"The magic is in the work." Do the work to have a shot to be a contributor or more on MVB 25.
Let's look 'under the hood' of Fogg’s excellent "Tiny Habits" to influence your behavior (workouts). I
Start with the Maui habit, a phrase when you put your feet on the floor:
"Immediately say this phrase, “It’s going to be a great day.”"
A behavior (Fogg) equation:
A cue (prompt), plus motivation and ability determine our behaviors. We change behaviors by altering the inputs. For example, imagine you're like me and you like ice cream. Seeing ice cream in the freezer would be a cue to enjoy. Except that it's not in our freezer.
Imagine that your motivation to workout is good or better...and that you have a home gym or gym membership. High motivation and easy ability puts your "dot plot" above the action line, so it will likely happen.
Now imagine the same situation except that your motivation is low. The "dot" shifts way down, maybe below the action line so the workout doesn't happen.
If you have the flu or a sprained ankle, then the ability point shifts to "hard to do," so the workout won't happen.
For many players, the problem is less with motivation than with ability. How can you "shift the ability" to easier to do.
1. Schedule it. Bake it into your day. Put it on your 'to do' list on your phone.
2. Workout with a friend. Friendships strengthen, workouts can be competitive, and more drills can be competed as a pair.
3. Bring your workout gear to school and see if you can get permission to work out 'on site' after school, preferably with a friend.
Another trick Gelb discussed was "keeping it tiny." He did two pushups after using the bathroom. "Anybody could do that."
Make good habits easier to do and bad ones harder.
A former President toured NASA Houston. He asked a custodian, "what's your job?" The janitor asked, "I helped put a man on the moon."
What's your WHY? Author Simon Sinek poses a question, "what's your WHY?" Why do you get up in the morning? Why do you play volleyball? What do you do?
When you're young, you probably don't ask yourselves these questions. You just do, under the guidance of your family.
Why do you read the blog? There's no secret sauce. There's nothing you can't hear elsewhere.
Be an excavator of knowledge, of truth, in search of excellence.
Tom Peter's wrote In Search of Excellence. What separated excellence from something less?
...a unique set of cultural attributes...developed under the tutelage of a special person. Nobody wants to win as much as Coach Celli.
"Leaders make leaders." That's where the expression "coaching tree" arises. The tree is more than the coaches spawned. Think about the "fruit of the tree," the MVB graduates.
Think about that. IT'S ABOUT YOU, the players and the meaning, your WHY? Why do you pepper, train your platform and run-up, jump rope and lift, meditate? In a world of infinite choices, is sacrifice rational?
Evaluate the triad of ATTITUDE, CHOICES, and EFFORT. Excellence requires focus, positive attitude, productive choices, and relentless effort.
Exceptional players build a vocabulary designed to flourish under a wide array of conditions. Two decades ago North Andover got to the sectional finals with consistency and an excellent 'short game' of tips. MVB contained the tips, erasing their dominant weapon. And MVB won the sectionals.
The 'why' of "the blog" seeks to inspire inquiry into excellence. "How you do anything is how you do everything." Team first. Improve always. Accountability matters. Family. School. Sport. Find excellence.
Lagniappe. You can do most of this without a gym. Having a partner makes it more fun and you elevate each other. I've heard that some of you are close friends and work out together.
Winning is hard...whether in the soft suburbs or the hardscrabble streets of Chicago. When the Manley High School crew team was practicing in the late 1990's, a teacher asked, "what made you think it would be easy?"
Your families don't have it easy. Your teachers don't have it easy. Your teammates don't have it easy. What made you think it would be easy?
Acquiring skills isn't easy.
Game understanding for ideal positioning isn't easy.
Athletic training and endurance training isn't easy.
Resilience, learning how to win, how to fight for your teammates isn't easy.
What made you think it would be easy? Be up for the challenge.
There's a concept in baseball of the "out pitch." Watch top pitchers and they have a pitch that gets guys out - even when they know it's coming. Mariano Rivera had the cutter. Pedro Martinez a blazing fastball and a vicious changeup. Ron Guidry had a slider.
