"Everyone Is Necessarily the Hero of His Own Life Story." - John Barth
Everyone writes their own story. Matt Haig wrote that "every story is about someone searching for something." The search continues.
In the playoffs Coach Scott Celli hands the keys to MVB '24 to write your destiny. Hard is the price paid for success.
"Confidence comes from proven success." - Bill Parcells
Sigourney Weaver shares foreshadowing of a future confrontation.
MVB approaches the end of the second act where the heroine is painted into the corner, needing to overcome unfavorable odds in pursuit of their goal. You've proven that you know how to 'drive'.
“Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Heroism comes with a price. You won't know the price until the time comes. Jill MacInnes's family used to talk about the libero's bruises. They were the down payment for a state championship.
Melrose hosts Somerset Berkley tonight at 5:00 P.M.
Little has more power than self-belief. "You can only be as good as you think you are."
Learn about cognitive biases. Endowment bias is 'overvaluing' what is ours. Red Sox fans think the team is better than it is. Perhaps the Ken-L-Ration ad said it best.
A volleyball site operates a "playoff" prediction site. How did Melrose fare on predictions from around the state?
First, there aren't many "crowdsourcing" predictions, only 12.
Win one round 12/12
Win two rounds 5/12
Win three rounds 1/12
Win four rounds 1/12
Win state championship 0/12
B positive? Belmont did the ML12 proud with a 3-1 victory of number eight-seeded Bishop Feehan. Feehan had wins over Andover, King Philip, Canton, and Barnstable so this was no minor upset.
Fun game. Limit it to volleyball...or not. "If you ruled the world," what would you change? Add constraints; it has to be realistic and it can't hurt anyone.
1. Change brownies to Congo bars for bus trips?
2. Eliminate opposing teams using JV players as flag officials.
3. Turn off the biggest ceiling fans in the league (Belmont).
4. Coaches challenge with instant replay (this will happen someday in the postseason).
You'll have many 'coaches' over your life, not just in sports. When you intern at a company or a law firm, you have coaches. When you have a role in a school play or musical, you have coaches.
Hope that these coaches are as focused and persistent in pursuit of excellence as your MVB coaches.
Coaches rely on you - everything from your punctuality, commitment, energy, intensity, and ability. Coaching fashions a 'grand partnership' to pursue individual excellence within the framework of team.
In your careers, you become coaches to coworkers and subordinates. The performance of the 'team' depends on your ability to share your knowledge and experience with them, to give and get feedback.
To get the most from coaching, give as much as you can.
Dan Campbell said, "I appreciate guys that lay it on the line. Maybe you're outnumbered. Maybe you're not the most talented. Maybe the odds are against you and nobody believes in you. I respect the hell out of those guys that will fight."
Underdog stories make memories. Hoosiers, based on Milan, Indiana. The 2001-2002 Patriots. Leicester City won the English Premier League in 2015-2016 as 5,000-1 underdogs.
What do memorable upsets often have in common? ChatGPT:
1. Undeniable Odds
The underdog typically faces a highly favored, often dominant opponent with a track record of success. This imbalance in perceived skill or resources adds to the drama, setting the stage for an “impossible” achievement if the underdog wins.
2. Resilience and Grit
Upsets often showcase incredible resilience. The underdog might go through tough situations, staying mentally tough and focused, especially when under intense pressure. This determination and mental strength make the upset that much more inspiring.
3. Innovative or Unexpected Strategy
Many upsets come from unexpected tactics or creative strategies. Instead of trying to match their opponent's strengths, underdogs often play to their own unique abilities. For example, “Miracle on Ice” saw the U.S. hockey team employ relentless speed to outplay the slower, more physical Soviet team.
4. Key Moments and Big Performances
Upsets usually hinge on a few critical moments or outstanding individual performances. These can be game-winning shots, decisive plays, or moments of brilliance under pressure. These memorable moments define the game and make the upset unforgettable.
5. Unwavering Team Belief
Underdog teams or athletes often have strong, unified belief in their potential to win despite the odds. This shared confidence keeps them focused and pushes them beyond their limits, inspiring both their teammates and fans.
6. Significant Stake or High Visibility
Upsets in championship games, playoffs, or major tournaments make a lasting impact because the stakes are high, and more people witness the event. The high-profile setting amplifies the victory, making it a part of sports history.
