugs, etc.). It's been pretty nice to see the light bulb go on in some (not all) of the kids' heads.

And to cap it off, last night the coach asked me if I wouldn't mind reviewing and signing a coaching morals/ethics contract (all the coaches sign them for this particular program - more on this later).

NICE!

I knew I had a good feeling about this guy...

Make each day your masterpiece!

Ted

Well, here goes....nothing. Yet.

2010-01-24T17:41:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the BALL Blog. We'll be updating it every so often, but with the baseball season heating up, we're busy changing lives...so enjoy the ride, and keep your eye on the BALL!

We're currently developing a more elegant web site, where you'll be able to do all kinds of cool stuff. The eventual goal is to have the lessons online and automated so that you can schedule them for delivery at the right times.

Make each day your masterpiece...

Ted