EMILY AHLERS BLOG POST

Check out this debut blog post from a former Bulldog, Emily Ahlers, linked here

Emily offers some tremendous insights that are well worth reading!

NATE LOENSER ARTICLE

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This is a great article on Chicago Bulls video coordinator and Iowa native Nate Loenser, linked here

TOM CREAN ON LEADERSHIP

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Take a few minutes to read this great article on leadership, among other topics, written by Indiana men's basketball coach Tom Crean, linked here

A CONVERSATION WITH GREGG POPOVICH

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This excerpted interview with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich...yes...it's a must-read:  LINK

THE SELFLESS PLAY OF KRIS BRYANT

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Congratulations to the Chicago Cubs on advancing to the NLCS.  It takes selfless players to reach this point, and rookie Kris Bryant exemplifies selfless play, which is a model for athletes of all ages to follow.  Read the quotes from manager Joe Maddon, along with some from Bryant, about playing multiple positions in the field for the Cubs:

"It comes down to the personal agenda of the player.  Bryant is all about winning, only.  He's a real selfless player."  (Cubs manager Joe Maddon)

"If the Cubs ask me to play right field, I'll play the heck out of it."  (Kris Bryant)

PAT ANGERER/BRETT GREENWOOD ARTICLE

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Take a few minutes to read this powerful article about friends and teammates, Pat Angerer and Brett Greenwood (also former Hawkeyes), linked here

COACHES: CLINT HURDLE ARTICLE

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If you are a coach, you should take a few minutes to read this great article about Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, linked here

LOOKING FOR CHARACTER IN RECRUITS

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Whether you are an athlete, coach, or parent, take a few minutes and read this short article about what highly successful Vanderbilt baseball coach Tim Corbin looks for in a recruit.  These traits can be applied to any walk of life.  Check out the article linked here

BILL BELICHICK

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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick provided some awesome thoughts on a variety of topics at a recent press conference, including teamwork and leadership.  Check out the link to the transcript here, but read below what could be his best insights:


Q: When you scout and work out players, what qualities are you looking for other than talent – like leadership qualities for example?

BB: We’re really fortunate we have a lot of good players and we have a lot of guys who really care a lot about the team and give a lot of themselves and have good chemistry with their teammates. I don’t think that’s anything that you can really orchestrate or as a coach try to determine the way it’s going to go. You just have to let it run its course. I think you can help the process by putting people together on the team that have a chance to bond and have some chemistry, guys that have things in common like wanting to work hard, wanting to do extra things, wanting to be a good teammate and being unselfish. So, guys that have those characteristics usually have good leadership qualities. But it all has to kind of come together by itself just like it does in any group. Nobody can really orchestrate it. It just has to work its way through. But we have a lot of players that fall into that category, and I don’t think even though positions like captains are important on the team, each player brings his own leadership to the team. So, every day, every guy comes to work, they come with an attitude, they come with a work ethic, they come with a purpose, and the more positive that is, the more it rubs off on everybody else, and everybody kind of feeds off each other.

COACHES: ANOTHER PJ FLECK ARTICLE

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Yes, we recently posted an article about Western Michigan head football coach PJ Fleck, but this article linked here is just too good to pass up...if you are a coach, take the time to read it, because it's worth it.

A QUOTE ON EFFORT

"I can't coach effort.  If they don't have that built in, we have the wrong guys."                    (Dave Fish, Harvard men's tennis coach)

I AM A COACH'S WIFE

The unsung heroes of the coaching profession are certainly the wives of coaches everywhere.  Take the time to read this fantastic blog post from a coach's wife in the Midwest, linked here

MARCUS WILLIAMS

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This is a fantastic article about New York Jets cornerback Marcus Williams, that should be read by athletes and coaches alike.  There are definitely some good lessons to be learned in the article linked here

GREGG POPOVICH OFFERS A THOUGHT

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Yes:

"The education you get from disappointment, (compared to) winning and everything going your way all the time, where no matter what you do, it's going to be rosy, that's not (my belief).  I think you learn to handle a little disappointment, handle a loss and figure it out, whether it's with your coach or parents or a mentor.  I think it's a huge lesson that's missed with a lot of kids."

