Father and Son

Father & Son
Originally uploaded by TheRealBigSol

This photo is from last year's Coach it Right! Baseball Clinic. Within the cluster of coaches, a father and his young son reveal what baseball is all about. You can tell that the other coaches are paying attention to the presentation. The father, however, is locked in to his son. You would think the kid had the secret to strikeout Pujols or hit the Ryan Express. Maybe he does, or maybe he's asking his dad if they can go to Incredible Pizza after the clinic. Either way, nothing else matters to the father. His son is the most important person saying the most important words in the room. This is why we have the Coach it Right! Baseball Clinic and why you should not miss the 2011 version of this one-of-a-kind event. The 2011 Coach it Right! Baseball Clinic will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26 beginning at 8:30 a.m. inside the Danis Fieldhouse on the campus of St. Louis University High School. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Please click the following link to RSVP - www.stlsports.org/sportsmanship  or call 314.345.5130. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Nicollerat: The Coach's Coach

I met Steve Nicollerat about a month after starting with the Sports Commission in 2007.  It was myself, Noah Cohan, and Travis Harris.  We were meeting with him about some Coach it Right! Baseball Clinic that the Sports Commission and St. Louis University High School put on every year.  When we walked into his office, Steve quickly put to bed any pre-conceived notions I had about how experienced coaches act and think.  He's not "old school." Steve doesn't live in the past.  I imagined a coach that would give me the "back in my day" talk.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Sure, his office has baseball memorabilia and some of the awards his kids have won over the years.  There were also two laptops and a desktop computer going at the same time.

Steve gave us a quick lesson in hitting instruction.  He was watching film of some of the game's best hitters - Pujols, Ramirez, Soriano, and so on.  He told us how their swings were different from the way he'd been taught to hit and how the experts say you should hit.  Yet, these guys are in the major leagues.  You could almost see the wheels turning in his head.  He was joining what he learned as a young coach to what is happening now.  It's fascinating to see a teacher learn.  The more I talked to Steve, the more I learned that he coaches for a lot more than championships.  Take a look at the first two minutes or so of the video below.  Steve explains why he coaches (Email subscribers click here).



Any coach would benefit from this hearing this man, baseball or not.  This is why we continue to partner with Steve and St. Louis University High School year after year.  This is why hundreds coaches have attended the Coach it Right! Baseball Clinic over the last several years.  Steve has a new way to teach the game, improve as a coach, and deal with parents every time I see him.  Don't be the one who missed the awesome opportunity to hear from one of the best coaches in the region.  Register by clicking the following link for the 2011 Coach it Right! Baseball Clinic; which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26 beginning at 8:30 a.m. inside the new Danis Fieldhouse on the beautiful St. Louis University High School campus.  This event is free of charge, but registration is required.  Breakfast will also be provided by Metabolic Meals; a company specializing in gourmet that's good for you.  Registrations can also be completed by phone.  Please call 314.345.5130.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol 

Related Links:

Baseball from the Ground Up! - http://www.bftgu.com/
Metabolic Meals - http://www.mymetabolicmeals.com/

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Christian Heritage defeats West Ridge 108-3

Christian Heritage High School (Utah) defeated West Ridge High School (Utah) 108-3 in a girls basketball game last week.  This type of story comes up several times every year.  Most of the stories can be summed up in two lines.  "Big, bad winner beats up on poor, innocent loser.  Where's the sportsmanship?!"  Alright, alright.  Let's stop the madness.  Why do we call for sportsmanship after something bad has happened to our kids?  Listen to what the Christian Heritage coach had to say about what happened (email subscribers click here).  



It's unbelievable what some people say who are put in positions to teach and coach our kids.  However, I am about solutions.  So here's a simple one.  High school leagues should strongly consider instituting a mercy rule.  I know the rules are in place at the youth level, but high schoolers are kids too.  These girls lost by 105 points, but the game was really over when they got down by 30.  Nobody ever comes back from being down 30 or more in a high school basketball game.  It happens in the pros because the players are on the same skill level for the most part.  That's why you can see a team get blown out one night and come back and beat that same team the very next night.

