Quote of the Day:

 As the Northeast prepares for Hurricane Irene, I thought this quote was fitting!

"Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, with takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice." -Arnold J. Toynbee

6 Keys to Teaching Mental Toughness

Coaches talk about it all the time and players strive to achieve it: mental toughness.

Mental toughness goes hand-in-hand with Emotional Intelligence (see previous post). Here are 6 keys elements of teaching, learning or practicing mental toughness:

1. Flexibility- the ability to absorb the unexpected and remain level-headed. If something isn't going well or doesn't turn out as expected, they remain flexible in their approach and look for new ways to solve the problem.

2. Responsiveness- ability to remain engaged, alive and connected with a situation when under pressure.
 

3. Strength-  ability to exert and resist great force when under pressure and to keep going against insurmountable odds. They find the strength to dig deep and garner the resolve to keep going, even when in a seemingly losing game. They focus on giving their best and fighting hard until the end, with persistent intensity throughout the game. "While this is tough, I am a whole lot tougher."

4. Courage and ethics- doing the right thing for the team. They suppress the temptation to cut corners or to undermine others so they come out on top. They have the courage to make the hard but right decisions for the team.

5. Resiliency. - ability to rebound from disappointments, mistakes and missed opportunities and get right back in the game. They have a hardiness for enduring the downs of a situation. They remain optimistic in the face of adversity and quickly change when necessary.They resolve to make things better and are experts at figuring out ways to do more with fewer resources.

6. Sportsmanship-  don't let the opponent know when he or she has gotten them down. "Chin up" mentality. The behavior exhibited after losing sets the tone for others. Mentally tough athletes support their teammates and their roles through good times and bad.

-Christine M. Riordans , the dean and a professor of management at the Daniels College of Business, University of Denver

Quote of the Day:

“Good work habits help develop an internal toughness and a self-confident attitude that will sustain you through every adversity and temporary discouragement.” -Paul J. Fleyer

Enter to win Daniel Coleman's book "Emotional Intelligence"!

The groundbreaking book that redefines what it means to be smart: Emotional Intelligence, Why it Can Matter more than IQ.....

See Coleman's book on Amazon.com

Simply email me at CoachChrisPassmore@gmail.com with subject line "EQ".... please include any suggestions you have for improvement to this blog, and also what you enjoy most about Overtime. Winner will be selected on September 1.

Good luck!

The Leading Predictor of Success

In 1995, TIME used the front cover of their magazine to ask one simple question: What is your EQ?

In a study of 265 corporate executives, emotional intelligence (EQ) skills such as strategic thinking, relationship building, people development. vision, adaptability, optimism, empathy, and self-awareness
are more important to leadership success than typical leadership traits such as external/ market orientation, financial intelligence and planning.

Emotional Intelligence is "the capacity to perceive and regulate emotions in oneself as well as those of others and to use emotion to facilitate thought." 
 
In psychology, a person with high emotional intelligence is able to take in emotional experiences and use them for better understanding of the outside world and yourself. For example, self-recognition that you're anxious may lead to constructive examination of your fears and a plan of action for coping strategies to reduce your anxiety.  Failure to "cope" may lead to distraction, disruption and even more anxiety. 

Excellent book on EQ

Quote of the Day:

"The secret of man’s success resides in his insight into the moods of people, and his tact in dealing with them." -J. G. Hollan

Quote of the Day:

"They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.” -Pat Summitt

Pat Summitt's Definite Dozen

 

           (fast forward to 23 seconds)

Here are Pat's Definite Dozen system:

1. Respect Yourself and Others
2. Take Full Responsibility
3. Develop and Demonstrate Loyalty
4. Learn to Be a Great Communicator
5. Discipline Yourself So No One Else Has To
6. Make Hard Work Your Passion
7. Don’t Just Work Hard, Work Smart
8. Put the Team Before Yourself
9. Make Winning an Attitude
10. Be a Competitor
11. Change Is a Must
12. Handle Success Like You Handle Failure

Nutrition

I'll probably touch on this topic a lot more because I believe it is VERY important and something that can easily be overlooked.

The Denver Nuggets team chef talks NBA nutrition.... First, half-time intake:

As for halftime, Osterman said they eat Balanced Gold Bars because, “It’s the right mix of carbohydrates and proteins. And it’s low in sugar. It’s a great bar — we buy in bulk. We probably go through 30 cases a month. During the game, they’ll also knock down Gatorade and water. And if someone is under the weather, we might cut some oranges up.”

Next, general advice for pre-practice meals:

“It’s a balance of carbohydrates and proteins,” he said. “Very little sugar in their diets. Their sugars are all natural — vegetables and fruits.

Finally, some post-exercise advice:

“After practice, we want carbs immediately back in their bodies, so they have to replenish…We don’t use a lot of oils and butters and we don’t deep-fry anything. Chicken is always boneless, skinless. If we use steak, it’s always filet mignon because it’s the leanest of the beefs we can use. We use quite a bit of turkey and we use bison — bison’s low in fat.
“The carbs that we mainly lean on are sweet potatoes and yams, because what we like is the long, burning carb. We put that in their system and it’s got to hold them three or four hours before it completely burns itself out. If we want to get something immediately after practice — baked potato. A lot of rice that we use with them and a lot of greens — broccoli, spinach.”

Quote of the Day:

A bad attitude is a cancer on any team. One player's attitude will usually influence the attitudes of other players. A "winning attitude" has to exist prior to having a "winning team". Positive winning attitudes are the foundation of winning basketball. - George P. Burdell

Quote of the Day:

Role Model: "Got it, Coach." Joe Hamilton (2000 Heisman Runner Up) was quarterbacking heavily favored Georgia Tech against ACC conference rival Clemson. Hamilton was getting tackled in the backfield on one possession after another. The quickness of the Clemson defense had caught Georgia Tech by surprise. Tech was down by 3 scores. Ralph Freidgen, offensive coordinator, signaled in for a time out. The quick conversation with Hamiliton was broadcast from the sidelines. Freidgen said, "This defense is way too quick for us. You need to have a count in your head. If you can't find a receiver after a 3-count, then either throw it away or tuck it and run." Hamilton replied with only three words: "GOT IT, COACH". Hamilton led the Tech offense on three consecutive scoring drives to win the game.