BRETT GREENWOOD

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Former Iowa Hawkeye safety Brett Greenwood will serve as the honorary captain for Iowa's game with Pittsburgh this Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium.  Greenwood's story is truly inspirational, which is why his appearance at Kinnick as a captain is going to be powerful.  Check out this article from Marc Morehouse of the Cedar Rapids Gazette, linked here

And check out this cool video of Greenwood highlights, as well as Greenwood working hard at walking with a walker here

THE MAN WHO COVERED "HOOSIERS"

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Check out this fascinating article from Gregg Doyel about 103 year old Ron Gilbert, who covered the 1954 Indiana State Basketball Tournament Championship Game, known as the "Milan Miracle," which inspired the classic basketball film Hoosiers.  The link is here

A THOUGHT FROM STEVE JOBS

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"If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don't have to be pushed.  The vision pulls you."  (Steve Jobs)

A THOUGHT FROM STEVE KERR

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr offers an interesting thought:

"I think there's a standard that championship teams understand:  there's a bar set, and you're trying to reach that bar each night.  You're not so much playing against all these different opponents, you're playing against your own standard."

COACHES: TOM HERMAN ARTICLE

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Coaches:  this article about new Houston head football coach Tom Herman is definitely a must-read.  Check out the link here.

AARON RODGERS: "I LOVE BEING COACHED"

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Green Bay Packers QB and future hall-of-famer Aaron Rodgers was recently quoted in a Peter King MMQB article (linked here) as saying the following about being coached...and by the way, what an awesome attitude from Rodgers that ALL athletes, regardless of gender, sport, or level should follow:

"Like I said, I love being coached. I love talking football with smart coaches. I love the input, the dialogue, the conversation. I love feeling like I need to play well for my coach, like he is expecting me to play well. It’s fun to be able to make all those coaches proud.”

PJ FLECK ARTICLE

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One of the best young coaches in college football is current Western Michigan head coach PJ Fleck.  Recently, Forbes ran a very interesting article about Fleck, linked here.  Check it out...it's well worth the read.

JILL (OHM) FITCH

Check out this video about Le Mars native and former Lady Bulldog basketball player Jill (Ohm) Fitch, as she discusses her near-fatal moment last year as a police officer in Sioux City.  Jill is a true hero, and Le Mars is certainly proud of her.  Check out the video linked here

EVAN LONGORIA AND THE MENTAL GAME

This video on Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays from ESPN E:60 is a few years old, but it is still worth the time to watch it.  Longoria offers some insights into the advantages of establishing and keeping a mental edge in sports.  Check it out here:

OVERCOMING THE THREE "PERFORMANCE VIRUSES"

Take a few minutes and check out this interesting article in Forbes from Jason Selk, linked here

PAU GASOL

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NBA player Pau Gasol offers some great insights here:

"It comes down to small things.  How do you react to critical moments?  Chemistry, togetherness, the bond between teammates, understanding the drive, the discipline on an everyday basis.  What are you willing to do to put yourself in the best position?  You can say they're small things, but they're actually pretty important things.  That's what makes the difference."

COACHES: ARTICLE ON BALANCING FAMILY AND COACHING

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Maintaining a balance between family and coaching is a challenge for any coach at any level, especially for those coaches in college or professional coaching.  Check out this important article that focuses on Georgia head football coach Mark Richt and his staff about the balance between coaching and family, linked here.

A THOUGHT FROM DAVE JOERGER

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Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger offers a great thought here:

"Our goal is to be elite, and we have to practice as such, and we have to play every minute as such."

CAN YOU INSTILL MENTAL TOUGHNESS?

This article on instilling mental toughness is back from 2012, but it is fascinating...check out the link here

THE 7 SECRET HABITS OF NAVY SEALS

This is certainly an interesting article from a former Navy SEAL about habits that lead to success.  Check out the article linked here

THE STORY OF OLYMPIC HOPEFUL LEIGH JAYNES-PROVISOR

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The few minutes it takes to read this story about Olympic hopeful Leigh Jaynes-Provisor in women's wrestling is definitely worth the time...check out this inspiring story linked here

JEN WELTER'S MESSAGE FOR YOUNG WOMEN

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Thanks to inspirational pioneers like Becky Hammon (assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs) and now Jen Welter (assistant coaching intern for the Arizona Cardinals), women are breaking barriers into men's professional sports.  Welter recently offered an important message for young women all over the country (link):

It shows them that anything is possible, and that's so beautiful. To me, unfortunately, I think the hardest thing in our society right now -- no offense -- is the media. We [tell] little girls all the time to be beatuiful and to do it all the wrong ways. We show them as accessories, for no other better way to put it. We teach them very early on to be pretty, marry well and then act badly, and you'll get on TV. And then that's what they grow up thinking that fame is or success is. I want little girls to grow up knowing that when they put their minds to something, when they work hard, that they can do anything regardless of those things.