Blowouts on the youth and high school level happen because of talent disparities.  The kids simply can't come back.  That's where we need to step in and encourage high school leagues to adopt mercy rules.  Professionals use lopsided defeats as motivation for the next contest.  Kids just quit.  Professionals also respect each other enough to slow down the offense or put in all the subs.  That's another reason why you never see pros losing by 100 or more points.  They police themselves.  We obviously need to do the same for our high school kids.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol 

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Sportsmanship Summit Picture Pages

Aeneas Group Example 1
Originally uploaded by TheRealBigSol

This is my first attempt at photoblogging. So, here goes. The picture you see in this post is from last Saturday's St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit at Maryville University. Our keynote speaker, former Rams great and future hall of famer, Aeneas Williams provided a teamwork example made famous by the legendary John Wooden.

Williams had five coaches from the audience stand in a circle. He then explained how Wooden would get five of his players to stand in a similar circle. Their assignment was to look the next man in the eye and explain why he was important to the success of the team. Granted, Wooden coached many future NBA and hall of fame players, but what about the kids he coached that didn't make it to the next level?

I imagine it would've been easy to look to your right and tell Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) how important he is to the team. But what about the guy at the end of the bench? Every team at every level has that player - the one who gets in the game only if you're winning by 40 or losing by 40. What do you say to that player to make him feel he's really part of the team? The point of the exercise is to make each player value and trust one another. Try it with your kids and see how it works.

You'll also notice our new photostream in the upper right corner of this blog post (email subscribers click the Sportsmanship link at the bottom of your page). The new Flickr photostream includes photos from the Sportsmanship Summit. Please have a look and enjoy. Feel free to leave comments as well. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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1,023,000 - 61,000 - 6,000 - 875 - 300

The numbers in the title of this post mean something to you only if you attended the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit this morning at Maryville University.  Before I post any video or share any stories, I want to say thank you to each of the 100 parents and coaches who braved the cold and snow to make sports better for their kids.  This post isn't about me.  It's about you.  Please let me know, honestly what you thought of today's event.  If you loved it, great.  If you thought it wasn't so great, let me have it.  What's important is that we continue to improve the Sportsmanship Summit so we can continue to improve sports for our kids.  Thank you all again and check back throughout the week for photo and video updates from the Sportsmanship Summit.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Headed out to the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit. The clock in my car reads 6:15 a.m. Let's get it!

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The Sportsmanship Summit is on

You didn't think a little snow would stop the cause of sportsmanship, did you?  Aeneas Williams, will host a free autograph session beginning at 8:30 a.m.  There will be free food, a good message, and great people.  Our friends from 101 ESPN Radio in St. Louis will be on-hand with their prize van.  I know what you're thinking.  You found out late and you didn't RSVP.  I usually don't do this, but I'll make you and everyone reading this post a deal.  If you make the effort to come to the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit, I promise you will not be turned away.  For more information, including directions to the Maryville University Auditorium, please call me at 314.852.6882 or click here.  Don't think it's too late or too early.  I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve when it comes to this event.  I'll see you all in the morning for what promises to be a tremendous experience.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol 

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Some kids have already decided to quit sports

In St. Louis, less than one-fifth of all schoolage children participate in after school activities.  This includes sports and other activities such as chess, debate, and even band.  There are several factors that contribute to this - availability of programming, cost, travel distance, etc.  Specific to sports, some kids simply quit.  They don't quit because of injury or undeveloped skill.  You might be very surprised to find out why many of the kids for the following Duke University video quit sports (Email subscribers click here).



Are you surprised?  Either way, we can all do something to help maintain the fun in sports for our kids.  It starts by joining us for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit this Saturday, January 22 at Maryville University. We will discuss topics such as coaching leadership, sports parenting, bullying, athlete safety, and much more. Former Rams great, Aeneas Williams will deliver the keynote address and host a free autograph session beginning at 8:30 a.m. This event is free, but registration is required to attend. Breakfast will also be provided. Please click the following link to register for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit or call 314.345.5130. Until next time...

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Too much of a good thing

My favorite food is chicken.  I like it baked, broiled, fried, and grilled.  You can put chicken in my burrito, lo mein, or you can honey-glaze it with a side of orzo pasta.  Cheap or expensive doesn't matter either.  I can do chicken gorgonzola from Carmine's or chicken tenders from Trader Joe's.  There are, however, limits to my love of yard bird.  When I was about 10, my mom found a great deal at the local meat market - 25 lbs. of chicken for $25.  I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.  We had chicken for almost every meal, every day for about two months.  I was the only one living at home by then and Mom didn't weigh 110 lbs. soaking wet.  So, it took a long time to get through all that chicken.

