Tag Archives: Godin

Recruiting Seminar Thanks

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Thanks to all who attended and helped at today’s recruiting seminar, Level the Playing Field, held this morning at William Chrisman High School.

As I mentioned, most of the information can be found on this site via this link:

Recruiting Links

A copy of the PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded from this linkL

Level the Playing Field

It is just the slides from the presentation, without any of my comments or external links, but it will give you much of the information (like questions to ask your recruiting coach, and questions to expect from a coach on an initial visit)

If you don’t have access to PowerPoint (or don’t like using it), I converted the presentation to this movie below.  Again, there are no outside links (although the embedded video does play) or comments from me, but you can navigate (push play/pause) to get information from the slides.

In addition to these written posts, I have recently launched my YouTube Channel that deals specifically with the recruiting process.  The channel can be found here : The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel, and the complete playlist can be viewed here.

 

If any coaches are interested in bringing this presentation to their schools, give me a shout and I can give you some more information about it.  At William Chrisman it was presented to all student-athletes and their parents.

The seminar, Level the Playing Field is designed to empower students, coaches, and parents in regards to the recruiting process.

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It! 

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Going Until “Failure”

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joyTypically on our “Heavy” day lift (Monday-Bench, Tuesday-Squat, Wednesday-Push, Friday-Clean) we go until “failure” – meaning we go until we can’t do any more reps using correct technique and/or without spotter help.  Going to “failure” is probably not a very good term to use, because it implies that the athletes themselves have failed.   It puts a negative thought into their head before they even step under the bar.  I prefer that the athletes focus on “breaking” (Breaking…. It’s a Good Thing!),  rather than failure.

When an athlete does a particular exercise until failure, they personally have not failed, it is just that particular muscle group has “failed“… is exhausted… cannot do another rep.  I think that it is important that the athlete understand that this is a good thing; that IT (not being able to continue) is not, nor are they, a failure.   Without pushing this threshold they would not get appreciably stronger.

Author Seth Godin discussed the idea of welcoming difficulties in his post, “Just the good parts,” last week:

“You don’t get to just do the good parts. Of course. In fact, you probably wouldn’t have chosen this path if it was guaranteed to work every time.

The implication of this might surprise you, though: when the tough parts come along, the rejection and the slog and the unfair bad breaks, it makes sense to welcome them. Instead of cursing or fearing the down moments, understand that they mean you’ve chosen reality, not some unsustainable fantasy. It means that you’re doing worthwhile, difficult work, not merely amusing yourself.

The very thing you’re seeking only exists because of the whole. We can’t deny the difficult parts, we have no choice but to embrace them.”

Training… daily, hard,  intense, consistent, physical, training… is tough… is reality.  It means you’re doing worthwhile, difficult work, not merely amusing yourself.    You have to do the hard stuff, not just the good parts,  to be great.  Embrace the difficult parts.

Questions and Comments are always welcome!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Brain Games

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I am not a big time distance runner, but started doing 5K’s as a part of my rehab after having my hip replaced last year.  I have completed five 5K’s in the last year, but yesterday I did my first 4 Mile run.  A 5K is 3.2 miles, so yesterdays race was a mere .8 miles more.  But what a difference mentally!

I have written extensively about having a positive attitude and believing You Can Do More, and still yesterday I found my own brain trying to play tricks, play games with me.  At the 1.5-mile mark, when running a 5K, I am always thinking the positive thought, “OK, already half way finished.”  Yesterday, at the same 1.5 mile mark, in a race only slightly longer, I caught myself thinking the negative, “Oh man, not EVEN half way finished.”

lizard-brainI am not completely sure why the human brain does this, all I know is that it does.  In unsure, unfamiliar situation, the brain always seems to revert to the negative.  I am pretty sure it has to do with the “Lizard Brain”, the “fight or flight reflex“, fear of failure, etc.  The important thing, I think, is that as coaches and athletes we are aware that it is there… always lurking.

So how to handle it?  I have had great success using mental visualization with my athletes, and that is a topic for a future post.  I think the more we can prepare our athletes and ourselves, when entering new, uncharted territory, the better we will handle it.  Scripting situations during practice so that when those same situations arise in contests, they are not unfamiliar and not so “scary”, is one way.   Even just having a conversation with your athletes about possible contingencies that could arise during a training session or contest can help as well.

Bottom line – as best you can prepare physically AND mentally for when you enter uncharted territory.  You Can Do More … your brain WILL lie to you as it did to me yesterday.  Be ready for it – Don’t Believe It!

Any questions or comments?  They are always welcome – I WILL respond!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

“I’m Starting on My Team, Why Do More?”

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seth godinLet me share this one more time.  Every day I read Seth Godin’s blog.  His blog would be categorized as a marketing/ business type blog – not directly athletic or sports related at all.  Nevertheless, I find it interesting and useful daily.  Often I find it directly applicable to coaching, and athletics.  Today was one of those days.  Here is the text of today’s post:

“I’m making money, why do more?”

