DMR: CULTURE OF COMPETITION IN YOUTH SPORTS IN IOWA

The Des Moines Register is examining youth sports in Iowa with articles about different aspects of youth sports in Iowa.  Check out this well-written piece about the culture of competition in our state's youth sports, linked here

NEW PRAGUE (MN) BASEBALL (AND MULTISPORT ATHLETES)

Kind of a cool article about the New Prague (MN) baseball team's turnaround this season, but pay special attention to the comments and insights about multisport athletes on page 2 of the article, near the end of the article...very interesting comments about playing multiple sports.  Check out the link here

DON MEYER

Sadly, legendary basketball coach Don Meyer passed away at the age of 69.  He accumulated many wins on the court, but more importantly, his legacy of impacting the lives off the court will live on for future generations.  Check out these two videos about Coach Meyer:

HOW 5 FOOT 5 BRANDON TODD LEARNED TO DUNK A BASKETBALL

Check out this fascinating and inspiring video, linked here

KEVIN DURANT MVP ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

In case you haven't seen it yet, check out Kevin Durant's MVP acceptance speech:

DAVID KREJCI

Check out some inspiring thoughts from Boston Bruins center David Krejci as they battle in the NHL playoffs:

"But you've got to stick with it, play smart and have in the back of your head that you're playing for the team and not for yourself, so when something happens, you've got to suck it up and try to do everything you can to help your team win."

POST-SPRING THOUGHTS FROM NICK SABAN

(AP Photo by April L. Brown)

Some great thoughts here from Nick Saban as the Crimson Tide wrapped up spring football:

“I think the challenge for our team is that if you want to continue to have success on a consistent basis, then everybody’s got to buy into the process of the system of what we do. You can’t start questioning it. You got to buy into it and you got to believe in it. Everybody’s got to be a team guy. Everybody’s got to check their ego at the door. There can’t be any of that ‘what about me stuff’ going on. Everything’s got to start with ‘I got to be the best player that I can be for the team.’ Everybody’s got to ask themselves ‘I am ____.’ I am what? … because everybody’s got to have a common belief in the things that have made us a good program here. I’m talking about things like toughness, hard work, giving effort, finishing, finishing plays, finishing games, the vision of the standard that we have for the relentless and competitive teams that we’ve had in the past.”