It was cool at first.  Mom was a great cook and I'm a great eater. Chicken and dumplings, stuffed chicken and peppers, chicken and waffles, chicken fried rice - OMG!  It came to a head about a month in.  I was getting tired of chicken and Mom was getting tired of cooking it.  The 25 lbs. of chicken were mostly whole chickens.  That meant a lot of cutting and prep work.  Her hands were hurting and she was tired.  She kept cooking because she bought it and I kept eating because she cooked it.  In the end, we were both miserable.  A similar situation may be going on with you, your child, and his/her favorite sport.

Year-round wrestling sounded like a good idea at first.  Johnny will get all this mat experience and be that much better during the regular season.  Now Johnny's neck hurts because he's been in too many half-nelsons.  His shoulder hurts after having to escape too many chicken wings.  You're tired of driving back and forth to practice.  You also have a practice mat in the basement and installed a pull-up bar.  The club already cashed that huge check you wrote.  Now, you both have to see it through and you're both miserable. 

Too much of a good thing is neither healthy nor productive.  Kids need a break from their favorite activity to avoid burnout.  Keep them active - just change their activity.  Football players could participate in track and field in the spring.  They'll stay in shape but won't get beat up from all the contact.  Basketball players might do well with swimming.  It will keep them loose and give their knees and ankles a break.  Think of other ways you can help your kid enjoy sports more.  One thing you can do is join us for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit this Saturday, Jan. 22 at Maryville University.  We will have specific information on how you can help keep the fun in sports for your child.  The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a free autograph session from former Rams great Aeneas Williams.  Breakfast will also be provided.  Remember, the event is free, but registration is required.  To RSVP, please click the following link for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit or call 314.345.5130.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol
 

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Why haven't you signed up for the Sportsmanship Summit?

I had a long post ready to go this morning, but a picture or in this case video is worth 1,000 words.  Do you want this to happen at your youth sporting event (Email subscribers click here)?



This fight happened about two months ago and covers all of the Sportsmanship Summit topics.  Coaching leadership and parental supervision are obviously lacking.  There is a tremendous amount of bullying going on, athlete safety is at risk, and I'm sure no one is having fun.  Some research has also shown that kids who eat properly are less likely to participate in behaviors that start these fights.  So what are you going to do to prevent this from happening in your league?  You can start by clicking on the following link and register for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit; which takes place this Saturday, Jan. 22 at the Maryville University Auditorium.  We will kick-off at 8:30 a.m. with a free autograph session from former Rams great, Aeneas Williams.  The event is free and breakfast will be provided, but registration is required to attend.  Please call 314.345.5130 for more information.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Do we live in an uncivil society?

The title of this post is a question that may force some sweeping generalizations.  We are told to be careful when making sweeping generalizations.  But I like sweeping, especially when the floor is dirty.  And yes, the floor (our society) has become mighty filthy.  Civility is a concept that exists in black and white.  Either civility exists or it doesn't.  Civil and uncivil cannot co-exist anymore than you can sleep through a riot.  I'm not condemning our society, but I am saying we need to watch what we say and do.  I just don't mean politically, either.  Remember, politicians represent us in position and character.  The way we even talk to one another is almost sub-human.

Think about it.  People yell at each other all the time.  You don't believe me?  Watch a group of kids interact.  They yell at the top of their lungs and they're mere inches from one another.  Kids always have and always will model our behavior.  We allow words like dumb, stupid, crazy, and other words not appropriate for this forum to fly out of our mouths to describe other people.  How many times have you seen someone curse another adult clean out and a kid had his/her eyes locked on them like a cartoon?  While I was watching the coverage of the tragedy in Tuscon a law enforcement official said, "Free speech is not without consequence."  Who knows what the real motivation was behind that horrible act?  But the statement is true nonetheless.

Everything we say and do has an affect on someone else.  That's why we produce events like the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit.  Our kids have so much to gain from participating in sports.  If we stay in our roles and support each other, kids will get everything out of their activities that we want them to.  So, join us for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit on Saturday, January 22 at Maryville University.  The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a free autograph session from former Rams great, Aeneas Williams.  Break-out sessions will focus on coaching leadership, athlete safety, sports parenting, bullying and other pertinent topics.  This event is free, but registration is required  To register, please click on the following link for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit or call 314.345.5130.   Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Does this scene remind you of anyone?

