Your Coach and Boss May Not Be Your Favorite People

In life people are going to find people that they don't like. This may be a boss, a coach, a teacher or even someone in the family. I have had plenty of bad coaches in all the years that I have been playing sports. It is really tough to keep loving what you do if a particular thing or person is holding you back.
For the most part I have been really lucky with teachers. I haven't had too many that I just can't stand being around or listening to their voice for an hour is torture. I'm not really looking for a job yet because I am really busy during the school year, but I know there are bosses out in the real world that are CRAZY! Things have to be done the way they want it in the amount of time they want it done. People everyday around the world have to work through obstacles like this. I know a lot of times people may not like some of their family members, but I am sorry to say that you can only choose your friends not your family.
Now back to the bosses and coaches not being your favorite people. If you love a job enough or a sport enough, then you shouldn't let anything stop you. A coach may rip you apart by the things he/she says to you, but if your love for the game outweighs your dislike for the coach then there is no reason to quit playing. You can't let the coach think that he/she won his battle because that is just another weakness that they found. Staying strong and pushing through obstacles in life is the only way to survive.

"If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere."
-Frank A. Clark

Mistakes Happen

Everyone always tries to be perfect. But why??? It's pretty obvious that no one can be perfect in absolutely everything. Of course there is a point where you can come close to being perfect but I can personally say it is impossible to be perfect.
Mistakes are going to happen to everyone. They happen to NBA players, they happen to celebrities, and they happen to average people. Some people may deny this, but I would have to say that every single person has made at least five mistakes in their life. I'm not saying they are the biggest mistakes of their lives, I'm talking about the little mistakes too.
I always learn from mistakes. I can be in math class and I make a mistake on one of the questions. The next time I come across a problem like that I remember the mistake I made the last time and I correct it and do it the right way. I can be at softball practice and I keep popping the ball up when trying to hit. The next time I go up to bat I tell myself not to drop my hands, but instead I take my hands straight to the ball and hit a line drive. I know many times people at work make mistakes no matter how many years they have had the same job. You can't be perfect at everything because sometimes you don't know the right thing to do. All I can say is that mistakes are going to happen no matter what, don't let them stop you. Successful people make mistakes, but they don't quit.

“All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.”
-Winston Churchill

Body Language Says It All

How many times have you heard, "Body language says it all." I hate hearing this especially when it is directed towards me. I know its the truth but I hate admitting it. Of course they aren't talking about good body language... They are talking about hanging the head and slumping the shoulders. In sports and your not on a winning team, it is very hard to keep your head up and act like nothing is wrong. Keeping your composure is one of the toughest things to do. So many times I've felt like I just need to yell at someone in order to get all my frustration out. When I don't do something to let my frustration out it all starts to build up and in the end, its an explosion! I'm not sure what is better, being frustrated or wanting to give up... Or BOTH!
Sometimes I don't even know what kind of body language I am showing. I could be really nervous and I don't think I'm showing it at all, but really I make it very obvious. The true test of body language is when you are struggling and not having the best day. There are always going to be bad referees, teachers, bosses and coaches that you have to work your way past. Taking the higher road is the smartest way to handle these kinds of problems. Keeping your appearance consistent and strong, keeping your head high, and avoid any whining or shoulder shrugs.

"Body language can work wonders for a team, or it can spell disaster"
-Unknown

Wishing Upon A Star

We all have those things in life where you just wish you could do something. For example go to a concert of your favorite singer, meet your idol, get the job you've always dreamed of. I wish that one day I can meet Pat Summit. In my opinion she is the best college women's basketball coach of all time. I bet her name may not ring a bell to you unless you are really into basketball. She coaches for the University of Tennessee and has won many National Championships. I wish that I could actually play for her but that is letting my dreams get too carried away.
Pat Summit always tells her players to set goals as individuals and as a team. She says that she doesn't want her players to get too carried away with their goals. Her team always sets goals that they know they can achieve as long as they work hard. Holding teammates accountable for the goals you have set as a team is a big deal. Personally, I find it harder to achieve a goal all by myself than it is achieving a goal with a teammate pushing me along.
Setting goals doesn't have to happen just in sports. It happens every single day. Someone at work can say "My goal for the day is to help as many customers as possible." Goals don't have to be out of reach, they need to be reasonable so you don't feel like a failure. You can also set goals in school. You can say, "My goal for tonight is that I'm going to do all of my homework." Goals give you something to work for, without them people start to slack off.
If your goal is not met, there is no reason why you should give up. It's kind of like the quote, "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Giving up isn't going to make anyone better.
Since I was talking about Pat Summit I figured this would be a good time to use a quote from her.

"Set a goal that stretches you, requires exceptional effort, but one that you can reach."
-Pat Summit

Sports in College

Sports in college! I don't know how many people consider going on to college to play sports but I know I have. This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. All I ever wanted to watch on tv was college basketball. I would beg my parents to take me to the OJC games. And I wasn't like the other kids that went to watch the game. I would sit down and watch the WHOLE game even though all of my friends were there. All they would do is run around and I thought watching basketball would be a lot more entertaining than running around. I wasn't even a teenager yet but I knew what my goal in life was.
Then I started talking to college students that are athletes and that is when my mind started to change. They told me that playing a sport in college is more like having a job than it is just being in a sport. They have practice at least one time a day, usually two times a day. They go out of town for games and even sometimes out of state. There would be some long days and some late nights. Of course in college you can choose to go to class or not, but if you are an athlete it would probably be pretty smart to go to class so your grades would stay up. There are a bunch of disadvantages of being a college athlete. You pretty much have a job, but they don't pay you. From the athletes that I have talked to it doesn't seem like they have much of a life outside the sport they are playing. Yes, it is cool that your teammates turn into your family, but no one compares to your real family. It would be really hard to go home and visit on the weekends if you wanted to.
So I'm really having a hard time deciding if I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to play sports in college. Of course I would be dissapointed in myself for not pursuing my dream, but when it comes to the time when I need to make a decision I hope I make the right choice.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."
-Henry David Thoreau

How Do I Keep Waking Up Every Morning?

How do I keep waking up every morning? Every single day I lay in bed and wonder why I keep getting up. At the end of the school day I wonder why I keep going to practice. I work hard every single day at practice and you know what my reward is? My reward = ANOTHER loss. Sure sounds like a good reward huh?.... NOT!!!! There are a few girls on our team that bust their butts all of the time. We run up and down the court at practice and in the games. We have the heart to keep playing and not give up no matter what the score is. I've learned to not even look at the scoreboard anymore because all it really is, is a bunch of numbers. But then you get to thinking about it and those numbers determine the outcome of the game. What are we supposed to do now? Keep pushing ourselves to the limit and get nothing out of it? I don't know about the other girls on my team but I am really tough on myself. Whether it is in practice or in the game, on the weekends or if I have any free time, I'm shooting. I'm always looking for ways to get better. I just wish everyone would want to do everything they could to make themselves a better player.

Now back to my question... Why do I keep getting up every morning and going to practice??? I think the answer is self motivation. I strive to be the best at everything I can be. I know there is no "I" in team but I feel like if I do my part and I give it my all then I can't get down on myself. I know I'll be disappointed with another loss but I can't help it sometimes.

"No bird soars too high, if he soars with his own wings."
~William Blake~

life lessons and sports: Introduction

life lessons and sports: Introduction