W4S features

Working Concessions, Meeting Olympians

Monday, September 1, begins a new year of weekly stories for wired4sport.

Thanks for joining the wired4sport community to promote the value, integrity and love of sport!

Transplanting Passion

MONDAY, September 1, will begin our new year for wired4sport! Stay tune for all new stories, updated weekly!

Thanks for joining the wired4sport community in promoting the value, integrity and love of sport!

For the Sake of the Cause

What does Track have to do with saving the planet?

Blind Faith

Relocation and job change are major stressors for all of us. Swin Cash is heading to the Seattle Storm for the '08 WNBA season. After 6 years with the Detroit Shock, this will be a major transition.

Memories and Lessons

Pat Summitt's classy move after an opposing player went down taught my girls a great life lesson.

Legends...in Others' Eyes and Mouths

For the summer, we will be changing the home page story every Monday to give our writers time off. We will resume our daily feature stories in mid-August. Thanks for logging on to wired4sport.com!

The Moment

I was sitting in the locker room during my senior year before the most important game of my high school career and quite possibly my last. I had dreamt of this situation my whole life.

Tight Spot

What should you do when you get into a tight spot or in over your head?

Taking a Stand

During the summer, the home page feature story will change every Monday to give our writers some time off. We will resume daily feature stories on August 15. Thanks for reading!

One of the things that I appreciated about coaching at a Division 3 Christian College was their hard stance against competing and practicing on Sundays.

An Incomplete Player

For the month of July, the home page stories will change every Monday to allow our writers some time off this summer! We will resume daily home page features in August! Thanks for reading!

For most of my life as a competitor I was terribly incomplete. I desperately loved the sports in which I participated, I was always conflicted in my heart about how to compete.

Do Shoes Really Matter?

For the month of July, the home page stories will change every Monday to allow our writers some time off this summer! We will resume daily home page features in August! Thanks for reading!

Dear Mark,

Sportswriter Bob Frisk recently retired from the Daily Herald. On his way out, he wrote a letter to his grandson Mark.

Coach Josh Franklin

It's the best-case scenario for a coach. You resign from coaching immediately after winning the highest level championship for which your team can compete. That was the scene for Coach Josh Franklin of Cobden Appleknockers Softball.

Pressure

Tiger Woods won the US Open under tremendous pressure. Here's his positive take on pressure.

Let Yourself Play

It's summertime here in the U.S.A!

Keep Moving

Boy, I've been exercising a lot lately! Not really. It just seems that way.

Each One is Special!

As a coach, I made intentional efforts to help the team recognize, appreciate and to be thankful for the people around them-their teammates, opponents, fans, and officials.

Classy Act

LPGA golfer Lorena Ochoa has been described as having an "inner light"

Recreation or Competition

Having just finished a three day camp for 10-13 year olds this week, I am more aware than ever of the difference between Recreation and Competition.

S.A.D. Basketball - No Regrets

About a dozen years ago, I played in a three-on-three basketball tournament at a local high school...

Worth the Wait

A few weeks ago I wrote an article called Anticipate. I explained that to anticipate is to expect or hope for something. And as readers may recall, I was anticipating my trip into Boston, after a three year hiatus, to watch the Red Sox play.

Game, Set, Match or Game, Set, LIFE!

I am a chaplain AND a physical education teacher. My days often put me situations where I can help kids make good choices for life. Recently, as I taught tennis rules to my class, one outspoken girl told me that her dad used this rule- "when in doubt, call it out." This referred to calling your lines in or out of bounds.

Glory Days

It's my brother's birthday today...

Hungry Players

I was recently in the Central American country of Honduras. While there I met a number of men who compete in fast pitch softball in the two largest cities of the country. They are hungry, even desperate to compete.

Neighbor Girl

I like living in the community that I live in...

Untangle Your Hose

I noticed something while working in my garden.

Focus

Ryan McGeeney is my new hero!

College Baseball Players

I watched a college baseball game this afternoon and made some observations about the young men who play the game. Southern Illinois University was hosting Creighton University in Carbondale. SIU had a four pitcher combined no hitter through 8 and 1/3 innings, but gave up a two run single before closing the game out with a 5-4 victory.

True Strength

What does it mean to be strong? What is true strength?

A Lifer

My father took me to my first Red Sox game in the 1950's.

Worth Another Look

You've likely heard the story by now, seen this picture or read about it on this website, but it was such a rare display that I thought it was worth taking another look...from a chaplain's perspective.

NFL Draftee or Free Agent?

For the last several years I've been watching the development of a quarterback at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. I serve the team as their chaplain and the quarterback is Nick Hill. He was recently signed to a three year contract by the Chicago Bears.

Nicole's Big Toe

Nicole is a track athlete at the high school I work at.

What's the Score?

Why do we place so much value on the score of a game? The easy answer is I guess because scores matter.

An Extraordinary Act of Sportsmanship

"Magical and Crazy" is how one player described the attention they have received.

Autographs

Why do people ask athletes for their autographs? It happens all the time and all over the world. Players are asked to autograph footballs, baseball bats, helmets, bases, tickets, shirts, soccer balls, game jerseys, hockey sticks, gloves, and seemingly every except jock straps. Why?

Run for the Roses Postlude: Thrill of Victory, Agony of Defeat

..."spanning the globe to bring you the wide world of sports...the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat"

Why Do You Play?

I was recently talking with a professional fast-pitch softball player and was stunned by how little money she made. She is at the highest level of play in her sport, but the salaries in her sport are quite small. I asked her why she continues to play for such little pay.

The Well-Timed Volleyball Spike...of Life

One of my most favorite images in all of sports is the volleyball spike!

Values for Life in Sport

Last week I was to speak at a fund-raising event for a local sport club and sharing the program with me were two professional athletes. One is a now retired baseball pitcher who played for twelve years in the Major Leagues. The other is presently playing professional fast-pitch softball in both the USA and Australia.

