Richard Branson on networking and thinking big

Good advice for teachers and coaches on helping others.
Richard Branson on Thinking Big

Once you’re a successful business leader, it’s time to start championing undiscovered talent yourself. I get a real sense of pleasure from seeing talented people realize their ambitions and grow professionally and personally. As I’ve learned, in the process you can gain new insights and discover fresh approaches to doing business by simply discussing how things work. After all, continuing to network means continuing to grow

Thought for the Day

Play of the Day

http://www.fastmodelsports.com/library/basketball/fastdraw/1054/play-3-line-layups

3 ways to have better practices

1. Make it a priority. Grading papers, scouting reports, recruiting-whatever. Your practice
has to be a priority. Plan well and have energy. You get your kids for a short amount of time-make the most of it for the sake of your team. Coaches must provide energy and show players the meaning of practicing with an all out effort.

2. Individual attention/Individual skill work as well as defensive breakdown drills have to be the best part of your practice. Meaning your players must give their best effort in this part of practice. If they go hard in those drills they will go hard in the other drills and scrimmage. If they don't go hard in skill drills and defensive breakdown drills they won't go hard in other drills.

3. Make the most of every minute. Err on the side of having your practice shorter rather than keep the team longer than necessary. You have a long season. Teach what you know.

Hubie Brown believed in going no longer than an hour and half for practice.

Try these ideas this year.

Thought for the Day

Goal Setting by Brian Tracy

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day!Thought for the Day

LSU Basketball coming attractions

LSU Basketball-Feel the excitement

Thought for the Day

Thought for the day!

Letter from Joe White

Today as I write, I’m flying to Nashville for Michael W. Smith’s daughter’s wedding. Michael and Debbie Smith have been so faithful to Kanakuk over the last 25 years. He lives his hit song, “Friends are Friends Forever.”

On this flight, I’m randomly sitting next to two Kamp parents and now Kamp grandparents reminiscing about their two and a half decade relationship with Kanakuk and the great stories of Kamp’s influence in their children's and grandchildren’s lives. We began to talk about what kind of parenting skills have the best shot at producing kids with hearts for family, hearts for God, and hearts for biblical moral values.

I’ve had this conversation with countless parents over the years and I have found a few common denominators that are worth sharing and dwelling on today.

“Giving God the Glory”

The moms and dads of good kids are always quick to give God the glory for the goodness in their kids’ hearts. I can’t remember one parent conversation in forty years where the parents took the credit for the “success” in raising Godly kids. Good parents are humble people! They are people like you and me who are committed to prayer, family Bible study and bedtime and breakfast devotionals knowing that it is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” that sustains kids with Christian character.

“The Firm Voice of Discipline”

The Decker family (seated next to me today) joined the chorus of hundreds of other families I’ve encountered by reiterating the need for crystal clear boundaries….curfews…standards for friends…standards for media consumption…standards and expectations for social outings. Hebrews 12:11 whole heartedly endorses a home and a parenting style that includes the firm, dependable hand of discipline.

The fun side of a well-disciplined home is that the soil of these children’s hearts is fertile for the production of the fruit of righteousness! The disciplined heart receives biblical guidance and appreciates words of encouragement and affirmation. A happy child, simply put, is a child who knows that God is firmly in charge, mom and dad are clearly the authority in the home, and parents are that child’s biggest fans.

“Over Encouraged”

I recently spoke frankly to the sons at the Kanakuk Father-Son retreat on the subject of “Some People Read Stories; Some People Make Stories.” I soberly reminded the boys that no good coach wants a player who thinks he is the center of the world because his parents have convinced him that he can do no wrong. Kids of entitlement who expect a coach or parent to always give them what they want, make a place for them on the starting team, or praise them for halfhearted effort will never amount to much. The only success they’ll ever know is a trumped up slogan on a Nike t-shirt with self-proclaimed grandeur.

But, if a child puts forth great effort and displays a positive attitude or accomplishes a noble goal, somebody needs to notice it and appreciate it verbally. My wise older mentor, Jack Herschend, told me once that it only takes 20 minutes to teach a pigeon to bowl! “You give him one kernel of corn when he gets near the ball and two kernels of corn every time he touches the ball.”

Productive encouragement needs to be specific. Everyday catch your child in the act of doing something good and tell him/her about it!

“Atta Boy,” “Way to go,” “Super Job,” “That’s amazing,” “I like that,” “Yeah baby,” “That’s what I’m talking about,” are but a handful of phrases that need to always reside on the top of your tongue ready to launch when a specific moment of great effort or great attitude is displayed by a child (of any age!)