7. Capturing Public Emotion
Many upsets resonate deeply with audiences because they symbolize hope, possibility, or resilience against adversity. These victories inspire not only because of the win itself but because they capture a broader, emotional story that people can relate to and root for.
Coaches, teammates, and fans admire players who play with grit and toughness. Carve out your postseason niche as one of those.
Lagniappe. Great play energize a team. You've made many.
"Every player should not be focused on who they are playing against, relative to their motivation, but every player should want to be the best player that they can be. That's how you get good - that's how you develop the right habits - that's how you're consistent,” Nick Saban pic.twitter.com/zfcAsfEEbc
Jay Bilas explains the importance of understanding special.
Some of you are closing in on the end of your volleyball careers. Others are at the beginning. Either way, don't take your experience for granted.
Most players go through their careers without winning league or sectional championships. Many go through their career without playing in a playoff game.
You and your coaches work as hard as you do with the goal of experiencing special. "Don't take special for granted."
In the Navy there's a saying, "there are only two kinds of ships, submarines and targets." Under the radar? Great!
What constitutes a deep playoff run?
There's no simple answer. For me, it's a playoff team playing to or exceeding expectations.
Many factors determine performance in general - talent, health, and luck are primary.
Here's the "ChatGPT" answer:
"A deep playoff run typically means advancing through multiple rounds and reaching the later stages of the playoffs—like the semifinals or finals. This implies a high level of performance and consistency under playoff pressure, where a team moves beyond just qualifying and instead contends seriously for a championship. In terms of culture and team goals, a deep playoff run often means players are maximizing their roles, playing unselfishly, and sticking to the game plan, with a strong focus on team over individual success.
For a team with your philosophy, a deep playoff run would also mean that players are held accountable, their commitment to each other is solid, and they’re unified in their ambition to elevate each other’s play game by game."
Set high expectations. When we lower the bar or move the goalposts of success to meet lower expectations, it gives us convenient excuses.
Adam Grant wrote "Think Again," discussing how rethinking benefits us in daily life. Knowledge about sport theory and practice takes years, especially the mental part of sports. In the interim, we inhabit an incomplete or erroneous database.
Grant suggests keeping a 'rethinking scorecard', a storehouse of corrected misconceptions. The best truths work across domains.
1) Officiating. Don't overthink it. I only recall a few games over the years where officiating mattered...the most consequential from 2006. No more details. Mostly, "it's how you play, not whom," or the officials.
2) Simplify. This isn't rethinking, rather consolidating. Melrose has been celebrated and criticized for its 'simple volleyball'. Don't go off the rails by reinventing the wheel or quitting what works. Versatility of attack is good, except when it isn't.
3) Inside out. There are insiders, those with the most intimate knowledge of the program, at practice, with 'coaches' eyes' seeing strengths and weaknesses. Then there are outsiders who see the 'finished product', games and video. That doesn't reduce the outsiders to zero, but we have a fraction of insider knowledge.
4) False idols. Win-loss record isn't the "be-all, end-all." It's much like baseball and better analytics. ERA, WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched), and K/BB (strikeout/walk ratio) often share more insight than wins and losses.
5) "Scoring." Watch a game and mentally score, positive and negative points by each team. The best teams score the most points through their actions and losing teams often surrender points through errors, inconsistency, and mental mistakes. Watching is not seeing.
6) It's not so simple. Volleyball craft extends past "put the ball down" and "keep the ball up." Technique and tactics have nuances far beyond vertical jump, lateral quickness, and Bernoulli Principle. Balancing the big picture and granular details separate extraordinary from ordinary.
7) The Craft. Don't hesitate to use New Age training. Use the Jedi Mind Tricks. It's not enough to play a lot or to love the game. Study great teams, great players, and great coaches. Study the mental game. Maybe "Search Inside Yourself" or "The Inner Game of Tennis" are too much for teens. Or not.
8) The "Prime Directive." In Star Trek, the Prime Directive was not to interfere with the development of civilizations encountered during intergalactic exploration. In sport, The Prime Directive is parental advocacy for the well-being and situation of their children above those of the team. Parental advocacy is normal and expected. It can go badly, like a story of a Texas basketball coach fired by a parental donation of tens of thousands of dollars to a private school.
9) Transparency. How much is good, or bad? This is unresolved. Players need to know what to work on to improve. Coaching is a relationship business and the 'right amount' of transparency is hard. Two rules that help include the '24 hour rule' not to discuss a game until emotions have cooled and 'Your Child Only' rule, discussing your child's situation alone, never involving another team member.