In every sport, every field you need something to 'separate yourself' from ordinary. In the NBA pregame show, Charles Barkley would ask, "what's your NBA skill?"
An outside hitter might have a full repertoire of attacks, but she has a "special delivery" when she absolutely has to have it.
If you're a setter, maybe it's a quick set, a shoot, or a setter dump. Alyssa DiRaffaele had that deadly topspin-sidespin 'slider' of a serve.
Bad teams beat themselves. Exceptional teams beat their opponents with combinations of service, attacks, and block kills. Winning more points is a sine qua non of excellence. What's your MVB skill? What's your 'out pitch'?
Learn from analogies. Morgan Housel's The Psychology of Money shares life lessons through money stories. Grow your volleyball wealth. Let's examine a lesson from each of the first ten chapters (there are twenty):
Chapter 1. Nobody's Crazy - "Some lessons have to be experienced before they can be understood." - Michael Batnick Our experiences color our decision making. Learn from setbacks. Over twenty years ago, substituting reserves in early almost led to a loss at Reading. That never happened again.
Chapter 2. Luck and Risk - Luck and Risk stand at opposite ends of events affecting sporting and financial futures. Bill Gates and Paul Allen had literally a one in a million chance of attending high school together with cutting edge technology. There's also discussion of 'attribution bias', as we see others' failure based on character and ours relate to bad luck. "Focus less on specific individuals and case studies and more on patterns." Bad starts can be hard to overcome.
Chapter 3. Never Enough. - For many there is never enough. Insider trading undid a hundred million dollar man, Rajat Gupta and former market maker Bernie Madoff. Some risks become our undoing.
Chapter 4. Confounding Compounding. The sooner you start saving, investing, and specialized learning, the greater your chance to grow your prospects. The author explains that Warren Buffett's remarkable results in part accrue via 75 years of compounding. The volleyball player who starts at six has an edge over one who starts at fifteen.
Chapter 5. Getting Wealthy Vs Staying Wealthy. It's hard to stay at the top. The Patriots got and stayed near to the top for almost twenty years. That was then. Legendary investor Jesse Livermore earned the equivalent of three billion today dollars when the market crashed in 1929. And he ultimately lost it. Money shares similarity with reputation. It can be destroyed overnight. A lack of humility contributes. MVB has to do the work to stay on top of its game. "The wind blows hardest at the top of the mountain."
Chapter 6. Tails, You Win. Heinz Berggruen accumulated a massive portfolio of expensive art. He bought collections and a few pieces became fabulously expensive. It's the outliers (tails on distributions) that help make your reputation. Amazon Prime and Amazon Web Services drive their business. The iPhone drives Apple.
Since 2000, nearly 300 have worn the MVB uniform.
Eight MVB players had earned the distinction of being All-State and playing on triple sectional finalists. Sadie Jaggers was the latest until Leah Fowke joined the list recently. "Tails drive everything." Outliers help build programs.
7. Freedom. Freedom is about having the time to do what you want when you want. Researcher Angus Campbell highlighted the meaning of happiness.
Athletes and their families sacrifice the now looking for future happiness. Americans have a higher standard of living than they did in the 1950s but are not happier.
Happiness is also the difference between results and expectations.
8. Man in the Car Paradox. People seek admiration and respect over things.
Sport gives you a chance to share experiences with your friends and coaches that can't be bought. The MVB Experience matters.
9. Wealth Is What You Don't See.
You might have two choices, buy a second home or save for the future - a child's education or retirement. Or you could go out for the weekend with friends or train at a volleyball tournament. To accumulate "volleyball wealth," training is not optional.
10. Save Money. Savings can seem undetectable. It comes about in different ways including not spending.
MVB has accumulated "wealth" in championships - league, sectional, and state titles - through the accumulated efforts of players, families, and coaches. They invested in volleyball instead of an alternative.
Lagniappe. To become great at almost anything, at some point you become your own coach. Identify strengths and need areas and develop a plan to consolidate strengths and lessen needs.