But, when encouragement is just pointless chatter or ill deserved, it will build a false sense of self-centeredness or useless entitlement.

“Criticism and Sarcasm Kills The Heart Of A Child”

Furthermore, criticism and sarcasm kills a child’s heart and creates deaf ears to beneficial reception of words of encouragement. While coaching and teaching are not only good but also a parent’s job, harsh criticism and words of sarcasm will destroy the relationship and drown out any words of affirmation quicker than a spring flood.

When I coach the teen Kampers of K-2 football each summer day (my favorite job) my goal and the goal I communicate to these wonderful college players on our staff is to let every boy hear his name with something good attached to it at least 10 times a day. We don’t win most of our scrimmages with Kids Across America because we have better talent. We win because we encourage our kids’ socks off. We expect their greatest effort, we encourage their best effort, and we receive their best effort. Our kids know we love them win or lose. Our kids know we value them. Our kids know we’re crazy about them from the least athletic to the most skilled.

Encouragement, affirmation and appreciation are like gravity to a successful team or a successful home. When applied consistently, specifically and personally, hope prevails even during a child’s most difficult season of life.

Thank you for letting me and our team of summertime coaches be an encouragement to your precious kids! We so love what we do. Our days of summer are the greatest days of our life.

Together for your kids,

Joe White

P.S. Debbie Jo knocked me out recently with this luscious dessert for chocolate lovers!

Nutella Gooey Butter Cake:

Cake: 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package devil's food cake mix, 1 egg, 8 tablespoons butter (melted)

Filling: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (softened), 1 cup Nutella, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 8 tablespoons butter (melted), 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread Nutella mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Chocolate Sauce: 1 stick butter, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter & cocoa powder in sauce pan. Alternately add powdered sugar & milk. Thin with additional milk if needed. Take off burner & add vanilla.

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Thought for the Day

The Power of Habit

Max Lucado quote

Max Lucado quote

Thought for the day Wednesday Sept. 19, 2012

Thankful in life

A couple of years ago a friend of mine help change the way I thought about my job. He was an assistant coach and was interviewing for a head coaching job.  He stated if he got this job he was going to treat it as if it was the best job in the country.

 

I recall the conversation and how he changed my way of thinking. To treat your job, family, living situation, etc. as top notch it helps reorient your thinking of how we approach everyday life.

 

I’m obsessive and can allow my mind to sidetrack.  I tend to think as well as focus on things that are not of importance. If I change that thinking and move it toward a positive twist it helps me tremendously.

Here, are some simple steps to help get your thinking in the right direction.

1. Understand your talents and limitations. Be thankful that you are in a place that utilizes your talents and hides your weaknesses. If is not occurring, then change things fast. Find a way to maximize your gifts and abilities.

You may have to remind yourself how your talents correspond with your occupation. You may have to remind yourself that you are not in a job that is boring and in a work environment that is uncomfortable.

2. Treat your life as if it matters to others. "What you think about, you bring about." You have the ability to inspire others and make a difference in someone's life each day. Whether you choose to make that impact, is your decision; not the decision of someone else.

3. Look across the street, on the other side of the fence, or in the house next door. Some people do not like to think this way, but I believe that each us has it better than someone else. Daily we see people hurting. This occurs either in everyday interactions or reading the newspaper, watching tv or on the internet.

Will you choose to treat your job as the best in the country? Your life as the best?

As a father of 5 kids, my life is on the go and moving in a lot of different directions. My wife and kids can't afford for me to be down. They need to be there for them. I have wallowed in pity for different segments of my life. I have also treated days as if they were going to be great. The latter is much more enjoyable.

How one treats their job is vital to happiness. In the coaching profession, each coach has items to complain about on a daily basis. There is also the ability to look past the shortcomings and see the positive.

Reading the book on Coach Bob Hurley, Sr. ("The Miracle of St. Anthony" by Adrian Wojnarowski) I realized he built a national power at the high school level without the use of his own gym. It made an impression so I decided not to complain and work with what I did have without worrying about what I didn't have.

 

Whether it was the gym roof leaking, the gym roof falling in, lack the financial resources or any other problems I have encountered in my coaching career I have tried to my best not to let those situations bring me down. It made me realize the people I was around were there for a reason. I was determined to make the most of my chance with players and people. Sure, I sometimes fail miserably, but I am aware and keep trying. Over the course of time, I have found positive beats negative any day.

 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

 

-Marianne Williamson