Before you enjoy the video below, please remember to register for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Maryville University. Admission is free but registration is required. The event will kick-off at 8:30 a.m. with a free autograph session from former Rams great Aeneas Williams. Please click the following link to register for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit or call 314.345.5130. Enjoy the video (Email subscribers click here). Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Parents as bullies?

There was a story about parental bullying this morning on the local FOX affiliate here in St. Louis.  Do you bully your child?  Before you answer, take a moment and think about it.  Sometimes you can bully someone without even knowing it.  Watch the video (Email subscribers click here).  It's certainly an eye-opener.  Then click on the following link to register for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit.  We'll have a special breakout session dealing exclusively with bullying as well as other youth sports topics.  Don't be the one who missed it!  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

 

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Martin Luther King - A good sport for humanity

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Martin Luther King holiday in America.  Wow!  It seems that we have celebrated Dr. King's life and legacy much longer than that.  Every year, we are asked in some form or another if his dream has been realized.  However, I'm not sure many of us know what his dream is.  Please don't take that as an elitist statement.  It's just that most of us haven't heard or seen a transcript of the famous "I Have a Dream" speech since 5th grade.  Some of us think Dr. King's dream has to do with equality. No. Others think his dream is a call to action for African-Americans.  Strike two.  Dr. King's dream has nothing to do with how many people of color coach sports teams, get hired as CEO, or even elected President of the United States.

You can find the meaning of Dr. King's dream in the first and last lines of his hoop.  What is a hoop?  I'm so glad you asked me.  Dr. King was a Baptist minister - an African-American Baptist minister.  The "I Have a Dream" speech is actually a sermon.  Baptist ministers begin their sermons with a biblical text, then move to instruction, and the last several minutes can be characterized as inspiration - or a hoop.  That's the reason why he gets louder and more animated during the last few minutes of the speech.  Dr. King said, "I have a dream...a dream that's deeply rooted in the American dream."  The American dream is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  His last words were "...Free at last!  Free at last!  Thank God Almighty!  We are free at last!"

Dr. King's dream can be summed up in a single word - freedom.  He wanted us to be free to live and pursue our own dreams without fear of oppression, isolation, or persecution.  How does the Civil Rights Movement relate to sportsmanship?  Think of Dr. King as a coach.  He lead, directed, and supported his team through a contest of racism, violence and tyranny.  Although others did not play fair and used the rules against him, he responded nonviolently.  He continued to play by the rules when his opponents did not.  He continued to treat people with respect and honor his position as a leader; even when members of his own team said he should do otherwise.  He did not have the attitude of "us against the world."  His attitude was "us...for all."

We must do our part to help our children realize their dreams.  For many of us, that means helping to improve their youth sports experience.  You can start by joining us for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Maryville University.  Coaching leadership, sports parenting, bullying, athlete safety, and other topics will be addressed.  Former Rams great, Aeneas Williams will kick-off a tremendous morning with a free autograph session beginning at 8:30 a.m.  Breakfast will also be provided.  This event is free, but registration is required to attend.  Please click the following link for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit or call 314.345.5130 to register.  One more thing, Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech is available below in its entirety (Email subscribers click here).  I hope it inspires you to pursue your own dream.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol     

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Personally, Rex Ryan sets a poor example for coaches

The following video shows New York Jets head coach, Rex Ryan talking to the media earlier this week (Email subscribers click here).



Now forget everything you just saw and heard from Ryan.  His example represents what not to do as a youth coach.  He talks about how this Sunday's matchup between the Jets and the New England Patriots is actually a personal contest between himself and Patriots coach, Bill Belichick.  Wrong!  To quote a local radio personality here in St. Louis, "He's as wrong as Wrongy Wronginson!"  It is never about you. A coach's job is to put his/her players in the best possible position to be successful.  Making the game about you does nothing for the players.  Focusing on yourself takes away from the hard work and dedication your players are putting in.

