WORLD CLASS PRACTICE

Watch the video...how many lessons can we take from this as teachers, coaches, and educators?  Thank you to author Daniel Coyle for linking the video at his blog, posted here.  (Click on that link to read his insightful thoughts).

ALBERT PUJOLS

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Thanks to Chad Angel (one of the best basketball coaches in all of Iowa) for passing this quote along...

Quote about Angels 1B Albert Pujols from David Frese (former teammate with the Cardinals):

"What stands out to me, is that every swing he takes, whether off the tee, soft toss, or batting practice, is done with INTENSITY & FOCUS.  He's an animal, the way he goes after it. I've never seen anything like it." 

READERS = LEADERS

READ...check out this excellent article about how reading enhances leaders, linked here

FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

Nothing like Friday Night Football in Le Mars!  Go Dogs...football is back!

BACK TO SCHOOL IN LE MARS

Outside view of the new addition at the high school

It was back to school for Bulldogs all over Le Mars today!  It was an awesome first day at each school for students and staff.  Our community is extremely supportive of our youth and of our schools, so we are fortunate to live and work in such a special place.  One of the highlights of the new school year is our brand new addition at the high school ("Phase II").  The dedication took place this past Monday night, and to read an article and view some photos from the dedication, please click on the link here.  Go Dogs!

THE RETURN OF DERRICK ROSE VIDEO

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Check out this inspiring video about the return of Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose, linked here

GIVING BACK

Check out this story about Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley giving back to his home city of Saginaw, Michigan.  Woodley is giving $60,000 to cover the costs of athletic participation for high school students in Saginaw, which is very impressive.  This is a great lesson in giving back to your community and never forgetting your roots and where you came from!  The article is linked here

IN SEARCH OF THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT

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Check out this very cool article about former USC assistant football coach Yogi Roth as he ventures to Rwanda in search of the competitive spirit in people, which is linked here

ON INNOVATION AND CHANGE

The last topic that I will share has to do with what Dr. Reeves considers "true innovation." In order for something to be truly innovative it must be disruptive. Change is messy. If someone isn't feeling uncomfortable then there really isn't any change taking place. True innovation must be experimental. You need to be willing to try something that you haven't done before. There is a lot of failure when you try to be an innovator. So much can be gained if one is willing to learn from and admit his or her mistakes. Finally, you must be focused. Anything beyond six strategies or actions is doomed to be a failure. The idea of learning more deeply and not a mile wide and an inch deep fits this last idea well.

My challenge from this session is to be willing to think differently and to take risks for the potential positive change it can have on the education of the students under my care!

—David M. Hanson, elementary principal, Wyndmere Public Schools, North Dakota

*For a link to the entire article, please click here

CREATE

Take a look at the student-made video from Linn-Mar in this link...YES!!!

THE POWER OF SACRIFICE

Emmitt Smith retired as the all-time leading rusher in NFL history (over 18,000 yards), but he knows it wouldn't have been possible without his selfless teammates, who sacrificed and executed their roles.  A teammate who is willing to sacrifice for others and for the good of the team is a truly special teammate and person.  Check out this clip from Emmitt's hall of fame induction speech from 2010, when he thanks former Cowboys fullback Daryl Johnston, for being that selfless teammate who sacrificed so much for Emmitt and the rest of the Cowboys...now this is motivation!!!

LE MARS GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW

Similar to the volleyball preview that we linked yesterday, the Le Mars girls cross country preview (linked here) also features several Lady Bulldog basketball players.  We strongly encourage our kids to participate in multiple sports and activities in our school and community.  We enjoy featuring their participation and accomplishments in these other sports and activities!

BATTING PRACTICE

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One of the unfortunate realities of life is that some people have adopted the philosophy of "that's the way we've always done it, so that's the way we'll always do it" (sigh...).  A writer from the New York Times examines the sacred ritual of batting practice in baseball in an article linked here.  There are definitely different philosophies out there concerning batting practice, and the author examines those philosophies in the article.  Either way, be careful of falling into the mentality of "that's the way we've always done it."

LADY BULLDOG YOUTH BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

The Le Mars Lady Bulldog Youth Basketball Tournament will be held Saturday, December 1, at LCHS and LCMS.  The tournament is for girls teams in grades 5-8.  For more information, please contact Coach Kopperud, or check the page at the top of the blog.

2012 REUNION INFORMATION

Attention former Lady Bulldog players and coaches:  we will be hosting a gathering/reunion of former players and coaches on Friday, December 14, 2012, in honor of the new gym facility.  We host Spencer that night, and all former players and coaches will be recognized at halftime of the girls game.  Also, there will be a social gathering at Mr. P's after the game for anyone interested.  For more information, please see the page at the top of the blog, or contact Coach Kopperud.

THE POWER OF COACHING

A few thoughts from Joe Ehrmann from his outstanding book, InSideOut Coaching:

"But I have coached hundreds of players by now and I am certain of this:  100 percent of them will remember my name, the words I spoke to them, and the emotions generated by our conversations and interactions.  This is part of the awesome power and responsibility of coaching:  You give your players memories, for better or for worse, that stay with them until the day they die."  --Joe Ehrmann

LADY BULLDOG VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW

Check out the preview of what is shaping up to be a fantastic season for the Le Mars Lady Bulldog volleyball team from the Daily Sentinel, linked here

COACH OVERCOMES HOMELESSNESS, PARALYSIS AND INSPIRES OTHERS

Check out this outstanding article linked here

QUOTES FROM ELITE 11--PART 2

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The second part of the Elite 11 special wrapped up on ESPN earlier tonight.  Some insightful quotes from the show:

"For you to be the very best you can be, you gotta find out what you're all about."  --Pete Carroll

"Greatness is making the highly difficult look easy."  --Trent Dilfer

"What I know comes down to one thing at the end of the day when you have enough talent:  it comes down to your personal will."  --Trent Dilfer

"Tap into your personal reservoir again and again and again."  --Trent Dilfer

"Rip it."  --Yogi Roth

"Without conflict, there is no growth."  --Trent Dilfer

UNPARALLELED POISE

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Following up on our blog entry a few days ago ("True Teammates") about Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, a very good article has been published about their unparalleled poise as teammates during the London games and during their careers.  There are also some interesting thoughts about psychology and success in the article as well.  Check out the link here

HOW LUCKY YOU CAN BE (DON MEYER)

One of the most successful, inspirational, and courageous coaches in any sport in our country is Don Meyer, the former Northern State men's basketball coach (Aberdeen, SD).  He is truly a remarkable person, and words cannot describe the impact that he has had on so many people in his lifetime.  Please take a look at this video from ESPN, which provides just a snapshot about Coach Meyer:

A NEW ERA OF BULLDOG FOOTBALL

Fall is just around the corner, and that means Bulldog Football in Le Mars!  Take a look at the article linked here about the new era of Le Mars Bulldog football.

FOOTBALL 101?

"I don't know if I can do that because everybody in the world is going to say that's not football 101, right? But there's a reason he's winning all those games ... Maybe it's that their team gets used to playing like that and the other teams don't get used to playing like that."  --Rocky Long (SDSU head coach)

It sounds like San Diego State's football team is toying with the idea of going for it on 4th down, similar to the Arkansas football coach Kevin Kelley (see our July 3 blog entry for more info).  Good for San Diego State if they utilize this strategy; it will certainly make people watch San Diego State football more often!  See the top portion of the article linked here

USA BASKETBALL

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The 2012 Olympics are over, and the United States men's and women's basketball teams both took home gold.  It was certainly a fun ride during the Olympic games for the American players, coaches, and fans.  One can't help but walk away from these Olympic games with a sense of pride in our country.  Congratulations to all of the players for representing our country and bringing home gold.  Also congrats to Coach Krzyzewski and Coach Auriemma, because they are two of the finest basketball coaches the game has ever seen.  USA!

DALLAS CLARK UPDATE

Thanks to Karen Clark for providing a training camp update of her husband and one of the greatest human beings you could ever meet, current Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Dallas Clark, linked here.  Clark was an All-American at Iowa and then won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts.  To read a summarized version Clark's inspiring life story, click on the link here...awesome!!!

DOC RIVERS ON TEAM AND ROLES

Watch the video clip from Coaching U Live 2011 for some great insights into team and roles, from Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.

CURSING

Interesting article about cursing linked here

TRUE TEAMMATES

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There have been so many great stories from this year's Olympic games in London, that it would be impossible to mention every single one of them, but a very cool story involves US women's sand volleyball players Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings.  They were a dominant force, taking home the gold medal in their last competition together as teammates.  Their bond extends beyond the court, because they are close friends, which has made them even stronger as teammates and as a unit.  To read more about these best friends and true teammates, two articles are linked here and here

QUOTES FROM ELITE 11

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Great show on ESPN last night called "Elite 11:  The Finals", which is a competition showcase of the top 25 high school quarterbacks in the country, competing to be named to the "Elite 11" of the camp.  The head coach of the camp is former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer, and several QB gurus and NFL coaches also help.  Anyway, here are some good quotes from the show:

"It's the edge of uncomfortableness where learning begins."  --Trent Dilfer

"Either you bring energy to the field, or you drain it."  --Trent Dilfer

"You CAN do anything you set your mind to."  --former Navy Seal

"You're going to get tired in any game that you play; the question is, what are you going to do when you're tired?"  --former Navy Seal

"At some point, you realize as great as this game is, it's not what defines you.  Life will be very, very empty if this game defines you."  --Trent Dilfer

Check out the final episode in the two part series on Tuesday, August 14, at 6 PM on ESPN.  We'll post another blog entry with more quotes from the show.