Leonardo da Vinci was one of history's greatest individuals - thinker, inventor, musician, artist. What made him tick?
Michael Gelb wrote a book "How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci." Here are some highlights. The finding that extending our intelligence and learning capability is possible deserves our attention. Let's apply them to MVB.
From a book summary of "How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci"
1. Curiosity. Ask better questions. How does this work? What made her a successful player? Volleyball is a thinking person's game. Consider a "high" toss. While it generates momentum, it returns with a higher velocity, reducing your margin for error while serving.
2. Demonstration. "Show me." Coach Wooden's formula was EDIRx5 - explanation, demonstration, imitation, and repetition times five. You've seen the video of Alyssa DiRaffaele's serve and video of Elena, Gia, and Sadie hammering the ball from outside. For Leonardo, demonstration meant practice.
Alyssa delivered 'sliders' that moved down and away from receivers. She also hit seams and sidelines.
3. Sensation. How do you perceive the world around you? Use crowd noise to motivate you when needed and be able to block it out. Visualize performing a skill as part of your training and resilience.
4. Sfumato blends ambiguity and change. I think of it as 'reading the game' and making decisions in real-time. They won't be perfect but don't let that deter you from striving to improve decisions.
5. Art and science. Study the game and your ability to impact teammates and winning. That helps you get the most from yourself and others and to 'limit' the top players from opponents.
6. Body and mind. Leonardo enjoyed both a remarkable mind and physical beauty. He sought to cultivate both during his life. Every elite MVB player was an exceptional athlete.
7. Connection (analogy). Leonardo was a gifted inventor who designed bridges, musical instruments, and military weapons. He tried to copy birds' flight in search of developing a flying machine...using analogy. What analogies do you see in understanding volleyball? Imagine having a bow and a quiver of arrows. Is each arrow the same or does each have different properties - an explosive shot, a tip, a cut shot, and more.
The more that we understand the world, people, our sport, and ourselves, the greater chance of success that we have. Invest some time every day thinking. Keep a journal of thoughts and ideas.
Lagniappe. A brief summary of the brilliant Leonardo bio by Walter Isaacson... from ChatGPT
Walter Isaacson's biography of Leonardo da Vinci presents an intimate and richly detailed portrait of one of history's most brilliant minds. Drawing from thousands of pages of Leonardo’s notebooks, Isaacson explores the artist's insatiable curiosity and multidisciplinary genius, showcasing how his work in art, science, engineering, anatomy, and botany intersected to create groundbreaking discoveries and timeless masterpieces.
The biography highlights Leonardo's relentless observational skills, such as his studies of light, human anatomy, and the flow of water, which informed his artistic achievements like The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. Isaacson delves into Leonardo’s unconventional life as an illegitimate child, a self-taught polymath, and a man of boundless imagination who was often distracted by the breadth of his interests, leading many of his projects to remain unfinished.
Isaacson portrays Leonardo not as an otherworldly genius but as a human being—deeply curious, flawed, and driven by a desire to connect art and science. The book emphasizes that Leonardo's ability to blend empirical observation with creative thinking was the key to his greatness, making him a model for innovation in any field.
Through vivid storytelling and accessible explanations of complex concepts, Isaacson reveals how Leonardo’s legacy as a thinker and creator endures, inspiring readers to embrace curiosity and think across disciplines.
Nick Saban and Bill Belichick talking about the lessons Kobe Bryant taught them 🥺 pic.twitter.com/8gnEer21Kj
— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) January 8, 2025
The analogy might be to a boxer. At one point, you might be bigger, stronger, and more athletic. But sooner than later, you meet the opponent who has similar athletic profile but is more skilled.
Train to compete against the best, both physically and mentally.
Former Dodgers' manager Tommy LaSorda used to say, "there are three kinds of people - those who watch things happen, those who make things happen, and those who wonder what's happening." Make it happen for you.
Leaders exert a measure of control of rules and standards. In your world, set high standards.
1. Wooden tells Walton, "We're gonna miss you."
2. "Do what you have to do." An underclassman was voted one of the captains. Several seniors threatened to quit. Coach Scott Celli told them, "do what you have to do." One quit, one stayed. The team won a sectional championship.