High Profile Teammates

In a recent conversation with a former Major League pitcher, I asked him about one of his high profile teammates. The teammate was one of the greatest players in the history of the game, but has come under tremendous scrutiny in the last several years. He has been regularly accused of cheating the game, of being rather boorish toward the media and quite aloof from his teammates.

Perseverance in Sports and Life

Perseverance: determination, insistence, urgency, firmness, resolve.

Bucket List

I have a list of things I want to do or experience before I die. I guess you might call this a "bucket list" (to borrow from the recent movie title).

Celebrate!

Celebrate with us!

Ji (Gee)...what a neat guy!

I had an opportunity the other day to meet up with and interview Ji Xiang - a 6'9" tall basketball player for the University of Hawaii.

Know a Good Mechanic?

I love to watch the Red Sox play, but more than that I love to coach and teach the mechanics of good ball playing.

The Same but Different

I just returned from a conference in Phoenix, AZ. Officially, it was the 2008 WNBA Chaplain's Conference. It started on Friday and ended on Sunday afternoon and there were volunteer team chaplains from 11 (out of 14) WNBA teams in attendance, as well as a Volunteer Chapel Coordinator and two Chapel Advisory Board members.

Results

"I've always believed..."

Inspiration

"I coach people, not basketball."

Why is Winning so Important?

I recently watched a Division I Women's Basketball game from the visiting team's bench in the gym of their strongest conference rival. This game and the brief moments after the game were a vivid reminder of why winning is so important.

Fantasy Sports Parenting

Sabermetrics...the science of quantifying baseball as described by SABR - the Society of American Baseball Research.

The Smell of Spring

For me, I have always known that spring has sprung when I walk outside in the morning and smell one of the best smells in the world.

Passion

Sport is a tremendous part of our lives because it allows us to express passion.

Fear of Failure

From countless discussions with competitors in various sports I have been struck by how many of us are driven by a fear of failure. Sometimes it has been a factor used by those who most highly achieve and at other times it has been a paralyzing force.

Injury and Isolation

I was watching a college football practice recently and saw a player pull up with a pulled hamstring. I watched as he limped toward the sideline, but collapse before getting past the numbers. He crumpled to the ground as the trainer reached him. I watched as his position coach moved the other players and their drill ten yards up the field and continued the practice. It was like nothing happened to most of them, but to the injured player time stood still.

A Beautiful Reward

I am a Pentucket Sachem alum and so I was naturally intrigued and pleased to read about a team honored from my alma mater. I was equally pleased because the coach of the girls track team, is a man that I have known since kindergarten.

Without Wax

In Pat William's new book "Souls of Steel" there is an entire chapter dedicated to the character quality of integrity. According to Williams, the word integrity comes from the Latin adjective integer, which means "whole" or "complete".

End of a Career

Through my 51 years of being a player, a coach, an official, a parent and now a sport chaplain / sport mentor, I have seen hundreds of careers start quickly, flourish powerfully, diminish painfully and end suddenly.

An Email regarding team and life

I was driving home from town tonight and I was thinking about a few things...

Exposure

There is a rock climbing term called "exposure" where certain moves are harder to make simply because the climber is aware of the big drops to one side or other. It is psychologically harder to climb the rock that your brain is yelling at you that it isn't safe because your eyes can see danger.

Happy Easter

He is Risen!

It is Friday, but Sunday is coming.

The darkness of Good Friday is what gives me hope.

Why Compete?

Do you ever get a little frustrated with people who don't want to keep score? I have friends who want to go play golf, but not keep score. I don't want to play with those guys. I tell them, "Just go to the driving range and don't clutter up the golf course." What's the point in playing the game if you don't compete?

An Elusive Character Trait

When I asked a group of high school athletes what it meant to be humble, one student answered, "To be embarrassed". He was likely thinking of "humiliation" (a word derived from "humble"), but his comment lead to a great group discussion about how it can be embarrassing (to some people) to be humble.

Super Bowl, Super Bowl Friends, Super Friends

It's been a few weeks since the Super Bowl was played...at our house, it's always - an event.

At the Aquarium

Readers may recall my son Sam's previous story about his love of Beluga whales. He received great feedback and promised to write another story detailing his experience at the Mystic Aquarium where he met three beautiful beluga whales. We hope that you enjoy his story.

A Fine Piece of Paper

Filling out brackets is partly formulaic, but primarily conjecture. Your heart will cause your pen to write down predictions that seem crazy.

The Difference

The difference between something good and something great is...

Teammate, Uncle, Friend

My 12 year old son - Nathan - and I recently ran the 8.15 mile Great Aloha Run.

Football Coaches

While attending the Illinois Football Coaches Clinic in Champaign during March of 2007, I observed some things about those coaches.

That's Ridiculous

I love a good basketball game.

Intrinsic Motivation

Figuring how my son's wiring helped him set up a workout routine.

Lock It Up!

Though it is only late winter/early spring, I am thinking about (American) football. Why is that?

Beyond the Numbers

Please welcome Angela Linsalato Shaw, one of Jen Bell's former softball players, who is pinch hitting for Coach Bell today! Thanks for your story Angela, it's a hit!

Character Tests

Sport provides character tests with each competition, practice session, team meeting, training room appointment and recovery period. We are tested throughout the process by success, failure, frustration, fatigue, disillusionment, pain, indulgence, pride and more.

Small Steps

My friend Adrian Williams-Strong (WNBA-Sacramento Monarchs) gives good advice. "There are no such things as small steps with God. I believe that even the smallest sacrifice is a huge step for God. My small steps were learning to trust in God despite how I felt."

"Together, Forward, Together"

When students returned to the NIU campus last week they were met by a very intentional welcoming committee.

Playing for the Roar of the Crowd

My eight year old nephew is pretty quick.

Watch Your...

Watch...

The Right Mix

it takes the "right mix" to make the perfectly chilled 10 gallon cooler of Gatorade

Where Are The Leaders?

I have noticed an alarming trend in sport over the last several years. The leaders have disappeared. I see it when watching both high school and college athletics teams. Many of the teams with which I'm familiar seem leaderless and their coaches are pulling their hair out.

A Real Champion

Have you ever been in the presence of a real champion?

Tips for Staff Transitions

Through my fourteen years of service as a sport chaplain with college football, basketball, volleyball, baseball and other teams, I've endured several staff transitions. Some were due to resignations to take new opportunities and some due to firings. Either way, they're not easy do deal with for the staff or the chaplain.

Life Lessons of Being First or Last

I always prided myself in being fairly athletic and coordinated enough at least to be picked either first or second to play on any given team in any particular sport.

Appreciated

It's been a busy day today. Our athletic training (athletic health care) room resembled McDonald's during a lunch rush hour.

Losing

A quote about losing...

I Hate Losing!

There is nothing to rival the emotional pain, grief and deep feelings of inadequacy which come with losing. If you're a competitor, you know these feelings and you do all you can to avoid them.

All You Need Is...

Our last game was against the team that gave us our one and only loss.

When the Unexpected Happens

I had heard of it happening to other chaplains. I had read about it, even talked with a chaplain who had experienced it. But never had I even come close to what occurred this season.

Priceless

What in life is priceless?

No Joke

"Softball season in New England is a joke." Yes, someone actually said that to me once. I took the comment in stride, however.

Compete Your Heart Out!

Since I've been able to stand up, I've been a competitor. My great-aunt was fond of telling the story that as a two year old, I would be standing in the front yard with a ball and bat yelling, "Play ball!" I grew up with two younger brothers and pretty much all of life was competition, even dinner.

He lost the tournament, but won anyway

Phil Mickelson paid attention to way more than golf during the recent FBR Open.

Every Second Counts; Every Little Thing Matters

For four years, I have hoped and dreamed and trained (okay, maybe I didn't train as well as I should have or could have) and ran.

Beautiful Feet

Did you hear the one about the barefoot basketball coach? It's true. Ron Hunter, head men's basketball coach at IUPUI (Div. I) in Indianapolis, IN, coached a Jan. 24^th game wearing absolutely nothing on his feet.

Enjoying the Mud

When I think of universality, I usually think of people who have the same language, same culture, and basically the same way of life.

Take a Different Route

I love to get out and run in the morning.

Wired to Compare?

Are you wired to compare yourself to others?

Marathon Prep

I was recently asked about how I did in the Marathon this year...

"Hard Fighting Soldiers"

Chette Williams', author of "Hard Fighting Soldiers", passion and living faith come alive in this simply elegant touching work.

Discipline in Training

Recently I gave a talk about the importance of discipline in training. Most of us know from experience that physical training doesn't and shouldn't come easily.

Head Coach Promoted

I loved coaching! When I was asked to drop one of the sports I was coaching and become a full-time faculty person I really struggled.

First Quarter

Just last week, I had the opportunity to see again for the umpteenth time the wisdom of the words my father always said, "Try to finish STRONG."

If you want to sit down, do it on offense

The coach was furious "never get tired on defense.. it's unacceptable."

Run for the Roses

Though it is only January, I am thinking of May.

A Book for All

I knew from the start that male and female coaches share similar highs and lows in the profession. After my recent reading of Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy, I was reminded that we all seek the SAME LORD in our trials.

Not Just Some Assistant Coach

"Who is that?" I asked Ed. He replied, "I don't know, just some assistant coach." I thought about his reply, certainly said without any intention of disrespect for the man or his role as an assistant coach, but at the same time it communicated something.

A beautiful thing

"She has done a beautiful thing to me" said Jesus to the lady with the expensive perfume. (Matthew 26:10, NIV). This is my comment when I view a personal apology to an athlete who was just fouled in a game.

ACL

I know of one term that strikes a myriad of thoughts, feelings, and emotions for people in my profession...

Fun Times Under the Sea

Every week I sit down to write an article for wired4sport. Most often my kids are close by and they have learned that I do this because it gives me great pleasure to write about things for which I am so passionate. For several weeks, my five year old son Sam has asked if he could write an article for wired4sport. He wanted to write about beluga whales.

Never Too Late!

Since she was a young, I tried to introduce my niece to a variety of sports.

How You Know You've Been Watching Too Much Football

January is a crazy month for football. Our family came up w/ a list of how to know you've been watching too much!

Baseball, Basketball, Football, Avocado Ball?

So what exactly is avocado ball? It's simple, really.

It Ain't Over 'til it's Over!

Readers know that I am a competitor. If I am going to compete in something then I will play to the finish, the final out, the end, the last whistle, the final buzzer! You can imagine my dismay and confusion then when one by one my family members dropped out of the game.

The Ups and Downs of Sports

How many of you like roller coaster rides? If you play and watch sports you might as well put on your seatbelts and enjoy the ups and downs that sports are sure to bring.

Self-Confidence

When your self-confidence goes up, so does your net worth!

Being First!

Jennifer was recently been named the National Men's Coach of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Happy 2008!

Some old thoughts to help you celebrate and ponder the New Year.

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from your friends at wired4Sport!

Take Your Ball And Run With It!

Kevin Everett won't ever bust another wedge, but he will hold his children, and he can climb flights of stairs on his own, and he will walk a daughter down the aisle. After all, it is the season of giving and family and miracles. Merry Christmas!

Real Peace

He comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us ...peace-HIS PEACE.

We can't be tired!

"We love the game...we can't be tired."

Missing Practice Is No Fun

Concussion, sprained wrist, dislocated knee. Most student athletes are familiar with these terms. Some had had these injuries over the course of their high school athletic career, but having them all in one season? Most don't, I did.

Motivated

As an athlete I was always motivated best when my coach laid it on the line for me. I needed to be challenged with the reality of the situation, no need to sugar coat it for me. Just tell me what needed to be done and I would do it!

Love That Nip in the Air

I love that the seasons change in New England.

Disasters in the Kitchen

Two weeks ago my daughter and I set out to try and make Christmas cookies.

The Most Dangerous Sport?

I am sitting at home on a rainy Sunday evening.

Late Learner

I am not much of a skier. Although I love to ski, I am just a novice. I can do it, but it doesn't look pretty.

Happy "First Day of Snow" Day

We celebrate lots of weird "holidays" in our family

Making a Point

Coaching is a huge privilege...

Practice

The best and the worst...

Kitchen Ping-Pong

I've been reading through a book recently entitled, "A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future" written by Daniel H. Pink.

Top Ten List of Names for Sports Teams

wired4Sport First Ever Top Ten List!

The volleyball "ready" position of life

I just sent a belated email birthday greeting to our dear friend - Teresa.

The Frozen Freshman

One of my first years of coaching, I had recruited a young player to play softball for my team. She was a dynamite outfielder, had a high batting average, and a great personality to boot.

Opportunity

Don't miss opportunity...

Happy Thanksgiving!

May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving counting all your blessings!
Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at wired4Sport!

East West Sports Buffet

It was a nutritionist's nightmare for sure, but it really brought about my two different cultures...and on a cold winter day in Midwest America...it sure tasted good!

Gratitude

A quote to live by...

Safe at Home

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, I've been thinking about all of us who will be going home, going to someone's home, or simply staying home.

A Perfect Saturday

wired4sport welcomes Roger Lipe as a contributor to our website. Roger is the chaplain for the Southern Illinois University football team. He shares from his unique insider's perspective on college football! The following are excerpts of his personal journal about the 2006 Southern Illinois University vs. Indiana University Football game.

Girl Power!

"Girls on the Run" is a national program designed to help girls discover new things about themselves.

Underlayment

What does your foundation look like?

Vanishing Treasure of Sport: Humility

...it was a bit of a slow game, I decided to ask him a coaching question that would make him think. I asked, "Stanton, why is humility important in sports? He had to think awhile as humility doesn't come naturally in our society.

Never Alone

I have always loved being on a team. I can't think of a time in my life when I haven't been on one. Although the teams I have been on lately haven't been athletic teams, I believe the benefits are the same.

The Best Day of Her Life

The day Marion Jones decided to tell the truth was the day she began to truly live.

A Valuable List

I absolutely love the month of November. Football games get pretty intense and basketball season truly gets started, but that isn't the only greatness about this month.

Sports Choices, Life Choices

The dilemma of choosing the right running shoes made me reflect on the choices I make in life.

Timing Is Everything

Since the clocks changed this past weekend, it got me to thinking about time and timing. In sports, as in many other pursuits, timing is everything.

Oh Captain, Our Captain

I am blessed to be a part of a wonderful field hockey program at a small school in New England. Field hockey has been successful at our school for years and has graduated many players to college programs around the country. We have had great coaches alt all levels, a supportive community, helpful parents and many wonderful athletes.

A Night at the Beach

Our family recently enjoyed a beautiful night at the beach... playing all kinds of sports.

Moments

I've been thinking a lot about moments. Days are made up of moments...one after another, almost imperceptible opportunities hidden in the things that fill up our days. Moments turn into hours, hours turn into days, and days turn into months. November is here, how did that happen?

Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Today is our first game...but yesterday was Halloween!

Beginnings, Milestones, & Discoveries - When "Jessie Got Her Kip"

Do you remember the first sports skills that you learned? Do you remember the "feeling" it gave you? What was it like? Do you remember the first sports skills that your children or other children learned? What was the "look" on their faces? What was the "look" on your face? What was the "feeling" in your heart?

In A Pinch

I like the concept of pinch hitting and pinch running and have always been impressed with athletes who are called on to perform in a critical situation.

I love kids!

I love kids. Have you ever noticed how much they have to teach us?

Natural Recruiters

My first teaching and coaching job taught me a lot that I could not have learned in college. Often times experience is truly the best teacher.

Why Do You Play Sports?

Some random thoughts of American high school athletes written on the wipe board of their athletic training room...

PLAY Ball!

Last night I watched the Boston Red Sox clinch the American League Pennant. I was, like so many, thrilled that they won. But it wasn't just that they won the pennant that made me so happy to be a part of "Red Sox Nation" again.

Hardwork and Fun?

Hardwork and Fun...

Delayed Gratification

I waited 35 years to see a game there, and it was quite the scene with over 80,000 truly fanatical football followers filling the Rose Bowl.

One Step At A Time

One week ago, I am happy to report, I ran my first 10K road race.

A Good Sport

Though the Cubs didn't make it to the next round, they have an oppportunity to show they are good sports!

I Love To Surf!

There is just nothing like the beauty of the ocean.

And the Answer is....

So much for a high stakes contest for a t-shirt. Maybe I should have offered up a matching baseball cap!

Nenhum Medo Da Falha: No Fear of Failure

Where does fear come from? Why is it so often related to performance and/or failure? In sports and in life?

Hard to Break Habits

We all have habits. Some are good, some are bad, some don't make any sense, and some make perfect sense.

Weaknesses

Quote on weaknesses

Major League Change

There is, one major league CHANGE that I would make in MLB...

Winning or Losing As A Team

Team sports are beautiful, and the rules are clear..... you stick together, or you go home.

WIN A T-SHIRT!

How would you like to win a free t-shirt?

Phat Pat: The Joy of Sports and Life

How much joy do you get in playing sports? How much joy do you receive in living life? When you think of someone who exudes the joy of sports, who do you think of? Who - in your world - really "breathed" joy into sports and "lived" life?

