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
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Don't let what you CAN'T do dictate what you CAN do: Jim Abbott
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
"The team seems to have lost their way...can you help?"
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
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
Sunday, March 28, 2010
DELIVERY ISSUES
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
Ted Browne
714-334-4023
Monday, March 15, 2010
TRIVIA QUESTION about New Lesson Out Tonight
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...
Visit the Facebook fan page to see the answer...
Monday, March 8, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)