10) Secrecy. Some communications are absolutely privileged. Those can't be revealed and go 'to the grave'. Even if a coach says, "this player is the best thing since sliced bread," don't share unless it's authorized.
These are just a few lessons learned over seven decades in sport.
Lagniappe. When the game is on the line, demand high performance from everyone.
"Great leaders are not askers. They're demanders. They're lovers, they're carers, they share...but they hold their players accountable." pic.twitter.com/JhrVoJbGvz
Nobody has to carry water for Coach Scott Celli and his staff. High school volleyball coaches don't get rich coaching. Coaching fuels their competitive and developmental fires. And a day off doesn't extinguish the embers. Leverage size, athleticism, and coachability into skill and you earn playing time.
Stay focused on the 'achievement equation':
ACHIEVEMENT = TIME x PERFORMANCE
MVB went 17-3 with the losses (Winchester, Westborough, and Newton North) to three of the top ten teams in Massachusetts. You don't improve by facing a 'cupcake' schedule.
Now, MVB inhabits the postseason, as daughter Paula said, "the best time of the year." It's time to make memories.
1. “They just got lucky” 2. “I don’t have time” 3. “Someone else will do it” 4. “I will do it tomorrow” 5. “This is just who I am” 6. “I will do it in the game” 7. “It wasn’t my fault” 8. “The refs were bad.”
“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
― Jim Rohn
First, an elaboration of Jim Rohn's famous quote.
From Brave AI: According to Jim Rohn, we all suffer from one of two types of pain: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The key difference lies in their weight and duration.
The Pain of Regret
Weighs tons: Regrets are monumentally heavy and linger, often manifesting as “what ifs” when looking back on past decisions or missed opportunities.
Burdensome: Regret can become a crushing weight, sticking with us for years to come.
Unpredictable: Regret can strike at any moment, often unexpectedly, and can be devastating.
The Pain of Discipline
Weighs ounces: Discipline, though initially uncomfortable, is a series of small, manageable pains that disappear quickly.
Fleeting: The pain of discipline is temporary and short-lived, allowing us to move forward with confidence.
Predictable: Discipline is a conscious choice, allowing us to anticipate and prepare for the temporary discomfort.
Who among us has not said, "if only?" Choose to control our words, our actions, and our thoughts. Our if onlys serve our ego as shields against reality.
"If only I had trained harder..."
"If only I had studied harder..."
"If only we had paid more attention to detail..."
Discipline defines destiny. Player development is discipline. Film study demands discipline. Sportsmanship requires discipline. Never have we regretted "sweating the small stuff." You know the term for it, "sweat equity."
Regret wastes energy that investment in yourself doesn't. Regret doesn't make us train harder or work smarter, discipline does.
"I wish I had done that..."
Regret negatively reaffirms disappointment and failure. Conversely, adopting Miguel Ruiz's fourth agreement, "Always do your best," sees that our best won't always be the best or even our best. Our humanity results in uneven performance and outcomes even with maximum effort. And giving our best frees us from the pain of regret.
Lagniappe. Discipline.
Lagniappe 2. Separate work from belief.
“The most overrated thing is that you're a good defensive team because of your coaching. No. You're a good defensive team because you care and because it's important to you.” - Kelvin Sampson pic.twitter.com/uW3qtXUn6M
Art glorifies cliche'. Slogans don't win games, although 'clear-eyed' analysis helps coaches and teams revise their play.
1) Talent wins. North has numerous attackers in the "SMASH" tradition. Years ago we hosted former North coach Richard Barton on our defunct cable show, "Let's Talk Sports." Barton preached intentional attack, as Newton players learn hard hitting first, then direction.
Dr. Fergus Connolly, human performance expert, preached "never bring a gun to a gunfight." Bring more. North does.
2) Pitching and catching. Scores arise from serves, attacks, and blocks. North won the serve-receive battle. That's part of how they're the top team in Massachusetts.
3) Depth charge. "Every day is player development day." As coach Gregg Popovich says, "technique beats tactics." Skill building never ends. As MVB approaches the playoffs, it's "next girl up."
4) "Moving the Jello around the plate." Realigning the rotation was a good gamble, working to bolster the offense, realizing impacts on the defense and blocking pairs. Moving the 'sides' doesn't change the dinner but produces unpredictable effects on play with limited practice.