A Promise to Will

I don't usually cry when I watch athletic events. Well, there was that one time in 1986 when a certain Boston first baseman let a ball roll through his legs, but that's a different story. But as I watched Will not only play but play well, I started to tear up.

Inferiority

An inferior quote...

First and Lasting Impressions

It sometimes takes people like me more than one lesson to learn a simple fact like giving people a chance beyond whatever impression they have made upon first meeting them.

You Can't Hit By Yourself

I love how sports mirror life, and what we learn on a court translates so easily to other areas of our lives.

Do Not Let Our House Be Divided

We have 5 core values on our team. These values are paramount to how we build our team. One of the values is unity and we have coined the phrase, "Do not let our house be divided."

A Tale of Two Joes

If you haven't seen the movie "Touching the Void" (2004), I would recommend that you rent it. It's the true story about two young guys who decide to climb the frozen mass known as the Siula Grande.

Sports Legacy - "Da Boss"

In my day-to-day work as a high school athletic trainer (physiotherapist), I am blessed to have many wonderful people that I cross paths with

Failure to Communicate

You've seen it live on television, you've watched over and over on instant replay, and if you're anything like me you've done it yourself.

Competing like a chicken with her head cut off

A good contest to me is one in which the opponents are equally matched, each one bringing their best, and the pressure to see which team tests better.

Teachable Moments

I coach the freshman girls volleyball team at my high school and I love it. I think the best part is when those teachable moments come along and you see the girls understand what you are trying to teach them.

The Value of a Sports Water Cooler

Working as an athletic trainer (physiotherapist) in an American high school sports setting brings about unique challenges in life.

Time on the Clock

Have you heard the one about Mike Flynt? He's the guy, who at 59 years of age, is finally using his last year of college football eligibilty.

A Summer Camp Memory

As the days went by and the losses piled up, someone noticed that, not only hadn't we won a game, we hadn't even scored a point. Not a goal, not a run, not a point. Not good.

Thanks, Jim Thome

After years of good coaching and hard work, Jim Thome hit his 500 home run last night with a walk off home run game winner for the Chicago White Sox.

CONCENTRATION

A great quote by tennis great Rod Laver on CONCENTRATION!

Losing Your Baggage

Losing our baggage can be very difficult

Identity

Identity is such an important concept for all of us especially for young athletes. We need to help each one understand what it is and what it isn't...

Sports Parents - Harmony or Cacophony?

I love the picture that's connected to this article. It shows some parents at a sporting event helping out with the sports club's food concessions. From cooking and cleaning to setting up and taking down and everything in-between...do young athletes understand or appreciate good sports parents?

And the Winner is...

At the appointed moment, I sprang out of the back of our canoe and dashed for the beach.

Still Competing!

I've always loved competing.

Baggage

Our emotional baggage can be distracting.

The Lonely Runner

Sometimes just showing up is a win.

Attitude

Attitude is always a "player" on your team.

What's In A Name?

I love hearing nicknames - any nicknames, but especially sports nicknames.

In the Bag

This past weekend Ed and I raced our canoe in the annual Crescent Lake Association Canoe Race and we were determined that we had the race...in the bag!

A Sport for All Seasons

I just recently returned home from a trip to South Africa. I've traveled annually to South Africa for the last five years to share with sport leaders from around the world.

Don't Check Out!

When asked about advice he would give to players entering a championship series, NBA legend Larry Bird said, "I would tell first-time Finals players that, mentally, they've got to stay in the game. Emotionally, they've got to stay in the game. You can't get too high over a victory or too low over a loss. You just got to keep plugging away, knowing that with four victories you will be world champions."

For a Season

I've been thinking lately about the phrase "for a season." Certainly as a coach and a former player my year was always divided into seasons. There was field hockey season, basketball season, and the finest season of all (in my opinion)...softball season. They were definitive times, each with a beginning and an end.

"Enter the Bearcat" - Finishing Strong!

As much as I love sports and the lessons I learn from sport - there's a part of me that really loves the people I meet in sports and the things that I positively learn from them and share with them.

Untapped Potential

I was talking with a coach recently who was a bit frustrated at the immaturity of one of her players. This player has tremendous skill but she is making some poor decisions right now which could keep her from realizing her full potential anytime soon.

Commitments

Ever been disappointed when you were expecting something really great and instead found something far different? I definitely am disappointed. It is my freshman year of college and I am running my first season of college level athletics. The exciting NCAA, right?

Ode to a "Wicked Awesome" Power Forward

"Wicked Awesome" or "Wicked Pissah" - a term used by people in the New England region of the United States (specifically the Boston area) to describe someone or something that is "really good!"

That's Why They Call It Fishing and Not Catching

My son David made a friend this summer.... his new buddy Gary took an interest in him and taught him some new skills. Mentors are crucial in our lives..... people we can emulate and follow.... and who are willing to think outside themselves and invest in others.

What snags you?

Today we have so many opportunities to watch sporting events. We can watch athletes of all ages participate at many different levels of competition and of course there is always the tele!

What is your word worth?

We battled all game as a team, up and down the court, sideline to sideline, however, we simply got beat on that spring day and our season came to a disappointing end.

Sports, Laundry, and Sunflower Seeds

The other day, I was pulling out some baseball uniform pants from the school's laundry dryer facility when a few sunflower seeds fell out of one of the pants pockets...I had to smile.

Raising Kids, Not Athletes

What you believe is an integral part of how you play the game, and how you do your life.

What have your players learned?

Quote by Coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, University of Chicago football coach

A Mom's Wisdom

I wanted to quit. Ice hockey wasn't as fun as it looked. I didn't realize that skating required as much focus, balance and speed as I thought.

I Still Got It...I Think!

This past weekend I turned 38 years old. I have always enjoyed my birthday and even as the years go by, I have yet to feel the dread of getting older.

The Greatest Moment

I went to Wrigley Field the other day to watch the Cubs play. The seats weren't great. I was in the last row of the lower deck behind third base, so every pop-up disappeared from view until it landed. I also couldn't see the centerfield scoreboard at all. It was fun, though. A guy next to me from North Carolina (whose seats were just as bad) said being there was one of his ten greatest moments. I don't know if I would go that far.

Remembering Emily

August 6 is a somber day for me each year.

It's Really All About May

Life lessons can be learned through sport. Achievement in lots of different areas takes perseverance, it takes patience, it takes a willingness to slowly build yourself up over a period of time. Results come through diligence..... breaking a record in August has little to do with how hard you try today.... It's really all about May.

Dead or Alive

In NCAA I basketball recruiting, there are six days in July between evaluation periods that are called the "dead" period.

Curfew?!

Curfew?! Unbelievable!! It's one thing to be totally 100% at practice and games but having an ultimatum put on me about when I need to be in bed is totally out of control.

Athletic Range-Of-Motion, Athletic Range-Of-Emotion

One of the things I love to see as an athletic trainer is an athlete gain or recover a greater range-of-motion in a body part through pro-active or rehabilitative stretching or exercise.

Running with the Boys

"If any of you let this girl beat you, you will be running all practice to make sure it never happens again!" the boys' lacrosse coach bellowed.

Long Lasting Shaved Ice

Gyms in Honolulu are pretty much the same as gyms in any other city in July!

Climbing

Take some time this summer to disconnect....so that you can engage..... do something to build a memory.

We should really all go to camp

Summer camp is a bridge builder. Girls who came to FCA sports camp in Santa Barbara experienced excellent coaching..... they built relationships.... .and they learned to stretch themselves athletically and personally. We should all go to camp!

An All-Star Chapel

As a chaplain for the Indiana Fever I had the privilege of attending the chapel service for the WNBA All-Stars this year in Washington D.C. Many fans may not realize it but dozens of WNBA players attend optional pre-game chapel services before each of their games.

The wisdom of a Timeout: Rest, Re-Focus, Renewal, or (else) Regret

In sports, did you ever notice how - in the middle of a crucial game - a team or individual might take a time out?

3 Months, 3 Contributors, 3 Cool Shirts

This week wired4sport.com is three months old!

Wired in the Womb

I often think if you are not wired4sport, then what are you wired for? Could people actually be wired for other worthwhile things? The answer is of course they can!

In the Year of the Boar: Celebrating Sport and Culture

Early last week, my son was reading through a book for school entitled: "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" It was a book about a young girl who immigrates to America and gains much of her language and cultural knowledge of her new country through playing stickball in the streets of Brooklyn and listening over the radio to the sports exploits of baseball's legendary pioneer - Jackie Robinson.

I'm Pooped!

My family and I just got back from a week at our camp on the lake and feel like I need a vacation from my vacation!

Thank Goodness for "Monitoring"

I was in Houston recruiting and had the fun experience of having dinner with a former player.

Who's in Charge?

Flying home, my plane was diverted for mechanical reasons, causing anxiety and some spiritual reflection.

Sporting Apparel: Dressed for Success -

Before my most recent marathon, I was busy concerning myself with what to wear on race day.

The Gift of Fly-Fishing

As readers know, I love to fish and I love to win. But on this particular morning, competing to win was the farthest thing from my mind.

Trustworthy

Recently I had a conversation with a player about the importance of trust. As a coach, I will believe that trust is one of the most important characteristics I can model for my players and staff. I learned the importance of trust during my first year of coaching...

Hope: A Lesson from Sport

I like sports. I like what sports has to offer me in terms of experiencing hope at the beginning of every new season, at the beginning of each new contest.

Help up?

Join the discussion. What would you do? Also, submit your own questions or scenarios.

Restoration

An old painting hung in a Jesuit dining room in Dublin, Ireland for over 60 years. While the painting was being cleaned of layers and layers of dirt and discoloration, an amazing discovery happened. The painting was an original Caravaggio masterpiece, "The Taking of Christ" that had been missing since the late 18th century!

Restoration

A Hope-full Perspective on Basketball Camp

I love basketball. It's camp season and all over the country people are running basketball camps. Camps are filled with girls and boys who come for many reasons. It may surprise you but not all kids come to camp to hone their basketball skills! Recently, I was reminded of an important perspective of camp from my friend, Hope.

Out There All Alone

Do you ever feel as though you are doing this life alone? Do you desire connection but feel abandoned?

Pressure of the Double Team

There have been times in my life outside of athletics where I have felt the pressure of the double team. I have faced situations where it felt like it was impossible to make a move and struggled to look for a good way out. Is there a way?

What are YOUR quotes? Topic: Words

Due to the lack of inspiration I have been feeling, not able to come up with a catchy article or story, quip or quote, and to avoid being fired from my job with Wired4Sport, unable to feed my children, pay the mortgage, or provide proper medical coverage for my family, I NEED YOUR HELP! Our topic this week is WORDS.

Running On Empty?

What do you put in your tank?

Equal prizes?

Join the discussion. What would you do?

Overlooked Champions of the Heart

My wife was reading through the newspaper yesterday when she told me that C.K. Yang had passed away.

Summer Surprises

Summer basketball is an interesting animal. My team is rarely all in attendance for practice. Some of them are always late. The schedule keeps changing as people change their minds about hosting summer league. I just don't quite know what to do with it all! I want order, growth, security, routine and COMMITMENT!

No Mercy!

I often wonder where I got my competitive spirit. Both my Mom and Dad played sports growing up but neither one of them had a "win at all cost" mentality.

Touching Every Line

When I was on the 9th grade basketball team, it was called "Suicides"; for the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" U.S. Olympic Hockey Team - coached by Herb Brooks, they were called "Herbies" The timeless (some would say "ancient", "archaic", and/or "inhumane") practice of doing a drill at the end of practice

What Sells

Join the discussion. What would you do?