Coaches don't score touchdowns or make tackles.  They plan, direct, and support.  A good coach's strength comes out through the players.  Let them have the spotlight.  Let them have the glory.  Your reward lies in their success.  It doesn't matter if you coach football, basketball, or another sport.  Resolve to make this season about the success of the kids.  You can start by joining us for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit on Saturday, January 22 at Maryville University.  We will discuss topics such as coaching leadership, sports parenting, bullying, athlete safety, and much more.  Former Rams great, Aeneas Williams will deliver the keynote address and host a free autograph session beginning at 8:30 a.m.  This event is free, but registration is required to attend.  Breakfast will also be provided.  Please click the following link to register for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit or call 314.345.5130.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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America SCORES St. Louis seeks program coordinator

Being a regular Sportsmanship blog reader (as I know you all are) can pay off for you in a big way today.  Sportsmanship Initiative Team Player, America SCORES St. Louis is looking for a program coordinator.  I was contacted by their executive director last Friday and was asked to give this information specifically to you.  The readers of this blog are people who work with and care about kids.  I have provided a brief description of the position below.  Please click the link provided for the full job posting and contact information.  

America SCORES St. Louis
Full-Time Program Coordinator

The Program Coordinator is primarily responsible for managing the soccer component of an elementary after school program. For more information, visit http://www.americascores.org/#/stlouis/resource/4312. The deadline for application is January 18, 2011.

America SCORES St. Louis has been a tremendous participant in Sportsmanship Initiative programming.  Check out the video below of a recent visit to SCORES by our Sportsmanship Brigade volunteers (Email subscribers click here).  Be sure to join SCORES and many other organizations for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Maryville University.  A free autograph session featuring former Rams great Aeneas Williams will begin at 8:30 a.m.  This event is free and breakfast will be provided, but registration is required.  Please click on the following link for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit or call 314.345.5130 to register.  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Rams great Marshall Faulk among Hall of Fame finalists

In 1998, I worked for Lift For Lift Gym - an after school program in north St. Louis.  We had a good relationship with the Rams and starting quarterback, Tony Banks.  He was an ardent supporter of the program.  Aside from financial support, Banks would often appear at Lift For Life outings and participate with the kids.  Unfortunately, his football was not as good as his philanthropy.  The Rams parted ways with Banks after a disappointing 4-12 campaign.  Before the 1999 season, the Rams traded for Marshall Faulk- an explosive running back who had spent his early years with the mostly underachieving Indianapolis Colts.

I was asked to write a letter to Faulk explaining Lift For Life Gym and requested he visit the facility.  We received a response several weeks later.  Marshall Faulk was coming in for a visit.  His impact on the organization and on our hometown St. Louis Rams was more than anyone could have imagined.  Faulk helped lead the Rams to a victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.  He also helped Lift For Life grow the after school program and was instrumental in the development of  Lift For Life Academy middle school.  Faulk was named Sunday as one of 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  He helped bring a football championship to a baseball town and made a positive impact on the lives of many St. Louis area kids.

You can make a hall of fame impact on the kids in your life as well.  Please join Faulk's teammate and future hall of famer, Aeneas Williams for an event designed to improve the sports experience for kids.  Please click the following link to register for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit - and help address the pertinent topics of coaching leadership, sports parenting, and bullying among others.  The St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit will be held on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Maryville University featuring a free autograph session with Aeneas Williams beginning at 8:30 a.m.  The event is free to the public and breakfast will be provided, but registration is required to attend.  Please call 314.345.5130 for more information and enjoy the Faulk highlight package below (Email subscribers click here).  Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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Aeneas Williams to headline St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit

We see it all the time in sports.  A very good team would be a great team if they had just one more player - that MVP caliber player.  Last year's St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit represented that kind of team.  We had a good program and great presenters.  Everyone who attended knew we were on to something special.  There was a missing element - one that would completely separate this event from any other.  I am proud to say we've found that player.  Former St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals defensive back Aeneas Williams has joined the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit as its keynote speaker.  The following video is from an All-Pro Dad event where he encourages fathers to get involved in their kids' lives (Email subscribers click here).



The St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit - A Morning to Improve Youth Sports is a free event designed specifically for youth sports parents, coaches, officials, and team administrators.  We will focus specifically on the topics that most greatly impact youth sports.  Coaching Leadership, Sports Parenting, Bullying, Athlete Safety, Professional Dreams (How to keep the fun in sports), and Food for Thought (The fight against childhood obesity begins at home).  Mr. Williams will address the topic of "Know your role and become a role model."  The St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit is Saturday, January 22 at 9:00 a.m. in the Maryville University Auditorium.  A free autograph session with Mr. Williams will begin at 8:30 a.m.  Breakfast will be provided as well.  Again this event is free, but an RSVP is necessary to attend.  You can register by clicking on this link for the St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit or call 314.345.5130.  Until next time..

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

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