  • Because doing more than you need to makes it personal.
  • Because work that belongs to you, by choice, is the first step    to making art.
  • Because the choice to do more brings passion to your life and it makes you more alive.
  • Because if you don’t, someone else will, and in an ever more competitive world, doing less means losing.
  • Because you care.
  • Because we’re watching.
  • Because you can.

The initial question can easily be changed to apply to athletics and coaching:

“I’m starting on my team, why do more?”  or

“We’re winning games, why do more?” or

“I was All-Conference last year, why do more?

  • Because it makes your work personal
  • Because it brings passion to your life and makes you more alive
  • Because if you don’t you will eventually lose
  • Because you care
  • Because you can
  • You Can Do More!

icarusI would highly recommend Godin’s blog and his books, his most recent being the “Icarus Deception, How High Will You Fly?”  It aligns perfectly with concept of Doing More.

Tomorrow I will share some data regarding the Power Quotient and Vertical Leap.

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Championship Habits

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Every day I read Seth Godin’s blog.  Although he is not a “sports” person, and his blog is not aimed at athletes or coaches, I find his writing to be aligned with my thinking most of the time.  His blog, books, and lectures are just as applicable to athletes and coaches as they are to CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies.

Here is Godin’s post from yesterday:

Actually It Goes The Other Way

Wouldn’t it be great to be gifted? In fact…

It turns out that choices lead to habits.

Habits become talents.

Talents are labeled gifts.

You’re not born this way, you get this way.

Simple and to the point…

  • make good choices
  • develop good (championship) habits
  • become “gifted“

In case you missed it – I have more related content here:

Thanks for stopping by… Any questions, just comment or email!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

The Little Things are Big

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Do you make it to every practice?  Are you always on time?  Do you always give your best effort… Do you always do your best work?

moneyWhat if I told you that I would give you a million dollars if you made it on time and to every practice this year? Would you find a way to get there every day?

What if I told you, guaranteed you, that if you never missed a practice,and never missed a workout, that you would be rewarded at the end of your career with a full ride athletic scholarship?  Would you find a way to do it?

trophyWhat if I said that if all of your teammates did the same thing, I would guarantee a state championship?  Would you find a way to make sure that you and all of your teammates held up your end of the bargain?

What if I said that if you went any harder, ran any faster, blocked any longer, finished the drill any quicker… You would be rewarded with a championship or scholarship… Would you do it?

I am sure that the answer to all of these questions would be YES!  And if it was yes, then my next question is why aren’t you doing those things then?  Because, even though there are no guarantees that you will be rewarded with scholarships and championships if you do these things, it is almost certainly guaranteed that you won’t if you don’t !  Doing these little things, developing these good habits, these championship habits, will make greater success possible.

When you understand how important these “little” things are, most athletes, most competitors can find a way to do it.  You have to develop the mindset, the attitude that it IS important… that a million dollars, or a scholarship, or a championship IS riding on it.

Here is the deal… your brain will lie to you.   It will tell you that you are tired, that you can’t possibly go any faster or farther… You can’t get that last rep on your heavy hang clean day… You cant possibly make it down the court to block that shot… your brain will try to convince you that it is only ONE practice -being late or missing isn’t THAT big a deal… ALL LIES!

You can do all of these things and more.  I have witnessed it countless times when great competitors, young athletes just like you,  have done more than they ever thought possible…. Because they beat back that lying lizard brain… That voice that says “I cant”  and replaced it with the champions mantra of “I WILL” – And they do it daily until it becomes a habit.

It is not easy… I know… But I also know you can do more … Trust me… Be the best.

Here is some bonus content for those of you that did more and read to the end of this post.  This is Seth Godin talking about quieting the Lizard Brain.

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Grit and “The Grind”

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I was having a conversation last night with a good friend and colleague, Scott Baumgardner.  Coach Baumgardner is currently the wide receiver coach at the University of New Mexico.  We were talking and laughing about the “grind” that is college coaching.  The endless hours you put into the job, while loving every (well nearly every) minute of it.

In his book, The Icarus Deception, bestselling author Seth Godin  discusses the concepts of grit and and grinding

“….  is precisely the same grit we seek out in a leader or hero.  We measure sandstones and grindstones in terms of grit – the ability to stand up to resistance.  Someone with grit will grind down the opposition, stand up to criticism, and consistently  do what’s  right by their art [work].”

“If the grind is wearing you down, then you may be viewing the grind as the enemy, something apart from the work itself. The person with grit on the other hand, understands that the grind is part of the work, that the grind is part of what makes the work interesting, a challenge, worth doing. If there were no grind, you would need no grit.”

The grind (substitute your own term here…. practice, long hours, weight training, running… you name it) is not the enemy…. It is what makes the work interesting, challenging and worth doing.

The challenge to you … Have grit… grind down the opposition… Be a leader and a hero! Your art (work) needs you.