3. "Don't whine, don't complain, don't make excuses," was another Coach Wooden mandate. This works for MVB, too. "Don't traffic in excuses." It's hard to be at your best without your best players. Excuses never make it better. The best players, teams, and coaches "move on" after disappointment.
Draw on information from anywhere. One of Leonardo da Vinci's inspirations was connessione, which relates to 'connectedness' and likely analogy.
Start with a ChatGPT take:
The phrase "Make friends with the dead" resonates deeply with the Renaissance spirit of drawing wisdom from those who came before us. Leonardo da Vinci exemplifies this approach, particularly through his concept of connessione, the recognition of the interconnectedness of all things. This principle profoundly shaped his thinking and can inspire us to adopt a more integrative and interdisciplinary mindset.
Connessione and Thinking Skills
Pattern Recognition and Systems Thinking Leonardo's ability to see relationships across disciplines—art, science, anatomy, engineering, and nature—was central to his genius. For example, his studies of water flow informed both his art (e.g., the depiction of the Virgin's drapery in "The Virgin of the Rocks") and his engineering designs for waterways. Connessione trains us to move beyond isolated facts and see the broader systems at play, enhancing creativity and problem-solving.
Synthesis Across Domains Leonardo blended diverse fields to create groundbreaking work. For instance, his anatomical studies weren't just for medical purposes but informed the lifelike quality of his paintings. By synthesizing knowledge, he anticipated modern interdisciplinary approaches. Connessione encourages us to bring seemingly unrelated ideas together, resulting in novel solutions.
Curiosity-Driven Learning Leonardo's curiosity was insatiable, fueled by his belief in interconnectedness. He asked questions like, "Why does the sky appear blue?" or "How do birds fly?" and sought answers through observation and experimentation. Adopting connessione pushes us to explore how different phenomena relate, driving lifelong learning and intellectual growth.
Holistic Problem-Solving Recognizing connections allows for holistic solutions. Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man is not just a study in proportion but a synthesis of art, mathematics, and human anatomy. In modern contexts, connessione helps us approach problems by considering all factors—scientific, emotional, ethical, and practical.
Empathy and Perspective By seeing connections, Leonardo also grasped the shared humanity of people and the unity of life. Connessione fosters empathy, as it requires understanding different perspectives and contexts. This skill is vital for collaboration and leadership today.
Learning from Leonardo
Making friends with the intellectual giants of history like da Vinci means not just admiring their achievements but adopting their principles. By practicing connessione, we develop a mindset that bridges gaps between disciplines, values interconnectedness, and embraces curiosity. This approach leads to richer thinking and deeper insights, much as it did for da Vinci.
How does this relate to volleyball and MVB? Consider a 'holistic' approach.
Interconnectedness includes people - your coaches and teammates and the MVB community. The word community triggers thoughts of "servant leadership" for a more dynamic and connected city.
Exceptional players use physics to improve play. How? The float serve without spin creates random movement of the volleyball. Topspin uses the Bernoulli Principle to alter air pressure on the ball, accelerating downward movement. The height of your toss changes the velocity and timing of your service contact. Get physics on your side.
Consider a baseball analogy, the phrase "hit 'em where they ain't." Attacking seams and sidelines, cut shots, and tips all use that principle.
Connessione also recognizes other da Vinci principles like curiosity and experience. Curiosity helps us study opponent strengths and weaknesses as well as self-scouting. Experience lies at the core of practice.
Urban Meyer's 10-80-10 principle recognized that within an organization there will be about ten percent of people at the top and the bottom and most in the middle. Meyer required top ten percenters to "drag" a teammate to workout. The goal was to lift them into the top ten percent.
Take a few moments to think about how connessione might impact your volleyball experience...like being a great teammate?
Lagniappe. Repost. Physics effects on serves.
Lagniappe 2. A few points about the 2010 team.
Athena Ziavras became an All-State attacker.
Note the 'craft' of players using angles and short attacks.