The effort was there versus the Tigers and they won the execution battle. The next four or five practices will focus on figuring it out.
MVB has shown excellent body language over time, both on the court and on the bench.
Body language can be contagious, so showing frustration can impact teammates. "Kia kaha" is a Maori phrase meaning "stay strong." Make it yours.
Your body language is your nonverbal voice.
It communicates a story about your mindset, attitude, and beliefs. • It speaks louder than your words. • It bridges the gaps where words fail. • It's your solution to connect and influence.
All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own.
Women's sports grew along with commitment, coaching, and connection among the athletes and the community.
Consider Ilona Maher, one of the best-known athletes in America.
At the Paris Olympics, the US Women earned a bronze medal because their skill, toughness, and resilience. The team won their medal on the final, improbable play of the match.
Add boldness to time and temperature and there's no limit to what can be accomplished.
Be invested. Be intense. Be bold. MVB.
Melrose Notes: Performance sums effort and execution. MVB played hard and couldn't make enough plays against the top team in Massachusetts. That doesn't mean they are unbeatable, as Brookline showed this week.
Postseason brackets come out on Tuesday, so we'll see about the comings and goings.
Melrose hosted the top club in Massachusetts and the Newton North Tigers left with a 25-20, 25-17, 25-15 victory.
Coach Scott Celli retooled the lineup in face of injury, moving Leah Fowke outside from setter, Alex Homan to setter, and inserting Anna Burns in Alex's DS spot. With the duration of Carol Higonenq's recovery unknown, it was a calculated risk. It worked to a degree, but North's "intentional" SMASH hitting and powerful serve game gave Melrose problems.
North converted many of those serves into free balls and their dynamic hitters turned many into winners.
The loss drops Melrose to 17-3.
Melrose Notes:
In the MIAA Power Rankings earlier today, Melrose clocked in at #10. However, Newton's high power ranking likely raises Melrose to #9 with its first round opponent TBA between Milford and Woburn.
"The elephant in the room" is often that topic everyone is aware of but avoids because addressing it could be uncomfortable or could disrupt the team dynamic. Here are some classic examples from sports:
Playing Through Injury: In many sports, especially contact ones like football and basketball, the expectation to "push through the pain" often overrides the concern for long-term health. Players may know they’re not at 100%, but the fear of losing their spot or disappointing teammates keeps them silent, which can jeopardize careers or worsen the injury.
Unfair Treatment of Star Players: Sometimes, the star players receive preferential treatment, whether it’s lighter punishment for breaking rules or different standards in practice. While this might keep the talent happy, it can breed resentment and damage team cohesion. Addressing this can be tricky because coaches and management might not want to risk alienating the talent that helps them win.
Poor Team Culture or Dysfunctional Leadership: This can happen when there’s a toxic atmosphere created by the coach or even by certain team members. If the leadership style is aggressive, unfair, or inconsistent, players may feel demotivated or fearful. Although everyone recognizes the effect, addressing it might threaten their place on the team or lead to a messy confrontation.
Internal Team Conflicts: Personal disputes between key players are common in team sports and can remain unspoken despite being evident to everyone. For example, star teammates might dislike each other off the field, but both are valuable to the team's performance. Acknowledging it can destabilize team chemistry, even though pretending it doesn’t exist can lead to tense dynamics and poor performance.
Financial Inequity or Disparity: In leagues with high wage gaps, like professional soccer or baseball, the disparity in pay between star players and others can create a feeling of inequality. Teammates may see this as unfair, but challenging it risks sounding selfish or ungrateful, even when it’s apparent that it’s affecting morale.
Fight for your culture every day. Specifically:
1) Be positive. The Patriots won their first Super Bowl when nobody believed in them...except for themselves.
2) Next person up. "Every day is showtime." What could be more fulfilling than stepping up in the moment?
3) Bring your best version. This is not your first rodeo, not your first "big game."
4) Be a worthy opponent. Let everyone leave the gym tonight knowing that MVB brought the fight.
5) Search inside yourself. MVB isn't coming in 'empty-handed'. Sabine Wenzel is second in the ML12 with 219 kills. Leah Fowke is second in assists with 488 assists. Maggie Turner is ninth with 189 digs. Emme Boyer and Sofia are both in the top 20 in kills, the latter despite multiple games missed.