 Adolescent female self-esteem right now in our country is at an all-time low. Adolescent females are more likely to accept drama in relationships, to be combative with their friends, all of those things, because we've shown them that image is more important than intelligence, that beauty is more important than talent. Until we pick up and show [young girls] women that are doing things because they're awesome and not just because they're pretty --  how else will they judge themselves? And pretty is a standard very few people can live up to because it's perfection, it's photoshop, it's Instagram, it's filters. I know I love the saying "I woke up like this," but I promise you, I don't wake up like that. Very few of us do.

MIKE FIERS

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Houston Astros pitcher Mike Fiers pitched a no-hitter for the 1st place Astros on Friday, which was a spectacular achievement, loved by baseball fans all over the country.  Average fans watch a performance like this and marvel over the dominance of an athlete, not realizing the sacrifices behind the scenes, as well as the adversity that was faced...and Fiers is no different.  He had to overcome a near-death car accident several years ago, along with an underdog, blue-collar road to the major leagues...hearing about these types of athletes never get old because of the inspirational nature of their journeys, and it certainly makes their achievements all the more admirable when they occur.  Check out this excerpt on Fiers from a New York Times article by Tyler Kepner (link) from 2012:

The Milwaukee Brewers’ flickering playoff hopes all but ended last week when they lost three in a row in Philadelphia, all by 7-6, all in the eighth inning or later. They traded their top starter, Zack Greinke, a potential free agent, to the Angels on Friday.

But in a season of so much gloom, the Brewers have had at least one pleasant surprise. He is Mike Fiers, a right-hander with a 1.77 earned run average this season through his first 11 major league appearances, including 10 starts.

The Brewers drafted Fiers in the 22nd round in June 2009, the month he turned 24. That is ancient, by draft standards, but Fiers had an unusual background.

In January 2008, as he drove overnight from his home in Florida to the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky, Fiers fell asleep in his car. He crashed into a guardrail along the Florida Turnpike and was ejected through his windshield. He dislocated his hip and had four fractures in his back.

“I had to use a walker and have a back brace on all day until I went to sleep at night,” Fiers said last week. “The little things like sitting down or using the bathroom, taking a shower, those were so hard to do.”

Of course, Fiers was lucky to be alive, and to have his arm intact, even if it had never thrown hard enough to attract scouts. He missed the 2008 season and transferred to Nova Southeastern University in Florida, closer to his home, where he was finally noticed as a sixth-year senior.

“In South Florida there’s a lot of great talent,” Fiers said. “If you’re not throwing low- to mid-90s, or consistent 90s, you’re going to get overlooked. A righty throwing like 85 to 88, you’re going to get overlooked unless you’re doing something outstanding, or something crazy.”

Fiers’s fastball averages just 88 miles per hour, according to Fangraphs, but he mixes in enough curveballs, cutters and changeups to be effective. His mediocre 4-4 won-lost record, though, reflected the Brewers’ disappointing season. In his last six starts, Fiers has had an E.R.A. of 0.68, but only two wins to show for it.

MENTAL TOUGHNESS

Take a few minutes and read this blog post called "Mental Toughness:  What it is, and What it Takes," linked here.  This post definitely offers some great thoughts on mental toughness.

URBAN MEYER: ARE YOU A PROBLEM OR PART OF THE SOLUTION?

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Athletes, coaches, parents:  click on the link to watch a great speech from Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer:  link

THE GRIT OF PETE CARROLL

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This recent article from Sports Illustrated about Pete Carroll is well worth the time to read...check out the fantastic article, linked here

KIANA PHELPS ARTICLES

Check out this great story from Sam Tastad of the Le Mars Daily Sentinel about Kingsley-Pierson senior Kiana Phelps, and her amazing accomplishments in the shot and discus over the summer.  Athletes and competitors:  pay close attention to Phelps' quotes, because she offers some fantastic insights about competition.  Check out the link here

Also, another article was written about Phelps from the Sioux City Journal, linked here

NATE BOYER

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Recently, ESPN ran a video in SC Featured about a man named Nate Boyer.  Check out this powerful, must-see video linked here

FRED VAN VLEET: DRIVEN TO SUCCEED

Interesting video on Wichita State basketball player Fred Van Vleet.

GERRIT COLE

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole offers some fantastic thoughts to gain a competitive edge like the pros in the article linked here.  Here is a great quote from the article:

"And there are a lot of different ways to do it. I mean, Cueto is a different bird than Wainwright is. And Greinke is different than Kershaw. So there are a lot of different ways to go about it. But I think the common thing is attention to detail. And focus on every single rep, whether that's a [fielding drill], a throw, an arm exercise in the training room, a warm-up. Every single thing is done with high focus, high attention to detail, and done with a purpose, as if it's the most important single thing that needs to be done."