See how Athena's "simple" serve generated deceptive topspin.
"Too young..." consider the names you hear who grew into the 2012 state title team - Bell, McGowan, Johnson, Wyland...
Every day we tell ourselves a story. "Everyone is necessarily the hero of their own story."
Some are "if only" or "if I ruled the world" stories. Being firmly grounded isn't always helpful. 80 percent of people say they are better than average drivers. The 20 percent who do not have higher rates of depression.
Morgan Housel writes that pessimism is seductive. It's easier to believe the narrative that this or that will fail than the "Hakuna Matata" optimism story.
All the great coaches I know lived in the positivity space, even when they saw something else.
As a player, you can only be as good as your self-belief. Rick Pitino wrote a book, "Success is a choice." The most successful students leverage some ability with great process. The most successful players usually have a measure of athleticism and physical gifts (e.g. size) with acquired, hard-earned skill.
Coaches want motivated, ambitious players. The player who shows up for optional skill development, who commits to strength and conditioning, and studies the game is a magnet for coaches.
There's a saying about the 'curse of unlimited potential'. So many athletes without 'the golden arm' could only dream about having it. When you have a gift, find the motivation.
Lagniappe. Your story starts with belief. The future MVB athlete was twelve, leaving for a graduation ceremony. She said, "I promise that I will be the valedictorian someday." She kept the promise.
Growth requires leaving our comfort zone. Carol Dweck, author of Mindset, headlines the latest MasterClass. She gave her 15 Stanford student seminar an assignment. Write a paper about an outrageous task that you would never undertake.
One student was a recluse in his dorm room except for going to class and meals. He chose to run for dorm president. When the time came to give his campaign speech, he told himself, "I can stay seated, but then what would I write about." He gave the speech and won the election.
Leaving our comfort zone means doing hard things. It means "too many" repetitions of your platform, setting, and attack footwork. It means watching video and breaking it down to see what went well and what didn't. It means lifting weights, stretching, doing plyometrics to increase your strength, conditioning, and quickness. It means learning mindfulness, learning how to breathe all over again.
The above require multiple inputs. Time and resources go into training. Excellence requires choice, ambition, and work. That means sacrificing something else. If you asked Elena, Gia, Sadie, or Leah would they repeat the sacrifices for the success earned, "was it worth it?," what do you think they would say?
Excellence means seeking help. That's hard, especially for introverts. But asking also earns mentoring and "mentoring is the only shortcut to success."
How many of these exercises are you doing? Remember, a gallon plastic jar of water weighs about 9 pounds, so that's your dumbbell.
Why not ask some of the great MVB players about their process?
Screenshot from MasterClass
Ask better questions:
How can I be a communicator like Maggie Turner?
How can become a great setter-blocker like Leah Fowke?
How can I take myself to the next level to have the greatest frontcourt season in MVB history?
What styles do leaders adopt?
Enforcer - the hard guy
Protector - comforting
Mentor - providing the emotional or logistical resources
I expect Coach Scott Celli to be demanding of MVB 25? Why? Because I think he believes that many of the veteran and young MVB players can become elite. The mentor mindset means being both firm but kind. But he can't control how much players care.
How do you motivate yourself to be your best every day? Have the mindset of a winner.
"If you are going to be a leader, you’re not going to please everybody. You have to hold people accountable. Even if you have that moment of being uncomfortable." (Kobe Bryant)
Steve Young went to Brigham Young University and saw he was listed eighth on the quarterback depth chart. His first instinct was, "That isn't possible...this is alphabetical," until he saw Jim McMahon listed first. The depth chart fueled growth. He became the number one choice in the NFL Draft.
Dream big. Making the team isn't enough. Dream bigger. Contribute. Dream huge. Become a starter. Dream enormous. Become an All-League player.
Dreams aren't enough. "DREAMS ARE THE SEEDLINGS OF REALITY," Napoleon Hill, 1937.
Formulate a plan, starting today.
How? Follow three steps.
1) Believe that change is possible if you have the commitment and do the work. The brain has "neuroplasticity," even into advanced age. It changes under the influence of physical and mental training. Think Steve Young.