6) Feel disrespected? Duxbury is 17th in the Maxpreps.com Massachusetts rankings while Melrose is 28th.
So what's the elephant? It's not who's not there but who is. Who will it be tonight? I'll bet on Gg Albuja and spectacular defense and serving, especially recently.
In a best case scenario, coaches help players 'see the game' and grow as people and leaders in our community.
These are just part of the story. Acquire life skills.
Model excellence at home, in school, on the court.
Be a great teammate in all domains.
Make everyone around you better.
Be an energy giver not an "energy vampire."
Solve problems don't become one.
Share credit don't "hog credit."
Positive actions don't create negative feedback.
Listen to understand not to respond.
Lead by raising people up not by holding others down.
Study great teachers, great coaches, great players.
Impact winning, impact the game of life.
Find solutions that create "win-win" outcomes.
Players see everything. Here's some AI input:
Here are some other examples of character both on and off the court:
Tim Duncan: Known for his humility, Duncan was not only a Hall of Fame basketball player but also respected as a quiet, disciplined leader. Off the court, his modesty and low-key nature—opting to stay out of the spotlight and maintain his integrity—were as impactful as his game.
Kawhi Leonard: As a player, Leonard’s focus on defense and consistency is renowned. Off the court, he carries that same mentality—he’s described as being deeply private and never chasing the celebrity status, which reflects a strong sense of self-discipline and staying grounded.
Maya Moore: One of the greatest WNBA players, Moore stepped away from basketball at the height of her career to focus on social justice, using her platform for something bigger than herself. Her unselfishness on the court reflected her actions off the court, showing integrity and commitment to causes she believed in.
Malcolm Brogdon: Known for being a thoughtful, intelligent player (he was nicknamed “The President” at Virginia for his leadership skills), Brogdon also focuses on philanthropy and activism, including his work to provide clean water in East Africa. His leadership on the court mirrors his dedication to social responsibility off the court.
These examples show how qualities like perseverance, focus, and empathy extend beyond just a competitive setting, shaping individuals into leaders in life as well. Whether in the classroom, on the court, or in the community, character often dictates success.
Lagniappe. What would "playing better" look like for your team? Although this is a basketball example, what might translate for volleyball? Look to create edges in size or quickness.
I have been around a few NBA coaches and organizations the last few weeks. Here are a few common phrases I’m hearing:
“We want to play faster by passing ahead.”
“We want to play off the pass.”
“We want to play out of concepts to create advantages.”
Melrose closes out the ML12 season today at Watertown (5:30 PM).
This affords Melrose a chance to get everyone into the action and potentially even to experiment with lineups with Carol Higonenq, a key player, out with injury.
Sometimes it also gives the younger players more opportunities to get their feet wet under the spotlight of a game.
The welcoming attitude of inclusion helps MVB sustain competitive advantage. At last night's pasta party (via Instagram), newly minted varsity callup freshman Sadie Smith looks thrilled. Like many MVBers, she has athleticism and positional versatility.
I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. I send them over land and sea, I send them east and west; But after they have worked for me, I give them all a rest.
I let them rest from nine till five, For I am busy then, As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea, For they are hungry men. But different folk have different views; I know a person small She keeps ten million serving-men, Who get no rest at all! She sends em abroad on her own affairs, From the second she opens her eyes One million Hows, Two million Wheres, And seven million Whys!
Kipling reminds us about the value of curiosity. Curiosity rewards us as we ask how to do something better.
Digress to ChatGPT:
Kipling’s poem "Six Honest Serving Men" celebrates curiosity, learning, and the importance of questioning to understand the world. The "honest serving men" Kipling refers to are six fundamental questions: What, Why, When, How, Where, and Who. These questions symbolize the core tools of inquiry, which allow individuals to dissect and comprehend the various aspects of their environment and experiences.
At a deeper level, Kipling presents a framework for intellectual engagement. The poem emphasizes that learning doesn’t happen passively; it is driven by the active pursuit of understanding through questioning. Each question plays a role in helping to unravel different facets of life. “What” refers to the identification of things; “Why” seeks purpose and motive; “When” and “Where” help place events in time and space; “Who” looks for identity; and “How” explains process and methodology. Together, these questions guide an individual in uncovering knowledge and truth.