TRAITS OF THE 'GET IT DONE' PERSONALITY

FABULOUS article linked here about the qualities and traits of successful people who just seem to "get it done" in life.  Great stuff...take the time to read the article!

10 WAYS TO BE REMEMBERED 100 YEARS FROM NOW | ALL PRO DAD

10 Ways to be Remembered 100 Years From Now | All Pro Dad

BEING YOURSELF

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Well-said, Tony...

"I may copy strategy...but I don't believe in emulating another man's style or personality.  You have to be yourself.  So I'm not Billy Martin or Paul Richards.  I'm Tony La Russa."  (from Tony La Russa:  Man on a Mission by Rob Rains)

FIND YOUR GREATNESS

As we watch these Olympic athletes compete for their respective countries, we are constantly amazed at their great performances.  These competitors are the talk of the world during the Olympics, and many of them are permanently etched in greatness because of their accomplishments.  Each one of them has found their greatness.  What the casual watchers and fans of the Olympics often forget or don't realize is that these athletes have worked, sacrificed, failed, endured, and trained for years, often alone in doing so, all for a chance to showcase their greatness to the world.  This Nike commercial is a tribute to the great athletes, but also serves as motivation for any person seeking greatness.  What makes this video applicable for each of us is that we are all capable of finding greatness in our own lives, and that's a strong message.

COACH RALPH TASKER

Facebook is good for something!  Stumbled onto the name Ralph Tasker from a coaching colleague on Facebook who recommended a book about the late, legendary high school basketball coach.  After doing some research, he sounded like a fabulous coach and a more impressive person.  Take a look at the YouTube clip.  Now, onto the book...can't wait to read about a coach whose teams often scored over 100 points per game and pressed and ran all over the court!

USA 156, NIGERIA 73

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How about the United States men's basketball team at the Olympics?!  They set many Olympic records in a 156-73 victory over Nigeria.  What caught our eye was their 3 point shooting:  29-46 from 3 point range...wow!  What's even more impressive is that 9 USA players made at least 1 three point basket.  They attempted 83 total shots and forced 24 turnovers, and they rebounded 38% of their misses.  Talk about taking a page from Moneyball by meeting "System Goals" (and then some)!  USA!

POST-SEASON SOFTBALL HONORS

Congratulations to our Lady Bulldog softball players who earned First Team All-Lakes Conference honors:  Emily Ellefson, Madison Heidebrink, Ashley Phelan, and Molly Renken.  Teammates Emily Pick and Holly Schneider earned Honorable Mention honors.  Also, congrats to Emily Ellefson for being named 2nd Team All State by the IGCA, while props also go out to Molly Renken for being named 3rd Team All State by the IGCA, linked here.  We love multi-sport athletes in our program, and we love mentioning those who receive post-season honors!  We feel like multi-sport athletes are great role models in our school and for young girls in our community.  Congrats to all softball players on a great season and for representing Le Mars Community!

MONEYBALL--PART 2?

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Here in Le Mars, we are trying to steal some strategies and secrets from the famed book-turned-movie Moneyball (more specifically, from Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane) this season and beyond.  What's most inspiring is that the 2012 Oakland A's are once again igniting the Moneyball talk in the sports world with their stellar play on the diamond this season.  To read more about these underdog A's, please read the article linked here

DEDICATION FOR THE NEW ADDITION

Le Mars Community Schools will host the dedication to the beautiful new addition on Monday, August 20.  The schedule is below:

*5:00 PM = Chamber Ribbon Cutting

*5:30 PM = Athletic Booster Club Tailgate in the Parking Lot

*6:30 PM = Le Mars Community Spirit Night in the New Gym

*7:30 PM = Self-Guided Tours of the New Facility

Please come out and show your support and also take a look at the new facility, including the new gym...it's a great time to be a Bulldog!

MIKE CANDREA (FROM JENNIE FINCH BOOK)

Each one of our girls basketball players was given a copy of Jennie Finch's book to read before our season starts in November.  This book is full of motivation and great lessons, and one of the lessons she writes about comes from her former coach at Arizona and USA Softball, Mike Candrea.  After reading Finch's book and researching Candrea, we'll link an inspirational article to read more about him here