2) Be open to change. The teacher challenges us to learn. Work gives students "stronger brains." Ask for help, change strategies. Do the work. "Nothing works unless you do."
3) Become the snowball. Small steps start the snowball rolling downhill. "I realized that I was capable."
Here are the Maxpreps.com statistics of a former MVB All-State and All-Scholastic player. It didn't happen for her overnight. Between her junior and senior year, she committed to growing her athleticism, her vertical jump, and hitting power. Yes, she also changed position moving to outside hitter.
Here she beats the block.
With a long runup and big swing, she became a 'big hitter' among the tradition of many in Melrose history.
Statistics reflect many elements - position, role, 'utilization' and effectiveness. She took advantage of all. Sadie Jaggers translated a growth mindset into high performance.
The sooner you adopt the process the greater the achievement:
Regular readers know they get delicious "bonus recipes" from time to time.
Today, I share garlic parmesan broccoli fritters, easily prepared. I didn't apply any sauce and I used only one tablespoon of olive oil. I cooked each fritter about three minutes per side.
As we like to say in our family, "don't waste it." That means, "I'll eat that."
Teams are somewhat evenly matched and one team wins on the sum of making more plays, resilience (mental and physical toughness), and luck
One team is the underdog but in the moment summons their talent, togetherness, resilience, and luck.
The first 'prototype' means winning the games you're supposed to win.
The second is winning "tossup" or "pick 'em" games.
The third is having the grit to win games few people give you a chance to win.
"Signature wins" aren't borne of the first, sometimes the second, but especially arise from the latter.
The best coaches get the most from the players they have. Some coaches assemble all-star teams and earn praise by winning with overwhelming force. Meh. MVB will have a mixture of experience and youth and need a high level of grit. Be up for that.
Most players think they are playing hard when they are sweating. The sweat just means you’re warmed up, playing hard is a whole different level. Great take 👇 pic.twitter.com/9NYL6Ybur1
Sacrifice with the hard work of preparation and practice.
Remember the iceberg. What we see is a tiny fraction of the mass.
The volleyball season is the tip of the iceberg. The skill building, film study, strength and conditioning, resilience training, and everything else MVB happens below the waterline.
Athletes show remarkable commitment and resolve to "build the base of the iceberg" when so little shows.
Playing for Coach Scott Celli isn't that hard if you understand icebergs.
Lagniappe. Get more time by becoming an impact attacker.
Systems spawn success. Successful programs have training systems, offensive systems, defensive systems, and communication systems.
For example, group texts communicate important information such as practice time, uniform distribution/pickup, bus schedules.
The most important communication system is interpersonal. MVB '24 had the strongest on-court voice in Maggie Turner. Talk engages teammates and energizes them. Team leadership has loud voices and everyone has to participate.
Your culture and leadership help define you.
There's a difference between assume and presume. One definition of assume is to take on or have power or responsibility. Assuming leadership is not resume building. It's people and organization building.
"Have a system that promotes good habits..." - James Clear
What is your study system? (academics)
What is your strength and conditioning system?
What is your game learning system? (e.g. YouTube videos)
What is your skill development system? (e.g. out of season)
What is your team-building system? (workout with partners)
What is your resilience building? (e.g. mindfulness)
If we can't explain our system, is it too complicated or non-existent?
Shooting a few hoops in my driveway one Saturday. My phone rings, it says, "PUERTO RICO." I answer and it's Butch Lee (Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four in 1977) and NCAA Player of the Year. "Hi, it's Butch, just wanted to talk some basketball." Basketball travels.
You're busy and you want daily ideas and solutions. Here's a 3-Minute Pitch for reading here inspired by Brant Pinvidic's The 3-Minute Rule.
1. Give me three minutes a day.
2. Readers matter because you 'spread the gospel' and sell your belief.
3. Simplicity and clarity define valuable messages. Keep it simple.
4. Evaluate via this prism:
What is it? - Daily basketball and leadership education
How does it work? - Phil Jackson said, "basketball is sharing." That.