Kipling also contrasts the insatiable thirst for knowledge in youth with the complacency that can emerge with age or routine. As people grow older, they sometimes stop asking these essential questions, satisfied with what they already know. Kipling gently critiques this stagnation, encouraging a lifelong engagement with curiosity. The poem’s tone is both instructive and empowering, promoting inquiry as a way to live a fuller, more thoughtful life.
Ultimately, "Six Honest Serving Men" reflects Kipling’s belief in the power of curiosity as a driving force for growth and wisdom, urging readers to maintain an inquisitive spirit throughout their lives.
Our tools:
Who? Our teams exist at home, school, work, on the court, in the community. Decide whether it's about "we" or "me." Choosing selfishness or selflessness is an active process.
What? Richard Feynman's process for learning included name, explain, research, and simplify. That could include a discussion on gravity, shooting free throws, serving a volleyball, or jumpstarting a car. Simplify concepts. "Hemingway" it.
When? The best among us make everyone around us better. Our morning routine helps us "win the day." A friend and colleague shared what I taught him decades ago, "learn five things a day and pretty soon you know a lot."
Where? Use "the butterfly effect." Our actions create ripples around the world. Someone hears or reads our words and says, "what if?" The Sesame Street song, "I wonder. What if? Let's try" might change the world.
Why? Care about our fellow traveler...our players and their families. Our assistants and our bosses. Especially about our families. Care about balance, or The Force, or Mana or whatever you call it.
How? If someone asked what we needed most in the world, what might we say? Information? There's already a lot. Clean energy? That would help and the purveyors of existing resources might argue against it. Kindness? Nobody has been kind to everyone, every day. We have a deficit, not an excess of kindness. That doesn't mean we can't demand high performance.
Research shows that using punishments in basketball practice doesn't solve the problem. Instead of coaching through fear, focus on scoring systems that hold players accountable while giving them a chance to work on their mistakes. This approach encourages high standards and… pic.twitter.com/hWstISd4gL
Curiosity helps us become our better selves. That helps us to model excellence, lead, communicate, problem solve, prepare, and adapt...all high level skills that make teams and individuals around us better.
Lagniappe. Bob Starkey shares a "copy and print" idea.
Read the play - CARE, concentration-->anticipation-->reaction-->execution get to the ball, get to the block a step earlier
Constantly work on technique - platform, footwork, armswing, hand contact... the sooner you have mastery of the skill, the sooner applied
The Bad
Always be focused. It's about THIS play.
Never bigfoot a teammate. "It takes a village."
Disrespect. Respect the game, officials, opponents, teammates,coaches.
The Ugly
Never be complacent. Compete TODAY.
Arrogance. "Pride goes before the fall." Stay humble, stay hungry.
Softness. No athlete wants to be called soft. MVB is about toughness. It's hard to make the team, to earn a role, to excel. Sport rewards toughness, which has its origins in mental toughness.
Borrow from other domains. Michelin 3-star chef Thomas Keller explains how all cooking is about "time and temperature." How does that apply to sport, school, business, and so on?
The success equation: ACHIEVEMENT = TIME x PERFORMANCE
What coach might know something about success? Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban. He asks, "are you investing your time or spending it?
Flanking the top of the "Pyramid of Success," are faith (belief) and patience (time).
Whether we believe in Gladwell's "10,000 hours," mastery takes time. The pathway from high school to completing medical training (med school, residency, fellowship) was fourteen years. Gladwell wrote, "This is the scholarly tradition I was referring to in my book “Outliers,” when I wrote about the “ten-thousand-hour rule.” No one succeeds at a high level without innate talent, I wrote: “achievement is talent plus preparation.” But the ten-thousand-hour research reminds us that "the closer psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller the role innate talent seems to play and the bigger the role preparation seems to play."
What about temperature? Temperature is intensity.
Anson Dorrance wrote about former player Mia Hamm's intensity as she trained alone, unseen in a park he randomly passed by.
In Legacy, James Kerr wrote, "champions do extra."
Kevin Eastman speaks about doing the 'unrequired work."
How does this apply to the coach-player relationship? Coaches have favorites, players and teams doing the work:
Early is on time.
Offseason work reflects time.
Hard work is intensity.
Focus and coachability link time and work.
Strength, conditioning, and skills grow with time and intensity.
Lagniappe. Be addicted to the details.
There are tons of things - both good and bad, that one can become addicted to. If growth is the goal & you enjoy winning, you must first become addicted to the details. Our habits and the details make all the difference. pic.twitter.com/I9W79KEbV2