My Stuff Can Wait

The love of sport is a gift to be embraced, celebrated and suppported.

Sacrifice and a Beautifully Broken Chair

We talk about sacrifice in sports all the time. In baseball and softball, a player will intentionally hit a "sacrifice fly" ball to the outfield so that a teammate can score. In basketball, an act of sacrifice is taking a charge.

Changing History

My cousin David and my uncle taught me everything about baseball. They taught me how to throw, catch, field, hit, run, even spit...just like a boy. This was all good until I turned 7 and became old enough to play Little League.

Late Bloomer

When I was first starting to get involved in sports, it is safe to say that I knew next to nothing about what I was supposed to do when the ball came my way.

Anticipation: The Appetizer of Life and Sport -

I was watching my varsity girls soccer team in a playoff game recently while I lamented to one of my fellow athletic trainers - Shawn - that our girls were really struggling on offense...

Following Orders

Join the discussion. What would you do?

The "Matt" Award

We have a daily opportunity to bless others with words of life, with encouragement, with praise, with affirmation. Courageous living is about rising above difficult circumstances and choosing to make a positive difference in the lives of others. We all ought to try it!

The Power of Words

This past weekend, my university's baseball team advanced to the Super Regionals. I learned about the power of words.

Ducks Dreams Come True

To be honest, I don't really follow professional hockey, but when I returned home from a WNBA game last night and flipped on the TV, the big celebration on the ice had just begun and I was immediately drawn to the drama.

Spring Softball Fever

A few weeks ago I got a bit of spring fever and decided it was time to play softball again. It had been over 10 years since I'd tried to really play. I heard a slow pitch team needed another woman, and I couldn't resist. I don't even have any cleats anymore!

Expect To Win: A Rebuttal

I am not a team player. Don't get me wrong, teamwork is critical in life, as well as sports. It's just that I am often at my best when I am solving a particular problem on my own.

Character

After reading the sports pages, Coach's Wooden's quote continues to daily ring true...

Lifelong Teamwork

One of the major benefits of sport is that it teaches lifelong lessons. Perhaps one of the best lessons that may be learned is how to be a team player. A true team player is one who puts the needs of the team first, before their own needs or wants, for the sake of the team.

Follow-Through

It's intriguing to me how the concept of follow-through is important in so many of the sports that I've played in life.

Singing in the Rain

Today was Field Day.... a day for the kids to play. A day to skip the math and reading and just goof around. Kids ran and crawled and skipped their way to the finish line...... in the rain!

Perspective from the side of the road

This isn't the story I intended to write today and this isn't where I intended to write it. I'm sitting in my car on the side of an interstate highway pecking on my laptop. No, I haven't come here for inspiration.

Expect to Win

A number of years ago, my husband and I signed up to enter a canoe race. Neither one of us had ever raced canoes before but that didn't deter us. We were both pretty fit and we had a brand new canoe. Why not race!

There is no "I" in team

The summer following my first year playing organized volleyball, I went with two of my friends to an FCA sports camp in Pennsylvania. This would end up having more of an impact on me than I ever would have suspected.

Something Smells in Here

Have you ever smelled a rotten potato?

Honoring and Remembering

The people who have paved the way for us in our lives need to be honored, remembered, and followed.

Hall of Fame Double Play Combinations

Tinker to Evers to Chance. If you're any kind of baseball fan (especially of the Chicago Cubs), you may have heard of a lyrical poem describing Tinker to Evers to Chance

Embrace It!

Something that every athlete and coach deals with during competition is change. How well each individual handles and adjusts to change, however, is the question.

Desperately Hopeful

I went to a Chinese herbalist yesterday hoping to get some relief from a chronic ailment.

Bump Day!

If you follow motor sports (or live in Indianapolis like myself), you are probably familiar with the term "Bump Day" as it relates to the Indianapolis 500. For those who don't fall into either of those categories, I will try to explain.

Falling Down

We have to be willing to step out and take a risk in order to learn. Success comes from being willing to fall down. The bruises we get from trying are reminders that we're making an effort to master a skill.

Sports Talk: A Lesson in Communication

"Mine, mine, mine!", "Yours, yours, yours!", "Help, help, help!", "Get him!", "Cover her!", "Move your feet!", "Get there, get there, get there!!!"

Winning and Losing

I have ongoing debates in my brain. There are several themes that seem to continually surface, and when they do, the mental wrestling begins! One of these themes involves winning and losing.

iProgrammers

Athletes have them. Most high school and college kids have them. If you're old school like me, you probably don't. Can you guess what I'm talking about?

Sports Achievement: I Did It & I Hurt So Good!

I just ran my third Honolulu Marathon. My wife still can't quite figure out why I do these things.

An Inspiring Leader

I always enjoyed seeing athletes mature, watching them improve their skills and become better than when they started. I must admit, however, that I took more pleasure in watching an athlete grow and mature as a person.

In the Hands of the Manager

Cal Ripken Jr. was obviously a great baseball player and his record of consecutive games played will likely stand for a VERY LONG time. I think his perspective on that accomplishment can also teach us a bigger lesson.

rest

North America is not particularly conducive to resting. We value production and work and vacations "with a purpose." But, if you tell someone that you're going to spend the afternoon doing nothing the response is generally one of suspicion. Learning to rest and creating space in which to do that is a discipline.

Unity

I love this picture because it's intentional. The girls on this racially mixed high school basketball team arranged themselves this way during the National Anthem before every one of their games last season. No one asked them to, they just did.

RELAX...Three's a charm!

I am an analyzer. It is my nature. So when I'm in competition, it's so easy for me to over think everything.