JJ WATT OFFERS ADVICE FOR YOUNG ATHLETES

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Houston Texans all-pro defensive end JJ Watt again offers some fantastic insights into life and athletics, this time sharing some thoughts for young athletes.  Pay close attention to what he says about social media in particular.  Check out his thoughts in the article linked here

PANYEE FC VIDEO

Thanks to John Carrier for the assist with the inspiring video that is shown above from his blog (blog link).  Take the time to watch it...there are so many great lessons and concepts from this video.  John offers some fantastic insights in his blog post as well.

URBAN MEYER'S MESSAGE TO PARENTS/ATHLETES

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Check out this article/video in which Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer offers some strong words for parents and athletes who are parts of teams everywhere.  Urban is speaking some strong truth in the article linked here

LESSONS FROM A DOG

From Coach Kopp:  This blog post might be perceived as cheesy, because I'm writing about lessons that can be learned from a dog, but we're writing it anyway!  This isn't in the same league as Marley and Me, but sometimes I thought our dog was really Marley, so at least there's a comparison there.  We recently put our long-time family dog to sleep, which was difficult and emotional, but as everyone knows, is part of having a pet.  Her name was Heidi, and she was a German Shorthair.  As I reflect on Heidi's time with us, I am reminded of five lessons that Heidi taught me, and I hope to improve these five aspects of my life, thanks to Heidi, and maybe you could take something from these lessons as well:

1.  Patience--Heidi was an extremely patient dog with our three young children (pictured above).  She allowed them to climb all over her without so much as a groan (although she would cast a long glance our direction, as if to say, "Get them off me," or "I don't want to wear this").  This dog's patience around our kids was amazing and won't be forgotten.

2.  Loyalty--Whenever I would return home late at night from a basketball game, Heidi was always there, win or lose, and often times she'd be the only one that was still awake and there to greet me.  She didn't care whether or not we won a big game or lost a heartbreaker (because she was a dog).  She was loyal no matter what.  Also, no matter how upset we we were when she would get into some mischief, she always remained loyal and loving.

3.  The Grass is Not Always Greener--As Heidi grew older, and as her health declined, we would talk about other breeds of dogs and what kind of dog we wanted to get after she was gone, not fully realizing how great of a family dog we had at the time.  Now that she's gone, we realize just how wonderful of a dog she was to our family and how much we miss her.  The grass might always seem greener on the other side, but that's not always the case...and sometimes you don't realize how great something was until it's gone.

4.  Empathy and Understanding for Others--Heidi had Cushing's Disease, which affected many things in her life, all of them out of her control.  As pet owners, it was important to empathize and understand what was going on with her.  In life, we need to show empathy towards others and understanding, especially when things are out of someone's control.

5.  Take a Good Nap--Heidi loved to take naps.  In fact, the latter stages of her life revolved around napping for long periods of time.  Never pass up the opportunity for a good nap.

These are the lessons that I will remember about Heidi, and I hope to improve on these lessons in my own life, thanks to my time with Heidi.  Our family dog is gone, but she's definitely not forgotten!

KURT WARNER ARTICLE

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Wow, what a fantastic piece written by former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner.  It's definitely worth the time to take a few minutes and read the entire article, linked here

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES AND SOCIAL MEDIA ARTICLE

Here's a link to another article about how cautious high school athletes need to be with social media, especially if college coaches are watching.  Take a look at the link here

MULTI-SPORT ATHLETES AND USA WOMEN'S SOCCER

Image from: http://cdn.sbisoccer.com/images/2015/04/USATSI_8498705.jpg

The USA women's soccer team recently won the World Cup in dominating fashion.  Check out this fascinating article about the role that being a multi-sport athlete has played in the success of each member of the team, linked here

MIKE GESELL ARTICLE

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Iowa Hawkeye basketball player Mike Gesell is all class as he represents the University of Iowa, as well as South Sioux City and the Siouxland area.  Check out this article about Gesell, linked here

AVERY HUFFMAN

While on Twitter tonight, I came across several retweets of a Caring Bridge story, written by Brandon Huffman, who is a college football recruiting analyst for scout.com.  The story is about his daughter named Avery Huffman.  This is an emotional, powerful, and tragic story that brings out so many different emotions and thoughts...take a look at the story linked here

12 POWERFUL HABITS OF THE SUPER SUCCESSFUL

Take a look at an interesting article about 12 habits of the super successful (and wealthy), linked here

5 LEADERSHIP LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE OFFENSIVE LINE

Image from:  https://bigtennetworks.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/usatsi_7700249.jpg

Check out this interesting article about lessons that can be learned from playing the offensive line in football, which are applicable to any sport or any area of life, linked here

2015 YOUTH CAMP GROUP PICTURES

Check out the two group photos from this year's Le Mars Girls Basketball Youth Camp, held June 24-26 at LCHS.  The first picture shows the grades 6-8 campers, while the second picture features the grades 3-5 campers.