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It! 

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

The Courage to Compete

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softballIt takes courage to participate in athletics.  You are “putting yourself out there” for everyone… spectators, family, friends and foes alike to watch, judge, critique, etc.  It is easy to sit in the stands and grouse about how your team is lacking, or how your school’s players are “not very good”.  It is much harder to compete, take the risk, do the work, and be a Doer!

It takes courage to be a coach, to put your product (your team) out for evaluation every Friday night or Tuesday or Sunday afternoon.  I chuckle inside when other teachers worry/ complain/ get angry about being “evaluated” once or twice a year.  Coaches not only get evaluated during those two “official” teaching evaluations, but also every Friday night when they put their team on the field.  The evaluation is done not only by school officials, but parents, community members, students, and the media.  In addition to these “evaluations” many of us also get evaluated almost daily by our Activities Director and/ or administration… watching practice, checking grades, monitoring your teams behavior while they are at school.  And it is ALL GOOD!  It comes with the job; it is what we signed up for, and generally keeps us on our toes.  So why do we do it? Why do we decide to compete, to coach?

This is a excerpt from Seth Godin’s blog yesterday about being a spectator as opposed to a Doer:

The spectators foolishly assert that if everyone was a doer, a leader and a maker of ruckuses, then there’d be no one left in the audience. As if those that do require an audience.

The alternative to being a spectator involves failure and apparent risk. It means that you will encounter people who accuse you of hubris and flying too high, people who are eager to point out the loose thread on your jacket or the flaw in your reasoning. The spectators in the stands are happy to boo, happy to walk out when the team is struggling in the third period, happy to switch if the bread or the circuses cease to delight.

Why on earth, they ask, would they want to be anything but a spectator?

And yet, those that have foolishly picked themselves, stood up, stood out and made a difference, can’t help but ask, “and why would I ever want to be a spectator again?“

And yet, those that have foolishly picked themselves, stood up, stood out and made a difference, can’t help but ask “and why would I ever want to be a spectator again?”

Indeed!

Pick Yourself – Be a Doer, Be a Competitor!

Tomorrow – Bench Press video and tips.

Notice that the blog address has changed – simplified!  I have my own domain:

youcandomore.net    (.net NOT .com!)

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Playing Fast!

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film studyTo catch a college football coach’s eye (or a college coach in any sport),  not only do you have to have the Purple Cow qualities of Speed and Explosion, you have to be able to prove that you can transfer those physical skills to the game field and be a great football player.  You have to show the recruiting coaches that you have the next Purple Cow Quality – Playing Speed!

As coaches we have all had athletes that “looked like Tarzan, and played like Jane”.  When I was an assistant football coach at the University of Central Missouri, we had a player that had all the tools.  He was 6’2”, 210 pounds, ran a 4.4 to 4.5 40 yard dash, smart, had good character, and was strong and explosive.  He was the first player that every NFL scout asked about when they visited our campus.  Unfortunately, his physical attributes did not transfer to the field or to film.  He very seldom showed up making the type of plays you would expect an athlete of his caliber to make.  He very seldom showed up on film at all making any plays.

How do you improve your “playing speed”?  How does your speed stand out on film like a (fast) Purple Cow?

Practice!

You will play like you practice. Develop Great practice habits, Championship practice habits, Purple Cow practice habits!

Championship (Purple Cow) practice habits:

  1. Finish every drill
  2. Full speed effort during drills
  3. Go at “game speed” during scrimmages
  4. Do not take a play off during practice.
  5. Never walk on the practice field – jog (or run) onto the field and jog (or run) off the field. Develop the “between the while lines” mentality.
  6. Study  – Know you Alignment and Assignment and Opponent.  Watch Film!  The better you know these things, the faster you will play!
  7. When you are not actively participating in a drill or scrimmage, get a “mental rep”. The better you know your alignment and assignment, the faster you can play.
  8. Get in great shape – the old saying “fatigue makes cowards of us all” is as true today as when Vince Lombardi stated it. Not only does it turn us into cowards, but slow cowards as well!

It sounds simple, but it is really true. When great effort becomes a habit, it will show up in improved playing speed, and it will show up on film.

Most high school players have no real concept regarding effort, and what it means to truly play hard every play – and it shows on film.  I can count on one hand the number of high school athletes that I evaluated when I when I was a college football coach (over 14 years) that went hard every play.  Every one of those high school athletes that did were full scholarship athletes, either at UCM or a level higher.

Those players that do give great effort every play, stand out on film like… well… a Purple Cow!

The next quality that recruiters will look for – Athleticism and Quickness!

In addition to these written posts, I have recently launched my YouTube Channel that deals specifically with the recruiting process.  The channel can be found here : The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel, and the complete playlist can be viewed here.

 

Remember – “You Can Do More…. your brain is lying to you… Don’t Believe It!”

Any Questions?  Just comment or email, I will respond!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com