What Counts

It was in the days before "countable hours." Today, the NCAA requires coaches to sign a sheet that accounts for the number of hours athletes practice a week. The number of countable hours cannot exceed 20 hours.

Fast Focus

It's the third day of the National Championship meet. I have swum for the past two days and find that I am playing a mental game to get myself focused.

Sports Leadership: Lessons from a Fat Hobbit

In the usual joking and banter of an athletic training room, it's not unusual for athletes to talk about recent movies they've seen. This kind of scene is one of my best memories of Antone (aka - the "fat hobbit").

Pertinacious

Pertinacious is an awesome word... we need it in our vocabulary, and we need to exhibit it in our lives.

Fore!

I was helping run a golf tournament last week and had the random idea that it would be fun to actually play a few holes. What was I thinking?

Deserving Recognition

I always love seeing athletes recognized for their hard work and achievements. I especially love it when deserving players receive awards! I've watched Mike play many times though I don't really know him well. The day Mike was recognized for scoring 1000 points...I knew that he was one of those deserving athletes.

Lessons From the Van

Often some of the most important lessons we learn occur along the way while we are on the journey. For me, a very important life lesson was learned on the way to a college softball game in a 15-passenger van.

Sport Psychology/Life Psychology: Finding "the zone"

All of my life, I've been looking for "the zone" It is that realm of achieving peak or optimal athletic performance that comes with a mental focus & ease that is combined with physical preparation, talent, and instincts.

Be Present ...

Do you ever find yourself multi-tasking, trying accomplish more than any human should? As sport-minded people, we can often confuse "efficiency" with "effectiveness." Though I often forget, I do realize the value of "living in the moment."

Respect?

I have always loved sports. Growing up I was the one girl on the block playing touch football with all of the boys, or skateboarding, or playing kick ball in the street, or climbing trees. I just wanted to be moving and playing all the time. To most of the girls my age, this was a very strange thing.

Just One More!

As a kid, one of my favorite things to do was play catch. The type of ball didn't matter and most days if there was no one to play with, I would toss a tennis ball up on our roof, wait for it to fall, and play catch with myself!

Muscles

My chiropractor told me that I should stretch at least as much as I work out.

What have you lost lately?

Nobody likes losing. Whether it's in a "friendly" game of Yahtzee^TM or a serious sports competition, losing simply stinks. There's just nothing fun about it, especially if we have tried REALLY HARD to win. I would like to suggest, however, that sometimes losing can lead to winning, or at least gaining something better.

Risk: You Can't Get to Second Base without Leaving First Base

Risk: You Can't Get to Second Base without Leaving First Base. I remember this saying to be a framed posterboard from a "Successories" store - which sold inspirational and encouraging sayings. It really helped me to visualize the concept of risk.

Fake the Foul?

What would you do to win? You make the call.

A Day for the Kids to Play

I love Saturdays during soccer season. Last weekend I settled into my very comfortable beach chair, stuck a straw in a delicious beverage from Starbucks and enjoyed my girls play on a freshly cut field that smelled like spring. In the Midwest, this was as good as Christmas!! An hour at a time, it was all that is right with sports.

Trust: The Last 5.6 Seconds of Your Game

On my desk at home (among the many things that are cluttered on my desk at home) is a framed picture of Michael Jordan hitting his final game-winning basket for the sixth of six National Basketball Association championships for the Chicago Bulls. There are 5.6 seconds left showing on the clock as the ball goes through the net.

Lost Opportunities

Four years of dedication and hard work was not supposed to end like this. Losing to one of the worst teams in the league in a match that was supposed to be a mere stepping stone to lead us to the conference championship and an automatic bid in the national tournament was not in the script.

Locking In

Did you know that Major League Baseball Teams have Chapel before their home games? Take a sneak peek at a Philadelphia Phillies Chapel led by Chapel Leader Rich Sparling.

Go, Daddy, Go!

It had always been my dream to run the Big One - the Marathon. At the age of 40, I felt that it was now or never.

Hitting the Wall

Most athletes pay attention to their physical needs because performance often hinges on physical readiness. We know when we need water, we know when we need to eat, and rest, and what gives us energy.
So, how about emotional health? Do you pay attention to what's going on inside?

Team Bluebird

I am a Division 1 Women¹s basketball coach. For the last 30 years I have coached at some level, and if the truth be known, I coached even before I had a team. The passion I have for this game and for young people gets more intense each year. But I have a confession to make.

A Photo Finish

I was handed a stack of pictures taken during our recently ended high school basketball season. We had a very fun season, tying for league champions and not losing until the © quarter finals of our playoff bracket. There are many stories which will, I'm sure, show up here now and then. One particular picture captured my attention, though.

Defining Moments

After the heartbreaking, unexpected loss that knocked Duke out of the Women's Basketball Elite Eight, Coach Gail Goestenkors wisely told her team, "Don't let this loss define who you are." What defines who we are in sport? If it's not the wins and losses, what is it?

Sport Dreams: A Paradigm Shift

Ever dream of making the game-winning score? Dream of setting a personal best in a sport? Lead an athletic team to a championship?

Why is Sport Important?

Enter the discussion and post your response and/or
post your question(s) to make people think
about what it means to be wired4Sport.

Crossed Wires and Misfires

I have a friend who plays w/ electricity...Her mantra is "what you don’t know can hurt you."

The Glory of Man

What is a chaplain and why do teams have them? What does faith have to do with sports? As the Team Chaplain for the WNBA Indiana Fever, Kathy Malone will share some insights into faith and sport and give us a sneak peak into what goes on during a pre-game chapel service.

Quips and Quotes

Coach Kay Yow has fought many battles on the basketball court as the head women's basketball coach of the North Carolina State Wolfpack Women, but she's in the fight of her life against the formidable opponent of breast cancer. This is the third time she's faced this opponent. One might expect self pity from someone facing such a foe, but Coach Yow is living by one of her most often quoted sayings ...