A THOUGHT FROM BRAD STEVENS

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On the eve of the NBA Draft, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens offers an interesting thought on paying your dues/working hard/earning your opportunity while remaining patient (when referring to a young player entering the league) from an article linked here.  This quote can be applicable to many young players in athletics, as well as people in many different fields:

"He didn’t always get that validation by playing time. That’s a hard position to be in, because you’re going through the mundane-ness of everyday work and not getting the reward of playing time. Over the course of time, he’s going to be ready, sooner than later.”

JJ WATT'S MESSAGE TO TEXANS PLAYERS

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This brief article is definitely worth the time to read it...find out the message from Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt to the rest of the team in offseason training, linked here

JORDAN SPIETH

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Jordan Spieth has certainly made a name for himself around the golf world recently.  Check out this interesting article about Jordan Spieth's athletic background as a multi-sport athlete, linked here

HELPING A BULLIED 5TH GRADER

Check out the video in the link about some 5th grade boys in Mankato, Minnesota, who help a bullied boy at their school.  Check out the video at the link here

GOLDEN STATE'S SELFLESS STYLE

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This article is a must-read about the selfless style of the individuals on the roster of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.  Check out the link here

MARK HELFRICH COMMENCEMENT SPEECH

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It's worth the time to read and/or watch the commencement speech from Oregon football head coach, Mark Helfrich, who was the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony recently at Southern Oregon University.  Check out the link here

THE LEADERSHIP OF STEVE KERR

The Golden State Warriors are NBA champions, and they are certainly the most talented team in the world after winning the Finals.  Take a look at this insightful article about the leadership of the team's head coach, Steve Kerr, linked here

A THOUGHT FROM JACK CLARK

Image from:  http://bigcsociety.org/MarineCorpsClarkRugby/Jack239286.jpg

Great thought here from legendary Cal rugby coach Jack Clark:

“Entitled to nothing, grateful for everything”

STEVE KERR AND HIS FATHER

Image from:  Getty Images and http://nypost.com/2013/10/24/steve-kerr-knicks-are-only-fifth-best-team-in-east/

Father's Day is quickly approaching, and with the Golden State Warriors playing in the NBA Finals, it is well worth the time to read this powerful article about Steve Kerr and his late father...click on the link here

MIKE BUDENHOLZER COY VIDEO CLIP

I constantly reflect on mentors in coaching and teaching, and I often think about lessons learned from those mentors, along with great memories, so that's why I enjoyed this portion of the NBA Coach of the Year speech from the Atlanta Hawks' Mike Budenholzer, as he thanks Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs for being a mentor to him.  What's even better is that his message can move beyond coaches and into other walks of life as well...so take a look at the brief video clip above.

SCOTT PIOLI ON "TEAM"

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One of the great executives in all of the NFL, Scott Pioli, provides some excellent insights into the team concept:

"I love team-building.  I love the idea of like-minded people coming together and creating greatness that is never just about one person.  At some point you find that the brotherhood of relationships far exceeds any individual glory that you could ever be given."

"I LOVE BEING COACHED" (PEYTON MANNING)

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Players and coaches alike need to read this brief article about Peyton Manning, featuring some fantastic quotes from the future Hall of Fame QB, linked here

Yes...

THE SELFLESS STYLE OF TRISTAN THOMPSON

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There's no doubt that the Cleveland Cavaliers are in the NBA Finals in large part because of their stars, but valuable players like Tristan Thompson are often overlooked.  This brief article/video (featuring thoughts from his HS coach) provides some insights into why players like Tristan Thompson are valuable to a team, linked here

INSIGHTS FROM BILL BELICHICK

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It's worth the time to read these insights from Bill Belichick on a variety of topics, linked here

BIG BIRD STORY

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Thanks to Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr for sharing this moving story about Big Bird, while putting sports in perspective, linked here

WITHOUT A HOME

The above "SC Featured" video recently aired on ESPN, called "Without a Home."  It is an interesting glimpse into homelessness in America, thanks to two players from the St. Louis Rams.

A THOUGHT FROM DR. JACK RAMSAY

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Insights from the late, great Dr. Jack Ramsay, legendary NBA champion coach:

"Players looking to blame their shortcomings on teammates or the coach generally have a shallow approach to the game.  But players who take criticism well, who can admit to weaknesses in their play, are likely to improve."