Are you sure? Show your receipts.
Can you do it? Read on.
5. Is it a just a pebble into the pond or create ripples?
Analogies help us. It's not about the pebble; it's the ripples that can change the world.
6. Share interesting and important information.
Clear blog philosophy - TIA, teamwork, improvement, accountability
"Possessions and possession." Get more possessions and maximize each one.
Develop "possession enders," players who get scores and stops
Analytics matter - edges in shooting, turnovers, rebounds, free throws
Graduates have become leaders in business, education, and more
Blog ranked in the top 50 of Feedspot's basketball blog world rankings
Of 25 middle school girls I coached (head coach), two have NCAA Division 1 scholarships.
What about volleyball?
Be a great teammate. Being a great teammate is a choice.
The best players make everyone around them better. Those are reasons why people in the know recognized Leah Fowke's play and why Sabine Wenzel and others will matter so much in 2025.
Excellent teams WIN MORE POINTS. They win off serves, block-kills, and attacks.
Excel at fundamentals, the core skills - serve-serve receive, attack-block, set-pass-dig.
Everything practiced should impact winning.
7. Deliver a compelling opening. See above.
8. When did you start to believe? A group of nobodies went 21-4 en route to the State Semifinals of the top basketball division in Massachusetts.
9. Disappear the elephant in the room. Where are your receipts?
10.What's your hook and your edge? Get players' attention. Sixth grade tryout. A little girl comes up to me, "Coach, I am really excited to be here." She understood the core value, "Nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm."
Lagniappe. Catch the MVB excitement.
Lagniappe 2. Chuck Daly said, "I'm a salesman." We all are. I sold healthier lifestyles as a physician. Here's the ChatGPT summary of "3-Minute Rule"
Brant Pinvidic’s The 3-Minute Rule: Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation focuses on simplifying your message to maximize impact. His core philosophy is: “Say less to get more.” The book offers a framework for creating concise, clear, and compelling pitches, with the idea that you should convey the essence of your idea or proposal in three minutes or less.
Key Concepts:
The 4 “WHAC” Questions:
What is it? Clearly define your idea or offering.
How does it work? Explain the mechanics in simple, accessible terms.
Are you sure? Prove the credibility of your idea with facts, logic, or data.
Can you do it? Demonstrate feasibility and your ability to execute.
Keep it Simple:
Avoid jargon, overexplaining, or overwhelming your audience with details.
Prioritize clarity over flashiness.
The Power of Storytelling:
Present your message in a logical, engaging sequence that keeps attention and builds curiosity.
Use emotional triggers strategically to connect with your audience.
The First Three Minutes Are Crucial:
People form opinions quickly, so the opening moments of a pitch should grab attention and provide a clear framework for understanding your idea.
The audience should leave with a clear takeaway, even if they don’t get all the details.
The “Information Hierarchy”:
Start with the most compelling and easy-to-digest information first.
Layer in supporting details as needed, only after the big-picture idea is clear.
Pinvidic provides numerous real-world examples and exercises to help readers refine their messaging. His approach is useful for entrepreneurs, coaches, and anyone needing to present ideas effectively, emphasizing that simplicity and structure lead to persuasion and results.
If you asked Coach Scott Celli about the best players he ever coached, what questions would you have?
What was their daily attitude?
How did they make players around them better?
What skill or skills did they excel in?
Were they a good teammate?
What were their leadership skills?
What was there off-season skill development?
How did they improve their athleticism?
How did they impact winning?
You probably know many of these answers. If you can't, you'll probably progress more slowly than you want. It's your job to provide the answers for your training.
Presuming that you could, align your habits and player development with those of the player or players you would model. Practice core skills (platform, footwork, attack runup and arm swing, serving). Study video for better reads and game understanding. Build athleticism and resilience.
Sport rewards skill. Talent is more than skill.
Sport rewards game knowledge.
Sport rewards athletic explosion.
Sport rewards grit.
Lagniappe. If you want to 'cut the line' and earn more playing time sooner, become an elite blocker. Here are tips:
