The Dynamic Warm-Up, Why Do it?
This week I met with a group of high school basketball players starting their pre-season conditioning. They headed straight for the end line to start warm-ups, and then … waited for me to tell them what to do. Me: Do you have a standard warm up? Players: (looking at each other) Uh, not really. Me: […]
Are we returning injured players to sport too soon?
Why do so many kids not only keep getting injured, but keep getting re-injured?! The biggest risk factor for injury isn’t over-training or lack of fitness, poor coaching or poor preparation. It isn’t even reckless play. The biggest predictor of injury by far, is previous injury. Kids who’ve been injured before and are attempting to return […]
Because We Care More About the Kids than the Soccer
I did something I have never done before at a Fit2Finish soccer session recently. I scrapped my complete injury prevention training plan, and we spent the whole 40 minutes talking, stretching and mending. Why? Because all but one of the players in the group were injured! Several told me they would be training later that evening […]
Women Do Success Differently
The celebration of International Women’s Day has gotten our attention. Here in the States, “A Day without a Woman” has resulted in some school districts closing for the day because so many teachers have requested leave. This has left thousands of children without instruction and perhaps without lunch, or mentoring or supervision or care. I know this […]
Do You Follow the Rules?
Warning: this will be a bit different from the usual Fit2Finish post. Read at your own risk. When I was a young athlete, a junior golfer specifically, I thought nothing of the rule declaring that ladies and juniors couldn’t play until after 2pm on weekends and that men’s day Wednesday was off limits. The course was […]
Helping Kids Set Healthy Boundaries
“No” used to mean no. Nowadays it’s more of a suggestion or an invitation to negotiate just how hard you will work to change my mind. But what if the answer needs to be no? What if the right response is no, but I know you really want me to say yes? What if danger […]
5 Lessons from the Rio Olympics: All that Glitters is (mostly) Gold
Every 4 years, we get a gift like no other: the Olympics, brought to us in living color. Again this year, I walk away with new lessons learned and old lessons more deeply entrenched. Here is my 5 medal haul from the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, brought to us from Brazil. Diversity is rich. […]
Coaching Like Pat Summitt (video)
With the passing of Pat Summitt, women’s sports loses an iconic coach and world class human being. Not only does the women’s basketball nation mourn her passing, but so does a generation of young people, now full-fledged adults, who knew her and loved her because of the way she went about her life. I have been […]
Smart Girls Wanted, Non-Athletes Need Not Apply
Here’s the truth: athlete beats non-athlete pretty much every time. If I am looking to hire you to work for me, smart is good, initiative is great, willingness to try new things is necessary, and good character is a must, but check the box marked ‘athlete’ and you move to the top of the resume pile. Provided you meet the other […]
Title IX: Gender Equality Still Needs Work
On June 23rd, 1972, the President signed Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 into law. It states that “…No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal […]